Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout & Apple Stuffing

Posted on October 23, 2014 by skibootsinthekitchen

Happy Friday! Today is a very special day- not just because its Friday and the weekend is just a few hours away. Today is Ski Boots in the Kitchen’s 2nd Birthday!! Happy Birthday blog! I made you some delicious stuffing to celebrate! Thank you to everyone that has followed me, made my recipes and enjoy this journey with me, it’s been so much fun! In celebration of our 2nd birthday we have a super awesome, shiny and new Ski Boots in the Kitchen logo created by my amazing sista Anabelle McLean! I don’t know about you but I am excited for some fall activities this weekend! I went out and bought a couple pumpkins to carve and I am planning on making my favorite Stew in a Pumpkin which was my very first post on the blog two years ago! If you have not tried this stew, please stop what you are doing and get your yourself to a grocery store STAT and start cooking. It is the best fall recipe… possibly ever!

I thought you’d enjoy some of the wildlife I’ve been seeing around Park City lately. All the deer and moose are out trying to fatten up before winter and I am doing the same in my kitchen! I have already started to think about the holidays and delicious recipes to share with your family and friends this Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah! This recipe for stuffing is an awesome way to get all your veggies- butternut squash, apples and cranberries add the perfect sweetness, while the pecans give the stuffing a lovely crunch! This recipe is so tasty, it will definitely become a new family favorite! Hope you have a great weekend! Cheers!

Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout and Apple Stuffing (Click for printer friendly version)

(Serves 6-8)

Recipe from Food52

1 pound butternut squash, cubed
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
1 medium gala apple, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided into 2 tbsp and 1 tbsp
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
10 slices bread of choice: crusty sourdough, dry cornbread, whole grain, or, if you are gluten free, millet bread will work nicely. Prior to preparing the recipe, leave bread out for a day to become slightly dry, then cut into cubes.
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (plus extra as needed)
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash, brussels sprouts, apples, and shallots in 2 tbsp oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast till vegetables are very tender and remove from oven. Reduce oven heat to 350.
Heat other tbsp oil in a large pot. Saute the onion and celery till translucent (about 5-8 min). Add the bread cubes and allow them to get golden brown with the veggies in the oil. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
Add the roasted vegetables, cranberries, pecans, and seasonings, gently toss to combine. Add the vegetable broth and stir the mix till the broth has almost entirely absorbed in the toasted bread. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Posted on October 13, 2014 by skibootsinthekitchen

Lately, I have been really into stuffing delicious things, such as squash or potatoes, with other delicious things, like chicken, sausage and/or wild rice! I don’t know why I have been so into this lately, maybe because there is so much fresh produce- acorn and spaghetti squashes and there are always vitamin packed sweet potatoes at the market!

I have also been eating more of Paleo-ish diet (although I still enjoy bread, pasta and cheese on a regular basis- I have been eating it less and trying to come up with alternative recipes!) These Thai chicken stuffed sweet potatoes are a perfect week night meal. First, using rotisserie chicken is my favorite trick for cooking with chicken- pick one up at the store and the hard part is done! Also putting the sweet potato in the microwave for a few minutes before popping it in the oven helps shorten the baking time. The almond butter and chili garlic sauce gives the chicken a little nutty/ spicy kick and the water chestnuts give the dish a delicious crunch! Fast, easy and flavorful this will become one of your favorite new meals! Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Click for printer friendly version)

(Serves 4) (Paleo & Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

4 medium, round sweet potatoes
½ cup canned full fat coconut milk
¼ cup smooth almond butter
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or sriracha)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 minced garlic clove
pinch of salt
1 tablespoons of sesame oil, to grease the pan
2 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4 green onions- white and green parts, chopped
small handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
handful slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Poke a couple holes with a fork in each sweet potato. Place them in the microwave for 4 minutes. Remove them from the microwave and wrap each potato in foil and place in oven and bake for about 30-45 minute, until potato is soft when pierced with a fork. (Microwaving them ahead of time reduces the time you have to cook them in the oven!)
When sweet potatoes have about 15 minutes left to cook, begin to make the rest. Place coconut milk, almond butter, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, honey, red pepper flakes, garlic clove and salt in a blender and puree until well mixed.
Place a small amount of sesame oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add red bell pepper and water chestnuts and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the chopped chicken, sprinkle with garlic powder and a bit of salt and pepper. Saute for another 3-5 minutes then add green onions and the sauce and mix well with the chicken (reserve ¼ cup of sauce to drizzle over the top of the potatoes).
Cut all 4 sweet potatoes down the middle, fill with the chicken mixture, topped with extra sauce, cilantro and almonds.

Slightly adapted from PaleOMG.

Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Posted on October 9, 2014 by skibootsinthekitchen

Happy Friday! Man-oh-man its been a crazy few weeks! Sorry I have been MIA! The fall foliage in Park City has been popping the last week- bright orange, red and yellow aspens! It’s breathtaking!

I have really been embracing the fall weather with lots of fall inspired dishes and drinks! One of my favorite fall drinks is this Rum and Cider – it’s super refreshing! I am also getting ready to make my absolute favorite fall recipe- Stew in a Pumpkin! You serve the stew right out of the whole pumpkin, it’s a real crowd pleaser!

I feel like one squash that gets over looked in the fall is the delicious spaghetti squash! Everyone is so focused on pumpkins and acorn squash that they forget about spaghetti squash. I was trying to think of a health alternative to the classic lasagna and wanted a fun option for all those gluten and grain free people!

Plus its always fun to have a little “boat” of food on your plate- it makes you feel like a kid again! If you’re looking to make this a vegetarian dish, substitute 3 portobella mushrooms and 1 cup of zucchini for the Italian sausage. Happy eating!

Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash (Click for printer friendly version)

(Serves 6-8ppl)

Ingredients:

5 pounds spaghetti squash (2 medium-sized squash)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (about 1lb) package Jennie-O hot Italian Turkey Sausage, decased (can substitute 1lb classic Italian sausage, decased or ground beef)
1 large portobello mushroom, cut into cubes
1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups ricotta
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp knife, poke 5-10 holes in the spaghetti squash, evenly on all sides (This step is very important or the squash might explode). Put each squash on a paper towel in the microwave (individually) and cook on high for 8-10 minutes, turning half way through.Remove the squash from the microwave and allow it to cool for 5 min. **(If you prefer to roast the squash in the oven see directions below).
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until translucent about 5 minutes. Add decased Turkey sausage and cook until well browned, stirring and breaking the turkey into small crumbs. Add mushrooms, zucchini and marinara sauce, stir to combine and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add spinach and stir, cover and remove from heat and allow the spinach to wilt.
Once the squash has cooled enough to handle, cut it in half. Carefully scoop out the seeds and discard them. Using a fork, shred the inside of the squash, leaving about 1/2 inch of squash in the shell. Mix the shredded squash into the tomato sauce. In a separate bowl mix together ricotta and parsley.
Place the cleaned spaghetti squash shells face up in a roasting pan. Divide half of the ricotta mixture between the shells, using a spoon to spread it evenly along the bottom of the shell. Divide 1/2 the tomato sauce between the shells over the ricotta. Top with another layer of ricotta and rest of the tomato sauce. (There may be some extra tomato sauce left over but it makes for great leftovers!)
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the squash and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned in spots. (For a more golden top, place the squash under the broiler for a minute or two.)