Instant Pot Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili is made from pantry staples and is perfect for your next [Read more…] about Instant Pot Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili
butternut squash
Maple Balsamic Roast Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
I’ve been loving sheet pan dinners. They’re easy to make, healthy and there’s an endless variety of flavors you can bring. It’s also a great way to eat lots of veggies.
For this Maple Balsamic Chicken dinner, I used bone-in chicken thighs that I got on sale. I’d love to try this again with boneless, skinless chicken. Chicken thighs aren’t my favorite cut, but it was such a great sale, I couldn’t pass them up. This recipe will work equally well with any cut of chicken or even pork.
I added brussels sprouts and butternut squash to the pan. I seasoned the squash similar to my favorite Butternut Squash Skillet recipe. The squash is added to the pan along with the chicken. The brussels sprouts, don’t need to cook as long, so they get added later. I seasoned them with a generous shake of salt and pepper.
Maple syrup is one of my favorite Costco purchases. I use it for a lot more than pancakes and waffles. If you don’t have real maple syrup, you can use honey in this recipe.
Maple Balsamic Roast Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs. olive oil plus extra
- 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbs. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 lbs. chicken any cut is fine
- 1 butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. thyme leaves
- 1 bag brussels sprouts cut in half
Instructions
- Mix 1 Tbs. olive oil with vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Pour over chicken and toss to coat.
- Place chicken on large sheet pan that's been brushed with olive oil.
- Toss butternut squash cubes with drizzle of olive oil, cinnamon, ginger, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Pour onto sheet pan next to chicken. (You may need to use more than one sheet pan if you don't have one big enough.)
- Place in oven at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Pull pan from the oven and add brussels sprouts. Continue roasting for 10-15 minutes more or until chicken is done.
We include lots of easy meals like Maple Balsamic Roast Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner in our Weekly Meal Plans. Find out more about how we do the planning so you’re cooking is simple.
Butternut Squash Casserole
Raise your hand if you need to take something to Thanksgiving Dinner at someone else’s house.
I’ve got the perfect recipe for you. This one travels really well. No risk of spilling it in your car. Or very little risk, anyway.
It stays hot for a long time, which is important for buffet line items. And I think you could even make it in the slow cooker. If you want the pecan topping to crunch up, just pop the slow cooker under the broiler for a minute before serving.
Butternut Squash Casserole is similar to sweet potato casserole, but the flavor of the squash is a little different. This one also has fresh cranberries studded through it. They add a tart flavor to the rich sweetness of other ingredients. The McCormick Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Vanilla really bring out the autumn flavors of this dish.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Easy Butternut Squash Skillet – My New Favorite Side Dish
I could eat and eat and eat this butternut squash skillet. It is so good!
Our church had a potluck dinner before Christmas where someone brought a sweet potato dish that was out of this world. I searched for the cook and finally found that the very talented Lisa had brought it. She emailed me the recipe she used as inspiration.
I took the ideas and decided to use butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes. I also made mine a one-dish recipe by using an oven proof skillet.
Here’s what you’ll need to make it: [Read more…] about Easy Butternut Squash Skillet – My New Favorite Side Dish
Winter Squash in the Slow Cooker – 75 Days of Summer Slow Cooker Recipes
Winter squash doesn’t have to be just for winter. Butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash all make great side dishes for summer too. Especially if you don’t have to turn your oven on to cook them.
No oven needed, because you can cook winter squash in the slow cooker!
I’ve tried both acorn and butternut squash this way and both work great. For the acorn squash, I washed it and cut it in half. After scooping out the seeds I placed it in a foil lined slow cooker. I used butter, brown sugar and a little salt and pepper to season it.
For the butternut squash, I intended to leave it with the rind on and just scoop out the cooked squash to serve. But it wasn’t fitting very well. And there was a bad place on the end I had to cut off. I ended up cutting all the rind off, which only took a minute or two. As long as you have a sharp knife, this isn’t a hard job.
I used the same butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper for the butternut squash. I know there are lots of other ways you could season it.
My kids did taste it, but only because we insisted. They hear the word “squash” and think “yuck”. You have to admit, it isn’t the best named vegetable, especially if you have a texture issue.
I cooked the squash on high for 3-4 hours. I’m sure you could cook it on low for 5-6 hours or longer. I’d like to try a spaghetti squash like this, but my kids refuse to try it again. I made one a few years ago and over baked it in the oven. I think it turned them off forever.
If you love using your slow cooker, check out our All Slow Cooker Weekly Meal Plan. It’s got all the planning done for you (including the grocery list) so you can go enjoy summer!