Butternut Squash Lasagna

Dig in to this delicious Butternut Squash Lasagna

I love cooking with the seasons. And fall is all about comfort food for me. I love the colors, taste and feel of the root vegetables that are so prevalent. We received a butternut squash from our CSA last week and I was determined to do something fun with it. 

I have had lasagna noodles in my pantry for ages that I hadn't used, so I decided to do a butternut squash lasagna. I looked up a few different recipes, but none of them seemed just right to me. Also, I had no ricotta in the house and I didn't want to go to the store. So, I chose 3 of my favorite recipes and combined them, and played with them, and voila, created a new favorite Butternut Squash Lasagna recipe. It was a huge hit! 

Side note, as my husband was eating leftovers of the lasagna for lunch, he said to me, "I could eat this everyday. Forever." Pretty high praise!

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 1 Box lasagna noodles
• 1 cup marinara sauce (homemade or jarred)
• 1/4 c. roasted red pepper, pureed (homemade or jarred)
• 1 handful of basil leaves, chopped
• 6 sausage links
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 6 Tbsp Butter
• 1/4 c Flour
• 6 cups milk
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

 

Step 1: Make Butternut Squash Puree

Cut Butternut Squash in half.

Brush with olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake face down at 400 degrees for 1 hour. 

When done, let cool enough to be able to handle.

Scoop insides out, place in bowl and mash.

Set aside.

Step 2: Cook Lasagna Noodles

Boil one box of lasagna noodles according to directions.

I really find spreading out the cooked noodles on a baking sheet or parchment paper drizzled with olive oil makes a huge difference in the finished product.

Step 3: Make Roasted Red Pepper Marinara Sauce

Blend marinara sauce with roasted red peppers.

Mix in chopped basil.

Set aside.

Step 4: Make Filling

In a hot pan over medium-high heat, sautee garlic and onion in olive oil. 

Remove sausage from casings and add to pan. 

Once cooked, remove to a bowl and mix with butternut squash. 

Set aside.

Step 5: Make Bechamel Sauce

Melt flour in a sauce pan over medium heat. 

Whisk flour into melted butter. Continue cooking over low heat, while whisking. You do not want to let the flour brown.

Slowly whisk in milk, raise heat to medium. 

Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking continuously until thickened (about 10 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to low and continue cooking another 5-10 minutes. When complete, set aside.

Ready to Assemble (from left): Butternut Squash Sausage filling, cheeses, red sauce, bechamel, lasagna noodles.

Step 6: Put the Lasagna Together

In a 9x13 dish, place a thin layer of Bechamel Sauce.

Add about 5 lasagna noodles on top of sauce, slightly overlapping.

Top with 1/2 of the Butternut Squash Sausage filling.

Top with 1/4 c each cheese

Top with a thin layer of Bechamel Sauce

Add another layer of noodles, Butternut Squash Sausage filling, cheese, Bechamel Sauce.

Top with an additional layer of noodles, Bechamel Sauce, Roasted Red Pepper Marinara Sauce and remaining cheese. 

In the midst of layering: Bechamel, noodles, Butternut Squash Sausage filling

Bake

Cover with foil. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Uncover for the last 5-10 minutes. Let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot.

It was a multi-stop process, as lasagna tends to be, but so worth it! You can easily prep this in stages and can make up to a day ahead to have it ready to pop in the oven for when you need a delicious, hearty meal. You can also bake it ahead and store in smaller serving containers to be available for dinners on the go. 

Fall Dinners from the Slow Cooker

Every fall with back to school and the return of fall sports schedules I struggle with dinners. I do love to use my crockpot, both for the sake of convenience, and for the comfort food meals that we all love as the weather begins to change. 

I just saw this post for 15 Fall Dinners from the Slow Cooker from theKitchn.com and thought I'd share. 

It looked like some new ideas, as well as some new twists on old favorites. 

The recipes included in the post are:

1. Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

2. Slow-Cooker Vegan Pumpkin Curry

3. Slow-Cookier Chicken Burrito Bowls

4. Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce

5. Slow-Cooked Brisket & Onions

6. Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

7. Slow-Cooker Sausage & Spinach Lasagna

*the only time I tried lasagna in the slow cooker, I did not love it. Not sure I'll try it again.

8. Slow-Cooker Chicken in Milk

*Hmmm.... We'll have to look at this one a bit. Sounds a little bizarre to me.

9. Slow-Cooker Black Bean Enchiladas

10. Slow-Cooker Korean Short Ribs

11. Slow-Cooker Tuna Noodle Casserole

*I enjoy a tuna sandwich, but have never made a tuna casserole. Not sure I'm up for this one either. Plus, the picture has peas. (YUCK!) I'll probably pass on this one.

12. Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas

*This picture looks so good to me! And I love, love, love pork carnitas!

13. Slow-Cooker Celery Soup with Bacon

14. Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

15. Slow-Cooker Coconut & Green Curry Pork

I'll be sure to let you know what I try and what we think. Please do the same if you try any!

September Meals

As always, when September rolls around, we suddenly find ourselves busy, like many of you, juggling school schedules, sports, activities, and more. Then throw in a few back-to-school-nights, and the question becomes not only, "what am I going to feed them?" but "WHEN am I going to feed them?" We really enjoy sitting down to a family meal, but it is just not always possible. So I try to look at about 2 weeks worth of our schedule and plan for meals when we can sit and eat together, and plans for eating in shifts. I also plan for days when I'll be able to do some work on the meal before I put it on the table, and for days when I need it to be good to go whenever we walk in the door. So for the first few weeks of school, here are some of the meals we have gone with - it is a mix of some old favorites and some new ones that I pulled from websites and/or magazines. Overall, I'd have to say my family has been pleased.

Old favorites:

Baked Stuffed Potatoes - This is always a favorite in my house and the best part is that it can be easily tailored to individual tastes (and what I happen to have on hand). I bake my potatoes, then slice them in half and scoop out the insides. I mix this with a little butter, milk and salt... AND some steamed, chopped broccoli and cauliflower. It ups the veggie factor of the meal, plus I get to mound the inside on the potato when I refill which just makes it looks so pretty (see photo). Also, if I offer the veggies as a topping, the kids have the option of NOT putting it on, but when it is already inside it, it is a done deal. I usually also add in some shredded cheddar cheese because when I pop it back in the oven, it gets nice and melty. YUM. Then I serve with toppings. Some great ideas: bacon, sour cream, chives, chili, more veggies, more cheese, salsa, and anything else you can think of that your family might enjoy. Serve with a salad and we are good to go!

Chicken Divan - I know we have the recipe on here somewhere. An old family favorite. I have switched from using cream of chicken soup in the sauce to using cream of broccoli soup. AND I always double this - one recipe for dinner, one for the freezer.

Black Bean Soup - This could not be easier and is another recipe that changes based on mood and/or what I have in, but is always a hit at my house. I usually drain and rinse about 3 cans of black beans, add in salsa or diced veggies and a can or two of diced tomatoes, some seasonings, some broth. I like it a little chunky, I usually use my immersion blender to make it soup-like, but still leave some chunks and add cilantro in at the end. I usually serve this with quesadillas and toppings for the quesadillas or soup, such as corn, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, diced onion, salsa, sour cream. 

Tomato Soup & Cheesy Breadsticks - Much like the black bean soup, I throw in a mix of canned tomatoes, broth and veggies and blend. Then I wrap 1/2 mozzarella cheese stick in a crescent roll and bake for time on can. So easy, so yummy. Family favorite! (One of the new recipes I came across adds bacon and white beans to a tomato soup. May have to try this)

Korean BBQ Flank Steak - This recipe is also on the site. It is from Aunt Sarah on a visit a few years ago and has been a go-to grilled steak recipe here since. We love this one and the leftovers are great for a steak salad the next day for lunch.

Fajitas/Tacos/Burritos - Some version of wrapped Mexican-style food, choose meat, fish, bean or veggie and put it together as you wish. Easy to please everyone.

Some New Quick & Easy Favorites:

Thai Pork Wraps - I posted about this recipe that we found in the September issue of Rachael Ray's magazine and it is now a must-have in the rotation. I made our second batch last week and froze in single-size servings to be pulled out when needed before or after practices, etc. to accommodate different schedules. As I was packaging it, Holland came in and asked if she could have a bowl before soccer practice that day. 

Pan-fried Chicken - Marinade: 3 TBSP canola mayo, 2 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce, 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice, 1 TBSP chile pase. Marinate chicken breast in this for at least 15 minutes. Then dredge in 1 1/2 c panko bread crumbs. Heat large nonstick skillet over med high and cook chicken in two batches, 4 minutes each side. The flavor was great. Next time I'll try baking, though. 

Skinny Scampi - Spaghetti squash, cut in half, cut side down in large microwavable dish, add 1/3 c water and microwave on high until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove seeds. Meanwhile, heat 1 TBSP olive oil over med heat, add 1 chopped red bell pepper and 1 chopped clove of garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1/4 c vegetable broth and 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice and cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are firm and pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 tsp. lemon zest and 2 tsp. chopped flat leaf parsley and remove from heat. Using a fork, rake the spaghetti squash lengthwise to remove the flesh. Toss the squash with 2 tsp olive oil, season with salt & pepper. Serve shrimp on top of squash (serves 4).

Lamb & Turkey Burger - From Cooking LIght, this recipe had mixed reviews, but some are never going to like lamb, and some are never going to like burgers. Those of us that enjoyed it, really enjoyed it. I did not use the sauce with the recipe and instead did a chop of cilantro, mint & parsley, mixed with a little lemon juice and mayonnaise. We served it with a tomato-cucumber salad - thinly sliced cucs and tomatoes, tossed with chopped parsley, olives, lemon juice and olive oil. A bigger hit than the burgers with some!

Hope this gives you some ideas of new recipes to try. Would love to hear some of your favorites.

Crockpot/Slow Cooker Healthy Meals for the Fall

It is that time of year, again. Back to School (and Back to School Nights) and in my house, it is back to soccer and swimming, religion, and now scouts... There are very few nights in the fall that we will all be home at the same time to sit down and have dinner together. Add to that the cooler weather coming in & for me that means -- Crock Pot Meals. They stay warm and are easy to have ready and serve up when needed.

Here are a few crock pot links with some healthy and delicious looking recipes I am looking forward to trying this fall:

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/slow-cooker-classics-00400000001101/

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/slow-cooker-recipes.php

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/8-slow-cooker-recipes-00000000008818/index.html

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/vegetarian/ideas/10-slow-cooker-vegetarian-favorites/

In particular, I am looking forward to trying these 2 this week:

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach & Mushrooms (I have never done lasagna in the crockpot, looking forward to this experiment)

• 4 cups torn spinach
  2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
  1/2 cup commercial pesto
  3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
  1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
  1 large egg, lightly beaten
  3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
  1 (25.5-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
  1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  Cooking spray
  1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles)

Arrange the spinach in a vegetable steamer; steam, covered, 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain, squeeze dry, and coarsely chop. Combine spinach, mushrooms, and pesto in a medium bowl, stirring to combine; set aside.

Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, and beaten egg in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan, and set aside. Combine the pasta sauce and the tomato sauce in a medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup pasta sauce mixture in the bottom of a 6-quart oval electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over pasta sauce mixture; top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with spinach mixture. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture; top with remaining 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup pasta sauce mixture. Place remaining 3 noodles over sauce mixture; spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover with lid; cook on LOW 5 hours or until done.

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

• 1-1/2 cups cubed, peeled (if desired) eggplant
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow summer squash or zucchini
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped tomato
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped red or green sweet pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette-style French bread
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil

In a 1-1/2-quart slow cooker, combine eggplant, squash, chopped tomato, tomato sauce, sweet pepper, onion, salt, black pepper, and garlic.
 

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. If no heat setting is available, cook for 4 to 4-1/2 hours.
 

For Parmesan toast: Preheat broiler. Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Place bread slices, oiled sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat about 15 seconds or until toasted (watch carefully to avoid burning). Sprinkle bread slices with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese. Broil about 15 seconds more or until cheese is melted.
 

Stir basil into mixture in cooker. Serve in shallow bowls with Parmesan toast. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Makes 2 servings.

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes!

I really want to try these soon:) http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipes/sweet-spot-dessert-recipes/Cheesecake-Filled-Pumpkin-Cupcakes
I may have to wait until after the holiday baking is done. We'll see!

I just found this link on 30 Fall menus on myrecipes.com today. It’s really a recipe a day for the month of September, but since September hasn’t really felt much like Fall anyway here in Newburyport (I love Indian Summer!), maybe you can use these ideas to get you through the month of October.

Back to School...

and back to after-school activities. What is everybody making to get through busy nights?

Cool-weather Soups

I always love to have soups during this time of year. It makes me feel warm and toasty, add salad and a bread, and I am in heaven!

Last night, I made a butternut squash soup. I roasted the squash with a little olive oil, s&p at 400 for about 45 minutes, until it was tender. Then, sauteed a little onion and garlic, added the squash pulp and some chicken stock, nutmeg and sage. Brought the soup to a boil and let it simmer. Then, pureed in the blender until smooth. Drizzled a little molasses on top before serving. It is good, but I would be more than welcome to trying other butternut squash soup recipes, as well as other soup recipes in general. 

I will come back shortly and post a few of our favorites.