I am not having fun but there is a recipe here...

See that picture? Those are the leaves on the front lawn. I am on strike. I am not raking. Dr. Food is away for 12 days and I am having a lousy time. I know I know. Everyone says to me (in a mock whisper behind their hand) "I LOVE when my husband goes away" So, here I will tell you a secret... I DON'T. I hate it. He is my best friend and I hate when he goes away. I don't like it at all. So what have I been doing while the good Dr. Food has been away?



It started off with me coming up with an idea for "Chai Masala Pumpkin Pie"



Besides the fact that it wouldn't bake and besides the fact that the crust wasn't too good and besides the fact that I hate Pumpkin Pie, THIS was really good. Ugly (and I don't know how it got the bloop on top of it that looks like someone stuck their hand in it) but good. I am going to give it another try.



What is this? This is the picture that Dr. Food sent me from the SUITE that he was staying in while in India. Awwww, poor Dr. Food. His suite (which he gave me a tour of over Skype) was 3 rooms with a bar and a bathroom that was amazing. They left this on his bed while he was out to dinner with a bunch of people that were trying to smooze him. Meanwhile this was me...



*I* ate GrUEl.



In between being taunted by Dr. Food and eating gruel, I made another apple pie. This time it was without the help of Jon Rowley.



I am still having an "issue" with the crust but I will practice until I get it right.



So, I did it with no help. It wasn't as much fun but I believe using both hands (not holding the phone in one) this pie came out even better than the first. I also found volunteers to eat it.



So, I was bored and wanted to cook. I wanted to try something out of the book "Cooking my way Back Home" by Mitchell Rosenthal. I chose to make Quattro Fromaggi with Butternut Squash and Sage. Sounds healthy no? It wasn't. It was mac and cheese (and by cheese I mean 4 different kinds) with butternut squash. I only ate the squash...no really.



This dish was really good and I can't wait to try the other stuff in this cookbook.



Oh, and I also made Kimchi...



I have given this recipe before. It is Kimchi Mom's recipe. I love it.



Ok, I need to go make another batch of Gruel.

Penne Pasta Quattro Formaggi with Butternut Squash and Sage
Recipe by Mitch Rosenthal

Ingredients

1-pound piece butternut squash, peeled and cut into large batons
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound penne pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
For cheese sauce:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. all–purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
11/3 cups grated Fontina
3/4 cup crumbled Point Reyes Original Blue, Maytag Blue, or other good-quality blue cheese
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For topping:
4 thick slices coarse country bread such as pain levain
Few drops of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted


Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the squash in a bowl, drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of oil, sprinkle with the sage, and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan, place in the oven, and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a boil. Add the penne, stir, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain into a colander and hold under cold running water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and toss to coat.

To make the cheese sauce, in a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour, then whisk constantly for 3 to 4 minutes to cook away the raw flour taste. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until reduced by a third. Remove from the heat, add all of the cheeses, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To make the topping, cut off and discard the crusts from the bread slices, then cut the slices into cubes. Place the cubes in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl, add the oil, and season with salt and pepper, then toss to mix. Add the Parmesan and the sage, and stir to mix.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the cheese sauce and squash to the pasta and stir to mix well. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and scatter the topping evenly over the surface. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through, the topping is lightly browned, and the cheese sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately.