Squash

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Noodle Soup

January 7, 2017 by The Partial Ingredients

It has been such a wet winter it seems like my slow cooker is constantly being called upon to make soups. I love Italian style soups but I don’t see too many of them ideal for a slow cooker. This one is perfect for the crock. The Italian sausage gets crumbled and tenderized after hours of cooking and all the flavor melts into the broth. You could probably translate this to a quicker over the stove method but honestly I love the way the meat melts into the broth with the slow cooker. I use a 6 qt. slow cooker so this recipe will make a lot of soup. I used a medley of summer squashes which was very nice in this recipe. Yellow squash and zucchini were great accompaniments but I’m sure you could experiment with whatever squash you have on hand. The “secret ingredient” for the broth is….*drum roll*… balsamic vinegar. Alright, so probably not that secret but it does offer a certain je ne sais quoi to the broth. Tomatoes and balsamic is, after all, a match made in heaven. I chose a mild Italian sausage but you could make this a bit spicier using the hot variety. Any type of small pasta noodle will do–I personally chose a small elbow macaroni for this recipe. Parmesan is great for the garnish but a sharp Romano or even slices of fresh mozzarella would be a beautiful addition as well.

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Slow Cooker Beef & Winter Vegetable Soup

December 14, 2016 by The Partial Ingredients

Slow Cooker Beef & Winter Vegetable Soup

I love root vegetables and squash this time of year. What could be better then throwing a bunch of different winter veggies into a pot to simmer for hours? This recipe is simple and doesn’t have a ton of moving parts–except for your knife. It will be doing a lot of moving and chopping. I recommend a good sharp knife for the vegetables, especially when it comes to butternut squash. Squash is a notorious one for cuts especially if you’re using a dull knife. I like the simplicity of the flavors in this one–just a few herbs, garlic and Worcestershire to season the broth. The medley of vegetables all go so well together. I added a little flour to thicken up the broth but you can adjust that amount to your liking. I garnished each bowl with some fresh parsley and aged white cheddar. Some crusty french bread would be perfect for soaking up the broth too!

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Wild Rice Soup with Bacon and Butternut Squash

December 18, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

For the winter months nothing beats a hot bowl of wild rice soup! I tend to avoid creamy soups due to their heaviness but I decided to give it a try. In the past I’ve made it as a broth-based soup instead of cream-based. Even though it doesn’t skimp on the cream and bacon, it wasn’t especially heavy which was surprising. I made this recipe with the leftover bones I froze from the Thanksgiving turkey. The recipe for homemade stock (swap out chicken for turkey) can be found here. The soup is also packed with butternut squash, corn and other veggies. For the rice, I decided to save the broth and not add it into the soup as it cooked; that way the rice didn’t absorb all the tasty broth. I really liked how this turned out and it was a perfect recipe for the holidays!
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Classic Minestrone Soup

September 28, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

There are so many different variations of Minestrone soup; it can be somewhat difficult in choosing which recipe to follow. This recipe is more traditional and borrows from several recipes with elements that I liked in particular. I was interested in the idea of using the rind from parmigiano reggiano, as I heard it enhances the flavor. I tried it out and it turns out the rind does add more depth of flavor to the broth. I chose a simple bean medley of red kidney beans and great northern beans, both found in many Minestrone recipes. To get the freshest flavor I roasted Roma tomatoes in the oven and then pureed them for the diced tomatoes. It made a big difference due to the roasting process which concentrates and enhances their flavor. Many recipes do not require any meat as part of the base but I added sliced pancetta for richness and complexity. Everything came together great and it was a perfect transition meal from Summer to Fall! I garnished the soup with extra parmesan and basil and served it with crusty french bread.
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Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Peanuts

July 21, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Curries are one of my favorite things to make. Besides being fairly easy to prep and cook, the results are often outstanding! This curry combines thinly sliced chicken, butternut squash and peanuts in a red curry sauce. You can’t really get much better than that! The best thing about this recipe is the layering of the flavors that come from the coconut milk, peanuts and red curry paste. When I’m in a pinch I buy a pre-made red curry paste from a local Thai market but when I’m in no hurry I just make it from scratch. The sauce is rich but refreshing at the same time–perfect for a cooler summer night’s dinner. I served the curry with rice and garnished each plate with green onions, fresh mint and plenty of peanuts and lime juice.
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Italian Sausage Soup with Roasted Cauliflower and Yellow Squash

June 29, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

This soup is perfect for rainy summer nights or chilly fall days. It combines roasted cauliflower, yellow squash, red potatoes with fresh fennel and thyme. You start off the soup by broiling the cauliflower until just charred. I used homemade chicken stock which lends the best flavor to the recipe. I couldn’t get enough of these flavors combined! The spicy sausage combined with the charred flavor from the cauliflower with the fresh herbs really took this soup to the next level. Serve this soup with some fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese and a crusty baguette.
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Moroccan Chicken Soup with Chickpeas and Preserved Lemons

June 15, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

This recipe combines the heartiness of classic chicken vegetable soup with the flavors of roasted Moroccan chicken and curry flavors. For the freshest and most nutritious soup I use homemade chicken stock. Preserved lemons might be hard to find at your average grocery store which is why I just make them ahead of time. I had also found that roasting a chicken in the oven with spices and olive oil allows for the most tender, shredded meat for the soup. If you don’t have any chicken stock on hand, you can use the bones from the chicken and make your own. If you already have some ready, that’s great, because you can then freeze the bones and have it ready to go for next time! The recipe uses a whole butternut squash, carrots, red potatoes and chickpeas for heartiness and flavor. A few tablespoons of spicy Moroccan Harissa paste and a curry spice blend is all that it needs to take this soup to the next level! I was very happy with the results and will be incorporating it into my weekly meals! The recipe yields a lot of soup so it makes a perfect weekday dinner.
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Chicken Vegetable Soup with Acorn Squash and White Beans

March 3, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Spring is around the corner but in many places winter is still raging. This soup is loaded with healthy veggies but is still hearty enough to combat the winter chills. For the stock I used my go to recipe for Homemade Stock. You can either use what you have pre-made or make it for the soup–either way works fine and instructions will follow. I packed this recipe with tons of veggies such as acorn squash, spinach, corn, peas, carrots and cabbage. The recipe is surprisingly hearty and flavorful. It has been one of my favorite go-to winter soup recipes over the past few weeks!
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Baked Butternut Squash Chips with Sage

January 3, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

If I were to have any season all year I would have it be Fall. Unfortunately, it is now January (my least favorite month) and there’s no way to bring fall back outside. However, I can make food that reminds me of my favorite season and what could recall that season better than butternut squash? Butternut squash is a tasty snack when it is sliced very thin and roasted until just browned and crispy. The slices of squash are quickly boiled, patted dry and tossed with olive oil and sage in a bowl. Then they are baked in the oven for about 20 minutes, so this is a great recipe to prepare if you’re short on time for dinner.

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Roasted Winter Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza

December 9, 2012 by The Partial Ingredients

This recipe is a perfect and easy pizza for cold winter nights! The roasted vegetables are a mix of red potatoes, butternut squash, onions and carrots baked in the oven until tender. The mozzarella and ricotta go very well with the veggies. The vegetables are seasoned simply with fresh rosemary and garlic. I like to pre-bake the pizza dough crust before adding any of the other ingredients just to ensure that the crust is cooked through and not too soggy. I really liked how all the veggies worked so well together so I will definitely be having this again sometime!

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