Roasted Squash Cinnamon Rolls

As promised, the squash journey continues. This week I  have taken on the ominous Blue Hubbard Squash. This beastly, bumpy, blue –tinted behemoth can be a bit intimidating because of its size. However, once you get past the monstrosity factor and figure out how to crack this baby open, the reward is a sweet, smooth dark yellow flesh that is oh so yummy.

I have been making this recipe, formerly called “Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls” for years. While they were good, some would even say delicious, I decided to mix it up a bit this year and substitute squash for the pumpkin. I’ve heard that the Hubbard squash is a great alternative to pumpkin because while it has a similar flavor the consistency is far smoother. Anyone who has even cooked a pumpkin and tried to mash it knows just how stringy it can be. Don’t get me wrong, I still think that pumpkin is great for cooking, and I will definitely be posting a pumpkin recipe or two sometime soon, but in  this recipe the Hubbard squash simply blew the pumpkin away.

Before we start in on the recipe I feel obligated to give a bit of a disclaimer here. This is a long post…and this is a time consuming recipe. Stick with me though, because in the end when you are rewarded with the  soft, pillowy squash-filled dough oozing with an ohhhy, gooey, cinnamony filling you simply won’t care that you spent an entire afternoon making them. Besides, if you go all out like I did and roast up an entire 11-pound squash, as a bonus you will have delicious leftover roasted squash that you can turn into a whole bunch of other recipes!

I am getting a bit ahead of myself though. The first step to cooking with a Blue Hubbard is to get that thing open. Despite their beastly reputation, a Hubbard does not have to be..well, a beast. This recipe only calls for one cup of squash so if you want to make your life easier go ahead and get the smallest one you can find. I even saw a variety called Baby Hubbard while I was at the farm stand. Most of those probably only weighed a very manageable 3-4 pounds. However, if you are a squash lover like me, or just feeling adventurous, go for it and get the big one! The leftover squash can be used in so many ways. And besides, wrestling with this beast was kind of fun. I decided to use the time honored tradition of dropping the squash on the ground to crack it open. I put it in a plastic bag, lifted it above my head, and let it fall (I did this outside on the deck because we have ceramic tile in our kitchen and I was afraid I might crack it ). Sure enough, after one fall the squash split in two. They were still two pretty big pieces though so I threw it down again and this time it broke into a bunch of manageable size parts. The next steps were simple-  scrape out the seeds, peel off the skin, cut into roughly 1-inch size chunks and roast in a 375° for about 40 minutes or until tender. Once your squash is roasted to perfection, you can use a potato masher or food processor to turn it into a smooth purée. Set aside one cup of the mashed squash for the cinnamon roll recipe. If you went whole hog, or rather whole squash, and got yourself a big boy here are a few ideas for how to use your leftover squash:

• Mash it up, add a bit of cream or milk, throw in some spices (rosemary, cayenne pepper, or sage would all be good ) and you have a soup.
• Use the roasted cubes in a chicken pot pie!
• Add the puréed squash to mashed potatoes for an autumn twist on a classic favorite.
• Substitute the roasted Hubbard for Butternut in this recipe for squash Mac n’ Cheese http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-light-macaroni-cheese-50400000115195/ (Omit step number two).
• Mix the roasted cubes with wild rice, caramelized onions and a bit of sausage for a super quick meal.
•  Make a squash pizza! Roasted squash makes an amazing pizza topping. Use a base of ricotta cheese, garlic and a bit of mozzarella. Top with squash, sautéed shallots and a bit of crispy bacon or pancetta.
• Package the leftover squash in freezer bags and save for later.

There’s so much more you could do with the leftover roasted squash, but for now let’s get busy and make these rolls!

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Healthy Apple Banana Muffins

Its October and autumn has officially arrived. Around here that means hillsides dotted with deep gold and brilliant red foliage, eager tourists crowding the roads, restaurants, and hiking trails, pumpkin and harvest festivals in every town, fresh apple cider and cider donuts, farm stands stocked with mounds of squash in every variety, shape and color…I could go on and on. This is New England after all and we do love the autumnal time of year.While I profess to enjoy all the things autumn has to offer, by far my favorite thing about this time of year is cooking and baking.

Don’t get me wrong, I love both these activities at any time of the year, but there is something special about cooking in the fall that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s the smell of freshly baked apple pie wafting throughout the house, or the comfort of making butternut squash mac and cheese on a dark and dreary October afternoon. Perhaps its because for me fall signals a general slow down of life; a time when I do far less digging in the garden and far more creating in the kitchen. One thing I am sure of is that my love of autumn cooking is inspired in huge part by the seasonal produce that is abundant this time of year. Fall greens and root vegetables, garlic, squash, pumpkins, and pears, I love them all. But in my opinion it is the apple, with its bright red skin and crisp yet juicy inside that is the king of fall produce. 

Malus Pumila, better known as the common apple is possibly the most widely grown and consumed fruit in the world. There are thousands of varieties boosting different sizes, colors, and flavors. The humble apple is the inspiration for countless dishes that are savory, sweet, spicy, and everything in between. In addition to its beautiful shape and subtle yet sweet flavor, it is the versatility of the apple that draws me to it the most. The ease with which it is inserts itself into a spicy curry stew, melds perfectly into a balsamic glaze over roast pork, or pairs seamlessly with cinnamon and pie crust is at the same time inspiring and overwhelming. Faced with an overflowing tote of recently picked apple I am almost at a loss as to what to create first. Almost. Luckily I quickly recover my senses and decide to start with a basic muffin.
I make muffins at all times of the year using countless combinations of ingredients and  because of my love for muffins I have been on the quest to create a healthy muffin that I can consume everyday without guilt. I used to be of the opinion that the best muffins are the huge ones you find in the local bakery. You know the kind I am talking about. Big enough that you could share if you really wanted to, decadently moist inside with a crispy,crumbly topping that spills over the edge. This is my kind of muffin. Unfortunately, eating these muffins is simply not a sustainable practice. I recently read somewhere that many muffins contain more sugar that most cakes, and as much fat as some fast food breakfast items- yikes! There has to be a better way. A way to have your muffin and eat it to. Over the past few weeks I have been working on a healthy version of the muffin. One that is not loaded with butter and sugar, yet still retains that moist texture and sweet muffiny flavor that I crave. I went through many versions of this muffin. I  experimented with plain yogurt, apple sauce, small amounts of canola oil, honey as a sugar substitute and other countless failed attempts. Finally I came to the conclusion that the key to moist, yet healthy, muffin is the addition of a banana mixed with milk, a small(er) amount of butter, and a combo of several flours and wheat germ. I will not proclaim that this is a true rival for the legendary bakery muffin, but it comes close. It is a sensible size, lacks a sugary topping and doesn’t have that extra soft texture that can only come from pure white flour. However, this recipe contains almost half the amount of butter than a traditional muffin, at least a 1/4 cup less sugar, and a whole lot less guilt. Muffins lovers rejoice! Now you really can have your muffin and eat it too.

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