Butternut Squash Mac

 I found a recipe for a Butternut Squash Mac and thought this is perfect for the fall.

*Note, next time around I'll add more cheese.

You may need a strong male for this recipe with all the slicing and dicing going on. For all you feminist out there..I'm NOT saying women aren't strong enough; however, this is a complicated dish. Cutting up the squash involves strong steady hands... and being the nervous type I figured I'd leave it to the man of the house. This is cooking with Jen AND Ben after all.

Ingredients:

3 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta shells
4 cups 1/2-inch cubed uncooked butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk (or unsweetened almond or coconut)
6 ounces freshly grated Fontina cheese
2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted brown butter
2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
fresh chopped herbs for garnish (sage, basil, cilantro, thyme)

*If you want to bake it after in the skillet with breadcrumbs on top then follow the recipe and then bake at 375* for 15-20 min.

To cut up the squash (BE CAREFUL!) remove the ends at either side. Then cut down the middle. Once you have a round piece and a long cylinder shape start to peel the skin off of each. You can do this with a peeler or a sharp knife. We had to use both, it was a giant squash!! ;) Pictures below.. save your thoughts...

Step One: Boil the water for the shells...coming soon. Cut the squash.

Step Two: Peel away, and please please please be careful!

Step Three: Cut the round part in half and remove the guts seeds at the core.

Step Four: Boil the shells.

Step Five: Cube the cylinder part of the squash..watch your fingers por favor ;) Then add all the cubes (including the round part of the squash) to the pan with the brown sugar, salt, pepper, olive oil, nutmeg, low sodium chicken or veggie broth, skim milk, grated Fontina cheese, Parmesan cheese and *brown butter (see below).

As the shells are boiling (see box for directions); cover the pan with the cubed squash and let it cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove the pasta when done, drain and put aside.

Then in the pan used previously for shells, add your cooked squash, a little more milk, cheese and mash away.

Fold into the shells, add a garnish if you'd like and enjoy!

There you have it folks, Butternut Mac and Cheese!

*How to brown butter:

Slice butter thin and add to the pan, let it melt and stir frequently. Once the butter foams a little and turns a slight shade of brown (be careful it's easy to burn), and has a nutty aroma then stop. Pour the butter into the squash mixture in the step above.

Easy Apple Pie

Fall is officially here. Leaves are falling off trees, the people of the United States of America are waiting to vote on the lesser of the two evils and friends are getting together to enjoy a nice glass of Sparkling Cider.

Ohhh, and then there's apple pie...

Yummy glass of apple cider :)

Ingredients:

6 cups of cubed granny smith apples (green ones) (remove skin-be careful!)

1 box of Pie Crust (comes with 2 - top & bottom)

2/3 tsp Cinnamon (I added a little extra)

3/4 cup Sugar

2 tbsp Flour

1/8 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Salt

Step One: Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in an ungreased or greased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.

Step Two: In a large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.

Step Three: Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. 

Let cool...

Who am I kidding, dig in while it's warm....even if it's burns the roof of your mouth a little. That will go away eventually ;).

Oh and it also smells delicious ... it's like a natural air freshener for when the landlord happens to stop by ;)

Tips on making a special edge on a pie crust.

I just simply pinched my fingers together around the pie and cut (lightly) into the pie in 5 slits (almost in a star shape).

Leftovers are great, just re-heat and add vanilla ice cream!

Crock Pot Chicken Lasagna

Crock Pot Chicken Lasagna

 

Ingredients:

2 Large Chicken Breasts Cooked and Diced

1 Packed Cup of Fresh Fine Chopped Spinach (wasn't included in mine but it would be great!)

2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 (8 Ounce) Package of Sour Cream

1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 Cup of Milk

1 Small Yellow Onion Shredded

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4th Teaspoon Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon of Paprika

16 Ounces of Mozzarella Cheese Shredded

Olive Oil

1 Package of Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles (strongly suggest you use - "Oven Ready")

Directions:

Cook the chicken on the stove top (until it's cooked all the way through)

In a separate bowl mix:

2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup

1 (8 Ounce) Package of Sour Cream

1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 Cup of Milk

1 Small Yellow Onion Shredded

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4th Teaspoon Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon of Paprika

Then dice the chicken into cubes and add to the mixture you just made.

Pour Olive Oil onto the bottom of the crock pot.

Add the lasagna pasta (you may need to break to make them fit)

Add the mixture on top of pasta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add spinach

Add cheese

Layer again with noodles

 

Repeat until it's as high as you want it.....

 

 

Cook on High for an hour and a half

Then turn the crock pot on low and cook for another 3 1/2 hours

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Crock Pot Chuck Roast

Easy Peasy....

Pour 2 cups of water in the crock pot

Mix in the gravy with mushroom powder

Add the chuck Roast 

Halve the potatoes and add them to the pot

Add seasoning and onion

Cook on low for 8 hours

Enjoy!

See easy. 

Now for a random story: 

My 110 pound Bull Mastiff was found shaking on one end of the couch. Yes, shaking. Turns out he was preparing for the earth quake that no one else in our household even felt. Then he proceeded to become the ultimate "lap-dog" and resorted to sitting on top of me for safety. It was pretty humorous. 

He's better now that the ground isn't shaking ;).

Dinner.....

Italian Crock Pot Chicken

This is probably one of the easiest recipe I've ever made. Not only does it basically cook itself, it's affordable!

Ingredients:

Italian Dressing
Italian Seasoning Packet

Potatoes (halved)

4 Chicken Breasts

Slow cooker liner (if desired)

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Pam

Put all of the ingredients into the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

..Told you it was easy ;)

For those who need a little more direction:

Step 1: Spray the Pam at the bottom of the pot.

Step 2: Add the chicken. Skirt a small amount of Italian dressing at the bottom of the pot (I pour the whole thing in). You can do either one.

Step 3: Add the potatoes

Step 4: Sprinkle the cheese on the chicken and potatoes.

Pizza Bites

Pizza Bites are so easy to make that I won't go into too much detail. I just thought I'd share in case you were looking for an appetizer idea.

Ingredients:

Butter/Pam/Olive Oil so they don't stick

Crescent Rolls

Cheese

Pepperoni

Add anything you'd like

Roll up the ingredients in the crescent rolls and bake for 20 minutes at 350*.

Enjoy!

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Baked Chicken Taquitos

 

These are supposedly healthier because they are baked as opposed to deep fried. The cheese and sour cream are also 0 calories. #notlyingatall

 

Ben and I enjoy a local Mexican place up the street once in a blue moon. Since we haven't been able to go in a while I thought I'd try to re-create some chicken taquitos. According to Ben, this recipe made the list.

 

Random Story (because there always seems to be one):

 

My work held a Bake Sale this afternoon for the United Way. I helped by baking cookies and selling the treats. I sent my bosses (yup there's two) a message letting them know I'd be out of the office working the bake sale and one boss replied, "Please don't eat the profits." #FatKid

 

 

 

Onto the good stuff...

 

Ingredients:

 

 

3 Cups of shredded chicken (or 1lb of chicken breast sliced thin and cooked on the stove top)

1 tsp of cumin (optional)

Pinch of salt, pepper, taco seasoning (optional)

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1 cup of shredded Mexican Cheese

12 corn tortillas

*Guacamole/Sour Cream/Salsa

* See recipe below to make your own guacamole

 

Steps:

 

Step 1: Mix the cooked shredded chicken with all seasonings along with the shredded cheese in a bowl.

 

Step 2: Cover baking sheet with tin foil.

 

Step 3: Microwave your corn tortillas so it's easier to roll and it helps with cracking. Make sure you put a moist paper towl in between the tortillas while microwaving.

 

Step 4: Add the chicken mixture to the middle of the tortilla and roll it up tight.

 

Step 5: Lay the rolled up tortilla seam side down to hold in ingredients. Spray the tortillas with pam (this helps make them crispy).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6: Heat in the oven for about 25 minutes or until brown and crispy.

 

 

 

Make the guac, serve with sour cream and salsa and ...

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

*To make the guacamole:

Mash 1 large avocado with 2 tsp sour cream, 1 spoonful of salsa, 1tsp lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Rigatoni

Baked Rigatoni

Ingredients:

(Feeds 2)

Pasta (see serving sizes on box)

1 Pound of Ground Beef Chuck

Garlic and Onion Powder (Any additional seasonings)

Minced Garlic

Mrs. Salt and Mr. Pepper

1 Jar of Spaghetti *(Sketti) Sauce

*Ben and I have been watching a new show called "Honey Boo Boo" which is a spin off from the controversial show Toddlers and Tiaras. Let me first just openly admit that I find the Toddlers and Tiaras show to be ridiculous. Fake eyelashes and sexy moves for toddlers is out of line. However, Honey Boo Boo (a Tiaras contestant with her own show) is now our house-hold favorite. The funny white trash family is mindless TV that makes us laugh and after a long day sometimes it's just what the doctor ordered. I bring this up because in the show the mother has her own version of an Italian dish which she appropriately (in her backwoods accent) named "Sketti." I won't tell you what's in it because you might not want to eat after and this is a cooking blog after all. If you have the time please look it up or watch one episode. As ridiculous as it is, it might just make you laugh.

                    

Before the Pageants                                         During the Pageants

Anyways...onto the good stuff...

PASTA!

1. Boil the pasta according to directions. (http://whatscookingamerica.net/Pasta_Rice_Main/pasta.htm) ...for those who need a little fun fact page.

2. Once the pasta has boiled almost all the way through, add EVOO (extra virigin olive oil) to the a skillet until the beef is brown. Here you can add all your seasonings to the beef.

 

3. Once the Pasta has boiled and the meat has been cooked all the way through put them aside. Start heating up the sauce in a sauce pan and add them all together.

*Optional - Add Mozzarella Cheese and bake @ 350* for 20 minutes

*Not Optional - Add Parmesan Cheese to the top :)

Easy, under $10 and YUMMY!

Enjoy!