RECIPES

This is an original creation tested on friends and family who either thought it was good or took elaborate measures to fool me into thinking they thought so.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH ON SAGE TOAST

This recipe makes 10 pieces, which is a good appetizer for like three people.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 butternut squash, roasted and mashed to make 1 cup (Idea for leftover: mix with cooked pasta and olive oil in a skillet and top with parmesan.  It freezes well too- great to have on hand for this recipe or soup, ravioli stuffing or whatever.)
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp maple syrup
  • about 6 inches of baguette
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 tsp dried sage powder
  • salt & pepper
  • parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Slice butternut squash in half lengthwise and core out seed area.  Spray or brush with olive oil and place face down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Extract the cloves from an entire garlic bulb and peel.  Wrap in foil, then set on baking sheet with squash.
  • Bake squash and garlic in oven at 450° for 30 minutes.
  • After baking, the top layer of the squash should be soft and roasted.  (If it isn't keep baking.)  Scoop off the soft stuff into a bowl, coat with olive oil again and roast face up in oven until the rest is soft and edges are golden brown.  (Checking every 10 minutes works well.)  Leave garlic foil ball in oven entire time.
  • Mix squash mush with roasted garlic (when you take it out of the foil it should be really mushy, if not- keep cooking) maple syrup, and dried thyme.   To really meld the flavors you could mix over heat in a saucepan but mixing quick in the bowl to save time works fine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (If you want, don't heat ingredients, just mix, and refrigerate mixture for a few days and heat up in skillet the day you need to serve.)
  • Melt butter and mix in sage powder.
  • Slice baguette into about 10 pieces.  I like mine about 1/4 inch thick.  Brush with butter mixture and toast.  (I lay mine out in a Toaster Oven and set it to medium.)
  • Top toast pieces with a scoop of squash mixture (or if you are feeling fancy, pipe on with a star nozzle) and place back in oven (I use the toaster oven again) to broil for about 10 minutes.
  • Top with either a few thin slices of parmesan cheese made with a vegetable peeler or dab on some goat cheese and a sprig of fresh thyme.

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