there is really nothing that can accurately follow my post on liberia.
this post is all i’ve got.
ha ha ha
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so… i bought this.
and i had no idea what to do it.
it sat here for a week and then i finally went to Pinterest for help.
here are my top choices of what to do with this squash…..
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chicken Quinoa Stew
Butternut Squash, Sausage & Kale Frittata
Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash and Carrots
Orange Glazed Brussel Sprouts & Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Roasted Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole.
Spinach & Butternut Squash Quesadillas
Butternut Squash, Apple & Sweet Potato Casserole
Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa
and i even learned how to cut and peel butternut squash!
which one should i start with?!
have you made any of these before?
doesn’t ordering pizza sound so much easier???
honestly i just want to take a nap when i think about making these things.
why did i buy that dumb squash?
this eating healthy thing is hard. it’s every single day.
I’m tired and i just want to eat cake.
but i won’t.
i will mash squash.
because it’s friday and i like to party hard.
Anna - I make the hearty chicken stew with quinoa and kalamata olives on the regular. It’s one of our faves!! And if you want to to the super unhealthy, tastes like dessert for dinner direction, go on Pinterest and find the butternut squash, sweet potatoe and sage lasagna. Holy heaven in your mouth.
Rachel - I could live on Butternut Squash soup. Finally figured out that microwaving the squash for a bit before peeling it makes life a lot easier so it might actually be possible to make enough to live on it for the winter now.
Regina @ Leelalicious - Thank you so much for including my Slow Cooker Stew.
And I couldn’t agree more on how time consuming healthy eating is. Especially now that I have a little baby around there never seems enough time. One way we try to remedy this is by making large portions in the slow cooker. Something that doesn’t need attention and last us for many meals.
Kay - I make a butternut squash soup that you might like. Basically the butternut squash is the base soup with ham, green beans, corn, carrots, and sweet potatoes and seasoned with dill. It’s really good!
Lisa - I eat it all the time, it’s so yummy…in fact I have two on my counter from my garden waiting to be cooked….the easiest is just to roast w/ olive oil, salt, & pepper, so yummy! I also like to make soup. I roast it first and then make it into soup, it gives it a little extra flavor. It’s also good on salad (roasted first) w/ goat cheese, avocado, fresh spinach, & red onion,. I love the recipes you posted, I might have to try one of those this week!
Jen - You’ve inspired me! I don’t know if I have ever even touched a butternut squash, let alone make a recipe with it. I am making the Butternut Squash Ricotta Stuffed Shells for dinner tonight. They sound yummy!
Tammy - I do all homemade baby food for my one year old and she eats a lot of squash! i just started making the squash, sweet potato, apple mix and she likes it.
Lela - Omg I had. Pizza the other night at Broadway Brewery in Columbia, Mo that has roasted butternut squash, bacon, carmelized onions, and cheese. Delicious!
Jenny Logan - We make “fries” with butternut squash. We just cut them to look like fries, drizzle olive oil on them and out salt and pepper on them. Then bake at 350* until done (time depends on how many and how thick you cut them.) you have to watch closely though because they will burn easily. Even my pickiest eater loves these!
Library Momma - Stuffed shells. Here is a super easy way though. Wash the squash, cut in half, scoop out seeds, oven 400 degrees for one hour. Scoop out cooked squash , mix with a small container of reduced fat sour cream, with a little nutmeg, scoop into cooked shells, cover with reduced fat Alfredo sauce and cheese, back into the oven 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until warm and toasty brown. Easy, delicious, and somewhat healthy!
Jennifer - Make the soup! My grocery store had a sample of butternut squash soup and I tasted it, and bought my first squash to go with the recipe they were handing out. (mine says to add an onion and an apple as you roast it) I can’t even get over how good this soup is. And, I don’t like squash. At all. But this soup!!
Becca - I think it would make a lovely centerpiece for Thanksgiving.
Amy Jupin - Hysterical.
And I agree 1000%.
Pizza is easier and maybe even more tasty.
Don’t tell Marta.
Cindy - I’m with you!! It’s so hard and it’s hard when the family would rather not eat healthy too. We just have to keep working at it I guess and do the best we can because I always fell better when I make the right choices!
Rhiannon - Check out this recipe from Food & Wine Magazine website for Butternut Squash Soup with Crisp Pancetta.
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/butternut-squash-soup-with-crisp-pancetta
It’s SOOOOO good!! You can check out my IG feed (glutenfreewithglee) to see what simple changes I made. I just posted about it last week. I wouldn’t do all 4 squashes they suggest because it does make a lot, but it’s totally worth it. Your family might love it. It’s weird to look at, but the taste is phenomenal and I don’t think it tastes what you might think squash to taste like.
P.S. I just use bacon instead of pancetta. We usually have that on hand, so I don’t have to mess with finding that.
Beth ann - Ashley Ann, from Under The Sycamore just posted a recipe for Butternut Squash Soup on her blog, I was inspired to purchase my first ever whole butternut squash to try it this weekend. Along with a Lasagna Soup. Because soup and snow go hand in hand.
Janet - Butternut squash soup-smooth and creamy (blended with an emulsifier). Served with a nice crusty bread. Doesn’t take too long to make. MMM–just the best on a cold winters day.
Ashley - Hearty chicken soup with bsquash and quinoa at the bottom is delicious! Even my kids ate it! And it freezes well.
Peta - Roast small cubes drizzled in olive oil. Add to a salad of red onion, rocket (arugula?), beetroot and roasted hazelnuts. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Yum.
Angela - So I was looking at some of my food pins and was looking at this recipe http://juliasalbum.com/2014/10/chicken-mozzarella-pasta-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/ and then I saw this recipe http://juliasalbum.com/2014/11/butternut-squash-and-spinach-lasagna/ and thought of you, I don’t know if it’s healthy but thought I would share it with you. 🙂
Angela - That thing scares me!! I’m no help at all, I made Sherri’s spicy chicken tortilla soup for supper, SO good and really it’s got to be good for ya, it’s too yummy to be bad.
Sarah - Butternut squash soup is divine!
And, I was amazed and humbled by your post on Liberia. Beautiful pictures of beautiful people, life, and love.
Amy K. - I love roasted butternut squash & apples – it’s delish!!
Lauren Rodgers - They all look delicious! I also love butternut squash mac and “cheese” from detoxinista.com and butternut squash burritos from ohsheglows.com (so good!!). When I feel weary over the time I put into food prep/cooking, I try to focus on the reality that anything worthwhile requires work. 🙂
All the best,
Lauren
DLG in Mich - I agree with the others who suggested cubing it and tossing it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 turning once until browned on the edges. I make an enchilada casserole similar to the one linked above. It’s really good! Enjoy…
Rachel - Thank you for sharing your heart yesterday, it was very very touching. Watching everything unfold via media is completely different than real world. So thank you.
I just made the chicken butternut quinoa stew and it is delicious! With the left over squash I diced it, tossed it in a pan with beef broth and cooked like mashed potatoes until tender. Some salt/pepper and coconut milk in the food processor. Yum! Can’t wait to see what you made!
Beth - I like to throw my squash in the crockpot with a little water for a few hours until fork tender. Let it cool, cut it in half, and scoop instead of peel. Unused mine like it was pumpkin. You are so right about eating healthy being a lot of work!
Stephanie - Those all look good!
But my fave? Simply roasted with butter and sea salt to caramelized perfection. I’m a simple girl. 🙂
Jennie - The last two lines of this post might be the funniest you’ve ever written. I giggled out loud. 🙂
patti - Simply cubed and roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper!!!
Jen - The Hearty Chicken Stew from Cookin’ Canuck is delicious! I’ve made it several times, with & without the olives. The chicken thighs and fresh parsley are a must. So good!
ROBIN - I would love to see what your kids were for Halloween!! Any plans on showing us?!?!?!?!
Julie - I do the halved, olive oil, salt, pepper, cut side down on foil lined pan and roast 1 hour at 375- degrees, but I toss cloves of unpeeled garlic in a bit of oil and roast them at the same time–inside the cavity of the squash (where the seeds were). Delicious! The garlic gets so mellow and yummy! The squash caramelizes wonderfully to be eaten plain, or used in whatever—even chilled on salads.
Julie - Butternut pumpkin/squash is my favourite, so sweet and easy to cut and skin. This cake recipe is fabulous for using up pumpkin and so yummy too.
http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/10531/Spiced-pumpkin-cake-with-vanilla-butter-icing/
Brook Hayes - Butternut Squash Soup is Amazing!! The recipe that I have calls for a small dollop of sour cream and chopped cilantro on top!
Tere - I want cake. And coffee with crappy Coffee Mate creamer, a quilt, a couch and last night’s Parenthood on DVR. xoxo
Tracy - Don’t make it hard, Meg! Just cube that sucker up, olive oil, s&p, a little smoked paprika and roast it in a hot oven until tender. Easy peasy!! You’ll love it so much it’ll be in your grocery cart again next week 😉
chrissi - i have to hide squash in my house. people shudder at the sight of it …. so i sneak it in fritatas (great),roast it to add in salads, chop it, steam it and saute it with apples and kale and a bit of cinnamon (love) or add it to pasta with olive oil. the haters have no idea and eat all of it. enjoy!
Sarah F - LOVE butternut squash soup with some spicy ravioli in it and a little molasses drizzled on top.
cindy b. - I think the butternut squash, apple and sweet potato casserole sounds good! if you need to cut it raw, put the whole squash in the microwave for 4-6 minutes, let cool to handle and then cut and peel – makes it much easier. let us know what you make!
Lisa - Let them eat cake! 😉
Ohio12 - I hear you about the never ending cooking when you try to eat whole foods! But just cut up the squash and roast it for a good long time. don’t do one of those big recipes.
Carlie - Trust Me – make this… http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/sweet-sour-squash-crostini
Even without the cheese its amazing! I think its the red onions that carmalize and the vinegar. SOO sooo good. Its on my Thanksgiving Menu this year since my husband and i loved it so much.
Also I wear gloves when working with butternut squash, I got a contact rash from it. Felt like i had elmers glue all over my hands and it took a few days to go away. I dont think it happens to everyone but better safe than sorry if the flesh irritates your skin.
Kori - I just had a butternut squash soup the other day that was terrific. It had a hint of curry flavor that went really well with that just barely sweet flavor of the squash. Mmmm…and we topped it with sour cream – delish! I’m really tempted by the frittata though…that looks SO tasty!
Meredith - I have been buying them recently. Cutting in half, souping out seeds and put flat side down on a cookie sheet and baking till soft. Then scrape out of skin with a fork. We eat it with meatballs and tomato sauce. I will have to try some of these above. They look amazing.
Kirsten J - Well, you poured your heart out in that Liberia post. Truly. That seemed like so long ago, and I remember following your tweets when you were there, and then Ebola really busted into the headlines. Too close for comfort.
Squash? Not so much for me. I really don’t like that hint of sweetness. Although my family loves it, and I suppose I should try cooking it. I’ll bet some of those recipes are great, and to this day, I still remember really enjoying this squash ravioli at my brother’s wedding rehearsal dinner…..and at a luncheon once, I was served squash soup and it was truly the best. Now you’ve inspired me to try cooking it – let us know what you make!!!
Christy - I used it for spaghetti instead of pasta, great texture. The suggestions above look delish. The stuffed shells or quesadillas would have my vote.