"Pretend I'm a Deep Dish" Pizza Skillet

Because I love to eat, my key to sticking to a weight loss plan is that the food still has to taste really good and I need lots of variety. Plans that are extreme; like no/low-carb, no-sugar, no salt, no alcohol, no coffee, no meat, no fat, no....well you get the picture, make me a little crazy and more likely to "cheat". Truth be told, a "cleanse" of any sort makes me positively "postal".  I need an "everything in moderation" approach.  I can handle moderation. Except when it comes to those wasabi-soy almonds. Apparently those are a deal breaker. If those suckers are present in my house, I will kill a whole container of them in a moment of weakness. Just sayin'. 

A few months back, my husband and I decided to eat healthier with the goal of shaving off some pounds. As far as I can remember, this is the first time we have dieted simultaneously, and I have to say that it is much easier when my partner isn't trying to order pizza or suggest that we go out for breakfast while I am trying to watch my intake. It also keeps me accountable when I know that my husband is going to ask, "how many calories is this dinner?" It's been a fun challenge to make the most delicious, filling dinners that are healthy and lower in fat and calories.

That's how I chose this recipe for our dinner. We are a house full of pizza lovers. Since we started counting our calories, when the craving strikes, we have resorted to ordering thin crust pizza with vegetables or grilled chicken and practiced that annoying discipline of portion control; limiting ourselves to a slice or two.  Last month, we even made homemade thin crust and went light on the cheese. But sometimes I love a thick, deep-dish, loaded with sausage and boasting all of that great tomato flavor. Which is why this wanna-be pizza recipe graced our table this week.

I won't say that I didn't miss the crust, but at 225 calories per "slice" for this crustless wonder versus 500-600 calories per slice of my favorite carry-out Chicago-style deep dish, I'm a fan. These little sacrifices are paying off. In just a few months of counting calories (gotta love that "there's an app for that" these days!), eating more fruits and veggies, focusing on lean proteins, drinking plenty of water, and making exercise a daily priority, we have shed a collective 50+ pounds! So for now, "modified" pizza works for us. And it was so tasty! All of the flavors are there. Another bonus, this is a quick and easy meal that I was able to throw together pretty quickly after work.

So here's how it came together:

As is my tradition, I gathered the ingredients. We like our pizza "loaded", and so I rounded up turkey sausage and turkey pepperoni, diced tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, banana peppers, and cheese. I also grabbed some olive oil and Italian seasonings.

 To get started, I opened a can of diced tomatoes and poured them into a colander to drain while I prepared the other components of this dish.

Then I set about preparing the sausage. I purchased Italian turkey sausage in link form, then removed the casings.

I fired up my cast iron skillet and added a couple teaspoons of olive oil and a sliced onion.

The sausage went on top and I browned up the whole mess, breaking up the sausage as it cooked. You can also sprinkle with Italian seasoning or add garlic/garlic salt at this step.

Once the sausage was nice and brown and the onions were perfectly tender, I added in some sliced mushrooms.

Once the mushrooms cooked down a little, I built the "pizza". First, I topped it with the drained diced tomatoes. 

Then, I added some banana peppers and turkey pepperoni.

And finally, the cheese.

Then I popped the whole skillet into a 400 degree oven and baked it for 15-20 minutes until the cheese melted and the edges were bubbling nicely.

Then BOOM! I sliced the "pizza" into 6 pieces and tah-dah....Dinner!

Quick, easy, low-calorie, and delicious!

"Pretend I'm a Deep Dish" Pizza Skillet

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

16-20 oz. Italian turkey sausage, either link or bulk

1 onion, sliced

Italian seasoning

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

banana peppers

turkey pepperoni

2/3 cup low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain diced tomatoes, set aside. Heat 1-3 teaspoons of olive oil in an oven-proof skillet. Add onions to the heated skilled. Remove sausage from casings, if needed. Add sausage to skillet and break apart as you brown the mixture. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and/or add garlic if desired.  Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until soft. Top sausage-onion-mushroom mixture with drained diced tomatoes, banana peppers, pepperoni, and cheese. Remove from burner and bake for 10-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and sides are "bubbly".  Remove from oven and slice into 6 portions.

1 "slice"= 1 cup of the mixture= 225 calories

If you're looking for a more labor-intensive Chicago-style pizza (with a crust!) check out this "Lightened Up" Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Recipe.

Happy cooking, everyone!

Love,

Krista

How to Roast a Chicken, The Tale of Two Ovens, and a Buffalo Chicken Salad

A new post? What?!? Is this an April Fool's Day prank?

True, my last post was in 2014. And then....silence. 16 months of silence. Although, to be honest, it was anything but silent in this household. Nothing exciting, just the day to day activities of my family and no time (or energy at the end of the day) left for me to sit down and document the happenings in my kitchen.

Luckily, all of the great recipes were here at my fingertips with the click of a keyboard or the touch of a screen. Back when I started writing this blog in 2008, I never imagined it would serve as my cooking journal and chronicle my experiences as I chopped, cooked, sauteed, and baked my way through over 700 recipes. Back then, I was just trying to provide my family and friends with access to my recipes without having to call me up every time they thought about Rotini Salad. That's right, CALL. Back then, I didn't even have a phone that would/could text. For real. And while my life right now is very full and blessed with all of the things that this busy stage of life entails, I've missed this space where I could share and critique and reflect. And so, I'm swinging my leg over the horse and climbing back on. YEEEEHAWWWW!

I'm starting back with 2 basics; a perfect roast chicken and a phenomenal salad made from the leftover chicken. If you've stopped by here before, you know I love to cook once and eat twice. I actually had the salad in mind when I prepared this chicken, and so I went with a spice rub that would go well with the flavors of the salad I had planned.

If you're in the market for additional tried-and-true roast chicken meals, check out these: Balsamic Roast Chicken with Red Onion Sauce, Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, and Garlic Herb Roast Chicken.


Last night's dinner was no-fuss. I just grabbed a spice blend that I purchased from our corner store. They have the most delicious rotisserie chicken. One day I asked the girl at the deli counter about the spice blend and she offered to sell some to me. I paid $1.50 for the whole container. #winning

I'd estimate that I roast a whole chicken about once a month. I'm a fan because 1) it's pretty inexpensive- I snagged this bird at ALDI for $.95/lb and 2) my family will always eat it. Roast chicken falls into the same category as pizza and tacos in this household. It's a crowd-pleaser.

If you've never done it before, roasting a chicken isn't tricky. I'd recommend placing the chicken in your clean kitchen sink before removing the plastic, so that chicken "juice" doesn't run all over your countertop. Once the chicken is free from the packaging, remove the packet of "giblets" that is generally placed inside of the bird. You can either discard them or if you're feeling industrious, cook them up using your favorite method. Assuming you have a favorite giblet-cooking technique, of course. If not, there's always Pinterest. Or you could do what we did before Pinterest, and no, I don't mean "google it". Rather, call your grandma. I'm pretty sure the last time I ate a decent gizzard or any gizzard at all, it came out of my grandma's kitchen. Okay- enough on giblets, let's get back to the whole bird...

Next, give the chicken a rinse, checking for anything that would be unappetizing, such as say, pinfeathers. Promptly remove anything "yucky". Once your chicken is prepped, transfer it to a baking dish. I lined a glass baking pan with aluminum foil, which I placed next to the sink for an easy transfer from sink to pan. Plus, foil=easy clean up.

I rubbed the spices into this chicken under AND on top of the skin. To get under the skin, you can separate it from the meat using a wooden spoon. However, I just use my fingers. I like to put the chicken back into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours after it is seasoned to let the flavors "sink in". Ideally, you could rub the chicken the night before and then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake.

Typically, the next step is to place the chicken in a 350 degree oven to bake. The rule of thumb is 20 minutes per pound based on the weight of the chicken. The goal is an internal cooking temperature of 180 degrees, checked at the thickest part of the bird.

You will notice from the photograph of my bird that the thermometer is attached to the oven. And you're probably thinking, "Hmmm, I bet there's a story there." Or not. Ok, probably not. But I've been away for such a long time and this is sort of like a homecoming post...so indulge me. Or if you're just here about the chicken, scroll on down. I'm cool with that. It's a really LONG story. Here goes...

This is the first roast chicken that my NEW oven has produced. I was super excited because my oven features a digital meat thermometer and I’ve looked forward to testing it out. According to the product description: 

“The digital meat thermometer automatically monitors the internal temperature of food, then alerts you and shuts off the oven when food is fully cooked, so you never have to guess at the doneness of your meal.”

Since it seems that every time I need a meat thermometer, I rifle through my gadget drawer to turn up 2 bi-metallic stemmed dinosaurs that need calibrated and 1 digital model with batteries that keep popping out, this option appealed to me. On the day I made this meal, I simply stuck the provided probe into my chicken and plugged it into the stove, then “told” my oven the desired internal cooking temperature, set the oven heat, and headed out the door to take the kiddos to the park. I had planned to come back a little before the chicken should be ready, just in case I had screwed something up or the feature did not work as I hoped it would.

We met friends at the park, and as often happens when everyone is having fun, time got away from us. When I realized that it was probably past time to check on the chicken, I hustled my group out of the park. We arrived home to the wonderful smell of dinner. The oven had turned off and the screen read “oven cooling” and the chicken was cooked perfectly! I almost got a little misty. I love this oven SO much!

Before you get oven envy and all, “It must be nice.” Let me detail the 3 years of OVEN HELL that brought me to this joyous moment.  This post is about to reveal two of my (sometimes undesirable) personality traits. #1-I am frugal (to a fault…which will become apparent after reading the following account) and #2-I can be stubborn.  You know what, I better make a #3- I have a tendency to tell really long stories.

When we purchased our home a little over 5 years ago, we knew that the appliances were old. They had been updated with a kitchen remodel approximately 15 years before (our home is about 85 years old), but still, we were aware that the appliances had a limited life. Aside from some uneven heating issues, the oven seemed to be ok.

We settled in, and before long,  I was big and pregnant with our 3^rd child, working a full-time teaching position, and keeping up with 2 busy school-aged children when suddenly our oven started TORCHING everything and the control panel starting sounding angry warnings and flashing obscure codes like “F4”. I kind of panicked. NOOOOOO! Not now! The baby was coming any day, we were about to have all kinds of baby bills, summer day camp and swim lesson fees, we had just replaced the central air-conditioner, and I was preparing to take a 12-week maternity leave, half of which was unpaid. A new wall oven was not in the budget.

So, I called an appliance repair guy. After checking everything out, repair “dude” told me that he could fix it…IF he could find the part. If not, I had better start shopping. GAH!  Within a day or two, a part was located somewhere in Pennsylvania (Apparently the only one left in the world!) and I was feeling pretty happy that I had just saved us “all this money”. For about $300, the oven was fixed and everything was good…..for 2 whole weeks. And then the broiler quit and more over-heating, censor issues happened and I was on the phone with the repair guy again.  I assumed that his repair had failed and he would just fix it right up. NOT SO. It turned out that another part had gone bad and needed to be ordered.

Since we had already sunk $300 into the oven, I hated to scrap it and buy a new oven, and so I agreed to the repair. STUPID. In my defense, I was sleep-deprived, with a new baby cradled in my arms, milk dripping from my body, and there seemed to be like, 20 kids  (my munchkins and their buddies) all running through my house on summer break. I kind of wanted to cry. Instead, I made a decision. We all know that sleep-deprived new mommies are notoriously even-tempered, un-emotional, and excellent decision-makers. Right? Turns out that this repair cost about the same amount as the first. Grrrr.  I could’ve bought an inexpensive, NEW, single wall oven for about $300 more than the $600 I had now thrown at that sinking ship. I sure I am glad that I saved us from spending all of that money on a new wall oven.

But at least the oven was fixed, right? WRONG. There were future oven mishaps on the horizon. You see, that bundle of joy who had snuggled in my arms in the previous chapter of this story turned into a Herculean force of nature within a few short months. He surprised us by walking in his 9^th month. And before he walked, he pulled up on everything in sight, including the wall oven door. And once he mastered pulling up, he figured out that he could also open that oven door and (BONUS!) stand on it. Visions of Hansel and Gretel danced in my head. To avoid baking the baby, we pushed heavy chairs in front of the oven (which Herculean baby used to climb up and onto the kitchen counter), then we wired the door shut (totally inconvenient when trying to cook and re-wire) and finally we purchased a baby-proof oven lock (which quickly broke).

It turns out that oven doors aren’t actually designed to support a lot of weight, and soon, our oven door would no longer close all the way, which resulted in more wiring shut. If I had to pick a moment in time when the universe told us that it was time to “let go”, I would say that “rock-bottom” occurred on December 31^st of 2014. As is our tradition, all of the neighbors were over for a New Year’s Eve party. The event was in full-swing.  I had just placed 2 sheets of my famous bacon-wrapped water chestnuts in the oven and all of the adults at the party were visiting and laughing when…. BOOM! The entire door of the oven fell off and crashed onto our ceramic tile, in plain view of all of the guests. A hush fell over the crowd.  Oooops. We wiggled the door back on and propped a chair in front, but still, it was just a little embarrassing, even though we all had a good laugh.

The next day, my husband ordered new hinges and we decided that we could do the repair on our own. While the door was off, I decided to take the opportunity to “deep-clean” the oven. As I scrubbed at the “gunk” in the back of the oven with a baking soda-laden tooth brush, I realized that “the gunk” was actually rust. After it was scrubbed away, I noticed that the corrosion had left small holes along the back seam of the oven. In denial, I stuffed them with aluminum foil and helped my husband with the hinge replacement of our now super-clean geriatric oven.

Except, the new hinges didn’t totally fix the problem. Sure, they held the door on just fine, but it seems that the inside door tracks had been bent by “giant baby” and the door still wouldn’t close properly. At this point we did start shopping for a new oven. However, not aggressively.  We’d wait for a sale and then mull over the choices, debate doing a kitchen remodel instead, discuss possibilities…and then inevitably, get busy with life until the next time I hit “pre-heat”.  I realize that if you have read this far, that I sound absolutely crazy right now. Just get a new oven already, lady!

My mom and sisters began harassing me about getting a new oven, but hey, as long as I could prop a chair in front of it, and the thing still worked, I wasn’t rushing. Then last fall, my sweet grandma came for a visit. It’s fair to say, as a fellow baker, she was downright appalled that my oven door didn’t close properly.  Over the next few weeks, Grandma “stayed on my case” about the downfall of my kitchen. Which is how, eventually, I ended up with this fabulous, digital thermometer, wall oven as my Christmas/birthday gift.

So…if your oven stinks…I promise, I’ve been there.

I have to say all of that adversity makes me totally grateful for my new, awesome oven. You should see how evenly this thing bakes! (Maybe you will, as I’m working up future posts soon.) But this chicken…seriously….cake walk! So easy. 

While some folks like to rub the chicken with butter or brush with oil, I just basted it with the cooking juice when it came out of the oven. The skin was already perfectly browned and the meat was nice and juicy!

Notice the potatoes around the chicken? I just lined a baking sheet with foil, brushed it with olive oil and tossed 4-5 cut up potatoes with garlic, salt, and Parmesan. Use whatever flavor combination you like. Seasoning salt and rosemary are also good when baking potatoes this way. I just put the potatoes in the oven on the rack below the chicken and left them there the entire time. They turned out a little on the crispy side, but they must've have been good enough, because we didn't have any leftovers.

And now for that salad that I've been bragging about....

I had exactly one chicken breast half left from the roast chicken. While cleaning up after dinner, I shredded and bagged it and put it into the fridge for later. When lunchtime rolled around the next day, I gathered my ingredients. The chicken, garlic, and hot sauce for the "Buffalo Chicken", lettuce, tomatoes, celery, green onion, black beans, corn, and the makings of a low-fat ranch dressing.

Apparently I have a phobia about running out of hot sauce, because this is what I found when I searched our refrigerator. Does anyone else have hoarding tendencies focused on a particular ingredient? Or maybe my cooking is just that bad and my family is covering my flavor creations with hot sauce? This would also explain the abundance of Ranch, BBQ Sauce, and ketchup in our fridge. Hmmm.....

I heated a skillet and added garlic and hot sauce, bringing it to a simmer.

Then, I stirred in 10 oz. of chicken and heated it through while it soaked up the spicy goodness of knock-off Franks Red Hot.

While the chicken cooked, I rinsed and drained the beans and corn, chopped all of the veggies, and divided them into two bowls. My husband works from his home office when he isn't travelling for work, and I knew that he would love this flavor-packed, healthy salad. I also added a couple of tablespoons of cheese to each bowl. It wasn't originally on my ingredient list, but that's how I roll...

Livin' on the edge, Baby!

Next, I mixed 1/4 cup of light sour cream with ranch dressing mix and a couple of tablespoons of skim milk in a plastic container with a lid, then I shook it up to combine. You might need to add a little more milk to thin the dressing to the consistency you desire. Divide the dressing between both salads and then use 2 utensils to gently mix everything together.

Finally, top it all off with that delicious Buffalo-style shredded chicken.

And there you have it, a wonderful, healthy lunch for 2.

Wait, make that 3. We still have one cutie at home during the day. He's not picky and he eats his weight in food daily. Probably so that he can maintain his strength and eventually destroy the rest of our appliances.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Serves:2

Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

10 oz. chicken breast, cooked and shredded

2 t. minced garlic

1/3 cup hot sauce

3-4 cups lettuce, chopped

1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup canned sweet corn, drained

2 stalks celery, diced

4 green onions, sliced

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, made with 2% milk

1-2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix

1/4 cup light sour cream

2-4 T. skim milk

Pre-heat skillet. Add garlic and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer. Stir in chicken and heat through. Turn off heat and set aside.

Divide the next 7 ingredients evenly into two large bowls.

Combine ranch dressing mix, sour cream, and milk in a container with a tightly fitting lid. Shake to mix thoroughly. Add additional milk (if needed) to desired consistency.

Pour dressing over the salads and use two utensils to toss salads and evenly distribute dressing. Top each salad with equal portions of the heated chicken.

Based on the nutrition app on my phone, 1 serving=325 calories

Happy cooking!

Love, Krista

Freeing the Seed: A Review of Pomegranate Seed Removal Methods and A Few of My Favorite Pomegranate Recipes

This is a pomegranate. Right now, we are at the tail-end of pomegranate season. They are still available at your local grocer for a reasonable price. A few weeks ago, at the peak of pomegranate season, I could find them for less than a dollar per fruit. I love pomegranate season first and foremost because my kiddos love pomegranate. At this time of year it's a healthy, inexpensive snack packed with dietary fiber, vitamins, and anti-oxidants. It's widely recognized as a "super food". You can read more about pomegranate nutrition information HERE.

Aside from the health benefits, I like pomegranates because their sweet-tart juice is a wonderful component in recipes. In desserts and drinks, and even savory main dishes, the pomegranate, or it's juice, add flavor and color. The seeds on their own are gorgeous. They are like little sparkling rubies in a bowl. Bedazzle your dinner party! They offer a burst of flavor when eaten and also serve as a lovely garnish.

Now that we've established that pomegranates are delicious, healthy, and in season, we need to discuss how you can get at all of that fruit once you're in the comfort of your own kitchen. Read on to see the 3 methods I have tried.

The Water Method

The first time I ever seeded a pomegranate was about 6 years ago. I used the water method. You can see a detailed description of the water method HERE.  I like the water method because you get less pomegranate juice on your hands and the membrane floats to the top while the seeds drop to the bottom, making the membrane easy to skim off and discard.

The "Score and Pick" Method

Recently a friend posted a video about a new (to me) method for seeding the pomegranate on her Facebook page. You can view that clip HERE.  The speed and efficiency with which that gentleman seeds a pomegranate are impressive. It's worth a watch.

I decided to employ this method with one of our pomegranates. It involves cutting off the top of the fruit, then scoring the sides. The fruit opens up in a way that exposes a large amount of the seeds. You still have to pick them out, but they are very accessible and this method is fairly quick and less messy than the "Whack It With A Spoon" method which is up next. Another plus is that you won't need to strain anything when you are finished. This method certainly gets my vote for the best way to "field dress" a pomegranate.

Here is a view of the inside of the skin and membrane once nearly every seed was removed using the "Score and Pick" Method.

And now for the preferred pomegranate seeding method in our household.....

The Whack-It-With-A-Spoon Method

You can watch a detailed video of this method HERE.

You just cut the pomegranate in half horizontally, then....

Turn it over a bowl and whack it with a wooden spoon until all of the seeds fall out. I love this method because it is the fastest and easiest... and in my opinion, the most fun! Even a 6-year old can do it. I have to admit that I also enjoy this method because I am amused by my daughter's pomegranate-whacking expressions. Sorry for the fuzzy photos, I guess it was too dark in my kitchen for my old camera to sharpen up the details.

Here is the pomegranate once the seeds have been removed using the "whacking" method.

As you can see, there is quite a bit of  juice splatter involved when using this method. I'd recommend wearing an apron as pomegranate juice does stain.

As I mentioned, the most popular way to consume pomegranate in our home is straight from the fruit, as a snack. However, I do have a few favorite recipes that utilize pomegranate and they are perfect for this season. Maybe even a pomegranate-themed dinner? Sounds good to me....

First, Pan-Seared Duck Breast with a POM-Thyme Reduction Sauce.

And for dessert? Check out this Caramel Flan with Pomegranate Syrup.

And if you're in the market for a great holiday cocktail, the Pomtini's that I served at my in-law's anniversary party 5 years ago are still a favorite.

I hope that you all have a happy and healthy kickoff to this holiday season! Now go out and buy a pomegranate!





Butternut-Spinach Noodle Soup

 

I ate this soup all by myself. I remember that I went in to work on the day that I prepared this and that leftovers were on the menu for dinner. Except, I didn't want to eat leftovers. It was a cold, rainy day. After staring out of a classroom window at the blustery, gray day and hopping in and out of the car while picking up the kiddos after school, all I wanted was a great bowl of soup. And so, while my daughters did their homework, I threw together this simple soup and then heated leftovers for them while it simmered.

 

This soup was just what I needed. It warmed my bones and filled my belly and made me happy. I know that I just wrote I ate it "all by myself", but that's not completely true. While staring up at me from his leftovers, the baby got a case of soup envy. And so I shared. It made him happy too.

 

I used prepared chicken broth in this recipe, but you could easily make a vegetarian version by using vegetable broth.

 

Here's how it came together:

 

First, I heated a little olive oil in the bottom of my small stock pot. Then I added in the equivalent of 1/2 of a large onion, diced. I just used onion that was already chopped from my refrigerator, which consisted of part red onion and part yellow onion. Any type of onion is fine. My personal favorite from the onion family is the shallot, but I didn't have any of those laying around on this particular night. Saute the onion until tender.

 

While the onion  sautéed, I chopped the bottom part of the butternut squash that was leftover from the Squash Fries that recently wrote about. I ended up with a heaping cupful of squash.

Add the squash to the onion and saute for a few minutes longer. Salt and pepper the mixture. Then pour in 6 cups of broth and bring it to a boil. I forgot to take a picture of this step. I got a little caught up with helping with homework, heating leftovers for the kids, and toddler wrangling....

Once the broth boils, add 2 cups of wide egg noodles. Cook according to package directions, or until the noodles are tender.

While the noodles cook in the soup mixture, chop 1/2 of an 8 oz. bag of fresh baby spinach. Or if your household is like mine; chop the spinach, assist your 4th grader with long division, listen to the nightly 1st grade reading assignment, unload the dishwasher, pull your toddler off of the top of the dining room table (from where he is firing his entire toy train/tractor collection over the edge and then leaning dangerously close to toppling over while watching them crash below because, well, his head is big and heavy and the rest of his body may just follow his head onto the hardwood floor below and land on the whole train/tractor pile-up that has accumulated there) then attempt to engage him in an activity closer to the kitchen, but not quite underfoot, perhaps a session of banging on pots with a wooden spoon, then carry a basket of laundry up from the dryer (which may or may not get folded within the next 24 hours) and set the coffeemaker for the next morning. #multitasking

Add the spinach to the soup, then cook and stir for a couple of minutes until it wilts.

And that's it! Super quick and easy soup. Packed with flavor, low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and there are even some vitamins and anti-oxidants in there.

Butternut-Spinach Noodle Soup

Olive oil
1/2 of a large onion, diced
1 cup butternut squash, chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups wide egg noodles
4-6 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat enough olive oil in the bottom of a large saucepan or small stockpot to keep onion from sticking. Add diced onion and saute until tender. Add squash and saute for 3-5 minutes. Pour in broth, then bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions or until tender. Stir in spinach and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning or a pinch of red pepper flakes with the broth if a more complex flavor is desired.

This concludes my series of posts on butternut squash. Probably. There is 1 more butternut squash staring at me from my kitchen counter as I type these words, but I think that I'm going to "give it a rest" on my posts about squash for a bit. Tune in next time for my review of ways to seed a pomegranate. Have a wonderful day, everyone!

Butternut Squash Carbonara

Today I am sharing the second recipe that I tried with butternut squash in an attempt to depart from my go-to butternut recipe, Cream of Butternut Soup. When I found this recipe on Pinterest courtesy of Katie at the Kitchen Door, I knew that I wanted to try it. This pasta dish is gorgeous all plated up with it's flavor-packed crowning garnishes: thick-sliced bacon, caramelized onions, and fried sage. This meal was definitely a "Wow!" for me. The slight sweetness of the squash, balanced by the salty bacon, the onions, and the light crispness and flavor of the sage were a lovely balance.

For those of you feeding young-uns, you might just get them to buy into this because they may assimilate the appearance of the butternut-tinted sauce with their beloved boxed mac n' cheese. My kiddos all ate this without complaint. Weeeell, that is until my husband announced that I "tricked" them with a squash-based, rather than a  cream-based sauce. It's healthier, you're welcome. But everyone still cleaned their plate, and my husband, the whistle-blower, (whom for the record, still prefers a cream-based sauce) even got a second helping. Based on these observations, I'm ruling that this dish was not repulsive any one of them. I have resolved that my family is just obligated to give me a hard time because that's their "job" when they catch me sneaking healthy foods into their diet. So there. I win. And whether they want to admit it or not, they win too.

Here's how I conjured up this lovely pasta dish:

To get started, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees and put a pot of salted water on your stove top and heat it to a boil. Once it gets boiling, cook your pasta according to the package directions, then drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

The next step to create this hearty, creamy, fall pasta dish is to slice and roast approximately 2 lbs of butternut squash. I think I had closer to 3 lbs, but it turned out alright because my self-proclaimed, squash-resistant family kept snatching the gorgeously caramelized pieces off of the baking sheet while they were cooling on the counter. You know, because they all "hate" squash so much. Hmmm.

Slice the squash into 1/2 inch thick pieces, then arrange the pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then stir the pieces around and flip them over to coat. Salt and pepper to taste before you pop the sheet into a 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is tender and begins to caramelize. Here's my squash all ready for the oven.

Now while that squash bakes, go ahead and chop up 1/2 lb. of bacon. I love bacon. I've said it before and I'll say it again, BACON IS MEAT CANDY! So good! And so perfect in this recipe. I like thick-sliced bacon for this recipe. I'm a big fan of Indiana Kitchen bacon. You can visit their website to see if it's available in your area and check out some of their recipes.

Fry up the bacon until nice and crispy, then move it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in your skillet, then toss in a small, thinly-sliced onion.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are thoroughly caramelized and slightly crispy.

By the time you finish with the bacon and onions, your squash should be just about ready. Look at the gorgeous color on this squash! Move the squash into a bowl if you are using an immersion blender or place in your standard kitchen blender.

Add 1/4 cup of half and half and a cup of the pasta water to the squash. 

Blend until smooth. I used my immersion blender. I ALWAYS use my immersion blender. I love that I don't have to take apart a blender and wash all the parts. With the immersion blender, I just pop the stick off of the motor and give it a quick wash. It's also perfect for making cream soups, sauces, salad dressings, and smoothies. If you don't have one, put it on your Christmas list!

Be sure to salt and pepper the mixture to taste. If you're feeling especially adventurous, go ahead and put a dash of nutmeg in there too.

Next, toss the sauce with the fettuccine and keep everything warm. I did this step in the skillet that I used to fry the bacon and caramelize the onion. Less dishes to wash and there was the added benefit that I picked up any of the delicious drippings left in the skillet from the bacon and onions.

Before plating the pasta, melt a tablespoon of butter in a small skillet, and then fry the sage for a couple of minutes until it gets nice n' crispy. Fried. Sage. Who even thought of this?! Atop the pasta, it was light and perfectly crisp and added a lovely, subtle flavor to the dish. Cheers for fried sage!

And here's the finished product. For you lovers of all things butternut, make this one! I just know you will love it. And for those of you "on the fence" about butternut squash? Go ahead, give it a whirl. This recipe may just make a believer out of you. Enjoy!
 

 

Butternut Squash Carbonara with Caramelized Onions and Fried Sage
adapted from Katie at the Kitchen Door original recipe found HERE

 

1 small butternut squash, about 2 lbs.

olive oil

salt and pepper
1/2 lb.  thick-sliced bacon, chopped

1 small onion, peeled and sliced into thin half moons

1 lb. fettuccine

1/4 c. half and half

1 tablespoon butter

1 small bunch sage

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel the butternut squash and cut into slices that are half an inch thick. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip slices with a spatula to coat with the oil. Roast until fork tender and slightly caramelized, about 20-25 minutes, checking and flipping after 10 minutes. When tender, remove from oven and place in a blender. Set aside.
2. Heat a skillet and add the chopped bacon. Cook until crispy, stirring frequently. Once cooked, set aside on a paper-towel lined plate. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the grease. Heat the grease over medium-low heat, then add the sliced onions to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly caramelized and slightly crispy, about 15 minutes.
3. While the onions are cooking, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions and drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Blend the cup of pasta water with the squash and the 1/4 c. half and half until very smooth. Toss the squash puree with the fettuccine.
4. Just before serving, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan. Fry the sage leaves in the butter until crispy, about 2 minutes. To assemble, divide the pasta between the serving plates, and top generously with the bacon, caramelized onions, and fried sage. Serve immediately.