Tag Archive for: Winter Squash

Steamed Spaghetti Squash with Pasta Sauce

Spaghetti Squash with Ingre

 

Spaghetti squash is too often overlooked by the home gardener as too plain or common. This is unfortunate because it is a marvel for very tasty dinners which just happen to be quick and easy to prepare. In 30 minutes – from start to finish – you can have a hot and delicious fresh meal with a spaghetti squash and just a couple of other ingredients.

The flavor is very slightly sweet, more so than real pasta, making it an ideal base to pair a tomato or pesto sauce with. If you’ve made some sauce ahead of time, then you’ve got a fully home-made meal that will satisfy three to four people in a half hour from start to sit-down, with only about ten minutes of hands-on time. Another option is to use a quality store-bought sauce and dress it up with seasonings or balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make it a bit more special.

Here’s what you could grow in your garden for this recipe –

4 from 1 vote
Spaghetti Squash with Pasta
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Steamed Spaghetti Squash with Pasta Sauce
Steaming the spaghetti squash whole keeps more of its delicate flavors intact and makes less work for you! Adding some salt after shredding the squash keeps it from being too mild and becoming lost in the pasta sauce.
Author: Stephen
Ingredients
  • 3 - 4 pound spaghetti squash whole
  • 3 - 4 cloves roasted garlic optional
  • Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste optional
  • Freshly grated Parmesan Pecorino, Asiago or other hard grating cheese (optional)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place whole squash in a covered steamer basket.
  2. Cook for 25 minutes or until a knife easily cuts through flesh. Often the rind will pop right around the 25 minute mark.
  3. Remove steamer basket and rinse under running cold water until squash is just cool enough to handle, but not cold.
  4. Slice squash in half, remove seeds and smaller pulp in center cavity, and then remove rind.
  5. Shred flesh into long strands with fork or fingers.
  6. Add salt to taste to bring flavor of squash up.
  7. Serve hot with pasta or pesto sauce, add diced garlic cloves, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and/or grated cheese if desired.

Let’s take a look at just how easy this is!

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Starting off with Spaghetti Squash and friends…

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

It is steamed whole for about 25 minutes. The rind popped at about this time, letting me know it was close. The spaghetti squash was removed from the steamer basket and rinsed under cold running water so it could be handled.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

The seeds are removed with a spoon or scraper, then the shell or rind is removed.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

Using tongs, forks or your fingers, shred the squash into its namesake spaghetti strand appearance.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

A couple of minutes later, this is what you’ll have! Ready for sauce.

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

A generous serving of home-made pasta sauce that was previously made, some grated Italian cheese and you’ve got an easy and delicious meal!

A plant growing in the dirt on a sunny day.

The next night we used a pesto sauce with Feta cheese and sun dried tomatoes and it was also exceptional.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup


 Roasted Butternut squash is the mainstay in many delicious cold season soups, with good reason. They are satisfying, slightly sweet and lend themselves to many savory seasonings without being overwhelmed. Here’s an unusual take on the classic with a slightly sweet twist thanks to maple syrup! It is very easy to make and works equally well as a cold weather soup served hot or a surprising spring soup served chilled.

Here’s what could come out of your garden for this recipe – carrots, onions, parsley and butternut squash!

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut squash are deliciously sweet and silky, making creamy cold weather soups. You can use almost any hard winter squash to make this soup, and the rich sweetness of the carrot adds an extra dimension to the flavors. It is wonderful throughout the cold months, but can be just as delicious served chilled as the weather warms up.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 medium butternut or other winter squash cut in half and seeded (about 4 cups)
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 4 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock can substitute ready-made broth
  • 6 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon Ceylon or Vietnamese is preferred for a warmer flavor
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream if desired optional
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced chives or parsley optional
Instructions
  1. Roast squash, onion and carrot on a cookie sheet lined with foil in a 350F oven for 25 - 35 minutes or until fork tender. Scoop out squash from its shell.
  2. Working in batches, process roasted vegetables in a food processor, adding small amounts of stock and process until smooth. You can leave a few smaller chunks for a more rustic appearance.Transfer pureed mixture into heavy bottomed pot.
  3. Stir in maple syrup and remainder of seasonings. Simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, then taste for sweet balance.
  4. Swirl in a spoonful of cream and top with chives or parsley and serve hot with crusty bread.
Recipe Notes

The soup can be made up to serving, then refrigerated up to 3 days to allow flavors to mingle and reheated on stove top. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Reheat soup on stove top before serving, then add cream and garnish.

 

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