Mexican Chicken Pasta

Last Year's Post:  Roasted Tomato Californian
Two Years Ago:   Chicken Gyros

I had some rotisserie chicken left over recently and was craving comfort food, so I decided to make a Mexican pasta mash-up.  As written, it's very kid-friendly assuming you use a mild salsa but you could easily make it spicier by using a hotter salsa or adding jalapenos.  Next time I'll try using cooked Mexican chorizo in place of the rotisserie chicken because I love spicy chorizo.  The chili powder gives it flavor without heat, but you could also substitute a spicier Mexican seasoning blend of your choice.

The spinach adds great nutrition that kids probably won't even notice.  Oddly, my favorite part was the corn chip garnish - the crunch and salt were great complements to the soft pasta and creamy cheese.  Of course, chips are my all-time favorite food so that might have something to do with it.

Depending on how many people you're feeding, this is a great recipe to divide between two baking dishes and freeze one for later.  It's perfect comfort food while being a little different than your typical Italian baked pasta dish.

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Mexican Chicken Pasta

Serves 6

Note: this recipe can be made more or less spicy based on the type of salsa used.  Adding jalapenos or substituting Mexican chorizo for chicken would also make it spicier. 

10-12 ounces rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons canola oil

½ onion, chopped

½ cup red or green bell pepper, chopped

3 ounce can mild chopped chiles, drained

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Non-stick cooking spray

2 cups salsa

16 ounces rigatoni or ziti pasta, cooked to al dente according to package directions

6 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend

½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)

1 avocado, peeled and chopped, tossed with a little lemon juice (optional)

Corn chips or baked tortilla chips (optional, but the crunch factor is very good)

Preheat oven to 350d.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, garlic powder and chili powder until the spices are evenly distributed.  Set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the spinach and chopped chiles.

Coat two (2-quart) or one (4-quart) baking dishes with cooking spray.  Spread half of the salsa on the bottom, then top with half the pasta, half the chicken, and half of the vegetable mixture.  Pour half of the remaining salsa over the vegetables and top with half of the cheese.  Repeat layering with the remaining pasta, chicken, vegetables and salsa (not cheese).

Bake, covered, for 30 to 35 minutes until heated through.  Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and place under the broiler for a few minutes to melt and brown the cheese, watching closely.  Let stand for five minutes before serving.  If desired, garnish with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and/or corn chips.

 If you used two baking dishes, the second dish may be covered and frozen.  Thaw overnight and continue with baking directions.

Spanish Omelet

Last year's post:  Cold Sesame Noodles with Cucumber
Two Years Ago:   Empanadas with Chicken, Corn and Zucchini

Although most people in the United States think of omelets as breakfast food, the Spanish omelet (or Spanish tortilla, not to be confused with Mexican tortillas) is a happy hour or dinner entree.  This omelet is one of the most common tapas items, found all over Spain.  A Spanish omelet closely resembles a frittata because it's cooked in a pan and then cut into wedges to serve.  Although it's typically fried in a fair amount of olive oil, then flipped and fried on the other side, this recipe is a lighter and simpler version.  It uses only the fat from the chorizo, and there's no flipping involved - it bakes in the oven, which makes it puff up beautifully.  It makes an easy, fast and delicious dinner.

One of my good friends in college spent a year studying in Spain.  When she returned, she made a traditional Spanish omelet for her buddies so we could try it out.  She fried potato slices and onions in a lot of olive oil, then added the eggs and let the bottom cook until brown.  She put an inverted plate over the frying pan with her hand on top, flipped the pan over so the omelet was on the plate, then slid the omelet back into the pan to brown the other side.  Impressive, but a little scary unless you don't care about your kitchen, which we didn't because we were in a college apartment, after all.

Anyway, as I mentioned this recipe has chorizo in addition to the potatoes, which really revs up the flavor. Make sure you buy Spanish chorizo - not Mexican chorizo - and take the paper casing off before slicing. If you do happen to buy Mexican chorizo by mistake (or can't find Spanish chorizo), just cook it and crumble it like Italian sausage and use it that way.  It'll taste a little different but will still be very good.

Shallots (a mild onion) are added to a parsley salad that goes on top of the omelet when served.  The lemon, shallots and parsley lend bright and tart notes that balance the omelet beautifully.

A brief discussion about pans - this recipe calls for a 7 or 8" nonstick ovenproof pan (or a larger pan if you're going to double the recipe to serve four).  I bought a cast iron skillet a few years ago to make cornbread, and it works perfectly for this recipe.  If you don't have one, consider buying one - they're cheap and they last forever.  Properly seasoned and cared for, they become perfectly non-stick.  All you have to do after making something is to rinse the pan with hot water (not soap) and scrub with a brush, then dry thoroughly and wipe with a drop of cooking oil.  I had absolutely no issue with taking the entire omelet out of the pan in one piece.  (Just don't use cooking spray, it becomes gummy and sticky and hard to remove.)

Spanish omelets are traditionally served either warm or at room temperature, so they're very versatile for parties (cut in small pieces) or family members who come home at different times.

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Spanish Omelet

Serves 2

1 red potato, about 3-4” in diameter, scrubbed and cut into chunks

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

4 ounces Spanish chorizo, paper casing removed and sliced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked

1 shallot, peeled and very finely sliced

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Put the potato chunks in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer until just cooked through but not falling apart, approximately 8 – 10 minutes.  Drain in a colander.  Beat the eggs with a fork in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.  Put the sliced shallot in a medium bowl with the lemon juice, some salt and pepper and the olive oil.  Stir and set aside for the shallots to soften while you make the omelet.

Heat a 7 or 8” nonstick (or cast iron) ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chorizo slices and potatoes and cook until everything is lightly golden, 3-4 minutes.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Sprinkle the rosemary leaves into the pan, then immediately pour on the egg mixture.  Add the chorizo and potatoes on top, spreading out evenly.  Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the omelet is puffed and golden, about 8 – 10 minutes.

Remove the omelet from the pan and cut into pieces.  Add the parsley to the shallots and toss to coat.  Serve the omelet with some of the parsley salad on top.

The omelet may be served warm or at room temperature.

Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Last Year's Post:  Spaghetti with Chicken, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes
Two Years Ago:   Pasta Primavera

Revuelto is a Spanish term that basically means "scrambled eggs with stuff added" but sounds so much more exotic.  This would be a perfect spring dish when local asparagus first appears in the markets, and it would be an ideal brunch entree (Mother's Day!) or light spring dinner.  I was inspired by the fabulous fresh asparagus I found this week.

It's fast and easy but much more interesting than boring old scrambled eggs with the addition of bits of chorizo, that beautiful asparagus, smoked paprika and a little saffron sour cream on the side.  Add some grilled Ciabatta toast and you have a pretty special meal.

This recipe calls for Spanish chorizo, not Mexican.  Spanish chorizo is a dry cured sausage that looks a lot like pepperoni.

 Mexican chorizo is raw ground pork mixed with spices that looks a lot like ground Italian sausage and normally doesn't come in casings.  Speaking of casings, Spanish chorizo has a thin paper covering that you might not notice at first but that needs to be removed before cooking.  It's easiest to remove before you start slicing or chopping.

Make a special meal this spring to celebrate asparagus!

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Spanish Asparagus Revuelto

Serves 4

½ cup sour cream

Pinch of saffron

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ teaspoon minced garlic plus one large garlic clove

8 slices Ciabatta bread

2 ounces diced Spanish chorizo

1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 1-2” lengths

6 green onions, sliced

8 large eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley

Mix the sour cream with the saffron and refrigerate while you prep and cook the remaining ingredients to allow the saffron to bloom.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Brush the bread slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and grill, turning once, until crisp with nice grill marks.  Remove from heat and immediately rub each piece with the large garlic clove.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add the chorizo and fry lightly.  Add the asparagus and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of the asparagus pieces).  Add the green onions and minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. 

Season the eggs with salt, pepper and paprika, whisking to combine, then add to the pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until soft and creamy.  Divide between shallow bowls, topping with parsley. 

Stir the sour cream again and add a dollop on the side of each serving of eggs.  Add two toast pieces to each bowl and serve.

Chile Rellenos (Baked Not Fried)

Last Year's Post: Strawberry Basil Lemonade

I love chile rellenos (and all Mexican foods) but so many are fried and heavy in fat and calories.  I know, you say, but that's what makes them taste good.  My latest challenge was to find a recipe that it just as delicious but better for you so of course I turned to Rick Bayless, one of my all-time favorites chefs, for inspiration.  I like Rick Bayless for his tireless dedication to Mexican food authenticity.  He has two restaurants in Chicago that share a common wall (Frontera Grill, his original restaurant, and Topolobampo, which is more upscale).  If you're ever in Chicago be sure to try Frontera Grill.  We went there for the first time a year or two ago and it was one of my best restaurant meals of all time.  They don't take reservations and people wait in line for an hour before the restaurant even opens which tells you how popular it is.  Even so, it was more than worth the wait.  Rick has several cookbooks as well as a line of Frontera Grill salsas and other foods in grocery stores.  You can also catch his cooking shows on PBS.

I was happy to find this recipe for baked chile rellenos from Rick, in particular because it includes chorizo and goat cheese.  I love the combination of slightly spicy chorizo with creamy, tangy goat cheese and the roasted poblano chiles are the perfect flavor counterpoint to them both.  Because Rick's recipes are authentic, they're not always quick to prepare.  Be aware that this recipe contains a couple of steps that require cooling time so plan ahead - the good news is that the entire dish can be made in advance and refrigerated.  For perspective, he calls this recipe "quick and easy".

The interesting technique in this recipe is roasting, peeling and seeding the chiles which is an essential step in softening them and giving them a wonderful flavor.  Start with beautiful fresh poblanos and then blacken them over an open flame or under the broiler.

Let them sit a few minutes in a covered bowl, then peel the skins off.  This was actually easier than I thought it would be.  You want to handle the softened chiles carefully during this process so they don't tear open but if a little tear happens don't worry, you can use that as the start of the next step.

You make a long lengthwise cut and a short crosswise cut to form an elongated "T" shape on the side of each chile, then remove the seeds with your hand, rinse and set aside.  Then you make the chorizo filling and let cool before adding the goat cheese.  Remember that Mexican chorizo is completely different from Spanish chorizo, which looks a lot like pepperoni.  Mexican chorizo is crumbly and is sold like this or in a styrofoam container like ground beef.

This picture shows what the cuts look like in the chiles, and the amount of stuffing in the pan.  After I was done stuffing the chiles I had a lot of stuffing left.

My guess is that Rick stuffs his chiles more than I did, but they were plenty stuffed for us.  I refrigerated the leftover mixture and used some in quesadillas on a weeknight and some in scrambled eggs served over toasted french bread for Sunday breakfast.  Both were so delicious that next time I'll do the same rather than cutting down on the stuffing.  Anyway, the final step after baking is to add a crispy topping and serve.   They are absolutely delicious and I think much better than traditional fried chile rellenos.  Serve with some Mexican rice for a complete and very satisfying meal.

I am giving you my slightly adapted recipe in this post, but also wanted to give a link to the original recipe on his website here.

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Roasted Poblanos Stuffed with Chorizo, Goat Cheese and Zucchini

Serves 4

4 large (about 1 ¼ lbs total) fresh poblano chiles, not twisted or deeply indented

1 pound Mexican chorizo

2 cups diced white onion

salt

1 large zucchini, diced

6 ounces goat cheese

¼ cup panko crumbs

¼ cup finely chopped sliced, slivered or blanched almonds

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley

Roast the chiles directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly until the skins have blistered and blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for open flame and about 12 minutes for broiler.  Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let stand 5 minutes.  Carefully peel off the skin, then cut an incision in the side of each chile, starting ½ inch below the stem end and continuing to the tip.  Make a small crosswise cut (approximately 1 inch in length) just under the stem at the top of the lengthwise cut to form an elongated “T” shape.  Carefully open up the chiles and remove the seeds with your fingers, trying not to extend the cuts any further.  Rinse the inside of each chile and drain on paper towels, cut-side down.

Crumble the chorizo into a large skillet set over medium-high heat.  Cook for 5 minutes, using a spoon to break up any large pieces, until brown and cooked through.  Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, zucchini, and 1 teaspoon salt.  Stir to combine, then cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened.  Remove from heat and cool completely.

Once the mixture has cooled, crumble in the goat cheese and stir to combine.  Stuff each chile with the mixture and then fold the chile around the sides of the filling leaving a gap in the center.  Place the filled chiles in a 13x9 inch casserole lined with parchment and wrap tightly with aluminum foil.  Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the panko crumbs and almonds.  Spread the mixture in a small baking pan and place in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.  Remove and cool.  Add the baking dish with the chiles to the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.

While the chiles are baking, stir the chopped cilantro or parsley and ¼ teaspoon salt into the cooled panko/almond mixture.  Remove the casserole from the oven, place the chiles on a serving dish and sprinkle with the topping.  Serve immediately.

Chorizo and Mushroom Fideua

Last year's post: Tiny Pizzas

Fideua (FID-u-wah) is a pasta dish from Valencia, Spain that's somewhat similar to paella.  It typically contains seafood, paprika, tomatoes, onions, and peppers although this version contains Spanish chorizo and mushrooms in place of the seafood.  If you like paella and pasta, you'll like this dish.

It's very easy to make - you just keep throwing ingredients into a single pan and cooking until everything is done.  The pasta cooks in the broth mixture rather than separately, which infuses it with flavor.

By the end of the baking time all the liquid has been absorbed into the pasta but the dish is not at all dry.

 

A couple of thoughts about the ingredients - the recipe doesn't specify the type of paprika to use, so I use sweet paprika.  If you prefer, you could substitute half of the sweet with either half-sharp or smoked paprika.  And about chorizo - I've mentioned it before but it bears repeating, Spanish chorizo is not the same as Mexican chorizo.  Spanish chorizo is a dry, cured meat that looks a lot like pepperoni.

You can find it in most markets these days.  It comes in regular and hot (caliente) versions.  We prefer the hot (it's not really all that hot) which is why I use regular paprika instead of half-sharp.  It has a paper covering that needs to be removed before slicing.  I mention that specifically because the paper is pretty much the same color as the chorizo so it's not all that obvious until you start slicing, at which point it's a bigger hassle to remove from each little piece.

One last thought - I'm still slightly nervous about any recipe which you first cook on the stovetop, then put the pan in the oven to finish cooking ever since I took a skillet out of a 450d oven, turned away to do something else, then turned back and automatically grabbed the metal handle with my bare hand.  One quick trip to the emergency room later I had a rather spectacular bandage covering four fingers and my palm.  (The Lawyer drove me to the hospital because I was pretty convinced my hand was going to need some sort of dramatic procedure. Turns out it was just antiseptic ointment and lots of bandages.) Be sure to keep those oven mitts on!

* * click here for a printable recipe version * *

Chorizo and Mushroom Fideua
Serves 4 to 6

Note: because the angel hair pasta is cooked in the pan rather than boiled in water, it takes longer than stated on the package.


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
½ lb mushrooms, quartered
2 teaspoons paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 large green bell pepper, diced
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
5 ounces Spanish chorizo, paper casing removed
¾ lb angel hair pasta
Minced fresh parsley


Preheat the oven to 400d. Cut the Spanish chorizo lengthwise, then crosswise into half-moon slices. Heat the olive oil in a heavy deep paella pan or oven-proof sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté 4 minutes. Add paprika and cayenne and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and green peppers and sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, wine and chorizo. Bring mixture to a simmer. Break pasta in half and add to pan. Cook until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Set pan in oven and bake until all liquid is absorbed and pasta is crusty, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Cuban Paella

Are you planning a get-together in the next few weeks?  Paella is a great choice for entertaining because it's impressive, it's delicious, it makes a lot, and it's easy - you just keep sticking stuff in the pan until it's all done.  The Lawyer and I served paella for a New Year's Eve party last year, and our friends Ron and Susie served it when they had us over for dinner a few weeks ago.  (Ron and Susie recently drove from Minnesota to California by way of Florida. Go figure.)

There are as many variations of paella as there are towns and regions in Spain, Central and South America but they all have a few ingredients in common.  Paella (pronounced pie-ay-uh) starts with arborio rice and a number of spices including saffron.  Most paellas also contain some type(s) of shellfish with shrimp being the most common, but I've seen paella recipes that also contain mussels, clams and even lobster tails.  Paellas often include chorizo, a spicy Spanish sausage (more about chorizo further on), and some paellas contain chicken.  This is a Cuban Paella version that contains shrimp, chicken and chorizo.  The spice paste also includes lime juice and a splash of rum. 

Basically paella is a great one pot meal and you can change the ingredients to suit your taste. For example, I'm not fond of mussels (they taste like ball bearings coated in rubber bands) so you won't see them here.

Lets talk about a couple of the classic paella ingredients.  First, the rice - it's important to use arborio rice for paella rather than a different rice variety.  Why?  Because arborio rice has a high starch content which gives creaminess to the sauce and it also retains a firm center when cooked which gives it a nice chewy texture.  Arborio also is the classic rice of choice for risottos in addition to paellas.

Now lets talk about chorizo.  Chorizo is a spicy sausage common to Mexican and Spanish cuisines.  But there's a hitch - there are two distinctly different varieties of chorizo.  Spanish chorizo is a hard (cured) sausage that is long and thin, similar to pepperoni.  It comes with a paper casing that needs to be removed before slicing. It's moderately spicy but can also be purchased in the "caliente" version (hot) if you can find it.  Spanish chorizo can be found in the deli department of upscale grocers or in gourmet stores.

Mexican Chorizo is a soft uncooked sausage that typically comes in a tube or "chub" as it's known in the food industry (did you know I used to work for Pillsbury?).  It's raw and must be cooked before eating.  You crumble it as it cooks, very similar to Italian sausage. Mexican chorizo can be found in the meat department of most grocers.  You don't use Mexican chorizo for paella but it'll be featured in a future blog post for chorizo quiche with roasted pepper sauce.

OK, now lets talk about spices.  Paella isn't paella without the distinctive taste of saffron.  Yes, saffron is expensive but you only use a tiny bit.  This recipe also includes your choice of Spanish or Hungarian paprika.  Spanish paprika has a smoky flavor which I love while Hungarian is more mild (unless you buy the hot version).  If you want to use hot Hungarian paprika I would suggest using it half and half with regular paprika the first time you make it to make sure the paella doesn't get to spicy for your taste. 

Speaking of spices, do you date yours?  I don't mean as in taking them to the movies, I mean sticking a little label on them showing the month and year you bought them.  If you don't, how do you know how fresh they are?  General rule of thumb is that the shelf life of ground spices and herbs is 6 months, and whole spices can be kept for 12 months.  I always check the spices I need for a recipe to see if I've exceeded the shelf life.  If it's only a month or two over I generally sniff the spice to see if it still has a strong aroma.  If not, or if it's longer than a month or two over the limit, toss the bottle and buy new.  And it doesn't work to use twice as much of an older spice, trust me.  Two times nothing still equals nothing.  That's why I always buy the smallest jar available of any spice, even if I use it frequently.

I highly recommend buying spices from Penzeys (www.penzeys.com) because they have the greatest variety and best prices.  You want paprika?  Great, they have four different kinds.  And don't even start on chili powders.  They have stores around the country (including 2 miles from my house, luckily) and they also do mail order if you don't happen to live near one.

You have a choice of artichokes or green beans in the recipe.  I made it this time with fresh green beans and really liked the fact that they stayed crisp and provided a textural contrast to the other ingredients.

Note that the chicken should marinate up to 16 hours for maximum flavor but you can skip that step if you only start reading the recipe an hour before you want to eat.


* * click here for a printable recipe version * *


Cuban Paella
Serves 8

Cuban Spice Paste:
¼ cup Spanish or Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons rum (optional)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

2.5 lbs chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into approximate 1.5” chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 ounces Spanish chorizo, wrapping removed and thinly sliced
2 cups Arborio rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
¼ teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons capers, drained
½ cup fire-roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined but tails left on
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts or two cups green beans, fresh or frozen, cut into 2” pieces


In a medium bowl or ziptop bag, combine paprika, garlic, lime juice, optional rum, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and olive oil to make a paste. Toss in the chicken thigh chunks and coat well. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for up to 16 hours or proceed with the recipe if in a hurry.

Preheat the oven to 350d. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, leaving excess marinade in the bowl to add later. Brown on each side for 3-5 minutes per side, then remove. Cook the other half of the chicken in the same way and remove from the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the chorizo. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes and remove from the pan. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the rice and cook, stirring, until well coated with the onion mixture. Pour in the stock, tomatoes, saffron, and any remaining marinade. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the capers, cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the surface of the rice with the fire-roasted pepper, chorizo, shrimp, and artichokes or green beans.

Gently pat the ingredients into the top layer of rice, cover and bake for 10 additional minutes or until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed and the shrimp are opaque and pink. Stir together before serving.

Roasted Stuffed Squash

Wow, is it fall already?  Time always seems to proceed normally until around July 4th.  Next thing you know, it's September.  I'm not sure how that works, but it does.  So, it's time to start mentally switching gears to fall-ish foods, which always means squash to me.  I love squash.  As a kid I hated squash on principle because it's a vegetable.  Plus, every squash recipe back then included brown sugar and mini marshmallows.  Blehhh.  At the risk of being called anti-American, I must confess I don't have much of a sweet tooth and don't like sweet stuff on vegetables.  But savory squash recipes are a whole different thing.  Even The Lawyer, a professed squash hater, has confessed to liking this recipe.  A convert!  The secret is to make sure you don't undercook the squash.  That's right, don't undercook.  Squash has to be very tender.  Baked with butter, salt and pepper, it's a great side dish.  If you then stuff it, it's a even greater complete meal.  Use any small squash that you prefer - the most common is acorn, but buttercup is also wonderful or any of the new, cute red varieties in the store.  This recipe is very flexible - use a different meat choice, no meat at all, different mushrooms, different nuts, etc. I've tried both hot Italian sausage and chorizo with great results.  Pepitas are toasted pumpkin seeds and a favorite of mine, but use whatever you like.  Finally, this recipe does take a while to prepare but the good news is that it's kind of like lasagna - you can do all the prep and assembly in advance and just bake it at the last minute which makes it a legitimate contender for a weeknight meal.  But, it's impressive enough for guests - just add a crusty french bread and a dessert, and you're all set.

**click here for a printable version**
 Roasted Stuffed Squash

4 servings

2 small squash - acorn, buttercup, etc.

1 cup uncooked rice pilaf or wild rice

Cut, cleaned and ready for baking

4 oz sliced button mushrooms (or wild mushrooms)

3 tablespoons margarine, divided

1 cup chopped red pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup shredded parmesan (plus additional 1/4 cup for garnish)

8 oz crumbled cooked hot Italian sausage (or chorizo or any leftover chopped meat)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup pepitas, toasted (or other toasted nuts)

After baking for 60 minutes, ready to stuff

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut a thin slice off each end of the squash, then cut in half crosswise.  Carefully scoop out seeds and fibers. Line a baking dish with parchment.  Place squash halves in the baking dish and rub the cut surfaces and the interior of each with 1 tablespoon margarine. Place a small amount of margarine in the bottom of each half.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400d for 60 minutes.

While the squash is roasting cook the rice according to directions, then drain and set aside to cool.  Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of margarine, then saute the sliced mushrooms until the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden.  In a large bowl, combine the rice and mushrooms with the remaining ingredients except the garnish.  At the end of 60 minutes, remove the squash halves from the oven and fill each until mounded.  If you have rice mix left over, it makes a great lunch the next day.  (At this point the squash halves can be refrigerated for baking later.  If refrigerated, add 10 minutes or so to the baking time.)  Place the squash halves back in the oven for an additional 30 minutes, until the filling is hot.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan before serving.