Crockpot Rosemary Chicken with Butternut Squash

I like to have butternut squash at least once a week in the fall. It is one of my most favorite vegetables and even though it is still in the 80s here, it still makes it feel a bit more like autumn.  Miss F firmly rejects butternut squash, even though I involved her in the prep of this meal.  She ate a ton of green beans and chicken, only trying the tiniest bite of squash.  This is the perfect fall meal.  I adapted the recipe from GI 365.

Crockpot Rosemary Chicken with Butternut Squash

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup milk
1 large butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 small onion, chopped
1½ pounds chicken thighs
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Parmesan, for serving

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens

Cube the butternut squash into 1 ½ inch chunks. Add the squash and onion to the crockpot, top with the chicken thighs. Pour the broth and milk mixture over top, then sprinkle with the rosemary and salt. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

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Roasted Parmesan Butternut Squash

Anyone else out there already thinking of Thanksgiving? If everything works out, we will be in our new home for turkey day this year. And I am so excited because the new house has DOUBLE OVENS. No more crazy rotation schedule while trying to roast a turkey, bake rolls and bake side dishes. There will be room for everything and everything will be cooked at its proper temperature, not some compromised temperature I had to settle for to make everything work. This butternut squash dish from Gourmet is going on my Thanksgiving Day menu. It is incredibly easy to prepare and it tastes like you slaved over it.  The squash can be chopped a day in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to bake.

Roasted Parmesan Butternut Squash

3 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup heavy cream
3 sage leaves
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a 2 quart shallow baking dish, toss the squash with the cream, sage, ½ cup of the Parmesan, salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover, top with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes more, uncovered. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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Butternut Bisque

I am obsessed with butternut squash soups. I love them completely. I have come along way from my original recipe. I also love it with apples, in a chowder or even in stew.  This soup is perfection and quite easy to make, except for peeling the butternut squash. For some reason, I get some sort of reaction on my skin whenever I touch butternut squash raw. Thankfully eating it doesn't cause any issues at all!  C and Miss F weren't as big of fans.  Miss F was okay with it, as long as she could dip her crouton in it.  C whined about the thyme flavor, oh well, more soup for me.

Butternut Bisque

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
1 large butternut squash (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and cayenne; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the squash, broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until squash is tender. Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the half-and-half and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Serve.

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Butternut Squash and Spinach Carbonara

My Carbonara obsession hasn't slowed at all. Recently we went out to dinner with a two other couples. We went out for Italian at Coppa and decided to order things family style. We made the mistake of only ordering one plate of Carbonara, which we quickly rectified once the whole plate was cleaned before anything else. This Carbonara add butternut squash and spinach to make for a great winter pasta. I had never sautéed butternut squash before. It cooks up quite quickly, which is nice since roasting squash can take a bit. Miss F wasn't a huge fan of the squash, but she loved the bacon and pasta.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Carbonara

6 slices bacon (cut into 1 inch slices)
2 cups squash (cut into small pieces)
½ pound pasta
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup baby spinach
pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
¼ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup parmesan

Fry the bacon in a large skillet, set aside and drain all but a tablespoon of the grease. Add the squash to the pan, toss to coat in the bacon grease and sauté until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. While the squash is cooking, prepare the pasta per package instructions, reserving the cooking water. Whisk together the egg yolks, cream and parmesan in a two cup measure. Add the garlic, spinach and pepper to the squash and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Add the spaghetti and bacon to the pan and toss. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture, toss to coat. Add some reserved pasta water if needed. Serve.

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Butternut Squash and Corn Chowder

I adore soup. Even though fall thus far in Houston has meant highs in the 80s with out of control humidity, I am still in an autumnal mood. Miss F is usually a huge soup fan as well, but this one wasn't to her tastes. She usually loves butternut squash, so I am not sure the issue was, so I will blame it on the go-to excuse for this week: time change. I think as it gets dark so early now, Miss F thinks it is her bed time much earlier than it actually is. Which makes her grumpy and tired, not such a great dining companion. I adore this soup, it is easy to prepare and so delicious. Hopefully we will get into a good routine with the time change soon, I am tired of waking up at the crack of dawn and dealing with a miserable kid at dinner. Why is there a need to set the clocks back?  I think the state of Arizona has it right.  This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart.

Butternut Squash and Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bag (10 ounces) frozen corn
1 teaspoon cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high; add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add corn and cumin; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. In a blender, blend half the soup until smooth. Alternately, use an immersion blender to puree half of the soup. Return to pot and stir in cream; heat through over medium-low.

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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I love butternut squash soup, but I have made this version for friends before.  I needed something new and different.  This butternut squash and apple soup from Martha Stewart fit the bill.  I was really wary of the apples in the soup, I was positive it was going to be too sweet.  I was completely wrong.  The cumin brings out all the savory notes of the squash and apple, it is an amazingly smooth and rich soup, with no cream necessary!  This is going to be my new go to butternut squash soup.  It has the texture that I look for, unlike my usual recipe that can get too thick.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ½ cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, and stock. Add more stock if the vegetables aren’t covered. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes. Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls

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Pork and Butternut Squash Stew

With this recipe, I have used the last butternut squash from my farm share. It adds a sweetness to the stew. There is a lot of chopping involved in the prep for this dish, but it is really simple...just set in in the crockpot and forget it. The butternut squash nearly melts away into the chicken broth to create a rich broth. This dish works well in the winter months for when you are looking for a comforting stew, but are looking for a twist on your standard stew.

Pork and Butternut Squash Stew

1 ½ pounds boneless pork, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
1 bay leaf
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups carrots, peeled and diced

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and simmer 4 hours, or until tender.

Adapted from AllRecipes

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Butternut Squash Risotto

I am pretty sure this recipe got saved on my computer during some magazine purge. I subscribe to all sorts of magazines, usually for free thanks to freebizmagazine or from rewards points for the cat litter we buy (so appetizing!). Real Simple has disappointed me in the past with most of their recipes, but this one was a standout. This is such a comforting dish and totally worth all the stirring. For one of my first ever dinner parties, I made risotto. I don't think I got to spend much time with my guests prior to dinner...stir stir stir!

Butternut Squash Risotto

4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and grated
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup Parmesan, grated

Warm the broth in a small saucepan over low heat. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes. Add the squash and cook until squash softens, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring occasionally and waiting until absorbed to add more. It should take about 30 minutes for all the broth to be absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan.

Adapted from Real Simple

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Roast Chicken with Butternut Squash

It's fall! Well, fall in Houston equals summer in most of the United States. We have been enjoying sunny days with temperatures in the 80s. It is perfection. I still want to cook with the fall spirit, so I picked up a butternut squash at the grocery. I love butternut squash, I just wish it weren't so expensive. It feels strange to spend $5 on one squash, but only $2 on the chicken quarters. Miss F gobbled the chicken up and C went back for seconds. Success! A good tip for cleaning the squash is to use a melon baller to scoop out the seeds. This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine.

Roast Chicken with Butternut Squash
serves 4

4 chicken quarters
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon dried sage

Heat the oven to 450°. Coat the chicken quarters with 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Arrange the chicken quarters, skin-side up, in a large roasting pan. Toss the cubes of butternut squash with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and the sage. Add the cubes of squash to the roasting pan.

Cook, stirring the squash occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Spinach Cream Sauce

I love butternut squash ravioli, I like them so much that they were served at our wedding. When I make them, I make a big batch and freeze them for future side dishes. The other night I made steaks and instead of making the usual brown butter sauce for the ravioli, I decided to use more of the infamous cheap spinach to spice these up a bit. Honestly, the initial idea was to make creamed spinach, but inspiration hit the minute the spinach hit the pan!

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Spinach Cream Sauce
printable recipe

Butternut Squash Ravioli, recipe follows
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup cream
1 cup whole milk

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cream and milk, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Toss the ravioli with the sauce and serve.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

9 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 cup roasted butternut squash puree
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces
Pinch nutmeg
1 recipe pasta dough, rolled out into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.

Cut the pasta into 3-inch circles. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta circle. Top with another circle and seal. Add the pasta to pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta floats and is pale in color.

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Butternut Squash Soup

I have made this countless times and everytime it is too thick, no matter how much I increase the chicken broth. Anyone have any ideas? Maybe the butternut squash I am using is too big. The taste of it is fantastic, so I don't want to lose any of the rich flavors.

Miss F loved it, she at almost a whole cup of it. C said that I could save the rest of his for Miss F, he was not a fan.






Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk or cream
3 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp brown sugar
dash of nutmeg
salt to taste

Cut squash lengthwise, remove seeds. Place on a roasting pan (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) cut sides down in 375-degree oven for 45min to 1 hour (flesh should be soft when poked with a fork). Let cool completely. Sauté diced onion in saucepan with butter for 5 min or until onions are clear. Add chicken broth to onions and simmer for 5 min. Scoop squash into broth and cook on medium for 20 min. Depending on blender/food processor size, you may need to do two batches: pour saucepan ingredients into blender and puree. Add milk or cream and puree until smooth. Pour pureed soup back into saucepan and reheat. Add brown sugar and nutmeg, stir well. Salt to taste. Recipe yields 4 large servings

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Since I am still "borrowing" the pasta roller from a friend, I decided to make more ravioli. I really think I need to invest in one of my own. I really enjoy making fresh pasta. Again, I used Joelen's recipe for the pasta. I used an Emeril recipe for the butternut squash. I have made this before using wonton wrappers, but it is so much better with fresh pasta. C asked "where's the meat?" Next time we have it, I will served meat with it since there was enough to freeze. This filling is fantastic, I would recommend trying it even with wonton wrappers. It is an easy fix for me, I used half the big squash for Miss F's food for the freezer and half for the ravioli.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

9 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 cup roasted butternut squash puree
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces
Pinch nutmeg
1 recipe pasta dough, rolled out into wide ribbons, about 1/4-inch thick
12 fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.

Cut the pasta ribbons into 3-inch squares. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta square. Bring 1 corner of the square to the other, forming a triangle and seal the pasta completely. Add the pasta to pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta floats and is pale in color.

Remove the pasta from the water and drain well. Season the pasta with salt and pepper.

In a large saute pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat.

Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate. Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish with parsley.

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Twice Baked Butternut Squash

I love butternut squash, mainly because it is a great vehicle to eat lots of melted butter. Think about it, anything with melted butter is delicious: crab legs, lobster, artichokes, etc.. There is something about drawn butter that makes me drool.

I was looking to do something different with butternut squash and decided to try and twice bake it, like a potato. I thought it was quite successful and easy to make. C's review was not as glowing. He took one baby bite, proclaimed he didn't like it and off it went into a container for me to enjoy it for lunch tomorrow.




Twice Baked Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice squash lengthways and scoop out seeds. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and dot with half of the butter. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes until squash is fork tender. Let squash cool for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Scoop out squash into a small bowl, reserving the skins. Mash with a fork and stir in sour cream and remaining butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the squash mixture back into the skins and sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs. Warm in the oven for 20 minutes. Serves 2.

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