Roasted Seeds

Ingredients:

The seeds from whatever autumn squash (butternut, pumpkin, etc.) you’re using for something else

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1.       Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.       Scoop the seeds out, separate them from the gross stringy stuff, wash them completely and dry thoroughly. They will probably still be somewhat slimy. That stuff is hard to get off.

3.       Toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.

4.       Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing once during cook time. Take them out when they have reached your desired crispiness.

5.       Eat them immediately while they’re hot if you can take it. They just aren't as good the next day.

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash, cut in half

¼ cup sour cream

Salt and pepper

Smoked paprika

Directions:

1.       Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2.       Put the two squash halves in a pan with ¼ inch water, skin side down. Cover with aluminum foil.

3.       Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender.

4.       Let cool, then scoop out flesh, leaving a ¼ inch border in the shell. Mash squash with sour cream and salt and pepper, then spoon back into the shell. Top with paprika.

Note: I probably wouldn’t make this recipe again. It takes forever to cook the squash whole and I like it more when it’s cut into chunks and roasted or cooked in soup.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
2 lbs butternut squash, diced
2 cans white beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans corn
1 onion
Spices?
Heavy cream at the end for fun

Can't really remember how this happened, but we did it. It tasted good. People liked it. Soups are easy. Just throw the stuff in and let it simmer.

Mexican Lettuce Wraps

Yeah yeah yeah, mainly everything we cook is Mexican and it's all pretty much the same. But we are getting good at doing it!

Ingredients:

Half an onion 

2 red bell peppers 

1 can green chilies 

1 can black beans 

1 can corn

Cumin

Smoked paprika 

Chili powder 

Salt and pepper 

Olive oil 

Toppings:

Guacamole 

Mash up an avocado with lime juice, garlic salt, a little extra salt and pepper

Sour cream 

Salsa 

Grated cheese (don't use a super fine grate cause you'll regret it)

Cilantro 

Tortillas 

Lettuce 

Start by sautéing the onion and bell pepper in olive oil on the stove in a big pan until soft. While cooking, add spices. Add the beans, then green chilies, and eventually corn when almost done. 

Roll everything up in a lettuce leaf and throw it in a tortilla. 

Serves 3 with some leftovers. 

Frozen hot chocolate

This is hardly a recipe... But it was good and this project is all about making Megan feel comfortable to just create in the kitchen so I say this counts! 

1 cup of milk

1 hot chocolate packet (we used no sugar added and it still tasted great)

A few ice cubes

Blend this baby up with as many cups of milk as you want and enjoy a wonderful treat. 

Note: it will separate pretty quickly so just blend it up again when you want to drink it.