As a kid I used to love reading the TV Guide every week (is that weird?), and I remember the Cheers and Jeers section giving kudos to cool stuff and mocking the bad.
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I’ve made some seriously delicious food lately (cheers!) and a not-awesome recipe (jeers!). Let’s start with the bad.
Even the picture is bad.
The concept was great, but the execution was lacking. I sauteed some green onions and escarole in coconut oil, added coconut milk, yellow curry powder, garlic, and salt, and let it simmer until the sauce thickened. While the sauce was delicious, the greens were… not. I don’t know if I didn’t wash the escarole well enough or what, but it was gritty and after a couple bites I knew there was no enjoying this and I tossed it in the garbage. Can’t win ‘em all!
But this…
Now this was a winner. My first experience with a turban squash was definitely a great one – it’s very much like a kabocha in taste and texture.
I coated in mine in coconut oil, salt and pepper and roasted it for about an hour at 400°. Once it was good and roasty, I filled it up with a beany concoction (see below) that was inspired by Mama Pea’s Mmmm Sauce and some roasted turnips and daikon radish.
I love the bright orange color of the turban squash, and the slight crunch of the roasted veggies contrasted nicely to the softness of the squash.
Alex liked it too – when my meat and potatoes man approves, you know it’s a good one.
Now about that beany concoction – you guys know how I love tossing crazy stuff in my food processor to make dips and sauces. Drawing inspiration from Mama Pea is never a bad idea, and this delightful spread came together in no time.
Fancy Pants Bean Dip
- 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- juice of one Meyer lemon
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
Give it a whir in the food processor until well combined. I noticed that the coconut flavor from the coconut oil is more prominent once the spread had chilled, which I don’t mind, but if you don’t like coconut, you may want to sub olive oil or another more neutral flavored oil. It made a great filling for my squash, and I also enjoyed it over some roasted broccoli.
Taking a cue from another brilliant lady – to placate the demands of my angry uterus, the other day I made Heabie’s butternut fudge. I used a package of Pamela’s gluten-free brownie mix and canned pumpkin – I used a whole can of pumpkin plus some extra I had lying around in the fridge, probably another 1/3 to 1/2 a can’s worth. I HIGHLY recommend the extra pumpkin because it cooked up extra fudgy – like an amazing under baked brownie, which I know Lindsay is a fan of (and for good reason!).
Gooey brownie perfection.
It was hard to leave the house this morning with these sweet faces staring back at me from my warm bed.
Dogs rule.
<3 C
Sorry that the escarole did not turn out well. I have never heard of turban squash, is it like acorn squash?
Apparently I may have misnamed it as a turban squash and it’s actually a buttercup… I’m not sure! Either way it’s really good and very soft inside like kabocha once cooked. Really good though!
That stuffed squash looks especially good – I’m a huge fan of roasted winter squashes. They’re so warm and I’m so COLD.
Hahhahahah seriously… I love the emotions and feelings associated with eating seasonally… warm foods for the cold months, and vice versa!!
Butternut Fudge?! YES please!
Girl, it’s sooooo good. And brownies with a high fiber content make them healthy… or something
Mmm between the squash and fudge, it more than makes up for the green mess! Cheers indeed!
Yes, it definitely does!!
another squash!? oh yes, i love the recipe. so hearty and good. Where did you find it?
It came in my CSA delivery! Though apparently it might be a buttercup instead of a turban squash… I am not good at naming my veggies correctly, lol!
There is just too much goodness here. I love roasted turnips. And I love turban squash (but that looks like a buttercup?) Either way it looks awesome. Sauce plus squash plus another veggie? YUM.
And butternut fudge….totally fogot about that.
Is it a buttercup? It’s turban-y in shape but definitely more green than most of the pictures I found of turban squashes. Google image searching buttercup brings up waaaaay too many pictures of butternut squash instead. I suck at naming my veggies correctly… at least I can cook them pretty ballerifically.
Aw, you can’t win ‘em all! But that brownie looks like a total win!!!!
YUM!
The brownie is the ultimate in winning
I used to read the TV Guide at my friend’s house because we didn’t get it! We did get that insert in the paper that listed all the movies and I would pretty much study it every Sunday. No idea why… I was a weird kid…
Hahhahahahah I remember the movies insert too… why did we like those things?!
lots of mmmmms happening there for sure. Fancy Pants Dip – LOVE. Sounds awesome. Bummer on the greens, I never wash mine well enough, grrrr gritty.
Oh love your pup pics
Oh, and for some reason it wouldn’t let me comment yesterday, but your juice looked AWESOME! I would do rather go to a juice party these days
I love making fresh juice for friends who haven’t had it yet… some love it, some don’t, but they all feel the zinginess!
Maybe the dirt is like a tooth exfoliator or something, lol!!
I remember the cheers and jeers! I loved that part! Who cares about the escarole when you have that turban squash concoction? Dang that looks like heaven! The pups looks cozy…wish I was back in bed! Have a great day my friend!
I hope your day goes smoothly and that your brain is just tearing through your studies with ease and retained knowledge!! I know it is
I made No-Pudge Fudge brownies for a get-together using a cup of pumpkin rather than the yogurt and they were AWESOMELY fudgy and BALLER.
Seriously… the power of the fudginess compels me…
Too bad the escarole didn’t turn out, it’s such a great idea!! I wonder if making the sauce first and then wilting in the greens would do the trick …?
That’s a great suggestion! I’ll have to try that next time.
i don’t think its weird at all that you read TV Guide as a kid–maybe it is because I did, too? i don’t know why i did, but i looked forward to it every week.
this stuffed squash looks delicious. i’ve never tried turban squash, but hopefully it will work with the butternut squash i’ve got sitting on my counter.
Seriously… I loved checking the mail, waiting for the TV Guide to arrive! Winter squashes are versatile, a butternut would be wonderful!!
Yep, they all can’t be winners! Like the time I told my husband we were going to have quinoa meatballs and spaghetti squash – um, that didn’t fly too well!
Hahhahha yeah, Alex and I have differing palates as well… cooking together is always an interesting exercise in compromise and tolerance!
Haha, I love the cheers and jeers thing! My cooking’s been a bit like that lately, especially an attempt at a non-cheese cheesecake that ended up the same way as your greens dish
Happy belated New Year (cheers!)
I read about your non-cheese cheesecake today… I thought it sounded fantastic!
Well the base was… the topping, not so much!
OMG…I used to LOVE reading Cheers and Jeers when I was younger. That is hilarious, I haven’t thought of that for eons. I don’t just like the look of fancy pants dip, I like the name!!!! Have a great Wednesday.