Butternut Squash and Chorizo Tostadas

I have made like 85 tostadas in the past 6 months. Which is a lot considering I had very few before then. I mean, who came up with that concept? And is it supposed to be impossible to eat? Should you pick it up and take a bite? Or are you supposed to be able to cut into it...because that is impossible.

I actually brought these leftovers to work. I packed the whole enchilada. Is that a saying? Does it mean like the whole package? Why? Enchiladas don't have that many components.

So, I packed the crunchy tortilla, the black bean mash, the roasted butternut squash, the sautéed chorizo AND the rest of the fixings: queso fresco, finely minced red onion and chopped cilantro. I packed them more or less separately and assembled on the desk. After I put together the "whole enchilada" I lifted up the tostada ready to take a huge bite and the secretary came in to deliver something. I literally had my mouth open and was milliseconds before biting down. Tostadas...not an office friendly meal. Not first date food. Not clean shirt food.

After some research, it appears tostadas were invented to use up stale tortillas. Alright. Whatever.

It may appear as though I don't like tostadas. But I actually really do. I just want to be alone when I am eating them.

PS: At some point over the past month I decided to cover the spot where I take my photos with a yellow and blue towel (e.g. in the above photo). It wasn't an artistic move. It didn't really have much thought behind it other than the fact that the current wood block is super ugly. I guess that is the definition of cosmetic. And now, a series of about 10 posts will have that towel in it. It is still there tonight. Consistent.

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Tostadas
slightly modified from Closet Cooking

4 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound chorizo, casings removed, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (19 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
* water (optional)
12 small corn tortillas
1/4 cup red onions, diced
1/4 cup queso fresco (or feta), crumbled
1/4 cup cilantro

Toss the squash in the oil, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and salt, spread the mixture out in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400F oven until the squash tender and just starts to caramelize on the edges, about 30- 40 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo, cook until browned, about 10 minutes and set aside retaining a tablespoon of leftover oil/grease in the pan.

Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beans, chili powder and cumin and cook until warm. Mash the beans until you get them to the consistency that you want. It helps to add water and simmer until it evaporates.

Brush the tortillas lightly in oil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side.

Spread the refried beans over the top of the tortillas, sprinkle on the roast squash, chorizo, red onion, queso fresco and cilantro.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 1 hr., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste): 8/10
Scot (taste): 10/10
Effort: 3/5
Dishwashing Effort: 3/5

Vegetarian Posole (Hominy Stew)

I think it is time to talk about Scot's sense of humor.  For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of witnessing it first hand, I thought I would give you a taste of some of his jokes, specifically relating to food:

1.  Tastes chocolate frosting, "Ganache that's good."

2.  Whenever I make couscous, "I need to get to school early tomorrow, couscous I have to print something before class."  In general, replaces "because" with "couscous" for about a week.

3.  Any dish with thyme, some reference to time, usually, "How much thyme does this take?"

4.  "Avocado"="Have a cow doe"

And while I was making this soup, I had the empty can of hominy sitting in the sink and there was a small piece of hominy sitting next to it on the countertop.  And he made some joke about the piece of hominy relating it to the phrase..."Peace and Harmony".  It was such a bad joke, that neither of us can even remember what it was.  

Every once and while, he comes up with something that is enough of a stretch that it is actually really funny to me.  But usually, it is so bad that I am just glad no one has to witness it and force a courtesy laugh.  


Speaking of Scot, he declared this soup a 10 after the first bite.  I feel obligated to tell you that sometimes I think Scot is an emotional rater of food.  And he ate this after coming off a "curling win high".  Not that I disagree with his rating, this is a delicious soup.  What makes it special is the smoked paprika and ancho chile powder, spices that really can't be replaced.  The smoked paprika, especially, gives the soup a smokey flavor and makes it taste like bacon.  It is also full of veggies like hominy, black beans, and butternut squash.  I actually left out the butternut squash (not by choice) but I have no doubt that its presence would make this soup EVEN better.

Vegetarian Posole (Hominy Stew)

from Sandy Gluck, cohost of “Everyday Food” via The Radio Blog

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 cups peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks butternut or other winter squash

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced

11/4 teaspoons ancho chile powder

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cans (15 ounces each) hominy, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup canned plum tomatoes in puree

Coarse salt

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into wedges

1 lime, cut into wedges

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-low. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 7 minutes.

Add the squash, bell pepper, jalapeno, chile powder, oregano, and paprika and stir to combine. Add the hominy, black beans, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Season with salt.

Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have blended, about 25 minutes minimum, but the longer the better. Top with cilantro and avocado and serve with lime wedges.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  10/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort: 2/5

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Navigation is one of the most highly sought after talents of mine.  Turn right, turn left.  Merge on to US-36.  I can do it all.  

Oh, wait.  No, I can't.  You do not want me as co-captain of your ship.  Now, I used to be slightly more skilled in the navigation department.  But as soon as I met Scot, captain of every ship, lover of maps, with his manly "sense of direction" ... I lost any skills I may have built up.  

What IS a sense of direction anyways?  How would I know what way I am facing when I am INSIDE?  I turned like 400 corners and went inside many locked doors.  Cardinal directions should not be used indoors, right?

Well, Scot knows.  Always.  Which way north is.  And lots of other weird people too.  

I have a hard enough time keeping track when I have the mountains as my guide, which "apparently" are always west of me in Boulder.  

So, on the rare occasion that I do drive nowadays, it is often torture.  And I drove all over the Boulder metro area these past couple of weekends running errands and trying to find amaretti cookies (no luck), and I decided that I should probably practice more.  Or something.  Or at least pay attention when I am not driving.  Nah.

This recipe and another one I made recently called for amaretti cookies.  But they don't exist in Boulder.  I found some almond cookies that worked just fine.  I found that I was indifferent about having almond cookies in either recipe.  However, I still wish I could try the real deal!

Regardless of my navigational imperfections, I can always fall back on the fact that I can cook a mean butternut squash lasagna.  Seriously!  When I first saw this recipe, I was grossed out.  It sounded so heavy and too sweet, no texture.  But I saw that it had very good reviews.  I thought I would give it a shot.  And it really was amazing!  I love the balance of flavors.  Definitely not too sweet.  I especially enjoyed the whole milk mozzarella, which I felt was tangier than a skim or part-skim mozzarella.  Maybe I just made that up, though.

As Scot has recently been saying (possibly too often) "nailed it".

We had this with a nice fall salad with pomegranate seeds, apples, blue cheese, pecans and baby arugula.  

Butternut Squash Lasagna

adapted from Food Network, Giada De Laurentiis

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

1 amaretti cookie, crumbled, optional

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups milk

Pinch nutmeg

3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookie and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 1 layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/3rd of the sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 2 more times.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the

vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

(Servings: 6-8, Prep time: 1 hour, Cook time: 1 hour, Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Butternut Squash Soup and Butternut Squash Quesadillas

Butternut Squash^2?  Does that scare you?  Me too.  It is kind of like jeans^2.  You know you want to do it, but you don't want to admit it.  

I know...butternut squash is not in season.  But.  

a. It snowed today.  Still is snowing.  And so I am pretty sure that makes it ok for me to cook winter squash.

b. I am practicing some recipes for my sis-in-law's (sis's-in-law?) fall wedding.  

c. I am obsessed with these butternut squash and goat cheese quesadillas.  

Let me tell you about these quesadillas.  O. M. G.  Scot and I made them last time we had roasted butternut squash.  And they are seriously SO SO SO SO good.  Recipe:  take two tortillas.  Spread some dijon on one and top with some shredded Monterey jack cheese, slices of roasted butternut squash and crumbled goat cheese.  Put the other tortilla on top.  Grill each side in a skillet in some olive oil until crisp on both sides (and cheese is melted on the inside).  It doesn't even need a dipping sauce it is so good.  

Let me tell you about this soup.  I love it a lot.  I am really into toppings and garnishes for soups.  This is a pretty basic (and delicious) butternut squash soup base with some applesauce in it to give it the slightest hint of sweetness.  It isn't sweet though.  It is still very savory.  Then, it is topped with gorgonzola, whole toasted almonds, and diced apples.  I think the toasted almonds did it for me.  If you have never toasted nuts, all you do is put them in a dry skillet and cook over medium to medium high heat until fragrant.  I think hot nuts taste like chicken.  Look at these toasted nuts!:

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple, Almond and Gorgonzola

adapted from Whole Foods

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large carrot, diced

1 large celery stalk, diced

1 medium onion diced

1 large butternut squash, roasted and cut into one inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup applesauce

1 apple, diced

juice of half a lemon

1/4 cup of whole almonds, toasted

2 ounces of gorgonzola, crumbled

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add butternut squash and thyme. Stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken

broth and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft, about 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully puree in batches in a traditional blender. Add applesauce. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Toss diced apples with lemon juice to avoid browning.

Serve soup garnished with diced apple, almonds, and crumbled gorgonzola.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 1 hour, Cook time: 45 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Panino

Sorry, this will be my last goat cheese recipe for a while. I honestly can't get enough.

I had this sandwich when I was in Portland a few months ago at a cool restaurant that my aunt took me too. I reallllly liked it. I wasn't sure if there was much more to it, other than just butternut squash and goat cheese. I decided to just add a more grilled cheesey-cheese (a jack cheese) and spread it with a little Dijon post-pressing. And honestly, it tasted just like what I remembered. It is so good.

Also, it was called a panino rather than a panini at the restaurant. I, of course, asked the server what the difference was. He said nothing. But, wikipedia explains that panino is what they call them in Italy and means "small bread roll". And panino imbottito means "stuffed panino" refers to the sandwich. And panini is the plural for panino. I guess outside of Italy, people use the plural form as the singular sandwich. And pluralize panini as paninis. I like to call it a panino because it sounds cool and a lot fancier than grilled cheese...which is what it really is.

As always, the bread is very important in a sandwich (maybe most important). I got a nice crusty Italian round loaf from Whole Foods. We also picked up some of their amazing soup to eat with the panini (did you get that proper use?) We tried two kinds: Yam Poblano and Ginger Carrot. Both delicious, as always. We liked the Yam Poblano best.

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Panino

2 pieces of crusty bread

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1-3 slices of Monterey jack cheese

~2-3 thin slices of roasted butternut squash

1 oz of crumbled goat cheese

salt

pepper

olive oil

Spread Dijon mustard on one side of bread. Layer onto one piece of bread the Monterey jack cheese and butternut squash. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Crumble goat cheese on top. Top with other piece of bread and press down to close. Drizzle olive oil on both sides. Grill or cook in Panini press.

(Servings: 1, Prep time: 5 min., Cook time: 5 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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Butternut Squash Pizza with Balsamic Reduction

I have been making a lot of pizza. I just keep finding Pioneer Woman's pizza recipes. And I can't resist trying them. Plus, all these pizza recipes are so easy put together. This is my own pizza creation, but with Pioneer Woman's amazing crust.

The main flavors are butternut squash, goat cheese (whoops, is this the 3rd recipe this week? sorry, i realize i have a problem), and balsamic vinegar. Then, there are also some walnuts sprinkled on top for a nice crunch. Scot loves sweet squashy things like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. I knew he would love this flavor combo. He is one of those guys who will eat like the sweet potato dish with the sugar topping (or marshmallows) at Thanksgiving. I love sweet potatoes. But, I like them savory style. And that is kind of how this pizza is.

I would have taken the balsamic reduction even further, but I had to go, so I decided it was fine. If you can't justify using that much balsamic vinegar, to get such a small amount (it is hard, I know), then you could also just serve this with a green salad tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Also, I roasted the butternut squash yesterday. I am using the other half tomorrow night.

Butternut Squash Pizza with Balsamic Reduction

1 pizza crust (1/2 this recipe)

1/2 butternut squash, roasted

handful of baby spinach

8 oz. of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

2-3 oz. of goat cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp of parmesan cheese, grated

1/3 cup of walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Put balsamic vinegar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium high heat until balsamic vinegar reduces to about 1/3rd its originally volume. This should take about 20 minutes. It will by thick and syrupy.

Stretch out dough on oiled baking sheet. Rub oil on top of dough and sprinkle with salt. Cover with a single layer of baby spinach.

Thinly slice the butternut squash and put a layer all over pizza. The thinner you slice it, the better (you may not need an entire half of the squash). Sprinkle the top with salt.

Now, layer on the mozzarella. Crumble goat cheese over top. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Bake in the oven for about 12-16 minutes until golden. Once it is out of the oven, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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