What to do with Winter Squash
An indulgent (but nutritious!) baked pasta and a muffin using my favorite Honeynut Squash
I feel like I recently saw some instagram meme out there that went something like “Does anyone else love buying a box of spring mix to watch it rot in your fridge?”. That’s kind of me with winter squash. This time of year it’s so exciting to see all the varieties popping up at the market, it just gives you that cozy fall vibe, even if it’s 80 degrees outside. They're hard to resist. But I’ve been known to buy them, display them and never actually use them. Are there any other guilty parties there?
I’ve got two recipes for you this week that use my favorite of the winter squashes: Honeynut Squash. It’s very similar to butternut but smaller, more deeply colored and more intensely flavored. The smaller size is great because it’s easier to handle with a knife and I find those giant butternut squashes just give you too much to work with. You can find Honeynut squash at any farmers market right now, and probably Whole Foods. Can you sub butternut? Yes. But please don't use the pre-cut shrink wrapped stuff. It’s probably been cut 3 months ago and it’s all dried up. Fresh has much better flavor and loads more nutrients. Take the 5 minutes to peel and cut up a fresh squash, it’s Fall, and it’s going to be SO much better.
Baked Rigatoni with Honeynut Squash, Kale & Sausage
If you never make anything from these newsletters, I beg you: MAKE THIS! It’s so good. It has a few steps, yes, but they are easy steps and the result is really spectacular. You are going to be AMAZED at how a humble winter squash can transform into a golden, silky sauce that resembles in texture some sinful cheese sauce. All cozied up in a baking dish with a cheesy, crunchy, sage flecked topping. It’s a delicious expression of Autumn produce. Subscribers will be receiving this recipe plus a SUPER moist, spiced Honeynut Squash Muffin recipe later today. You steam squash for both recipe sat the same time - easy. I’m so EXCITED for you guys to make these and report back. Click the button below to make it happen.
MiniMouths
The sauce from the pasta really did double, triple duty this week. I held a little back before assembling the pasta. Stored it in a glass container in the fridge and later in the week mixed it with macaroni and broccoli (cooked right in the pasta water). BIG hit with Dean. If you’re new here and are cooking for kids, follow along on Instagram @_minimouths
Fig Jam
As I mentioned last week, I’ve had a steady stream of figs in my house. A reader asked on Instagram if I’d share the Fig Jam recipe that I’ve been making. If you find yourself with an overflow of figs this week, this is a really easy and impressive way to use them up. Some delicious things to eat it with: Buttered sourdough toast, yogurt, or a hunk of good cheese and crackers.
Fig Jam with Rosemary & Fennel
Makes about 2 cups
1 pound of fresh figs, stems trimmed, chopped into small pieces
½ cup sugar
2-3 big sprigs of rosemary, left whole
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
A wide strip of lemon zest plus the juice from half the lemon
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and elt sit for 20 minutes until the figs become juicy and release some of their liquid.
Turn the burner to medium. Simmer the jam for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The jam should be thickened.
Discard the rosemary sprigs and lemon peel. At this point you can choose to leave it with some texture, but if you want a smoother jam run an immersion blender through it until smooth.
Transfer the jam to clean glass jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What I’m Loving This Week:
My Guyanese Daycare Teacher: Not only does Ms. Sandy take impeccable care of my son everyday, this amazing woman sends home the most incredible food. She cooks all the kid’s meals for the week from scratch and also occasionally passes off a Tupperware of THE BEST chicken curry & rotis I’ve ever had, for the parents. I mean, how lucky is Dean???!! To eat her food every weekday! She has introduced me to some wonderful foods that I’d never had before. Most recently she sent home this magic thing called Dhal Puri. If you've had Paratha bread, it’s like that but layered with the most delicious dhal (lentils). It’s my new favorite food. Anyone from the Caribbean out there that is familiar with this heavenly bread?
The Most Basic Bitch Fall Coffee Hack: I sprinkled pumpkin pie spice over my coffee grinds when I made coffee the other morning and it was really good. Moves to the suburbs… pumpkin everything. And yes my entryway already has every variety of pumpkin and burgundy mums lining the steps.
Lemon Water: Sounds simple but I’ve been on a huge water with lemon kick for the past month. Again, the ladies at my daycare were the inspiration. When I started there I was in the throes of deep morning sickness. Throwing up multiple times a day. The ladies told me to go immediately and buy a bunch of lemons, cut them up, keep them in the fridge and squeeze them in every glass of water I drank. I have to say it really has helped settle my stomach. I’ve known for years all the health benefits that come along with lemon water. But it’s only now that I am a convert. Thank goodness I’m not as sick anymore but even if I eat a little too much or something that upsets my stomach, a glass of lemon water takes care of it quick.
Next week I’m *planning* to bring you guys some great ideas of what to make with all the obligatory apples you’re probably going to pick. XO Liv