Show-Stopping Fall Vegetarian Dish

I really love vegetarian cooking – - I think it’s exciting. Exploring vegetarian cooking really exposes you to new techniques and ingredient combinations you would have never considered. This recipe is one of my all-time favorites.

This recipe uses my favorite vegetable of all time – - butternut squash – - in a really interesting way. I would have never thought to combine butternut squash and tomatillos. If you have never seen a tomatillo before, they are small and green, with a paper husk on the outside. After you husk the tomatillos they will be sticky on the outside, so you really have to wash them.

I am submitting this recipe as written, but would like to make a few suggestions I got from the recipe review on the Epicurious website. First of all, chunk the butternut squash and toss it with olive oil, a little chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of cinnamon. Roast it until it starts to carmalize and go from there. I have also added black beans instead of corn before, but if you do use corn you can buy roasted corn in bags at Trader Joe’s. Speaking of Trader Joe’s, I am not a believer in the pre-peeled butternut squash. I read a review in Cook’s Illustrated that confirms my belief that the stringy part where you get the seeds has a lot of flavor that you only get with the fresh. But, if you are busy, do what you need to do!

Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Bon Appétit, 1998

• 2 small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds total), halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup drained canned corn
• 12 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas
• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
• Tomatillo Sauce
• Sour cream
• 1/3 cup chopped pitted black olives

Tomatillo Sauce Recipe

• 1 1/4 pounds tomatillos, husked
• 2/3 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2/3 cup chopped green onion tops
• 1 large jalapeño chili, sliced

Cook tomatillos in pot of boiling water until soft but still whole, about 4 minutes. Drain. Place tomatillos in processor. Add remaining ingredients; puree. Transfer to bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Why I am starting this blog.

Ingredients

I love food. I really, really do. And I’m not talking about just eating it. I love food for everything it stands for – - tradition, culture, creativity and comfort. As someone who was not professionally trained as a cook, I love the fact that I learn something new almost every day about cooking. I make a lot of great recipes, and some not-so-great. (Tonight I made a not-so-great side dish, but I’m sure it is something I did wrong, since it came from Cooks Illustrated and they are the ultimate test of quality recipes. I’ll tell you more about them later.) As a foodie, I want to share the recipes I have gleaned from websites, out-of-print cookbooks, and magazines. As a foodie, I want to share my passion for cooking and make it yours.

Basically I’m this twisted — my favorite day of the week is the day I get the grocery store ads in the mail so I can plan my menu for the following week. I read cookbooks every chance I get. All of my Christmas and birthday presents involve cooking equipment and books. Through this blog you can benefit through my obsessive-compulsiveness and save yourself some time.

I am going to post a wide variety of recipes – - everything from a crockpot hamburger stew (Pirate Stew to be exact) from a quilters’ cookbook to gnudi, which is an Italian dumpling (savory) in case you didn’t know. What ever the dish I generally like rustic, fresh, healthy, and from scratch. Also, I am big on budgeting. I even make my own sandwich bread, and I don’t use a machine. It is easy. I will post the book I use, and you will feel like a total rockstar once you start using it.

So, for my first recipe I’m going to post from Cooking Light – - a magazine I adore. They deserve their own post so I will wax poetic about them another day. Regarding this recipe, I cut the chipotle in half because of the kids, and you can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth if you want. If you are entertaining both meat eaters and vegetarians alike, this recipe is perfect. Kids love it too, and it makes a ton.   Every time I make this I wonder why I don’t make it more often. Maybe it is because it is a lot of work, and because I cook off my own beans to save money. However it is worth the time, and a family of four will get three meals out of it. Freezes great too.

Chili-Cheese Casserole for a Crowd

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups uncooked bulgur or cracked wheat
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
2 drained canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided
2 cups baked tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 7 ingredients (onion through garlic); sauté 5 minutes. Add water and next 7 ingredients (water through chiles); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spoon half of bean mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Top with remaining bean mixture. Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Press chips into casserole.

Yield:  12 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 237 (21% from fat); FAT 5.5g (sat 2.4g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.6g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 198mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.2g; SODIUM 459mg; PROTEIN 13.4g; FIBER 7.4g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 1997