Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash

This recipe is an amalgam of two recipes that I found (here and here). I wanted a vegetarian version, hence the rice and beans (for protein and some extra calories).The combination of the slightly sweet squash and the salty/spicy filling is just right.

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash


2 medium acorn squash
2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon oregano
1 15-oz can tomatoes and green chiles (i.e. Rotel)
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, or muenster)

1. Preheat oven to 375F.  Cut squash in half horizontally, and scoop out seeds (you can toss them or save them for roasting). Place squash in a 9x13 dish, cut-side up. Place 1 piece of butter into each of the squash halves. Add 1 cup of water in to the bottom of the pan before covering with foil (the steam from the water will help keep the squash moist). Bake until the squash is tender, about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes w/green chiles, beans, rice, and salt. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325F. Fill the squash halves with the beans/rice mixture. Top with cheese. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

ENJOY!!

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Black Bean Salsa

Ok, I'm going to level with you here. I could label this "the best," but you wouldn't believe me. So I am just going to tell you this fact: This recipe makes A LOT, it's perfect for throwing a party. I have to break out my huge bowl to make it. Am I throwing a party? No. I am not. I have made this salsa for myself, and me alone. (the husband hates salsa) I will be downing this bowl and a bag of tortilla chips over the week. For lunch, for dinner, sometimes for breakfast.

It is that good. 

So grab yourself a giganta-bowl (preferably with a sealable top) and toss this stuff in it! 

2 cans drained corn
2 cans drained black beans
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1 chopped yellow (or purple) onion
1-2 chopped jalapenos- or 4 oz. can diced (or, if you don't like spicy, leave it out altogether)
1 small can chopped black olives
cilantro- to taste
2 tea. cumin
juice of a few limes
1 pkg. taco seasoning
chili powder- to taste

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Hummus

WOW! It has been forEVER since I have posted on this. And I'm making a lot of new things now that it's fall, so I promise to keep posting. This post is for Ashley. This will go GREAT with your pita chips. It is also good on grilled sandwiches or for veggie dipping.

Hummus
1 can chickpeas (I drain it, but you don't have to)
about 1 Tbsp EVOO
a couple squirts of Lemon Juice
1 small to med clove of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Throw the chickpeas in a food processor with the garlic clove. Buzz it a couple times then slowly drizzle in the EVOO until it's the consistency you like it. Taste it and see how much lemon juice it'll need. The lemon juice counter acts the oniony garlic taste, so add as much as you like. Add some S&P to taste and buzz it a couple more times.
Serve and enjoy!!!

*sorry no pics*

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Tuscan Bean Stew

The best part about fall/winter is eating soup -- lots and lots of soup. This is a house favorite for sure.

 

Tuscan Bean Stew
(from Cook's Illustrated, March/April 2008)

table salt
1 pound dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces pnacetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
8 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), stems trimmed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
ground black pepper
8 slices country white bread, each 1 1/4 inches thick, broiled until golden brown on both sides and rubbed with garlic clove (optional)

1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 6 to 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragragnt, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, bay leaves, and soaked beans. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost ender (very center of beans will still be firm), 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Remove pot from oven and stir in greens and tomatoes. Return pot to oven and continue to cook until beans and greens are fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
4. Remove pot from oven and submerge rosemary sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig and season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve over toasted bread, if desired, and drizzle with olive oil.

ENJOY!! 

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Taco Stuffing

2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups water
1 cup rice (white or brown)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

In a large pot, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmeruncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot (if you are using brown rice, it may need to simmer for up to 60-70 minutes). The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, it will thicken to perfection as the rice absorbs water and all the ingredients meld together.

Serve as the filling in a taco, ontop of a taco salad, dip with tortilla chips, or freeze the leftover meat/rice mixture to defrost and reheat later.

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Vegetarian Taco Casserole

1 can black beans, drained
1 can "ranchero style" pinto beans w/ liquid
(I have yet to find "ranchero style" so I just get regular pinto beans)
1 c. salsa
1 small can sliced black olives
1/2 c. sour cream
2 tea. chili powder
3 c. crushed tortilla chips
Grated cheddar cheese
chopped tomato
lettuce

Mix beans, salsa, sour cream, olives, and chili  powder in a large bowl. In a greased 9x9 pan, layer 1/2 tortilla chips, then beans, then top with cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 for 20-30 mins. Top with chopped tomato and lettuce.

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Chicken Fiesta...

Yeah I totally made up the name for that. There is no title, I just throw things in a skillet and eat it :)
OK, so here's the ingredients.

2 or more cups of cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken, just for you Lacie :) )

About a full can of corn

And black beans

A shake or two of Ranch Mix (I'd guess about 1-2 Tbsp)

1/2 to a full packet of McCormick (sp?) Chicken Taco seasoning 

Here's the chicken. It was all I had left, I would have used more though.

Cut up the chicken into chunks and toss into a skillet to start warming it through. I toss in a little EVOO, because I can... I have a fear of food sticking to my pans. George probably fears it more, he is the designated dishwasher in this house :)

After about 3-5 minutes, toss in the corn and black beans. Use the whole can if you use 2 or more cups of chicken.

Sprinkle the Ranch mix and Chicken Taco mix on and start mixin' it all together. If you feel like it's too dry, put a glug of water or salsa or something in it.

Here it is :) Yummy.

Serve over rice, in a hard corn taco, in a flour tortilla, on a salad, in a cup, straight-outta-the-pan... whatever you choose.

And yes, that IS cottage cheese on top of mine. Sour cream was gone and George hadn't come back from the store yet with a new pint, I had to improvise. Starving momma.

ENJOY!

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