Love fall, but enough of the pumpkin (just kidding), here's (464 views)

Everything is pumpkin! From coffees, to food, and TJ's has been taken over by all things pumpkin. So for you pumpkin fans, enjoy!

So for a change to all things pumpkin, let's talk butternut squash and other squash ...

I need to branch out, I've never tried many of the other squashes (don't think I've ever had acorn etc).. I hope I can find those mini squashes this year (honey ??)


Here's a few favs. I still hate cutting butternut squash! I have bough the precut but sometimes not a fan.



This was super popular on the old CLBB, source?

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette (I usually sub a different green)

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.



Roasted Pear-Butternut Soup with Crumbled Stilton from Eating Well Magazine

Stilton cheese and pears are a classic combination—the salty milky blue cheese balances the sweet, floral taste of the pears. Roasting the pears and the butternut squash caramelizes their sugar, maximizing their inherent sweetness. You can serve this creamy soup as a first course or with a salad and crusty bread for a light autumn supper.

2 ripe pears, peeled, quartered and cored
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 large leek, pale green and white parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced and washed thoroughly --- used a Vidalia onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2/3 cup crumbled Stilton or other blue-veined cheese
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives or scallion greens (I didn’t use)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine pears, squash, tomatoes, leek, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 40 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Place half the vegetables and 2 cups broth in a blender; puree until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Puree the remaining vegetables and 2 cups broth. Add to the pan and stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Cook the soup over medium-low heat, stirring, until hot, about 10 minutes. Divide among 6 bowls and garnish with cheese and chives (or scallion greens).

Per serving: 236 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 5 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 6 g fiber; 721 mg sodium; 721 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (350% daily value), Vitamin C (70% dv), Potassium (21% dv), Calcium (20% dv).

Comments from the person that posted it. This was very good. Made the house smell great while I was roasting the veggies. Easy, just cutting up veggies and pears.
First time I've used stilton cheese. Wow, if you like blue cheese you'll love this stuff. Very creamy!

To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Add more broth when reheating, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings, 1 1/3 cups each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/4 hours
Ease of preparation: Easy
To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Add more broth when reheating, if desired

Someone on the CLBB wrote, I've found ripe Bartlett pears to be a bit sweet in this and favor boscs



Orzo with Butternut Squash, Spinach & Blue Cheese (sorry I don't have the source noted)

In terms of pasta, I like to use orzo when I want the pasta to be the sidekick to whatever vegetable I'm highlighting. Since it's fall, butternut squash and spinach are definitely both the colors and the flavors that I'm craving.
This pasta dish also shows my other bias: I really enjoy winter squashes and sweet potatoes when paired with blue cheese. Plus, mixing the blue cheese in with the warm pasta and squash creates a creaminess in the dish without a heavy sauce. Of course, I understand that blue cheese isn't everyone's favorite — goat cheese also works well for creating this creamy texture (but just isn't the same, flavor-wise!)

Serves 4 to 6
2 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash (1/4-inch cubes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup regular or whole wheat orzo
2 cups shredded spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Toss butternut squash with the olive oil. Spread into a single layer on a sheet tray. Bake until squash is tender and starting to brown, 35 to 40 minutes. (Squash can be roasted up to 5 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Rewarm before serving.)
Place the spinach in a large bowl and set aside. In a small skillet, heat olive oil until just warm. Stir in garlic, remove from heat and allow to sit until ready to use.
Place the orzo in a pot and cover with at least 2" of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender but not mushy, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and immediately pour the hot orzo on top of the spinach. Let sit for a few minutes to slightly wilt spinach.
Add butternut squash to the pasta along with the blue cheese and garlic olive oil. Toss until well combined and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
• Make-Ahead Moment: Roast the squash whenever you have a spare moment and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Warm it in the microwave, a low oven, or in the skillet with the garlic before tossing with the pasta.



haven't tried this one -- not sure where it is from.

Pan-Seared Butternut Squash with Balsamic & Parmigiano Shards
Serves 4
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
5 fresh sage leaves, sliced into a very thin chiffonade
Leaves of 4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 medium (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into uniform 3/4-inch cubes, about 5 cups worth (if buying pre-cut squash, you’ll need about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (See Recipe Note)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shavings, to serve
Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast iron pan, or a large sauté pan or skillet, over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the thyme and sage and fry them for 30 seconds. Add the squash, immediately toss to coat with the oil, and spread the squash out into as much of a single layer as possible. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or longer, stirring occasionally, until the sides of the cubes vary from light to dark brown and the squash is tender all the way through when poked with a fork. Pay attention to the heat under the pan, taking care not to burn the outsides before the middles are soft, but don’t fear failure if a few of the cubes darken to near black here and there. As the squash cooks, stir and scrape often with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula that can do the work of getting the tasty bits up off the bottom of the pan without scraping it silly.
While the squash cooks, briskly whisk together the molasses, balsamic and olive oil and set it aside.
As soon as squash is tender throughout, sprinkle with salt and pepper, adding more to taste. Transfer the butternut to a platter and drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette. Scatter the shards of cheese over top and serve immediately.
Leftovers, if any, can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheated in a hot pan until warm. They are also excellent in an arugula salad with red onions and more of the same balsamic dressing.
Recipe Notes:
• Honey can be substituted for the pomegranate molasses but will lack the tartness that stands out over the butternut sweetness