Quick Cook Method for Butternut Squash

Instead of cooking squash in your oven try this great quick cook method!

Clean your microwave tray and pour water onto it to cover the entire tray. Place your squash upside down on the tray and microwave for 25-30 minutes.


The squash comes out beautiful and you didn't have to heat your oven for over an hour.


Butternut has many health benefits. It helps the fight against cancer, heart disease, and cataracts. The beta-carotene may also play a role in reducing lung inflammation and emphysema. Butternut also contains beneficial amounts of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

See the nutritional facts below:

Butternut Squash
Serving Size: 1/2 cup, cooked
Calories 41
Fat 0 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Carbohydrate 11 g
Protein 1 g
Dietary Fiber 3 g
Sodium 4 mg
Vitamin A
Niacin 1 mg
Pantothenic Acid <1 mg
Vitamin C 15 mg
Calcium 42 mg
Potassium 290 mg

Don’t forget to wear your favorite kitchen apron while making this heart healthy treat!

-Peg

In 1492 Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue...

This Monday, October 12th, we honor the first voyage of Italian navigator Christopher Columbus. In honor of Mr. Columbus I'd like to post my favorite Italian recipe. This hearty lasagna is packed with two pounds of meat and eight cups of cheese. You may have to keep your cooking apron on to eat it! Navigate below to explore a delicious feast!

Peg's Lasagna

1 pound ground beef
3/4 pound bulk pork sausage
24 oz tomato sauce
12 oz tomato paste
2 garlic gloves minced
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 eggs
3 T fresh parsley minced
24 oz small curd cottage cheese
8 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 c parmesan cheese
8 lasagna noodles
6 slices provolone cheese
3 c shredded mozzarella cheese

In a skillet cook beef and sausage over medium heat. Heat until no longer pink and drain. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine eggs, parsley, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese.

Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in an ungreased 9x13 pan. Layer with 4 lasagna noodles, 2 cups meat sauce, 3 provolone cheese slices, 2 cups cottage cheese mixture and 1.5 cups mozzarella. Repeat layers again using all ingredients.

Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite Italian bread.

Enjoy!
-Peg

Carrot Soup

This year I eagerly brought my children out to the garden with our gardening aprons on. My children enjoyed pulling out the carrots and shoving them into their aprons, dirt and all!

Our plan was to can the sliced carrots with the help of my sister-in-law. Needless to say, something went terribly wrong in the canning process. A few weeks later my husband came up from the cellar along with this beautiful jar of carrot soup. There is always next year!

-Peg