Month: March 2024

Shephard’s Pie
March 20, 2024

Shephard’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie Every year when St. Patrick’s Day comes around it’s time for me to make Shepherd’s Pie. Shepherd’s Pie is a mixture of lamb and vegetables that cook in a flavorful gravy, then it all gets topped with mashed potatoes and bakes until the …

Mains, Winter
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by kimcrossin
Pasta Dough
March 20, 2024

Pasta Dough

Silky & Tender HOMEMADE PASTA ​ This homemade pasta dough is super silky and tender making it have a very light mouthfeel. It’s perfect for pappardelle, lasagna noodles, tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti. It does not have a bite to it which is how I prefer …

How To
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by kimcrossin
Butternut Squash & Spinach Pin Wheel Lasagna
March 13, 2024

Butternut Squash & Spinach Pin Wheel Lasagna

Butternut Squash & Spinach Pinwheel Lasagna

Run, don’t walk to make these Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups. This is one of my favorite things I’ve ever made and is extra luxurious with the silkiest homemade pasta. The two separate fillings go beautifully together and it gets smothered with a homemade cheese sauce. It is so so good. It’s perfect for Sunday dinner or even to serve on a holiday as a side to the main event. 

 

This whole recipe is a bit time consuming so I recommend breaking the steps up a little bit and making the pasta the night before as well as one or both fillings. The next day all you have to do is roll out the pasta, layer your fillings roll up and cut. I also have some tips for short cuts to make this an easy weeknight meal! 

To Make the Pasta - You'll Need

  • “00” Flour: This is the type of flour used to make pasta and pizza in Italy. It is very finely ground and made out of durum wheat. You may also see it called “chef’s flour”. 
  • Eggs: 2 whole eggs + 4 egg yolks
  • Olive Oil: 1 Tbsp
  • Flour: Using a kitchen scale weigh 196 g of type 00″ flour. Place it in a bowl, pie dish or on the counter and create a well in the center
  • Eggs: Crack 2 whole eggs and put 4 egg yolks into the well. 
  • Oil: Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil into the center with the eggs.
  • Whisk: Begin to whisk the eggs and oil beating them until roughly cohesive. 
  • Combine: Gradually scrape the flour into the egg while continuing to whisk to combine. Once you can no longer whisk start working the dough together with your hands. It will be sticky at first. Continue to incorporate all of the flour and remove any build up on your hands.
    • I like to wash my hands at this point to have clean hands before kneading. 
  • Knead: Sprinkle your work surface very lightly with flour place your roughly shaped dough onto the floured work surface. Lightly dust the top with flour as well. Place the ball of your hand into the center and press down and out. Fold the dough onto itself, rotate the dough a quarter turn. Again press down and out. Fold the dough onto itself and do another quarter turn. Continue to knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth. 
  • Rest: Wrap the pasta dough in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight before rolling out. 

To Make the Fillings & Sauce - You'll Need

Mornay Sauce: A mornay sauce is similar to a béchamel except it has cheese in it. 

  • Butter
  • Shallot: 1 large shallot, chopped. 
  • Garlic: 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • Flour: 1/4 cup of AP flour to make a roux to thicken the sauce.
  • Milk: Whole milk is recommended to make it thick and creamy.
  • Nutmeg: Because cream sauces need nutmeg.
  • Parmigiano Reggiano: Parmesan works here too.

Spinach & Cheese Filling

  • Spinach: 11 oz of fresh spinach or frozen spinach. You’ll need about a cup of when squeezed of excess water. 
  • Mozzarella Cheese: I always recommend buying the block and grating it yourself because it melts better compared to the pre grated kind. 
  • Ricotta Cheese: Whole or Part Skim works.
  • Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: We use it in the spinach and cheese mixture and mornay sauce. Parmesan works here too. 
  • Nutmeg: It adds that little back note that is just so good and comforting. Fresh grated is best but dried is fine.

Butternut Squash Filling: 

  • Butternut Squash Puree: Peel, cube and roast the squash until fork tender. Then puree in a food processor or blender.
  • Mornay Sauce: It’s just our cheesy creamy sauce we make.

 

Make the Mornay Sauce

Sweat the Shallots & Garlic
Add the Flour
Gradually Whisk in the Milk
Grate in some Nutmeg
Turn off the Heat & Add the Cheese
Strain through a Sieve
  • Sweat the Shallots & Garlic: In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter and sweat the shallots for about 5 min. Add the garlic for 1 more minute. 
  • Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the butter and shallots and stir together. Cook for a few minutes. 
  • Milk & Nutmeg: Gradually add the milk a little at a time while continuing to whisk. Bring to a simmer and cook until it thickens. Add about 1/4 tsp of nutmeg as it’s simmering.
  • Cheese:  Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. As the sauce cools it will thicken a little bit more. 

Make the Butternut Squash Filling

Peel, Remove Seeds & Cut into Cubes
Puree the Roasted Butternut Squash
Combine 1c Mornay Sauce + 1c Pureed Squash
Whisk to Combine
  • Roast the Butternut Squash. Peel, remove seeds and cube the butternut squash. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 
  • Puree: Blend the roasted squash in a food processor or blender until smooth. 
  • Combine 1 cup of the Mornay and 1 cup of the butternut squash puree. Whisk to combine. 

Make the Spinach and Cheese Mixture

  • Blanch the spinach. In a pot of boiling water submerge the spinach for 1-2 minutes until it wilts and turns bright great. 
  • Ice Bath: Immediately put the blanched spinach into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
  • Squeeze: Using a clean kitchen towel (that doesn’t shed) squeeze as much of the excess liquid from the spinach.
  • Blend: In a food processor combine the spinach, mozzarella, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.

Roll out the Pasta Dough

Use a countertop pasta maker or an attachment on your stand mixer if you have one. I just use a countertop pasta maker like  THIS. You can also roll it out with a rolling pin, however I have never tried that route. 

I like to start rolling out the dough after the filling and sauce has been made so it’s ready to be cooked and made into pin-wheels.

If you want to make them further in advance they can sit at room temperature for a few hours. You can completely dry them out and freeze them as well. 

  • Divide: Cut the ball of dough in 4 quarters. Keep the rest covered if you’re not working with them. 
  • Roll Out: Take a quarter of the dough and press it down in the shape of a rectangle. Starting at setting 1, place the rectangle into the slot with the wide end facing down and roll it out. Turn the dial to the next setting 2 (then 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Continue to feed the dough through until it gets thin enough to see your hand through. If you want it thicker, by all means stop at a lower setting.
    • Not all pasta makers have the same settings. Mine goes from 1-9, 9 being the thinnest. 
  • Dust: Sprinkle flour on each side of the long sheet of pasta and dust the flour to evenly distribute. 
  • Cut: Cut each long sheet in half to make two pieces. You should have 12 pieces total. 

Assemble the Lasagna Roll Ups

  • Preheat the oven to 400°
  • Cook the Pasta: Boil the fresh lasagna noodles for 2 minute. Remove using soft grip tongs to prevent them from ripping and lay them out flat. 
  • Layer:
    • Spread one of the prepared fillings over a cooked lasagna noodle. 
    • Layer another cooked sheet of pasta on top.
    • Spread the other prepared filling over top.
  • Roll & Cut: Starting at a short end, roll it up into a log. Cut into 3-4 even pieces. 
  • Baking Dish: Arrange the spirals in a baking sheet cut side up. 
  • Cheese Sauce: Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the pin wheels. 
  • Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. Optional to sprinkle more mozzarella and parmesean cheese on top halfway through baking.

Short Cuts

By using store bought already prepared ingredients we can turn this into an easy weeknight meal. The store-bought items you can substitute are: 

  • Lasagna Noodles: Save time making and rolling out pasta sheets and by store bought. Cook them as directed by the manufacturer until al dente.
    • NOTES: You may only be able to cut them in 2 pieces once rolled into a log. I’m not sure the total amount you’ll need. Once I try that route I’ll update this section. 
  • Frozen Spinach: Save time blanching the spinach and buy frozen. You will have to unthaw it and still squeeze out all of the excess liquid. You’ll want about 1 cup of spinach once wrung out, which may require 2 frozen bags of spinach. Again, I will update this section once I try that route. 
  • Frozen Butternut Squash Puree: Save time prepping the butternut squash and roasting it and buy it completely done for you. Just unthaw and use 1 cup of the puree for the butternut squash filling. 
  • Alfredo Sauce: Save time making the cheese sauce and buy a pre-made bottle to use instead!

Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna Pin-Wheels

These lasagna pin-wheels are filled with not one but two delicious fillings. A butternut squash and spinach and cheese filling get wrapped up with the silkiest pasta sheets & smothered in a creamy cheesy sauce. Talk about heaven in a bite.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Pasta: Mixing & Rolling out: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Butternut Squash, Cheese Sauce, Lasagna, Lasagna Pin Wheels, Lasagna Roll Ups, Mornay Sauce, Spinach
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • 1 Pasta Maker Counter Top or Attachment with Stand Mixer
  • 1 Food Processor Blender
  • 1 Medium Pot
  • 1 Sieve
  • 2 Medium Bowls
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Liquid Measuring Cup
  • 1 Kitchen Scale for measuring out flour & eggs to make pasta

Ingredients

PASTA

  • 196 g "00" Flour
  • 2 Whole Eggs
  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

FILLINGS & SAUCE

  • 11oz Spinach Fresh
  • 3/4 Cup Ricotta
  • 3/4 Cup Mozzarella grated
  • 1/3 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 Cup Butternut Squash Puree
  • 1 Large Shallot chopped
  • 3 Cloved Garlic chopped
  • 6 Tbsp Butter
  • 1/4 Cup AP Flour
  • 4 Cups Whole Milk
  • 1 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese grated

Instructions

MAKE THE PASTA

  • FLOUR: Weigh out the flour using a kitchen scale & place in a bowl, pie dish or directly on a work surface. Create a well in the center.
  • EGGS + OIL: Crack 2 whole eggs into the well. Divide 4 eggs, discarding the whites in a separate container (keep for breakfast) and adding the yolks to the flour. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the eggs.
  • WHISK: Using a large fork begin to whisk the eggs and oil until cohesive. Begin to scrape in some flour to gradually incorporate. When it becomes too thick to whisk begin to use your hands to mix it into a rough dough. It will be sticky, work all of the flour into the dough. I like to wash my hands at this point to knead with clean hands.
  • KNEAD: Sprinkle your work surface very lightly with flour. Place the rough dough ball onto the flour and lightly dust the top. Place the ball of your hand into the center and press down and out. Fold the dough onto itself, rotate the dough a quarter turn. Again press down and out. Fold the dough onto itself and do another quarter turn. Continue to knead for about 10 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth. 
  • REST: Wrap the pasta dough in plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight before rolling out. 

ROLL OUT PASTA

  • DIVIDE: Cut the ball of dough in 4 quarters. Keep the rest covered if you're not working with them. 
  • ROLL OUT: Take a quarter of the dough and press it down in the shape of a rectangle. Starting at setting 1, place the rectangle into the slot with the wide end facing down and roll it out. Turn the dial to the next setting 2 (then 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Continue to feed the dough through until it gets thin enough to see your hand through. If you want it thicker, by all means stop at a lower setting.Not all pasta makers have the same settings. Mine goes from 1-9, 9 being the thinnest. 
  • DUST: Sprinkle flour on each side of the long sheet of pasta and dust the flour to evenly distribute. 
  • CUT: Cut each long sheet in half to make two pieces. You should have 12 pieces total. 

MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE

  • SWEAT THE SHALLOTS & GARLIC: In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter and sweat the shallots for about 5 min. Add the garlic for 1 more minute. 
  • FLOUR: Sprinkle the flour over the butter and shallots and stir together. Cook for a few minutes. 
  • MILK & NUTMEG: Gradually add the milk a little at a time while continuing to whisk. Bring to a simmer and cook until it thickens. Add about 1/4 tsp of nutmeg as it's simmering.
  • CHEESE:  Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup of parmigiano reggiano cheese. As the sauce cools it will thicken a little bit more. 

MAKE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH FILLING

  • ROAST the Butternut Squash. Peel, remove seeds and cube the butternut squash. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 
  • PUREE: Blend the roasted squash in a food processor or blender until smooth.
  • COMBINE 1 cup of the Mornay and 1 cup of the butternut squash puree in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. 

MAKE THE SPINACH & CHEESE FILLING

  • BLANCH SPINACH + ICE BATH: In a pot of boiling water submerge the spinach for 1-2 minutes until just begins to wilt and turns bright great. Immediately put the blanched spinach into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
  • SQUEEZE OUT EXCESS LIQUID: Using a clean kitchen towel (that doesn't shed) squeeze as much of the excess liquid from the spinach
  • BLEND: In a food processor combine the spinach, mozzarella, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.

MAKE THE PIN WHEELS & BAKE

  • PREHEAT the Oven to 400°
  • COOK NOODLES: Boil the lasagna noodles for 2 minutes if using fresh pasta. If using store bought follow the instructions from the manufactured for al dente.
  • LAYER: Lay out a cooked lasagna noodle and spread a layer of the butternut squash filling overtop. Lay another cooked lasagna noodle overtop and then spread the spinach filling overtop that one. Starting at a short end, roll up it up and cut it into 3-4 pieces.
  • BAKE: Place in a baking dish spiral side up and pour the rest of the cheese sauce over the pin wheels. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until bubbling and just starting to brown. (Optional) Sprinkle more mozzarella cheese and parmigiano reggiano to bake.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Fall, Fall/Winter Feature, Mains, Pasta, Vegetarian, Winter
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by kimcrossin
Coconut Rice
March 12, 2024

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice This coconut rice is from the blog recipetineats. It is truly so fluffy with the best coconut flavor. The rice is first rinsed and then  soaked for 1 hour to remove some of the starch and help it to start plumping up. It’s …

Sides, Vegetarian
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by kimcrossin
Peanut Sauce
March 11, 2024

Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce Peanut sauce is one of my favorites. It’s got a little bit of everything going on with the nutty creaminess, hints of garlic and ginger, umami from the soy sauce and a little bit sweet and spicy.  It’s great as a dip for …

Sauce
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by kimcrossin
Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce
March 3, 2024

Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

Need a fun twist on broccoli? I got you. The broccoli gets roasted in the oven until it’s a little bit charred then topped with a delicious peanut sauce, fresh cilantro and peanuts for a nice crunch. I first saw this take while watching Molly Yeh on the Food Network more than 5 years ago probably. She made her’s with broccolini and the peanut sauce was a bit different from mine.  I wanted to make a side to go with my gochujang and lemongrass steak skewers and this immediately popped into my mind. I decided to just use regular broccoli for convenience. It’s a great way to make this mundane and overused vegetable interesting again. 

What you'll need

  • Broccoli – 2 large heads or 3 small-medium heads
  • Cilantro – if you are one of those people who taste soap when you eat cilantro and don’t like the flavor, substitute parsley or even scallions instead. 
  • Peanuts -Roasted and salted peanuts or whatever you prefer. 
  • Peanut Sauce – HERE is the recipe I like to use. It’s super flexible and can easily be tweaked to your preference. A lot of the ingredients I already have on hand so it’s easy to whip together. 

Make the Peanut Sauce

  • Whisk the following ingredients in a medium bowl
    • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
    • 2 Tbsp Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
    • 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
    • 1 tsp Ginger, grated 
    • 1 tsp Garlic, grated
    • 3 Tbsp Peanut Butter
    • 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
    • Squeeze of Sriracha (to taste)
    • 1-2 Tbsp Water

Make the Roasted Broccoli

  • Preheat the oven to 425°
  • Cut the head of broccoli into bite sized pieces
    • Leave the stems long and peel the tough outer skin 
  • Generously drizzle with avocado or olive oil. Toss to throughly coat all sides.
  • Spread the broccoli pieces onto a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper.  
  • Roast in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes until starting to char. 

To Serve

  • Transfer the roasted broccoli to a serving platter
  • Drizzle with peanut sauce. Serve extra on the side for dipping!
  • Tear and distribute cilantro over top. 
  • Sprinkle with chopped peanuts

Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

A fun twist on broccoli that gets roasted in the oven until it's a little bit charred then topped with a delicious peanut sauce, fresh cilantro and peanuts for a nice crunch. 
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keyword: Broccoli, Peanut Sauce, Roasted Vegetables
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2-3 heads Broccoli
  • 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Cilanto Chopped
  • 2 Tbsp Peanuts Chopped
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Peanut Sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425° and arrange the oven rack in the middle.
  • Cut the broccoli into bite sized pieces and place on a baking sheet.
  • Generously drizzle the broccoli with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat.
  • Roast the broccoli in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until starting to char.
  • To serve, transfer the roasted broccoli to a serving plate, drizzle with a peanut sauce and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Healthy-ish, Sides
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by kimcrossin