Roasted Butternut Squash & Tomato Soup

I have been sick more this year than I ever have before. I have always prided myself on the "one" who didn't get sick. I guess this is my karma for saying that? Okay, pity park over, now time for soup. I have been pumpkin the fluids like crazy and even trying to drink fresh-pressed juice as possible to get as many nutrients in hopes of speeding up the healing process. But enough was enough last night, and when I really just wanted my mom to come take care of me (which I know she would have, hi mom!), I mustered up the strength to make a quick homemade soup, and photograph it somehow. Warm, cozy, and healthy to boot, thanks to the fresh ginger root and anti-oxidant packed vegetables, I should be back to my old self in no time! Feeling the same way this cold season? Try making this at home, and let me know what you think. As always be sure to tag #HDFB on social media so I can see your posts!

 Roasted Butternut Squash & Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 cups diced butternut squash
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 28-oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups homemade broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Place a piece of tin foil onto a baking sheet and spread out the butternut squash and garlic onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and saute until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the ginger, and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds before adding in the roasted squash, garlic, and tomatoes. Then stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you don't have one, allow it to cool for a bite before blending the mixture in batches in your blender. Season with salt and pepper, then garnish with chopped parsley before serving. 

Roasted Acorn Squash "Wedge" with Brussels Sprout Wild Rice

The wedge salad never made any sense to me. You cut a large quarter out of a head of lettuce, and then drizzle the dressing on the top layer, along with the delicious bacon, tomato and bleu cheese toppings. But what happens when you get past that first layer? There no more good stuff to slather all over the lettuce. Just more boring lettuce. This is the wedge salad re-vamped, with enough good stuff to go around. Oh, and it's fall-inspired. Duh. 

Roasted Acorn Squash "Wedge" with Brussels Sprout Wild Rice
Makes 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large acorn squash, quartered
• 1 cup cooked wild rice
• 1 tbsp. bacon grease (can substitute olive oil)
• 1 cup brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, then quartered
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 apple, cored, then chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Sprinkle salt onto flesh of the quartered squash, then place flesh side down on baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes until soft.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in the quartered brussels and season with salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes before adding in the garlic, apples, cooked rice, and cranberries. Mix then cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove the cooked squash from the heat, place skin side down on a plate, and serve with the rice mixture on top.

Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli over Butternut Squash "Rice"

I met up with my good friend/blog designer/engagement photographer/basically winner at all things in life, for happy hour to discuss the future of this here blog. It's been a few years now, and while I've just been doing it for fun {fun fact, I make zero income doing this}, I wanted to take the next step towards really making HDFB all that it can be (did that sound like an Army ad? sorry). So be on the lookout for some changes coming your way in the future. I'm not ready to share the details just yet, but you'll know when it happens! Sorry for the inconspicuous post, but I was just too excited to hide it. One thing I am not hiding from you is the secret to making "rice" out of veggies. We are always trying to sneak more greens into our meals. It's all about balance. One day, you eat an entire pint of gelato, and the next day you eat rice made out of butternut squash. Like I said, balance.

Teriyaki Chicken & Broccoli over Butternut Squash "Rice"

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled
• 1/4 cup + tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 heads broccoli, crowns only
• 2 tbsp. oil, separated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup broth
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• sesame seeds for garnish

Place the chicken 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce in a sealable bag. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. 

Meanwhile, cut the butternut squash in half, separating the bottom round part from the top. Scoop out the seeds from the inside of the flesh. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch matchsticks. Run the squash through a food processor with the grater attachment. Ta-da! "Rice"!

Preheat grill to high heat. Grill chicken for 8-10 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove from the heat. Allow to rest.

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the "rice" to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup of the broth and cook until absorbed. Check the rice to see if it is tender, if not, add in the remaining broth and cook longer. Once softened, add in the soy sauce and cook for another minute. 

At the same time that the "rice" is cooking, heat the other tbsp. of oil in another pan and add the broccoli to the hot oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked, but still crisp, about 8 minutes. . Slice the cooked chicken into 1-inch pieces and add to the broccoli. Add in the soy sauce, stir to combine, and turn off the heat.

To serve, plate the "rice" into bowls, top with the chicken and broccoli, then garnish with sesame seeds. 

Short Rib Tacos with a Spicy Butternut Squash Crema

My boyfriend and I love to be social, grabbing happy hour, dinner, and/or drinks with our friends whenever the opportunity presents itself. But with the holidays coming up and lots of travel in our near future (see you in 4 days Hawaii!), we have been bringing the social hour to us and hosting dinners at our house. We recently had my college roommate and her husband over for build-your-own-taco night and apple cider margaritas. I took a simple short ribs recipe and added some pizzaz with this butternut squash crema, inspired by The Faux Martha. By serving the tacos with this crema, you really cut down on all of the excess toppings, because it brings so much flavor and texture, that all you really need is a little cabbage for crunch, and you are good to go! 

Short Rib Tacos with a Spicy Butternut Squash Crema

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. short ribs
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 8 oz. beer
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
• 2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 cut into fourths

Butternut Squash Crema

• 1/2 cup cooked butternut squash
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• pinch of salt

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Season all sides of the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides, about 1 minute on each side and add the short ribs to your crock pot. Sprinkle the short ribs with the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Add in the beer, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours. 

30 minutes before you are ready to eat, mix the cabbage and the lime juice together in a bowl and set in the fridge to marinate.

Once the short ribs are tender enough to shred with a fork, remove from the crock pot and shred. Set aside. 

To make the butternut squash cream, mix all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

To assemble the tacos, add some of the short rib to the middle. Top with some shredded cabbage and the butternut squash crema.

Autumn Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash, Brussels, and Broccoli

You know why autumn is my favorite time of year? Besides the obvious; i.e. cooler weather, scarves, and Halloween. Because I get to make salads like this. Like a lot of them. Like maybe I ate this three days in a row. Until I thought my boyfriend might stop eating what I make him if he saw another salad smothered in brussels sprouts for dinner. In my defense, the brussels sprouts are smothered in bacon fat and then roasted to perfection. So sue me if I couldn't get enough of them. As a kid, I NEVER ate brussels spouts. Not once. Not because I thought they were gross or anything. But my family just never made them. It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I had my first taste of brussels glory, and from that instant I was hooked. Toss those babies with some butternut squash, broccoli, quinoa, cranberries, and some raw pepita seeds, and you've got yourself one mighty fine salad. 

Autumn Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash, Brussels, and Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 lb. brussels spouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 tbsp. bacon grease or cooking oil
• cinnamon and sea salt for sprinkling roasted veggies
• 1 head broccoli, stems removed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable broth
• dried cranberries for garnish
• toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the butternut squash, brussels, and broccoli with the bacon grease/oil and season with cinnamon and salt all over the veggies. Place on baking sheet, spread out evenly, and roast for 25-30 minutes until browned and softened, tossing half way through. 

Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa by heating the broth over medium-high heat until boiling. Lower heat to simmer and add the quinoa, cooking for 15- 20 minutes until all of the broth is absorbed by the quinoa. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

To serve toss the roasted veggies with the quinoa. Serve in bowls, topped with the cranberries and pepitas. 

Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

So I've come to terms that it is no longer winter here on the west coast, therefore I must stop making winter soups. As hard as it is to put them aside, I look forward to making more spring cuisine. Read; cool, refreshing, and topped with fresh herbs. Gone are the days of staying warm under a blanket while your boyfriend asks to turn on the A/C because it's 80 degrees out (too hot for his Connecticut blood). Gone are the days of having hot coffee instead of iced. Gone are the days of heavy soups. Well after this one of course. One last one for good measure. Obvi. 

Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth, separated
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 3 oz. goat cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn, frozen or canned
• 2 cups fresh chopped spinach
• 2-3 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a large soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add in the squash, carrot, green onion, and cumin. Saute for 10 minutes. Once softened slightly, add in the garlic and cook another minute.

Add in 1 1/2 cups of the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, cooking 10-12 minutes allowing the vegetables to completely soften. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Add the cooled mixture to a large blender or use a immersion handheld blender to puree the soup mixture, the tomatoes, goat cheese, basil, chipotle pepper, and remaining broth. Process until smooth. 

Return to the soup pot and add in the beans, corn, and spinach. Cook over medium-low heat until the spinach has wilted, and the corn and beans have heated through. Serve in large soup bowl. Garnish with crumbled bacon. 

Butternut Squash Carbonara

I am currently up in the Colorado mountains with my boyfriend and his family where the high is currently 39 degrees and we are completely surrounded by snow. I thought this warm, creamy bowl of my version of pasta carbonara would be the perfect segway into this weekend, which will be full of skiing, snow, cabin adventures, and whatever other fun activities come our way! By removing the heavy cream and cheese that you would normally find in carbonara, you can feel at ease when you decide that you indeed do need a second serving. But don't forget the bacon. There's no replacement for bacon!

Butternut Squash Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 1 2-lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 4 oz. bacon, chopped 
• 1 tbsp. freshly chopped sage leaves
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 12 oz. fettuccine or linguine noodles

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add in the bacon. Cook until crispy and brown. During the last minute of cooking, add in the chopped sage, allowing it to crisp up. Remove the cooked bacon and sage with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to drain the excess grease off.

In the same pot, add in the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally; about 4-5 minutes. Add in the chopped butternut squash and allow it to cook along with the onions and garlic for another 8 minutes or so; stirring occasionally.

Add in the broth and allow the butternut squash mixture to come to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes, until the butternut squash is completely softened.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the boxed directions. Drain the pasta, and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.

Once the butternut squash is ready, use an immersion blender and blend the mixture, broth and all, until completely smooth.

Add the cooked pasta noodles into the butternut squash "sauce". Toss the noodles until completely coated. Add in some of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Add the pasta into serving bowls and top with the bacon/sage mixture. Serve hot.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit