Parmesan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing

Hi there! It's been quite a while since I posted. Like all summer, actually. I didn't set out to take such a long break from blogging, but I have a good excuse, I think. My sweet little baby loves:

Life was starting to feel a little too hectic, and I decided I could give more to my family if I just stepped away from my blog for a while. But after a fantastic summer, I was beginning to really miss the creative outlet, so here I am. I want to thank my blogger friends who took the time to send me emails or post comments asking how I was or telling me I was missed. You ladies rock, and I am excited to be returning to such a great community.

On to the recipe I am sharing today. When Simply Life posted a Parmesan Roasted Potato and Squash recipe the other day, I immediately was inspired for that night's dinner.  I used yukon gold potatoes and yellow squash for the red potatoes and zucchini, tossed in grape tomatoes and then to make it more of a main dish, served it over greens with a tangy yogurt-basil dressing. I do want to note that by itself the dressing seems rather tart and strongy flavored, but mellows perfectly once it is mixed with the warm roasted veggies and cool salad greens.

I adored this salad, and since Sage was out of town when I made it, was lucky enough to get to eat it again for lunch the next day. I don't think to use roasted vegetables on salads too often, but this was such a wonderful reminder of how delicious they are!

Parmesan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing
Roasted Vegetables adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen via Simply Life
serves 2-3

3 medium yukon gold potatoes, cut in 3/4 inch pieces
2 yellow squash, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
salad greens of choice- I used a spring mix

for the dressing:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 to whole small lemon, juiced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes, squash, tomatoes and cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat veggies (about two tablespoons) and season with several pinches of salt, a generous amount of pepper and the parsley and toss to coat well.

Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. Flip vegetables over and return to oven for another 15-20 minutes, until slightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine yogurt, basil, garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add remaining lemon juice if desired. Cover and refrigerate until vegetables are finished roasting.

To serve, place warm vegetables on top of a few handfuls of salad greens and drizzle with dressing.

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash and Fingerling Potatoes

I have a husband who loves chicken. Me? Not quite so much. I mean it's alright, but I think I ate so much of it for so long, that I became bored of it. There are just so many things I'd much rather eat instead. Things like fish, beans and tofu. But I'm pretty crazy about my husband, so from time to time, I try to find ways to prepare chicken that will keep him happy. 

When I read Joanne's statement in regards to this recipe, saying how she doesn't even really like chicken, but loved this dish, well, it was enough convincing for me that this was a perfect one to try. That and it had butternut squash. Even if I didn't care for the chicken, there would be roasted squash to eat. But as it would be, I liked the chicken just as much as the accompanying vegetables.

I didn't have the sweet potatoes which were to be be roasted along with the butternut, so instead I used fingerling potatoes. Another change I had to make wasn't intentional. I had accidentally purchased chicken breast strips instead of breasts. But  this just made for quicker cook time. I also reduced the amount of chipotle peppers from four to two. It still had plenty of spice to it, although not so much that Beckett couldn't eat it. I just served his with a big dollop of cooling greek yogurt (which actually complimented this meal wonderfully) and a glass of milk. But if your family is very heat sensitive, I'd suggest only using one.

I'm not sure if it was the two less peppers, or the fact I didn't mince them that finely, but I got a slightly chunky chipotle honey sauce instead of a paste. I just dipped my chicken into the sauce to coat and then once the chicken was placed on the vegetables, spooned the remainder over top of the chicken. It wound up seasoning the potatoes and squash as well, which tasted fantastic. And if you're not sold yet, besides being absolutely delicious, it cooks in one pan for easy clean up.

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken with Butternut Squash and Fingerling Potatoes

adapted from Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, via Eats Well with Others

serves 4

1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1.25 lb fingerling potatoes, larger ones halved or quartered

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp cider vinegar

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.25 lb chicken breast strips/tenders, rinsed and patted dry

chopped cilantro or basil, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Toss the squash and potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil and spread onto roasting pan. Season with a few pinches salt and several grinds of pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, in a small bowl mix together the remaining tablespoon of oil, peppers, garlic, honey, vinegar, cumin, cinnamon and 1 1/4 tsp salt until they form a paste (or in my case, sauce).

Rub the paste all over chicken and place on top of squash and potatoes. (If your paste is not quite a paste, dip chicken into sauce, then spoon remaining sauce over chicken once it on the vegetables). Continue roasting until chicken is just cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Serve garnished with cilantro or basil.

Roasted Butternut Salad with Spinach, Avocado and Tahini Dressing

As I've reached the end of my pregnancy, I've run out of steam as far as the kitchen is involved. It's not that I haven't been cooking, I just haven't had my typical enthusiasm and motivation. We've had some very simple dinners, quite a few old standbys and a handful of meals that wound up just so-so.

Recently, completely uninspired, I diced up some sweet potatoes and popped them in the oven to roast, figuring it would give me time to decide what else I wanted to make. But once they were finished, the best I could come up with was an extremely simple salad. (Luckily, my family really likes sweet potatoes and salad, so no one complained.) At one point of the meal, I tossed some of my potatoes on top of my salad...and well, it was pretty fantastic. The warm roasted sweet potatoes with the salty feta and creamy avocado and the tangy Lemon-Tahini dressing- somehow that odd combination really worked.

So much that a week later I was wanting it again. I didn't have any more sweet potatoes, but I had a butternut squash. Instead of the bottled dressing I'd use the first time, I made a homemade version (based from this recipe) and scaled the simple salad back even more. It was a little different, as the butternut is a less starchy and the dressings weren't quite the same, but it was just as yummy. Sage liked it in a "perfect for a side dish" kind of way, while I was content for it to be my meal. But I'm more of a salad lover than he is anyhow. I wasn't going to blog it though, since the picture is nothing too special, (I missed the good light) however, after eating the cold leftovers yesterday and loving it all over again, I decided I needed to after all.

Roasted Butternut Salad with Spinach, Avocado and Tahini Dressing
serves 3-4

for the dressing:
1 large clove garlic, minced
juice from 1 small lemon*
2-3 tbsp tahini*
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium butternut squash (about 2.25 lbs), peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
8 cups loose packed baby spinach (any tough stems removed)
1/4 cup crumbled feta (I'll bet goat cheese would be good too!)
1 1/2 Haas avocados, diced or sliced
thinly sliced red onion, soaked in ice water for 10 minutes, to garnish (I used a couple tbsps worth)

Preheat oven to 400. Toss squash with 1 tbsp olive oil and a few pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender, flipping half way through. Remove from oven.

While squash is roasting, prepare the dressing by combining the garlic and lemon juice. Whisk in the tahini. Next whisk in the water and olive oil. Set aside.

Once squash is done, toss with a little more than half of the dressing and set aside.

Assembled salad by arranging spinach in serving bowl and layering with warm butternut squash, avocado and feta and garnish with (well-drained) red onion. Serve remaining dressing on the side.

*I had a very juicy lemon apparently, which produced a 1/4 of a cup of juice, instead of the typical 2-3 tablespoons I'd normally get from a small lemon. Since the brand tahini I bought this time is a little more mild, I added an extra tablespoon of it. My resulting dressing tasted rather tart straight from the bowl, but once on the salad, it did not. Depending on the amount of juice your lemon provides and the strength of your tahini, you may wish to start with less tahini and add to taste.

Roasted Pear & Butternut Salad with Gorgonzola and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I've never really been big on pears and I'm not sure why. I won't pick them out of something like a Martha's Vineyard salad, but I won't just snack on one as I would an apple. However, lately- and maybe its a pregnancy thing- whenever I see a recipe with pears, I've found them oddly appealing. Shopping the other day, a few made it into my basket with the mindset if I didn't enjoy them, Sage and Beckett would.

I figured I'd probably roast them and serve them in a salad, but the idea to pair them with butternut didn't come to me until I saw the pears and the squash sitting side by side in my fruit bowl. Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts seemed like an obvious compliment, as did a simple apple cider vinaigrette. This was one of those times where I knew this was either going to be amazing or totally not work out. Obviously, this was a winner. It was absolutely delicious, fairly quick to make and surprisingly filling. I'm definitely rethinking the pear thing.

Roasted Pear & Butternut Salad with Gorgonzola and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

serves 2

1 small (1 1/2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 firm Bosc pears, unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks the same size as the squash

1 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted

1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

salad greens of choice- I used baby spinach

for the dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp fesh lemon juice

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Toss squash pieces with 2 tsp of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Spread in a single layer on one side of a baking sheet. Toss pears with the remaining tsp of olive oil and spread on other side. Roast, flipping squash and pears over during cooking. The pears will be ready at about 20 minutes. Remove them from baking sheet and continue roasting squash until tender, about 5 additional minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Once squash and pears are roasted, toss with a small amount of dressing and let cool just slightly. Serve over a bed of greens, topped with half of the walnuts and cheese, and the remaining dressing on the side.

Lime Cilantro Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Barley

You know how when you are online shopping, and the site you are on is gracious enough to share with you other items "You might also like..." Only then its something not even remotely related and therefore not something you would like at all. Food blogs often have this little feature, and I am often amused by what the computer thinks are similar recipes. Like when it's a vegetable-laden risotto and it suggests you might also like banana nut bread. (Well, actually I would like both of those, but that's besides the point.)

Recently, I was reading a post on Cate's World Cooking that was about cupcakes, and I noticed the generated suggestion below it was for Lime Cilantro Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans. Now, I'm not really a sweets person or a fan of cupcakes, (so it's funny I clicked on that post at all,) but the sweet potatoes and black beans- that was up my alley. I didn't have the potatoes but I did have a butternut, and I find those interchangeable. I got all excited to have it for dinner that night...and then realized I was out of black beans.

As soon as my pantry was properly stocked with black beans once again, I made it, still opting for the substitution of butternut. I just loved the combination of lime, cilantro, roasted squash and beans. I chose to serve it over barley, and while I really liked the texture that they barley added, I do believe that next time I'll toss the barley with the rest of the salad and let it rest a little, just to soak up the flavors a bit. You could also skip the barley and stuff it into a whole wheat wrap or serve it over salad greens. Or of course, just eat it by itself. You might want to double it as well. With the barley, my version only made 2 dinner sized servings, and I'm pretty sure this would make great leftovers for lunch the next day.

Lime Cilantro Butternut Squash with Black Beans and Barley

adapted from Cate's World Cooking (originally from epicurious)

serves 2

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 cups water

5 cups peeled, seeded butternut squash in 3/4 inch dice (I got this from half of a 3.25 lb squash)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

kosher salt

juice from 1 lime (about 3 1/2 tbsp)

zest from half of a lime

cayenne pepper, to taste

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Bring barley and water to boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until barley is tender and water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, toss butternut with 1 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until tender, flipping halfway through cooking time.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lime juice, zest, a pinch or two of cayenne pepper and another pinch or two of salt. Add cilantro and black beans and roasted squash. Toss gently. Let rest slightly and serve warm over barley. Alternately, add barley along with squash and beans.

Quinoa and Chickpea Stuffed Acorn Squash

I always think it's funny how you can look so forward to trying a new recipe, specifically buying the ingredients and anticipating it's wonderfulness, only to have it turn out so-so, or you can last minute throw something together and it wind up being a huge hit. I'm sure you can guess this was the latter.

Sage plays softball once a week. His game times vary and on the nights he has an early game, there isn't time for a family dinner. He just grabs something light and runs out the door. On those nights, I make something very simple for Beckett and I, usually pasta with peas and parmesan (our favorite quick and easy dinner) or salad and leftovers. When it's a later game, I have to put a little thought into what to make. A few too many times, Sage has found himself on the pitcher's mound with an upset stomach. We've discovered racing around the bases and say, a heavy marinara just doesn't go well together.

When he waited until just before getting off work to inform me he had a later game this week, I pondered out loud what I would make for dinner. When he requested something with chickpeas, my mind immediately went to the Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash I've made in the past, as I had a pretty Carnival acorn squash just waiting for a purpose.

The only problem was in that recipe, the stuffing used couscous, which we'd just recently had, and a couple other ingredients I didn't have such as bell peppers and raisins. I decided instead to make a similar version, which included quinoa, apples and dried cranberries. We loved it as much (maybe even more) than the original. In fact, this might've been the first time ever that our ridiculously slow-eating child finished his dinner before I did!

Quinoa and Chickpea Stuffed Acorn Squash

yields 2 stuffed squash halves, with extra filling

1 medium acorn squash (about 1.5 lbs), halved and seeds removed
1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1/2 large apple, suitable for cooking, peeled and chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (15 oz) can reduced sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup apple juice (or vegetable stock)

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange squash halves, cut side down in a baking dish and roast for 30 minutes, or until tender. Keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 cup water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 12 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and vent lid.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large straight sided skillet over medium. Add carrots, celery, apple and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas, garlic, spices, cranberries and apple juice, and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender.

Mix in quinoa, taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary (I added another pinch or two of cinnamon and some additional salt and pepper). Spoon into squash halves to serve.

Curry Honey Roasted Vegetables with Chickpeas

You know when you take a perfectly good (and probably wonderful, as is) recipe and change it up so much it bares little resemblance to the original, and thankfully that gamble pays off because it winds up being absolutely delicious? Well, this was one of those meals. The other day, I was flipping through the most recent issue of Everyday Food, and spotted a recipe for a side dish of Honey-Roasted Vegetables, which contained carrots, sweet potatoes and parsnips, as well as with walnuts and thyme.

I didn't have parsnips or sweet potatoes, but I did have a golden acorn squash, a butternut and a few carrots, which I figured would work well. I was also out of the walnuts, but I thought I'd just sub in chickpeas, making it more substantial and suitable for a main dish. Now here is where I really took the recipe in a different direction: I decided not to use the thyme. Which if you know my love of the the herb, you realize this is strange. But I decided to go out of my comfort zone, and use curry powder instead. Since we don't always love a lot of curry seasoned dishes, I began to fret as this went in the oven, trying to think up a Plan B, just in case.

I need not have worried- this was awesome! Since I had some cooked brown rice in the freezer, I made a last minute decision to serve it with rice, which went perfectly. A sprinkle of cilantro, and I had a wonderful meal I felt quite proud of.

Curry Honey Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
as an entree, serves 3
adapted from Everyday Food's Honey Roasted Vegetables, October 2010

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 golden acorn squash (around 1 lb), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
3 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
cooked brown rice and chopped cilantro, for serving

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange squash and carrots in a 3 quart baking dish.

In a glass measuring cup, measure the honey. To this, add olive oil, garlic, curry powder and ginger. Using a fork, whisk until blended, and pour over vegetables. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Roast until carrots and butternut squash are tender (acorn squash will have broken down a little bit, helping to "thicken" the sauce), about 40 minutes. Add chickpeas, stir, and return to oven for 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and cilantro.

Roasted Delicata Squash and Tomatoes over Spinach Pesto Pasta

While I often prefer to cook without using any kind of recipe, there are definitely times when I'm lazy. Where I'd rather just follow the steps of a tried-and-true recipe, eliminating the guesswork. Because some days, the chopping, mincing, shredding and sauteing is enough work, without having to think. This was the case the other day. All I wanted was to find a quick and easy non-sweet way to prepare the delicata squash that was calling my name. But as ingredients I wanted to use kept popping in my head, I found I was being way to specific in my recipe search.



I'll spare you the wandering thought process that led me to combining the summery flavors of tomatoes and basil along with a winter squash, but I will assure you this was delicious and a fun way to transition late summer and early fall into one dish. Spinach pesto is a favorite of mine because I almost always have lots of spinach on hand, but usually not very much basil (for a florist by trade, I have a surprisingly brown thumb, so growing it is not an option.) I wasn't sure how this meal would all come together, but it most certainly did and I'm glad I didn't find a recipe to follow after all.

Roasted Delicata Squash and Tomatoes over Spinach Pesto Pasta
serves 2-3

1 medium delicata squash (around 1.5 lbs.), unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and cut into 3/4 inch thick crescents
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 cups hot, cooked long slender pasta of choice (I used whole grain spaghetti, about 1/3 of a box)
shredded parmesan, for serving, if desired

for the pesto:
1 1/2 cups tightly packed baby spinach
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss squash slices with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, a couple pinches of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Spread in a single layer on half of a baking sheet. Toss tomatoes with remaining tsp of oil and a touch of salt. Spread onto other side of baking sheet. Roast for 15-18 minutes, or until squash is tender and tomatoes have collapsed, flipping squash over halfway through cooking time.

Meanwhile, pulse all pesto ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping sides down as needed with a spatula. Toss hot pasta with pesto.

To serve, top pasta with roasted squash and tomatoes and sprinkle with additional grated parmesan, if desired.

Quinoa, Butternut and Cranberry Salad

A few weeks ago, I was asked- begged, really- to get a butternut squash by my two and a half year old while shopping. I always encourage his love of vegetables, so of course I did. After going all spring and summer without having any butternut, we were reminded how much our family just loves it. Ever since then, we've been back to enjoying it regularly, never minding the fact it isn't quite fall yet.

I wanted to make some kind of warm salad, and kept picturing the squash with quinoa. I set out to find such a recipe, and found one I could make with the somewhat limited ingredients I had on hand. I did make some substitutions (shallots for red onion and dried thyme for fresh rosemary,) omitted the butter and added in some honey, but for the most part I stuck to the recipe. I chose to let this cool to just warmer than room temperature before serving, which I much preferred to hot from the oven.

This makes a lot, so unless you are feeding a crowd or don't mind leftovers, I'd suggest cutting this in half. I think next time, I may leave out the vinegar. To me, it gave a noticeable flavor that seemed slightly out of place, but it didn't bother Sage at all. And because I love thyme, I'd probably add more, but that's just me.

Quinoa, Butternut and Cranberry Salad
adapted from Rice of Life

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 6 cups)
2 small shallots, chopped (not quite 1/4 cup) or 1/2 medium red onion
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsbp dried thyme (or more, if desired)
kosher salt
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 tsbp of honey

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange squash, shallots and cranberries on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and season with thyme and several pinches of salt. Make sure the cranberries are not on the outer edges of the pan, as those ones will overcook. Roast for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Meanwhile, bring vegetable stock and quinoa to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Uncover and remove from heat.

Add squash mixture to quinoa, drizzle with vinegar (if using) and honey, and toss gently to combine. Serve warm or room temperature.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

I seriously LOVE Southwestern/Mexican/Tex-Mex flavors. Especially when they are loaded full of veggies and beans, and minus the meat. A little over a month ago, I had a craving for such a meal, but we didn't have any tortillas. Using pasta instead, I put together a quick and easy dinner that wound up being something pretty great. I took some pictures, but like most throw-together type pasta dishes, they weren't anything special and I decided not to blog about it.

A few days ago, I was deleting a bunch of old pictures off the computer (so Sage wouldn't be able to give me a hard time for having more pictures of food on my laptop than our child,) and I came across the ones from that pasta dish and remembered how delicious it was.

Yesterday, we were coming home from a friend's house, and I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. It had to be 1) Quick- Sage was starving, and 2) Meatless- I had nothing defrosted. I decided to revisit that meal, and share it this time.

The original had green pepper, only yellow squash, a scant amount of cheese and was topped with light sour cream (or maybe greek yogurt, I can't remember.) This time, I used a orange pepper, added zucchini, increased the cheese, and topped it with diced avocado. Both, delicious, filling, and quick and easy- great for a week night.

Black Bean and Veggie Pasta

3 cups uncooked wheat or multi-grain rotini

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 medium bell pepper, any color, diced

2 yellow squash, diced

1 zucchini, diced

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp ground coriander

1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

3/4 cup frozen corn, rinsed under water to partially defrost

2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, cut into pieces

3/4 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream/yogurt, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, etc., for serving

Cook pasta until just al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and saute for a couple of minutes. Add squash and zucchini and season with salt, pepper and coriander, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until squash and zucchini are becoming tender.

Stir in black beans, tomatoes with chilies, and corn. Scatter in pieces of cream cheese, and stir until cream cheese is melted throughout. Combine with cooked rotini.

Top with shredded cheese, cover skillet and turn off heat OR transfer into a casserole dish, top with cheese, and place under preheated broiler for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with desired accompaniments.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini

You know the kind of recipe that you see and can't wait to try- but then it winds up being a while, and you hope it lives up to the hype you've built up in your head. That was this dish for me. I first saw it on A Year in the Kitchen almost 6 months ago. Since then I've seen it on many other blogs, including the one where it was originally adapted from, Orangette.

I finally had all the ingredients at one time for this and was dying to make it. I saved it for a family dinner and hoped everyone would enjoy it. But merely enjoying it is an understatement. I actually feel like I've missed out by not making this all winter squash season long. It is seriously so good that I could eat it day after day- not that there were any leftovers, which is just sad. I wish I had some right now.

I already knew that I loved all of the components of this, but together it's just an amazing combination. My brother in law described it as "exotic." My own thoughts was that while that was true, I loved how you could could also taste the familar flavors, seperately, in this. I would later re-read the post on Orangette and see that Molly states, "It's a little bit exotic but also pleasingly familar, and totally, totally delicious."

I made this following the recipe on Orangette, but have since discovered my adaptation has similarities to Ashlee's take on A Year in the Kitchen. My way actually wound up being quite a mixture of the two. One noteable change I made was omitting the red raw onion. I can't eat raw onion, and Sage doesn't care for cooked red onion, so I roasted some yellow onion with the squash. I also reduced the dressing, which was plenty. This salad is to be eaten room temperature, but I made it a good bit earlier than everything else we were having for dinner,and it had gotten rather cold. I warmed it ever so slightly before serving.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini
adapted from Orangette, seen on A Year in the Kitchen

for the salad:
1 medium butternut squash about 2 1/2 lbs (I actually used 2 small ones,) peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, pressed
1/8 tsp nutmeg
kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (16 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup coarsley chopped cilantro leaves

for the dressing:
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
juice of one small lemon (2 tbsps)
2 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine squash, onion, garlic, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Spread onto a baking sheet, and roast for about 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile make the dressing. In a small bowl wisk together the garlic and the lemon juice. Add tahini and wisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, wish to blend.

To assemble, combine the cooled squash mixture, chickpeas and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the dressing and carefully toss. Serve room temperature (or slightly warm.)

Roasted Butternut Squash with Onion and Blue Cheese

I've had a butternut squash camping out in my fruit bowl for a couple weeks now, waiting for inspiration to hit. The other night, I knew it was going to be part of dinner, as my produce selection was getting sparse, but I wanted to do something fun. That afternoon I found in my mailbox, the latest issue of Everyday Food.

I began to flip through it, and just pages in, found the inspiration I needed. While their recipe was a complete meal with pork tenderloin, I borrowed their concept and made it a side dish, adjusting the cooking temperature so I could cook it along with the rest of our meaI. I swapped the red onion for a yellow one, used dried thyme instead of fresh sage, and added crumbled blue cheese at the end. I absolutely loved this and the combination of flavors. Sage ate his, but said it was a "little much." I believe that's just because he likes stronger cheeses in small doses. Personally, I found the addition of the blue cheese to be what made this dish, but if you're not a huge fan, omit it or use it sparingly.

Adapted from Roasted Pork with Squash and Onions, Everyday Food, March 2010 (2-3 servings, as a side)

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch(ish) cubes

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

3/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 of an medium orange

1-2 oz. crumbled blue cheese, or as desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together butternut, onion and oil. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Roast until tender, about 25 minutes.

Squeeze orange half over roasted vegetables. Gently scrap up any browned bits using a wooden spoon. Transfer contents of baking sheet, including juice, to a serving platter. Top with desired amount of blue cheese. Serve warm.

The Very Best of Fall Lasagna

Ever since I started reading food blogs, in early summer, I have been wanting to make one recipe in particular, The Very Best of Fall Lasagna, from A Year in The Kitchen. I just had to wait for it to be Fall. But you know how sometimes anticipating something for too long can result in dissapointment? That was not the case at all- this lasagna was every bit as amazing as I expected. But how could it not be when it showcases delicious flavors such as butternut squash, pumpkin, carmelized onion, apple maple sausage, thyme and fontina cheese?

I knew this was a complex dish to make, so I saved it for when when Sage would be home to help out with Beckett. It took a wee bit longer than I thought it would. I started this before 5:00 and it was well after 8:00 that we ate. I do take my time in the kitchen, and there are a lot of components to this, so it took nearly two hours of hands on time. Then another hour to cook, and another 15 minutes to rest. Sage was hungry and impatient, but in the end, he loved it. He said it was like no lasagna he'd ever had, and so full of flavor. To me, it was absolutely worth the time spent. And if you are better at multi-tasking (or don't have a toddler interupting your kitchen rhythm) I'm sure you could significantly shave time off.

I did make changes to Ashlee's recipe, based on necessity. The only wheat lasagna noodles available to me were the shorter no boil ones that come in a 9 oz. box. Ashlee used a 1 lb box of the long ones, so my lasagna was smaller in width, but I still used mostly the same amount of filling and still did four layers, so it was perhaps taller. Because of the no boil noodles, I had to cook mine twice as long at a higher heat, (but there is some ease in not having to worry about your noodles tearing.) As mine was smaller over all, I left out the acorn squash, which was good because it was pretty thick in my between layers. I didn't precook my sausage, since it is already fully cooked and I knew it would get heated properly through in the oven for an hour. I think my only other change was using less ricotta, but that was only because I didn't realize I was short on it. But again, due to size, it worked out just fine. I think with all these wonderful ingredients, this lasagna is accepting of alterations. If you have the time and patience, this is a must try recipe! It really is like no lasagna you've had before.

2 yellow onions, sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp thyme
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
1 (9oz.) box of no boil wheat lasagna noodles (if using regular noodles, consult original recipe for preperation and bake time.)
1 (12 oz.) pkg fully-cooked apple maple chicken sausage, sliced (if not fully-cooked, cook according to package first.)

In a non-stick skillet over low heat, saute onions for 15 minutes or until tender. (I only have stainless skillets, so I sauted mine in 2 tbsp butter, on medium for 5 minutes, then on low for about 20 minutes.) Add thyme, salt, pepper, and vinegar, cooking until vinegar is a glaze, about 10 more minutes. Set aside.

In a steamer basket over boiling water, steam squash for 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside.

Mix pumpkin, ricotta and cinnamon together. Set aside.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan, add in flour and cook out over medium heat. Add broth, milk and nutmeg. Bring to a simmer, add 1/2 of cheese. Whisk until combined and set aside.

To construct lasagna:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 3 qt casserole dish, ladle cheese sauce in bottom. Place 3-4 noodles, slightly overlapping. Top with 1/4 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the squash, 1/3 of the sausage, 1/3 of the onions, and a ladle of the cheese sauce. Repeat with next two more layers, using up all of the squash, sausage, and onions.

Add the fourth layer, topping with ricotta, rest of the cheese sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of the cheese.

Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly, and noodles are tender. Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

My finished product, fresh out of the oven. So worth the wait!

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sage had to work late yesterday for a tournament with an awards dinner afterwards, so I decided to make a meatless meal that I wasn't sure if he'd like. After a few bites, I knew he would, so it was fortunate he didn't eat much at work. I wouldn't have thought of this combo on my own, but it was one of my favorite dinners I've had lately!

I used less couscous and way more veggies and chickpeas, and I thought it was perfect. I wasn't so sure about raisins in my dinner, but they really make the meal. I added yellow bell pepper, but its beautiful color faded right in, so next time I'll use red instead for more contrast. Originally, the only spice it called for was cumin. While I like cumin, I like it in smaller amounts, so I reduced it and added some other spices used in Moroccan cooking.

The recipe called for brushing the roasted squash halves with butter and brown sugar (or honey or maple syrup) before stuffing, but I forgot. I'm glad I did, because it wasn't neccesary and would've been a waste of calories. The squash tasted very nice with paired with the couscous stuffing and made a pretty presentation, but the couscous would be a terrific side dish on its own. My version makes more than you can stuff in two squash halves, which I wanted, but there weren't any leftovers as I'd hoped for. If you're not a fan of vegetarian meals, cooked chicken could easily be added to this meal.

adapted from allrecipes.com

1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1/2 small onion, chopped

1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped (I used about 9 small baby carrots)
1 (16 oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup raisins
1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup uncooked couscous

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, onion, pepper and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, coriander, tumeric, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Pour the broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Stuff squash with couscous mixture to serve.

Summer Squash Pasta with Sausage

This is a new twist on an old favorite of ours. When I first really got into cooking a few years back, there was a dish I would make frequently that we loved for its simplicity. It was essentially just zucchini, squash and (turkey) Italian sausages with a very thin tomato sauce served over pasta. It was very light and summery, and we liked how it wasn't over crowded with too many types of vegetables or covered in a heavy sauce.

I haven't made it in a long time, and I decided to make it with a few changes. I used chicken sausage, and instead of the egg noodles we used to have it with, I went with thin whole wheat spaghetti (because I have 3 boxes, for some reason) and I changed the sauce just a bit. This isn't a fancy dinner, by any means, but it is quick and easy, and just really good. We also like it because it is mostly veggies and not as much meat or pasta, but you can certainally change the vegetable to sausage/noodle ratio. We had this this with homemade bread to sop up the light sauce and a very generously topping of parmesan cheese.

I can't cite the original source I've adapted it from - I have it on a recipe card and while I assumed it was from allrecipes.com, I can't find it on their website. Before my blog, I never measured my seasonings, so all I have written is to taste. I tend to use a very heavy hand.

1/2 (13.5 oz.) box of thin spaghetti (or egg noodles, short pasta or even rice.)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 links fully-cooked chicken sausage (I used sun-dried tomato)

3 zucchini, diced

2 yellow squash, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5oz) can of diced tomatoes, with juice (mine was roasted garlic & onion flavored)

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 tbsp tomato paste

Italian seasoning (or dried basil and oregano,) to taste

red pepper flakes, to taste

parmesan, for serving

1. Cook pasta according to package dirrections. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add sausage, zucchinni, squash, onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, broth, paste, and seasonings. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are tender-crisp.

3. Serve over pasta (I always like to add my pasta to sauces and let it sit, covered, to really absorb the sauce,) and sprinkle with parmesan.

Kale and Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash

The other day I decided to buy kale while at the grocery. At first I thought I'd make a soup, with sausage and potatoes (similar to my favorite soup from Olive Garden, which I don't think I've had in 7 years since Sage doesn't like that restaurant.) But then I wasn't so in the mood for soup.

Yesterday I was hanging out with my cousin, who also enjoys cooking and being creative in the kitchen. She mentioned how she had a butternut squash she was planning to stuff...and I had a light bulb moment. I realized I could stuff the butternut I had with the kale and sausage! (So, thanks, Leesa. I stole your concept- and it was delicious!!!)

I did learn something interesting. When I was putting this together, I found out Sage was predisposed to not like the kale, stemming from a stint as an Applebees server/bartender when he was younger. Apparently every plate had to go out with a garnish of raw kale- "No kale, no sale"- so to him, its a garnish. So even though I assured him it wouldn't taste like the raw garnish he'd sampled as a twenty year old boy, he didn't keep an open mind about it. So, while he liked the dish, he wasn't fond of the kale in it. (I loved it though!) I guess next time I makes this, I will have to use spinach instead since he loves that.

I couldn't find turkey sausage anywhere in the store, but regular Italian sausage was on sale, so even though I never eat pork sausage, that's what I used. It was really okay in this, but I much prefer turkey sausage. I think this dish is fun because you could really switch up what you put in it. I'd like to add canned diced tomatoes next time and maybe try a different cheese or perhaps a grain. And of course, for my non-kale liking husband, spinach.

1 small to medium butternut squash
olive oil
2 mild Italian Sausage links (regular or turkey), casings removed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups roughly chopped kale, ribs removed (about 1/2 a bunch)
1/4 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried basil
sprinkle of red pepper flakes
2 tbsp Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400. Slice squash in half and remove seeds. Place in roasting pan cut side up and brush top with olive oil. Roast until flesh is soft and edges are lightly browned, about 35-40 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat skillet over medium. Add sausage and onion, stirring frequently and using spoon to break up sausage. Saute for 5-7 minutes, until sausage is mostly browned and onions are becoming translucent. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
3. Add kale, broth, basil, red pepper, salt and pepper. Reduce heat slightly, and stirring frequently, continue cooking until kale is wilted, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, scoop out butternut, leaving about a 1/3 inch thick border attached to the skin. Coarsley chop the scooped out squash and add to the skillet. Stir gently to combine. Stuff the hallowed out butternut with sausage and kale mixture. If any leftover stuffing, mound in roasting pan. Top both stuffed squash (and any leftover mound) with breadcrumbs and parmesan.
5. Broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Roasted Butternut, Carmelized Onion and Apple Maple Sausage Pizza

I don't plan meals before I go shopping. I prefer wandering around the store, getting my cooking staples and then picking up whatever else appeals to me. (I actually love to go grocery shopping.) Its funny to me how the random ingredients I buy always wind up working together. Two of those things from my last trip were a butternut squash and apple maple chicken sausage.

As I was browsing for inspiration for how to use my butternut squash in a different way, I kept coming across pizzas. None of them had meat, but I knew Sage would like a squash pizza better if it had the sausage on it. I was thinking goat cheese at first, but lots of the recipes I saw had ricotta, so I went with that since I had some to use up. Plus I always love ricotta on a pizza. I was going to have Sage bring home some sage (yes, really) but I forgot, so I used dried thyme instead. I got a later start on dinner, so I used a quick rise dough. It was good, but I didn't turn the oven up enough after roasting the squash, so it took a really long time to cook through. This was time consuming (but I believe I need to work on my time management skills in the kitchen) but wonderful!

pizza dough ball or premade crust (I used this recipe subbing 1 tbsp of honey for the sugar and 1/2 a cup of the flour using whole wheat and letting it rise once for a 30 minutes.)

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes

olive oil

1 small onion, sliced

1 tbsp butter

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta

2 links (pre-cooked) apple maple chicken sausage, thinly sliced

1 tbsp shredded parmesan

1 tsp dried thyme

1. Heat butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to brown. Reduce heat to low and cook until carmelized (about 45 minutes) stirring frequently. Lay on a paper towel until ready to use.

2. Toss squash in enough olive oil to lightly coat, and roast in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Set aside.

3. Roll out crust into desire shape. Transfer to pizza pan or cookie sheet and precook for 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil, and top with about a cup of the roasted butternut (reserve any extra for another use.) Layer sausage and onion. Drop small clumps of ricotta evenly and sprinkle with parmesan and thyme.

4. Bake according to pizza dough recipe, or until crust is golden brown and sauage is warmed through.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

I was given a spaghetti squash and wanted to do something different than topping it wth a tomato based sauce. I chose to make it with some of the elements from one of Sage's favorite-ever casseroles (that we rarely have anymore since its not so healthy.)

Despite the fact this side dish is mostly made up of vegetables, I wouldn't consider it that healthy either, due to all of the cheeses. To make matters worse, I had to use Beckett's whole milk, since we were out of ours, and my cheese was not 2% like I would've perferred. I would suggest using reduced fat products to lighten this up.

I decided since the oven would be on for 45 minutes to cook the squash, that I would roast the broccoli at the same time, although you could steam it instead. This just seemed easier and more energy efficent. I thought about including chicken in this, but instead we had it on the side, in the form of oven baked panko ranch tenders, which were pretty unremarkable and not blog-worthy. The casserole was filling and tasty, but I do think it needs some more seasonings. I probably wouldn't go out and buy the ingredients just to make this one, but if I had all the stuff already, I'd make it again.

1 small to medium spaghetti squash

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

olive oil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 8 oz. pkg of sliced button mushrooms

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

1/4 cup shredded parmesan

2 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cut the squash in half, and place the halves cut side down in a glass baking dish with about an inch of water. Cook for about 45 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, spread broccoli in a roasting pan and toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven along with squash for 20 minutes.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in wine, until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and add creamcheese. Stir until cream cheese is melted into vegetables. Add milk and basil and stir to blend. Add salt and pepper.

5. Using a fork remove the squash from hull and add to skillet. Mix well.

6. Place broccoli in a glass baking dish and top with squash mixture. Stir to combine. Top evenly with cheddar and parmesan. Sprinkle with crumbs.

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are lightly toasted.