Crockpot Recipe: Moroccan Lentil Squash Stew

This is the perfect fall one-pot dinner, with hearty fall veggies like squash and potatoes paired with warm lentils and curry. It has loads of flavor, and can be put on to cook in the morning, and you'll have dinner hot and ready when evening comes!

Moroccan Lentil Squash Stew
(Serves 6-8.)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
10 small new red potatoes, scrubbed and halved
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 cans (14 oz size) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water
1 pkg (8 oz) frozen cut green beans, thawed (or fresh, cut and steamed for 10 minutes)

Ingredients:

• Combine all ingredients EXCEPT green beans in crockpot, stirring gently.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or until lentils are tender.
• Add green beans during last 30 minutes of cooking time, stirring to combine.

Recipe: Smooth Spiced Butternut Squash And Apple Soup

Sweet, spicy, and tangy, this creamy and delicious soup combines the best of fall into a smooth and rich tasting soup. Most of the ingredients should be easy to find at your local farmer's market or in your CSA share this time of year. Using butternut squash gives the soup a creamy richness even without using any cream, so if you're looking to cut some fat and calories, this simple autumn soup fits the bill and still satisfies!

Smooth Spiced Butternut Squash And Apple Soup
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash Soup (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2 large butternut squash
2 sweet ripe apples
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp basil
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Turkish or Spanish saffron (safflower blossoms)
1/4 tsp allspice
pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

• Wash the whole squash, then cut it in half, then into chunks, removing any seeds or string first; bring a big pot of water to a boil, drop in the squash and let cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender.
• Meanwhile, peel the apples, core, chop, and put in a glass bowl (without water) and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes or until you can mash them with a fork. You can also just put the chopped up apple in a small saucepan over low heat and cook until soft, just watching it so it doesn't burn to the bottom.
• Remove the squash from the cooking water, let cool slightly, and scrape the edible portions from the outer rind, putting the good part in a bowl. Save the cooking water in the pot.
• Put the squash in your food processor and blend until smooth; then add smashed apples and process until both are pureed and smooth.
• Put the squash-applesauce puree into another soup pot and add enough of the reserved cooking water to make a thick soup. You can always add a bit more as you cook the soup to thin it out more.
• Add the seasonings to the soup, stirring to combine.
• Turn burner on to low under your soup pot, slightly tip a lip on the pot, and simmer slowly for about 5 to 10 minutes, just so the flavors combine.  Add more of the cooking liquid from the other pot if desired.
• Serve warm.

Recipe: Healthy Harvest Squash Lasagna with Leeks

This unique take on lasagna combines tasty fall farmer's market veggies like squash and leeks, for an interesting twist on an old classic. Great for vegetarians or a "Meatless Monday" meal. Enjoy the creamy sauce with the sweetness of butternut squash and the mild flavor of leeks in this tasty fall treat!

Healthy Harvest Squash & Leek Lasagna
(Serves 8-10.)

Ingredients:

Cucurbita moschata 'Butternut' squash. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

10 oz lasagna noodles
1 medium (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
5 medium leeks, cleaned well and sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking oil.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, turn off heat, and set noodles in the pot.
• Grate the seeded butternut squash into a bowl, using the largest holes on a box grater.
• Melt unsalted butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and add leeks, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Sprinkle in flour to Dutch oven and stir together with leeks, continuing to cook for about 1 to 3 minutes or until flour begins to turn yellow.
• Start pouring in the milk, whisking while you add it, cooking until mixture thickens, about 5 to 7minutes.
• Continue to whisk and add the thyme, salt, nutmeg, and pepper, then remove from the heat.
• Put together the lasagna in the prepared baking dish by layering in this order:

• 1/3 noodles, 1/3 sauce, 1/2 squash, 1/3 cheese
• 1/2 remaining noodles, 1/2 remaining sauce, all pine nuts, all remaining squash, 1/2 remaining cheese
• all remaining noodles, all remaining sauce, all remaining cheese.

• Cover with parchment paper then foil, and bake the lasagna covered for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbling and lightly browned. 
• Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Recipe: Autumn Squash Baked Chicken And Rice

This tasty fall casserole uses yummy fresh fall veggies from the farmer's market or your garden to add a healthy twist to a standard chicken and rice dish. It's a simple dish with mild flavors, so feel free to add some red pepper or a fresh Anaheim if you want to spice it up a little. Otherwise, it's a tasty fall dish for the kids or those who don't like a lot of spice to their food.

Autumn Squash Baked Chicken And Rice
(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

 (Photo credit: Darice)

8 free-range chicken drumsticks or thighs (1 1/4 lb), skin removed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 package (6 oz) long-grain and wild rice mix
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1 inch slices
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups water
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add chicken, cook about 3 minutes, turn and cook 3 more minutes, or until chicken is browned slightly. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Put rice, contents of seasoning packet, squash, zucchini and bell pepper in baking pan.
4. Turn heat on under skillet, add water and bring to boiling, then pour the hot water over rice and veggies in baking pan and stir to mix.
5. Add the cheese and stir, then arrange the chicken on top of the rice mixture. 
6. Cover pan with foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until rice absorbs the liquid and is tender and chicken is no longer pink at all.
7. Remove and let sit for 3 minutes, then take off foil and serve hot.