Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Bake

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

1 medium butternut squash

1/2 white onion

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb macaroni noodles, dry

5 cups milk

4 tbsp butter

5 tbsp flour

4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cups mozerella cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs

1 cup grated parmesean cheese

Salt and pepper

Skin butternut squash. Scoop out seeds and cut into cubes. Roast in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes with olive oil, salt and pepper and roughly chopped onion. 

Meanwhile, start roux. In a large pan, slowly melt butter. Once butter is melted slowly sprinkle flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 5-10 minutes, constantly whisking. The longer you cook the flour, the more rich the roux will taste. Add half of the milk to the roux and whisk until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Boil macaroni in a large pot of salted water for 2 minutes shy of the box instructions. 

Once the butternut squash is roasted, add to roux with the rest of the milk. Blend with an Emerson blender until smooth. Add cheese to roux and whisk until smooth. 

Once noodles are finished cooking, strain and pour into a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour all of the sauce over the noodles and mix until thoroughly covered. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and parmesean cheese over top of dish and bake for 20 minutes until breadcrumbs become warm and toasted. 

Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving for Two

If haven't mentioned it before, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. I know it's December and I'm behind on blogging, but I had to share our little cooking day. Thanksgiving reminds me of gatherings and quality time with family and food. 

This year, I had to work the day before and after Thanksgiving, so not many options for family gatherings. So in an effort to make Thanksgiving just as happy as I remember it, Bryan and I had our first holiday as a married couple and we pulled out all the stops. 

Making lunch

There's kind of no point in making a whole turkey, or even a chicken, for two people. But you still want that bird. So we made turkey meatballs dipped in homemade cranberry sauce. Super easy and delicious. 

To kick things up a notch, we put our fancy pants on for some crostini. Appetizers are always fun and I wanted the menu to have the flavors of Thanksgiving, but with a twist in each dish. To me, Fall crostini means Autumnal squash, so we had roasted butternut squash with arugula, goat cheese and sage brown butter. YUM!

That takes care of lunch. Yes, this was an all day affair. For dinner, we decided to keep it simple and made dishes that could be packed up for leftovers, another favorite holiday tradition. 

For dinner, we made roasted Brussel sprout salad. Top those delicious little cabbages with blue cheese, bacon and almonds. Rich and indulgent. 

Nothing says Thanksgiving like quinoa. Yeah, I know. Not your typical holiday fare, but stay with me. Sautee some mushrooms in brown butter and sage. Cook the quinoa with garlic and chicken broth. Combine with mushrooms and left over butternut squash from the appetizers. Voila! Healthy protein with Fall flavors. 

Dinner

Some of my favorite food memories revolve around dessert. But as an adult, I have to watch the sweet intake. Things can easily spiral out of control if you leave me alone in a room with a full pie or box of cookies. Sometimes we need to treat ourselves without going overboard. In my opinion, this is where savory desserts come into play. 

Keeping with the Autumnal feel and to go savory, we made puff pastry wrapped pears drizzled with honey and topped with blue cheese and almonds. Savory with a hitn of sweet, but you still get that buttery richness from the puff pastry. Ice cream would work too if you're not into blue cheese. 

Dessert and Dannowine

thanksgiving is always better with friends and family, but I think Bryan and I did a pretty good job. Taking this opportunity to be creative and spend the day cooking together was a nice was to spend the holiday and revive our Valentine's Day cooking adventure. 

-Akemi-chan

September/ October Randoms

September and October have a a busy couple of months. I've been slacking on the blogging, especially in wake of our Eurotrip. But I haven't been slacking on the picture-taking. Here's some snippets of September and October. 

Apple, frisee, fried egg, garden tomato and grilled onion salad

My little work friend

Silly squirrels leaving our tomatoes on the ladder

Roasted eggplant, portabella mushroom and kale tower with pork loin with cane syrup, coffee gravy

Roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, eggplant and rosemary

First time Shepard's pie

Sweetest Day pan au chocolat and chai latte

Crushing grapes from California

Turkey, mustard, arugula and green apple wrap... and The Chew

Snow White worthy apple

Sparkling blood orange margarita from The Wedge

Chin watching Thursday Night Football

Nick Offerman Mustache cupcake from Cream and Flutter

Brownies, bananas and walnuts

Fall is here

Feeling Autumnal 

Sweet Heat Latte (Cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper and honey)

Bacon, egg and banana pepper pizza

Tomorrow, I'll be heading out to San Francisco to visit some dear friends. It seems like forever since I've seen them and it gives me even more reason to make a quick weekend trip to California. Wish me luck!

-Akemi-chan

Butternut Squash, Kale and Apple Quinoa

Quinoa has been my recent Summertime staple. So when I had to make a quick dinner before lunch quinoa was the simple, easy solution. In this case, I wanted to add a little Autumn flair.

Butternut Squash, Kale and Apple Quinoa

1 cup quinoa
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1 cup water
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 handfuls of purple kale, destemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 granny smith apple, cubed

Cook quinoa on medium high heat in a small pot or sauce pan with the water and beef broth. Cook according to package instructions.

Meanwhile in a medium saute pan, heat olive oil on medium high heat and add butternut squash. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until butternut squash starts to caramelize. Add kale, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute until kale is crisp and squash is tender. Combine quinoa and vegetables in a large bowl and add fresh apples. Toss to combine and finish to salt and pepper to taste. Eat hot or cold.

The butternut squash gives the quinoa a nice Autumnal flavor, while the kale provides a more vegetable flavor and the apple give it nice tartness and a crunch. This would be good with a nice pork chop and grilled vegetables. But we had it with some pulled pork and a salad. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Summer Lasagna with Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes

I had heard of this Martha Stewart recipe many years ago and thought it was so beautiful. I'm not the biggest fan of lasagna because it normally leaves me feeling heavy and unnecessarily full. The beauty of this recipe is that it avoids the oven and is lightened up for Summer.

Summer Lasagna with Zucchini and Grape Tomatoes

3-4 lasagna noodles 
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, sliced into thin circles
4-6 basil leaves, chiffonade

Place lasagna sheets in salted boiling water. Boil until cooked, then remove from water and cut into rectangles, across the pasta. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, Parmesan and olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper as desired.

In a large pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add halved grape tomatoes and chopped garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until tomatoes give off a little sauce, about 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl until assembly.

In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and sliced zucchini. Cook until zucchini becomes tender, about 5 minutes.

When everything is finished cooking, layer ingredients starting with tomatoes, zucchini, cheese, basil, pasta, cheese. Repeat two to three more times. Top with basil and pour remaining tomato sauce over layers. Enjoy.

-Akemi-chan

Zucchini Wrapped Salmon

I love salmon, it just speaks to me. It's rich, flavorful and relatively healthy. I rarely need an excuse to eat salmon, but I find it hard to eat seafood in the middle of a corn field. However, when Michael Symon made a zucchini wrapped salmon on The Chew, I was in love. Zucchini and salmon seemed like the perfect combination. Here's my attempt to make the Iron Chef's dish.


Zucchini Wrapped Salmon (for one)

1 piece of salmon
1/2 large zucchini
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped green onion
1 tsp dill
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Slice zucchini length-wise with mandolin or vegetable peeler. Lay zucchini on a sheet of plastic wrap, slight overlay so they wrap nicely. Keep layering until you have enough to cover the length of the salmon.

Place salmon on top of zucchini and brush the salmon with mustard and season with green onion, dill, salt and pepper. 

Use plastic wrap as a guide to wrap the salmon in the zucchini. Do not include plastic in the "wrap."

Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil. When oil is heated, place the zucchini wrapped salmon into pan, seam-side down. Sear wrap on both sides until golden brown and salmon is cooked to desired doneness.

The original recipe included a radish salad, so i improvised and made a sauteed one with onions and placed it on top of some romaine.

Blurry :-(

The dish turned out good. Another great dish for the sunnier (but not super hot) months. Next time I'd add a little more herbs to season the fish. Either way, I had a nice little moment to myself with a special meal.

-Akemi-chan

Chicken Thighs with Olives in Tomato Sauce

I've been feeling extremely sluggish lately. Maybe it's the constant jet lag, maybe it's the long hours at work due to cancellations and delays, maybe it's because I haven't been to the gym in a long time, or maybe it's the Winter overcast the puts a grey blanket over everything. Either way, I've been lazy.

One thing I like to do when the lazy bug has bit me, is to make soupy or saucy dishes. They just feel like comfort. Even if I grew up in a hot climate, and am currently living in a cold one, soup always makes home feel homier. Is that even a word?

Simple baked meals are my savior in Winter. It warms up the house and the smells are intoxicating. Take chicken, pantry items and some fresh veggies and the night is the perfect backdrop for warm blankets and a good TVshow.

Chicken Thighs with Olives in Tomato Sauce

6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
3 tbsp butter
6 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried chives
1 tbsp red pepper flake
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
6-10 olives, halved
1/2 zucchini sliced and quartered
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large casserole dish and add the chicken thighs, skin-side up. Season with salt and pepper. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add butter, garlic, chives, red pepper flake, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Saute for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, olives and zucchini.

Pour tomato mixture over chicken in casserole dish. Bake for 1 hour or until chicken reaches 360 degrees F. Baste chicken with sauce ever 30 minutes. Serve with rice.

The olives really give this dish an extra bite. I highly recommend it, even if you're not the biggest olive fan. It gives the sauce such dimension because it gives the savoy sauce a little perk of brine. Enjoy!

-Akemi-chan

Butternut Squash, Goat cheese and Kale Pizza

I had some left over ingredients from the Butternut Squash Penne, when it dawned on me, "That would be awesome on a pizza!" Need I say more? Maybe a little more. This pizza consists of the exact same ingredients from that pasta, swapping the penne for homemade pizza crust: seasonal cold weather ingredients with a bit of crunch in the dough.

I found a recipe for homemade pizza dough and followed it to the tea, after all baking is a science, not an art. Then topped it with all the good stuff.

Pizza Dough

1 2.5 oz dry active yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup warm water (110F)
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt and oil. Beat until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan or baker's peel dusted with cornmeal. Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.



Butternut Squash, Goat cheese and Kale Pizza

2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb butternut squash, cubed without skin
1/2 large onion, diced
1/2 bunch of kale, off stem and broken into bite size leaves
2 tbsp garlic, minced
3 oz goat cheese
salt and pepper


While dough is in oven, saute the butternut squash and onions in 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil with salt and pepper in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Saute for 5-10 minutes for until onions begin to caramelize and butternut squash becomes tender. Add kale and garlic and toss until kale is glossy.

Evenly pour mixture over pizza crust. Crumble goat cheese over mixture and drizzle remaining olive oil over pizza.

-Akemi-chan

Pampered Tuesday? Purple Sparkle/ Butternut Squash Penne

This week, I missed Pampered Sunday. Too wrapped up in football and work to remember to do nails Not to mention the open to close shift the day before. So now, it's time to make up for my slack.

I have to work today, but that doesn't mean there shouldn't be any beauty flare. This month I ordered some sparkly nail polish from Forever 21 and purple on purple on purple sounds perfect for Fall.

Sally Hansen's Complete Manicure in Commander in Chic, Wet N Wild's Megalast in Disturbia, and Forever 21's Love and Beauty in Fuschia/ Silver sparkle. (Oh! and Billy Ray Cyrus on The Chew)

I painted the ring fingers in Disturbia with two layers of Fuschia/ Silver. The other nails are in Commander in Chic. This ring finger in a different color has been a trend for a while, and I kind of like it. It gives you some creativity to play with colors and textures. An easy alternative for those who don't have a very steady hand (like me).

I also joined Pinterest to get more daily inspiration for food and beauty. Found this hairstyle today.

Love her hair

I've always loved the texture and dimension that these blonde girls have. And though I cannot get the depth she's achieved, I figured I'd give it a shot. Thanks to the high winds and jet blast, the more secure my hair is, the better.

Golden eye shadows, charcoal eyeliner under the eye and black mascara accompany my front/ side pony.



Speaking of inspiration, Giada De Laurentis... that is all. I love me some Giada. She's gorgeous, adorable, talented, and she makes food that I drool over. Last week Food Network aired an episode of Giada at Home where she made Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese. Yes please! Here's my interpretation.

Butternut Squash Penne

2 lb butternut squash (I got a 2.5 lb one and used about 3/4 of it)
1 large onion
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb whole wheat penne
1 small bunch of kale
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz goat cheese
4 leaves of basil, chiffonade
grated parmesean (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees with oven rack in top third of oven. Cut butternut squash into 3/4 inch cubes. I used a serrated knife to cut the squash. It really helped since the skin is tough. Cut onion into 1/2 inch pieces. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray and place squash and onion onto pan. Add olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 40 minutes until squash is tender. Cool on rack.

Butternut squash and onions roasting in oven

While squash is cooling, cook pasta until al dente (don't forget to salt water). While waiting for water to boil, remove kale leaves from the stem and cut into small pieces. Then, saute kale in a small saute pan with salt, pepper, olive oil and garlic. When kale is slightly wilted and glossy, place in a large serving bowl with squash and onions.

Butternut squash and onions after roasting

When pasta is done, take a slotted spoon or spider and fish out pasta into serving bowl. Crumble goat cheese into serving bowl. Ladle some pasta water into serving bowl. The hot, salted, starchy pasta water will melt the goat cheese to form a tangy, creamy sauce. Toss the pasta, cheese, squash, onion and kale to evenly coat mixture and evenly distribute ingredients. Serve and top with basil and freshly grated parmesean cheese.

Family style

Boyfriend and I gobbled this up. It was soooo good. Creamy, comforting and filling. "The best pasta you made."-Boyfriend :-P Enjoy, we sure did.

-Akemi-chan