Recipes

[Zhills]

Squash and Onions Recipe

This classic Squash and Onions recipe is a family-favorite side dish throughout the year, but especially during the summer.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 5 medium yellow squash, sliced
• ½ medium sweet onion, diced (Vidalia)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium-low heat in a skillet.
2. Add squash and onions and cook until onions are translucent and squash has become fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve warm.

Next ingredient:  Butter

[Bluffbaker]

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

6 Servings

1 bag Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash Russet potatoes

1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tsp. dried chives (optional)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup real bacon pieces

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly spray a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Microwave potatoes according to package directions.  In medium bowl, mash cooked potatoes, milk and butter.  Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese and bacon, until well combined.  Spread mixture in baking pan; top with cheese and bacon.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Next Ingredient:  Pumpkin

[rrpell]

Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Sage Butter

(from Saveur Magazine)

For the Pasta
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Pumpkin Filling and Sage Brown Butter
1 (2 1⁄2-lb.) sugar pumpkin seeds removed and cut into chunks
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
6 amaretti, or Italian almond cookies, crushed into crumbs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tbsp. honey
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter
18 fresh sage leaves, chopped, plus more to garnish

Make the pasta: Combine flour, salt, and oil in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly pour in eggs and process until dough forms a ball, about 2 minutes. Divide pasta dough into 4 equal parts, then roll out each part with a rolling pin until flat enough to fit into a hand-cranked pasta maker. Roll dough into long thin sheets. Keeping sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel while working, cut into 12 large squares. Arrange in single layers on a tray or baking sheet, using wax paper to separate layers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pumpkin  filling: Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pumpkin chunks on a lightly oiled baking sheet until tender, 30–45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin. Transfer pumpkin pulp to a mixing bowl, mash with a fork, then beat in egg yolks and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add red pepper, amaretti, cinnamon, 2 tbsp. of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, honey, wine, and salt and cook for 3–4 minutes. Mix in pumpkin, cook for 2 minutes, then transfer to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Return pumpkin mixture  to the same pan, cover, and keep warm over low heat.

For the sage brown butter: Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sage and cook until butter is golden brown. Remove from heat.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Carefully slip pasta squares into pot and cook until they rise to the surface. Use a large skimmer to remove pasta from the water. Drain well, then lay 1 square on each of 6 plates, spoon pumpkin filling onto squares, and cover with remaining pasta squares. Drizzle sage butter over each square, sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, and garnish with fresh sage leaves if you like.

Next ingredient:   Apples

[Coquille]

Acorn Squash, APPLES Pears

2 medium Acorn Squas,halved, hot water, 2 large Apples, diced, 1 ripe pear, diced, 1/4 cup raisins, 2 tbsp brown sugar, grated zest of 1 small orange, 1/4 tsp cinnamon or so(I usually add more),touch of nutmeg, 1 cup of pistachios, chopped (can easily omit this), 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup Apple cider or orange juice.

     Preheat oven to 325. Butter a baking dish or spray with Pam. Place acorn squash halves, cut side down on baking dish and add about 1/4 inch of hot water to baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Mix in a medium bowl the APPLES, pear, raisins, brown sugar, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts. Heat a large skillet on medium heat, add the 2 tbsp butter. When butter is melted, add Apple mixture and cook till fruit is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Apple cider or orange juice. SImmer, stirring often till fruit is tender, about 8 minutes. Take the squash from the oven and fill with mixture. Bake filled squash till tender, about 15 minutes or more.

[Coquille]

Forgot to add the next ingredient to cook.

Asparagus 

[rrpell]

One Pan Salmon, Asparagus and Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Lynsey Steele,  www.relayfoods.com

1 lb fingerling potatoes, halved
1 bunch asparagus cleaned and trimmed
2-4 salmon filets (about 1 lb)
dash of olive oil for drizzling
2 tsp truffle salt
1 lemon
 *1 large sweet potato (paleo version)

Directions

Roast the Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Wash, dry and halve potatoes. Spread out evenly in baking sheet. Coat generously with olive oil, toss in half the truffle salt, and mix. Once well coated, arrange the potatoes cut-side down.
Roast potatoes until cooked and beginning to crisp, about 20-25 minutes. (Pro tip: resist the urge to touch potatoes while they are roasting as they will stick to the pan during the initial baking.)
Add the Asparagus and Salmon

Remove baking sheet from oven and carefully move potatoes onto one side of the baking sheet.
Next to the potatoes, place asparagus and salmon, skin-side down. Drizzle olive oil on to both and add more to the potatoes if needed. Sprinkle salmon and asparagus with the remaining truffle salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes, until salmon flakes easily with a fork and asparagus is bright green.
Top with Lemon Juice and Serve

Once everything is cooked, remove pan from oven and top with the remaining juice of half a lemon. Cut up the other half of the lemon into wedges and serve as a garnish.
*Paleo Version

Replace the fingerling potatoes with sweet potato. Cut the sweet potato into fries, about 1/2 inch by 2 inches, and cook in place of the potatoes.

Leftover Suggestions

Leftover salmon makes a great cold salad. Dice the asparagus and mix with flaked salmon, a little olive oil or mayonnaise, diced shallot and capers. Add a touch of lemon juice and salt to taste, then serve over a bed of lettuce with cold leftover fingerling potatoes.

next ingredient:  green onions

[vabreeze]

Spicy Ginger-Scallion Burgers with Sesame Spinach

INGREDIENTS
PATTIES
12 oz ground chuck (80% lean)
12 oz lean ground pork
½ cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only)
1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches long, peeled and grated
1 TBS soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

SESAME SPINACH
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce, such as Sriracha or Cholula
8 oz fresh baby spinach
1 TBS toasted sesame seeds

½ cup ketchup
2 TBS hot chili-garlic sauce, such as Sriracha or Cholula

4 sesame seed buns, split

DIRECTIONS
Ready your grill for the patties.

Mix the patty ingredients, and then gently and briefly form 4 patties of equal size, each about ¾ inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of the patties to prevent them from forming a dome as they cook. Refrigerate the patties until ready to grill.

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil, sesame oil, and 1 tsp of the chili-garlic sauce. Gradually add the spinach by the handful and stir just until it begins to wilt, 2 to 3+ minutes. Remove from the heat and add the sesame seeds.

Combine the ketchup with the remaining 2 TBS chili-garlic sauce.

Grill the patties to your preferred doneness. About 45 seconds before grilling time is completed, toast buns, cut side down, over direct heat.

Build each burger on a bun with chili-garlic ketchup, a patty, and sesame spinach. Serve warm.

Next ingredient- Chayotes

[rrpell]

@vabreeze

Chayote?  I had to look it up!  LOL

Looking forward to identifying one at my supermarket and seeing the post from someone who cooks with it.  Good choice!

[vabreeze]

@rrpell

They are called mirlitons in New Orleans where I have had them stuffed with shrimp.  I one of the great cooks here will have another yummy preparation for them.

[GenXmuse]

Grilled Cilantro Mashed Chayotes

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Yields: 6 servings

From: Hispanic Kitchen

Ingredients
4 CHAYOTE SQUASHES PEELED, CORED AND DICED
2 YUKON GOLD POTATOES PEELED AND DICED
4 CUPS WATER
2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
2 TABLESPOONS MEXICAN CREMA OR SOUR CREAM
2 GARLIC CLOVES MINCED
2 TABLESPOONS CILANTRO FINELY CHOPPED

Directions
Bring the chayotes, potatoes, and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until cooked through. Strain and rinse with cold water. Let potatoes and chayotes strain over a large bowl for 10 minutes to drain any excess water.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in the Mexican crema. Add the chayotes and potatoes; mash with a potato masher until smooth; season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro just before serving.

Chef Notes
If mashed chayotes are too watery, simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated.

Next Ingredient: SOUR CREAM