Delicata Squash Stuffed with Kale and White Beans

Posted on February 7, 2010 by kitchenbelle

This may sound odd, however, I am going to say it anyway.  There are certain foods that when I look at them my first thought is, “There really is a god.”  Now, I wouldn’t exactly categorize myself as super religious, however, when I see little pieces of nature that strike me so intricate I can’t help but be taken back.  Blackberries are one of those foods.  Each little perfectly plump drupelet can’t be a fluke.  And delicata squash is another.  Each one is like a little work of art.  It looks like someone took a paintbrush and daintily and deliberately stroked each one to perfection.  They are just so darn pretty!

This recipe is so bright with the colors of nature and rich in vitamins and nutrients you will feel good eating it.  It would nicely accompany most any protein I can think of (I served ours with stuffed pork).  Enjoy!

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Kale and White Beans:

  • 2 delicata squashes
  • a few glugs of olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 large bunch of fresh kale, washed, dried and roughly chopped
  • 1-2 cans of white beans (cannellini or navy beans will both work well)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Use a large knife to carefully cut each squash in half. Scoop out seeds and discard.  (Or toast them for munching!)  Place squash halves cut side up in a  9×13 glass baking dish.  Carefully add water to the baking dish so that it reaches about a quarter of the way up the side of the squash.  Cover the dish tightly with foil. (You are creating an environment to steam the squash.)  Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until the inside of the squash is tender and can be easily scraped with a fork.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large-medium pan.  Add the finely chopped onion and cook until very tender.  I think it is important not to rush the onion.  The longer and slower they cook, the sweeter they will be.  Once they are soft and you are happy with their fragrance add the garlic (be careful not to burn it) and cook until tender.  Then add your kale.  Cover the pan and let the kale steam for about 10 minutes, but keep your eye on it.  Uncover occasionally to stir.  Once kale has wilted, add the white beans, salt and pepper.  Stir and warm until the entire mixture is heated through. 

Remove squash from the oven and place each one on your serving dish.  Use a fork to gently scrape the squash from the sides of the skin.  Fill each squash with kale filling and serve.

A Kitchenbelle Original inspired by Eggs on Sunday.

Filed under: beans, cannellini beans, Fall, kale, Side, squash, VEGETARIAN | 3 Comments »

Pumpkin Seed Pesto and Squash Sauce over Fresh Pasta

Posted on October 18, 2009 by kitchenbelle

oct

My colleague takes part in a community garden in Jamaica Plain where she grows all sorts of herbs and vegetables.  I believe we are closing in on the basil season here in the northeast because yesterday she very generously offered to give me a gigantic amount of basil from her garden.  And I mean a gigantic amount–I think she gave me nearly an entire bush!  I have been wanting to make pesto for a while now, but I don’t have my own basil plant and I would have to buy about 25 of those plastic snap containers (you know how basil is sold in grocery stores?) to get a half cup of pesto.  A free bush of basil is almost exciting as dark chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cups! I couldn’t wait to make pesto! 

However, basil is so summery to me. I wanted to put an autumn spin on our dinner.  It immediately clicked on how I could do it: Use PUMPKIN SEEDS instead of PINE NUTS!  Perfect.  I also wanted to incorporate some squash and fresh pasta.  Using these ideas and ingredients I sequestered myself in the kitchen and I pretended to be on Top Chef.  (I am really enjoying that show lately–I love all of the discussion about  “notes” and “building flavor.”) 

The result was awesome.  This was one of those meals that while I was eating it I got super excited and giddy!  It was so delicious.   Not just delicious but so much more delicious than I ever expected.  (Don’t you love when that happens?)   And it was easy and didn’t take very long to make.  My favorite part was the contrast of the mild creamy squash sauce with the sharp garlicky saltiness of the pesto.  They really worked well together. The fresh chewy pasta was a major asset as well–it really jived with the creamy squash sauce.  The risk of using all of these ingredients, which could have been overkill, really paid off.  And this made for a pretty fall plate.  The green of the spinach pasta with the orange sauce on top was very cool.

Although I tried to keep track of my methods and ingredients, I didn’t measure everything.  If you want to try to replicate this feel free to email me.  That said,  it was pretty easy and I don’t think you could go wrong with such a delicious cast of flavor characters.

Pumpkin Seed Pesto and Squash over Fresh Pasta:

 

  • 1 pound fresh spinach pasta (If you are feeling ambitious, make your own!  I bought some from Whole Foods for $4.99)

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

  • several bunches of fresh basil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ~3/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan reggiano cheese
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • ~ 3/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Squash Sauce

  • 2 cups squash (you can use canned or fresh)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth (use vegetable broth instead and this dish is vegetarian)
  • 1.5 teaspoons nutmeg
  • a handful of fresh shredded parmesan reggiano cheese

Boil water for pasta.  Be sure to add salt to the water.

Make the pesto

Toast pumpkin seeds in a large pan over medium heat.

In a food processor chop basil, garlic, cheese, and all but two tablespoons of the pumpkin seeds.  While food processor is running, pour olive oil into food processor in a steady stream.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Make squash sauce

In the same pan in which you toasted the pumpkin seeds, cook squash, milk, and chicken broth and stir together until smooth and creamy.  Add nutmeg and cheese.  Continue to stir until heated through and cheese has melted.

Add pasta to boiling water.  Cook until done and drain.  Immediately add pasta to pan containing squash sauce and toss to coat pasta.

Portion pasta into individual bowls.  Scoop about two tablespoons of pesto on top of each serving.  Garnish with reserved pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.

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Filed under: basil, cheese, Fall, Main Dish, pasta, pumpkin, squash, VEGETARIAN | 9 Comments »

Maple Pumpkin Muffins

Posted on October 4, 2009 by kitchenbelle

oct

Saturday was a baking day.  There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it.  It was rainy and dark and I knew I needed to fill our kitchen with scents of the season.  This summer my in-laws visited Canada and brought back some delicious Canadian maple syrup.  I decided to bake something maple flavored so when I stumbled upon this recipe for Maple Pumpkin Muffins I was very pleased! 

A couple of notes:

  • The original recipe suggested baking at 400 F, and though it struck me as odd, rather than follow my gut I followed the recipe.  Unfortunately the oven was way too hot and a few of my muffin bottoms burned.  These should be baked at either 350 F or 375 F.
  • Rather than top these muffins with pecans, I added a crumbly streusel-like topping.
  • As you know I am a lover of chunks, so I almost added some chocolate chips but I feared it would overpower the maple flavor so I refrained.  These were more “breakfast” without chocolate chips.  Adding chocolate would make them more “dessert.”  🙂

Maple Pumpkin Muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin or squash
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 5 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened

    • Topping:

  • 3/4 cup oatmeal
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4  teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons butter

    • Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line muffin tins with papers.

    Prepare topping by combining first five topping ingredients in a small bowl.  Cut butter into this mixture and use your finger tips or a fork to crumble the ingredients together.  The texture should be like that of coarse sand/pebbles.  Set aside.

    In a large bowl, combine the flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

    In another bowl whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, milk, oil and 3 tablespoons maple syrup.  Slowly add dry ingredients to this mixture and stir just until moistened.  

    In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and two tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons syrup until smooth. Gently stir into batter until mixture appears swirled.

    Fill paper-lined muffin tins about three-fourths full.

    Sprinkle about a tablespoon of topping over each muffin cup.

    Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. 

    Adapted from Made by Melissa.

    Filed under: Breakfast, cream cheese, Dessert, eggs, Fall, muffin, oatmeal, pumpkin, squash | 2 Comments »

    Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese

    Posted on October 2, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    oct

    It has been a difficult week in the land of Kitchenbelle.  While enjoying the weekend at BlogHer Food ’09 in beautiful San Francisco (at the fabulous cocktail party hosted by The Mushroom Channel, to be exact) I learned of the unexpected death of a dear friend of ours.  He was a regular visitor to this blog and each time we were together he inquired about it.  Also, he was quite the prankster and his silly comments on this blog (one claimed “I made this meal [tuna noodle casserole] the other night and it was wonderful.  Me and my cat await your next masterpiece.  Meow!”) will be sorely missed.  He will be sorely missed and my words here will not do him  justice. 

    Though I try to keep Kitchenbelle.com a place of cheer, happiness, and inspiration I couldn’t not mention this loss.  I am sure you would have sensed it anyway.  For me food is something I can control and something I can look forward to.  So I guess it is natural that in times of despair, I find myself baking and cooking more often.  The methods and rhythms soothe me.  The smells provide comfort.  Sitting across the table from my husband over a warm home-cooked and nutritious meal, on a dark cool night, especially during my favorite season of the year, ground me.  They give me hope and encourage me to be thankful.

    My husband has had an especially difficult few days prompting me to want to do nothing more than to take care of him.  The best way I know how to do that is to shower him with love and dinner.  It is a feeble attempt at easing the pain, but it is what I know. 

    Our friend was buried yesterday, one of the first beautiful breezy sunny autumn days in the northeast.  I found myself thinking of those verses from Ecclesiastes (I remember being struck by them while studying the Old Testament during ninth grade humanities class) that the Yardbirds spun into that popular song:  “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, a time to dance…a time to get, a time to lose…”  Autumn is already a nostalgic season. 

    After all was said and done we took a ride to a pumpkin stand and purchased some gourds and a pumpkin for our stoop.  In hopes of capturing the season as well as offering some respite from a heartbreaking day, I decided to make squash for dinner.  I adjusted this recipe quite a bit and I have noted those changes below. 

    Changes and Notes:

    *Original recipe called for sage.  My grocery store was out of sage so I used chives.  Sage with squash is a more traditional flavor combination, however, the chives were just fine.

    *Original recipe called for blue cheese.  I don’t eat blue cheese so I substituted goat cheese.  Delicious.  I love goat cheese.

    *Original recipe was vegetarian. I wanted to add some bulk so I added grilled chicken breasts.

    *This is a simple and nutritious (also low calorie, I think) weeknight dinner that could be easily un-healthified (as in, bumped up a notch for company) with the addition of some heavy cream and cheddar.  Email me if you would like to discuss how this could be achieved.

    Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese:

    • 5  cups  (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
    • 1  (1 1/2-ounce) bread
    • 4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
    • 2  cups onion, finely chopped
    • 4  tablespoon  chopped fresh chives or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
    • 3 chicken breasts, grilled and torn into pieces
    • 1/2 cup chicken broth
    • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
    • 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
    • Cooking spray
    • 1  cup crumbled goats cheese (or 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese)

    Preheat oven to 400 F.

    Steam squash until tender, about 10 minutes.

    Place bread in a food processor, and pulse until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Transfer to a small bowl and add 2 teaspoons oil, and toss with a fork to combine.

    Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add butternut squash, chicken (if using), chicken broth, chopped herb, salt, and black pepper to bowl, and toss gently to combine.  Spoon squash mixture into an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled cheese evenly over squash mixture, and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and crumbs are golden brown.

    Adapted from MyRecipes.com.

    Filed under: cheese, chicken, chives, Fall, Main Dish, Side, squash | 4 Comments »