Pasta Pan-Fried with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts

feeds 4

1 medium butternut squash

1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
1 pound farfalle pasta
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
4 ounces high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about a cup total)

Heat the oven to 375°. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds the
middle cavity. Flip the squash halves upside down and peel them. (Note: The raw squash rind
can irritate your hands. If they start to itch or tingle, wear gloves.) Cut the squash into 1-inch
cubes. Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mince about half of
the fresh sage leaves and also toss with the squash.

Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes
or until the squash is soft.

Heat salted pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain and set aside. As the
squash finishes roasting, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided sauté pan.
The oil is ready when it pops and sputters. (Don't let it start smoking.) Drop in the rest of the
sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until they begin to just shrivel up.

Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.

Add half the pasta to the pan, along with half the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in half the
sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting
crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the
cheese and serve.

(Repeat the last step with the rest of the ingredients. We split it into two because none of our
pans are big enough to accommodate the entire recipe. It's very important that you not crowd the
pan too much - you want the pasta to really pan-fry, not just steam up.)

Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties

Makes 2 large or 4 small pasties

Dough
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
6-8 tablespoons ice water

Filling
8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
1 medium red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper (or black)
1 egg, beaten

To make dough

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or knife, cut butter into flour until the
mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of ice water at a time, gently tossing
between additions, until the dough just holds together. Shape dough into a ball and wrap tightly
in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Before rolling out the dough, let it soften slightly so that it is malleable but still cold. On a lightly
floured surface, roll it out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out two circles using a plate or bowl as a guide.

To make pasties

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, combine butternut squash, onion, garlic, sage, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and
pine nuts.

Spoon mixture over half of each dough round, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle
well with salt and pepper.

Moisten the edges of the dough with beaten egg. With cool hands, fold the pastry over and crimp
the edges. (Use any crimping technique you like, just make sure it is well sealed. For the
traditional Cornish method, see this YouTube video.) Cut a small slit in the top of each pasty.
Brush all over with beaten egg.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Pizza with Crispy Kale, Butternut Squash, Bacon & Smoked Mozzarella

Makes two 10" pizzas

1 small butternut squash, 1 1/2 - 2 pounds
4 strips thick-cut bacon
4 big leaves Tuscan or dino kale (roughly 1/4 bunch or 2 1/2 ounces)
8 ounces smoked mozzarella
1 pound pizza dough, storebought or homemade
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt

To prepare the butternut squash, heat the oven to 450°F. Peel and dice the squash into small 1/2-
inch cubes. Toss the cubes with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. Spread on a baking sheet in a
single layer so the cubes aren't too crowded (roast in two batches of necessary). Roast the cubes
for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until soft. Set the cubes aside until needed.

Dice the bacon. Warm a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the bacon until cooked through,
but not totally crispy. It will cook a little more in the oven. Set aside to drain on a paper towel.

Wash the kale. Spin it in a salad spinner or pat with a clean kitchen towel to get the kale as dry as
you possibly can. Strip the leaves from the stems and tear into small 1/2-inch pieces. The stems
can be saved for another purpose. Toss the kale with a little olive oil; if preparing the kale ahead
of time, wait until just before assembling the pizza to toss with oil.

Slice the mozzarella into thin rounds.

Heat the oven to 500°F or as hot as it will go. If you have a baking stone, place this in the lower
half of the oven while the oven warms.

To assemble and bake the pizzas, divide the dough into two halves and shape each into 10-inch
rounds. Working one round at a time, brush with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Lay half
the rounds of mozzarella on the pizza and arrange 1/2 cup of the roasted squash and half the
bacon across the dough. Scatter half of the kale over top. (Note: You may have more squash than
needed for this recipe; save the rest for another meal.)

Transfer the pizza to the oven. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until the kale is crispy and the crust is
dark golden. Assemble and bake the second pizza as the first. Let the pizzas cool slightly before
slicing and serving.

Butternut Squash & Coconut Curry

Serves 4-6

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 medium (roughly 2 1/2 pound) butternut squash
3 tablespoons cooking oil, such as grapeseed or peanut oil
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño chile, chopped (seeds optional, for extra heat)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional, for extra heat)
2 small, dried red chilies (optional, for extra heat)
1 Balinese Long Pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Cilantro, for garnish
Cooked rice, to serve

In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds. Once cool,
grind the toasted spices in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the squash into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 5-6 cups of
squash.

Warm the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and ginger. Cook,
stirring, until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add the chile, turmeric, cayenne (if using),
small dried red chiles (if using), Balinese Long Pepper (if using), and the ground toasted spices.
Stir to release fragrance, cooking for 2-3 minutes.

Add the squash, tamarind paste, coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and
simmer for about 45 minutes until squash is tender and just beginning to break down. The squash
will thicken the curry as it cooks down. If you want an extra-thick and creamy curry, puree a cup
or two of the squash with an immersion blender and mix it back into the curry.

Garnish each plate with sprigs of cilantro and serve with cooked rice.

Butternut Squash Buttermilk Pancakes

-Prep your squash by peeling 1 small butternut and dice into cubes (about 1 1/2-2 cups. ) Boil
in water until tender. Drain and mash with a fork. You want at least 1 cup of mashed squash. I
used about 1 1/2.

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of flour (3/4 cups of each white and wheat flour is nice)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
-Separate 2 eggs and beat the yolks in a bowl with 1 and 3/4 cups of buttermilk
**If you don’t have buttermilk on-hand you can perform a quick substitution by adding 1
tablespoon of lemon juice to milk or by mixing 1 cup yogurt with 3/4 cup milk.

-Pour egg and buttermilk into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour in 6 tablespoons
of melted butter. Mix again.

-Fold in butternut squash mash.

-Heat griddle and brown pancakes on each side. Make sure you don’t rush it and cook the cakes
through because they tend to take a little longer than regular pancakes.

-Keep warm in the oven and serve with butter and maple syrup!

Butternut Squash-White Bean Soup

Ingredients

 3 bacon slices
 1 cup chopped onion
 2/3 cup chopped celery
 3 garlic cloves, minced
 4 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
 1/4 cup dry white wine
 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
 1/4 cup whipping cream
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 2 (15-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
 3 tablespoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from pan,
reserving 2 teaspoons of drippings in pan; crumble the bacon, and set aside.
2. Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Add squash; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook until liquid almost
evaporates. Stir in broth, cumin, red pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until squash is tender. Stir in cream, oregano, salt,
 black pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Sprinkle each serving with
bacon and pumpkinseeds.

Pork and Squash Stir-Fry

Ingredients

 1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 2 tablespoons peanut oil
 2 tablespoons coarsely grated orange rind
 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
 1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 2-inch strips
 2 tablespoons sugar
 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 1 teaspoon cornstarch
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1 cup chopped green onions

Preparation

1. Place squash in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add water to a depth of 1 inch. Cover with
plastic wrap; vent. Microwave at high 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add rind, ginger, red pepper, and
cinnamon stick pieces; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove and discard cinnamon
stick pieces.
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add pork to pan, and sauté 4 minutes or until browned.
Combine sugar and next 5 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk. Add sugar
mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
Add squash; toss to coat. Stir in green onions.

Fresh Vegetable Penne

Ingredients

 1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

 Vegetable cooking spray
 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
 1 cup chopped leek (about 1 medium)
  1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
 16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
 1/2 cup frozen baby sweet peas
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
 1/4 cup shredded Italian three-cheese blend
 Garnish: fresh sage leaves

Preparation

1. Place squash cubes on a large aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan coated with cooking
spray. Drizzle squash with 1 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4
teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat.
2. Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes or until squash is tender and golden, stirring
occasionally.
3. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add
leek, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Add garlic, and sauté 1
minute. Remove from heat, and set aside.
4. Process butternut squash, vegetable broth, and half-and-half in a food processor until
smooth.
5. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and oil. Add peas to boiling
water during last 2 minutes of cooking time; drain. Return pasta and peas to pan. Stir in
leek mixture, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1
tablespoon chopped sage, and crushed red pepper. Add processed squash mixture, tossing
to coat. Sprinkle with Italian three-cheese blend. Garnish, if desired, and serve
immediately.

Butternut Squash Spice Cake

Ingredients

 1 small butternut squash

 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
 1 teaspoon ground allspice
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
 1 teaspoon baking powder
 3/4 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature $
 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
 2 large eggs $
  1 teaspoon vanilla
 Powdered sugar or whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place the
squash halves, cut side up, on a baking pan, then cover with foil and bake until tender
when pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and let sit until cool enough to
handle, then use a spoon to scoop out the cooked squash from the peel. Mash with a fork.
Measure out 1 cup of the squash and set aside any remaining for future use (see Notes).
2. 2. Turn oven down to 325°. Butter an 8- by 8-in. baking pan and set aside.
3. 3. In a small bowl, combine flour, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt,
baking soda, and pepper. Set aside.
4. 4. With a mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth and
a bit fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Mix in
vanilla.
5. 5. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the cup
of mashed squash. Add remaining flour mixture and stir just enough to combine. Pour
batter into prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes
out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop
of whipped cream.
6. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Note:

Extra mashed squash may be served hot with butter, salt, and pepper; stirred into soups or stews;
or frozen for future cakes. Whole-wheat pastry flour is sold at health food and specialty baking
stores, as well as at Whole Foods stores.

Beef-and-Butternut Squash Chili

Ingredients

 1 pound extra-lean ground beef

 1 green bell pepper, chopped
 1 medium onion, chopped
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 2 (14.5-ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, chopped
 1 (16-ounce) can chili beans
 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups)
 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
 1 cup frozen corn kernels
Preparation

1. Cook beef, bell pepper, and next 2 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat
until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well, and return to Dutch oven.
2. Stir in tomatoes and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover,
reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in corn,
and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender and chili is thickened.

Baked Rice with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

 1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
 1 cup water
 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
 1 teaspoon olive oil $
 1 cup diced onion $
 2 garlic cloves, minced
 1 cup uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice
 1/4 cup dry white wine $
 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 Cooking spray
 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese $
 Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place squash on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until tender; cool. Peel
squash; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes; cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Increase oven temperature to 400°.
3. Bring broth, water, and sage to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Heat oil in
a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 6 minutes. Add garlic;
sauté 2 minutes. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in squash, broth mixture, wine, chopped
thyme, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Place rice mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400°
for 30 minutes. Stir mixture gently. Sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes or
until cheese melts. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

Note:

Bake, peel, and cube the squash up to two days ahead.

Red Lentil and Squash Curry Stew

Inspired by Martha.

Yield: ~4 servings

Ingredients:

 1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil

 1 sweet onion, chopped
 3 garlic cloves, minced
 1 tbsp good quality curry powder (or more to taste)
 1 carton broth (4 cups) I used low-sodium
 1 cup red lentils
 3 cups cooked butternut squash
 1 cup greens of choice
 Fresh grated ginger, to taste (optional)
 Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp salt)

1. In a large pot, add EVOO and chopped onion and minced garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes
over low-medium heat.

2. Stir in curry powder and cook another couple minutes. Add broth and lentils and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in cooked butternut squash and greens of choice. Cook over medium heat for about 5-8
minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and add some freshly grated ginger to taste.

Emily’s Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili in Pumpkin Bowls

Adapted from Emily @ The Front Burner.

Ingredients:

 3 mini pumpkins
 1 medium sweet onions, diced
 1 tbsp olive oil
 1 red bell peppers, diced
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1 small butternut squash, cubed
 2 cups black beans (1 lg can), drained and rinsed
 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
 1 tbsp chili powder (or more to taste)
 2 tsp cumin
  2 tsp paprika
 4 cups vegetable broth
 Sea salt, Spicy Herbamare, and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Take mini pumpkin and slice the top off about 3/4 of the way
up. Scoop out insides of the pumpkin using a grapefruit spoon. This part takes a long time- about
10 minutes per pumpkin so budget your time wisely. Save and rinse the pumpkin seeds to roast
them with some olive oil and salt if desired. When your pumpkin’s are empty and cleaned out,
brush the insides with olive oil and sprinkle on sea salt and ground pepper to your heart’s
content. You will be eating the pumpkin flesh so you want it to taste delicious! Now pop your
pumpkins onto a baking pan and into the oven for 30 minutes. While they are roasting in the
oven, make the chili. In a large pot, add the oil and turn heat to medium. Add chopped onion and
minced garlic and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes or so. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid
burning. Now add the chopped pepper and butternut squash. Cook for about 12-15 minutes. Now
add in the drained and rinsed beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, paprika, vegetable
broth, and S & P and stir well. Simmer on low-medium for another 5 minutes. Now remove your
pumpkins from the oven and fill the bowls 3/4 of the way full. Place pumpkins carefully back
into the oven (again without top) and bake for another 30 minutes. Once they are cooked, turn
oven off and leave pumpkins in the oven with lid on to stay warm. They will stay hot in the oven
for another hour if necessary. Serves 3.