Recipe of the Month

Winter Squash Black Bean Burgers

Cooking Info
Yield: 5 full-sized burgers

Ingredients

1 cup mashed black beans
1 cup pureed winter squash
½ cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp fresh parsley (or ¾ tsp dried)
? tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Mash black beans in a large bowl. Using a food processor, puree winter squash until smooth. Add squash to beans and set aside.
Over medium heat, sauté onion until tender and near-translucent, adding garlic towards the end to prevent burning.
Season sautéed mixture with garlic powder, parsley, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat and add mixture to beans and squash.
Add oats and egg to other ingredients and mix until well-combined.
Roll mixture into five balls and flatten with the palm of your hand to form patties.
Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil, and cook burgers for a few minutes on each side, until cooked through.

(Source: Peas and Crayons, edited by GMFTS)

Butternut Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 lb dried pasta
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tsp dried thyme
4 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar
2 cups butternut squash puree
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp black pepper

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Drain 2 minutes shy of package instructions and set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, cooking until onions are soft (~5 minutes). Stir in flour and cook for about 3 minutes, then add milk- stirring until sauce begins to thicken (a few minutes).
Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheddar. Add squash, mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, and black pepper and mix in. Season to taste with salt.
Pour cheese sauce over pasta until sufficiently coated. Using a spatula, transfer to a 9x13 baking dish.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until sauce bubbles around the edges (25-30 minutes).

(Source: KitchenKonfidence, edited by GMFTS)