Dinner for One: Butternut Squash Ravioli with White Wine Mushroom Sauce

It was fall and I had lots of winter squash, of course I was going to make a ravioli. This time I tried roasted butternut squash. This is the first time I've used butternut squash and I was so pleased with the results that I have compulsively bought two more. The texture is much more creamy and mild than some of the other squash varieties I have tried.

The ingredients for the White Wine Mushroom Sauce.

Ravioli waiting for a warm bath. Wonton wrappers are the key.

My shallot-mushroom sauce was a winning combination with the butternut squash ravioli. The earthy mushrooms combined with a bit of bright white wine (sauvignon blanc is my preferred white wine to cook with) complemented the squash's nutty flavor. Garnish with bright, grassy parsley. My recipe made just the right amount for me but could easily be doubled.

Here is a link to my recipe for ravioli, which shares a few tips and tricks I learned along the way.  

For my ravioli filling, I pureed 1 cup of roasted squash with salt, pepper, and enough cream to make it smooth. I think Lisa Leake's recipe for butternut squash ravioli filling from 100 Days of Real food sounds delicious! She seasons her filling with a bit of maple syrup, orange zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, and bit of cheese.

Another version of the sauce with a splash of half-and-half.

My mushroom sauce was so good that I made it again immediately. This time I added a splash of half-and-half. Enjoy!

White Wine Mushroom Sauce

by Ace Nation

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Ingredients (serves 1-2)

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2-3/4 cup sliced mushrooms, such as button or cremini
• 1/2 cup white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

Instructions

In a skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium-low to medium heat until butter is melted.

Add shallot, stirring occasionally, cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add wine. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve over ravioli, or pasta, or sauteed chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Enjoy!

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Fall Squash Soup Recipe

I've shared a recipe for Acorn Squash Soup before. Tasty but it didn't become a regular in the rotation. I even tried a variation I never posted that used substituted half the the acorn squash with yams to see if I could get it right. Still didn't become a repeat recipe.

I was inspired by a recent visit to Les Caves. I thoroughly enjoyed their Autumn Squash soup. I don't have confidence that I figured out every ingredient in the Les Caves soup, I have a few ideas why their soup was so good:

• it was simple
• different types of squash were used to give a complex, nuanced flavor
• lots of browned onions or shallots
• and the biggest surprise to me, thyme.

I thought I would give squash soup another try with these ideas in mind. What I created was a delicious soup. While I used only acorn, this would be a great place to use different varieties of winter squash. I will definitely be making this again. Enjoy!

Fall Squash Soup

by Ace Nation

Keywords: soup/stew winter squash fall

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Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large onion or 2 small onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 acorn squash, roasted and peeled
• 3 cups water (or vegetable or chicken stock)
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a soup pot, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil with 2 tablespoons butter over low to medium-low heat. Add onions, stirring occasionally, cook slowly until onions are very browned, about 25 minutes.

Add garlic and saute until cooked, about 5 minutes.

Add roasted squash, stock, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer about 15 minutes.

Very carefully blend until smooth. Return to a clean pot and add half-and-half. Heat to a gentle simmer. Serve and enjoy!

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Delicata Squash with Spicy Miso

Delicata squash won't be around for much longer so enjoy it while you still can! I love using delicata squash with strong flavors. Here are a couple of my own favorite recipes that use delicata squash:

• Zucchini "Chili"
• Dal with Winter Squash
• Delicata Squash Bisque

Delicata is versatile because of its mild flavor and delicate texture, which combines the best of winter and summer squash. Hands down, the best way to highlight the flavor and texture of delicata squash is roasting. I love the squash cut fairly thickly with a little color.

I did a little research and first found a recipe for a Roasted Delicata Squash Salad from 101 Cookbooks. Making a salad from roasted vegetables? Why, yes, that is right up my culinary alley. Millet Salad with Orange Vinaigrette, perhaps? I think a lentil salad with roasted winter vegetables will be in near future. 

What caught my eye in the roasted delicata squash salad post was the mention of the inspiration of the recipe: delicata squash with spicy miso. I found Delicata Squash with Spicy Miso Butter from The Dinner Files. I love miso and I love harissa, both of which are quite at home in my refrigerator. I never would have thought of combining them! I have no other way to word to describe miso than with funky. Delicata squash is the perfect canvas for miso's funkiness balanced with harissa's fieriness. I added a few whole cloves of fresh garlic to my second creation of this recipe and loved it even more. Enjoy!

Roasted Delicata Squash with Miso and Harissa

by Ace Nation

Keywords: bake vegan delicata squash miso harissa

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil (more if needed to coat the squash)
• 1 delicata squash
• 1 tablespoon miso
• 1-2 teaspoons harissa (more or less depending on taste)
• Kosher salt,, to taste

Instructions

To prepare the squash, cut the ends off and cut length-wise down the middle. Scoop out all the seeds and membrane. Place cut-side down on a cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, miso, harissa, and salt until smooth (this will separate and the miso might have a grainy texture, this is normal).

Add squash to the oil-miso-harissa mixture. Toss until all the squash is coated on all sides with the oil.

Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, then turn. Continue baking another 3-5 minutes, until the squash is tender but not overcooked.

Enjoy!

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Pantry-Friendly Pie: Vegan Acorn Squash Pie with Crust

Since I made my first vegan acorn squash pie two years ago, I have been experimenting with different recipes and different squashes. I haven't posted any of them because they didn't turn out in taste or looks or both. This whole vegan baking thing is tricky.

My latest attempt at vegan pie even looks like a pie!

Today, I thought I would share my most recent experiment, my attempt at creating a pantry-friendly acorn squash pie. My biggest accomplishment was making a pie crust. I have an unreasonable aversion to making pie crust. I make the biggest mess when trying to roll out a pie crust and have a tendency to crack the crust. I found a tip: roll the crust between two sheets of wax paper. As long as both sheets of the wax paper are floured, this worked much better for me. I could easily move the crust around or flip it over. When the time came to place the crust in the pie pan, I used the invert method (see step 6) from the Pie Maven. I made sure to blind bake the crust before adding the filling.

Here is the recipe I used for the crust. Very simple and Grandma would approve.

 
I used my original vegan acorn squash pie recipe as the base of my recipe. After making several failed squash pies, one important lesson I have learned is to blend all the ingredients in the blender, especially if using fresh winter squash. My ingredients for this pie were:

• acorn squash
• coconut milk
• sugar
• vanilla
• salt
• pumpkin pie spice (my own blend!)

 
I omitted the apples since I had a crust and I wanted to see what would happen without the cornstarch. Turns out, these kinds of pies need at least a bit of cornstarch or arrowroot powder to form the proper texture. I also made sure not to overcook the pie! Do you have a favorite recipe I should try? What are your suggestions???

Delicata Squash Idea

 

I do love my involved, time-consuming recipes. There are times, when the best way to enjoy an ingredient is as simply as possible. I feel very silly. It's taken me three years of cooking with delicata squash to even try it simply roasted. Oven-roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper is my favorite way to enjoy this seasonal favorite!

To make:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, combine squash with enough olive oil to coat. Season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast about 10 minutes, then mix, turning the squash. Roast an additional 7-10 minutes, until the squash is tender. Enjoy!

Quick Remake of Acorn Squash with Chickpeas

 

Winter squash are beginning to appear in the markets! What's that mean for Cheap not Frugal Eats? Winter squash obsession begins! 

I used my recipe Acorn Squash with Chickpeas and Adobo as inspiration for a quick dinner. I sauteed delicata squash that I then simmered in a spicy, peppery tomato sauce (Z.'s red sauce he made with New Mexico chilies) with chickpeas and a few spices. I served my squash and chickpeas over couscous. If you can measure and boil water, you can make couscous. 

I sauteed 1 cup of delicata squash about 5 minutes in a large, high-sided pan. I then toasted 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for 30 seconds then added 1 cup tomato sauce and about 1/2 can of rinsed and drained chickpeas. I put a lid on the pan and let simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash was tender. Meanwhile, I prepared my couscous. This meal was spicy, flavorful, and just right for a dark, overcast evening. 

What are your favorite leftover quick meal ideas?