Fall Recipes

In this Recipe Page: Basic Prep of a Pie Pumpkin or Winter Squash, Baked Whole Stuffed Pumpkin, Belluz Family Pumpkin Pie, Butternut Sauté,  Curried Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Smoky Pie Pumpkin or Winter Squash Soup, Spaghetti Squash Fritter, Spaghetti Squash Sauté, Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash, Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage, Winter Squash Ravioli with Sage and Hazelnut Butter Sauce

Basic Prep of a Pie Pumpkin or Winter Squash

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 F

2.  Cut your pumpkin or squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Cut in ½ and place in a baking dish cut side down in ½ inch of water.

3.  Bake for 30-45 min. until very soft & tender. Scoop out flesh.  Puree and enjoy in your favourite recipes!

Baked Whole Stuffed Pumpkin

1 large pumpkin or your favourite winter squash (about 6lbs)

Filling:

2 carrots sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

4 slices bacon, chopped

2 med. onions, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 cups ground beef

2 tsp. tomato puree

1-2 fresh red chiles, halved, seeded and chopped (optional)

1 cup cooked white or brown or a combination with wild rice

Salt and pepper to taste

Using a paring knife, cut a small “top” out of the pumpkin leaving the stem intact.  Set aside.  Using a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibers – discard.  Brush the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil.  Preheat oven at 400 F.

Blanch the carrots for 5 min. in boiling salted water.  Drain and set aside.  In a skillet, fry the bacon until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.  Add onions to the skillet and sauté until golden.  Add the herbs, beef and stir-fry until browned.  Stir in tomato puree and chiles.  Add the carrots, bacon and rice and warm through. 

Stuff the pumpkin with the mixture.  Put the “lid” on top and wrap in a “basin” of foil.  Bake at 400 F. for 45-60 min. or until the pumpkin is tender.  When serving, scoop out flesh of pumpkin with the stuffing. 

Belluz Family Pumpkin Pie

Works best in a 10 inch pie plate

Pastry for a single crust pie

3 eggs, slightly beaten

¾ c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ginger

¼ tsp. cloves

2 cups pie pumpkin puree or any winter squash puree

½ tsp. salt

1-2/3 c. heavy cream or 1 can evaporated milk

Mix ingredients for 5 min on a medium speed then pour into unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 425 F  for 15 min., then at 350 F for 30 min. or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Butternut Sauté

1 butternut or medium hubbard squash (about 2 lbs)

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped mushrooms

2 tomatoes chopped

2 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

¼ tsp. dried savory

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the squash in half and scoop out seeds.  In manageable chunks, peel the squash with a veggie peeler or use a chefs knife to carefully slice off the skin.  Cut flesh into 1” cubes.  In a steam basket, cook squash cubes until just slightly tender.  Melt butter in a frying pan.  Add onion and cook until tender over medium heat.  Stir in mushrooms and sauté 2 min. longer.  Add squash cubes, tomatoes and seasonings.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 10-20 min. or until squash it tender.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

4 cups chicken broth

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

¾ cup green onions, white part, chopped

3 cups pie pumpkin, cubed

¼ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. curry powder

2 cups milk

½ tsp. Sugar

salt & pepper to taste

Sautee onions & garlic in a bit of canola or olive oil until translucent.  Add other ingredients and cook uncovered for 20 min.  Puree. Add milk and cook another 5 min.  Do not boil after milk has been added. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cup graham crackers or ginger snaps, crushed into crumbs

Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in crumbs. Press into ungreased 9"x9" springform pan and bake 350°F for 10 minutes.

Filling:
2 cups pumpkin puree
2 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

In food processor, puree pumpkin.  Add cream cheese, puree again.  Add remaining ingredients and buzz until smooth.  Pour over crust.  Bake 350ºF for 1 hour or until firm.

Smoky Pie Pumpkin or Winter Squash Soup

3 slices bacon

1 tbsp butter

1 medium to large onions diced

1 large carrots diced

1 celery stalks diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 cups cubed orange fleshed squash (pie pumpkin, butternut, hubbard or turban)

4 cups chicken stock

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp sage

1 tsp smoked paprika or chipotle chili powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Dash lemon juice

Cut up bacon into bite size pieces.  In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch Oven, fry bacon until very crisp.  Remove bacon into a paper-towel lined bowl and keep for topping the soup.  Reserve 1 tbsp bacon fat in the pot – drain the rest.  Add 1 tbsp butter to the bacon fat and sauté onions, carrots and celery until very, soft.  Add pumpkin and garlic sauté for about 1 min. more.  Add broth and remaining seasonings.  Simmer for 15 – 20 min.  Puree.

Spaghetti Squash Fritter

3 cups cooked spaghetti squash

To cook a spaghetti squash, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then place each half, cut side down, in a large baking dish with about 1 inch of water.  Bake at 350 F until the squash is tender (about 35-40min).  Use a fork to pull the flesh from the skin of the squash.

2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. basil

Dash salt

Dash pepper

Oil

Combine all ingredients (except oil).  Heat 1/8” oil in a frying pan.  Spoon spaghetti squash batter into hot fry pan and spread thinly.  Turn once after top begins to look dry and bottom is golden brown.  Serve fritters hot with a dollop of sour cream.

Spaghetti Squash Sauté

3 cups cooked spaghetti squash

To cook a spaghetti squash, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Then place each half, cut side down, in a large baking dish with about 1 inch of water.  Bake at 350 F until the squash is tender (about 35-40min).  Use a fork to pull the flesh from the skin of the squash.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 med. onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 cups chopped tomatoes

¼ cup crumbled feta

¼ cup sliced black olives

Saute the onions in olive oil until soft.  Add garlic and cook for about 1 min. more.  Add tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 5 min.  Toss with spaghetti squash, top with cheese and olives and serve warm. 

Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash

3 sweet dumpling squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
8 dates, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup cooked quinoa
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds.  Place squash face-down in baking dish with about ½ inch water. Bake until tender about 30 minutes.

Stuffing:  Heat oil in a med. saucepan over med. heat. Add onions and sauté until onion is soft. Add pistachios, dates, lemon zest, and cinnamon and sauté for another minute. Stir in the cooked quinoa and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Turn the squash upright in the baking dish and stuff with the quinoa mixture.  Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage

5 cups cubed peeled butternut, buttercup or other sweet squash

1 slice white bread

4 tsp olive oil, divided

2 cups thinly sliced onion

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp. dried sage

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Steam squash, covered, until tender.  Place bread in a food processor and pulse until crumbs are coarse.  Transfer to a small bowl; add 2 tsp olive oil and toss to combine.  Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.  Add sliced onions and sauté until tender.  Transfer onions to a large bowl and add squash, sage and salt and pepper.  Toss gently to combine.  Spoon squash mixture into a 11 x 17 inch greased baking dish.  Bake at 400 F for 20 min.  Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese evenly over squash mixture and sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese.  Bake an additional 10 min or until the cheese is melted and crumbs are golden. 

Winter Squash & Sage Ravioli with Hazelnut Butter Sauce

Gourmet Magazine, 1997

For filling

2-pound butternut, buttercup or turban squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons ground sage

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

3 ounces aged goat cheese, grated

60 won ton wrappers, thawed if frozen

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted lightly and skinned, and chopped coarse

Preheat oven to 425°F. and lightly grease a baking sheet.

Filling:  Put squash halves, flesh sides down, an baking sheet and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until flesh is very tender. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh into a bowl and discard skin. Mash squash with a fork until smooth.

While squash is roasting, in a skillet cook onion and sage in butter with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes, or until onion is golden brown. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Cool onion mixture slightly and add to squash. Add goat cheese and stir to combine well.

Ravioli Assembly: In a 6-quart kettle bring 5 quarts salted water to a gentle boil for ravioli. Put 1 won ton wrapper on a lightly floured surface, keeping remaining wrappers in plastic wrap, and mound 1 tablespoon filling in center. Lightly brush edges of wrapper with water and put a second wrapper over first, pressing down around filling to force out air and seal edges well. If desired, trim excess dough with a round cutter or sharp knife. Transfer ravioli to a dry kitchen towel. Make more ravioli with remaining wrappers and filling in same manner, transferring as formed to towel and turning occasionally to dry slightly.

Sauce: In skillet cook butter with hazelnuts over moderate heat until butter begins to brown, about 3 minutes, and immediately remove from heat (nuts will continue to cook). Season hazelnut butter with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.

Final Steps: Cook ravioli in 3 batches in gently boiling water until they rise to surface and are tender.  Carefully transfer ravioli as cooked with a slotted spoon to a large shallow baking pan and add enough cooking water to reach 1/2 inch up side of pan. Keep ravioli warm, covered. When all ravioli are cooked, transfer from warming pan with a slotted spoon (letting excess cooking liquid drip off) to 6 plates and top with hazelnut brown-butter sauce.