Bacon, Butternut Squash and Kale Pasta Bake

I found this absolutely delicious recipe in my Cooking Light magazine.  However, this is not exactly a "light" recipe.  It is also time intensive.  It was well worth it.  I have posted the link to the actual recipe, but I did make some changes when I made it, so I am going to post what I used.  I tried to make it slightly healthier in some ways, but then I added a little more bacon, which definitely didn't help with the fat and calorie content.  But, who cares when something tastes this good.  

Here is the Cooking Light recipe link:

Bacon and Butternut Pasta

Below is my adaptation of the recipe:

Biggest Butternut Squash EVER!

Finished product

Ingredients:

5 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash - Must use organic.  It tastes so much better.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooking Spray
16 oz of wheat ziti pasta
4 cups chopped kale
4 slices bacon
2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 teaspoon salt, divided (I used even less then that)
5 garlic cloves, minced (I used probably 6 cloves or more.  I love garlic)
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower sodium organic chicken broth
2 heaping tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 cup creme fraiche
1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (I used a combination of shredded Swiss and Gruyere that I got at Trader Joe's)

Getting it ready:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Combine squash and oil in a large bowl; toss well.  Arrange squash in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.  (Took about 22 minutes for me.)

3.  Cook pasta in a LARGE pot for 8 minutes or until almost al dente.  Add Kale during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  (Watch the pot because once it starts boiling again it can really easily overflow).  Drain the pasta mixture.

4.  Cook bacon in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pain; chop up.  Pour out some of the drippings, so that only a thin layer is on the bottom of your pan.  Add the onions to the drippings.  Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

5. Bring about 1 and 3/4 cups of the broth to a boil in a small saucepan.  Combine the remaining broth with the flour in a small bowl and whisk.  Add the flour mixture, a little salt and pepper to the broth.  Cook for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened.  Remove from the heat; stir in the creme fraiche.

6.  Combine the squash, pasta mixture, bacon, onions and sauce in a large bowl; toss gently.  Place pasta mixture in a 13x9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle on the Gruyere cheese and bake at 400 for about 25 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned.

Enjoy.  This was absolutely delicious.

Black Eyed Peas

Growing up we always had black eyed peas on New Years Day for good luck.  I have forgotten to make them the past few years.  This year I wanted to do a little spicy twist.  I knew that my kids wouldn't be a huge fan of eating black eyed peas right now, so I didn't worry about making them too hot.  

I took a bag of frozen organic black eyed peas and cooked them on the stove, just as the bag suggested.  

In a separate frying pan, I melted about a tablespoon of butter.  Added a few tablespoons of fresh minced garlic, half an onion chopped, a little salt and pepper and sauteed it for a few minutes.  Then I added chopped jalapeno peppers (about a tablespoon and a half, but you could add more or less depending on how hot and spicy you want it to be) and about a teaspoon of dried cilantro.  I sauteed that until the onions were clear and all the flavors had been cooking together, which was probably another three-five minutes.

I drained the black eyed peas, put them back in the pan and added the garlic, onion and jalapeno mixture.  I mixed it all up and then served it.  

This was a delicious side dish.  Throughout the week, I made spinach salads and added the black eyed peas to the salad.  It gave the salad an additional kick.

Sausage, Mushroom and Potato Gratin

I get Cooking Light magazine each month and I try to use at least one recipe from the magazine each month.  This recipe came out in the November issue.  

Here is the link:  Cooking Light, Turkey Sausage Mushroom and Potato Gratin

It was pretty good, but there just wasn't much to it.  If you want this to be a full meal then you need to add additional items.  

The recipe is pretty simple.  I decided to go to my local grocery store and they didn't have turkey sausage, so I just got regular sausage.

Instead of looking at the link here are the ingredients:

2 (4oz) hot turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed

1 tablespoon butter

3 cups chopped onions

4 oz sliced cremini mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup shredded Swiss Cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Heat oven to 400.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sausage and saute for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove form pan, drain.  Wipe pan with paper towels.  Melts butter in pan.  Add onions and saute, add mushrooms and saute.  Add potatoes and salt and saute for 5 minutes or until potatoes are browned.  

Stir in sausage and broth.  Remove from heat, spoon into baking dish, top with cheese, cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until golden.  

Finished product:

It tasted good, but I would liked to have added a lot more mushrooms, possibly cauliflower or additional other vegetables.  The meal was just lacking.  Next time I make this, I will either serve it as a side dish or add a lot more veggies to make it a more fulfilling meal.

Acorn Squash

My grandmother used to always make baked acorn squash in the fall, so making this dish always makes me think of my childhood.

This combines fall flavors and smells and is super easy to make.  I make mine in the microwave, so it is quick and easy, but you can bake it in the oven.  It will just take longer.  I know some people don't like cooking things in the microwave so it will just increase the cooking time.

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter
Raisins
Brown sugar
Chopped walnuts
Cinnamon

One whole acorn squash pricked with a fork.  Cook in microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until it is soft enough to cut in half.  Once soft, cut in half and scoop out all the seeds.  Prick the inside and edges of each half with a fork.  Put half of a tablespoon of butter in the bottom of each half.  Fill each side of the squash in a layer with the raisins first, then walnuts, then brown sugar.  Put the additional half tablespoon of butter on top of all the ingreidents and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Put in the microwave and cook until the brown sugar is melted and bubbly and the inside of the squash is soft and tender.  Then mixed everything up inside and eat.  It is delicious!

Brown Rice, Lentil and Vegetable Soup

I love this time of year when I can make tons of different soups.  I get inspiration from different receipes and then I usually just make up my own.  I found a recipe that included brown rice and brown lentils, but it seems very bland and plain because there were no additional vegetables.

This is a great fall soup that is also very healthy.  Here is what I made:

Use a big pot (like a dutch oven or something that can hold a lot of soup).


2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar

Heat the oil in the pan, add onions and sugar and cook for about 20 minutes until the onions are carmelized.


I love garlic so I tend to use a lot when I am cooking.

2 heaping Tablespoons of minced garlic.

Add to the onions and cook for about 3 more minutes.


1 cup white wine (if you have it)
Vegetable broth

Add to the onions and garlic.  I did not put an amount for the vegetable broth because I pour a lot in the pan.  Then when the other ingrediants are added, I add as much broth as I feel like having.  Sometimes I like a thicker soup and sometimes I like a lot more broth.  It is up to you.


1 cup brown lentils
1 cup brown rice

Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 50 minutes until the rice and lentils are cooked.


2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Parsely
Basil
Salt and Pepper
Frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, lima beans, mushrooms etc.)

Stir in the above.  Add as much parsley, basil, salt and pepper as you desire.  I added about half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, but you could add as much as you want.  I let this soup sit on low heat for about an hour or so, it helps to enhance the flavor.


Also, when I am eating it I add a little jalapeno tabassco sauce for an additonal kick.  It is delicious.  

Best Caramel Brownies

I wish I took a picture after I made these, but we ate them so fast.  Plus I made Dave take them to work the next day because I didn't want them around the house.  They were way too tempting.  They are super rich and decadent.  Delicious!  The recipe called for the use of walnuts, but I don't like nuts in my brownies, so I omitted those.  

Caramel Brownies

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup 2% milk

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts, divided

1 package (14 oz) caramels

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1.  In a large bowl, beat the sugar, cocoa, oil, eggs and milk.  Combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to egg mixture until well blended.  Fold in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup walnuts.

2.  Spoon two-thirds of the batter into a greased 13-inch x 9 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the caramels and condensed milk over low heat until caramels are melted.  Pour over baked brownie layer.  Sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

4.  Drop remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over caramel layer; carefully swirl brownie batter with a knife.

5.  Bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs (do not over bake).  Cool on a wire rack.  

Fresh Peach Cake

Another delicious Ina Garten recipe.  

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup chopped pecans (I don't use the nuts)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.  

Beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.  With mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined.  

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon.  

Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan.  Top with half of the peaches (I put all the peaches in the middle), then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture.  Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top (like I said I only put them in the middle), and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.  

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

It is delicious.

The first time I made it I put the peaches on top, but I like it better when I put all the peaches in the middle.  I thought it kept it moister.