Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Ravioli

Yesterday, I basically have the worst moment a blogger can have.

Who am I kidding, this is not just a blogger specific fear. This is a fear that anyone who uses their laptop or cell phone on a very regular basis has.

Oh yes. Shattered screen.

I mean my computer is no spring chicken, but of all the ways I thought it was going this one was definitely on the bottom of the list.

But the unthinkable happened. And the worst part is that I’m not even sure how. I used my computer Friday night and Sunday morning I opened it up to shattered dreams. Yes, dreams. I had a great dream of doing my taxes on Sunday.

Sorry Internal Revenue Service, you will have to wait a few more days.

Side note, I have no idea why I never named my computer. I name everything else? I guess there was never a name that felt right.

Thank goodness that we have multiple people in my household as addicted to their computers as I am. There are many devises in my household that will do the trick.

Do not fear foodies, the cooking and blogging will continue! And after some good news from the Mac guys, so will my computer that has no name.

Since this little tale was such a downer, here is a recipe that is a total recipe.

You can’t not smile while eating these raviolis. They are absolute showstoppers.

You will need…

2 lb butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces goat cheese

Pasta dough, rolled thin or 60 won ton wrappers

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.

Season the flesh of the squash with salt and pepper and place it flesh side down on the sheet.

Roast for 30 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.

Allow the squash to cool till you can handle it and then scoop the flesh out into the bowl of a food processor.

Then in a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add in the onions and season with salt and pepper.

Cook until the onions are translucent. About 5 minutes.

Add in the garlic and sage and cook for an additional minute. Until the garlic is very fragrant.

Remove the onions from the heat and allow them to cool slightly.

Add them into the food processor with the squash and add in the goat cheese.

Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Lay out your pasta or wanton wrappers and set a large pot of salted water to boil.

Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper on the past sheet. Make sure to spread them out 2 inches apart if you are using fresh dough.

Lightly brush the area around the filling with water and place the top onto the ravioli. Seal it with your fingers.

If you are using homemade dough, you can use ravioli cutters or a knife to cut the ravioli.

Make sure to flour them well so they do not stick together.

When the water is boiling, add in the ravioli and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Just until they are floating on the surface.

Place them on a large platter and serve with brown butter sauce and Parmesan cheese.

 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Ravioli

2 lb butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces goat cheese

Pasta dough, rolled thin or 60 won ton wrappers

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour for dusting

Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.

Season the flesh of the squash with salt and pepper and place it flesh side down on the sheet.

Roast for 30 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.

Allow the squash to cool till you can handle it and then scoop the flesh out into the bowl of a food processor.

Then in a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add in the onions and season with salt and pepper.

Cook until the onions are translucent. About 5 minutes.

Add in the garlic and sage and cook for an additional minute. Until the garlic is very fragrant.

Remove the onions from the heat and allow them to cool slightly.

Add them into the food processor with the squash and add in the goat cheese.

Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Lay out your pasta or wanton wrappers and set a large pot of salted water to boil.

Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper on the past sheet. Make sure to spread them out 2 inches apart if you are using fresh dough.

Lightly brush the area around the filling with water and place the top onto the ravioli. Seal it with your fingers.

If you are using homemade dough, you can use ravioli cutters or a knife to cut the ravioli.

Make sure to flour them well so they do not stick together.

When the water is boiling, add in the ravioli and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Just until they are floating on the surface.

Place them on a large platter and serve with browned butter sauce and parmesan cheese. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Grilled Shrimp and Arugula

I post a lot of pictures of food.

A LOT.

There are literally thousands and thousands of pictures of food on my computer, phone, and social networking sites.

Thousands.

I often find members of my family staring my computer screen saver because it is a constant stream of delicious looking food.

Some of the food pictures are just so-so. But, sometimes when I am lucky. I get really beautiful food photos. Photos that are almost as good as the dishes themselves.

And these pictures are really good, so just imagine how tasty the food was.

You will need…

1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb), peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves

2 shallots, chopped

3 cups chicken broth plus 1 to 2 cups extra on hand in case

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 cups arugula

12 large shrimp

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Then, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and butternut squash in a medium bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and toss together so that the squash is lightly coated with oil and spices.

Pour the squash onto a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

When the squash is tender, pour into your blender and blend until completely smooth.

Combine the squash puree and the 3 cups of chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce to a very slow simmer, just to keep it warm.

Then, over medium heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. When the oil is hot, add in the shallots, garlic and rice and cook until the rice is well coated with olive oil.

Add in the wine and the sage and cooked until the wine has been absorbed. Slowly stirring continuously.

Then add in 1/3^rd of the squash broth mixture to the rice and cook, stirring continuously until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Repeat until all the broth and squash has been absorbed by the rice.

When the rice is done, it will be soft on the outside and a little toothy in the center. The stirring will create a smooth, melty like texture with the rice.

If the rice is not the correct consistency when the squash broth mixture has all been used, add in a ½ cup excess broth to the rice, stirring continuously until you get the desired texture.

When the risotto is minutes from being done, heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan.

As soon as the oil is hot, add in the shrimp and season with salt and pepper.

Cook just until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. A little less than 2 minutes a side.

Season the risotto with salt and pepper and add in the Parmigiano.

Serve the risotto and shrimp hot over a bed of arugula.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Grilled Shrimp and Arugula

1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb), peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves

2 shallots, chopped

3 cups chicken broth plus 1 to 2 cups extra on hand in case

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 cups arugula

12 large shrimp

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F.

Then, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and butternut squash in a medium bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and toss together so that the squash is lightly coated with oil and spices.

Pour the squash onto a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

When the squash is tender, pour into your blender and blend until completely smooth.

Combine the squash puree and the 3 cups of chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce to a very slow simmer, just to keep it warm.

Then, over medium heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. When the oil is hot, add in the shallots, garlic and rice and cook until the rice is well coated with olive oil.

Add in the wine and the sage and cooked until the wine has been absorbed. Slowly stirring continuously.

Then add in 1/3^rd of the squash broth mixture to the rice and cook, stirring continuously until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Repeat until all the broth and squash has been absorbed by the rice.

When the rice is done, it will be soft on the outside and a little toothy in the center. The stirring will create a smooth, melty like texture with the rice.

If the rice is not the correct consistency when the squash broth mixture has all been used, add in a ½ cup excess broth to the rice, stirring continuously until you get the desired texture.

When the risotto is minutes from being done, heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan.

As soon as the oil is hot, add in the shrimp and season with salt and pepper.

Cook just until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. A little less than 2 minutes a side.

Season the risotto with salt and pepper and add in the Parmigiano.

Serve the risotto and shrimp hot over a bed of arugula. 

Roasted Chicken Breast with Mixed Vegetables

In regards to the blog, people often ask me what my ultimate goal is. And, while I don’t have a true end goal for the blog, I do have an end goal for myself.

I want to be the modern day Martha.

No, I do not want to do jail time for insider trading, but I do want to be able to wrap a gift perfectly, set place settings with the greatest of ease and have no problem whipping up a three course meal on an idle Tuesday.

Obviously, I have not quite reached my goal. But, fingers crossed, I still have plenty of time to get there.

Nothing reminds me of the distance I have to travel to achieve my goals like making a Martha Stewart dish and not making it great.

Until I can do Martha right, how can I even begin to modernize her?

This does not mean that this dish is not good or that you should not make it. The chicken was perfectly moist, the flavors were great and the onions and mushrooms were finger licking good.

But acorn squash was a challenge. As any new ingredient can be.

My advice? Make this dish, complete with Angela notes.

You will need…

4 bone-in chicken breasts halved (10 oz each)

1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced ½ inch thick

(Martha told me that I did not need to peel the squash because the skin would become tender after cooking. She lied. Or I didn’t do it right. One of the two. So, if you are not comfortable with acorn squash or tough skin, I recommend getting a butternut squash, peeling it and subbing it for the acorn version. But, that’s just me.)

1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved

1 large red onion, but into ½ inch wedges

8 large garlic cloves, crushed and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crumbled

(I forgot this detail. Don’t forget this detail.)

Salt and pepper

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a roasting pan, combine the squash, mushrooms, onion, garlic and oil.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Roast the veggies until the squash is beginning to soften and all the vegetables are heated through, about 15 minutes.

While the veggies are cooking, lift up the skin from the chicken breasts and rub the chicken with rosemary and some salt and pepper.

Replace the skin and season the chicken all over with more salt and a little pepper.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and place the chicken, with the skin side up, on top of the vegetables.

Return the chicken and veggies to the oven. Continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.

After 35 minutes, my chicken’s skin did not look golden enough so I left it in for 5 more minutes and then broiled it for an additional 2 to get the skin golden and delicious.

Don’t be afraid to adjust the cooking time. Every oven is different.

When the chicken is done, serve each breast on a bed of the roasted veggies.

And the quest to be Martha marches on…

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad and Happy Halloween!

Halloween and Valentine’s Day are my two favorite holidays. My love for Valentine’s Day is really simple. I love to love. But, my love for Halloween is slightly more complex.

The couple weeks of prep leading up to October 31's really signifies the change of the season. Everything starts smelling of pumpkin and cinnamon and it reminds us that the string of holidays are coming our way. I love that on Halloween, perfectly self respecting adults, who are never EVER silly dress up in absolutely ridiculous get ups. What other day can people dress up like a sexy pirate, their favorite pop star or a Chilean miner and be praised for it? I also love that kids have a yearlong obsession with this holiday. If you mention Halloween to a child in June, their face lights up with the prospect of a bag full of candy. But most of all, I love that at Halloween I get to play dress up. And boy oh boy to I take that and run with it.

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!

Here is a great Halloween salad to eat while handing out candy to the little ghosts and goblins.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced

Good olive oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry

1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

FEAST! part I

I know you have all been dying to hear what I decided to make for my "in over my head" dinner party. I decided to just make a really simple, easy, quick meal...

-crustinis with balsamic reduced shallots and goat cheese

-butternut squash soup

-lobster cob salad

-linguini with a garlic butter cream sauce, asparagus, mushrooms and caramelized onions

-herb marinated pork tenderloin.

No.Big.Deal.

Ok, I might be slightly rediculous. Just slightly. Lucky for me my lovely boyfriend went to the store for me. This is the picture I received while still at work...

One of the best parts about this whole learning to cook thing is getting to play with all the crazy new ingredients. Every family has their staples and often times we go a majority of our lives with out trying a lot of really awesome foods. My mother was always a really great cook but she cooked what she liked. Pork and butternut squash were things I never ever had. Good god was I missing out!

I love love love Halloween. Ok... this might seam off topic. But don't worry, I swear I'm going to tie it together. Promise.

I love Halloween. I make crazy costumes, and carve pumpkins and hand out candy. I seriously enjoy this holiday. Or any other reason to get dressed up. Basically, I go all out. And here is some proof... homemade loofa costumes.

Ok... here it comes. The tie in. I love Halloween, but there are few things I hate more then cleaning out the inside of a pumpkin!!! It's gross. And slimy. And takes forever. Well guess what is just like cleaning out a pumpkin? Cleaning out butternut squash. I should have anticipated this since ya know... they are related and all. But for whatever reason. I didn't. Serious downer.

You know what though? For some reason, I found joy in it. Joy in knowing that i was going to clean that squash. And cut up that squash and make a delicious soup that the people I love would really enjoy.

Finding joy in life's most slimy, gross, time consuming tasks.

Love and Beer floats

Angela

P.S. What does this remind you of???

Butternut Squash Soup

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 to 8 cups)

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.