Butternut Squash Quesadillas with Chipolte Lime Sauce

1 butternut squash; peeled and large dice
1 small onion, sliced
2 large garlic clove, sliced
Canola oil for tortillas
8 flour tortillas
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a shallow baking pan arrange squash chunks, onion and garlic and drizzle with oil, tossing to coat. Roast mixture in middle of oven 45 minutes or until squash is tender. In a food processor puree squash, onion and garlic until smooth, season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle a little cheese, spread ¼ of the mixture over cheese, on each of the 4 tortillas and sprinkle with red pepper and top with additional cheese. Top with tortilla, pour about 1 Tbls. oil in a non-stick skillet cook tortillas over medium high heat until golden, about 1-2 minutes per side. Cut into 8 wedges and serve with sauce. Makes 4 quesadillas.

Chipolte Lime Sauce:
1 can chipolte chili in adobo, about 2 peppers (Remove as many seeds as possible)
2 t. fresh lime juice
1 cup sour cream
In a small bowl of food processor, add chilies and lime juice add sour cream and process until combined.

Butternut Squash Risotto

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 oz. diced pancetta
4 Tbls. olive oil
1 small butternut squash; one half dice the other place in a pan with a small amount of water place flesh side down and bake 350 for about 25 minutes or until soft
2 tsps. fresh chopped rosemary
6 cups chicken broth, hot in saucepan
½ cup dry white wine, optional
2 cups Arborio Rice
¾ cup freshly grated parmesan
blue cheese
2 Tbls. chopped parsley

Place pancetta in saucepan over medium heat sauté until browned, add onion and cook. Stir onion until nearly soft and translucent, add squash and garlic and cook about one more minute, being careful not to burn garlic. Next, add rosemary and rice add cook about 3 minutes. Using a ladle, scoop about ½ to ¾ cup of broth. Pour it in the pan with rice, stirring constantly with a spoon. When most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice, add another ladle of the broth and stir constantly, as before.

Continue to add broth in ½ to ¾ cup batches until you have used most of the broth. It is now time to test the risotto. Spoon up some rice and bite into it – it should be tender without being too mushy. If it is a bit crunchy and tastes starchy, you will need to continue adding liquid.
Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan cheese and squash, when serving sprinkle with blue cheese and parmesan. Serves 4 entrée size portions.


Pumpkin Crème Brulee

2 cups whipping cream
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise OR
1 tsp. good quality vanilla

½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsps. cinnamon

6 large yolks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 6 (6 ounce) ramekins in a bain-marie.
Mix cream and sugar in a medium saucepan, add vanilla or if using vanilla bean; using a sharp knife, scrap seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a simmer. Cover pan, reduce heat to very low and simmer gently 10 minutes to infuse flavors. Remove vanilla beans.

Whisk yolks in medium bowl until well blended, add pumpkin puree, syrup and spices. Gradually whisk in hot mixture just to blend. Return custard to measuring cup; divide among dishes. Pour enough hot water into pans to come half way up the sides of dishes.

Bake custards until almost set in center, when pans are gently shaken, about 40-50 minutes. Chill at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

Sprinkle 2 tsps. brown sugar evenly over custard. Hold torch 2 inches away from surface, the sugar will melt and brown. Serves 6.