Seasonal Flavors with MVP Health Care: Squash-tober Fest

St. John’s and MVP Health Care are embracing what fall has to offer with our latest Seasonal Flavors cooking demonstration. Residents  and MVP Health Care members from the community tuned in virtually to watch St. John’s Meadows Chef Mike Schnupp whip up three comforting Squashtober-fest favorites: sweet potato walnut bread, stuffed butternut squash, and squash and zucchini with goat cheese. Take a look at the recipes featured below and let us know if you try them out. Also, join us at future Seasonal Flavors programs featuring hearty and healthy soups on November 4 and festive holiday appetizers on December 2 by calling Stephanie Krebbeks at 585-242-7005 to register.

Sweet Potato Walnut Bread

Serves: 8

Ingredients  

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated sweet potato
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
• Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Combine oil, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl; mix well. Stir in sweet potatoes.
• Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture. Stir in walnuts until barely combined.
• Spread in pan. Bake until toothpick inserted near center comes out dry, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Cool on rack 15 minutes. Run a knife along edges of pan to release the bread and invert it onto rack to finish cooling.

Source: From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce

 

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 2 medium size butternut squash
• ½ cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 + 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• ¾ cup bell peppers, mix of red, yellow, and green
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Cilantro leaves, chopped

Instructions

• Slice butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Arrange squash boats on baking tray that is greased with olive oil.
• Drizzle olive oil and pepper onto squash boats and rub in evenly. Roast in preheated oven at 400° F for 45 to 50 minutes or until butternut squash is fork tender.
• While squash is roasting, begin to prepare the filling.
• Boil 1 cup of water in saucepan. Add quinoa and cook on medium-low heat. Once all liquids are absorbed and quinoa is cooked, remove from heat, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• In a saucepan, sauté garlic. Add chopped onions and sauté until translucent. Add bell peppers and cook for 3 – 5 minutes.
• Fluff quinoa. Add quinoa and dried cranberries to onion & pepper mixture. Toss thoroughly.
• Allow roasted squash to rest for 15 minutes after removing it from the oven.
• Scoop out flesh from the squash boats from about ½-inch from the skin. Chop flesh and add to the quinoa stuffing mixture. Fill butternut squash boats with the filling.
• Reduce oven temperature to 200° F and roast squash for 3 to 5 minutes.

Source: www.currytrail.in

 

Squash and Zucchini “Linguine” with Goat Cheese

Serves: 6

 

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tablespoon snipped chives
• 3 pounds yellow squash and zucchini
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice and pepper. Whisk in ¼ cup of the olive oil and add the parsley and chives.
• Using the julienne setting on a mandoline or julienne peeler, remove the outer layer of the squash and zucchini in long, thin strips.
• Fill a bowl with ice water. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the squash and zucchini until slightly wilted, 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to the ice water to cool. Drain and pat thoroughly dry. Add the squash and zucchini to the dressing and toss to coat.
• In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shiitake and cook over high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until the garlic and shallot are fragrant. Add the shiitake to the squash and toss. Wipe out the skillet.
• Add the pine nuts to the skillet and toast over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Scatter the goat cheese over the squash, sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve immediately.

Source: www.foodandwine.com