Roasted Butternut Squash and Potato Enchiladas
A few weeks ago I came up with a really tasty enchilada recipe utilizing leftover pork loin and the amazing Nacho's House Dressing I found in the refrigerator case at the Market of Choice. Well, now it's Lent and meat is off the menu for the next few weeks. I had a craving for more of that addictive "house dressing" and melted cheese, but needed to come up with a vegetarian filling hearty enough to stand up to all that flavor. It was a hit! (Even in a house full of meat-loving boys.)
Ingredients
- 10 corn tortillas
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 14.5 oz. cans black refried beans
- 1/2 c. ancho chili peppers in adobo sauce
- 3 c. butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1" pieces
- 2 c. yellow potatoes, cubed into 1" pieces
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 1 7-8 oz. container creme fraiche
- 2 c. grated pepper jack cheese
- 1 container of Nacho's House Dressing or red enchilada sauce
Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil. Toss the cubed potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 20-30 minutes until vegetable are soft and begin to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Turn oven down to 350˚ while preparing the rest of the enchiladas.
In a small pan heat about 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high. Fry corn tortillas on both sides, one at a time, in the hot oil. They should just soften (not crisp up) so only cook each side for about 10-20 seconds. Drain tortillas on paper-towel lined plate. Add more oil to the pan as it becomes dry.
While tortillas are draining, heat the beans in a small saucepan with the ancho chili peppers in their sauce. Mix together thoroughly over medium-low heat so that the ingredients become incorporated. Season with a little salt and pepper if needed.
To assemble the enchiladas fill one tortilla at a time with about 2 Tbsp. of the bean mixture, 1/4 c. of the potatoes and squash, and top with about 1 Tbsp. creme fraiche. Roll up tortilla and place in a 13" baking dish. Place the finished enchiladas side-by-side in the baking dish. When all of the tortillas are filled, cover with the house dressing or enchilada sauce and then sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake the enchiladas in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are warmed through. Serve topped with sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite hot sauce. This is a great vegetarian meal!
Roasted Butternut Squash and Hazelnut Ravioli for Kevin
Last Saturday I went out for drinks with Kevin to catch up. I hadn't seen him since the closing of Macbeth and was in the mood for a evening of cocktails and nachos. Kevin, it so happens, is super supportive of my cooking obsession. While discussing something . . . probably food . . . he challenged me to go to the farmers market and make up a meal based on what I could purchase there. The rules were basically that I could use my own flour, olive oil, salt and pepper, and stuff, but the main ingredients had to come from what I could purchase from the stalls. I had no idea what I would find, but was pleased at all the lovely produce and (even better) farm-fresh cheese. Homemade ravioli take a little time and effort, but I promise . . . it's worth it. Homemade pasta is actually really easy to make and the taste is worth the time. Challenge accepted, Kevin! And it was a tasty challenge indeed.
Ingredients
- 1 2 lb. butternut squash, sliced crosswise into 1" rounds
- 1 c. chopped hazelnuts
- 2 c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra
- salt and pepper
- Italian parsley
- dried herbs d' Provence
- 1 head of garlic, top sliced off
- olive oil
- 2 c. flour
- 4 eggs
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH FILLING
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange squash rounds in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and herbs d' Provence. Take head of garlic, place in a square of foil, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil, wrap foil around it into a little packet and place on baking sheet with squash. Roast in oven for about 30-40 minutes until squash softens and begins to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Peel outer layer from squash and scrape orange middle into a large bowl, mix in 1/2 c. chopped hazelnuts, 2 c. grated cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
PASTA DOUGH
In the food processor pulse together 2 c. flour with eggs and 1 tsp. salt until dough collects on the blade. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use. When ready, cut dough into four equal portions, one at a time, dust with flour and then roll thin with a rolling pin or pasta machine. Use flour liberally! Dust a little flour on both sides of dough sheets with each pass through the pasta roller- I rolled it out to #5 thinness. Place one sheet on work surface, or inside ravioli mold, and fill center of each square with about 1 tsp. of butternut squash filling. Top with a second sheet of dough and cut into individual raviolis.
Allow raviolis to dry out on a wire rack until ready to boil. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and then drop raviolis into water. They will boil up quickly, 1-2 minutes and puff up. Drain water and then place raviolis in a serving bowl. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, extra cheese, hazelnuts, and chopped Italian parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper if desired. Eat! Yum!
Turkey and Butternut Squash Chili
I slept for one hour last night. I'm not kidding . . . ONE. Although I am an admitted "mutant" in need of less sleep than the average . . . a single, insignificant hour is not enough to fully rejuvenate my mind and body. Needless to say . . . today was LONG. I survived the commute, classes, meetings, and students from moment to moment with a steady stream of coffee and the promise of a cozy evening in my fuzziest of sweatshirts with a yummy fall dinner that would warm me from the inside out.
Chili is one of the fastest, easiest, and most filling meals on my dinner roster. This meal was put together with very little effort (perfect for an evening such as this when I barely had the energy to pull on my sweatpants) and very little time. It was inspired by a two classic Thanksgiving flavors and perfect to get you in the mood for that particular upcoming fall feast!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 lbs. peeled and cubed butternut squash pieces*
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), with their juices
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp. chipotle chili powder
- 2 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. cardamom
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- sour cream or grated cheddar cheese
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add turkey and cook until not longer pink (about 5 minutes), breaking up with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, beans with their juices, squash, chili powder, cumin, cardamom, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer chili for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let sit about 5 minutes before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls and top with sour cream or grated cheddar cheese. Delicious dinner in no time!!!
*The sheer ease of this meal was made possible by the blessed availability of Trader Joe's pre-washed, cubed, and packaged butternut squash pieces.
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
The seasons are changing! There is a constant wet drizzle and grey clouds above (at least here in the Pacific Northwest). The chill in the air means it's time to take advantage of great fall ingredients and some savory dishes to warm you from the inside out. Even though I live in the Northwest now, I'll always be a California girl at heart. I think everyone from California grows up developing a taste for great Mexican food- spicy peppers, tender-crisp tortillas, slow-cooked meats in savory sauces . . . what's not to like? The enchilada in its classic form is a corn tortilla filled with various meats or vegetables and covered in a chili pepper sauce. I developed this recipe as a vegetarian (and wheat-free) fall-themed twist on one of my favorites and layered it in casserole form. It's savory and rich without being too heavy. I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 14 oz. can red enchilada sauce
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 poblano chili peppers
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1" cubes
- 1 c. crème fraîche
- 3 c. grated Manchego cheese
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 2 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. cardamom
- salt and pepper
Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange poblano chilies on baking sheet. Broil chilies (about 4 minutes per side) until skin begins to bubble. Remove peppers from oven an place in a resealable plastic bag or container. Let cool. After the peppers have cooled, the skins should peel off easily. Remove skins and seeds from peppers, dice, and place in a medium bowl.
Meanwhile, toss cubed squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Arrange squash cubes on foil-lined baking sheet. When peppers are roasted and out of oven, change temperature to 400˚ F. Roast squash in oven until softened (about 20 minutes). While squash roasts in oven heat 2 tsp. vegetable oil in a small non-stick pan over medium-high heat. One at a time, fry tortillas in 2 tsp. of oil until softened (about 30 seconds per side). Drain on paper towels.
When squash is roasted, remove from oven and reduce oven heat to 350˚. Place squash in a medium bowl with roasted peppers and toss with drained beans, cumin, chili powder, cardamom, and season with salt and pepper. Mix together, mashing beans and squash slightly with side of spoon.
Arrange four tortillas in the bottom of a 9 x 9 glass baking pan. Spread half of the squash mixture over beans. Dollop half of the créme fraîche over mixture, pour 1/3 of the can of enchilada sauce over créme fraîche, sprinkle 1 c. of cheese on top. Cover with four tortillas then repeat layers of squash mixture, créme fraîche, enchilada sauce, and cheese. Cover layer with last four tortillas, pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake casserole in oven for 25 minutes, until cheese begins to brown and bubble.
It's yummy!
Roasted Butternut Squash and Potato Enchiladas
Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil. Toss the cubed potatoes and squash in a large bowl with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 20-30 minutes until vegetable are soft and begin to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Turn oven down to 350˚ while preparing the rest of the enchiladas.
