Creamy Winter Squash and Greens Soup

Bacon and kale? Awesome. Bacon and winter squash? Delicious. Bacon, kale, and squash? Absolutely scrumptious, and an easy way to get a healthy dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. The cliche that bacon makes everything better exists for a reason, with just a small amount of that glorious ingredient turning what would just be a merely tasty bowl of soup into a really memorable one. It's hard to believe that just four ingredients (if you don't count water, salt, and pepper) are this flavorful when brought together, each bite the perfect balance of savory, salty bacon, sweet squash, and hearty kale. (If you are a vegetarian or vegan, and have chosen to deny yourself the glory that is bacon, you can simply saute the onion in olive oil instead of rendered bacon fat.) All this creamy veggie-packed deliciousness demands a roll or piece of crusty bread to sop up every last bit of flavor, making this soup the perfect excuse to stop at your favorite bakery. Extra soup freezes well, so whip up an extra batch for a quick meal anytime, but hold off on garnishing with the bacon bits until you're ready to serve.

Creamy Winter Squash and Greens Soup
adapted from Martha Stewart
serves 4

4 strips bacon, 4 ounces, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound kale, or other hearty green, thick stems removed, leaves finely chopped (about 8 cups)
4 cups homemade winter squash (butternut, acorn, etc.) puree, or 2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen winter squash puree, thawed
Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside.

2. Add onion to fat in pan, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add kale; cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Add squash puree and 3 cups water (or more if necessary to achieve desired consistency); bring just to a boil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with reserved bacon.

Baked Winter Squash Pasta with Parmesan Croutons

Now that I've either eaten or preserved most of my winter CSA vegetables, save for some potatoes, carrots, and onions, I'm working on tackling the massive stores of frozen squash puree in my freezer. While I love squash flavor, especially pumpkins and butternut, squash puree can also seamlessly blend into sauces without becoming the dominant flavor. In this scrumptious pasta dish, its subtle sweetness and silky texture is the perfect canvas for pungent Parmesan cheese and fresh rosemary, creating a grown-up mac and cheese that you might even be able to convince the kiddos to eat. Although I always choose whole grain pasta over one made with white flour, I think the nuttiness of whole grain pasta is a particularly good complement to both the squash and Parmesan, an under-appreciated palate in its own right. My first choice of squash would be butternut, but acorn, festival, or nearly any other winter squash would work also nicely. Despite a relatively short list of ingredients, the flavor of this meal is surely more than the sum of its parts. Be it Meatless Monday or date night, this sophisticated blend of vegetables, whole grains and cheese is a hearty bowl of comfort any winter night.

Baked Winter Squash Pasta with Parmesan Croutons
adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food
serves 4

Cooking spray, for baking dish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
8 ounces small whole wheat pasta (penne, rotini, shells, etc.)
1/2 package (6 ounces) frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 baguette or whole grain bread, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until onions are soft and release liquid, 10 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onions are browned, 20 to 25 minutes total. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes less than package instructions suggest. Drain, reserving 1 cup  cooking water. Return pasta to pot.

3. Stir squash and reserved pasta water into onions; simmer 2 minutes. Toss squash mixture and 1/4 cup Parmesan with pasta. Transfer to prepared dish.

4. Combine bread cubes with remaining Parmesan, rosemary, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with bread cubes; bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Summer Squash and Red Quinoa Salad with Walnuts

Sometimes two of the defining characteristics of my personality will be at odds with each other - my love of a good deal, and my passion for fancy food and ingredients. This recipe, along with being healthy, is the perfect reconciliation of those often conflicting traits. Zucchini and summer squash are abundant and inexpensive this time of year, but I get to dress it up with excellent Sherry vinegar and top-notch Parmesan, turning an economical blank canvas vegetable into a vibrantly flavored dish. An abundance of fresh herbs gives a burst of freshness, walnuts lend richness and crunch, lemon juice and Sherry vinegar a subtle piquant accent, with a bed of quinoa providing enough heft to make this into a light, but satisfying, meal. Although I went with the original combination of quinoa and walnuts, there are myriad other combinations of grains (barley, rice, etc.) and seeds or nuts (almonds, pecans, pepitas, etc.) that would make wonderful substitutions. Different herbs and vinegars allow you to further personalize this recipe to your personal taste and what's currently available, the perfect kind of recipe for using up odds and ends in the pantry and fridge or creating a dish to honor any one of these ingredients. Whether you follow this to the letter or use it as a template, this recipe can surely find a way to satisfying your culinary needs in these last summer days.

Summer Squash and Red Quinoa Salad with Walnuts
adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2012

1 cup red or other quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh sieve, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 pound assorted summer squash
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan plus 1/4 cup shaved with a peeler
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions

2. Cut squash into 1/8"-thick slices, some lengthwise and some crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl, season with 2 teaspoons salt, and toss to coat. Let sit until slightly wilted, about 15 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Pat dry with paper towels.

3. Whisk grated Parmesan, zest, juice, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

4. Combine squash, quinoa, parsley, walnuts, and basil in a large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat. Garnish with shaved Parmesan.

Cheesy Orzo Baked in Acorn Squash

When I'm not feeling creative or am really busy, most squash that makes its way into my kitchen (and there's been a lot of it lately) is either roasted and pureed (butternut) or stuffed with grains and veggies and baked (acorn and festival). Even though these preparations aren't time-comsuming or elaborate, they are some of the most delicious ways to enjoy squash and this recipe certainly falls into that category. Quick-cooking orzo is combined with a few simple flavorings in a creamy blanket of milk and cheese for a fast and very satisfying dinner, perfect for Meatless Monday if you're a participant. This balanced plate of flavors-mildly sweet and soft squash, nutty whole wheat orzo, and salty, savory cheese-is sure to please your palate (and soul) on a dark, chilly winter evening. Although it's an easy, healthy dish, it can be made indulgent with whole milk or half-and-half, generous amounts of cheese, and crumbled bacon with a beautiful presentation that makes it elegant enough to serve for company. At whatever place in the indulgence spectrum you decide to jump in, I hope you give these charming cups of winter squash deliciousness a try.

Cheesy Orzo Baked in Acorn Squash
adapted from Bon Appetit, via Epicurious
serves 4

2 small acorn squash, halved, seeded
3/4 cup water
1 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta; also called riso)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup low-fat (1%) milk
1/2 cup canned vegetable broth
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Dash of hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco), optional

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut off thin slice from rounded side of each squash half. Arrange squash, open side down, in roasting pan. Add 3/4 cup water to pan. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until squash is tender about 35 minutes. Remove from oven; discard water. Turn squash open side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Return pan to medium heat and melt one tablespoon of butter. Add garlic and chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened but not mushy, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour milk and broth into same pot; bring to boil. Add orzo; boil until liquid thickens and orzo is tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Season with hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper.

3. Divide orzo mixture among squash halves. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoon Parmesans. Bake until tops begin to brown, 8 to 12 minutes.

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Glazed Acorn Squash

When you've got good produce, it takes very little in terms of both ingredients and cooking technique to make an absolutely delicious dish, and this recipe is a prime example. Acorn, festival, and butternut squash all take particularly well to sweet glazes containing honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup and what are probably mostly commonly thought of as baking spices, like cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of fat, sweetener, spices, and a touch of salt is a dependable combination for preparing winter squash for elaborate holiday meals and weekday dinners alike. With those expert pairings in mind, I was able to quickly put this side together while attending to all other facets of the meal and watch it be eagerly gobbled down with all the other trappings of a hearty Thanksgiving meal. Although squash wasn't a part of my Thanksgiving dinner as a kid, I've made it for at least the last two holiday meals I've hosted and I can see it becoming a part of the traditions I'm crafting as an adult.

Like so many of the recipes I share, this recipe is open to myriad interpretations, depending on what ingredients you have hand and what you'll be pairing with the squash; roasting the squash and pureeing the flesh with the same ingredients also produces a splendid result. With such a bounty of squash in my CSA box I don't always have time for elaborate and highly creative dishes, but I can also to come back to solid simple recipes like this one without being disappointed.

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Glazed Acorn Squash
serves 4

2 small to medium acorn or festival squash
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut squash in half and then into 1/2-inch-thick rings, discarding end pieces, and place in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet.

2. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt together. Brush the top half of the squash rings with half of the melted butter and sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mixture. Flip rings over, brush with the remaining melted butter, and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar mixture.

3. Roast squash rings for 10 to 12 minutes. Flip rings over and continue to roast until the squash rings are caramelized and tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on desired level of tenderness. Remove from over and serve warm.

Thai Red Curry Squash Soup

When faced with pounds and pounds of beautiful organic squash from my CSA, my thoughts immediately turned to soup, and strangely specifically, curried soup with coconut milk. A quick search through Food and Wine recipes revealed that I am certainly not the only one to think of this as a perfect combination and was delighted to fine a recipe from Joanne Chang, owner of Flour Bakery and Cafe and co-owner of Myers + Chang with her husband, Christopher Myers, both in the Boston area. Although I've not been lucky enough to visit Boston and dine at either of her restaurants, I have had great succcess with her recipes in the past and I have immense respect for her diverse skills as a baker, pastry chef, and chef. My opinion of her is also greatly elevated by the fact that in every TV appearance she seems like a truly wonderful person with no ego and is a Harvard graduate who left her career to pursue a passion for cooking, one of those dreams that is constantly swirling around in my head. 

But on to the food! The sweetness of butternut squash is the perfect foil for curry spices, and the coconut milk makes everything irresistably creamy and smooth. I tend to eat a copious amount of soup in the winter, particularly since I started getting my winter CSA and this is nice change of pace from minestrone-type soups and dense stews (though they most certainly have their place, as well). The soup is unmistakably hearty and satisfying, but the Asian spices and ingredients keep the soup light and bright. When the days turn even colder, this soup is a fabulous taste of warm lands far, far away to transport you from the icy winds and dark skies of winter.

Thai Red Curry Squash Soup

from Food and Wine

serves 12 (as a first course)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger, plus 1 cup slivered fresh ginger

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

3 pounds kabocha, kuri or buttercup squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces

5 cups water

Two 13 1/2-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk

2 lime leaves or 1 teaspoon lime zest

1 large stalk of fresh lemongrass, smashed and cut into 2-inch lengths

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large scallions, thinly sliced

1. In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter. Add the onion and sliced ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 7 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the squash and water and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until soft, 25 minutes. Add the coconut milk, lime leaves and lemongrass, cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Discard the lime leaves and lemongrass.

2. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender; add it to a clean pot. Stir in the sugar and lime juice and season with salt.

3. In a medium skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the slivered ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden brown and crisp, 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the ginger to paper towels to drain.

4. Reheat the soup; ladle it into bowls. Garnish with the fried ginger and scallions and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Three Sisters Stew

At some point during your childhood, you probably heard of the Iroquois legend of the Three Sisters-the smallest, who could only crawl and was dressed in green, the middle, clad in yellow who liked to run off by herself, and the eldest, robed in pale green with flowing yellow hair standing tall over her sisters and protecting them. In a nutshell, the legend tells the story of how the youngest and middle sisters are taken from the field and the eldest stands mourning their loss until she is reunited with her beloved sisters at the harvest. More than just a charming story, this Indian legend explains the symbiotic relationship between these three vegetables, who are currently in the midst of their family reunion. These are truly the glory days of the farmers' market, where one can still buy the last of the sweet corn, myriad beans, and the first of winter squash, and this stew is the perfect way to unite those last flavors of summer with the first tastes of fall.

With temperatures dropping into the thirties overnight this week and only reaching the sixties during the day, I was more than ready to embark on soup/stew season. This thick and hearty stew is overflowing with delicious vegetables and flavors that make for an immensely satisfying meal on their own, but are also happily soaked up into a piece of crusty bread or fresh corn muffin. (I've been craving corn muffins/corn bread for a while and this stew was the perfect excuse to whip up a quick batch-believe me, the effort is well worth it.) While I chose a comforting combination of butternut squash and pinto beans, this soup would gleefully accomodate black, cranberry, or kidney beans, acorn squash, or even sweet potatoes. So grab a big pot, an armful of fall vegetables, and make this stew to protect yourself against the impending cold.

Three Sisters Stew
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4

1 quart water 
One 1 1/2-pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 ears) 
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves 
2 tablespoons canola oil 
1 large onion, coarsely chopped 
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped 
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
1 teaspoon dried oregano 
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil with the squash and corn. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Add the beans and cook until the beans are hot. Transfer 3 cups of the squash mixture to a blender along with some of the liquid and the basil; puree. Return the puree to the pot and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat  the oil. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano and paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir the vegetables into the stew and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve.

Red Curry Winter Squash Soup

Red curry paste is a great ingredient to keep around because it makes it easy to add a ton of flavor to a dish with very little effort. Creamy, mildly sweet squash goes extremely well with curry, as does coconut milk, and putting all three together was a wonderful way to use up (almost) the last of my CSA squash.

I added about 1 cup of broth and 4 teaspoons of red curry paste to make a very thick and mildly spicy and very filling dinner for my husband (who doesn't like things too spicy) and myself. If you only add around 1 cup of broth when pureeing the soup you'll have a very thick and creamy soup suitable for a main course for two to three people, but thinned further would make a nice first course soup for four to six people. This soup can also easily be made vegan by sauteeing the onions and garlic in olive oil instead of butter. My husband was a big fan of this soup and told me to make sure to write the recipe down, so this may be making another appearance on our dinner table soon.

Red Curry Winter Squash Soup
serves 2 to 3 (as a main course) to 6 (as a first course)

Canola oil cooking spray
2 medium winter squash, such as acorn or festival squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
One 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk
1 teaspoons red curry paste (or more), to taste
1 cup (or more) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or water (enough to achieve desired consistency)
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Cilantro, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil with canola oil cooking spray. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on baking sheet and roast until squash is very tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size and type of squash, and remove from oven. Once squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and set aside.

2. While squash is cooling, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7  minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add squash flesh, light coconut milk, 1 teaspoon red curry paste, and 1 cup stock and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Add broth and blend further to achieve desired consistency-if you stop at this point, you will have a very thick soup suitable for a main course for 2 to 3 people, but soup can be thinned further for a lighter first course soup. Once desired consistency is achieved, add red curry paste, one teaspoon at a time, to taste. Season with salt and pepper and simmer soup for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Serve warm and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad

Michael Symon is one of my favorite celebrity chefs. I love the show Food Feuds and he's one of the most entertaining competitors on Iron Chef America, but I first became intrigued by this chef after reading about him in Michael Ruhlman's fantastic book, The Soul of a Chef. Food and Wine is one of my most-trusted recipe sources, but when the recipe is also such a fantastic chef, I can be pretty sure it's a winner. I really like quinoa and it's nutritionally one of the best foods out there, so I try to work it into my diet as often as possible. It's a complete protein and thus a great option for vegetarians, vegans, and people just trying to have a healthy diet that isn't so dependent on animal protein (and people with little time on their hands to cook-quinoa is a very quick-cooking grain).

This recipe calls for delicata squash, but I used acorn squash instead (because I had it on hand) and the recipe made enough quinoa salad to generously fill six squash halves. While the presentation is beautiful, actually eating the quinoa salad by scooping it out of the intact squash shell with the squash flesh is a bit more difficult. I cut my squash shell in half, scooped out the squash flesh and mixed it in with the quinoa salad. The soft and sweet squash mingles well with the nutty quinoa, crunchy and tart apples, and peppery arugula, filling you up and leaving you feeling healthy and energized.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa Salad
from Michael Symon, via Food and Wine

2 Delicata squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced
1 large shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 ounces arugula (2 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the raisins and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey with the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, shallot, garlic, mint and parsley and toss well. Add the arugula and toss gently.

4. Set the squash halves on plates. Fill with the salad and serve.

Roasted Delicata Squash Soup

Although we've yet to have more than a few flurries of snow here in Madison, winter is definitely here (with the exception of one bizarre afternoon this week where it was 64 and thunderstorming). Few foods are more comforting in winter than soup. You can make soup out of pretty much anything, it's often largely hands-off, and you can make mass quantities with minimal effort, and like pizza and paninis, which I frequently experiment with, it's nearly infinitely customizable so I absolutely adore it.

I got three different kinds of squash in my CSA last week-delicata, acorn, and butternut; delicata is by far the one I have the least experience eating and cooking. But I do know is that squash is always good roasted, and I love a creamy squash soup (like Butternut Squash Bisque). I lightened up the original recipe, using whole milk instead of heavy cream, as I intended this dish to be a main dish. If serving this dish as a first course cream or half-and-half would be very appropriate and to make it even more special, add a few crumbled bacon bits to the top as a final garnish. Even in the more everyday form I present here, this soup is extremely creamy and satisfying and a welcome meal when coming home on a cold winter evening.

Roasted Delicata Squash Soup
adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4 

Three approximately 1-pound delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons salted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 1/3 cups whole milk
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream (optional)

 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Set the squash, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with canola oil cooking spray. Roast the squash for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Scrape the flesh out of the squash and add it to the saucepan along with the stock and milk. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by one-fourth, about 20 minutes.

3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. (Alternatively, blend in batches using a blender or food processor). Pass through a fine sieve or chinoise, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and top with crème fraîche or sour cream, if desired. Serve warm with a salad and piece of crusty bread.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Walnuts

I can't resist the wide variety of squash available at the farmer's market, so I picked up a spaghetti squash (and an acorn squash and a butternut squash) without any specific plans for it. I roasted and pureed the acorn and butternut squash and froze the purees, but decided to roast the spaghetti squash and enjoy it now. A little butter, cheese, and a few toasted nuts is all it takes to make a simple, healthy, and delicious dish out of roasted squash. Pecorino Romano makes a nice substitute for the Parmesan, as would goat cheese, and any toasted nuts you like would work well in this recipe. Olive oil would also work well in place of the butter and any fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, etc.) may stand in for the parsley.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Walnuts

One 4- to 5-pound spaghetti squash halved lengthwise, seeds removed
Cooking spray
2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking pan with cooking spray, and place the squash on the pan, cut sides down. Roast until tender and easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly until squash can be handled, about 10 minutes. 

2. Scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long, spaghetti-like strands and place in a large bowl. Add the butter, Parmesan, parsley, walnuts, 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste), and pepper to taste. Toss to thoroughly combine, and serve warm.

Zucchini and Summer Squash with Romano Cheese

This is one of those dishes created to use up fresh produce with what I already had laying around the house. I was very inspired to experiment after making three dishes from Fast, Fresh, and Green this week, so I decided to throw something together with what I already had on hand, with just my instincts as a guide. I bought some delicious smoked sea salt last weekend (at TJ Maxx, of all places) and after using it on some pork chops with great success, decided it was worth a try on vegetables. The subtle smoky flavor of the sea salt complemented the salty cheese, pungent cheese and was a nice contrast to the sweet squash; I'm eager to experiment it with some more. This must at least smell pretty good because I got a number of comments on how delicious it smelled when I was heating up leftovers at work today. As with so many dishes, fresh ingredients and a simple preparation are often the best.

Zucchini and Summer Squash with Romano Cheese


2 T. unsalted butter
1.5 lbs. zucchini and/or summer squash, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 t. smoked sea salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. freshly grated Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and/or squash, onions, and salt to pan, tossing the vegetables to coat evenly with butter. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your taste. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle cheese over the top. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.

Brown Butter Summer Squash "Linguine"

This recipe comes from my newest cookbook obsession, Fast, Fresh, and Green by Susie Middleton. Every week I comes home from the farmer's market with more produce than I intended, constantly being seduced by the incredible bounty of fruits and vegetables available to me at the Dane County Farmer's Market. I have a few favorite recipe websites, but I much prefer pouring through actual physical cookbooks for recipes. The older I get the more vegetables I enjoy and the more willing I am to experiment with ways to prepare them. But as much as I love to cook, I do work at least forty hours a week and don't want to spend my entire evening in the kitchen after work (at least not all the time). This cookbook is fully of quick, delicious recipes spanning the full bounty of farmer's market produce.

This wonderful side comes together in just a few minutes and is a light and fresh side. I served it alongside catfish burgers, and I think it would go best with chicken or fish. The only change I would make next time is to add more fresh parsley, which I always have plenty of since I grow my own in my apartment. Parsley adds a nice fresh quality to any dish and perfectly complements the acidity of the lemon juice and crisp freshness of the squash.

Brown Butter Summer Squash "Linguine"
from Fast, Fresh, and Green by Susie Middleton
serves 3 to 4

1.5 lb. young yellow (summer) squash
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. finely chopped almonds or hazelnuts
1 t. kosher salt
2 t. chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
1/2 lemon

1. Wash and fry the squash and trim off the ends. Using a julienne peeler, peel the squash lengthwise all the way around, dropping the strips into a bowl. Continue peeling until you reach the seed core. Discard the core and peel the other squash in the same fashion. Toss the squash strips and separate any that are clumping together.

2. In a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the almonds and swirl the butter around in the pan. Cook the butter until it reaches a nutty brown color (the almonds should be light brown by then), about 2 minutes. The color turns quickly so keep and eye on it-it will be more flavorful if you take it beyond a very light brown, but you don't want it to turn black. Immediately add the squash and salt. Toss the squash gently with tongs until it is well coated with the butter. Continue cooking just until the squash becomes slightly limp, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat, stir in half of the chopped herbs, and squeeze a little of the lemon over the squash and toss. Taste and add more lemon, if desired. Transfer the squash to a serving dish or plates and garnish with the remaining herbs.