Squash & Leek Soup with Feta & Bacon

Now that cooler weather is here, I was really wanting a hearty soup to make. I love roasted butternut squash with feta so I thought sprinkling it on top of the soup would be tasty and I was right. I love creamy soups but only if I can sprinkle in enough toppings to give texture to the soup. So I went a little crazy adding bacon, pine nuts and feta cheese!
-Amanda

Butternut Squash & Leek Soup with Feta & Bacon

1 large butternut squash
olive oil
2 leeks
3 cloves garlic
1 lb bacon
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp cumin
feta
pine nuts

Peel the butternut squash and cube it into large pieces. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 425 for 15 minutes, flip the pieces and continue roasting for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut up bacon into small pieces and cook in the bottom of a large soup pot. Remove bacon but leave the bacon grease in the pot when it is crispy.

Wash leeks really well and cut into small pieces. Cook them in the bacon grease along with the minced up garlic. Add nutmeg and cumin. Put the squash cubes in the pan and add your chicken stock. Using either an immersion blender or by pouring the soup in batches in a stand blender, puree until smooth. Add cream until the consistency you like. You can also add milk/water or more chicken stock if you like. Serve with toasted pine nuts, feta crumbles and reserved bacon.

Butternut Squash Pizza

I was reading my favorite cooking/nutrition blogs a few days ago, and came across this idea for a recipe. I wish I could give credit, because these are REALLY good. I did add caramelized onions and tomato sauce to the recipe, but the idea to use the squash this way wasn't mine. Anyway, this is a must try recipe, it is really terrific!
-Amanda

Butternut Squash Pizza

1 butternut squash with the longest neck possible
1 lb of bulk sweet Italian sausage (no nitrates added, no high-fructose corn syrup)
1 block of feta cheese
1 large onion
olive oil, salt and pepper
favorite tomato sauce

Pre-heat oven to 375. Peel butternut squash and cut into 1/2" disks, be careful to make them the same thickness so they cook evenly. Rub each disk with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes until you can easily pierce with a fork. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a skillet. Slice onion into very thin slices and saute them in a little olive oil (or bacon grease) while the sausage is a different skillet. Cook the onions on medium  heat for 20-30 minutes.

Remove butternut squash from the oven and switch the oven to broil. Assemble the pizzas by placing a bit of sausage on each disk, top it with a bit of onion and then the feta cheese. Place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes until feta starts to brown. Serve on top of some tomato sauce. It'd be great with some fresh basil on top, but I'm not sure if butternut squash and basil are ever in the same season? Anyway, this was a huge hit for our family and I think I'll hide the leftovers!

Butternut Squash & Sausage Pasta

I bought a beautiful butternut squash a couple of weeks ago and I've been eyeballing it just trying to decide on what I want to make with it. I love squash paired with breakfast sausage. I'm not sure why but the flavors go really well together, I think. I put this together in my head, not really sure how it would turn out, but I think with a bit of adjustments its a winner! Next time I'll either roast the squash in the oven before I add it to the sauce or dice it into smaller pieces. (By the way, this isn't a super quick recipe! The squash takes about 15-20 minutes to peel and dice, prepped ahead of time, the dish itself took about 40 minutes to cook.)
-Amanda

Butternut Squash & Sausage Pasta

1/2 lb pasta (I used bow-tie)
1 package of breakfast sausage (I used low-fat)
1/4 onion
3 cloves of garlic (frequent readers know I LOVE garlic)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp oregano (I would have used sage, but didn't have any)
1 cup milk + 2 tbsp cornstarch OR 1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

Cut ends off of squash and peel the thick skin off. Cut lengthwise scoop out seeds, and discard them. Cut squash into small cubes.

In a large saute pan (that has a lid) saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Cook until caramelized to really develop the onions flavor. Add breakfast sausage and break it up into little crumbles. When sausage is mostly cooked through, add squash. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Stir the squash occasionally but let it brown a bit. Set water to boil for pasta and cook pasta at the same time as sauce. While squash is cooking mix milk, chicken broth and cornstarch. Pour over squash. Cover and let simmer on low until squash is fork tender. You may need to add more chicken broth if it gets to thick.

Acorn Squash Raviolis

How does one spontaneously decide to make homemade ravioli? I guess that is just how I am. So last night about an hour before dinner I decided to make ravioli. I make fresh pasta from time to time on a whim, but ravioli are a bit harder and I usually (notice the usually part) plan them out in advance. Well I got a ravioli press for my birthday and have been wanting to use it. I made a quick attempt a few days after I received my press but I over stuffed my ravioli and they exploded. Well last night my dough didn't come together so I had to ditch that and whip up a fast dinner. So I woke up this morning feeling challenged. I made fresh ravioli for lunch!
-Amanda

Acorn Squash Ravioli with a simple Bechamel Sauce

Filling:
1/2 acorn squash (Butternut squash would be tasty too!)
olive oil
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper

Cut acorn squash in half. Scoop out seeds and discard. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on squash. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. (This can be done ahead of time.)

When squash is very fork tender and has cooled down, scoop out into a bowl. Add ricotta cheese and seasonings. Stir until well incorporated. Place filling in a pastry bag or ziplock back with the end snipped off.

Pasta:
1 1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
or wonton wrappers

Place ingredients in a food processor and process until a ball forms. Use a pasta machine to roll out sheets.

Assemble Raviolis:
If you have a ravioli press lay pasta out and put a tiny amount of filling in each square (depending on the size of your press.) Lay a second sheet of pasta ontop and with a rolling pin, roll the sheets together sealing in the filling.
OR
If you don't have a ravioli press but still have a pasta machine, lay out a sheet of pasta. Place about a tbsp of filling every 2 inches or so on the pasta. Lay a second sheet on top. Gently press around each mound of filling making sure to press out any air. Cut around each mound of filling into ravioli squares.
OR
Place filling in wonton wrappers and fold over into triangles.

Cook Pasta:
Fresh pasta only needs to boil for a couple of minutes. When the raviolis float to the top, cook for one minute longer and then drain.

Sauce:
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/2 tbsp butter
pinch of sage, salt and pepper
3 tsp flour
2 tbsp ricotta cheese

Melt butter in a pan. Add flour and stir until flour is wet. Add half and half and seasonings. Stir until there are no lumps in the flour. Add ricotta cheese. Serve over ravioli.

This complete recipe made about 3 servings.