Make Ahead Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

While photocopying my last exam, I ran into my colleague who told me she used butternut squash and other yummy veggies in my “make ahead pasta bake”. 

I took one of our favorite fall meals – roasted butternut squash lasagna – and made it using the method my colleague described.  We LOVED it. 

Combining other delightful flavors in a recipe that works so well with our crazy schedule is brilliant.  I owe this recipe idea to her – thanks J! 

If you have leftover butternut squash from Thanksgiving, this pasta bake is the perfect way to use it up!

Make Ahead Butternut Squash Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash {or 1 1/2 C puree}
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 T minced garlic
• 2 T minced onion
• 1 T white whole wheat flour
• 2 C milk
• 1/8 C whipping cream
• pepper, to taste
• 4 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 2 C fresh {or frozen} spinach leaves
• 2 C penne pasta, uncooked, whole wheat preferred
• 2/3 C parmesan cheese

Directions

Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast at 450 for about 45 minutes, until soft when pricked with a fork. 

Allow the squash to cool for about 20 minutes, and then scoop out the squash into a large bowl. I had about 3 loosely packed cups of squash.  This recipe calls for 1 1/2 C puree – so I just froze the rest for later.

In a large skillet sauté the onion and garlic in a tiny dollop of olive oil or butter, until onions are translucent. 

Stir in the butternut squash puree and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Meanwhile, mix together 1 T white whole wheat flour and 1 C milk.  Stir until combined.  Slowly add the milk mixture to the puree in the skillet.  Stir after each addition until well incorporated.  Repeat the slow adding for the additional 1 C milk and 1/8 C whipping cream. 

The goal is to get a sauce similar in consistency to spaghetti sauce … so, if it’s too thick, add a little more milk.  Then, season with salt & pepper.  Remove from heat. 

In a lightly greased 9x9 glass baking dish, spoon in a layer of the garlic butternut squash mixture. 

Then, layer whole wheat penne (uncooked), spinach leaves and mushrooms. 

Top with another layer of butternut squash mix and repeat the layers ending on top with another layer of butternut squash mixture. 

Cover and refrigerate overnight, or until ready to cook. 

The next day, remove the dish from the oven, uncover and sprinkle Parmesan cheese – or Mozzarella, or a combo of the two – over the top of the pasta bake. 

Place the dish in the oven, then turn it on to 350 degrees.  Cover the dish with a cookie sheet or tinfoil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

Then, uncover the dish and continue baking at 350 for an additional 20-30 minutes until the dish is bubbly, cheese is slightly browned and melt-y. 

Serve warm & enjoy.  Leftovers reheat well too. 

Linked to: These Chicks Cooked, What’s On Your Plate? Recipe LInky

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Dark Chocolate Covered Toffee Bites

Black Friday has become baking day at our house.  I don’t know how it started – but that’s what it is now.  And, I love it.

Wouldn’t have it any other way.

Christmas tunes coming out of our CD player (yep, we still have one and use it regularly), sweet aromas wafting out of the kitchen, old stand-by Christmas cookie recipes in the works, and new ones on the list to try. 

My mom and I decided this year we needed to try a simple toffee recipe.  One look at the original recipe, and I knew we could make it just a little bit better for you.  Every little bit helps, right?  I used whole grain crackers and half the amount of butter. 

It was so delicious. 

And, easy.

If you take it somewhere, folks will want the recipe – trust me. 

So, I might add this one to your Christmas baking list, if you’re the planning type. 

Dark Chocolate Covered Toffee Bites – Adapted from Make Life Delicious

Ingredients

• 1 sleeve (roughly) whole grain Club crackers*
• 1 C brown sugar
• 5 T butter
• 1/2 C dark chocolate chips

Directions

Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil, or parchment paper. Spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray. 

Arrange crackers over the tinfoil until the tray is full.  This took roughly 1 sleeve of whole grain Club crackers.

Meanwhile, melt 5 T butter and 1 C brown sugar (no need to pack it) in a small saucepan. 

Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. 

Remove from the heat & pour over the crackers. 

Place the cookie sheet in the oven, heated to 400 degrees, for 5-6 minutes.  Remove from the oven.

Then, sprinkle the 1/2 C dark chocolate chips over the top of the warm caramel layer.

Wait until the chocolate chips are shiny, and then spread them out over the top of the caramel layer. 

Cool on the counter for 2-3 hours. 

Break the toffee into bite-sized pieces. 

Store in an airtight container on the counter.  Or, hidden in a drawer or closet.  However you prefer.  I’ll let you decide once you taste it. 

*Any club/saltine/town house – like cracker can be used in this recipe.  If I ever come up with a homemade saltine recipe, I’ll likely use that here just because it would be amazing. 

Linked to: Tasty Tuesday, Talent Show Tuesday

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

We have about 15 C of shredded zucchini in our freezer from our end of the summer garden harvest, and this pizza casserole is sure to make a few appearances at our place over the coming year to help us use up that zucchini. 

This recipe is similar to another I have on my blog, but that one relies on rice in the crust.  Using rice in the crust gives the bottom layer more of a pizza crust density – it’s much more solid than the base of this casserole, which is good for different reasons. 

Regardless, both of these recipes are GF, which is a plus when you are cooking for a friend with celiac disease or a gluten allergy. 

And, gluten-free or not, this dinner was a hit at our place!  We reduced the cheese substantially (by more than 1 1/2 C), decreased the beef by a 1/2 lb (got to love stretching that meat), and added more veggies.  And, we loved it. 

Zucchini Pizza Casserole – Adapted from Sweet Treats & More

Ingredients

• 4 C shredded zucchini
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/8 C Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 – 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 2 T dried, minced onion
• 2 C spaghetti sauce {crockpot or stovetop}
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced into small pieces
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 C mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 C extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Begin by shredding your zucchini.   Sprinkle the thawed zucchini with salt – allowing the zucchini to stand for 10 minutes; squeeze out all the moisture. 

{Note: If you are using pre-frozen, as we did, thaw first.  Then, drain all the excess water off the zucchini, and continue with the salting step}

Mix the zucchini with 2 eggs, 1/8 C Parmesan and 1/4 C mozzarella and 1/4 C cheddar cheeses.  Add in 1/2 – 1 tsp. Italian seasoning. 

Press the zucchini mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish. 

Bake the “crust” uncovered for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. 

While the crust bakes, brown the 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey in a large skillet, until meat is no longer pink.  Drain excess grease. 

Add in the onion & 2 C spaghetti sauce. 

Remove the crust from the oven.

Pour the meat and sauce mixture over the crust.  I love that our sauce had carrots and other yummy veggies in it.  I say the more veggies, the merrier. 

Top with sliced mushrooms and peppers. 

Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 until the pizza is heated through and cheese is melted and slightly browned. 

Allow the dish to stand for 2-3 minutes before slicing and serving. 

The leftovers for this casserole were great too.  Now I’m thinking we need to make it again. 

Linked to: Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday

Menu Plan–November 27

I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving!  We certainly did.

We have so much to give thanks to God for – including delicious food, fun times with family, and excellent leftovers. 

Friday, rather than shopping, my mom and I had our annual Christmas baking day!

This year, we made whole wheat molasses crinkles, dark chocolate cherry shortbread, mint chocolate cookie crunch, mint chipper crinkle cookies {new}, oatmeal cherry chocolate cookies {new}, honey fudge {new}, toffee {new}, chex mix, potato doughnuts and 24 C of turkey broth (which we turned into turkey soup)! 

I treasure days like that with my mom!  There are still some Christmas eats on our baking list – like my mom’s famous amaretto fudge {see pic below} – but we made good progress on our favorite treats. 

Our menu this week involves creative ways to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. 

Sunday
Potato Doughnuts, fruit
Turkey Soup, Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

Monday
Granola, dried cherries
Kentucky Hot Browns, Broccoli & Corn

Tuesday
Sweet Potato Baked Oatmeal
Leftovers

Wednesday
Leftover doughnuts and/or baked oatmeal
Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches {uses leftover turkey}, sweet potato apple bake (LO)

Thursday
Veggie Scramble with potato cakes (LO potatoes)
Broccoli Hotdish (LO stuffing & turkey)

Friday
Granola with dried cranberries & blueberries
Dinner – Faculty Smorgasbord for Festival of Christmas!

Saturday
TBD
Turkey Pepper Stew, brown rice

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!