Butternut Squash Lasagna

For the vegetables:
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, halved and sliced thin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

For the bechamel:
2 tablespoons salted butter
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
¼ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp salt

For the lasagna:
Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
2 cups grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
2 cups grated parmesan cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
9 no-boil lasagna noodles

Make the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the squash and onions with olive oil on a baking sheet. Season with salt, garlic powder and red pepper. Roast, rotating the baking sheet once, until the vegetables are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Smash squash with a fork until evenly mashed and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, make the bechamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the flour until smooth; cook, whisking, until the flour is lightly golden but not brown, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and salt.

Assemble the lasagna: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Toss the cheeses and the flour in a bowl; set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Evenly coat the bottom of the dish with 1/2 cup of the bechamel. Lay 3 noodles side by side on top. Cover with one-third of the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with half of the remaining cheese mixture, then top with half of the vegetable mixture, spreading evenly. Arrange 3 more noodles on top and repeat the layers (bechamel, cheese, vegetables). Top with the remaining 3 noodles, then cover with the remaining bechamel; sprinkle with the reserved 1/2 cup cheese.

Loosely cover the dish with foil and bake until bubbly, about 45 minutes. Turn on the broiler. Uncover the lasagna and broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from a recipe at www.foodnetwork.com

Veggie Curry Soup

2 T olive oil

1/2 cup chopped sweet yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup fresh shiitake or oyster mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

1 tsp salt

6 cups vegetable broth

1/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers

8oz (about 1 1/3 c) prepared jasmine rice

8oz (about 1 1/3 c) prepared brown rice

8 oz (about 1 1/3 c) prepared black lentils

1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp dried cilantro leaves

In a large dutch oven, or soup pot, over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent, about 5 mins. Add in mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add spices and salt and stir. Add 3 cups of vegetable stock and stir well. Add red peppers, rice and lentils and stir. Add remaining 3 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer about 15 to 20 minutes on low heat. Add coconut milk and cilantro and simmer for 5 mins more. Add additional salt to taste. Serve warm with a drizzle of coconut milk  and some sliced roasted red pepper.

Try various types of rice and lentils to switch up colors and flavors!

Original recipe 

Butternut Squash Soup

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

Cooking spray

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

2 T shallots, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 T butter or olive oil

1 T cooking sherry

2 ½ cups vegetable broth

1 ¾ cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 pan w/ cooking spray and spread butternut squash evenly in pan. Sprinkle spices, garlic and salt over butternut squash and roast in oven for 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

In a large dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add shallots and garlic and saute for about 3 mins or until just caramelizing. Add cooking sherry and stir vigorously.  Add squash and broth, bring to a boil and cook for 3 mins. Reduce heat to low and add buttermilk. Cook for another 2 minutes and take off heat.

Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape) and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid to avoid splatters. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture.

Serve warm with a sprinkle of chili powder and cumin.

Recipe adapted from one posted at www.myrecipes.com

Fall Cheeseball

16 oz  brick sharp cheddar cheese

8 oz Neufchatel cheese (1/3^rd fat cream cheese)

2 T mayonnaise

2 T ranch dip mix

1/3 c finely chopped pecans or walnuts

1 tsp paprika

1 green bell pepper

Cut  brick of cheese into thirds. Cut two of the thirds into ½” cubes and place into a food processor. Pulse until cheese is finely crumbled. Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix cream cheese and mayonnaise with dip mix and ½ tsp of paprika until well blended. Gently fold in cheddar cheese and nuts. With your hands or large spoon, form into a large ball. Place in refrigerator for 10 mins.

While the ball chills, cut remaining third of cheese into ½” cubes and with the remaining ½ tsp paprika pulse in the food processor until crumbled. Place into another medium bowl. Core the stem area out of the bell pepper – this will be the stem of the pumpkin.

Once chilled, carefully place the cheese ball in the bowl with the remaining cheese crumbles and roll around, pressing the crumbles into the ball. Once coated place ball on a small serving platter. Gently flatten the top of the ball. At this point you can make a small dimple into the top of the cheeseball and insert the green pepper. Or, if you want more of a pumpkin shape, do not insert the green pepper stem and…

Using the back of a butter knife carefully cut about ¼ inch into the ball from bottom back of the ball, over the top and to the bottom front. Rotate the ball 90 degrees, clean off the knife and repeat. You now should have the ball divided into four “wedges”. Repeat lines in between each of the quarters to create eight wedges. Clean the knife again and using the back of the knife, carefully mold the sides of the cheeseball into the cuts you’ve made. Once complete, then make a dimple in the top and add the green pepper stem. If you pull this off,  I guarantee you’ll be the hit of the party! 

Buttermilk Pie w/ Boozy Peaches

Buttermilk Pie with Pecan Crust

1 cup(s) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

1/3 cup(s) pecan halves (extra for garnishing)

1 1/4 cup(s) sugar

3 tablespoon(s) sugar

1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 stick(s) butter, cold and cut into small pieces

3/4 stick(s) butter, melted

4 large eggs

3 tablespoon(s) cornstarch

1 1/3 cup(s) buttermilk

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly grated nutmeg

In a food processor, pulse flour, pecans, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt until the nuts are finely ground. Add cold butter pieces and 1 egg, and pulse until the dough holds together when pinched but does not form a ball. Pat dough into a flat disk; wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, pressing the dough against the bottom and sides without stretching it. Using a paring knife, trim the dough to a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang in to make a double layer of dough and, with your fingers, crimp all around. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile, cover prepared pie shell with parchment, leaving a bit of overhang, and add enough pie weights or dried beans to cover. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment and weights, and bake until shell is golden, about 10 more minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor, pulse cornstarch and remaining sugar to combine. Add buttermilk, melted butter, lemon zest, nutmeg, and remaining eggs, and pulse to combine. Pour the filling into the warm pie shell and bake until the filling is set and just slightly wobbly in the center, approximately 1 hour. Remove pie from oven, garnish with pecan halves, and let cool before serving. Can be served chilled. Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Recipe courtesy of www.beekman1802.com

Boozy Peaches

1 jar peach halves in syrup

¼ cup Applejack, brandy or bourbon

1 tsp freshly grated ginger or ½ tsp ginger juice

Drain ¼ cup syrup from the peaches and replace with liquor and ginger. Seal jar and refrigerate at least 24 hours to allow fruit to be infused. Serve these peaches sliced with a piece of the buttermilk pie or enjoy by themselves.

Carrot-Zucchini Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Bars:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups shredded carrots
1 cup shredded zucchini
½ cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon lemon extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, honey, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until no flour remains. Fold in the carrots, zucchini and walnuts.

Spread the batter into an ungreased 9x13-inch pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool completely.

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Spread evenly over the cooled bars. The bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Fresh Tomato & Watermelon Salad

1½  cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup chopped watermelon

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 T chopped fresh mint

1 T olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

salt and black pepper

Arrange tomatoes, watermelon and onion on a large plate or small platter. Sprinkle with fresh mint, salt and pepper, then drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Recipe created by author.