Roasted Butternut Squash, Garlic & Rosemary Lasagna

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Aprons & Stilettos

Butternut Squash Lasagna

The fall season calls for deliciously irresistible winter squash and butternut squash is one of my all-time favorites. Last night I had the opportunity to hang out with Chef Don Garrett from Wine Country Artisans Catering who made an AMAZING homemade butternut squash ravioli. These raviolis were hands down the BEST butternut squash raviolis I’ve ever tasted (perhaps we will have a blog post soon and Don will share with us his recipe!) Nevertheless, as I was eating his leftovers this afternoon for lunch, I got inspired to whip up something tonight for dinner that incorporated this wonderful autumn squash. In the past, I’ve made butternut squash soup, roasted squash with thyme and butternut squash risotto… hmmmm, I have lasagna pasta sheets – let’s make lasagna! I haven’t made lasagna in a long, long time so this was the perfect dish to make. Not only is this dish comforting — a perfect pair to the cooler weather — but it’s easy to make.

Prepping Lasagna

2 1/2 cups fresh butternut squash, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
olive oil
2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 – 2 cups milk
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter
No-boil lasagna pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss fresh butternut squash pieces with olive oil and lightly season with salt. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir butternut squash and roast for another 10 – 15, until tender and golden.

While squash is roasting, melt butter in a large saucepans. Add garlic and cook over medium heat until fragrant (1 minute). Stir in flour and cook roux, stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Slowly add milk, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook and stir frequently until thickened yet smooth – about 5 – 8 minutes. Stir in roasted squash.

Butter a casserole dish and pour some sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Begin layering the lasagna pasta sheets. Spread the sauce on top of the noodles and sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering noodles, adding the sauce and finishing with Parmesan cheese. Pour heavy whipping cream over the top of the entire dish and sprinkle a little more cheese. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden brown. Allow dish to cool for about 5 minutes. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Serves 4 – 6.

Wine Pairing? Try pairing this decadent dish with a rich & buttery Chardonnay. Do you have a personal favorite? Share with us in the comments below or on twitter!

Enjoy! ~Crystal

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FALL in LOVE with FALL salad

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Aprons & Stilettos

With our gardens filled with persimmons and pomegranates and Thanksgiving around the corner I was inspired to throw a few of my favorite fruits together and make a festive salad. Simple and delicious with colors that scream Fall, this salad will be a great addition to your Thanksgiving feast or a new just because treat. And don’t worry if you don’t think persimmons are your thing, give this combination a chance and you just might become a fan .

FALL in LOVE with FALL salad (for 4)

1 bag of Arugula (5 oz)
3 Persimmons
1 Pomegranate
1 Red onion
Chia Seeds
Olive oil, one lemon, salt and pepper for dressing

I started off by slivering off round thin pieces of persimmon ( I used a mandoline) which can get tricky since some might not come out perfect, but its for taste so don’t worry. Place each sliver one by one covering each individual plate as I did or on your dish of choice if you are making a bigger salad. Take the arugula and toss with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and season to taste with salt pepper and when its ready place the greens in the middle of your dish so the persimmons are still visible. Add your red onions slices and I actually added slices of fennel as an afterthought which was great, and then top it off with sprinkles of chia and pomegranate seeds. The salad is not only visually appetizing but taste amazing and fresh. Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Curry Soup With Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Aprons & Stilettos

Pumpkin Curry Soup 2

In honor of the fall season (and my LOVE for coconut milk) I decided to make and share with you this simple Pumpkin Curry soup recipe. My favorite part about cooking with pumpkins are roasting the seeds afterwards. They’re so easy to make and there are SO many different options for dressing them up: roasted with sea salt, cajun, cocoa…for a sweet treat, curry power, lemon pepper, pumpkin pie spices…oh and the list goes on.

Pumpkin Seeds

The longest part to the below recipe is roasting and peeling the pumpkin so plan on roasting it for at least 30-40 minutes (this can also be done ahead of time). After the roasting the rest is as easy as pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Curry Soup with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 medium Sugar Pumpkin – seeded, roasted and peeled
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
Sea salt for pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the sugar pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and place them in a bowl to the side. Discard the steam. Rub both sides of the fresh pumpkin with a 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Place the pumpkin, flesh down, on a baking sheet rimmed with foil. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes.

Roasting Pumpkins

While the pumpkin is roasting, clean the discarded pumpkin seeds throughly by removing any left over pumpkin pulp and rinsing them in water with a colander. Inspired by Elise’s recipe for the perfect roasted pumpkin seeds, I boiled the seeds for 5-10 minutes in salted water. Drain the seeds, lightly pat them dry and then toss them lightly in olive oil. Arrange the seeds on a baking dish, coat lightly with sea salt and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them so that they do not burn! Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

After the pumpkin has slightly cooled, peel and dice it. Melt the butter in a soup pot and then add the pumpkin, onions, carrots, celery and garlic.

Diced Veggies

Cook on medium heat until soft. Add the curry, ginger, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk (reserving a little bit for garnish) and the rest of the chicken stock and cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in a blender until smooth. Garnish with warmed coconut milk drizzle and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Serves 4 – 6