Recipes

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 Medium onion, diced

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes, with their juices

Flesh of roasted 2 pound butternut* squash (see the recipe at bottom)

3 Cups homemade or canned low salt organic chicken broth

1 Tbs. plain yogurt, heavy cream or sour cream per serving for garnish

1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Heat the oil and butter in a heavy soup pot set over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and saute for 2 minutes and then cover, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, season with a few grinds of pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Peel the roasted squash and add the flesh to the pot, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add chicken broth, cover and bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and puree in small batches in a blender or food processor (don't fill vessel more than one-third full and vent the lid or you risk getting splashed with hot soup). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Return the soup to the pot and stir occasionally over low heat until hot. Garnish each serving with a spoonful of yogurt, sour cream or a drizzle of cream and sprinkling of the minced parsley.

*I have used all different types of winter squash and good cooking pumpkins. Slightly different tastes, but always wonderful.

**This soup freezes well.

Cossack Pie from Beverly via Jana Osada

Both the "Cossack Pie" and the pie crust are adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook. The measurements are approximate, you can use more veggies if you want, and still turns out really good. You can always modify, depending on what you have in the pantry.

This makes a very nice meal with just a salad.

RECIPE:

1 9" unbaked pie shell (recipe to the right)

1 zucchini (green or yellow), yellow squash or a good cup of sliced mushrooms

1 cup or so chopped onions

1 cup or so shredded cabbage

1 cup or so thinly sliced broccoli

1 cup or so thinly sliced carrots

3 T butter

2 T flour

generous 1/2 tsp ground up caraway seeds (I smashed them around in a mortar & pestle)

generous 1/2 tsp dried basil

2 T dry white wine

1/2 dried dill (I forgot this but it would probably add a nice flavor)

1/3 cup farmer's or cottage cheese

2 eggs

3/4 mixed sour cream & yogurt (I used Greek yogurt...YUM)

Paprika

Saute all the vegetables except zucchini (or mushrooms) in the butter until just tender. This might take a while, but what's the hurry? Add spices. Remove from heat and toss with wine and flour. Set aside.

Puree the eggs and cheese in a blender or in the food processor you used for the crust (just wipe it out a bit...no need to get crazy about it). Add salt and pepper as desired or not.

Add egg-cheese puree to sauteed veggies and put in the crust.

Saute the zucchini slices (or sliced mushrooms) in oil or butter about five minutes.

Spread the yogurt/sour cream on the veggies. Top with the zucchini slices. Dust with paprika.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Let rest 10. Serve with salad and good wine. YUM YUM.

Patty Pan Fritters

4 cups grated, patty pan squash (fresh or frozen), zucchini also works well

2 1/2 cups flour

2 eggs, beaten

Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste

Oil or butter to saute in

Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the grated squash. Mix with flour and egg, salt, pepper and garlic powder, to form a thick paste.

Fry over medium heat in oil or sweet butter until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Serve warm with sour cream, if desired.

Fall Recipes

Our family loves this soup. (Even Michael does and he is not too keen on things made from squash) It is a very forgiving , easy recipe.

Butternut* Squash Soup

Summer Recipes

Squash Carpaccio: (Serves 2) from Jana Osada

1 yellow squash*

1 zucchini *

Shallots

2 cloves of fresh garlic

¼ cup of sliced, toasted almonds

Olive oil

Fresh lemon juice

Chopped mixed herbs (Use whatever you have in season, but parsley is PERFECT)

Thinly shave squash (use a mandolin. Or, use a vegetable peeler)

Arrange a few slices of squash on a plate in a single layer. Sprinkle with minced shallots and chopped mixed herbs, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat to make about 5 layers. Top with grated pecorino or blue cheese.

Extra: throw a handful of arugula into the dish or use as a side.

*(can use any version of summer squash-patty pan!?!?!)

quick links to: summer recipes and fall recipes

Spring Recipes

This recipe is great as a snack or as a side dish. Kids really like this too. It is crunchy and salty like fries.

Crispy Kale

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

6-8 cups chopped fresh kale, hard stems removed

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt

Place a rack on the lower shelf of your oven.

Spread kale out on a sturdy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Toss to coat completely.

Place on the lowest rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir so that kale can get crispy all over.

Bake another 8 to 12 minutes or until kale is crispy. It should be just lightly browned and crispy to the touch. If kale still bends, rather than crackles, when you touch it, it isn't done yet. Return it to the oven. Turn down the heat if it is getting too brown.

Continue cooking until crispy.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately.

Beet Fennel Salad From Jana Osada

Boiled Beets (or Roasted)

Boil 4 -5 large beets until tender when pierced with a fork, allow to cool and peel the skins off (they come off very easily)

Slice thinly

Add fresh shallots or green onion dressing:

Slice onions/shallots

Add juice of ½ fresh- squeezed orange

3-4 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar

Salt (optional) and pepper to taste

Top with fennel seed (about 1-2 teaspoons)

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Shrimp and Patty Pan Squash in Parsley-Lemon Garlic Butter

10 fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 patty pan squash, cut in quarters

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

1/2 cup white wine

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 tsp. olive oil

In a medium saute pan, heat olive oil and toss in shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste and cook for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from pan.

Add squash to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on their size. Add chopped shallots and garlic to the squash. Cook another 20 seconds without browning. De-glaze with the 1/2 cup white wine and reduce by half. Remove from the heat and slowly whip in the whole butter and parsley.

Add the shrimp back to the pan and finish cooking for 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings

EASY AS PIE PIE CRUST

In a food processor, put a cup of flour. (A mixture of white and wheat is nice...about 3 parts white and one part wheat or something like that). Put the bowl of the processor with the flour in it in the freezer or fridge for a little while to chill it.

Meanwhile, cut up 1/3 cup unsalted butter into chunks and put that back in the fridge to keep it cool.

When everything is cold, combine the butter and flour in the food processor and pulse about 12 times. Add about 3 -4 T yogurt, buttermilk or water (cold) and pulse until you can pinch the mixture and have it hold together. This won't take many pulses.

Pour it out onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Put it into a plastic bag and refrigerate for an hour or so. Then, roll it out and put it into a pie dish and follow the instructions above. This dough is very easy to work with. An easy and GREAT recipe.

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Roasted Winter Squash

Yeilds 1 3/4 cups chunks or 1 1/3 cups mashed

Roasting concentrates the best flavors in squash and turns it into a delicious ingredient to be used in other dishes, like soup.

2-pound butternut (winter squah/cooking pumpkin).

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Use a soupspoon to scoop out the seeds and scrape out the strings from the hollow. Rub the cut surfaces with oil, season generously with salt and pepper, roast on parchment or foil-lined baking sheet with edges (to avoid any spillage), cut side up. Cook until deeply browned and very tender, about 80 to 90 minutes. Let cool before using in other recipes, or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

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