Tortellini with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Mushrooms

I am a lover of Summer.  Truly, I think I would be happy if I had Summer all year long...

Oh, wait.  I did that.  Living on the equator for a year (Palau and Ebeye) will give you that...

Ok, let me say that again.  I think I would be totally happy having Summer nine months a year.  That would leave one for Spring (and everything would be green), one for Winter (meaning I could get my hot chocolate fix for the year), and one for Fall (allowing us to have butternut squash and other lovely Fall veggies).  However, if I were the one in charge of such things (and all of life on planet Earth did not depend on the changing of seasons) I would spread them out so there would be three months of Summer between each one.

Perfect.

Butternut squash... oh man.  I didn't even know this stuff existed until last year.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  There were/are plenty of things I never really knew of.  Chalk it up to living off of boxed food and TV dinners 90% of my younger years.  My family single-handedly kept Kraft Foods afloat.

Thank goodness for Brazil, a masters class, and Jamie Oliver!  I kid you not, that guy and his Food Revolution timed themselves perfectly with my newlywed-trying-feed-her-Brazilian-husband-who-has-never-had-box-food-in-his-life phase as well as me being enrolled in 'Advanced Health Education'.  Good things come in threes, I have been told...

So now I know (and love) butternut squash.  And sage.  Have you ever smelled that before?!  Wowsers.  It's pretty amazing.  Mushrooms, those I did know, no worries ;)

October Unprocessed is this month, and for the second year I am participating.  I learned so much last year, and am hoping to do so again.  The truth is, though, that it is not that hard this time.  Why?  Because I am pretty much stuck to this diet throughout the last year.  But there is always room to grow...

Which lead me to reading every single ingredient on the pasta in Trader Joe's.  I know, I know.  There is no artificial anything in TJ's food.  But I was looking for what I consider "the next level".  What kind of flour did they make it with?  Any added sugars?  If so, what kind?  And lo and behold, I found out something wonderful.  The pastas are made with unbleached flour (unprocessed!) and raw cane sugar (unprocessed!), not to mention the salt is sea salt (unprocessed!).  Thank you, Trader Joe's!

Not only can I enjoy my favorite Fall veggie, but I can have it with tortellini.  My favorite!  I guess I can enjoy the season of Autumn now.  If only it was followed by Summer...

PS - If you have been following me, you have seen this recipe before.  TWICE.  I did it last year for October Unprocessed, repeated it again in January (with 'better' pictures), and am sharing it today because, well, the pictures are WAY better :)  If you are new to my blog, you are in for a treat!

Recipe from Real Simple, October 2011

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt
• 1 pound fresh, UNPROCESSED tortellini
• 2 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated (1/2 cup), plus more for serving (Or Parmesan.  They're all good!)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On 2 rimmed baking sheets, toss the squash and mushrooms with the sage, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once and rotating pans halfway through, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the tortellini and return to the pot. Add the vegetables, fontina, ¼ cup of the cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt and toss gently to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with additional cheese

COST: $8.26    COST PER SERVING (3): $2.75

Tortellini with Butternut Squash, Sage, & Mushrooms

There are some meals that are good enough to make once but not good enough to incorporate into your regular options.  Then there are some that are all around great that you can't get enough.  This is one of those meals. 

First of all, look at these ingredients!  (And notice my shameless plug for KitchenAid.  I love me some KitchenAid.)  Sage... oh sage.  The smell alone is enough to make you want to add this fuzzy little leaf to your food.  Mushrooms are one of natures healthiest foods, at least according to all those lists floating around the health magazines and websites.  And Butternut Squash, well, YUM.

The first time I made this meal I nearly chopped my thumb off.  Or maybe my hand.  But I have since learned the proper technique on how to chop up this bad boy and enjoy its flavor and nutrients in my life.  High in fiber, low in fat, full of nutrients that help keep strong bones and reduce the risk of serious illnesses... how can you go wrong with that? 

(You can read all about the health benefits of this amazing vitamin-packer HERE.)

Other than amazing ingredients, it is simple:  Cut, toss, cook, and mix.  The end.  And that simplicity comes out tasting, well, amazing.  Which would be why this has become one of my go-to meals.

Company for dinner?  Here we go.
Want something vegetarian?  And again, here we go.
Running low on time?  Here we...  well, you get the point.

(I know, I know, SO MANY pictures of it.  But look at those colors and tell me you would have resisted the urge to capture its beauty.  Uh-huh.  That's what I thought.)

Recipe from Real Simple, October 2011

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large
• 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated (1/2 cup), plus more for serving

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On 2 rimmed baking sheets, toss the squash and mushrooms with the sage, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once and rotating pans halfway through, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the tortellini and return to the pot. Add the vegetables, fontina, ¼ cup of the cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt and toss gently to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with additional fontina.

COST: $16.00                 COST PER SERVING (4): $4.00

October Unprocessed: Tortellini with Butternut Squash and Mushrooms

Real Simple.  Love this magazine.  I don't actually buy it myself because I wait for it to show up in the staff room at my work.  I may be looking at it one month late, but whatever.  I am getting the same money saving tips, decorating ideas, and fresh recipes as the rest of you. 

Last month I changed my tune and actually purchased the magazine.  Why?  Because it had twenty fresh and easy dinners -- one month of easy and healthy meals.  WIN!  Knowing that the October Unprocessed challenge was coming (this was in September), I shelled out the 5 bucks for the magazine.

Yes, I think about spending five bucks.  I am cheap like that.

Anyway, the point is that I finally tried some of the recipes this week.  Two, actually, and I am planning on another one tomorrow.  I thought I would be all over this magazine for the month, but mostly I have been cooking things I already know how to make, but learning how to make it all unprocessed -- like tacos with my homemade tortillas or soup with with made from scratch vegetable stock.  And I have been baking, a lot.  But finally, a new recipe! 

It was worth the wait.

Before we go on, two things:

1. If you want to smell something good, go cut some sage with your kitchen shears.  WOW.  I have never actually smelled fresh sage before.  WOW again.
2. When I googled "how to chop butternut squash" the link I found said, "Once you figure out how easy it is to cut up butternut squash you will want to use this versatile vegetable again and again."  Um, once I figure out how easy it is?  If easy means a stabbed finger, a bruised toe, and butternut squash all over my kitchen, then sure... EASY.  (I think I need to read the directions again.)

I had never heard of Fontina cheese before.  I am a simple girl, really. I know my cheddar, jack, and colby.  Now I have added to my cheese vocabulary.

The tortellini you see below is not homemade.  However, I found one that was preservative free (hip hip horray for Trader Joe's!) and with all ingredients I own, meaning it fits the qualifications for the October Unprocessed challenge. 

(Out of curiosity, I checked out the "fresh" tortellini being sold at my local Lucky, under a brand name we all know.  LOADED with things I do not have in my kitchen nor can I pronounce.  And more expensive, too.)

In true Real Simple fashion, this took about 10 minutes of my time, 35 minutes from start to finish. 

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed and halved if large

1/4 cup fresh sage leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound fresh cheese tortellini (2 packs if from Trader Joe's)

2 ounces fontina or Gruyère, grated (1/2 cup), plus more for serving

 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On 2 rimmed baking sheets, toss the squash and mushrooms with the sage, oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once and rotating pans halfway through, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the tortellini and return to the pot. Add the vegetables, fontina, ¼ cup of the cooking water, and ½ teaspoon salt and toss gently to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Sprinkle with additional fontina.

COST: $10.48               PER SERVING (4): $2.75



Tortellini with Green Beans and Tomatoes

This was our lunch today.  Three main ingredients (but sometimes we add an additional one).  Fresh, healthy, and scrumpteous. 

Wanna know how to make it?  It is really quite easy.

  

COST: $7.00            PER SERVING (4): $1.75

With bread and butter: $2.10
With chicken sausage: add $2.69 (Trader Joe's) = $2.77 per serving

One Week Meal Plan -- Vegetarian (RECIPES)

Click here for the shopping list.

DAY 1 -- Mushroom Risotto

PREP -

• Chop one onion and two garlic cloves
• Prepare 3 cups of chicken or vegetable bullion (easiest way is to cook 3 cups water in microwave for 3 minutes and add either 3 cubes or 3 teaspoons, however your bullion comes)
• Grate 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

In large skillet, melt 1T of butter over medium heat.  Add sliced mushrooms, 1/2 of the onion, some dill, and a bay leaf.  Saute until onion is clearish in color.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In medium sized pot, melt 1T of butter over medium heat. Add the rest of the onion and the garlic.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion is clear.  Add 1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice (or whatever other rice you have), stirring for one minute.  If you like, add 1/2 cup of white wine and cook until evaporated.  Add three cups of bullion.  Cover pot and turn heat to low.  Simmer for 20 minutes. 

After the 20 minutes is up, stir in the mushroom mixture along with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  Make a small salad, butter some bread, and enjoy :)


DAY 2 -- Portobello Medallions with Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans
PREP -

• Trim edges off of a large handful of green beans
• Peel and cube 3 Russet (or other large) potatoes
• Scrape out gills and stem of 2 Portobello mushrooms

Put potato cubes in medium sized pot; cover with water (until about knuckle deep).  Add some salt and boil. 

While the potatoes are boiling, heat up some olive oil in a non-stick pan (large enough to hold the two mushrooms) on medium heat.  In either a zip-lock bag, mix 1/3 cup of flour with 1/4t of both salt and pepper.  Quickly rinse the mushroom caps, coat with flour by shaking in bag.  Add to the frying pan.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes each side.  Set aside.  (If you are feeling fancy and would like a sauce to go with it, you can make a cream sauce with 1T butter, 1T flour, 1c heavy cream, and 1T bullion -- Add the first two ingredients over medium heat, through in your favorite seasonings, add the cream and the bullion and cook until thickened.  Otherwise, have at it.  They are good either way.)

When the potatoes are soft (check by inserting a fork), remove from heat and drain.  Put drained potatoes back in the pot and add 1/4 cup of milk and 2T of butter.  Mix with a fork (or a potato masher if you have one) until potatoes are soft.  I often add some sour cream or cream cheese if I have it, but it is not necessary.

Cook green beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes, uncovered.  Drain, throw on a dash of salt, and enjoy :)

DAY 3 -- Peas and Carrot Soup with Dumplings

PREP -

• Thinly slice 3 carrots
• Chop 1 rib celery
• Chop one medium onion
• Prepare 4 cups bullion
• Mix 2 cups Bisquick mix with 2/3 cup of milk.  Leave in bowl for now.

Heat 2 T of olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat.  Melt 3T of butter.  Add the carrots, celery, and onion; season with salt and pepper.  Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes.  Sprinkle 2T of flour on the veggies and stir for a minute.  Whisk in the bullion and stir until thickened.  Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas and 1 T of Dijon mustard. 

When the soup is bubbling, roll the Bisquick batter into medium sized balls and drop (carefully) into soup.  When all the batter balls are in the soup, cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.  Enjoy :)

DAY 4 -- Stewed White Beans with Spinach

PREP -

• Cube 1 lb. of baby red potatoes
• Make 1 cup of bullion
• Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a cup or whatever
• Grate 1/2 cup Parmesan
• Slice 1/2 onion into small slices

In large skillet, heat 2 T of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add potatoes and cook until golden, 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in most of the onion, leaving just a bit to garnish later.  Cook for 5 minutes and then add 2 cans white kidney beans (drained), the bullion, and the lemon juice along with a bit of salt and pepper.  Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Stir in 2 cups of spinach and cook just until wilted (about 1 minute only).  Enjoy :)

DAY 5 -- Mac & Cheese with Broccoli

PREP -

• Chop 1/2 onion

• Cut the stems off of 2 lbs. of broccoli and discard
• Prepare 1 cup bullion
• Grate 3 cups of cheddar cheese

Bring medium sized pot of water to boil.  Add 1 lb. of macaroni elbows, the onion, and some salt.  Cook 5 minutes and add the broccoli.  Cook three more minutes and drain.

Meanwhile, in medium sauce pan melt 3 T of butter.  Add 3T of flour and whisk until bubbling, then cook one more minute.  Then whisk in 3 cups of milk and the bullion; raise heat and bring to a boil.  Let cook 5 minutes or until thickened.  Add the cheese and 1T of Dijon mustard, some salt and pepper, and stir until melted.  Add to macaroni and mix.  Butter some bread, make a small side of salad, and enjoy :)

(This one makes A LOT.  Make it on a day you plan to feed many.)

DAY 6 -- Beans & Rice with Tomato Salad and a Fried Egg

PREP -

• Chop 1/2 onion
• Chop 1 garlic clove
• Dice 3 Roma tomatoes
• Chop 1/4 of a green bell pepper (one side)

Prepare rice according to the style you like -- in the rice cooker, instant rice, over the stove, whatever.  Set aside.

In small pot, heat 2 T of olive oil over medium heat.  Add half of the onion you chopped and the garlic and cook until clear.  Add 1 can of black beans and some salt.  Cook until warm.  Set aside.

For the tomato salad, mix the tomatoes, the remaining onion, and the bell pepper you already chopped.  Add 1 T of white vinegar and some salt to taste. 

Fry an egg, scramble an egg, or whatever you want.  Just cook the egg!   Put your beans and rice together, add a side of tomato salad, and throw that egg on your plate.  Enjoy :)

DAY 7 -- Tortellini with Green Beans and Tomatoes

PREP -

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Trim the edges off of two large handfuls of green beans.  Cut so the beans are about 1 inch in length.

• Cut 1/2 pound of mozzarella into small cubes.

Cut a pack of grape or cherry tomatoes in half and set on foil-lined baking sheet, cut sides facing up.  Drizzle olive oil on the tomatoes (no worries if you don't get all of them) and season with salt and pepper.  Place in oven and let cook for 15 minutes.  (Don't put them on the top rack, though!  The oil will pop up and cause the oven to get smoky.)

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil.  Add one pack of fresh Tortellini.  Cook for 3 minutes and add the green beans.  Cook for 3-4 minutes more.  Drain.

When the tomatoes are done, add them to the pasta/green bean mixture along with the mozzarella and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Butter some bread and enjoy :)  And then celebrate.  Why?  Because you have a delicious meal in front of you AND you did it... you cooked seven meals.  WAY TO GO, YOU!

(Disclaimer - none of these pictures were taken by me.  They were found via a google search, and I did not mark down where I got them from.  But they are rather pretty, I think.)

Thirty Days -- Day 4: The Slippery Slope

It is 10:10pm, meaning ten minutes past my "bedtime", and yet I am waiting for the pot of water on the stove behind me to begin to boil.  No, I am not in need of a late dinner, nor do I need a late night snack.  Rather, I am preparing a lunch for my husband for tomorrow. 

So far, this whole not eating out thing has not been too difficult.  Rarely do we go out to eat during the weekdays as I create The List every week and am ready to make a home cooked dinner every night.  Since this 30 day challenge started on Monday and today is Thursday, I have only encountered week nights so far.  So I have to say no to a parfait in the afternoon when I am bored and have a few minutes to run down the street to grab one, whatever.  Not too bad. 

Yet.

And then we came to tonight.  I made delicious chicken thighs cooked in BBQ sauce with onions, a good sized salad, and some garlic bread.  Fantastic.  But what I thought would be enough for dinner and leftovers, well, let's just say I underestimated.  The conversation that followed went something like this:

Paulo:  "Can I have seconds?  Do you have enough?"
Tiffany: "Sure, but don't eat too much, you need some for your lunch tomorrow."
P:  "There is no way that is going to feed me tomorrow.  I will just eat it now."
T:  "What?  That's enough, for sure."
P:  "No, Babe, it's not.  Maybe enough for you, but I am bigger than you.  I need more food."
T:  "But I don't have any more food..."
P:  "That's OK, I will just grab a sandwich."
T:  "NOOOOOO!  You can't do that!"
P:  "Why not?  What else am I supposed to do?"
T:  "But the 30-day challenge... we will break it... it has only been four days..."
P:  "Babe, it's only once."
T:  "NO!  That's how it all starts!  You do it once and then you want more!"

My neighbors are probably saying a prayer right now asking for intervention on what they most likely (and understandably so) assume to be a potential drug addiction.  The poor man asked for a sandwich, yet by my response you would have guessed he asked for a joint. 

But I still stand by it: JUST SAY NO.

Running through options in my head, I came up with a plan.  Trader Joe's, oh-so-conveniently located next to our gym which we were headed to anyway, carries fresh packs of tortellini for $1.99.  I have left over red sauce in the fridge.  Hence, I am now cooking pasta at 10 o'clock at night.  A sandwich costs about $5, right?  So really, what are we saving? Three bucks?  It's not that much, but $3 is $3, and if I can save that much ten nights, that is $30.  So, yes, that is some motivation right there.  But the bigger motivation?  I don't want to have to come to you, eyes downcast and voice low, admitting defeat this early on.  No leftovers for lunch?  I will make it happen! 

I have a feeling Paulo will be sick of tortellini at the end of this month...