Butternut Squash Pasta

Well I am on a roll here with these homemade recipes. Trying to get creative and it's working! Nothing like patting yourself on the back, right? :) Well remember my last post, the Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Bruschetta? Well I used my leftovers and voila, I came up with tonight's dinner. I omitted the goat cheese this time, but man did that butternut squash mixture make for a fantastic "sauce" of sorts for some pasta. So without further ado, I present to you...Butternut Squash Pasta. I apologize in advance, as I have no play-by-play pictures. I honestly wasn't sure if what I was coming up with was blog worthy, but in the end, it was! So you get the final look..the leftovers in a Tupperware container! :) 

Butternut Squash Mixture:

• 1 medium butternut squash - diced and separated into two bowls
•  2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (additional may be needed for thinning out mixture)
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced (I use a garlic press) 
• 1 small onion 

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• 2nd half of the diced butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Salt & Pepper

Sauce:

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1-2 jalapenos, minced 
• 1 bunch of scallions, whites and green separated and each finely chopped
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• Parmesan cheese 

Preheat the oven to 475.

Wash and peel the butternut squash. Cut into 1/2 slices and continue to cut into small cubes. Dice the onion.  
Toss the first half of the butternut squash with white wine vinegar, EVOO, thyme, sage, S&P, red pepper flakes and garlic. Add the onions and toss to coat. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.  
Saute the butternut squash mixture over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Remove from heat and let cool. 
Add the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. If additional liquid is needed to smooth out the mixture, add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Set aside. 

Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay out the second half of the diced butternut squash. Toss with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, the nutmeg and salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender and brown on the edges. Remove from the oven. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the penne according to the package directions. Reserve one cup of cooking liquid. 

While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno(s) ans scallion whites. Saute for 1 minute and then add the chicken broth. Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes. Add the butternut squash mixture to the pan and use the reserved cooking water to thin out the mixture. 

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the sauce. Add the scallion greens, the roasted butternut squash and the Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! :)

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Ok..so I am officially declaring it Fall outside. The leaves are changing...and falling and the air is crisp! It's a football Sunday and we are headed to a friend's house to watch the Steeler's game. I offered to bring an appetizer and since I am feeling "fally," I figured I would try my hand at something seasonal and festive! It's a homemade recipe, and I must say that it turned out pretty darn well! Try it for yourself and you be the judge! 

 

• 1 small butternut squash
•  2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (additional may be needed for thinning out mixture)
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced (I use a garlic press)
• 1 small onion
• 1 baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 (4 oz.) log of plain goat cheese

Wash and peel the butternut squash. Cut into 1/2 slices and continue to cut into small cubes. Dice the onion.

Toss the butternut squash with white wine vinegar, EVOO, thyme, sage, S&P, red pepper flakes and garlic. Add the onions and toss to coat. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. 

Saute the butternut squash mixture over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Remove from heat and let cool.

Add the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. If additional liquid is needed to smooth out the mixture, add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. 

Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange baguette slices. Broil until lightly browned. Keep a close watch on the bread and it can burn quickly!!

Remove baguette slices from the oven and allow to cool. Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on each slice and top with generous layer of the butternut squash mixture. (I reheated the butternut squash mixture as I like the appetizer served warm)
Enjoy! 

Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

 Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

 

Ok, so I am looooooong overdue. I have been cooking away over here, but it just seems like it has been so busy that I never remember to get out the camera and document my dishes in the making! I knew I had the perfect opportunity when I "pinned" a recipe on Pinterest and had several dozen people repin it..I knew it had to be a winner! I am not sure if any of you have made this dish yet, but it hit a home run! Simple to make, very fresh and it has great taste. I tweaked the recipe a bit, as I always do, but only with the spices. I have a heavy hand when it comes to them, but feel free to decrease the amount you use! The house smells wonderful and we can't wait to dig in! 

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (I added more!)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I added more!)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups water
1 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used regular chicken broth)
12 oz pasta (I used orrichetta)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (I cooked mine in olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper)
1 tablespoon dried basil (fresh would be best, but I didn't have any on hand)

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F.

2. Add the tomatoes to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. 

3. Set an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering (you may need to reduce the heat slightly) until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks. (I forgot to stir mine and it started to stick!)

5. Once tender, remove the cover and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. If the mixture seems dry, mix in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth as needed to loosen it up (I didn't add any of it). {Note: if you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish at this point.} 

6. Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges. Garnish with the basil then serve.

Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumber, Feta and a Lemon-Vineagrette Dressing

We are into the dog days of summer and that also means parties, picnics, get-togethers and more! Have you been asked to bring a side dish or salad and are at a loss as to what to make? Here is the perfect recipe. It's easy, filling, hot weather friendly and most importantly...DELICIOUS!

Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumber, Feta and a Lemon -Vinaigrette Dressing

1 cup uncooked orzo
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup diced red onion

For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook orzo pasta according to package directions. Drain the orzo and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and to wash away some of the starches. Allow the pasta to cool.

In a large bowl, combine orzo, chickpeas, cucumbers, feta, dill, and red onion.

 In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt, and pepper. Drizzle over salad and stir until ingredients are well coated. Serve immediately or chilled.

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon sugar

4 tablespoons ground cumin

4 tablespoons dried oregano

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 

Salt

1 can of beer

1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 ripe avocados diced

1 1/2 chicken breasts, chopped

1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1-2 (depending on your heat level) jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

juice of 1 lime

16 corn tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

 

 

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a sauce pan.  Add the chicken, 1 tablespoon oregano, chili powder, garlic powder and salt and saute until browned on the edges. Remove and set aside.

 

 

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan and saute the onion for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sugar, cumin and remaining oregano, and saute for an additional 2 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

Add the beer, tomatoes, and broth and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar. 

 

 

Heat the oven to 400F.

Toss the avocados with the cilantro, chicken, red onion, jalapenos and lime juice. 

 

 

Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Dip each tortilla in the remaining sauce and add 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each. Roll up and arrange seam side down in the casserole. 

Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the tortillas, top with the shredded cheese and cover and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Let cool and serve.

 

Thai Chopped Chicken Salad

Looking for a cool and refreshing dinner option on these hot summer nights? Here is the perfect recipe. Packed full of flavor and ingredients, this salad offers a bit of heat, but won't heat up the kitchen!

Thai Chopped Chicken Salad 

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 (16 oz.) bag of coleslaw mix

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced 

1/2 tablespoon (more or less, depending on your heat level) crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove, drain and cool completely. Shred or chop the chicken and set aside. 

Chop the cilantro and green onions and add to a large bowl. Add the coleslaw mix and toss to combine. Add the chicken to the bowl and keep chilled. 

Add the garlic, pepper flakes, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, sesame oil and oyster sauce to a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the peanut butter and water and continue to whisk until smooth and creamy. 

Toss the salad with the dressing and top with the peanuts. Serve chilled. 

Beef and Broccoli

Have a hankering for take out and don't want to pay the price? Well here is a healthier and more affordable option. This easy and delicious meal is a quick one to make and is sure to be a hit that the whole family will enjoy!

Beef and Broccoli 

 1/3 cup Hoison Sauce
2 teaspoons Asian Sesame Oil
1/3 cup Oyster Sauce
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon (or more if you like more heat) Thai Chili Garlic Paste
1 lb. beef cubes (cut into bite size pieces)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
A few shakes of ground ginger
3 cloves minced garlic
4 cups of broccoli florets
1 medium onion, thinly sliced 

Mix together the hoison sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic paste and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in an electric wok (or large saucepan). Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the beef cubes and cook until no longer pink. Remove the beef and add the broccoli and onion. Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green and tender. Return the beef to the wok and add the sauce. Simmer until heated through.

Serve over rice and enjoy!