At about 3:30 AM on Friday morning, February 26 we lost our electrical service during a heavy, long-lasting snow storm. And we have been without power — or heat — since then, until 4:30 PM yesterday. That’s four days of no utilities in the middle of winter. We spent Friday night in the house, sleeping around our fireplace, but then had to jump ship and go to J.’s parents. It was just too cold. I’m back now, in my warm house with every convenience around me, and a very big smile on my face. Look for a meal plan posting later today.
To prep a butternut squash, I cut off the neck with a large chef’s knife, and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Then I go back to the bulb part, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and peel the outside as well. Afterward I hack the whole thing into bite-sized pieces.
Today when I stepped away to the garbage can to peel the neck of the squash, moisture (sugar? it was sticky) started seeping out of the other cut piece, leaving dewy droplets all around the edge. I thought it was really beautiful.
Yesterday evening @kalynskitchen tweeted that she’d roasted a butternut squash, toasted some walnuts, and mixed the two together with Gorgonzola cheese. I’d planned chicken noodle soup for the boys for dinner, but decided to copy Kalyn and make the squash for me and J.
I peeled and cubed the squash, tossed it with a little olive oil and salt, and roasted it at 425 for about 40 minutes. I toasted a handful of chopped walnuts over a medium heat in a small frying pan. And then we mixed in some pieces of Danish blue cheese. (Actually, J. skipped the nuts altogether and still thought it was really good.) The sweet, warm butternut squash goes so well with the tangy, creamy blue cheese — I never would have thought of this combination but it’s a natural match. With some challah, it made a complete meal.
I'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more about me and CITK, and keep in touch:
Want to Try
Cheesy Kale Crisps: We rarely eat kale now that our farm share is over, and I want to fix that. I've wanted to try using nutritional yeast, and this recipe looks like a tasty way to do it.
I'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more 
Want to Try Archives