October 26, 2012

Butternut Squash Soup with Cauliflower and Goat Cheese Ingredients: 1 2lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes 2 quarts organic free-range chicken stock 1 red onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 fresh red chili or a jalepeno pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 head of cauliflower, florets cut off and into equal sizes Goat cheese Croutons. Check out my recipe for homemade croutons here! Fresh basil Chili flakes Dried rosemary Olive oil Salt and pepper To Make: In a large soup pot, heat up some olive oil on medium heat and add in your chopped onion, celery, carrot, chili pepper, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary. Saute gently on medium-low heat, stirring often, until veggies are soft. About 10 minutes. Add in your butternut squash and the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid askew.  When the squash has softened, puree with a hand blender or transfer the soup into a regular blender.  Put the soup back on the stove on medium-low heat and add the cauliflower.  Taste at this point and season with salt and pepper until desired taste is reached. You may also add in chili flakes if you like a little kick.  Simmer for another 10 minutes. The cauliflower should be softer but still firm to the bite. Not mushy… Serve with wonderful croutons, a few crumbles of goat cheese, some fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.  Enjoy! Best cold weather soup. Also really good for a holiday menu. 

Butternut Squash Soup with Cauliflower and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 1 2lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped into cubes
  • 2 quarts organic free-range chicken stock
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 fresh red chili or a jalepeno pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 head of cauliflower, florets cut off and into equal sizes
  • Goat cheese
  • Croutons. Check out my recipe for homemade croutons here!
  • Fresh basil
  • Chili flakes
  • Dried rosemary
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

To Make:

  1. In a large soup pot, heat up some olive oil on medium heat and add in your chopped onion, celery, carrot, chili pepper, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary. Saute gently on medium-low heat, stirring often, until veggies are soft. About 10 minutes.
  2. Add in your butternut squash and the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes with a lid askew. 
  3. When the squash has softened, puree with a hand blender or transfer the soup into a regular blender. 
  4. Put the soup back on the stove on medium-low heat and add the cauliflower.  Taste at this point and season with salt and pepper until desired taste is reached. You may also add in chili flakes if you like a little kick. 
  5. Simmer for another 10 minutes. The cauliflower should be softer but still firm to the bite. Not mushy…
  6. Serve with wonderful croutons, a few crumbles of goat cheese, some fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. 
  7. Enjoy!

Best cold weather soup. Also really good for a holiday menu. 

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butternut squash soup butternut squash cauliflower croutons soup food recipe goat cheese cold weather autumn food

October 8, 2012

Pumpkin Pasta Ingredients: 1 lb pumpkin pasta - I used this really great, fresh kind I found at Whole Foods called Marina’s Pasta 1 lb butternut squash, or any autumn squash you like 1/2 cup milk 2 sprigs green onions 1/2 small onion 2 cloves garlic Salt and pepper Cinnamon Olive oil To Make: Preheat oven to 375 F Cut and peel the butternut squash into cubes and arrange on sheet tray Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of cinnamon Put the tray in the oven and bake for around 25 minutes or until the squash is tender. Meanwhile, chop the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the green onion.  In a large skillet, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil and drop in the onion and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes on medium-low until the onion is super soft and tender. Stir often to prevent burning.  Heat up a large pot of water for the pasta and make sure to salt the water. Drop in the pasta when the butternut squash is ready to come out of the oven.  Add the squash to the skillet and saute for a few seconds to combine everything.  Add in the milk a little at a time, stirring it in slowly. You want to make a sauce so it needs to get thicker than milk consistency. Add in more if it’s too thick.  Use tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the skillet and stir it in to combine.  Season to taste.  Serve with a sprinkle of green onions and, if you want, a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy! This is a perfect meal for the fall season. So warming. 

Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb pumpkin pasta - I used this really great, fresh kind I found at Whole Foods called Marina’s Pasta
  • 1 lb butternut squash, or any autumn squash you like
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 sprigs green onions
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cinnamon
  • Olive oil

To Make:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 F
  2. Cut and peel the butternut squash into cubes and arrange on sheet tray
  3. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of cinnamon
  4. Put the tray in the oven and bake for around 25 minutes or until the squash is tender.
  5. Meanwhile, chop the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the green onion. 
  6. In a large skillet, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil and drop in the onion and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes on medium-low until the onion is super soft and tender. Stir often to prevent burning. 
  7. Heat up a large pot of water for the pasta and make sure to salt the water. Drop in the pasta when the butternut squash is ready to come out of the oven. 
  8. Add the squash to the skillet and saute for a few seconds to combine everything. 
  9. Add in the milk a little at a time, stirring it in slowly. You want to make a sauce so it needs to get thicker than milk consistency. Add in more if it’s too thick. 
  10. Use tongs to transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the skillet and stir it in to combine. 
  11. Season to taste. 
  12. Serve with a sprinkle of green onions and, if you want, a bit of shredded Parmesan cheese. 
  13. Enjoy!

This is a perfect meal for the fall season. So warming. 

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Pasta butternut squash pumpkin pasta pumpkin october fall season seasonal food recipe

March 9, 2012

Warm Winter Stew  Ingredients: 1 lb stew beef (cubed) 1 lb butternut squash (cubed) 2 potatoes (cubed) 2 large parsnips (cubed) 2 large carrots, diced 1 medium onion, diced 1 celery stalk, diced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/4 cup red wine 2 pinches each of dried thyme, basil, and oregano 1 teaspoon chili flakes Salt and pepper To make: Put cubed stew meat in a large pot. Add just enough water to cover the meat completely. Season with salt and pepper and chili flakes. Bring to boil, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 45-60 mins with the lid partially on, until meat is tender. Turn down the heat if the water over boils.  Add in chopped squash, potatoes, parsnips, and carrots. Add more water if it doesn’t cover all the veggies. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let it stew for 30 minutes.  In a small skillet on medium-high heat, saute in some olive oil the diced celery stalk and onion. When they soften, add in the tablespoon of tomato paste and 1/4 cup red wine. Add in the dried herbs. Stir everything together to make a nice mixture.  Add the mixture to the stew and give everything a good stir.  Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.  Enjoy with good bread!

Warm Winter Stew 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb stew beef (cubed)
  • 1 lb butternut squash (cubed)
  • 2 potatoes (cubed)
  • 2 large parsnips (cubed)
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 2 pinches each of dried thyme, basil, and oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  • Salt and pepper

To make:

  1. Put cubed stew meat in a large pot. Add just enough water to cover the meat completely. Season with salt and pepper and chili flakes. Bring to boil, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 45-60 mins with the lid partially on, until meat is tender. Turn down the heat if the water over boils. 
  2. Add in chopped squash, potatoes, parsnips, and carrots. Add more water if it doesn’t cover all the veggies. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let it stew for 30 minutes. 
  3. In a small skillet on medium-high heat, saute in some olive oil the diced celery stalk and onion. When they soften, add in the tablespoon of tomato paste and 1/4 cup red wine. Add in the dried herbs. Stir everything together to make a nice mixture. 
  4. Add the mixture to the stew and give everything a good stir. 
  5. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. 
  6. Enjoy with good bread!

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butternut squash stew meat potatoes carrots celery parsnips hearty winter food food

October 11, 2010

Ok, since it’s autumn and harvest veggies are in season and there’s plenty of Oktoberfest beer to go around, this is the perfect dish for a nice cozy night in with someone snuggly or a good book.  Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto (Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis)  Ingredients:  4 cups vegetable broth 1 large vanilla bean 3 cups peeled cubed (1-inch wide) butternut squash, about 12 ounces 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon 3/4 cups finely chopped onion (from 1 onion) 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives Directions: In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add them, and the bean, to the broth. When the broth comes to a simmer reduce the heat to low. Add the butternut squash to the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the butternut squash to a side dish. Turn the heat on the broth down to very low and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Discard the vanilla bean. Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the butternut squash, Parmesan, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and salt. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately. This dish is OMG-this-is-so-good-let-me-have-more good.  I can’t stop eating it. 

Ok, since it’s autumn and harvest veggies are in season and there’s plenty of Oktoberfest beer to go around, this is the perfect dish for a nice cozy night in with someone snuggly or a good book. 

Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto (Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis) 

Ingredients: 

  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 large vanilla bean
  • 3 cups peeled cubed (1-inch wide) butternut squash, about 12 ounces
  • 2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 3/4 cups finely chopped onion (from 1 onion)
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add them, and the bean, to the broth. When the broth comes to a simmer reduce the heat to low. Add the butternut squash to the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the butternut squash to a side dish. Turn the heat on the broth down to very low and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Discard the vanilla bean. Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the butternut squash, Parmesan, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and salt. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately.

This dish is OMG-this-is-so-good-let-me-have-more good.  I can’t stop eating it. 

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Oktoberfest omg so good risotto butternut squash delicious beyond belief