Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese

My friend Elizabeth has been harassing me (love you Beth!) about my butternut squash mac n cheese that I made her and her kids last year. Unfortunately it was one of the recipes I had thrown together and not paid attention to. So today I decided to pay attention while remaking this dish. It's an easy dish and packs in the vegetables and the kids love it! 

Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese 

Fridge:

48 oz butternut squash- peeled and cut small (the grocery store does this for you now- woohoo!!) or 5 1/2 cups pureed 

2 cups sharp cheddar, grated 

3/4 cup parmesan, grated 

1 cup whole milk 

1 tsp Dijon mustard 

1/2 tbs butter (olive oil if you prefer) 

Counter:

1/2 cup yellow onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced 

2 cups waterm

1/2 cup pasta water

Pantry:

3 cups elbow noodles, uncooked 

1 tsp salt plus extra for pasta water 

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 

Few cracks of black pepper 

Canola oil spray 

Tools:

Large pot of boiling salted water

Measuring cups/spoons 

Chopping knife

Cutting board 

Wooden spoon 

Blender or food processor 

Large pot with lid 

Small sauté pan 

Colander 

Ladle 

Casserole dish 

Aluminum foil 

Add 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt and the butternut squash to the pot with the lid.

Cover and steam the butternut squash over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is super tender when pierced with a fork. You essentially want butternut squash mush. 48 oz makes more than 5 1/2 cups but I usually set some aside for soup. 

Add pasta to the boiling salted water and cook for 5 minutes. You want the pasta undercooked so it's not soggy later. Drain the pasta, while reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and run the pasta under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside for later. 

Melt butter over medium heat in sauté pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes or until onions have softened. Set aside. 

Once the butternut squash is steamed- don't drain. Most of the water should have evaporated after 20-25 minutes. Ladle 5 1/2 cups of the puree into the blender or processor. Add milk, reserved pasta water, ground numeg, 1/2 tsp salt, both cheeses, Dijon mustard, onion and garlic mixture and a few cracks of black pepper. Blend until smooth. 

Spray casserole dish and add the undercooked pasta. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well. Cover with aluminum foil and put in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy it!! Xo

Parisian Picnic

This past weekend my good friend Catherine and I decided to soak up the last of the summer sun by having a Parisian picnic. As the writer of the awesome lifestyle blog, Chic Geek, Catherine is an amazing stylist and has impeccable taste. So we gathered her tablewares and stylish mind and my love of food and put on our version of a Parisian Picnic.

Being the cheese fiend that I am- we did a few French cheeses, salami, some crusty bread and a few other nibbles. We kept it light but with a variety of flavors. 

I get asked a lot about menu planning and how to decide what to bring or make for parties and I think whether you are a guest or a host- you have to keep it simple! 

Never overwhelm yourself with a complicated menu or something that requires you to be kitchen bound while your friends enjoy themselves. Create menus where the prep work can be done ahead of time so you can actually enjoy yourself! 

As it was Sunday and you know how I enjoy my lazy Sundays- I purchased most of the food for the picnic. I wanted a no fuss day and it came together perfectly! Sometimes it's nice just to enjoy the food- not create it. 

You can see in our photos that the picnic was simple and delicious. Grab a bottle of rosé and get outdoors next weekend!! Your wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend, friends- whoever, will love this picnic idea!

See Catherine's blog www.chicgeekblog.com to find out where to purchase her stylish tablewares!! 

Tomato and Feta Orzo Salad

This salad is so simple and a great addition to meals. I love it in the summer time! Easy, quick and delicious. It's also a great dish to bring to a picnic or potluck. I make a big amount and snack on it all week! 

Tomato and Feta Orzo Salad

Fridge:

3/4 cup of crumbled feta

2 handfuls of baby arugula 

Counter:

1 pint of grape tomatoes, halved

1 jar of sundried tomatoes in oil, julienned

Juice of 1 lemon  

Pantry:

1 lb box orzo 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper 

Tools:

Pot of boiling, salted water

Sieve 

Large mixing bowl

Small mixing bowl

Whisk or fork 

Wooden spoon

Measuring cups/spoons

Cutting board

Chopping knife 

Pour the box of orzo into the boiling salted water. Boil for 8-10 minutes until Al dente. Drain and cool. I was impatient so I cooled mine under cold water. Normally with pasta- this is a no-no bc the starch on the pasta helps dressing/sauces stick. But with this salad- I always do it bc I usually want to eat it right away. 

Add the cooled orzo to the large mixing bowl with the arugula, feta, sundried and grape tomatoes and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. 

In the small mixing bowl add the lemon juice, olive oil and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Whisk together and pour over the salad. Mix dressing into the salad and enjoy! 

I polished off my kale and corn quiche with this salad yesterday. It was de-li-cous!! This really is a great and super easy recipe to have in your back pocket. Hope you love it as much as I do! Xo