Squash, spinach and gorgonzola pizza

This simple pizza has the most flavorful, full-bodied taste. It's quick to make if you happen to have left over roasted squash in your fridge. All it takes is dough (I made Bittman's recipe in my food processor) spread thinly on a pan which you then drizzle with olive oil and cover with roasted squash cut into small pieces, thawed and drained frozen spinach, gorgonzola cheese. Bake at 450 degrees until the crust is golden brown. Enjoy with a nice cold beer!

Penne with kale and baked squash

I had no intention of making this dish... it just kind of happened. I had a delicata squash baking in the oven and some kale simmering in onions, thinking I would just put it all on a plate for a light veggie meal, but then I threw some leftover penne in the kale and decided it would be fun to peel the cooked squash, cube it and throw it in the dish. I have no regrets, as it was all very lovely!

Here's what you do:

1. Peel and cut a small squash in cubes and bake covered in olive oil at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour.
2. Meanwhile, slice a large onion and sautee in a large pot in olive oil over low heat until translucent.
3. Wash and chop up a bunch of kale and add to the onions. Stir to cover with oil. Salt and pepper generously. Add just enough water to create some steam. Cover and let the kale wilt, stirring occasionally and adding a bit of water at a time if you notice it has all evaporated.
4. When the kale is very tender, add cooked penne (or other pasta) and stir.
5. Add a couple heaping teaspoons of creme fraiche. (Sour cream may work, but you should heat it first before adding it to the kale or it will curdle.)
6. Add the cooked squash and stir.
7. Shred some fresh romano cheese and add to the dish, stirring.
8. Serve hot with some more fresh romano grated over the top. YUM!
   

No grain, no pain

Adele and I are beginning to commit more and more acts of blasphemy with regard to the USDA food pyramid. Namely, we're undermining the entire grain-based foundation of the pyramid and substituting squash and tubers - mostly sweet potatoes - for grains like rice and pasta. We're not on some anti-grain crusade (Adele would probably trade in our obese cat for a perfect baguette), but squash or sweet potato is a wonderfully delicious and filling substitute for our typical grains. Squash or tubers are the staple foods of many cultures across the world and are fundamental to traditional peasant cuisine. No need to stick with rice or pasta every night when there's so much variety out there that still fills us up and serves our carbo needs. And bonus: we also get pretty colors on the plate!


This is what tonight's meal looked like in it's original state: dandelion greens, onion, garlic, butternet squash and eggs.

Start with the squash by cutting it in half lengthwise and spooning out the seeds. Place them flesh-side-down in an oven-safe dish with perhaps an inch of water, cover and bake until soft, about 40 minutes. Start checking for done-ness after about 30 minutes by poking the squash with a sharp knife. If the knife slides through with no effort, it's ready to serve.



While the squash is baking, think about the dandelion greens and the egg. The greens are longer to cook than the egg, so think about that first. But at some point during the process, crack an egg per person into a ramekin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, place in a skillet or pot and add enough water to come halfway up the ramekin. Bring the water to a boil and cook the eggs until the whites set to your liking. (It doesn't take long...)

For the dandelion greens, slice the onion and roughly mince the garlic. In a skillet, heat a bit of finely cut up bacon (I highly recommend it for the taste, but feel free to use olive oil or butter) until the bacon shrivels and crusts, leaving a hot layer of bacon fat. Remove the rinds with a slatted spoon and preserve. Sautee the onions and garlic in the bacon fat until soft. Add the dandelion greens and stir to cover with the oil. Add salt and pepper and a teaspoon or two of sugar and cook until the greens are as crisp or as soft as you like them.

Remove from heat, return the bacon rinds to the greens and stir.

Serve everything piping hot, adding a generous pat of butter to the squash and toasted wheat bread to sop up the egg if you want.

Prep & cook time : about an hour

Price : approximately 4$ for two people