Cheese Tortellini with Roasted Butternut Squash (or Sweet Potatoes)

I discovered this recipe after making a batch of Butternut Squash Soup (totally delicious, by the way) and wanted to find a way to use the leftovers.  I had read that it would make a good pasta sauce, but I still needed a little direction on how to help it all come together.  Then, lo and behold, in my mailbox arrives a magazine from the local grocery store filled with recipes, including this little gem.   Despite it being meat-free, this vegetarian dish was hearty and flavorful, and would be perfect for someone looking for a healthy pasta dish, while trying to avoid the acidity of tomato based sauces.  I made it twice, once with sweet potatoes and once with the butternut squash that it calls for, and actually much preferred the flavor and texture of the sweet potato cubes.

 Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

2 lbs. butternut squash or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbs. finely diced fresh sage (divided)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbs. butter, chopped
3 cups butternut squash soup (I found mine in a box near the chicken broth or use the leftovers from this yummy recipe)
2 pkg. (9-oz each) cheese tortellini, cooked 2-3 minutes, drained

Directions:  Preheat oven to 450°.  Toss squash (or sweet potatoes) with 1 Tbs. sage, oil, salt, pepper, and chopped butter in mixing bowl.

 

Spread mixture in even layer on baking sheet.

 

Roast 15-18 minutes until golden brown. 

Add roasted squash/sweet potatoes, soup, and remaining tablespoon sage to skillet on medium; bring to a simmer.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired.  Add pasta.

 

Cook 1 minute.  Makes 5-6 servings.

 

Enjoy!

Holiday Baking #27: Apple-Raspberry Streusel Bars

Twenty-seven straight days of goody recipes and I can officially say that I am almost goodied out.  I'm definitely looking forward to sharing some yummy dinner and side recipes again with you all soon!  In the meantime, I've still got a few more goodies to go to finish out my "Baking through the Holidays with Recipe Shoebox" commitment (or according to my husband "admin likes self-inflicted stress"   commitment) These easy apple-raspberry bars were quite tasty with the  combination of tart and sweet flavors and would be a perfect to share on a plate of goodies or for a tasty, unique dessert. 

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

CRUST and STREUSEL:
2 cups uncooked oats (quick or old-fashioned)
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup butter, melted

FILLING:
3 cups peeled, chopped tart apples (Granny Smith worked well)
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups raspberry preserves

Directions:
Heat oven to 375°.  For crust and streusel topping, combine oats, flour, sugar, and baking powder; mix well.  Add butter, mixing until moistened.  Reserve 2 cups; set aside.  Press remaining oat mixture onto bottom of 9x13-inch baking dish.  Bake 15 minutes or until light golden brown. 

For filling, combine apples and flour.  Stir in preserves. 

Spread onto crust to within 1/2-inch of edges.  Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture, pressing lightly. 

Bake 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool completely; cut into bars.

  Store tightly covered. 

Enjoy!

Holiday Baking #2: Sweet Potato Cookies with Orange Glaze

This is going to be an exciting month here at the Recipe Shoebox!  Thirty-one straight days of tempting treat recipes is proving to be no easy task (based on the fact I'm posting today's recipe at almost midnight and it's only the 2nd day), but my oven's been hard at work and I've got some awesome guest bloggers lined up to help me make it happen.   It's looking to be a sweet, sweet December indeed!

Speaking of sweet, these sweet and spicy sweet potato cookies were soft and chewy and oh so perfect in a bowl of butter pecan ice cream.  We were out of orange juice the day we made them, so we ate them without the orange glaze, but the citrus would have been a perfect touch.  I'm a big sweet potato fan, so I always have them in the house, but I bet they would work just as well with pumpkin puree instead.  I've got it on my list to test sometime, but if any of you do, you'll have to let me know how it works. 

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

SWEET POTATO COOKIES:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sweet potato puree *I peeled and chopped a sweet potato, boiled it for 10-15 minutes, then mashed it with a potato masher.  You could also use canned sweet potatoes or canned pumpkin.
1 cup chopped pecans

ORANGE GLAZE: 
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbs. orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 gallon butter pecan ice cream (optional, but highly recommended)


Directions:  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.  

If you're not using canned sweet potatoes, then cube them, add them to boiling water, and boil until soft (about 15-20 minutes).  Drain, mash, and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. 

In a separate bowl cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and the vanilla and mix until incorporated.  Stir in sweet potato puree and blend until smooth.  Beat in the dry ingredients in increments and combine well.  Stir in pecans. 

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. 

Bake until cookies are lightly golden around edges and they spring back from the touch, about 15 minutes.  Let cool completely on the cookie sheets before glazing. 

Serve with butter pecan ice cream and enjoy!!!

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Gingerbread Pancakes

   As much as I love a good hearty breakfast, I rarely have time to cook it myself.  Breakfast is almost exclusively a kid-cooked meal in our house.  My kids actually even fight over whose turn it is to fix breakfast and occasionally I even have to forbid them from making something when there have been a few too many syrup soaked meals in a week.    This particular recipe was one my 5-year-old picked out of our church cookbook and whipped together herself (with a little matronly help with reading the recipe and the measuring).  She had heard the word, "Gingerbread" and got so excited there was no need to look further.  These were as simple to make as any other pancake, but the spices and molasses gave it a rich gingerbready flavor that we loved.  I thought it was perfect with a pat of butter and good old fashioned maple syrup, although my teenage daughter really wants to try them with the Cinnamon-Brown Butter-Pecan Topping next time we make them.  Thanks to my friend Cindy for  another great recipe!  

By the way, I'm taking the rest of this week off from blogging and will be back sometime next week! 
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!! 

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1-1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup molasses
3 Tbs. oil

Directions:  Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.  Beat together egg and milk in a large bowl.  Stir in molasses and then oil.  Add flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Lightly grease a griddle or skillet.  Pour 1/4 cup batter onto griddle and cook until puffed and bubbly, turn and cook until golden.  Enjoy! 

With a name like "Gingerbread Pancakes", we, of course,  had to try and make a pancake shaped like a gingerbread man. 

Sour Cream Apple Bars

For any of you who have been following along on my cooking adventures for long know that I'm usually a nut when it comes to taking pictures.  I usually take pictures of the ingredients and most of the steps along the way.  That's why I'm in such shock right now.  I've made these delicious sour cream apple bars, from Homebased Mom, no fewer than 6 times in the last 6 weeks and I only have a few shots of the finished product.  No ingredient shots.  No shots along the way.  I guess I was just so distracted by how good they were, that I couldn't seem to remember to grab my camera.  So, hopefully this one picture and the sheer number of times I've made these will convince you to try out this easy and delicious autumn apple treat.

Click here for printable recipe.  

Crust:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats (I used regular oats)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice

Filling:
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 egg
2 tart medium apples, peeled and shredded (I used Granny Smith)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
FOR CRUST:  In a large bowl, combine softened butter with brown sugar and beat until creamy.  Add oats, flour, pecans, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice and beat until well mixed.
Press 2/3 of crust mixture onto bottom of ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown. 

FOR FILLING:  Combine all the filling ingredients and mix well.  Gently pour the filling over the hot, partially baked crust.  Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the top of the filling and press down lightly.  Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown and the center is set.  Allow to cool in the refrigerator before cutting into bars.  Store in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon-Brown Butter-Pecan Topping

Before moving to the DC area 14-years-ago, I was a Minnesota girl.   I used to scoff at 40° weather and laugh when I heard about people who didn't know what it felt like to have their nose hairs freeze together.  But all that's changed now.  I guess you could probably call me a wimp now.  

In Virginia, autumn is a long, glorious season with most days in the 50's and 60's.  The streets are lined with tall beautiful oaks and maples ablaze with color that make even driving around the DC beltway a scenic drive this time of year.  But despite the beauty and the comparative mildness of DC autumns, every morning I wake up wishing I could snuggle under the covers a little longer.   I shiver my way to the shower and bundle up in sweatshirts and jackets until it starts to warm up in the afternoon.  One thing that gets me warmed up a little faster though is a good hearty breakfast--like these pumpkiny pancakes!    I love the slight chewiness and tang that the ricotta cheese adds to the flavor and the brown butter topping is out-of-this-world!    It'll warm you right up and thaw out those nose hairs in no time!  :) 

 Click here for printable recipe.  

The ingredients:

TOPPING: 

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

PUMPKIN PANCAKES:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (we used 100% whole-wheat flour)
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1-1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

FOR TOPPING:  In a small heavy saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Remove from the heat; stir in pecans.  Set aside.

FOR PANCAKES:  In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin, and cheese.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 


Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle, turn when bubbles form on top.  Cook until the second side is golden brown. 

Serve with brown butter/pecan topping.  Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Life is busy, the air is cool, the leaves are changing...'tis the season for good old fashioned comfort food and this chicken pot pie recipe from my friend Becca is just the ticket.  I often think that pot pie filling is rather bland, but not this one.  It was perfectly seasoned and added just the right creamy goodness to the veggies.  Now if I could just figure out how to get this 65 degree weather to stay around all winter!  :)

 Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

FILLING: 
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
(2) 9-inch unbaked pie crusts (recipe below)

CRUST (the best pie crust recipe ever): 
1 cup shortening
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg + enough ice water to make 1/2 cup liquid

Directions:
FOR CRUST:  Cut shortening into flour and salt until mostly the size of peas (DO NOT OVERDO--you want some bigger chunks of shortening still left).

Make a well in the center and add the egg/ice water mixture,


then stir together with a fork until dough barely starts clinging together.

Being careful not to overwork the dough, use your hands to combine the rest of the dough (this should be no longer than about 15 seconds of handling with your hands).  Makes 2-3 crusts depending on how thick you like your crust.  Roll out on generously floured surface.
 

Place into 9-inch pie plate and set aside to make filling. 

FOR FILLING:   Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery.

Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.  In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft.  Stir in  flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer until thick.

Remove from heat and set aside.  Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust.

Pour hot liquid mixture over. 




Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough.


Make several slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

 Enjoy!

Favorite Halloween Treats for Kids

For some reason, autumn gets me excited to find fun projects to try with my kids.  I love the time we spend cooking together and I love the confidence they gain from performing cooking tasks by themselves--spreading the frosting, adding ingredients, decorating, etc.  I really feel like the kitchen is a great place to develop a child's sense of independence in a safe way (with Mom by their side).     This post is a compilation of some of my favorite Halloween treats that we've created together over the last couple of years.   Happy cooking!    (By the way, don't mind the imperfect pictures.  These are all 100% kid decorated!) 

Scarecrow Cookies

Easy Spider Cupcakes

Halloween Cake Balls



Chocolate Mice

Rice Cake Jack-o-Lanterns

Cute Owl Cupcakes (recipe/directions coming soon)


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