Butternut Squash Pierogi

I had the idea to make butternut squash pierogi while driving to work. It's funny, that's where a lot of my ideas come from. I just hadn't made pierogi in a while and wanted to do something different. Then I remembered I had 15 butternut squash in my garage that were freshly picked from the garden, so I figured butternut squash pierogi would work out pretty well!

I have to say, I absolutely loved these. They are full of fresh, autumnal flavors. The sage comes through delightfully, but the delicate butternut squash is the star. Sauté these in some butter and onions, and the outside of the pierogi becomes perfectly crisp which lends itself to the tender center perfectly.
For the Pierogi Dough

Ingredients
Source: Martha Stewart

1 large egg
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup milk
1 cup water
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Add sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add milk and 1 cup water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift dough as it will stick to the counter before flour is worked in. Continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare filling.

Butternut Squash Filling
(Note - this will make about 30 or so pierogi, which is about half of the pierogi from the recipe above. I made 1/2 butternut squash and 1/2 potato, but if you want to make all butternut squash, I'd recommend doubling this recipe)

Ingredients
1 medium to large Butternut squash
4-6 large, fresh sage leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
1/8 - 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and discard. Place on the prepared baking sheet, cut side down, and bake until very soft with pierced with he top of a knife, about 35-45 minutes. Let cool to the touch. Peel the squash and place the flesh into a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl, and stir well until very smooth.

To assemble pierogi:
On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a glass or cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Gather dough scraps together, rolling them out again, and continue cutting.

Scoop a teaspoon of filling and place a ball in the center of each dough circle. Moisten the edges with water, fold over, and press together with a fork to seal. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough.

You can now freeze your Pierogi if you choose to do so. I put them on wax paper on a baking sheet and freeze for about 20 minutes or so. Then I put them in a larger air-tight container and layer them between wax paper. They freeze very well.

To cook pierogi (frozen or not) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add perogies and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until pierogi float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon. In a separate pan, melt about 1/2 stick of butter. Add about 1/2-1 cup of chopped onions and cook until translucent. Add boiled pierogi to pan and fry until golden brown on each side.

Couscous with Butternut Squash and Sage

I found this recipe on foodgawker and thought it would be a great side dish for dinner. I was excited about it because I love the squash/sage combination but didn't really think to put it with couscous. But turns out, it works out SO well! It was a really hearty side dish that was totally healthy (after I doctored the original recipe at least). This is one that my husband and I both liked very much and will certainly be making again.

Ingredients
Adapted from Oui, Chef

1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock (I use a combo. of both)
1 small butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded and cut into bite size cubes
4-6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange butternut squash on sheet in a single layer, spray with a bit more cooking spray and top with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until squash is very tender.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water or stock to a boil. Add shallot, garlic, couscous and sage. Stir once, cover and set aside for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove cover from saucepan and fluff the couscous with a fork. Add cooked butternut squash. Stir everything together gently and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

As soon as I told my husband we were having "Spaghetti Squash Casserole" for a side dish that night, I instantly knew what he was thinking before he could say a thing.

Spaghetti and squash? in a casserole? Yuck!

I let him stew for a minute to ponder this idea before I told him Spaghetti Squash is a type of squash. I wasn't going to be combining spaghetti and butternut. He instantly looked relieved.

This was my first time using a spaghetti squash and I was definitely impressed. We both liked this casserole as a side dish very much and I loved how easy it was to make. This was a great weeknight side dish that is perfect for this time of year. I'll definitely make this again.

Ingredients
Adapted from All Recipes.com

3 pounds spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can sliced mushrooms (I omitted as I don't like mushrooms)
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 slices bread, cubed (I used a few handfuls of plain stuffing bread that I had left over)
salt
pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

Cook squash on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until tender. Shred with a fork once cooled slightly, then transfer to a lightly oiled casserole dish, discarding shell. Do not turn off the oven.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onions, mushrooms, and basil until onions are translucent and tender. Stir onion mixture and sour cream into the squash until well mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with bread cubes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until warmed through and top is lightly browned and toasted. Enjoy!

Penne Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

I've literally had this recipe in my drawer for over a year. I wanted to make it last year but my husband hates pumpkin everything (and he's not that picky...so when he doesn't like something I try to avoid it) and I just never got around to making it.

However, a few weekends ago he went up to hunting camp so that was the perfect opportunity for me to make this.

This was an easy dish to put together, and came out great. The pumpkin flavor was so nice and the creamy sauce just lent itself so nicely to the penne pasta. And honestly, the leftovers tasted almost better then the day I made this. It might take me another year to make this, but I will definitely make it again!

Ingredients
Source: Martha Stewart

12 ounces penne rigate (ridged), or other short pasta
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (I used dried)
3-4 leaves fresh sage, minced (I added)
1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish (optional) (I omitted)

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.

In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary and fry, stirring, until starting to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rosemary to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.

Carefully (oil is hot and will spatter) add pumpkin puree, garlic, half-and-half, Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and 1 cup reserved pasta water to pot. Stir sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried rosemary and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.

Butternut Squash Risotto

I had a mass of butternut squash from my garden this year, which is good because my husband and I just love it. So I've been trying to find new things to do with it that we can enjoy before my harvest is up. And since risotto is another one of our favorite things, I thought this would be perfect.

I cannot even begin to describe how much we both loved this risotto. Not only is it perfect for this time of the years, the flavors are just exceptional. The creamy risotto combined with the smokey bacon and earthiness of the squash is just a combination that cannot be beat. We absolutely loved this recipe and will certainly be making it again and again. Like my husband said last night, "Bacon, squash and risotto. How can this be bad?!"

And posting this amazing recipe today ended up being perfect because today's post is my 200th! I still can't believe I've posted over 200 recipes in less then a year...again I am reminded how glad I am that I started this blog to keep track of my recipes and share with you all some of our favorites!
Ingredients
Adapted from: Ina Garten

1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (I used low sodium)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced (I had to use thick cut American bacon since my store didn't carry pancetta)
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine (I omitted and substituted with chicken stock)
1 teaspoon saffron threads (I omitted)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 fresh sage leaves, minced (I added this)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (I completely omitted salt from the risotto because of the bacon and since I salted the squash itself. It was perfectly seasoned without any additional salt). Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes, sage and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

This is a recipe I have been wanting to make for ages, but have been unintentionally avoiding because I knew it would be very time consuming. So on a lazy Saturday afternoon I decided to make this delicious sounding recipe with some fresh butternut squash out of my garden.

This ravioli went above and beyond my expectations. My husband and I truly loved it and were so impressed with the flavors. It is perfect for this time of year when all you want are hearty, comforting foods. And really this recipe is easy to follow and easy to make. Of course it's time consuming since you are making fresh pasta, but it really is worth the effort.

Ingredients
Source: Williams-Sonoma Italian cookbook, page 55

For the Pasta Dough
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for kneading and rolling
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon safflower oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

For the Squash Filling:
1 butternut squash, about 1.5 lb
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Egg Wash:
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

For the Butter & Sage sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
40-50 small fresh sage leaves (I used about 20 leaves since I didn't want to strip my poor little sage plant. But I really think the 40-50 would have been great)

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Directions
For the pasta dough: To make the dough by hand, place the flour in a mound on a wooden or plastic work surface. Make a well in the center. In a measuring cup, whisking together the eggs and oil. Pour the egg mixture into the well. Then, using your fingers and working in a circular motion, gradually blend the egg mixture into the flour. Lightly flour your hands, gather the dough into a ball, and knead, adding additional flour in small amounts as needed to prevent stickiness until smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place the dough in a plastic bag or just on the counter and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to let the dough relax.

Cut the dough in halves or fourths to make it more manageable to work with. To roll the dough on a pasta machine, adjust the rollers to the widest setting. Flatten the piece of dough with your hand or a rolling pin, lightly dust the dough with flour, and pass through the rollers. Fold the dough in half and pass it through the rollers a second time. Repeat the rolling and folding 6-8 more times or until the dough is smooth. Flour the dough lightly if it tears or starts to stick, brushing off the excess. Reset the rollers one width narrower and pass dough through them. Again reset one width narrower and repeat, passing the dough without folding through the rollers. Continue to put the dough through the rollers, without folding it and using a narrower setting for each pass, until the sheet of dough is the desired thinness, usually the last setting for pasta such a ravioli. Each sheet should be about 4-5 inches wide. Makes about 1 lb. of pasta dough.
To Make the Squash Filling: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and discard. Place on the prepared baking sheet, cut side down, and bake until very soft with pierced with he top of a knife, about 35-45 minutes. Let cool to the touch. Peel the squash and puree the fles in a food processor. Add the bread crumbs, egg yolk, and Parmesan and pulse to blend. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and pulse to combine. Set aside.

To assemble the ravioli, roll out the pasta dough as stated above. Place a pasta sheet on a lightly floured work surface and spoon 1 tablespoon squash filling onto the pasta at 2 inch intervals. Using your fingers or a pastry bursh, lightly dampen the edges of the pasta sheet and the spaces between the filling with the egg wash. Top with a second pasta sheet and press with your fingers along the edges and around each mound of filling to seal and remove air bubles. Cut into squares with a straight edged pastry wheel or sharp, thin bladed knife, then press the edges to secure. Make sure the filling does not break the sale, or the raviol with come apart during cooking.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a saucepam pver medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sage and cooking without stirring until the leaves crisp slightly and infused the butter, 2 -3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain well, place in a warmed large, shallow bowl and top with the sauce and Parmesan. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve at once.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

I got the idea for this meal last year from a co worker who says this is how she prepares her acorn squash. It sounded like a perfect fall side dish. So I tried it last year and have made it many, many, many times since then (so it's tried and true).

If thanksgiving was one dish, this would be it. The delicious Acorn squash mixed with the comforting flavors on classic stuffing make for a hearty side that everyone will love. This is certainly a treat that is perfect for this time of year!

Ingredients
Inspiration for idea: My Coworker
Source of Classic Stuffing Recipe: Martha Stewart

1 acorn squash, cut in half with seeds removed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2-3 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 fresh sage leaves, minced
Aprox. 2 cups chicken stock
2-3 big thick slices of homemade french bread (you'll need more bread if you have thin slices) and cut into 1 inch cubes
salt
pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Make sure squash will stand up straight (hollowed-side up) without tipping over. If it does, cut off the tip of the bottom until it will stand up. Place on baking sheet. Using a fork, poke a few small holes into the hollowed section of the squash. Place 1/2 tbsp of butter and brown sugar on both halves of squash. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook until tender and onions are translucent (about 5-10 minutes). Add sage and stir to combine, cook about 3-4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl add onion/celery mixture, bread, and more chicken stock. I honestly never measure the chicken stock so 1 1/2 cups (after the 1/2 cup already used) is just an approximation. Just add a little bit at a time until the bread has soaked up most of the liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff stuffing into your acorn squash until completely filled up. Put into oven and bake for 1 hour. Check the stuffing after about 20 minutes until the end of cook time. If the stuffing looks like it's getting two brown I simply put an empty sheet pan on the rack above the squash which prevents burning. Serve hot.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Another fantastic recipe from the Good Things Catered Blog. I knew I wanted to have squash at Thanksgiving but again I wanted to switch it up this year. When I saw this it just looked amazing and let me tell you it was! Everyone at Thanksgiving raved over this tart and 3 of my cousins asked me for the recipe. Even my husband, who is on the picky side, said this was just amazing (and he doesn't lie about food!). One thing that I did not realize about this recipe until I made is was that it makes 2 tarts...so keep that in mind! However, we had 16 people for Thanksgiving, and both tarts were completely gone at the end of the meal...no leftovers! So I'm really glad I made the 2! I also refrigerated the filling overnight and it worked out perfectly. All I had to do on Thanksgiving was assemble the dough, put the filling in the tart and bake! So easy & delish!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. ice water
1 large butternut squash (about 3lbs)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 to 2 Tbsp butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
2 sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 1/2 c. fontina cheese, cut into small cubes
2 tsp herbs de provence

Directions:
-In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
-In a smaller bowl, place butter pieces.
-Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour.
-Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour.
-Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
-Make another well in the center.
-In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add sour cream mixture to the well.
-With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form.
-Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough.
-Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (or overnight, as I did).
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheet with foil.
-Halve, seed, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, removing skin.
-Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on baking sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender.
-Set aside to cool slightly.
-Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
-Add balsamic vinegar and cayenne,, stirring to combine and cooking down.
-Remove from heat and set aside.
-Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl (this is where I refrigerated overnight).
-Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
-On a floured work surface, halve the dough and roll each half out into a 12-inch round.
-Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.
-Spread half of squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.
-Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit.
-Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
-Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate.
-Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.