butternut squash

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Blast this like-winter weather.  It’s no fun unless you like to slog through cold rain or sloppy snow.  Soup is often my remedy for winter chillies.  This is a simple soup made of roasted produce thinned with chicken broth and a touch of milk.  It will warm your tummy and fill you up without too many calories.  The leek adds a slightly different flavor and the apple a touch of sweetness which I find refreshing.  This mellow winter treat is great with a salad for lunch or a sandwich.  No fuss, very little muss.  Just a short list of ingredients and a fairly simple recipe.  Enjoy!

Aidens 2014 birthday party 001

Roasted Butternut squash Soup

1 decent sized butternut squash

1 medium onion

1 leek

2 fat carrots

1 Rome or Gala apple (any baking apple except Granny Smith will do)

1 garlic clove, unpeeled

3-4 cups of chicken broth, preferably homemade

½-3/4 cup of half and half or whole milk, even 1 percent will work!

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Directions:

First, cut the butternut squash down the length and scoop out the seeds. No need to peel. Place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Cut the onion in half and likewise the apple, the leek and carrots; cut off the leek above the light green portion and core the apple halves.  Put apples cut side up.  Roast them all in a 375 degree oven until the squash is tender when poked with a fork.  About 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your squash.  If the other fruits and veggies are browned and done early slide them off to a plate to cool.  Caramelized is fantastic but no burnt leeks in my soup thank you!

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When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a big spoon to scoop out all the meat of it into your blender.  Add the scooped out contents of the apple halves, the garlic you have squeezed out of its skin, the carrots and leek halves.  Pour in 2-3 cups of chicken broth, blend until smooth, and add more broth until you reach a consistency you like.  Mine was kinda thick and porridgey.  If you prefer to use a food processor that will work or put the scooped out veggies into a large sauce pan and blend with your immersion (boat motor) blender.  This will not be as smooth as the blender makes it but it is more fun and less cleaning as no blender container to wash!

After the blending is done pour it into a large sauce pan and add up to ¾ of a cup of half and half or whole milk.  I used a half cup but you may like it creamier.

Aidens 2014 birthday party 001

Originally posted in 2014, no recipe changes made to this version.

Butternut Squash, Pancetta and Chard Pasta

This colorful pasta dish is pretty healthy and very tasty. Not too tricky either. I have enjoyed it many times in the years. It makes 4 satisfying servings.

It showcases roasted cubes of butternut squash and tender melt-in-your-mouth Swiss chard. My amounts are somewhat approximate.  I used gf fettuccine noodles. Don’t overcook them! You could buy pre-peeled and cubed squash to save time. I used some I grew this fall and honestly it didn’t take long to peel and cube it. I suggest you roast the cubes from a whole squash and use as much as you think works for you. Valley Farms has great fresh Swiss chard; that’s where I get mine if I don’t grow it myself.  I have made this recipe with thick cut bacon, if that is what you have; go for it.  I got a package of chopped pancetta at Giant for a decent price. It will keep a few days in the fridge.

Butternut, Pancetta and Chard Pasta

Ingredients:

1 bunch Swiss chard, I like the red or white stemmed variety, rinsed off

3-4 tbsp. EVOL

1 cup or so of diced red onion; one decent sized one

1 lg garlic clove minced

1 medium butternut squash; peeled, seeded and cubed; at least a pound in weight

4 oz pancetta, diced

10-12 oz dried gf fettucine noodles.

Good quality Parmesan cheese to grate on plated entree

Directions:

Roast the squash; heat the oven to 400 degrees, spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray; spread the cubed squash, drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp of EVOL and ½ tsp. kosher or sea salt, bake at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes; turn cubes every 20 minutes with a metal spatula to help them cook evenly, a bit of crunch is nice! Start the rest of the recipe as they approach doneness or bake the squash a day before if that works for you. Have done it both ways. Crunchier if made right before serving

Heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta while you make the chard.  Chop it into 1 inch lengths; set the chopped leaves aside separately from the lower stem bits. Heat the EVOL in a large frying pan or smallish wok. Add the stems and cook 2-3 minutes, add garlic, stir, add the onion; cook 3-5 minutes until softening. Add rest of chard in 2-3 handfuls letting it cook down for a minute before stirring and adding the next third. Then push the veggies up the sides or to the edges and add the pancetta. Push the veggies gently back around and over the pancetta. Cook 2-3 minutes until the pancetta is hot and the chard is soft.  Meanwhile you have cooked the pasta to al dente. Add it to the pan with the chard, stir, add the roasted squash cubes. Stir. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top; none of that pre-grated crappy cheese please! Enjoy!

swiss chard pasta plated

Not sure where I found this recipe, but it is a keeper; we generally enjoy it in the fall as chard and squash are fall harvest vegetables.

Butternut Squash, Pancetta and Kale Pasta Toss

This colorful pasta dish is pretty healthy and very tasty. It’s a version of a dish I make with Swiss chard. None of that around so I used fresh kale from my garden and some beet greens for that earthy note that is critical to the flavor. Not a difficult dish either. Have enjoyed the original many times in the past 8-10 years.

It showcases roasted cubes of butternut squash and tender kale as well as beet greens. My amounts are somewhat approximate. It will keep a couple days in the fridge. I used gf fettuccine noodles. Don’t overcook them! You could buy pre-peeled and cubed squash to save time. I used some I grew last fall and honestly it didn’t take long to peel and cube it. I suggest you roast the cubes from a whole squash and use as much as you think works for you.  I have made this recipe with thick cut bacon, if that is what you have; go for it.  I got a package of chopped pancetta at Aldi’s pretty cheaply and the flavor is awesome.

Butternut, Pancetta and Kale Pasta

Ingredients:

1 small- medium butternut squash; peeled, seeded and cubed; at least a pound

3-4 tbsp. EVOL

1 cup or so of diced red onion; one decent sized one

4 oz pancetta, diced

1 lg garlic clove minced

1 bunch tender young kale, rinsed off

A big handful of beet greens, preferably young tender ones

9-12 oz dried gf fettucine noodles.

Good quality Parmesan cheese to grate into the mixture and some on each plated entree

Directions:

Roast the squash; heat the oven to 400 degrees, spray a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray; spread the cubed squash, drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp of EVOL and ½ tsp. kosher or sea salt, bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 60 minutes; if they are chubby they might take all 60 minutes. Mine this time were fairly skinny so 30 minutes was perfect. Do turn cubes every 15 minutes with a metal spatula to help them cook evenly, a bit of crunch is nice! Start the rest of the recipe as they approach doneness, let them stay warm in the oven with heat off or bake the squash a day before if that works for you. Have done it all three ways. Crunchier if made right before serving.

Heat a large pot of salted water for the pasta while you make the kale.  Chop it into 1.5- 2 inch lengths; set the chopped leaves aside separately from the lower stem bits. Heat the EVOL in a large frying pan or smallish wok. Add the pancetta first, cook 2-3 minutes, add the red onion pieces, cook 3-5 minutes until softening. Add the garlic and cook a minute. Add the kale in 2-3 handfuls letting it cook down for a minute before stirring and adding the next third. Add the beet greens with the last third of kale. Cook 2-3 minutes until the beet greens are soft.  Meanwhile you have cooked the pasta to al dente. Add it to the pan with the pancetta and veggies, stir, add the roasted squash cubes. Stir gently. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top; none of that pre-grated crappy cheese please! Enjoy!

swiss chard pasta plated

Not sure where I found this recipe, but it is a keeper; we often enjoy it in the fall as chard and squash are typically fall harvest vegetables.

You could leave out the beet greens if you can’t find them.