Falling for Squash

I love fall.  I love the smell of fall.  I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (but not until AFTER Thanksgiving, people!).  I love cooking chili and soup, and all those other cold weather things that smell up the house.  I especially love fall because of squash.

Before becoming the main food preparer in the family, the main way I got squash was mashed.  And that's OK.  But then I discovered squash and how incredibly versatile it is.  My mom and I made this Texas Beef Brisket Chili Recipe and it has squash in it!  It's from Bon Appetit, so really how could it not be good? (And its good, really good)

At the local San Luis Obispo Farmer's Market, I decided to get a butternut squash.  Instead of boiling and mashing it, I diced it up into cubes, tossed it in some olive oil, sprinkled some salt and pepper on it and roasted it in the oven like I do potatoes.  Suddenly, a whole new world of squash opened up!  Another time I sliced it up into little fry shapes and made them a little southwest with some chili pepper and cumin.  Who knew the sweetness of a Butternut Squash would go so well with a little spice!  Roasted squash is also a nice addition to chili.  It's a great vegetable to throw in at the end.  The sweetness can sometimes cut some of the spice and add some low calorie filler! Needless to say, I don't remember the last time we had mashed squash.  Now if only I could get Ryan to eat it!

Acorn squash is another fall favorite, but as far as I'm concerned, it should be mashed.  I make it like my mom did, face down in a pan of water.  Then flip it, fill it's little concavity with butter and brown sugar and enjoy!

Summer is a great time for squash too.  Zucchini and those cute little yellow summer squashes make a great saute with some onion.  I use about 3 Tbsp of the Land O' Lakes Light butter and it makes a fantasticly buttery sauce.

Similar to squash are sweet potatoes.  (If you're wondering the difference between sweet potatoes and yams like I did, go here)  What Thanksgiving dinner is complete without sweet potatoes?  Ok, maybe they are complete here in California, but not in the South.  My sister especially likes the sweet potato casserole with the brown sugar and marshmallows on top.

Inspired by a Lean Cuisine called Beef Barbacoa, I made a slow cooked beef in a spicy sauce and on a separate occasion, I made the chipotle sweet potatoes that accompany it in the frozen meal.  With the beef, I made a "clean out the fridge" type casserole that had in it... you guessed it, squash!

Spicy Adobe Beef
2-3 lb Tri-tip or pot roast
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomatoes with green chilis (also called Rotel)
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 Tbsp chopped garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
1/2 large onion, diced

Throw it all in the crock pot and cook it on low for 6-8 hours.  A warning about the chilis!  I used the whole can and it was HOT.  I like it hot, but if you don't, scrape out the seeds inside, or just use 1 chili per pound of meat.  And use the adobo sauce.

Black Bean and Rice Casserole

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups diced, roasted butternut squash
1/2 cup (or so) Spicy Adobe Beef juice
1 cup Mexican Blend shredded cheese (or whatever you've got)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the rice. Combine all the ingredients in a casserole dish.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Cover for first 20 minutes and then uncover for last 10 minutes for 30 minutes of total cooking time.  Makes about 6-8 servings.

When you serve these, put the beef and the sauce on top.  It is so good!  It has a kick though, so the rice casserole helps to calm that down.

If you'd rather try the Chipotle Sweet Potatoes:

Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
1 lb uncooked sweet potato, cut into cubes
2 Tbsp Land O' Lakes Light Butter
2 Tbsp Fat Free Milk
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin

Cook the sweet potatoes in salted, boiling water until tender.  Drain and transfer to bowl.  Add the Butter and milk and combine until creamy.  Add the chili powder and cumin.  Salt to taste.

So as a reminder, add some squash to your next meal.  You might find it a nice addition to chili, casseroles, or just as a great side dish.  Happy Fall!