Butternut Squash Tart

I made this for a group of friends the other night and they all loved it! It was super easy to make and looks rather impressive. I hope you all had a wonderful 2011 and best wishes for an even better 2012! Enjoy! (Recipe adapted from Five and Spice)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup of cold water
• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• Garlic
• Thyme
• S&P
• Optional – cheese, sour cream (highly recommended)

Directions

Measure 1 cup flour and 1tsp. salt into a mixing bowl. Measure 1/4 cup olive oil into a measuring cup, then fill to the 1/3 mark with cold water. Stir the oil and water with a fork to emulsify, then pour into the flour and stir until all the flour is moistened (you may have to add a touch more oil or water if it is too dry). Gather the dough and press into a ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the squash lengthwise in half and lay halves in a pan with a little bit of water. Roast at 425 degrees for about an hour, until soft and easily pierced with a fork.

While that is cooking, sautee your diced onion in a hefty splash of olive oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then turn heat to low and allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes to begin to caramelize. When the squash is cooked, carefully (ie, don’t burn yourself!) remove the seeds.

Discard the skin and mix squash with the onion mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you are adding cheese or sour cream add it here. I used about 3/4 cup of sour cream and 3/4 cup of grated cheddar cheese.

Press pie crust into pan to desired thickness (mine ended up being too thick, so be careful). Add squash/onion mixture and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. thyme. Bake in the oven at 375F for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden.

If you have leftover squash/onion mixture keep it! It makes for a great snack the next day on it’s own, similar to mashed potatoes.

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

I made this the other night and wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it turned out! I saw the recipe on Martha Stewart and adapted it slightly to make it a little healthier. This was beyond easy to prepare and was surprisingly filling on its own but would pair great with a simple salad.

Ingredients

• 1-2 large butternut squash
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3/4 c. fat free sour cream or plain yogurt
• 2 tsp broth, for cooking
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (or Ener-G if you want to go vegan)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/3 c. shredded cheese of your choosing
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 c. whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• Pinch of paprika

Instructions

1. Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and membranes.

2. Place face down in a baking dish, add about 1/4 inch water and bake at 350 for 40-75 minutes (depending on the size of the squash), then remove from oven and allow to cool until they are comfortable to hold in your hand.

3. While the squash is cooling, cook the onions and garlic in the broth until softened (about 7-10 minutes) then add to a mixing bowl. Scoop out the cooked squash (leaving a little room on the sides to keep the shape) into the mixing bowl and return the hollowed out skins to the baking sheet, hollow side up.

5. Add dry mustard, sour cream/yogurt, eggs and cheese to the mix and stir until well combined. Fill the skins with the mixture, top with breadcrumbs and sprinkle with thyme and paprika.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and breadcrumbs are toasted.