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Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Butternut Squash

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I’m not trying to get all fancy on you.

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Trust me. I’m not an expert on cacio e pepe. I didn’t even know what that meant probably a year ago.

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But I’ve been reading about it. It’s a classic recipe from Rome. Cacio e pepe translates to cheese and pepper. And it really is that simple. Pasta with cheese and pepper. Simplicity at its finest. 

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I have never been to Italy, but from what I read and see, authentic Italian food is truly simplicity at its finest. Few, simple ingredients that go very very well together. 

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And that’s what appeals to me about cacio e pepe. Cheese is wonderful and so is pepper. This dish brings out the best of both of those flavors.

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So, I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong by adding something to this simple, classic pasta dish. I added roasted butternut squash. I thought it sounded good. And it is, it works. I will say though, I am sorry if I am offending any authentic Italian cooks by doing this. This is just my take on it :). 

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Let’s talk about the butternut squash. I got this one from the garden of Greg’s mom and stepdad. Can’t get better than that. His stepdad, Greg, told me that he was looking for a recipe for butternut squash on my blog. I do have this butternut squash bread pudding recipe, but he was right when he said that that recipe is a bit more complicated. He wanted something simple, and that made me want something more simple, too. Enter: this pasta. 

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The most difficult part of this dish was cutting the butternut squash. Does anyone out there have a trick to cutting one? If you do, please let me know!

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Once it is cut, all you need to do it roast it. While your squash is roasting, you can prepare the pasta. Roast the squash, cook the noodles, add some cheese, pepper and a few other things, toss with the squash and you’re done. 

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Roasted butternut squash on its own is really good as a side dish or a snack, but in this pasta it is awesome. It turns into a meal.

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The key to this pasta is the reserved cooking water. After your noodles are done cooking, make sure you reserve a bowl full of the water. Adding it back into the pasta creates a super creamy sauce without adding any cream. Other than the cheese, pepper and butternut squash, I also added some white wine and a pinch of nutmeg. You can’t go wrong with adding wine to pasta, I think, and I love how nutmeg tastes with butternut squash.

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So, you guys, I do hope that you get to try this pasta. It is such a delicious dish, and an easy one to make any day of the week! 

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Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Butternut Squash
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Ingredients
  1. 1 large butternut squash, or 3-4 cups diced butternut squash
  2. Olive oil
  3. 1 package spaghetti noodles
  4. 1/2 cup white wine + a little more
  5. 1 garlic clove, minced
  6. 2 tablespoons butter
  7. 1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  8. 1/2 - 1 tablespoon black pepper
  9. Salt
  10. Nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. Start by cutting the butternut squash. Alternatively, you could buy the pre-cut butternut squash. You are looking for a 1/4 inch dice.
  3. Place the butternut squash in a bowl, drizzle it with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper.
  4. Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned.
  5. While the butternut squash is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  6. Add the spaghetti noodles, 1/2 cup white wine and minced garlic clove to the water.
  7. Boil according to package instructions.
  8. This is important: make sure to reserve a bowl full of pasta cooking water when you drain the noodles. I placed my strainer on top of a bowl.
  9. When the noodles and squash are done, place 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot you cooked the noodles in.
  10. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper and stir.
  11. Remove the pot from the heat and add the noodles, cheese, 1 cup cooking water, another splash of wine (if desired), a pinch of salt and nutmeg.
  12. Toss everything together.
  13. Taste, and add more pepper, cheese, salt, wine, nutmeg, or cooking water, until you reach a taste and texture you are happy with.
  14. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Spinach + Feta Braid

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I’ve made something for you.

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And if I could, I would serve it to you, too.

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I’ve always liked the idea of entertaining guests.

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I think it dates back to high school. My house was always a place where friends came to hang out. I loved having friends over. Once I really got into cooking and baking, I loved making them food. I remember cheesecake being a must-have at get-togethers for a long time. No get-together was complete without a big cozy welcome and a table full of food to snack on all night long. 

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I remember having my mom and dad come over to my new college apartment a few years back for cinnamon rolls I had just prepared. I could not wait to have them over to serve them these warm cinnamon rolls in my tiny one-bedroom. It didn’t matter that I saw them almost every day, I just wanted someone to entertain. 

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In Greg’s last tiny apartment, where I lived with him this summer, we had guests several times. When we did though, we spent as little time at the apartment as possible. When we did spend time there, one person could sit in a recliner, one on a kitchen chair, one on the desk chair and the other on the bed. Not so great for spending an entire evening. 

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Now that we have our new apartment, with space and a kitchen and a lovely and large dining table, I have such an urge to entertain. I’ve been thinking about it and imagining it. I imagine having people over, lighting some candles, playing some music, opening some wine and enjoying some beer. I imagine cooking and serving good food that will fill bellies. I imagine having nights full of good conversation.

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There will be more than enough food to go around. It’s better to have more than you need than not enough. 

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I imagine serving this spinach and feta braid to my guests. Perhaps as an appetizer. I’ll pull it fresh from the oven, cut it up and serve it with dipping sauce. It will be enjoyed and followed by more food. By more wine and beer. By more conversation. 

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Our hunger will last long into the night, just as long as our stamina. With full bellies, we’ll all be ready for bed.

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Whether you are entertaining guests or not, this dish will please. It’s full of flavor, easy to prepare and can be great to make for a crowd, or just two!

Spinach + Feta Braid
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Ingredients
  1. *This could make one or two braids, depending on how full you make them
  2. 1 or 2 sheets rolled out cresent dough
  3. 4 cups fresh spinach
  4. 1 cup feta cheese
  5. 2 garlic cloves
  6. 1 egg + 1 egg white
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. In a food processor, combine the spinach, feta, garlic and one egg.
  3. Process until smooth.
  4. Roll out the cresent dough onto one or two parchment-lined baking sheets.
  5. Using a pizza cutter or knife, make 2 inch cuts down each vertical side of the cresent dough (see photo above).
  6. Spread the spinach feta mixture down the middle of the cresent dough.
  7. Braid the cresent dough around the spinach feta mixture (see photo above).
  8. Once braided, brush the top of the dough with egg white.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
  10. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. -Like I said above, this can make one or two braids, depending on how stuffed you make them. I made one, with a little filling leftover. It could make two, they just wouldn't be as stuffed.
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Barbecue Lentil Burgers

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I’ve got a little meatless barbecue for you today.

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I am asked sometimes if I miss meat, since I don’t eat it anymore. 

 lentils

I always answer no, I don’t miss meat. I never loved it anyway.

If there is anything that I ever miss sometimes, maybe, it is bacon. I maybe (do) sometimes miss it. 🙂

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I don’t miss meat, but what I do miss is barbecue sauce. 

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I mentioned it to Greg one day that I miss the taste of barbecue sauce. I haven’t had anything with the flavor since I have stopped eating meat. Other than barbecue chips, which I like, but don’t satisfy my craving. 

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I thought, why is meat the only thing we put barbecue sauce on? This needs to change!

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So, one day, we were eating lentils. And Greg came up with the idea of making a barbecue lentil burger. I loved the idea and got to work right away.

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At first we were thinking of it being filled with veggies, lentils and barbecue sauce. But, more and more I am loving super super simple and easy recipes. 

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These burgers are it. Super simple. Super barbecue-y. Super delicious. And completely meat-free.

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There is nothing in them but lentils and barbecue sauce. And possibly breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs are up to you. Let me explain.

I made these once with equal parts barbecue sauce and breadcrumbs. I used 1/2 cup bbq sauce and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. The burgers were great and worked perfectly. The second time around, I tried leaving the breadcrumbs out. I had to refrigerate the burgers before they were ready to cook, just to stiffen them up a bit. They still worked out well, but were definitely a bit more messy. If you don’t mind refrigerating before cooking and you don’t mind a messier burger, try it without breadcrumbs. If you are in a hurry and want a burger that is more sturdy and together, add breadcrumbs. It’s up to you. Experiment. Find what works for you and what you like!

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The toppings are kind of important too. These burgers would be good just plain — no bun and no toppings. They just taste good. But, they are awesome with a toasted bun, melted smoked cheddar, a big sliced tomato and caramelized onions. That is my suggestion. Try it!

Barbecue Lentil Burgers
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup uncooked lentils
  2. 2 1/2 cups liquid (water or broth + some white wine)
  3. 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  4. 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, optional, read above for explanation
  5. Olive oil
  6. Buns
Toppings
  1. Smoked cheddar
  2. Sliced tomato
  3. Caramelized onions
Instructions
  1. Rinse lentils well. Add to a saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of liquid (any mix of water, broth and wine).
  2. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed and lentils are soft.
  3. Add lentils to a bowl and let cool a bit.
  4. Mash lentils lightly with a potato masher or fork.
  5. Add the barbecue sauce and breadcrumbs (if using) and stir well.
  6. Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat.
  7. Once hot, add lentils to pan, made into patties.
  8. Cook about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and heated through.
  9. Serve on toasted buns with smoked cheddar, sliced tomatoes and caramelized onions, or topping of choice.
  10. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Corn Soup

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I was originally skeptical to share this recipe with you.

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Soup in the summer. It just didn’t feel completely right to me.

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It’s mostly hot where I am. But, early in the week last week, I saw that it was supposed to be cool + rainy on Thursday. I immediately planned soup.

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I’ve been absolutely craving soup. And, normally I’m one to indulge in it, even in warmer temperatures. But lately, it’s been too much. Way too hot even for me to eat soup.

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But Thursday was the perfect soup day. It was dreary and rainy, and honestly, kind of cool. Eating this for dinner felt so right.

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So, I was originally skeptical. I didn’t know if I should share this in the summer. And then, I ate this soup again for lunch yesterday. After one bite, I convinced myself that sharing this recipe was the right thing to do. 

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My mom always made a similar recipe. We call it corn chowder. It’s a thick soup, definitely chowder like, and made mostly of corn. This version, and I’m pretty sure hers too, also has potatoes and leeks. It’s simple. There are really just few ingredients. 

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And, it’s hearty. This soup will fill you right up. One bowl will probably be enough. 

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I think it’s a great soup for summer using fresh sweet corn from the cob. But also save it for those cool autumn days that will be here before we know it. 

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Corn Soup
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Ingredients
  1. 5 baby leeks, or 2-3 medium ones
  2. 2 large garlic cloves
  3. 6 small-medium potatoes
  4. 6 ears of corn, roasted or grilled and taken off the cob (save a little for topping, if desired)
  5. 4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
  6. Olive oil
  7. Dash of heavy cream
Seasoning
  1. Salt
  2. Black pepper
  3. Paprika
  4. Onion powder
  5. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  2. Add the garlic and the sliced leeks and cook for about 5 minutes, or until leeks have softened.
  3. Add the potatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until potatoes have begun to slightly brown.
  4. Add the corn and the broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover, turn down heat slightly and let boil for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  6. Add about half of the mixture to a food processor or blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth.
  7. Add back to the pot.
  8. Stir in enough salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce to taste.
  9. Top with additional corn and seasoning, if desired.
  10. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Simple Homemade Almond Joys

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I’m so excited about these!

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Not that I’m keeping track or anything, but I think these are my second favorite recipe on The Dreaming Foodie. Falling right behind these potatoes.

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And the idea for these came out of absolutely nowhere. They were inspired by nothing. I was just sitting there and then I was making homemade Almond Joys. I don’t know how it happened!

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You see, like all food bloggers, I’m constantly having recipe ideas go through my head. If I’m home, I write them down and if I’m out, I be sure to put them into my phone. A lot of the recipes I think about and think about and develop them thoroughly in my head before I make them. It’s the worst when one of those recipes, that I had such high hopes for, doesn’t turn out.

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And then these almond joys. I didn’t think about them. I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t even have expectations. I just went with it. And, after my first taste, I was so excited. They are heavenly.

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I wish that would happen more often. Amazing recipes happening without thought, without planning. Maybe if I send out the right thoughts/vibes, it will :).

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These will bring joy. I don’t know how they couldn’t. The coconut filling is sweet and dreamy. The chocolate coating is, well, chocolate. Need  I say more about chocolate? And, the almonds give a great crunch and balance to the sweetness.

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So, coconut. I know it’s not a love for some. If you don’t love the flavor of coconut, well, then these probably aren’t for you. But, if you like the flavor and aren’t so sure of the texture, I think you could give these a try.

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When Greg got home on the day that I made these, I was so excited. I was bursting at the seams (and hyped up on chocolate :)). It took all I could not to greet him at the door, Almond Joys in hand, saying “look what I made, try one of these, I made Almond Joys, do you want one, here try one!”

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Though he probably wouldn’t have been surprised to be greeted like that, I practiced some self-restraint and greeted him with an as-calm-as-can-be “Hey, how are you, how was your day?” And then, “look what I made, try one of these, I made Almond Joys!”

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So, to get to the point of this story, Greg happily tried one, and waited until after to tell me that he didn’t think he’d like them. He doesn’t love the texture of coconut. But, he loved them! He said that sort of chewy, stringy texture of coconut wasn’t there. The center is more smooth. It definitely tastes like coconut, but doesn’t have that classic coconut texture.

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For the coconut part of these bars, I processed together coconut + almonds + white chocolate chips. I feel like the combination of the three takes away from any undesirable coconut texture. Also, using the food processor breaks the coconut up a good bit.

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They are super easy to make. The coconut part just takes some processing, some patting into a dish, some freezing and cutting. The dipping part is not hard, but it is a bit messy and takes a just a little bit of time. Maybe you have a good way of dipping things in chocolate that works well. I don’t, and sort of had to just find my chocolate-dipping rhythm as I went.

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If you want these to be dairy-free, you could use those dairy-free chocolate and white chocolate chips that I’ve seen around. The rest is all gluten and dairy-free. So, all in all, these aren’t too bad for being chocolate almond bars. Definitely better for you than the ones that come packaged next to grocery store check out lines.

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Treat yourself this weekend. You deserve it. Enjoy some homemade Almond Joys!

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Ingredients
7 ounces shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 cup almonds, plus more for topping
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
5 tablespoons coconut oil
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
4 ounces + 1/2 cup chocolate

Place the coconut, almonds, white chocolate chips, coconut oil and if desired, salt, in a food processor. Process for several minutes, until all almonds and chocolate is completely broken up and desired texture is reached.

Place a piece of parchment paper over an 8×8 baking dish. Pour the coconut mixture into the dish, and pat down, until packed tight and covering the entire bottom of the dish. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

While the coconut mixture is in the freezer, melt the chocolate.

Take the coconut mixture out of the freezer and cut into little rectangles. Dip into the chocolate any way you like. I inserted a toothpick into each coconut rectangle, dipped it in the melted chocolate, then place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place two almonds on top of each bar.

Freeze them for a few minutes to harden the chocolate. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Enjoy!