Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced into
1/2-inch pieces - 1 large butternut squash, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 bunch kale, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta
- Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- 1/2 stick butter
Heat oven to 400 F.
Toss bacon and squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Stir in kale and garlic. Roast for another
5 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the box’s instructions to al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Tip the contents of the sheet pan into the pasta pot. Toss with butter and a generous amount
of Pecorino Romano cheese. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Seeds from 1 large pumpkin, cleaned, rinsed and dried
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Heat oven to 400 F.
Scatter pumpkin seeds onto a sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake for about 15 minutes, until seeds are light brown and crispy.
Pumpkin Soup
- 2 cans pumpkin puree
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
and whole - 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream,
plus extra for drizzling - Fresh parsley
- Crusty bread
Place the pumpkin, onion, garlic and broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce heat and let simmer about 10 minutes.
Remove pot from heat. Use a stick blender to blend the soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in heavy cream.
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a bit of cream on top. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley, and serve with crusty bread.
Squash Casserole
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 to 8 yellow squash, sliced
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 sleeve buttery crackers, crushed
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the squash and onion until soft. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, Parmesan and cheddar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Scoop mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash
- 2 spaghetti squash
- 1 cup pasta sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Heat oven to 375 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
With a sharp knife, carefully cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. With a spoon, gently remove seeds and discard. Place spaghetti squash cut-side down on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until a fork can pierce the shell easily.
Remove squash from oven and cool slightly. With a fork, loosen and separate spaghetti squash strands from shell. Reserve shells.
Place strands in a bowl. Mix strands with pasta sauce, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture back into empty shells. Top with a little mozzarella, and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Spoon and serve directly from shell.
Zucchini Burrito Boats
- 3 large zucchini
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 15-ounce can black beans, drained
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 400 F. Line a casserole dish with aluminum foil.
Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon baller, hollow out the center of each zucchini. Place zucchini skin-side down in the casserole dish.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, jalapeno and onion. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft.
Add rice, corn, beans and taco seasoning. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off heat, and mix in cilantro.
Spoon the filling inside each zucchini. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.