Day 5: Take advantage of in-season squash

By: Jennifer Personette

Three of my favorites are Butternut Squash, Spaghetti Squash and Acorn Squash. Here are three recipes that you can use to make the most of the squash season!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I originally got this from Giada de Laurentiis but have changed the recipe a little since.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (sometimes you can find it already cut and packaged at Trader Joe's)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 amaretti cookies, crumbled (I have taken this out over the years. Sometimes they are difficult to find at a regular grocery store.)
• 1/4 cup butter (I often use "Parkay, fat free butter spray")
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups whole milk (I often use 2%. Don't use fat free -- it won't make a thick sauce.)
  
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves (USE FRESH!)
  
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles (If I can't find no-boil, I use regular and cook them before assembly)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese (I use part-skim)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
2. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.
3. Add a can of tomatoes and okra (I can usually find this in the South. Since moving to California, I have had to make this without the tomato/okra) to the blended squash mixture. Do not blend further.
4. Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes.
5. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend.
6. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
8. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish.
9. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.
10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes.
11. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer.
12. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Low Carb Spaghetti Squash

• 1 Spaghetti squash
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 jar of good quality alfredo sauce
• 1/2 jar of good quality tomato based pasta sauce
• Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
   
3. Remove seeds. Be careful not to remove too much of the flesh of the squash.
   
4. Brush the insides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Cook the squash open faced for one hour.
6. After squash is cooked and is cooling, combine the alredo and tomato sauce in a saucepan and heat thoroughly.
7. Rake a fork over the flesh of the squash and the flesh will come off like spaghetti noodles.
   
8. Top the "noodles" with the mixed sauce and parmesan.
   

Acorn Squash Bisque

• 2 acorn squash
• 2 T olive oil
  
• 1 Vidalia onion
• 1 leek, chopped (only use the white part of the leek)
• 1 t fresh sage, chopped
• 6 c chicken broth
• Olive oil
• ¼ c cream
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut squash into 1 inch chunks (seeds and skin removed).
   
2. In a large saucepan, add the olive oil. Sweat the onion and leek for about four minutes.
3. Add squash and chopped sage. Coat in the olive oil, onion and leek mixture, removing any brown bits with a spoon and keeping in the mixture.
   
4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer.
5. When squash is tender enough to be pierced with a fork, puree it in the blender.
6. Return blended squash mixture to saucepan and stir in cream.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve with a small dollop of sour cream in each bowl.