Pasta Twists With Beer-Cheese Sauce

8 oz pkg tricolor corkscrew macaroni or rope macaroni (gemelli)
2 medium carrots, bias-sliced
1 small zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
2 Tbs margarine or butter
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup beer
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.
2) Meanwhile, for sauce, in a medium saucepan cook carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms in margarine or butter until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Add beer and heat through. Remove pan from heat. Gradually add cheddar cheese, stirring just until melted. If desired, season to taste with salt and pepper.
3) Arrange pasta on individual plates or a large platter. Spoon the sauce over pasta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Review: This was quite an interesting dish.  I used New Castle Brown Ale, as Mike said that would be the best fit to go with the cheese flavor.  As it was cooking, we both marveled at the smell - it smelled like baking bread (though Mike said it smelled like popcorn).  Unfortunately, this sauce is more yeasty than cheesy.  I was hoping for cheesy.  :(

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:
Pasta Twists With Beer-Cheese Sauce

Monday:
Pasta & Jarred Sauce, as I'll be packing for vacation!!!

Happy Holidays!!

Pumpkin & Black Bean Burritos

1 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin (ground)
1 can beans (black or kidney, drained and rinsed)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 can pumpkin puree
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped
6 tortillas
sour cream, salsa, cheese (all optional toppings)

1) Heat the oil in a pan.
2) Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
3) Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
4) Add the chili powder, and cumin and saute for about a minute.
5) Add the beans, water, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until most water has evaporated.
6) Remove the beans from the heat and mash half of them with a fork.
7) Mix the pumpkin puree, chipotle peppers and cilantro and warm in the microwave.
8) Place some of the pumpkin mixture and some of the bean mixture and into a tortilla and wrap it.
9) Top with salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream etc.

Review:  I didn't mash the beans, as I figured it was a burrito and needed some substance to it.  I used the special Mexican sour cream we've recently fallen in love with, and added cheddar cheese.  This was a nice lunch and made about 5 burritos for us.  Yum. 

"Regular" Lasagna

Mike looked up a plain lasagna recipe and made this tonight.  Although, this was made with fake meat.  I'm not sure if that continues to qualify this lasagna as "regular."

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:
"regular" lasagna (Mike is craving "regular" food, not sure what I've been feeding him . . .)

Monday:
Israeli Couscous With Saffron, Olives & Spring Vegetables

Tuesday:
Penne With Olives & Feta

Wednesday:
Fresh Mushroom Fettuccine

Thursday:
Green Beans, Ginger & Mushroom Saute

Friday:
leftovers

Saturday:
Pumpkin & Black Bean Burritos

Saffron Pilaf With Roasted Vegetables

1 cup jasmine, basmati, or wild-pecan long grain rice
1 14.5 oz can vegetable broth
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp saffron threads or dash ground saffron*
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 red sweet pepper, diced in large chunks
1 large zucchini, diced in large chunks
1 eggplant, diced in large chunks
1 oz herbed semi-soft goat cheese (chevre), crumbled
2 Tbs coarsely chopped hazelnuts or pecans, toasted

1) In a large saucepan combine rice, vegetable broth, water, and saffron. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed; keep warm.
2) Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine oil and garlic; brush over sweet pepper, zucchini, and eggplant. Roast vegetables on a cookie sheet in a 375F oven about 20 minutes or until tender, turning once. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3) Stir into cooked rice. Top with goat cheese and nuts. Makes 4 servings. 

*Note: You may substitute 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for the saffron.

Review:  This was originally calling for grilled vegetables, but it's freezing outside.  So, I tweaked the recipe to use roasted vegetables.  I also substituted regular goat cheese, as I had plenty in the fridge.  I haven't had any luck getting it to crumble evenly, so I just melted it into the recipe.  This was pretty tasty, but it only made about three servings.  It may have been designed to be a side dish. 

Penne With Grape Tomatoes & Mozzarella

12 oz penne

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 pint (8 oz) bocconcini (small fresh mozzarella balls), halved, or 8 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed

2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

2 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs white-wine vinegar

1) Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Add chickpeas to pot; immediately drain pasta mixture, and return to pot.

2) Add tomatoes, bocconcini, thyme, oil, and vinegar to pasta. Toss, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to create a thin sauce that coats penne (you may not need all the water). Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve, garnished with additional thyme

Review:  Mike made this for me tonight and we tweaked this along the way.  We had leftover marinated mozzarella balls in the fridge (from Costco) and ultimately used them in all of their glory.  Meaning, we didn't add extra olive oil, thyme or vinegar.  The mozzarella had so much oil and marinade seasonings already, we figured it was enough.  And, it was!!  Using these made this recipe soooooo much easier to make and it was incredibly delicious!!

Mushroom & Zucchini Enchiladas

2 Tbs oil
1 large onion (sliced)
1 lb portobello mushrooms, diced
1 lb zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano
3 cups salsa verde
12 small corn tortillas
1 cup jack and cheddar cheese (shredded)

1) Heat the oil in a pan.
2) Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes at medium-high heat.
3) Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and it has evaporated, about 10-15 minutes.
4) Add the zucchini and cook until just tendder, about 4-5 minutes.
5) Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
6) Remove from heat and mix in a cup of the salsa verde.
7) Spread 1/4 cup of the salsa verde over the bottom of your baking dish.
8) Fill the corn tortillas with filling, roll them up and place them in the baking dish with the seam on the bottom.
9) Pour the remaining salsa verde over the tortillas and sprinkle on the cheese.
10) Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese is nice and bubbling and starts to brown, about 20 minutes.

Review:  This was SUCH a pain to make.  I had a lot to do tonight and dicing all this produce wasn't the best plan.  I used baby portobellos (way cheaper), which meant more cleaning and dicing.  Fortunately, this was incredibly tasty.  I had way too much filling, which I tossed the extra into the bottom of the bowls we ate out of (Mike was the photographer tonight and forgot to get a shot of the served up enchiladas).  I used La Victoria Salsa Verde, and a can of La Victoria's green enchilada sauce.  I've always preferred the red sauce, but I'm quickly becoming a fan of the green.  This stuff is tasty!!!

Delicata & Acorn Squash + Sage Lasagna

the squash layer:

1 acorn squash

2 delicata squashes

olive oil

salt and pepper

3 tsp dried sage

the ricotta layer:

1 15oz tub of part-skim ricotta

1/4 cup grated mozzarella

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 Tbs olive oil

salt and pepper

flat no-bake lasagna noodles

fresh sage leaves

olive oil for drizzling or spraying

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Next, carefully cut each squash down the middle. (Ideally you would do this by slicing off a bit of the rounded side of each squash in order to have it lie flat and then, using the safe-bagel-cutting method of placing a hand on top to steady the lying-flat, horizontal squash and cutting horizontally.  

2) Then you can scoop out the seeds from the halves, brush them with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast them face-down in a baking dish at 400 degrees for one hour. Once they cool off, scoop out the insides and whisk them all together with a tablespoon of olive oil, dried sage, and more salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. 

3) Grate the two cheeses and mix all the ricotta layer ingredients; set aside.

4) Brush your baking dish, preferably ceramic, with olive oil, and set down 3 noodles. Spread the squash mixture, then 3 more noodles. Spread the ricotta mixture in one layer, and then, of course, more noodles. End with the squash layer and more noodles and grate some mozzarella and parm on top. Arrange 12 or so fresh sage leaves on top. Drizzle top -- especially hitting the sage leaves for a fried effect -- with a little olive oil and cover with foil. Bake for a 45 minutes to an hour, at 350F, until top is browned. Let it cool and serve.

Review: Well, my grocery store has a habit of letting me down.  This time, it's because they didn't have any delicata squashes, though I've seen them there for the past several weeks!!  So, I opted for one acorn squash, one golden acorn squash and one golden nugget squash (which was much smaller than the other two).  Here are pics, as they aren't commonly known squashes:

As you can see, it made for a quite colorful layer of squash:

Ultimately, it was a beautiful lasagna.  It had a great flavor, including the sweetness of the squash, the cheesy layer and the flavorful sage.  Yum!!!  However, it did take over two hours to make, so it won't be made very frequently.
 

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:

Delicata & Acorn Squash + Sage Lasagna

Monday: 
Spaghetti & jarred sauce  

Tuesday:

Garden Couscous & Black Bean Salad

Wednesday: 

Mushroom & Zucchini Enchiladas

Thursday: 

Penne With Grape Tomatoes & Mozzarella

Friday: 

Saffron Pilaf With Grilled Vegetables

Saturday:

lunch - Black Bean Chili With Winter Squash
dinner - Christmas Party with the ISU cohorts, we're bringing a riesling

Pumpkin Dumplings With Radicchio

1 15oz can pure pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
Salt
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 small head radicchio, sliced into 1/4-inch strips (about 2 cups)
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, flour and 1 teaspoon salt to make the dough.
2) In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook until softened, about five minutes; remove from the heat and set aside.
3) When the water comes to a boil, use a teaspoon to scoop up the dough and form a dumpling, then carefully slide the dumpling off the spoon and into the boiling water. Continue forming dumplings until half the dough is used. Cook until the dumplings float, then simmer for about two minutes; remove with a slotted spoon and add to the saucepan with the onion. Repeat with the remaining dumpling dough.
4) Return the saucepan with the onion to medium-high heat. Toss in three-quarters of the radicchio and stir gently until just wilted, about two minutes; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste. To serve, divide the dumplings and sauce among four bowls and top with the remaining radicchio and parsley.

Review:  My father-in-law sent me a link full of Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes.  This was one of the many yummy treats.  I was pretty excited to make these, because I love dumplings (but not chicken), but hadn't found a vegetarian version.  These were tasty, but I doubled the flour to make them substantial.  And, I used whole-wheat flour.  Therefore, I had the oddest foam while my dumplings boiled, due to the whole wheat shedding, along with the color of the pumpkin:

But, they came through just fine.  Mike loved the dumplings, but wasn't a fan of the radicchio.  I have to agree it was kind of bitter.  I also believe the dumplings would be better with a bit of minced onion mixed in with the batter.  So, I think I'll make these again, but will need to find an alternate base, as I don't like the idea of other greens. 

Butternut Squash & Linguine

1 box linguine
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbs minced garlic
4 cups butternut squash pieces (about 1-inch pieces)
1/2 cup dry white wine, or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage or 4 tsp dried sage
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese or shredded Parmesan cheese
Additional cheese, optional
Toasted chopped walnuts, optional

1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan; cover and keep warm.
2) Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in squash, wine and salt. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes just until squash is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sage.
3) Toss squash with pasta and cheese. Sprinkle with additional cheese and walnuts, as desired.

Review:  This was surprisingly easy to make!  Especially since water takes so very long to boil in our high altitude!  I used goat cheese and toasted walnuts to finish this off.  The original recipe also suggested prosciutto or bacon, but I of course nixed that idea!  And, I forgot to add sage.  Oops.
This had a wonderfully sweet and tangy combo that perfectly balanced.  Yum!!

Farfalle With Forest Mushrooms, Peas & Parsley

1/4 cup butter
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, chopped
12 oz shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, quartered
12 oz crimini mushrooms, quartered
12 oz chanterelle or crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 cups frozen peas
2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/4 lbs farfalle

1) Melt butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add shiitake and crimini mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Add chanterelles; sauté until all mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add wine and boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add cream and simmer until liquid is reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas and parsley. Remove from heat. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

2) Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

3) Add mushroom sauce to pasta and toss to coat, moistening with reserved pasta cooking liquid, if necessary.

Review:  Costco began carrying chanterelle mushrooms, so we were curious and I looked for a recipe to use them in.  However, we were greatly disappointed.  The mushrooms are very slick to the touch, which is a little odd, and the texture was quite mushy and a little stringy.  We were so sad and I tended to pick out the chanterelles, though they were so pricey!  It was also disappointing, considering I had more than 12oz of each of these mushrooms, and our shiitakes were sooooo small.  I easily spent half an hour cleaning and quartering the mushrooms!  The rest of the dish was pretty yummy, though.  I could see us having the dish again, but substituting a different mushroom.

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:
Black Bean Lasagna

Monday: 
Farfalle with Forest Mushrooms, Peas & Parsley

Tuesday: 
Greek Pasta With Tomatoes & White Beans

Wednesday: 
Butternut Squash & Linguine

Thursday: 
Nutty Lentil & Brown Rice Salad

Friday: 
pizza @ PieHole (a NYC style pizzeria)

Saturday:
Pumpkin Dumplings With Radicchio

Baked Shells With Winter Squash

Butter, for baking dish

4 Tbs olive oil

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 pound small pasta shells

1 pkg (12 oz) frozen winter squash puree, thawed

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 slices crusty baguette, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Heat 3 Tbs oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until onions are soft and release liquid, 15 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onions are browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp rosemary.  

2) Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes less than package instructions suggest. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking water. Return pasta to pot. 

3) Stir squash and reserved pasta water into onions; simmer 2 minutes. Toss squash mixture and 1/2 cup Parmesan with pasta. Transfer to prepared dish.

4) Combine bread cubes with remaining Parmesan, rosemary, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with bread cubes; bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Review:  I significantly tweaked this recipe.  I can't find squash puree at my local grocery stores!  So, I bought the prediced stuff at Costco and made the puree myself.  One package resulted in enough for this recipe, and an equal amount to be frozen for future use.  Yay me.  I skipped the step of browning onions, as I didn't like the idea of it.  So, instead I cooked the pasta, then drained it.  In the pot, I returned the pasta and tossed in the pasta water, puree, the Parmesan, 1 Tbs of dried onions and 1Tbs of dried shallots.  I cooked until bubbling and then tossed it into the baking dish.  I also substituted the bread cubes with 3/4 cup of bread crumbs.  So, this is basically a dressed-up mac-n-cheese.  However, it was really yummy and was filling on a snowy evening. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

We celebrated the holiday with friends/classmates, so I didn't have a full menu this year.

I made my Grandma Birdsong's pecan pie.  I don't ever recall having it before, but it was a nice addition to the festivities today!

And, I made Meg's sweet potato casserole:

And, Dmitri & Katya even had a little something special:

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

For cinnamon sugar topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

For muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup milk

Make topping:
In a small bowl stir together sugar and cinnamon. Preheat oven to 375°F. and butter six 1/3-cup muffin cups. 

Make muffins: 

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until combined well. Beat in flour mixture and add milk, beating until mixture is just combined. Divide batter evenly among cups and sprinkle with topping. Bake muffins in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove muffins from cups and cool on a rack. Muffins keep in an airtight container 2 days.

Review:  Ah, this was my Thanksgiving day surprise for Mike, but he woke up before I even got started!  I've had muffin cravings for a few days, but due to the blizzard, I couldn't run out to the store for muffin ingredients.  I found this recipe and was in heaven, as I had all the ingredients in the house!

So, I used whole-wheat flour, so my muffins are a little darker.  I also omitted the nutmeg and tossed in a dash of allspice, cloves and ginger.  My muffins are also misshapen because I lack a muffin pan.  I don't like the metal ones and I was disappointed by the silicone pans.  I haven't quite found what I'm looking for yet, so I just dumped the batter into paper cups and placed them on a cookie sheet.  It worked just fine and now I have super yummy, from scratch, muffins in my belly.  Yay.

But I Don't Like Ragouts

As I began prepping dinner, Mike kindly informed me he doesn't like ragouts and really didn't want the planned dish for dinner.  As all the other ingredients could be saved for a different week, I worried about the mushrooms.  Therefore, we got sauteed mushrooms in our spaghetti sauce tonight.  Fancy.  :)

Mozzarella-Stuffed Arancini

1 1/2 cups instant brown rice
4 green onions, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
2 cups breadcrumbs
16 marinated fresh mozzarella balls, drained, oil reserved (1 12oz container)
1 28oz jar marinara sauce

1) Combine rice, 1 whole green onion, garlic and 3 1/2 cups water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is soft and slightly sticky. Remove from heat, transfer to bowl, and cool. Remove green onion, and discard.
2) Preheat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or coat with cooking spray. Chop remaining green onions finely. Fold eggs, parsley, cheese and onions into rice. Spread breadcrumbs on large plate.
3) Place 1/4 cup rice mixture in palm of hand. Shape into tangerine-sized ball around one mozzarella ball. Roll in breadcrumbs, and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rice, mozzarella and breadcrumbs. Drizzle arancini with reserved oil, and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until outsides are crisp and browned.
4) Warm marinara sauce, and ladle into bottom of large serving dish. Place arancini on top of sauce, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.


Review: I found this recipe awhile back and thought it'd be an easier version of the risotto balls that my CT family loves so much.  They're so labor intensive (though Teresa makes it look so easy!) and I just couldn't duplicate it.  Well, these were not an easy replacement.  The recipe appears flawed, as it was too much water for my instant rice to soak up, even after 40 minutes!  I drained it, but I still couldn't get it to adhere to the rest of the ingredients.  I ended up with 9 lumps (how did Vegetarian Times make 16?) that had to be dusted with bread crumbs, as they wouldn't firm up enough to roll through the bread crumbs.  They were tasty once they were finished, and I served them with a cabernet marinara sauce (Classico).  But, my kitchen was TRASHED and I didn't get to eat for almost two hours after I started the meal.  Of course, in the meantime, I was snacking on the mozzarella balls.  We bought the 40oz container from Costco and they're absolutely amazing.  Yum.

Asparagus Casserole (crockpot recipe)

2 bunches asparagus, wooded ends snapped, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
2 cans cream of celery soup or cream of asparagus soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup bread or cracker crumbs
4 Tbs butter cut into chunks

1) Spray crock with cooking spray, or use plastic cooker liner. 
2) Layer asparagus evenly over the bottom of the crock.  Layer the eggs evenly over the asparagus. 
3) Mix cheese and soup together and pour over the asparagus evenly.  Top with bread crumbs and dot with butter. 
4) Place a kitchen towel or paper towels over top of crock and cover with lid.  Pull ends taught and into the center.  The towel will serves as a moisture wick while cooking. Cook on low for 7-8 hour or high for 4-5 hours.  Serve warm.

Review:  Mike made this while I was at work, as he's off on Thanksgiving break.  It was quite atrocious looking when we removed the lid.  Once again, he offered pizza if it wasn't good, but it was apparently my turn to be the guinea pig!  I liked it and we both ate it.  It was really a fancy soup and not much of a casserole.  The flavor was good and savory, but Mike thought it lacked a starch.  His idea is to add potatoes next time, to enhance the texture and the flavor. 

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:

Lasagna With Zucchini & Walnuts

Monday:

Asparagus Casserole (crockpot recipe)

Tuesday:
Mozzarella-Stuffed Arancini

Wednesday: 

Mushroom, White Bean & Leek Ragout

Thanksgiving Day:

We're celebrating with friends/classmates.  I'm making Grandma Birdsong's pecan pie and Meg's sweet potato casserole.  Yum!

Friday: 

pizza delivery

Saturday:

Baked Shells With Winter Squash

Warm Lentil Salad With Grapes, Feta & Mint

3 Tbs olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 Tbs sherry vinegar
2 tsp whole-grain mustard
2 cups cooked lentils
1 1/2 cups red grapes, halved
1/4 cup chopped roasted pistachios
3 Tbs finely chopped mint
3 Tbs finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta

1) Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add leeks, and cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender and translucent, stirring often.  Remove from heat, and stir in sherry vinegar and mustard.
2) Combine lentils, leek mixture, grapes, pistachios, mint and parsley in large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and top with crumbled feta.

Review:  I thought this would be an interesting dish.  After I finished it, I thought - ew, I don't want to try this, Mike has to go first!!!  He tried it and said it was edible, though he promised to spring for pizza if it wasn't.  The lentils and pistachios provided a savory flavor, most of the rest was tangy, the mint added a coolness and the grapes added just a bit of sweet.  It really balanced out.  Overall, the dish was alright, but probably not something I'll make again.

Israeli Couscous Salad With Black Beans, Mushrooms & Corn

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Israeli couscous
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 lb cremini or button mushrooms, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 small bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups frozen corn kernels
15.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno (optional), thinly sliced
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced

 

1) In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add couscous and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 15 minutes.  

2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper; transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Cook scallion whites and corn, stirring occasionally, until scallions are soft and corn is browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add to mushrooms.  

3) Add couscous, black beans, lime juice, jalapeno (if using), and scallion greens to mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among four bowls and top with avocado.

Review:  Israeli couscous is a tapioca-size pasta with a pleasingly chewy texture when cooked. Regular couscous, which is granular, cooks in a shorter amount of time. If you can't find Israeli couscous, cook regular couscous according to package instructions. 

I've been looking for Israeli couscous, after substituting regular couscous in the few recipes I've tried.  I was convinced I would never find the Israeli version in Idaho and even contemplated buying a case from amazon.com.  However, I found it last week at our local grocery store!! (and found kasha - now to find a recipe for that . . . )  I excitedly made this dish tonight and marveled and the bubbles of couscous that was the end product.  It looked odd, but was really tasty.  I loved the toasty flavor, and the gummy texture.  It's not an every week kind of food, but I definitely will look for more recipes!!!!

Pumpkin Ice Cream

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup milk
1 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1) Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.  Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more.  Pour in the cream and milk, and whisk to blend.
2) Pour about 1 cup of the cream base into another bowl.  Add the pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon, stirring until blended.  Return the pumpkin mixture to the remaining cream base and blend.
3) Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Review:  I have an allergy to nutmeg, so I omitted it.  Instead, I tossed in a dash of other pumpkin pie spice ingredients - allspice, clove and ginger.  I apparently made more ice cream than my machine could handle, as it began oozing out the top.  Oops.  However, it just meant more for my belly!!!  This ice cream was really amazing and tasted like a frosty pumpkin pie (minus the crust).  I think I'll end up making a batch every time I make my famous holiday pie, as each recipe uses half a can of pumpkin. 

Quinoa With Mushrooms, Kale & Sweet Potatoes

1 cup quinoa
2 Tbs olive oil
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
10oz button mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
3/4 cup dry white wine
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)

1) Place the quinoa and 2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
3) Add the sweet potatoes and mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden and beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
4) Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5) Add the kale, wine, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing often, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
6) Serve the vegetables over the quinoa and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Review:  Mike recently read that sweet potatoes are a super food.  They're loaded with nutrition, fiber and are great for low-carb or diabetic diets.  So, I looked up some new recipes to include more sweet potatoes into our diet.  I had been assuming they were as bad as white potatoes, but was pleased to hear how great they are.  So, combined with the kale, cheese and quinoa, we've got a super nutritious dinner!  And, it was pretty yummy. 

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:
Quinoa With Mushrooms, Kale & Sweet Potatoes
Pumpkin Ice Cream

Monday:
Israeli Couscous Salad With Black Beans, Mushrooms & Corn

Tuesday:
Warm Lentil Salad With Grapes, Feta & Mint

Wednesday:
Southwestern Salsa Pasta

 

Thursday:
take out (mini date night)

Friday:
spaghetti with jarred sauce (Dave's Gourmet - Red Heirloom)

Saturday:
Vegetable Pilaf

Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili

2 lb pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, minced
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 14.5oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 cup apple juice
4 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
3 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained if canned

1) Cut the pumpkin into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside.
2) Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the reserved pumpkin, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, water, apple juice, chili powder, salt and cayenne.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes.
3) Add the beans and more water if the chili is too thick for your taste.  Cover, and continue to simmer about 15 minutes to blend flavors.  Serve hot.

Review:  I was so sure that the grocery store would still have pumpkins.  I was wrong.  That was pretty disappointing, as I really wanted the pumpkin flavor.  So, instead I used butternut squash.  I tossed all the ingredients in together and simmered for 30 minutes.  I probably cooked it for 5 minutes too long, as the squash was a tad too soft.  This was pretty good, but we also tossed a little shredded cheddar on top.  Yum. 

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:
Asparagus-Ricotta Phyllo Tart

Monday:
Field Greens With Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Tuesday:
Baked Broccoli, Macaroni & Cheese

Wednesday:
Edamame Rice Bowls

Thursday:
Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili

Friday:
Baked Leek & Sweet Potato Gratin 

Saturday:
rotini with jarred sauce (Dave's Gourmet - Butternut Squash, from Costco)

Zucchini “Fettuccine” With Fresh Marinara

1 1/2 lb plum tomatoes, quartered
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, softened in warm water and chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
Sea salt or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
8oz mixed summer squash (green and yellow), ends trimmed
1 orange bell pepper, halved and seeded
8oz soy or fresh mozzarella, diced
1 cup chopped walnuts
grated regular or soy Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
6 basil sprigs for garnish, optional

1) Put tomatoes, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, 3 Tbs. oil, shallot, dash of salt and several grinds of pepper into food processor, and process until sauce resembles finely textured salsa.  

2) Pare squash lengthwise on 4 sides into paper-thin slices, about 1-inch wide, using sharp vegetable peeler. Discard soft centers, or save for another use. Stack slices, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide “fettuccine” strips. Cut bell pepper into paper-thin strips. 

3) Put “fettuccine” into bowl with mozzarella, walnuts, remaining 1 Tbs. oil and salt to taste; toss gently. Pour sauce into 6 shallow bowls, and top with “fettuccine” mixture. Grind fresh pepper over each and, if using, top with Parmesan cheese and basil sprigs. Serve.

Review:  I used oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, as I had some leftover in the fridge.  It turned out just fine.  When I picked this recipe, I didn't fully read the directions (imagine that).  I had made "fettuccine" from zucchini before and it was easy and yummy.  However, what made this truly different is that there was NO cooking involved.  I reread this three times before I fully accepted that I didn't need the pots and pans.  It was sooooo easy and quick to make.  I really loved the flavor and it seemed so fancy.  I'll definitely make this again!

Roasted Vegetable Linguine With Torn Fresh Basil

2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/2 lb fresh or frozen asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 pkg whole-wheat or white linguine
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1) Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together mushrooms, asparagus, onion, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes, or until mushrooms and onions begin to brown, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
2) Add tomatoes to pan, and roast 7 to 10 minutes more, or until tomatoes shrivel and soften. Transfer vegetables to bowl. Add wine to roasting pan, stirring to scrape off any stuck-on bits from bottom of pan. Place roasting pan on burner over medium heat, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until wine has evaporated by half; or return roasting pan to oven 5 minutes, and let wine cook off.
3) Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Stir reserved cooking water into reduced wine in roasting pan.
4) Return pasta to pot. Add wine mixture and vegetables, and toss over medium-low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in torn fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Review:  Yum.  I like roasted vegetables, but hate waiting for them.  And, that it makes for extra dishes.  I skipped the step of tossing the veggies into a bowl and then baking the wine.  I just tossed the wine into the veggies a few minutes before they were done roasting.  It worked just fine and made my life a little easier.  Except that I dropped the lid to the wine bottle into the oven.  It rolled into the back and I had to leave it until the oven cooled off.  It's always an adventure in my kitchen!

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday: 
Roasted Vegetable Linguine With Torn Fresh Basil

Monday:  
Zucchini “Fettuccine” With Fresh Marinara

Tuesday:
Tortilla Torte using Mike's Taco Mojo

Wednesday:
leftovers

Thursday:
Spaghetti With Butternut Squash Sauce (jarred, from Costco)

Friday:
frozen pizzas 

Saturday:
Cheese Tortellini Primavera

Wild Rice With Apples & Butternut Squash

1 1/2 cups wild rice blend, cooked
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups cubed (1/2 inch) butternut squash
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and cubed (1/2 inch)
1 Tbs dried thyme
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1/2 cup walnut pieces

1) Heat oil in large nonstick skillet, and saute onion over medium-high heat until translucent.  Add squash, apples and thyme, and saute 5 minutes.  Stir in broth.
2) Combine cooked rice, parsley and sauteed mixture into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.  Bake at 425F for 20-25 minutes.

Review:  I found this recipe in an ad for a specific brand of wild rice mixtures.  It's not found locally, so I bought two boxes of store brand wild rice and brown rice side dishes (throwing out the seasoning packets).  So, I ended up doubling the rice and broth.  This was pretty easy to make and didn't take as long as I had thought it would.  It helped that I cooked the rice this morning and then let it hang out in the fridge until I needed it.  This had a great fall flavor, and wasn't as sweet as I had expected it to be.  I believe the recipe may have been intended as a Thanksgiving side dish.  It would totally fit and make plenty of food!

Feta, Tomato & White Bean Pouches Over Polenta Rounds

15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
4 medium plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup pitted black olives, chopped
4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp garlic oil
1 lb Swiss chard, tough stems removed
1 lb tube prepared polenta, cut into 8 rounds
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1) Cut 4 12-inch squares foil. Spoon 1/3 cup beans and 1/2 cup mushrooms in center of each foil square.
2) Combine tomatoes, feta, olives, rosemary, and garlic oil in bowl. Divide mixture among foil packets, and season with salt and pepper. Bring up sides of foil to meet over contents, fold edges together, and then fold a few times over contents to form a packet. Fold edges over to seal. Place packets in bottom portion of bamboo steamer. Arrange Swiss chard leaves in steamer’s top basket. Top with polenta rounds.
3) Fill large skillet or wok with 2 inches water. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Place steamer in skillet, and steam 10 minutes.
4) To serve: Place 2 polenta rounds and some Swiss chard leaves on each plate. Open packets, and slide contents over polenta. Sprinkle with parsley.

Review:  Oh, I seriously need to start reading directions before I pick recipes to make for the week!  I didn't read this one and was quite surprised to find I needed a bamboo steamer.  I don't own one, and don't know that I need one.  In the past, 'pouch' recipes have always involved tossing a foil packet of stuff into the oven for a bit.  This wasn't going to work this time.  I ended up tossing everything into the foil pouches, putting the polenta at the bottom.  I steamed it in my steamer, with the lid on, for ten minutes (one packet at a time).  I'd recommend steaming it for 12-14, as my tomatoes weren't quite hot.  However, this was really tasty.  I loved the combination of flavors.  Mike wasn't digging the rosemary for some reason, but ate it anyway.  :)

Broccoli & Chili Spaghetti

1 pkg dried spaghetti
1 lb broccoli, cut into small florets
1 fat red chili, seeded and finely chopped
2/3 cup garlic-infused olive oil
salt and ground black pepper

1) Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the spaghetti and broccoli, and cook for 8-10 minutes, until both are tender.  Drain thoroughly.
2) Using the back of a fork, crush the broccoli roughly, taking care not to mash the spaghetti strands at the same time.
3) Meanwhile, warm the oil and finely chopped chili in a small pan over a low heat and cook very gently for 5 minutes.
4) Pour the chili and oil over the spaghetti and broccoli.  Toss together to combine.  Season to taste.  Divide between four warmed bowls and serve immediately.

Review:  Well, I used frozen chopped broccoli and waited until the pasta was about a minute away from being done, and then tossed it in.  I drained it all together and then mixed it with the chili and oil.  I didn't bother trying to crush the broccoli.  We really liked this dish.  It was easy, and yummy.  The chili gave it a bit of flavor, but didn't really add any 'heat.'  We topped it with Parmesan to make it even yummier.

Stir-Fried Pasta & Broccoli Rabe With Miso Pesto

1 lb orecchiette
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste
4 cups fresh basil leaves
3 Tbs white miso
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb broccoli rabe, chopped and blanched (can be substituted with
small broccoli florets, chard or spinach)
15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water, and rinse. Set aside.
2) Put garlic, pine nuts and salt in food processor, and chop. Add basil, and process until minced. Add miso, and process until combined. With machine running, slowly stream in 3 Tbs. olive oil, and process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3) Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli rabe, and season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
4) Add pasta, beans, reserved pesto and pasta cooking water. Stir-fry until well combined and heated through. Serve hot.

Review: Oops - I had planned on using baby spinach, but instead used Swiss Chard.  I have a recipe later in the week that needed that green!  Now, I have to substitute with baby spinach.  However, this was really good with the Swiss Chard.  The pesto was yummy, as it had a nice tang from the miso, combined with the yummy basil.  I really liked this.  Yum. 

I also chopped up some veggies for the rest of the week, to make prep time quicker.  However, it was a chore and a half, since my right ring finger is splinted.  Yesterday, I shaved off part of that finger, and a portion of the nail, in my mandoline.  So, it's bandaged and splinted, as the splint helps protect the open nailbed from hurting when I inevitably touch something.  Ah, my kitchen adventures!!

This Week's Planned Menu

Sunday:
Stir-Fried Pasta & Broccoli Rabe With Miso Pesto

Monday:
Broccoli & Chili Spaghetti (had been slated for last week, but our chili pepper went moldy)

Tuesday:
Feta, Tomato & White Bean Pouches Over Polenta Rounds
Vegetable-Herb Salad

Wednesday:
leftovers

Thursday:
Pasta Primavera With Miso Dressing

Friday:
party food - going to a Halloween party!!

Saturday:
Wild Blend With Apples & Butternut Squash

Cheesy Rice & Mushroom Casserole With Spinach (crockpot recipe)

1 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs minced gingerroot
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
2 cups long-grain brown rice
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
28oz can diced tomatoes, including juice
4 cups vegetable broth
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8oz fresh spinach leaves, washed, stems removed and chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1) In a dry skillet, over medium heat, toast cumin seeds until they release their aroma and just begin to turn brown.  Transfer to a mortar or a spice grinder and grind coarsely.  Set aside.
2) In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and celery, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, gingerroot, reserved cumin, salt, peppercorns and rice, and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Add sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes with juice and vegetable stock, and bring to a boil.
3) Place mushrooms in slow cooker stoneware.  Pour rice mixture over mushrooms and stir to combine.
4) Place two clean tea towels, each folded in half (so you will have four layers), across the top of slow cooker stoneware.  Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours, until rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
5) Remove tea towels.  Stir in spinach and sprinkle cheese over top of mixture.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 25 minutes, until spinach is cooked and cheese is melted.  Serve piping hot.

Review:  I accidentally used half the amount of tomatoes, used ground cumin and skipped step one, didn't see that I had to chop the portobellos and I doubled the spinach on purpose.  I tend to buy the big container of baby spinach from Costco and then use the whole thing.  Spinach wilts down to almost nothing, so typically doubling it doesn't overpower a dish.  I cooked this for about 3 hours on HIGH, because my crockpot tends to run hot and cooks faster than others.  Despite all the changes, this was definitely the comfort food taste that I was looking for this weekend!  Yum, veggies, starch and cheese.  What more could I ask for?

This Week's Planned Menu

Of course, there's always room for deviation . . .
Sunday:
Cheesy Rice & Mushroom Casserole With Spinach (crockpot recipe)

Monday:
Pasta With Roasted Butternut Squash & Sage

Tuesday:
White & Red Kidney Bean Hot Pot
Posole - to ensure leftovers for the next few days, as I'm a guest speaker at Mike's class Wednesday night

Thursday:
Broccoli & Chili Spaghetti

Friday:
Butternut Squash Gratin With Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts

Grilled Goat Cheese With Fig Preserves

8 (6-inch) diagonal baguette slices
1 1/2 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
2 oz soft mild goat cheese at room temperature
2 Tbs dark fig preserves

1) Spread 1 side of each baguette slice with butter. Turn over 4 slices and spread cheese and preserves onto them. Top with remaining baguette slices, buttered sides up.

2) Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot, then cook sandwiches, pressing occasionally and turning over once, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes total. 

Review:  So much for planning out the week and sticking to it.  Thursday night, Mike & I felt lazy and made pasta with jarred tomato sauce.  Then, last night we weren't feeling this recipe and had regular grilled cheese sandwiches.  Which, used up the bread we had.

So, I went out today and bought cracked wheat sourdough.  That's truly a great bread for grilled cheese.  Mike made these tonight, and sliced the bread in half to make smaller sandwiches.  These were so tasty!!  The combination of tangy goat cheese and sweet figs is truly a great flavor mash-up.  And, toasty, buttery bread is always amazing!

And, I got to use my favorite brand of preserves.  Though, it's my favorite just because I like the glasses.  Unfortunately, the preserves dry out after about two weeks, so I had some investment to use these twice in a week!  Yum.

Maple Bundt Cake

3 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
2/3 cup canola oil
2 Tbs vanilla extract
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tsp maple extract
1 1/3 cups water
confectioner's sugar, for dusting

1) Preheat oven to 325F.  Lightly coat 10-inch Bundt pan with cooking spray.
2) Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl.
3) Whisk maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, maple extract and water in large separate bowl.  Stir in flour mixture until just blended.
4) Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.  Cool in pan on rack 20 minutes.  Unmold onto rack, and cool completely.  Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Review:  Mike was so touched by a professor making him a birthday cake, that he felt the need to reciprocate the gesture.  Which actually meant me making a cake.  :)  I presented him with a few recipes from recent magazines and he chose this one.  I figured it was a good choice, as it seemed like a nice, Fall flavor.  What I didn't realize until I started making it, was how odd the recipe is.  There's no egg, butter or sugar - all typical ingredients for a cake.  Despite this, it rose just fine and tasted great (a little piece got stuck to the pan and I fortunately got to sample that!).  It's easy to make, and I got to use the trick of shaking powdered sugar through a tea ball to sprinkle evenly.  Do note, it's hard to find maple extract.  All I could find locally was artificial maple flavoring.  It seemed to do the trick, but I hate artificial flavors and regret that it's all I could find.  Luckily, I'm able to get big bottles of really great maple syrup at Costco (and I also recently bought the big bottle of vanilla extract, which is the exact same price as small bottles at the normal grocery store!).  Ah, a bargain, a great cake and hopefully a happy professor tomorrow. 

Happy Birthday Dr. Harrawood!!!!

Squash Enchiladas With Tomatillo Sauce

2 small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs total), halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 Tbs minced garlic

1/2 cup frozen corn 

12 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas 

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)  

Tomatillo Sauce 

sour cream

1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives

1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Pour enough water into roasting pan to come 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Place squash halves, cut side up, in pan. Bake until tender, adding more water as necessary, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Cool squash completely. Remove seeds from squash; spoon squash into bowl. Discard squash skin.

2) Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Mix in squash and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tortilla over direct flame until soft and heated through, turning with tongs, about 10 seconds per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

3) Place 1 heaping tablespoon squash mixture down center of each tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon of each cheese. Roll up tortillas. Arrange seam side down in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; cover and chill.)

4) Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon Tomatillo Sauce and remaining cheese over enchiladas. Bake until enchiladas are heated through, about 20 minutes. Place 2 enchiladas on each of 6 plates. Top with sour cream. Sprinkle with olives.

Review:  Well, as I transferred this recipe from it's original website, I discovered that Tomatillo Sauce was a hyperlink and had it's very own recipe (which I included as a hyperlink on this entry).  I did not previously know that and simply bought a large can of green enchilada sauce.  I also bought the prediced butternut squash from Costco and simply boiled it until tender (7 to 9 minutes).  And, I don't believe their method of softening the tortillas is safe.  I wrapped mine in aluminum foil and stuck them in the oven (350F) for 10 minutes.

So, this was amazingly delicious.  I love enchiladas and butternut squash, but never thought of combining the two.  Now, I have a new favorite.  Yum!!!

And, Mike made sure to get Mexican sour cream, which is our new favorite.  It's so much creamier than the regular stuff!