Kale Salad with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash

It is noon-ish here in McCall, Idaho—our stomping grounds for the week—and the thermometer on the porch has yet to reach the 40°F mark. We roasted a full chicken (maple butter chicken, to be exact), made enchilada soup (adapted this recipe), and even ate freshly baked pumpkin pie in front of the fireplace… for most of the US though, I know, it is not winter yet. This sage-butter butternut squash salad is what I was making while still at home, and will probably return to making when we get back.

I forgot one key ingredient for the photoshoot of this recipe: parmesan cheese! It went on shortly after. Butternut squash, pecans, and parm make this salad quite hearty. Capers might seem like a curve ball ingredient, but since butternut squash, pecans, and currants are all a tad sweet, the capers add a necessary salty, brine-y pop.

Kale Salad with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash

Published October 2, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 2 (as a meal) or 4 (as a side)   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

For the butternut squash:

2 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed (1/2-inch cubes) butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter

10 sage leaves

A few cracks black pepper

1-2 three-finger pinches of salt

For the salad:

1 bunch green curly kale, chopped (optionally, remove stems)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 three-finger pinch of salt

1/3 cup currants

1/3 cup toasted pecans

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano

2-3 tablespoons capers, strained

Additional ground black pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:

1 clove minced garlic

1 tablespoon white balsamic

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions:

1. Cook the squash: heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a 10-inch skillet. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom in butter. When butter is melted and starts to bubble, place butternut squash in pan. Cook, without stirring, for about 7 minutes. Add sage, and stir gently. Cook for 7-10 more minutes, stirring very occasionally, until butternut squash is golden on the edges and tender all the way through. Season with black pepper and salt to taste. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, prep the salad. Place chopped kale in large salad bowl and drizzle very lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Using your hands, rub the oil and salt into the kale leaves until they are tender and bright green (this makes them softer—better for eating). Divide kale among serving bowls, if using. Top with currants, toasted pecans, capers, and parmesan. Add butternut squash.
3. Make vinaigrette: place all vinaigrette in a jar with a lid and shake to emulsify. Drizzle dressing to taste over salad.
4. Serve salad immediately, season with black pepper to taste, and toss.

White Bean Salad with Fried Garlic Toasts

Low-effort and no-cook are ideal characteristics of a late summer, weeknight meal. Grilling is great, but sometimes you need something even easier—not to mention fresher—to put on the table. This white bean salad has been one of my favorite 15-minute dinners this summer, eaten straight, tossed with a bit of arugula, or best of all, with slices of sourdough that have been fried in butter and garlic. It’s satisfying (beans and feta cheese!) but also delivers some produce (tomatoes, cucumber, parsley). Some might call this an appetizer, but for me it’s just right as a light meal. Happy August!

White Bean Salad with Fried Garlic Toasts

Published July 30, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 14-ounce can navy beans

1/2 cup diced cucumber

1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes

1/4 red onion, minced

1/2 cup feta crumbles

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste (optional)

For the toasts:

4-5 slices bread of choice (such as sourdough)

2-3 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic

Directions:

1. Strain and rinse navy beans. Place in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, feta, and parsley. Gently stir until ingredients are well distributed. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Add freshly cracked black pepper to taste, then season with salt to taste (Note: the feta will also add salt to this dish, so really taste it as you add salt. I find I only need to add a little bit. If your beans were already salty, you may not need salt at all).
4. Bean salad can be made several hours ahead of time. Cover and place in fridge until ready to eat.
5. When ready to serve, prepare the garlic toasts: mince garlic. Add garlic, along with 1/2 tablespoon of butter to a skillet and warm over medium heat. Swirl butter in pan to cover the bottom.
6. When pan is hot, place several pieces of bread in skillet in a single layer. (My 10-inch skillet only fit 3-4 pieces at a time, depending on size. Work in batches.) Toast on the first side for 3-4 minutes. Then, use tongs to flip bread to second side. Add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of butter if pan gets dry. Toast for 3-4 minutes on second side, then remove from pan. Repeat until all slices are toasted.
7. Serve: top each toast with bean salad and set on serving plates.

Green Chile & Pepper Jack Cheese Quiche

When you need a make ahead breakfast or lunch, quiche is the way to go. This one is the epitome of ease. The only thing you have to chop is green onions, and I certainly won’t tell if you use a store-bought pie crust (as long as you don’t tell anyone that I did that, too 😉).

I am a big fan of green chiles—as a stew, stuffed, or otherwise. I almost always have a can of roasted green chiles in the pantry, but you could also use freshly roasted or even frozen (and thawed) green chiles. They taste very summery, though many recipes using them feel wintery (like stew). This quiche, on the other hand, doesn’t really care what season it is. Serve with a simple side salad to make a complete lunch.

Green Chile & Pepper Jack Cheese Quiche

Published June 19, 2019 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6-8   |    Active Time: 60 minutes

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Ingredients:

1 deep-dish pie crust 

5 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 4-oz can green chiles 

2 green onions, white and dark green parts removed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 dashes paprika, plus more for topping 

Directions:

1. Bake pie crust according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and cream in a large bowl until frothy. Add cheese and green chiles. Chop the green onion, and add to egg mixture. Add salt, pepper, and two dashes of paprika and stir to combine.
3. Pour egg mixture into prepared pie crust. Sprinkle top of pie with a dash of paprika.
4. Bake quiche at 400°F for 25-35 minutes, until center of quiche has puffed, and the filling is set. Note: if the edges of your crust are browning too quickly, you can cover them using thin strips of foil (leave the quiche filling uncovered).
5. Allow quiche to cool 10 minutes before slicing.
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.