Butternut Squash Sweet Potato & Leek Hash

Ingredients:
1/2 large butternut squash [or one small]
1 medium sweet potato
1 medium leek
2-3 tablespoons of preferred vegetable oil [I used rice bran]
1/4 garlic granules
sea salt
coarse ground pepper
2 eggs [optional]

Peel, halve and scoop out the seeds from the butternut squash. Peel and halve the sweet potato. By using a medium thick cheese grater, grate them them onto a tea towel or other absorbent material to soak up the extra moisture they'll release. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and set aside for about 15 minutes.

Cut the bottom and top off the leek. Peel the outer layer or two off the leek and slice into thin medallions. In a medium sized pan [I used my cast iron skillet] heat your oil over low to medium heat. Cook them while stirring occasionally until they start to become translucent.

Once the squash and sweet potatoes are done resting, toss them in with the leeks. Add a bit more salt, pepper and garlic granules. Mix together well, add in another dash of oil if necessary and cook on low for about 7-10 minutes. Allow the mixture to brown on the bottom. Stir or flip to brown the other side. Repeat until you've found your desired texture.

Once the hash is just about done and you're feeling in the mood for it, crack two eggs over top and cover with a lid. Remove from heat and do not lift cover, the eggs will cook themselves in about 5 minutes.

LIVING SIMPLY GLUTEN FREE

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Today is the last delivery of the 2011 season. We would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support and our site hosts for their hard work and dedication this year! Have a wonderful holiday - we hope to see you in the new year! (Be sure to check out our blog for information on 2012 share options.) In the meantime, here is a holiday recipe to enjoy...

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
1 onion, diced
1 cup chicken stock (vegan version: 1 cup vegetable broth)
1 to 2 cups milk (vegan version: 1 to 2 cups coconut milk)
3 tablespoons flour
1 package cooked pasta
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (vegan version: 1 package Daiya "cheese", cheddar style)
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
pinch nutmeg, rosemary, OR thyme, to taste (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
breadcrumbs
butter (vegan version: Earth Balance)

Directions
1. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place face down in a pan and cover with ¼-inch water. Bake at 350 degrees until squash is tender. Once cool, scoop out flesh and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter or Earth Balance over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add flour and stir until butter or Earth Balance has been absorbed. Add milk slowly and stir constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Add squash, cheddar cheese, spices (if desired), and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Prepare a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish with butter or Earth Balance. Add pasta and pour butternut squash/cheddar cheese mixture on top. Top with Parmesan (if desired) and then breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven until topping is golden brown. Serve warm.

Butternut Bean Soup

Winter squash is an incredible vegetable—encased in a hard, protective skin that allows us to store it for up to several months! Winter squash is also very nutritious, as it is an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and manganese. In addition, winter is also a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3, and pantothenic acid. (Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://whfoods.org/.) The following winter squash recipe comes from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, published in 2007.

Butternut Bean Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
1½ cups dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained
3 medium portabella mushroom caps, sliced (optional)
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon sage
4 teaspoons rosemary
2 butternut or blue hubbard squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
olive oil

Directions
1. Combine beans and spices in a large sauce pan, add water to cover amply, simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until beans are tender and most water has cooked off. Add mushrooms toward the end.
2. While beans are cooking, drizzle a large roasting pan with olive oil and arrange squash skin-side-down. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until fully tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and serve each half squash filled with a generous scoop of bean soup.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

This recipe comes recommended by our CSA manager, Evan, from The Vegetarian Environmentalist (http://vegetarianenvironmentalist.weebly.com/).

Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
1½ cups cooked black beans
½ baked butternut squash, flesh scooped out and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 bell pepper, cored and diced
14 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
1 cup cilantro, chopped
8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated and divided
salt, to taste
16 oz. red enchilada sauce
2 dozen fresh corn tortillas, fresh if possible
2 15 oz. cans green enchilada sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, beans, squash, onion, pepper, chiles, cilantro, and half of the cheese in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and mix well.
2. Pour red enchilada sauce into a deep plate; dip each tortilla to coat. Fill each tortilla with one large spoonful of enchilada mixture, roll tightly, and place in a 9" x 13" baking dish or lasagna dish. When dishes are full, cover each dish with one can green enchilada sauce.
3. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and top enchiladas with remaining cheese. Bake 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Casserole

My friends and family have been enjoying some delicious butternut squash from our Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA shares for the past few weeks and have been experimenting with a lot of new recipes. Below I've posted one that I hope to try this evening from the "Meatless Monday!" section of the Ezra Pound Cake Blog (http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/), adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. How have you been preparing your winter squash? Email us your recipe suggestions at csa@lancasterfarmfresh.com!

Butternut Squash Casserole
Ingredients
3½ pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in ¼-inch-thick slices (about 6 cups)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, trimmed, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)
1 cup whole or low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten
2½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
½ cup bread crumbs, toasted
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup pumpkin seeds or pecans, toasted
2 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
4 to 6 large handfuls of fresh spinach, washed and stemmed (add to the same water as the squash in step 2 during the last minute of boiling), optional

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking dish or 4-quart casserole.
2. Place 3 quarts water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the squash to the water, return to a boil, and cook for 6 minutes. The squash will turn a deeper orange. Drain it and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in the stockpot and add the oil. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent and limp, about 8 minutes, stirring to prevent browning. Add the warm squash and the buttermilk, eggs, thyme, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, ⅛ cup pumpkin seeds and 1⅓ cups cheese. Blend with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ cup pumpkin seeds and ⅔ cup cheese. Bake 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Not-So-Meatless Sausage Squash Casserole Variation: Follow the recipe above (minus the spinach), but use 2½ pounds squash and 1 pound hot Italian sausage, cut on the bias into ½-inch-thick pieces and seared in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until golden brown. Add the sausage to the squash mixture in step 3 and complete the recipe as above.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

Thank you to shareholder Jean Marie for recommending the following recipe from Smitten Kitchen Blog (http://smittenkitchen.com/).

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing
Serves 4

Ingredients
For salad:
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2½ pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 medium garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoons ground allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ medium red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

For tahini dressing:
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
2. Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You will probably need to add more water to thin it out.
3. To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Soup

6 ingredients butternut squash soup that has texture and so much sweetness. You can do any or all of these steps ahead of time, too.

2 medium sized onions
1 large butternut squash
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Clove garlic
Salt to taste


Bake squash
You know how to do this but in case you don't, slice down the middle, scoop out the seeds now or after you bake for 45 min at 375.

Caramelize onion
Meanwhile, peel onions, slice down the middle from top to bottom and cut thin slices of onion. It doesn't really matter much how thin but keep them all consistent. Put them in a large pan at medium heat with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a clove of garlic and a bit of salt. Stir regularly to keep onions from burning and and you'll find yourself with a much reduced pan of sweet, dark brown onions.

(I note that Abby has posted a how to on making caramelized onions as well. I prefer to keep this dish vegan but Abby's recipe below would be just great, too.)

Assemble soup
Peel (and seed) your squash and cut 1/4 of it into 1/2" cubes. Blend 1/2 your onions with your remaining squash and enough water to make blending easy. It took me two batches in my small blender and I used about 1 cup of water each time. Put the unblended onions and blended squash into a a pot to heat. Add two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons olive oil.

As you finish with soup, correct seasoning with a few pinches of salt. Just before serving add your squash cubes.

Butternut Squash Pizza with Hazelnut Dough

Evan, our CSA Manager, suggested that I share this butternut squash recipe with our shareholders from this month's Martha Stewart Living. Thanks, Evan!

Butternut Squash Pizza with Hazelnut Dough
Serves 1 to 2

Ingredients
1 cup thinly sliced, peeled, halved butternut squash
olive oil, for drizzling
coarse salt
finely ground cornmeal
1 ball Hazelnut Pizza Dough*
6 to 10 small of torn sage leaves
1 to 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
garnish: hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Drizzle squash with oil, and season with salt; toss.
2. Spread cornmeal on baking sheet. Stretch dough into 9½-inch round; transfer to baking sheet. Drizzle dough with oil, and arrange squash on top, leaving a ½-inch border. Bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile toss sage and garlic, and drizzle with oil to coat. Sprinkle sage mixture over pizza. Bake until crust is golden brown, 10 minutes more. Garnish with hazelnuts and drizzle with oil.

*To prepare Hazelnut Pizza Dough:
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for bowl; 1 cup warm water; 1 ¼-ounce envelope active dry yeast; 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and hands; ½ cup roasted hazelnut meal; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage; coarse salt

Directions: Lightly oil a medium bowl. Stir together water and yeast in large bowl; let stand until foamy. Stir in oil. Add flour, hazelnut meal, sage, and 1½ teaspoons salt; stir until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead with floured hands until smooth. Transfer to oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or cloth, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Divide into two balls.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

I discovered this a few nights ago and fell in love. A wonderful twist on this Italian classic.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, peeled and quartered
flour

Directions
Boil a large pot of water. Add squash and cook until the squash is very tender. Drain, saving the water for future use. Mash butternut squash through a strainer, so that excess moisture is removed. Transfer to a work surface and begin to mix flour with squash. Continue to add flour until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Roll out into ½-inch thick rope, and chop into bite-size pieces. Bring water to boil once again and drop in gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi float to the top. Drain. Serve with butter, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, or your favorite pasta sauce. Works well with a tomato-based pasta sauce or white cream sauce.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Jeanine from Rockville, MD, submitted the following recipe from the Food Network. She writes, "Here is one I have made twice. It is easy and excellent as well." Thank you, Jeanine!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 halves roasted butternut squash
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
salt and ground black pepper
*Lime Crema
lime zest, to garnish, if desired

Directions
Scoop flesh out of butternut squash with a spoon. In a medium saucepan, combine broth, flesh of butternut squash, garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, salt and pepper. Set pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer, about 10 minutes. Puree soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls. Serve with a dollop of Lime Crema and garnish with extra lime zest, if desired.

*To prepare Lime Crema: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup lime zest, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Whisk to combine.

Fall Minestrone with Kale and Butternut Squash

Fall Minestrone with Kale and Butternut Squash
(Adapted from The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters, published in 2007)

Ingredients
1 cup dried cannellini or borlotti beans (this will yield 2½ to 3 cups of cooked beans)
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 bunch kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped
3 to 4 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 small can tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped sage
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1 leek, diced
½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
Parmesan cheese

Directions
Prepare beans and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid. Heat olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until tender. Add kale, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and salt and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add diced leek. Cook for 5 minutes longer, then add squash and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary. Add the cooked beans, along with 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid, and cook for 5 minutes longer. If the soup is too thick, add more bean cooking liquid. Remove the bay leaf and serve, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

Baked Squash and Cranberries

Thank you to Nancy, from our Ardmore CSA pick up site, for sharing two of her new favorite squash recipes!

Baked Squash and Cranberries
(Courtesy of Cooks.com)
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raw cranberries, washed and picked over for stems
freshly grated nutmeg

Directions
Cook the squash, covered, in salt water in a large saucepan over high heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain well; let stand in a colander for at least 30 minutes, or press down with your hand to force out moist of the liquid. Puree the pulp in a food processor or put through a food mill; it should yield about 4 cups (if not, adjust proportions of other ingredients accordingly). Add the eggs, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly. Fold the cranberries into the mixture, reserving several for garnish. Pour into a buttered 2-quart baking dish; top with grated nutmeg and reserved berries. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven until squash is golden and does not shake in the middle when jiggled, about 45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Soup

This deliciously simple fall recipe comes from Simply in Season, by Cathleen Hockman-Wert and Mary Beth Lind, published in September of 2009.

Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 medium onion
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (can substitute with peeled, chopped winter squash, such as butternut)
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups canned tomatoes with juice
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¾ cup orange juice

Directions
Sauté onion in 1 teaspoon oil in a soup pot until translucent. Add chopped sweet potatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until sweet potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes and ground pepper. Purée in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to soup pot. Add orange juice (and additional water if needed), heat gently until hot and serve.

Butternut Squash with Onions and Pecans

Hello recipe bloggers and CSA shareholders!

Evan here. Earlier today I sent out an e-mail introducing myself to all of you. I'm excited to be working at LFFC and to be able to provide great suggestions for preparing some of your share items! Below is a new recipe I found for making one of my favorites, butternut squash. I tend to keep it simple, so I hope you'll appreciate this recipe for it's simple components. Many of our shareholders will be receiving a few of the items in this recipe in their share deliveries this week.

Butternut Squash with Onions and Pecans
From Christine L. - Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Butter
1 Large Onion, Diced
2 1/4 pounds Butternut Squash
1 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Place Pecans (or walnuts) on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 375 degrees for 5 to 8 minutes. Peel the squash and remove the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. There will be about 6 cups squash. Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over low heat. Add onion and saute until very tender, about fifteen minutes. Add squash and toss to coat. Cover. Cook until squash is tender but still holds its shape, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing. Stir in half of the pecans (or walnuts) and half of the parsley. Transfer mixture to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and parsley. Serve.