Baked Butternut Squash with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

I bought a wonderful butternut squash this week. It’s nice that the stores have winter squash all winter, long after my garden grown ones are all gone. Here’s a recipe we’re using tomorrow. We’re also having a mushroom risotto. What a great meal.

Baked Butternut Squash with Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

1 large butternut squash (3 1/2 lb)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (14 1/2- to 15-oz) can diced tomatoes, including juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 lb crumbled feta (scant 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Accompaniment: extra-virgin olive oil

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut off and peel neck of squash, then cut neck crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (reserve round portion for another use). Season both sides of slices with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook squash, in batches if necessary, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add water to skillet and cook squash, covered, over moderately low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Gently transfer squash with a spatula to a 2-quart gratin or other shallow baking dish, overlapping slices if necessary, then pour any juices from pan over squash.

Cook onions and garlic in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, oregano, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer 3 minutes.

Cover squash with tomato mixture and crumble feta on top, then sprinkle with nuts.

Bake gratin until heated through and cheese is softened, about 10 minutes.

Serve gratin drizzled with oil.

Makes 4 servings.

Some Spicy Stuff and a Cool Cocktail

Another Lemoncello Drink
Here’s a recipe I found in Get Togethers: Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals

Mam-Osas - makes1 drink
1 shot limoncello
4 ounces dry champagne
Lemon zest for garnish
Frost a non-crystal champagne flute in the freezer (I guess crystal doesn’t freeze well). Add limoncello to frosted glass and fill with chilled champagne. Garnish with lemon zest. It makes me think of summer just reading this recipe.

It was taco party at work yesterday. I made some black bean salsa –super easy, super good. I always keep Rotele in my pantry. It’s so handy for adding lots of flavor with very little fuss.

Easy Black Bean Salsa
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (10 ounce) cans Rotele (diced tomatoes with green chili peppers), partially drained
2 tomatoes, diced
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro chopped fine
Juice of three limes (a lime doesn’t make much juice, but the taste is worth the squeezing)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine all ingredients and chill before serving. When there’s fresh corn I’ll add grilled corn kernels to this salsa.

Here’s another Rotele recipe.

Vegetable Picadillo

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped green olives
2 (15 oz) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz) can Rotele
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup slivered almonds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Saute the bell peppers, the onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients except almonds. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring as needed, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Stir in almonds and heat through. You can serve this on rice, with flour tortillas or in a taco shell.

Instead of almonds you could use toasted pumpkin seeds. We use lots of pumpkin seeds at our house, in chili, in cheese enchiladas and in quick breads.