November 2024 - Page 2 of 2 - The Toasted Table

November 11, 2024

Cardamom Apple Pie

Cardamom Apple Pie This apple pie recipe comes from Erin McDowell who is the pie QUEEN. You can find the original recipe here. The filling is incredible because you draw out the natural juices and create the most luscious caramelly sauce surrounding them. No more …

Dessert, Fall

by kimcrossin

November 11, 2024

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorite meals to eat. It is always so comforting and it’s a meal that you know a lot of love went into, at least that’s how I make mine. From simmering the chicken along with …

Fall, Fall/Winter Feature, Mains, Winter

by kimcrossin

November 11, 2024

Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Peppers

These stuffed poblano peppers were inspired by a recipe for vegan enchiladas in a cookbook called WELL + GOOD. I remember the first time I made them and was blown away with the flavor, texture and how filling they were. One day when I was day dreaming about a stuffed pepper recipe these were born. I didn’t want some boring stuffed peppers and I remember loving the combinations in this filling. I decided to use the same idea of black beans, mushrooms, cashews and red enchilada sauce along with the typical spices: cumin, smoked paprika and garlic powder.

What you'll need

Poblano Peppers: These are the longer dark green peppers that are medium sized found next to all of the other peppers in the grocery store. They are not long hots which are a lighter shade of green and very long and skinny. Poblano Peppers are mild in flavor but have a little bit more heat than a green bell pepper. Feel free to substitute a different pepper if you wish!
Mushrooms: Add a meatiness to the filling as well as some umami flavor.
Onion
Garlic
Black Beans
Raw Cashews: The cashews can either be soaked over night or boiled to help soften them. When you blend cashew they add a creaminess without the need for cream.
Red Enchilada Sauce: Store bought is perfect.
Nutritional Yeast (Optional): Adds a cheesy flavor without adding cheese.
Spices: Cumin, Smoked Paprika & Garlic Powder
Cheese (Optional): A Mexican blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
Sour Cream or Yogurt (Optional): Drizzle the peppers with a quickly made lime crema for some creaminess and tang.
Lime (Optional)
Cilantro (Optional)

Roast the Poblano Peppers

Preheat oven to 400°
Cut the Poblano Peppers in half, drizzle with avocado or olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes until just tender

Make the Filling

Boil the cashews: In a small pot, bring some water to a boil. Put in the cashews and gently boil for 10 min. Strain.
Sauté the Onions, Mushrooms & Garlic: Heat a pan over medium heat and sauté the onions and mushrooms for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Turn off the heat.
Blend half of the mixture with half of the black beans: Add half of the black beans, half of the sauteed onions and mushrooms and the cashews to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
Season: Add 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce along with nutritional yeast and spices and blend again. Season to taste with salt and peppers.
Combine: Add the pureed mixture to the other half of the onion and mushroom mixture and the rest of the black beans. Stir to combine.

Stuff the Peppers & Bake

Stuff the poblano peppers with the filling
Top it with enchilada sauce: Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over top
Sprinkle with Cheese (optional)
Bake for 15 minutes at 400°

Prepare the Garnishes

Lime Crema: Using sour cream or yogurt, mix 1/2 cup with the juice of 1 lime and season with salt.
Cilantro: roughly chop or tear into pieces

Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Peppers

These vegetarian stuffed poblano peppers are creamy and packed with flavor. Skip the cheese and lime cream to make it vegan friendly!

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Cashew cream, enchilada, Poblano, Stuffed Peppers

Servings:

Equipment

Casserole Dish 9 X 13
Food Processor Or Blender
Large Skillet

Ingredients

4 Poblano Peppers
3/4 Cup Raw Cashews soaked over night
8 oz Mushrooms chopped
1 medium Onion chopped
2 Garlic Cloves chopped
2 Cups Black beans drained and rinsed
1/2 Cup Walnuts chopped
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Roast the Peppers

Preheat the oven to 400°
Cut the poblano peppers in half and remove the ribs and seeds. Place them in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 20 minutes until just tender.

Make the Filling

If you did not soak the cashews overnight, gently boil them for 10 minutes. Drain.
Heat a skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add 2 tbsp oil and sauté the onions and mushrooms for 5-7 min stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté another minute or two. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mushrooms and onions and set aside.
Add the chopped walnuts and spices to the skillet to toast for a minute or two. Turn off the heat.
In a blender, puree the softened cashews with 1 cup of the black beans and 1/4 cup of the mushroom and onion mixture.
Returning to the skillet, stir in the pureed cashew mixture, the rest of the black beans and the enchilada sauce until combined.

Stuff the Peppers and Bake

Evenly spoon the filling into each poblano half. Pour over the rest of the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Garnish with a lime crema, cilantro and avocado.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Healthy-ish, Mains, Vegetarian, Winter

by kimcrossin

November 11, 2024

Candied Bacon

Candied Bacon This may be a bold statement but in my honest opinion candied bacon is one of the best appetizers you can throw down at any party. Bacon is always a crowd pleaser but when you caramelize it in brown sugar and maple syrup …

Appetizer, Breakfast & Brunch, Christmas, Featured

by kimcrossin

November 11, 2024

Blackened Salmon Bowls

Blackened Salmon Bowls This bowl is nourishing and absolutely delicious. The salmon get’s blackened in a sweet and spicy mix and cooks to perfection in the air fryer. It sits on top of some grains and gets a fresh, crunchy side of red cabbage and …

Featured, Healthy-ish, Mains, Seafood, Spring, Spring/Summer Feature, Summer

by kimcrossin

November 11, 2024

Butternut Squash & Spinach Pin Wheel Lasagna

Butternut Squash & Spinach Pinwheel Lasagna

These Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups are heavenly and one of my favorite things I have ever made. The pinwheels are packed with veggies and autumn flavors, and smothered with a dreamy cheese sauce. These are decadent and cozy. Perfect for Sunday dinner or even to serve on a holiday.

You could make everything from scratch and I have included the steps to do so. However, if you want to make these pinwheels without all of the fuss of making pasta and a butternut squash puree I have options to cut the prep time down!

If you do want to make your own pasta, the fillings and sauce homemade, 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.

Silky Homemade Pasta

To Make the Fillings & Sauce - You'll Need

Mornay Sauce: A mornay sauce is similar to a béchamel except it has cheese in it. This version includes shallots and garlic adding extra flavor.

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 7 oz frozen spinach. You will need about a cup of spinach 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: We are going to use some of the creamy sauce that we made to mix into the butternut squash.

Make the Mornay 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.
Warm the milk until it is steaming. You can either do this in the microwave in intervals, stirring between or in a pot on low heat.
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 over medium-low – medium heat and cook until it thickens. Add about 1/4 tsp of nutmeg as it is 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

Roast the Butternut Squash. Peel, remove seeds and cube the butternut squash. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes.
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 does not 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.

If you want to make homemade pasta and are looking for a recipe click the link above!

Assemble the Lasagna Roll Ups

Preheat the oven to 400°
Cook dried lasagna noodles: Boil the dried fresh lasagna noodles for 2 minutes. Remove using soft grip tongs to prevent them from ripping and lay them out flat. If using store bought, follow the directions on the box to cook to al dente.
- If using fresh soft pasta sheets there is no need to boil first. They will absorb liquid from the sauce.
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.
- If using fresh soft pasta sheets there is no need to boil first. They will absorb liquid from the sauce.
  - 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.
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

Cook Time: 55

Pasta: Mixing & Rolling out: 15

Total Time: 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Butternut Squash, Cheese Sauce, Lasagna, Lasagna Pin Wheels, Lasagna Roll Ups, Mornay Sauce, Spinach

Servings: