Summer Squash Wild Rice with White Beans and Tomatoes

After the holiday weekend, it's time for a healthy dish to counteract all those burgers and hot dogs!

Notes: You can adjust the cooking time here so that the veggies are cooked to your liking. Simmering the squash for 40 minutes makes it very tender. If you prefer yours toothy, add it when you add the tomatoes.

I used a boxed wild rice medley for this. It's very easy and economical. All you do is add the same amount of water that is listed on the back of the box. You just cook it along side the veggies.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked wild rice medley (I used a boxed mix)
1 3/4 cup water
1 large or 2 small yellow squash
1 large or 2 small zucchini
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 15 oz. can small white beans
1 shallot
3-4 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch chives
1/2 bunch thyme
8-10 dashes of hot sauce
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Directions:

Mince the garlic and dice the shallot. Slice the squash and zucchini into half moons.

Heat a small amount of olive oil on medium-high in a large skillet (make sure it has high sides and a lid). Sautee the onions and garlic until just tender and fragrant. Add the squash and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the water and bring everything to a boil.

Stir in the rice and then turn the heat down to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

While the rice is simmering, mince the thyme and chives. Rinse and drain the beans. After the 20 minutes has passed, add the tomatoes, beans, and herbs. Season with hot sauce and another round of salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes until the rice is tender, but still chewy. Enjoy!

Fall Lasagna

I usually refer to the season between summer and winter as "fall," but the word "autumn" has a nice sound. I particularly like it because when you make it an adjective, it becomes "autumnal." I thought about calling this dish "autumnal lasagna" but I thought it was too much of a mouthful. Luckily, the dish itself isn't!

Notes: There are two important tips to remember. First, slice thinly. The sprouts and squash have to cook through in the lasagna. Second, pull everything out of the fridge with enough time for it to come to room temperature. Room temperature = more even baking.

I'm not a huge fan of the combination of tomatoes and squash, so I decided to make a bechamel sauce to combine with my marinara. If you're pressed for time or don't are for bechamel, you can skip that step.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
1 small bunch brussel sprouts
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
26 oz. marinara sauce
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 small  or 1 large fresh mozzarella balls
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 bunch fresh sage
Salt
Pepper

Directions: Heat oven to 375.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. While whisking, pour in milk. Whisk until thickened. Add in the marinara and stir together. Remove from heat and set aside.

Peel the squash. Slice it in half and scoop out the seeds. Thinly slice it. Mince the garlic and sage. Use a mandolin or sharp knife and slice the brussel sprouts as thinly as possible. In a large bowl, combine the slices sprouts with oil, half the sage, and syrup. Season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with minced garlic and other half of the sage.

In a 9x13 baking dish, add 1 cup of marinara sauce. Layer 4 noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, one layer of sliced squash, and 1/3 of brussel sprouts. Top with another cup of sauce and repeat the layers two more times. Add the last layer of noodles and top with the remaining sauce. Slice the mozzarella and lay it on top.

Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Peas

Ever had gluten-free pasta? I tried some once. Um, it got a less than stellar review. I may have just tried the wrong brand, but I'm not exactly itching to give it another try.

I've seen the trick of using spaghetti squash in the place of pasta and I thought that might be a better bet than the gluten-free version.

Notes: Spaghetti squash does not taste like pasta. It's reminiscent of pasta and it looks like pasta, but if you're expecting it to mimic spaghetti exactly, you'll be disappointed.

Spaghetti squash is also a bit bland, so it needs flavor help. I thought the bacon grease would do the trick, but that wasn't enough. Neither was the pesto. It needs salt. So, be sure to salt the squash before you add in the pesto and peas.

I love that you can roast the squash ahead of time (thanks to Martha Stewart for the tip). You could roast it on the weekend and make this a Q.E.D. weeknight meal.

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash
5-6 slices of bacon
1/2 bag frozen peas
2 tablespoons (homemade) pesto
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 375. Using a small knife, prick the squash all over. Put it on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Allow the squash to cool and cut it open. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Using a fork, scrape out the strands of squash into a large bowl. This step can be done up to 2 days ahead. You can keep the squash in an airtight container in the fridge.

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Set the slices on a plate lined with a paper towel. Add the squash to the bacon grease and toss to coat and warm through. Season with salt and pepper (don't be shy). Add the peas and toss enough to heat the peas. Turn off the heat, add the pesto, and stir to combine.

Dish it up, crumble the bacon on top, and enjoy!

Pictured here with optional parmesan cheese!

Roasted Summer Squash and Tomatoes with Roasted Garlic Chive Toast

Here in the northeast, summer in waning, which means we have to savor summer food while we can. What better way to do that than with a big ol' bowl of summer vegetables?

Notes: The only people who wouldn't like this dish are people who hate delicious things (and I guess people who hate vegetables). Roasting the tomatoes gives them a deep, sweet flavor. Roasted broccoli has a nutty taste. And I don't know about you, but I could eat summer squash any old time.

You could easily make this as a side dish if you need to feed a crowd. I love it as is. If you have a garden with a boatload of summer squash, this is a great way to use it up.

Don't skimp on the fresh herbs here. They make a huge difference. If you're not a fan of garlic, do me a solid and just try it. Roasted garlic doesn't have the bite that raw garlic does.

Ingredients:
For squash:
1 large or 2 medium yellow squash
1 large or 2 medium zucchini
2 small heads of broccoli
2 pints of cherry or grape tomatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil (divided)
1 head of garlic
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
1/2 bunch cilantro
Salt
Pepper

For toasts:
2-4 slices of bread (I used sourdough)
1 small bunch chives
3 tablespoons butter

Directions: Heat oven to 425.

Dice the squash and zucchini into 1-inch pieces. Cut the broccoli into small florets. Split up the head of garlic keeping the skin on each of the cloves. Leave the tomatoes whole.

Using two baking sheets, spread out the squash, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic cloves, and broccoli into one layer (I put the squash on one sheet and the broccoli and tomatoes on the other. I split the garlic between the two). Drizzle each tray with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle the herbs de provence over the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the veggies around with your hands until they're all coated with oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Chop the fresh herbs. Put butter in a small bowl and let it come to room temperature (it needs to be softened) while the veggies are roasting.

Right before the veggies are done, pull the garlic cloves out of the oven. Peel them and make a paste with your knife: slice the cloves and then using the wide end of the knife, mush (technical term) them around on the cutting board. Add the paste and half of your chopped chives to the butter and mash everything together with a fork. Spread half the butter on the bread.

When the veggies are done, pull them out and put the bread in (it takes about 5 minutes). Put the remaining butter and cilantro on the veggies and toss together. Serve the veggies in bowl alongside the toast. Enjoy!

Quinoa Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

Ever seen a patty pan squash? They look like little vegetable UFOs. I kept passing by them in the store wondering what you do with them. I finally looked it up one day. They taste very similar to yellow squash or zucchini. They're just a different shape, a shape that happens to lend itself to stuffing!

Notes: This would a great dish for entertaining. It looks very impressive and everyone gets their own little bundle of goodness.

This recipe makes more filling than you'll need to serve two. It makes enough to serve four. The filling is great on its own!

Ingredients (adapted slightly from this recipe):
2-4 patty pan squash (depending on how many you are serving)
1 cup quinoa
1 1/4 cup water or stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 bunch of kale leaves, cleaned and de-stemmed
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
2-4 tablespoons butter (optional)
Salt
Pepper

Directions: Heat your oven to 375.

Slice the tops off the squash and scoop out some of the innards. Be sure not to poke a hole in the bottom or in the side. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Place them in a glass baking dish. Thinly slice your kale and drain and rinse the chickpeas.

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Turn to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes until tender. When it's finished, stir in the kale, tomato paste, and chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper.

Scoop the filling into the squash. Put a tablespoon of butter into each squash (squish it into the filling). Replace the squash "lids" and cover with foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the squash is tender. Enjoy!

With lid!

Without lid!

Summer Salad Series: Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

As you might have heard from the apocalyptic tone of the weather channel, we're in a heat wave right now. So, is it hot in the professor's kitchen? Oh yeah, it's hot. It's move-your-mattress-downstairs-and-sleep-in-the-dining-room hot. It's break-down-and-buy-a-portable-AC hot. It's blow-untold-sums-of-money-on-iced-coffee hot. More importantly, it's no-I-don't-want-to-turn-the-oven-on hot.

When it's too hot to cook, it's also too hot to go out to eat, which is why you need an army of cold dishes in your cooking repertoire. As such, I bring you the first in the summer salad series.

Notes: My lone complaint for this dish is that my delicious dressing was a bit understated in the finished product. I should have made a little more so that it really shined through. Other than that, this salad is exactly what you need for a hot day!

So I'm cheating a bit when I say no oven because to prepare the squash you do have to turn the oven on. The trick to this salad is to prep it at night when the house is cooler. Pop it in the fridge so that it chills overnight and it'll be ready for you the next day. Or you could make it the day before the heat arrives, which I did. If you really don't want to use the oven, swap the squash out with a mango. That was my original plan, but there weren't any mangoes at the store.

This salad is also VTMK. Healthy and refreshing!

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 1/4 cup water
1 15 oz can black beans
1 small butternut squash
1/2 bunch kale leaves, cleaned and de-stemmed (I used red kale)
1 bunch cilantro
2 limes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large tablespoon of coconut oil (you could use olive oil too)
Salt
Pepper

Directions: Heat the oven to 425.

Peel the butternut squash and remove the seeds. Dice it and toss it with the coconut oil, then season it with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until fork tender.

Meanwhile, add water and quinoa to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until tender and the little grain inside unfurls like a tail.

While you're waiting on the quinoa and the squash, thinly slice the kale, drain and rinse the beans, and chop the cilantro. Zest the limes and add the zest to the cilantro.

Once the quinoa and squash are cooked, add the squash to the quinoa pot. Add in the kale and beans and stir everything together. Season with salt and pepper.

In a microwaveable bowl, heat the honey for about 10 seconds. Add in the spices and whisk together. Juice both limes into the bowl and whisk again. Drizzle in the 1/4 cup olive oil while you whisk. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad, add the cilantro and lime zest, and toss everything together until well combined.

Chill for at least two hours or overnight. Serve cold and enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna

Sadly, I am sans picture for this one. But, it was so good, I have to share.

We had our department pot luck lunch today (academics love lunch -- I have yet to figure out why) and the spread was great. There were appetizers, desserts, and someone even made two roasts! It's a good thing I brought this dish, though, because the vegetarians wanted nothing to do with the meat plate. Not to toot my own horn, but the lasagna was all gone by the end of lunch and the meat plate was half full.

Notes: This one is a little time consuming, but it's totally worth it. None of the steps are difficult, they just take patience.

Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash
1/2 bunch of kale, cleaned and stemmed
2 shallots
2 tablespoons of butter
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 15 oz. tub of ricotta cheese
1 cup of grated Romano cheese
1 large or two small mozzarella balls
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/4 cup of whole milk or heavy cream (no skimping on the fat)
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs of fresh sage
salt
pepper

Directions: Heat your oven to 375.

Start by prepping the layers.

Squash: You have two options with the butternut squash: (a) roast it ahead of time and use the roasted mashed flesh or (b) slice it thin and layer the slices between the noodles. I didn't want to bother with roasting, so I opted for (b). I just cut the peel away from the squash with my kitchen knife and then cut it in half. I scoop the seeds out of the lower half and then I just slice it about 1/4-1/8 of an inch thick. Put the slices in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, maple syrup, and a heaping tablespoon of chopped sage.

Kale: Stack your kale pieces on top of each other and roll them up like a cigar. Then do thin slices chiffonade-style. Put it in a bowl and set aside.

Cheese: Dump your ricotta and Romano cheese into a bowl. Add lots of fresh black pepper, and a heaping tablespoon of chopped thyme and chopped rosemary. Mix until it's well-blended.

Put all three bowls back in the fridge while you make your sauce.

Thinly slice your shallots. Add butter to a pan and saute the shallots over medium. I lightly caramelized mine. Add the jar of sauce and the milk or heavy cream. Take your remaining herb sprigs (if you have any) and add them whole to the pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

When the sauce has 5 minutes left, take all your bowls out of the fridge. Add the balsamic vinegar to the kale and mix it well (you want to massage the kale a bit). Season with salt and pepper.

Slice your mozzarella balls and fish your herb stems out of the sauce

Now it's time to assemble the lasagna! In a 13x9 pan, add:
1 cup sauce
4 lasagna noodles
1/3 ricotta mixture
1/3 squash
1/3 kale

Repeat the layer two more times. For the top layer, add the final noodles and your remaining sauce. Layer your mozzarella cheese on top. Cover it in foil and bake for 40 minutes. Take the foil off and bake for another 5-7 minutes to brown the cheese.

Let it stand for 7-10 minutes (or, if you're me, rush it to the the potluck covered in foil and nestled in towels) and enjoy!

Q.E.D.: Thanksgiving!

Hi! It's been awhile, hasn't it? The good news is I'm enjoying the new job and the new town. The bad news is that the new job and the new town don't leave me as much time for writing up recipes as I would like. I can't promise I'll be posting with the same frequency I did over the summer, but I have been cooking and I have yummy food to share.

I figured my first post in a few months had better be something impressive, so I present our Thanksgiving menu!

Scott came to visit me over his break and I love having him here. I especially love cooking for him, due in no small part to the fact that I know he eats breakfast cereal for dinner more often than I like. Thanksgiving is probably my second favorite holiday (next to Halloween, of course). It involves both food and football. What's not to love?

Since it was just the two of us, I saw no reason to make a turkey. I decided to make killer sides. Scott loves stuffing. I just made a stove top version, so I won't bother sharing that one. But it did need some delicious gravy to go with it. Add roasted brussel sprouts and roasted butternut squash and you have a delightful Thanksgiving for two

Notes: A Q.E.D Thanksgiving? Surely you jest! It qualifies due to cooking time, but prep time is only a little longer. Here's the menu:

Roasted Butternut Squash with Herbed Butter
1 butternut squash
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Bacon Chive Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 lb of brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons of bacon grease
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Mushroom Thyme Gravy
1 lb of mushrooms (I used crimini)
4 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 of mushroom or beef stock
3-4 thyme stems
Salt
Pepper

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and chop the butternut squash into 1/2 inch pieces. Trim the ends and outer leaves off the brussel sprouts and cut the larger ones in half.

Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper and spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Toss the sprouts with 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Season with black pepper and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Roast the squash for 20-25 minutes and the sprouts for 25-30 minutes (I just put my baking sheets side-by-side in the oven).

While the veggies are roasting, add 2 tablespoons of butter to a skillet and heat it to medium-high. Slice the mushrooms thin and add them to the hot pan. Once the mushrooms have a little color on them, season with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the butter and once it melts whisk in the flour. Pour in the stock and let the whole mixture simmer and thicken. Add the thyme stems (just fish them out before you serve).

While you're waiting for everything to cook, add the chopped thyme to the 2 tablespoons of butter and chop the chives. When the squash comes out the oven, toss it with the thyme butter. When the sprouts come out, top them with the chives. Pour your thickened mushroom gravy over your favorite stove top stuffing and enjoy!