Kabocha Peanut Soup

The other day I had one kabocha squash left over from the market in October.  Yes, you read that right.  This is the first time it has lasted so long!  I cut it in half and roasted it in the oven.  The taste was still very good.  Apparently, someone had taken the time to wax it or at least it seemed that way since it lasted so long.

Anyway,  I gave the dog a little of it because she really likes squash and I heard that squash settles their stomach.  So I thought what the heck and threw in a spoonful of peanut butter for good measure. I tasted it just because I am a little crazy like that.  It was delicious.  I thought I need to experiment with this later.

It definitely needed some type of acid to balance it out.  I thought the limes would be perfect with it. Kind of reminds me of an African Yam and Peanut soup.  Its a little simpler.  I thought of throwing in some coconut milk but wanted to keep it more light.  The peanut butter in it was already adding a few calories.

I am recording it on the blog because we liked it that much and I want to remember what I did. It really didn't need any more flavor.  It had enough just like this but I imagine some cumin or if you like cilantro, it would be a welcome addition.

Kabocha Peanut Soup

4 cups kabocha or butternut squash puree,
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
juice of 4 limes
3- 4 cups chicken broth, depending on the thickness you desire
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or more if you like a little more heat)

Mix everything but the peanut butter and bring to a boil.  Add the peanut butter, it wont take long to melt once the mixture is hot.  Simmer 20 minutes and serve.

Pumpkin and Coconut Curry

Love this time of year with all the butternut squash, pumpkin, and all the other varieties of squash that are out there.  One of my favorites is the buttercup.

Today is the first day that we kinda had snow.  I say kinda because it was mixed with rain.  Not totally frozen.  Out at the store and running errands everyone was pooh-poohing the slush falling from the sky.  I know I am not the only one but I like snow.  I like winter.  I don't mind gray skies.  I know crazy me but honestly I have met a few kindred souls that don't mind it.  Years ago I wouldn't have said this.  I moved to Arizona.  Lived there for three years and that totally killed the need to have heat in my life all the time. 

Hutchinson Farm

It is a very nutty squash.

Pumpkin Coconut Curry
From Sunset October 2011

3 pounds of buttercup, butternut or pumpkin, skinned and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 -2 green serrano chili
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable or other unflavored oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cinnamon stick
20 curry leaves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 can coconut milk
1 cup salted and raosted cashews

On parchment paper, place chopped squash.  Roast in the oven at 400F until golden.  This will take about 25 minutes. 

In a large, dry, frying pan toast the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Remove from pan and set aside.  Sauté onion in a tablespoon of oil.  Add the spices back and add coconut milk, cinnamon stick, chile and roasted squash.  Cook for about ten minutes.  Add cashews and lemon juice.  Serve over rice.
 

Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce

One of my favorite light meals for summer time is spaghetti squash.  It is awesome with Alfredo sauce and equally awesome with a nice meat sauce and some asiago cheese.  Heck, just plain sauce is awesome.

Here is how to do it:

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.

Scrap seeds out with a spoon.

Turn cut side down on a cookie sheet and place in the oven at 350F for about 30 or 40 minutes until soft when touched.

Or you could microwave them cut side down for 11 to 15 minutes.  You want it to give a little when pressed.  It may harden if the squash is older.  If so, turn it over and check to see if it is baked.

Take a fork and beginning at the outer side, scrap the fork, drawing it to the center.  The flesh will come away from the sides in strings. Keep working around the squash until it is all pulled away from the sides.

Heap onto a plate and cover with sauce and sprinkle with your favorite cheese.  Mine is asiago.

Butternut Squash Muffins

These are absolutely tender and delicious. I wanted to turn around and make another batch right away since we were getting company and guess what?  I did. Half of  them I sprinkled with pepita seeds (pumpkin seeds) and the other half I left plain, thinking my girls would not be too into the see thing.  I was going to frost them to make them more enticing.  But guess what?  They totally do not need it and why pile on more sugar when it tastes so good without it.

Butternut Squash Muffins

2 cups roasted butternut squash puree (or canned pumpkin if you prefer)
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1  cup light brown sugar
1  cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
¾ cup buttermilk


In a large bowl add the almond flour, the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Stir to combine.  Make a well.  Add the squash, oil, and buttermilk.  Stir.  Add eggs one at a time to incorporate.  Scoop out a little less than half cup portions into muffin tins. If you are putting pumpkin seeds on, this is the time to do it.  Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of seeds per muffin cup. Bake at 325F for about 20 to 30 minutes.  Test with a toothpick or a skewer. Will make a little over 24 muffins.  I pour the rest into a ramekin.  This is the bonus muffin.

160 calories per muffin.

*I used buttercup.  If you look in my previous post it is in one of the pictures.  It is orange with little green stripes on it.  It is a mix of butternut and delicata.  It is one of the best squashes I have had.  Loved it.  My new favorite.  This is what I used in the recipe.

Scalloped Butternut Squash

Today I am feeling a bit tired (probably like most of the world).  We had our annual family sleep out in the living room.  Complete with lots of junk food that they rarely get.  The kids got their sleeping bags, blankets and stuffed animals.  We had the fire going.  They had hot cocoa with marshmallows.  Simply a must by our four years old's standards. We played games and watched the ball drop.  They had more energy than our husband and I.  Now, New Years Day, we are all completely exhausted.

This is one of those so, so photos.  I just had to tell you about this recipe.  It's a great dish that you can put in the oven for when guests arrived.  Its already and you have most of the dishes done and put away.  I love that.  It is really flavorful.  I hope you like it as much as we did. Thanks "M" for the shout out on a great recipe.

SCALLOPED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
adapted from this recipe at Epicurious

1 teaspoon salt

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

5 1/2 to 6 pound butternut squash, sliced thinly, a mandolin comes in handy here

5 ounces mild Cheddar, coarsely grated on large holes of a box grater (1 1/3 cups)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 fresh thyme sprigs

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish (3-quart capacity).

Stir together salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cut off necks of squash, reserving bottoms for another use (you will have about 3 pounds necks). Peel squash and very thinly slice crosswise with slicer.Layer one third of squash slices, overlapping, in baking dish and sprinkle with some of salt and pepper mixture. Sprinkle with half of cheese, then layer half of remaining squash slices on top and sprinkle with some of salt and pepper mixture. Top with remaining cheese and remaining squash slices, then sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.

Bring cream and thyme sprigs to a simmer in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Discard thyme and pour cream evenly over squash. Put a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit on the surface of the squash and poke a few holes in parchment with a knife. Bake squash until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Discard parchment and let squash stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, cut rounds from squash with cookie cutter and transfer to plates with a spatula. 

Happy New Year!

Shro Wat... Adventures in Eating

A couple weeks ago my husband and I went out for a 'date'. He wanted to go to this Ethiopian restaurant, Abyssnia, that he had tried with some coworkers for lunch. I have had the Ethiopian style beans at another restaurant. They did not have tefff with it though. Mainly because even though The Natural Eatery is owned by Ethiopian people and there is Ethiopian food- it is more about vegetables and local fresh produce. This other place Abyssnia- is really about Ethiopian food. Since I have never tried teff before I was a bit ambivalent about going. This is not like me, you see, I am more of an adventure eater and really prefer ethnic dishes rather than American dishes. I went anyway.

Really, it was darn good move on my part. An excellent suggestion on my husbands part. The food there was delicious. Like, over the top delicious. I am not an expert on Ethiopian food but I sure am an expert on what tastes good to me and this food ROCKED the house. I am so in love with injera now, I am waiting with baited breath to go back again.

There was a side of these amazing creamy vegetables, the brown lentil beans, misr wat, that I had made before (see here) and a yellow lentil bean. Then I had a lamb type stew dish that was really good. But honestly I was really gung ho about the beans and the veggies. I did make a vegetable dish a few days after that experience that was close to what I had at the restaurant. If any of you have or know of such a recipe for these Ethiopian style vegetables- I would so love to know about it.

And of course my husband, being the really daring eater that he is, had a raw beef dish. Similar to steak tartar I guess. I just couldnt do it. I could not bring myself to eat it. Maybe next time.

After a thorough investigation of Ethiopian recipes on the web- I decided to make this dish. Sounded kind of interesting. While it will not win any beauty awards- it sure was delicious. The recipe really had me when it said I have peanut butter AND butternut squash in the same bowl.

Shro Wat
based on this recipe at Ethiopian Recipes

1/2 lb butternut squash, cubed
1 jar (32 ounces) stewed tomatoes
2 teaspoons berbere, powder
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup corn kernel
2 tablespoons peanut oil
salt
pepper

In a large saucepan, brown the onion in the oil, then add the garlic and the berbere powder and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, peanut butter and tomato paste and stir until sauce is smooth.

Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30-45 minutes. During this time, stir every so often and add more water as needed. Towards the end of the cooking time add the corn.

At the end of cooking if the sauce is too thick, add more water; if too thin, boil to reduce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and serve.