Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts

Onion Cheddar Soda Bread

This is a delicious and savory bread that uses lemon juice and baking soda as the rising agents. The two ingredients begin reacting to each other in the mixing bowl, so I encourage you to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you begin. The onion and cheddar (I use extra sharp) give the bread a unique and special flavor.



Onion Cheddar Soda Bread 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups milk (500 ml)
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (40 ml)
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (450 g)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 small onion, finely minced
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (200 g)

 

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 425° F. Place your baking tray into the oven to preheat, as well. Measure out and prep all your ingredients ahead (i.e. peel and mince the onion, grate the cheese).

2.    Pour milk into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice to the milk. Stir well and set aside.

3.    In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, dry mustard, and pepper. Stir to combine.

4.    Add the onion and cheese to the flour and stir until combined. It is important to coat the onion and cheese with flour so these ingredients don’t sink to the bottom.

5.    Add 3/4 of the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Use more milk, if needed. Dough shouldn’t be too wet, but all the flour should be incorporated.

6.    With wet hands, place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper or foil and shape into a circle. Cut a deep cross in the top (to let the fairies out). Use any leftover milk to brush the top of the dough.

7.    Using the edges of the parchment paper, set the dough onto the hot baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. The bread should sound hollow when tapped (internal temperature should be 190° F). Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. 

Notes:

Soda bread often fails because the dough is either overmixed or underbaked. If those two mistakes are avoided, this loaf will come out rich and savory with just the right amount of tender crumb.

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Soft Oatmeal Cookies #Recipe

I’ve fiddled with this recipe by replacing half the butter with applesauce for a healthier
cookie that’s still delicious and satisfying. The addition of the molasses and cinnamon give the cookies a nice depth of flavor and a warm spiciness. The coconut, if used, lends a delectable chewiness. ChatGPT says each cookie has about 112 calories. Not bad at all!

Soft And Chewy Oatmeal Cookies


Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
  • 1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
  • 3 cups old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup raisins

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350* F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cream together the butter, applesauce, brown sugar, and white sugar.
  3. Add the eggs, vanilla, and molasses and mix to combine.
  4. Add the flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
  5. Stir in the coconut (if using), the oats, and the raisins.
  6. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Let rest on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool. Makes about 40 cookies. 

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Fried Green Tomatoes... And I'm Not Talking Fannie Flagg #recipes



I went to our local farmer's market yesterday… one of my favorite places to visit on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Before I knew it, my cart was filled with local peaches, apples, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and other beautiful fruits and vegetables. Then I saw it! A huge basket heaped with the largest, plumpest green tomatoes I'd ever seen. That's when I realized that I'd never eaten green tomatoes.

How could I call myself a southerner, I wondered, without ever having tasted the very popular southern dish called Fried Green Tomatoes? I decided, then and there, to rectify the problem. I chose a couple of those luscious, green babies and put them in my cart.

I decided to try a dry/wet/dry method to coat the slices. Don't worry, it's easy. I'll explain in the directions.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2 large green tomatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon granulated onion powder
1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
2 eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch slices. 
Sprinkle slices with salt and pepper. 
Heat oil in a skillet.

Dry/wet/dry method:
In one bowl, stir together the flour, onion and garlic powders, and the cayenne pepper.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs until well scrambled.
Put the panko bread crumbs into a third bowl.
Dip the slices into the flour mixture, then into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumbs (get it… dry/wet/dry).
Fry the slices until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes on each side.
Drain on paper towels.
Enjoy!

Fried green tomatoes taste like nothing else I've ever eaten. The coating is crunchy and spicy, and the inside is firm but moist and has a slightly sour taste. Very delicious! Have you ever eaten green tomatoes? Where you eating out, or did you cook them yourself? How were they prepared?


Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter #Recipe


I recently made butternut squash ravioli and I cheated. Rather than taking the time to make my own fresh pasta, I picked up a package of won ton wraps at the grocery story. These Ravioli were utterly delicious! I hope you’ll try this super quick method. No one will notice that you didn’t make your own pasta.

Butternut Squash Ravioli
Makes about 48

1 butternut squash, about 2 1/2 lbs
1 tablespoon olive oil, for roasting the squash
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 12 ounce package of won ton wraps

Sage Brown Butter

1/4 cup butter
10 fresh sage leaves

Directions:

For the ravioli:

1.     Preheat oven to 400°. Carefully cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Discard seeds. Rub squash with olive oil and roast, cut side down, until soft when poked with a knife, about 35-45 minutes. Let cool and then scrape squash flesh out of the peel and place in a bowl. Discard peel.
2.     Mash the squash and add Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, sage, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined.
3.     Fill each wan ton wrap with a heaping teaspoon of squash filling. Moisten the edges of the wrap with water and fold into a triangle, sealing edges tightly. Continue until all wraps are filled. (Don’t be surprised if you run out of filling or if you have some filling left over. It all depends on how large the squash is.)
4.     To cook: Fill a pot with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt to boiling water, and then gently drop the ravioli into the water. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. The ravioli are done when they float to the surface. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook in batches. Drain with a slotted spoon and place on a warm platter. Serve with Sage Brown Butter.
5.  Optional serving suggestion: After ravioli have been simmered and drained, fry them in olive oil, 3 minutes on each side, to give them a crispy texture. Mmmm.

For the Sage Brown Butter:


1.     Place butter and sage leaves to a small sauce pan. Cook over medium low heat until the milk solids turn brown, about 10-15 minutes. Do not overcook. You want brown butter, not burned butter.
2.     Pour butter sauce over the ravioli and serve.

Nova Scotia Oatcakes #Recipe

After a recent trip to Nova Scotia, I couldn’t wait to get home and try my hand at making Oatcakes. These delicious, toasty-oat cookies are offered everywhere, in grocery stores and bakeries, restaurants and even chocolate shops. My husband and I loved them. As you can see in the picture below, I cut my Oatcakes into circles. But you could go the easy route and cut them into squares. I melted 1/2 a cup of dark chocolate baking chips and coated the bottoms of about half the cookies I made. This recipe makes about 10 to 12 nice size cookies, depending on how thin you roll out the dough.



Nova Scotia Oatcakes 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1 cup oat flour (or all-purpose)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add oats, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
  3. Add butter and brown sugar and stir just until a stiff dough forms.
  4. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out the circles of dough and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-roll any leftover dough and cut more cookies. (Or roll the dough into a rectangle and cut into squares.)
  5. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until set and edges are slightly golden. Allow to cool on racks. Coat with chocolate, if desired. 
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#Recipe - Bacon Zucchini Fritters Plus 2 eBooks for You!

I've had one of those days today. You know the ones, where you’re feeling creative in the kitchen. I pulled some ingredients out of my refrigerator and pantry, and I wondered what I could make with them. I had bacon, a zucchini, Locatelli cheese, eggs, flour, you get the picture. I came up with a recipe that is so delicious I decided to write it down. When you write it down, you know it’s good.

Bacon Zucchini Fritters 

Ingredients:
5 strips of bacon, fried crisp, drained, chopped
3 cups zucchini, grated (leave the skin on)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced (slice a little extra for garnish)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for frying

Directions:
  1. Mix together all ingredients, except the oil, until well incorporated.
  1. Heat a frying pan on high until it’s hot, add oil to the pan, and then
    turn the pan down to medium heat. You want the oil almost to the
    smoking point.
  1. Use an ice cream scoop (a large spoon works too) to portion out the
    batter and fry in batches for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
    Flip and fry on the other side until golden. Remove to a serving
    platter and keep warm.
  1. I serve these fritters as a side dish, garnished with thinly sliced
    scallions and a dollop of sour cream.
Serves 3-4

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Bacon Zucchini Fritters is just one of the recipes you'll find in my Cooking In All Directions cookbook, a collection of 75 recipes for soups, salads, appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. The cookbook is available in these ebook outlets:






*  *  *  *

Also this month, I'm offering my Second Chance Valentine for just 99¢ – that's a $2 savings off the regular price. Here's more information about this sweet contemporary story:

As teens, Josie and Alex met under golden sunshine, frolicked in the surf and sand, and fell head over toes in love. But circumstances arose that ruined their one glorious summer, and Josie fled Ocean City with a broken heart.

Now Josie’s grandmother is ill and needs help with the family business, a thriving harbor-side diner called Joe’s Place. So after more than a dozen years, Josie returns to her hometown only to discover she has a 180 pound problem—Alex is the Kitchen Commander at Joe’s Place. 


Surely, Josie can work with Alex to keep the diner going and retain her dignity until her grandmother is back on her feet. However, when Alex’s little girl starts scheming, not a single heart will be safe against the twelve-year-old matchmaker.

This book contains bonus recipes from Joe’s Place!

This book is available for Kindle readers. 


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on qualifying purchases when you use the links I have posted here.



Farro: a Healthy Grain That Makes a Great Summer Salad #Recipe

Farro Salad

I’ve heard farro called an “ancient” grain which means it has been cultivated for thousands of years. My first attempt at using farro failed miserably. I bought a type of tiny-grained farro that had a very earthy taste. I didn’t like it at all. But I decided to try again and I have to say, I love it!

I bought a large-grain farro described on the package as pearled (pictured below). Once cooked, the grains are plump, moist, and chewy. I would compare them to old-fashioned barley. Pearled farro is perfect for this easy summer salad because it absorbs the dressing, which makes for a very flavorful dish.

Summer Farro Salad

2 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water)
1 cup pearled farro, rinsed and drained
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh tomato, cut in small cubes
1 cup fresh zucchini, cut in small cubes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
1 teaspoon Salad Supreme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1.      Prepare the farro: in a medium sized pot, heat the water to boiling and add the farro. Turn down the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes or until farro is cooked through but still toothsome (chewy). Cool completely.
2.    Add cooled farro, celery, tomato, zucchini, and parsley to a large bowl. Sprinkle the Salad Supreme, salt, and pepper over everything. Pour on the dressing and stir to combine. Chill and serve. (As the salad sits, the farro will absorb the dressing. Add more dressing, as desired.)

Pearled Farro
Feel free to swap out any of the veggies for those you like better. Don't like celery? Leave it out and add 1 cup of cubed cucumber. Don't enjoy raw zucchini? Add 1 cup of cubed carrots, mushrooms, red peppers, whatever! This is a versatile, delicious, and nutritious summer salad that’s out-of-the-ordinary. And who doesn’t like out-of-the-ordinary?

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Happy National Cheese Pizza Day! #Recipe #Foodies

Pizza! Everyone loves it! Yes, you can order out. But it's much more fun to bring the whole family into the kitchen to make your own. It's pretty easy to do, too.

Pizza Dough

Yield: enough dough for 2 14-inch pizzas

4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water (110 degrees F)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Directions:

Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball (about 5-8 minutes).

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to double in size (about 1 hour). Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 equal pieces. Cover dough balls with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Note: Using bread flour results in a much crisper crust. Can't find bread flour? Substitute all-purpose flour which will result in a chewier crust.

Easy Pizza Sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes packed in tomato juice
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped fine
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, increase heat to simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until thickened (about 20 minutes). Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the pizza:

1 recipe Pizza Dough
1 recipe Easy Pizza Sauce
12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Optional Toppings:
Red onion, sliced
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Pepperoni, sliced
Black olives, sliced

Directions:

Heat oven to 475 degrees F, with a 16-inch-diameter pizza stone on lowest shelf position, for at least 30 minutes.

Place one round of dough onto a lightly floured surface, keeping the other covered with a kitchen towel. Roll dough into a 14-inch round. Transfer to a pizza peel.

Spread 3/4 cup of sauce over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. Spread half of the mozzarella over the top. Add other toppings, if using. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone. Bake until crust is golden and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove pizza from the oven; sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat with second pizza.


Sweet Balsamic Sirloin Steak #Grilling #Recipe

The August heat makes it too hot to cook indoors. So here's a recipe for outdoor grilling. 

Sweet Balsamic Sirloin Steak

For the marinade:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon dry red pepper flakes
2 pounds sirloin steak
Salt and fresh cracked Pepper to taste


1.     Place the soy sauce, oil, sugar, vinegar, and pepper flakes in a large, re-sealable plastic bag and massage to combine well. Add the steak, seal, and marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, turning once or twice to distribute marinade evenly.
2.     Pre-heat grill and coat the grate with a little oil to prevent sticking.
3.     Remove steak from marinade, season with salt and pepper, and place on hot grill. Cook for 5 minutes.
4.     Meanwhile, place the remaining marinade in a small sauce pan and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup. Watch carefully.
5.     Turn steak and cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
6.     Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow steak to rest for 5 minutes.
7.     Slice steak against the grain, ½ inch thick. Place slices on a platter and pour reduced marinade over top.



This recipe is included in my cookbook,




Enjoy your summer!


Learn about The 8 Primal Cuts of Beef at BroBB.
This Infographic is designed by Jack Thompson from BroBBQ


Rich Applesauce Cake by @DonnaFaz #Recipe for #Foodies

Yesterday, I fiddled with my applesauce cake recipe and came up with this delicious confection. I hope you’ll try it. If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, just double the amount of vegetable oil.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Pre-heat oven to 350º. Spray a 13” x 9” baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar, applesauce, water, coconut oil, vegetable oil, molasses, and eggs. Mix until well combined.

4. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, beating only until flour mixture is incorporated. Do not over mix.

5. Add the raisins and the nuts and stir to combine. Scrape batter into cake pan, smooth into an even layer, and bake for 55-65 minutes. At 55 minutes, poke center of cake with a wooden toothpick. Keep checking every 5 min. When toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Let cool.

I topped this cake with a simple cream cheese icing. I had a 4 ounce package of cream cheese that I brought to room temperature. I combined the cream cheese with a heaping cup of powdered sugar and added a splash of milk to make the mixture a spreadable consistency. This cake is perfect with a cup of hot tea or coffee.



Spinach Artichoke Dip #Recipe for #Foodies

Have you been invited to a holiday party? Here’s an all-time favorite that is sure to please everyone. Spinach Artichoke Dip is delicious and easy to prepare. This dip can be served hot out of the oven or at room temperature.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 4-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, 
   patted dry
1 cup (packed) fresh baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup red onion, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.     Preheat oven to 400° F.
2.     Cream together the mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese until thoroughly combined. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
3.     Chop the artichokes and stir into the cheese mixture.
4.     Add spinach, onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Transfer dip to a shallow baking dish.
5.     Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top. Serve with crusty bread, pita chips, or crackers.








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Summery Lemon Blueberry Dessert @DonnaFaz #Recipes #Food

There’s nothing more refreshing as a summer dessert than the combination of lemon and blueberry. This dessert is so easy, you won’t believe it. It’s so delicious, your family and friends will ask you to make it, again and again.

I used a 7 inch by 11 inch clear glass dish in which to assemble my dessert because the graham crackers fit very nicely in the bottom. If you don’t have a dish this size, simply use whatever you have, snapping the graham crackers into pieces that will fit into the bottom for the “crust.”

Summery Lemon Blueberry Dessert

2 boxes (2.9 oz) lemon “cook and serve” pudding
2/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (optional)
4 cups water (divided)
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed
10 graham crackers
1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

1.    In a saucepan, stir together the dry lemon pudding mix, sugar, egg yolks, lemon peel, and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Make sure all of the pudding mix is well-incorporated. Add the additional 3 1/2 cups water and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pudding comes to a boil and thickens. Set aside to cool.

2.    Add Cool Whip to the cooled pudding mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.

3.    Assemble your dessert: Line the bottom of a 7 inch x 11 inch oblong dish with 4 graham crackers. Top with half of the pudding, smoothing into an even layer. Top pudding with half of the blueberries. Add 4 more graham crackers, pressing down a bit so the crackers are in contact with the pudding. Layer on the remaining pudding and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining blueberries. Place remaining 2 graham crackers into a plastic baggie and crush into crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over the top of the pudding.

4.    Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to give the “crust” time to soften.

5.    To serve, cut chilled dessert into squares. Serves 8.


Creamy Butternut Squash #Recipe by @DonnaFaz (and 99¢ ebook deal!)

I have never cooked a fresh butternut squash and really wanted to try. So I found a recipe that looked delicious, and after a little bit of fiddling, all I can say is...YUM! This is the perfect winter dish. It's hearty, filling, and just a teeny bit spicy. (If you don't like spicy, leave out the red pepper flakes.) Toss together a green salad and slice up some fresh, crusty bread, and you will have a meal that everyone will remember! 

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH with SAGE 
PASTA SAUCE

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, diced
1 medium/large butternut squash, peeled, diced
6 or 7 large sage leaves, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dried
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk
1 cup cooked cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
16 oz pasta of your choice
toasted, chopped walnuts or pine nuts, to serve

1. Slice the butternut squash in half, remove seeds and cut squash into 1/2″ cubes (the smaller the cubes are the quicker they will cook).

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add shallots and sauté a 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add butternut squash and seasonings, cook another 4 minutes stirring occasionally. Add broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is softened, about 8-10 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. 

3. Add coconut milk and beans to the pot. Using an immersion blender or food processor/blender, blend until smooth or desired consistency (a little chunky is ok). If using a food processor or blender you may need to do it in two batches. Taste for seasoning. Add back to the pot and heat before serving if necessary. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a little more vegetable broth or a little more coconut milk, your choice. 

4. Cook pasta using package directions. Drain cooked pasta and coat with sauce. Top with toasted nuts and fresh cracked pepper.


Serves 4 – 6

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