Baked Acorn Squash or Sweet Dumpling

Ingredients: 

Acorn or Sweet Dumpling Squash

Butter and Salt & Pepper

Brown sugar and cinnamon or maple syrup     

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place squash in a shallow baking pan, cut side down.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tender.
4. Turn cut side up; season with salt and pepper, dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon or drizzle a little maple syrup.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes more.

Healthy Gingerbread using Winter Squash Puree

              1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil plus more for pan (butter or neutral oil also work)

·        2 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour

·        1/4 cup ground chia seeds or flaxseeds 

·        1 teaspoon baking soda

·        1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

·        1 teaspoon cinnamon

·        1/4 teaspoon allspice

·        1/4 teaspoon sea salt

·        1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

·        1 organic, free-range egg

·        1 package (10 ounces) frozen butternut squash puree, thawed or 1 1/4 cup fresh cooked

·        1/2 cup coconut milk or any kind

·        1/4 cup molasses

·        2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with extra virgin coconut oil. Place 1/4 cup measured coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and place in microwave for 30 seconds, or until melted. Set melted coconut oil aside.
2.  In a large bowl, mix the flour, flaxseeds (or chia seeds), baking soda, fresh ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt; set aside.
3.  In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, coconut oil and egg; beat until smooth. Add the butternut squash puree, coconut milk, molasses and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients in with the wet and mix until smooth.
4.  Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack in the center of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before turning the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.

From cleancuisineandmore.com

Butternut Squash Risotto -- contiributed by Kate

A northern Italian specialty dating as far back as the Renaissance, risotto is traditionally served as a primo piatto (first course), after the antipasto. It is made from a high-starch rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli. The small grains become exceptionally creamy as the dish slowly simmers. Here, butternut squash puree and caramelized onions lend a mellow sweetness to the risotto.

Ingredients:

• 7 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh sage
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 cups butternut squash puree
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2/3 cup caramelized onions
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbs. of the butter. Add 1 Tbs. of the sage and heat until the butter browns. Strain the butter into a small bowl and discard the sage. Cover the bowl to keep the butter warm.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the stock and squash puree. Bring just to a simmer, 8 to 10 minutes; maintain over low heat.

In a large saucepan or risotto pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the caramelized onions and rice and stir until the grains are well coated with the oil and are nearly translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbs. sage and the rosemary. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed.

Add the simmering stock mixture a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding more.

When the rice is tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 30 minutes, stir in the remaining 3 Tbs. butter, the cheese, salt and pepper. Add more stock if needed so the rice is thick and creamy. Let stand for 2 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sage butter and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 medium sugar pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4-1 cup honey, warmed slightly
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Cut pumpkin in half, and remove seeds. Lightly oil the cut surface. Place cut side down on a jelly roll pan lined with foil and lightly oiled. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender.
2. In large bowl, blend together 2 cups pumpkin puree, spices, and salt. Beat in eggs, honey, milk, and cream. Pour filling into pie shell.
3. Bake at 400 degrees F ( 205 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from edge of pie comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese

• 4-pounds 8-ounces butternut squash
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 stalks fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the squash, halve, and scoop out the seeds, then cut into 1-inch cubes; you don't need to be precise just keep the pieces uniformly small.

Put into a roasting tin with the oil and strip about 4 stalks thyme of their leaves, sprinkling over the butternut squash. If you can't get any fresh thyme, sprinkle over dried.

Roast in the oven for about 25 to 40 minutes or until tender.

Once out of the oven, remove the squash to a bowl and scatter over the pecans and crumble over the cheese tossing everything together gently. Check the seasoning and add the last couple of stalks of thyme torn into small sprigs to decorate.

Butternut Vegetable Soup

This is one of our fall and winter favorites that originally came from, "Taste of Home Healthy Cooking". The original recipe called for canned pumpkin but we often use our extra pureed butternut squash since we cook with it more or pie pumpkin puree when we have it.  

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter (don't substitute if possible)
• 3-4 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 cup cooked fresh or frozen lima beans
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 2 cups cooked and pureed butternut squash or pie pumpkin
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

• In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add the broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, lima beans and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the pumpkin, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through. Yield: 7 servings.

Butternut Squash Lasagna from Giada

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled (optional)
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk
• Pinch nutmeg
  
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
  
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies if desired and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna and for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered
• 1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 6 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
• 4 cups packed finely chopped kale
  
• 3 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf

• 1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Squash Apple Soup from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider or juice

Directions

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

Baked Squash with Apples

Ingredients:

1 med. butternut squash
3 med. baking apples
1/2 c. brown sugar*
1/4 c. melted butter*
1 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

Peel, core, and cut apples into chunks/slices. Peel and cut squash into similar sized slices (if anything thinner than the apples). Layer apples and squash in 2 quart casserole. Pour mixture (last four ingredients above) over apples and squash. Cover dish with foil. Bake 50 minutes in 350 degree oven.

*You can get away with less...