The one food prep task we fear is slicing and peeling butternut squash (and all the winter* squashes, but we eat butternut most often).

It’s not the easiest thing to slice and peel, given the force needed to cut through the squash.

Even with a firm cutting board and a super-sharp knife, we face with foreboding the prospect slicing the squash in half.

We put on our oyster-shucking gloves for some hand protection, and wish we had the safety gloves used by construction works.

Before we discovered the following hack, we gritted our teeth, sliced the squash in half in a guillotine-like motion, and baked the halve as is, or with stuffing.

The idea of peeling the butternut was still daunting, if less extremity-threatening.

That’s the back-story.

We recently came across a tip that replaced the fear with a better technique: an easy way to slice winter squash, starting with the microwave and finishing with a sharp, serrated vegetable peeler.

The microwave softens the skin so it’s easy to peel. A good serrated peeler does the rest.

Here’s a video showing how easy it is to do it.
 
 
TO PEEL THE SQUASH

1. CUT off the ends with a super-sharp knife (it’s time to get out your knife sharpener), and use a fork to poke 10-20 holes around the squash.

2. PLACE in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Let cool before peeling. Then, use your peeler to remove the skin. You can use a knife, but it’s more laborious.

3. DICE, cut rings, or otherwise slice the squash. You’re ready for your recipe!
 
 
GET THE BEST PEELER

Remember, you’re paying for the best blade. Two to look at.

 
 
THE 11 TYPES OF WINTER SQUASH

Farmers markets and upscale stores like Whole Foods Markets often have winter squash varieties that are not available in most supermarkets.

Here’s a list of well-known and less-known varieties:

 
 
> Beautiful Butternut Squash Tart

> Stuffed Delicata Squash Cylinders

> Stuff A Delicata Squash “Vase”
 
________________

*You can tell winter squash from its thick, hard exterior. You need force in order to slice into it. Summer squash has a thin peel that can be eaten.

[1] We were in fear of halving a butternut squash until we learned the “microwave” tip (photo © Good Eggs).

[2] There’s no need to peel the squash when you stuff the halves. This recipe, from Del’s Cooking Twist, adds the lovely touch of a diamond pattern in the flesh of the squash (photo © Del’s Cooking Twist).

[3] Not all winter squash are hard to slice. The delicata squash, for example, provides an easier time of it (photo © Good Eggs).

[4] Kabocha squash comes in a variety of colors. This one is called “sunshine kabocha” (photo © Good Eggs).

[1] Mac and cheese with toppings of choice; here, broccoli florets, chopped scallions and diced tomatoes (photo © Amy’s Kitchen).

[2] Feeling flush? Top your mac and cheese with lobster (photo © Blake’s).

[3] One box, lots of gluten-free variations. Just add your toppings of choice, from broccoli or kale to chicken or seafood. Crab lobster are our favorites! (photo © Pamela’s Products).

[4] Ready to take a bite? (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

THE NIBBLE’s gluten-free expert, Georgi Page-Smith, tries a GF version of one of America’s favorite comfort foods.

It’s been a while since I succumbed to the siren song of a good Mac and Cheese.

I’ve tried a few fancy versions at various gourmet purveyors and even an unnamed frozen variety, but nothing has quite hit the mark.

And, to be honest, because my favorites have always involved way too much cheese and because I’ve become accustomed to a low-carb lifestyle, it has always been a guilty pleasure and not part of my regular rotation.

Not since the days when I would break out the Kraft Mac and Cheese while babysitting had I ever really been tempted to taste one of the many varieties of boxed Macs.

But, when gluten-free specialist Pamela’s Products stepped up recently, releasing two gluten-free Macaroni and Cheese flavors (one is vegan), with organic noodles, it was time to take a trip down memory lane.

The pasta is organic, made from gluten-free flour (organic white rice flour, organic pea protein, organic sprouted brown rice flour).

 
All ingredients are non-GMO.
 
 
WHIPPING UP PAMELA’S MAC & CHEESE

Enjoy it as a lunch on-the-go, or dress it up with a few vegetables, herbs and assorted trimmings for dinner.

Toasted breadcrumbs are a traditional mac & cheese garnish—recipe below).

I chose to make my Macs for a late lunch, putting their flavor, convenience and fuel potential to the ultimate test.

The standard Mac N’ Cheese was my first flavor, so that I could establish a ‘true North’ for the rest of my tastings. The instructions on the box are fairly standard, though they did call for boiling the noodles, then draining and mixing the butter, flavor packet and milk in the saucepan separately.

In our home the noodles were drained by holding the pan over the sink and pouring the water off while fencing the noodles using a warped and fire-scarred wooden spoon. Whatever water remained in the saucepan, or tucked into the noodles, was incorporated into the sauce.

So it was that with this first Mac from Pamela’s all of the additional ingredients went into the pan at once, over the al dente noodles, including 2 tablespoons of butter (not 3 tablespoons, as the recipe called for) and—for me—a “milk” that I hacked together by blending 50/50 heavy cream and water.

I am happy to report that Pamela’s is a very forgiving Mac N’ Cheese indeed! The first bite was incredibly, satisfyingly tangy and toothsome, with a springy, chewy texture to the noodles that created the perfect vehicle for the sauce.

But the sauce deserves a special shout-out, because after the addition of the butter and the milk, it did not merely settle for being a sauce; it was a legitimate, full-bodied cheese experience.

The cheese flavors had dimension, with a beginning-middle-and end notes that unfolded as I chewed. I highly recommend this variety without reservation, it is a definitive example of the genre.

Hats off to Pamela’s for coming up with a gluten-free pasta products that helped me give Mac N’ Cheese another try. These varieties are an extremely convenient comfort food ‘go to’ that people with gluten sensitivities should try, for a quick and tasty meal or side.
 
 
WHERE TO FIND IT

And it’s easy to order directly from Pamela’s website, where you’ll get to see all the other gluten-free products as well.

There’s a store locator on the website.

Call ahead to be sure the Mac & Cheese is in stock.

 
 
—Georgi Page-Smith

September is California Wine Month, and the Wine Institute of California has wine pairings to go with the last of the great summer produce—like this Heirloom Tomato Tart.

This savory, colorful tomato tart in perfect for late summer, when tomatoes are at their flavor peak. Serve it in:

 
Tomatoes, which are acidic, aren’t the easiest wine match, but the buttery crust of the tart expands the possibilities.
White wine pairing: Try a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc if you’re serving the tart as an appetizer, or if it’s a light lunch with a side salad.
 
White wine pairing: If if it’s a side dish with fish or meat:, bring out the Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.

Red wine pairings:

 
> The Difference Between A Pie & A Tart
 
 
RECIPE: HEIRLOOM TOMATO TART WITH KALAMATA OLIVES & GOAT CHEESE SAUCE

This tomato and olive tart is topped with a thick sauce made from goat cheese. You can make the sauce a day in advance.

You can also partially make the crust a day in advance, just prior to baking it (step #5). The crust is the most time-consuming part of the recipe.

Overall prep time is 30 minutes (divided), rest time is 75 minutes (divided), and bake time is 60 minutes (divided).

[1] A buttery-crust tart filled with heirloom tomatoes and Kalamata olives, and a goat cheese topping (photo © Discover California Wines).

[2] Heirloom tomatoes (photo © Okonomi | Brooklyn)

[3] Kalamata olives come from the area of Kalamata, Greece, the second most populous city of the Peloponnese Peninsula (photo © I. Gordutina | Panther Media).

[4] Fresh goat cheese is typically rolled into a log shape (photo © Murray’s Cheese).

6. PLACE the tomato slices on a double thickness of paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Pat the surface with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Transfer the slices to a cutting board and cut them in half, taking care to preserve their shape.

7. ARRANGE the tomato slices in the baked tart crust in concentric circles, working from the outside in and overlapping the slices. You should be able to fit all or most of the slices, but reserve any extra for a salad. Tuck the olive halves into any crevices.

8. BRUSH the surface with olive oil and scatter the oregano over the top. Return the tart to the oven and bake until the tomatoes are soft and sizzling, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. The tart is best when warm, not hot.

9. MAKE the topping. In a small bowl, blend the goat cheese and yogurt until very smooth. Add more yogurt if needed to create a sauce you can drizzle. Add the garlic (use less, if you prefer) and salt to taste.

10. TO SERVE: Remove the tart from the tin and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with the goat cheese mixture and top with a few torn leaves of basil. Serve warm.

[1] Chocolate bacon potato chips, a delicious snack or dessert with ice cream (photos #1 and #2 © Castle Ranch Steakhouse [since closed]).

[2] If you prefer, you can cut crinkle chips, but they will be thicker.

[3] Idaho Russet Potato† (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

[4] Huckleberries are a different species in the same genus as blueberries and cranberrries* (photo © Artem Beliaikin | Unsplash)

September 5th is International Bacon Day, a day to enjoy bacon from all over the world (here are the different types of bacon).

How about food fun with bacon?

You can have these Chocolate Bacon Potato Chips as a snack or as dessert, with chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

This recipe includes homemade huckleberry sauce, which is a berry native to Idaho (and the official state fruit).

Not everybody can get hold of huckleberries. You can substitute blueberries, which are a different genus* in the same species.

Or, use no dipping sauce whatsoever.

And, you can take the easy way out: Buy the potato chips and just make the chocolate-bacon topping.

Thanks to Idaho Potato for sending us this recipe created by Executive Chef Dean Fuller, when he was at Castle Ranch Steakhouse in Boise, Idaho (since closed).
 
 
> The Different Types Of Potatoes

> The History Of Bacon
 
 
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE BACON POTATO CHIPS

Ingredients For 30-35 Chips

 
For The Huckleberry Dipping Sauce

Ingredients For 1 Cup

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the Huckleberry Sauce: Place the sugar and water into a small saucepan over medium high heat. Once the mixture starts bubbling, cook for 2 minutes. Add the huckleberries and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let the sauce come to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

2. COOK the bacon. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the bacon slices onto the prepared pan. Sprinkle each slice with the brown sugar, then with the red pepper flakes. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they are cooked completely. Set aside to cool. Once cool, dice the bacon into ¼” pieces.

3. HEAT the frying oil to 350°F. Slice the potato on a mandoline to about 1/10th of an inch slices. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. BLANCH the potato slices in the oil for 5 seconds, then lay them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake them at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until they are all golden brown. Let them cool. Meanwhile…

5. MELT the chocolate in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring each time until completely melted. Dip each chip into the chocolate, covering about 85% of the chip. Place back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. PLACE a few pieces of the bacon onto the chocolate-covered chip. Repeat until you have dipped all of the chips and added all the bacon. Cool for 1 hour at room temperature or place in the refrigerator for one minute. Place chips on a serving platter and serve with the Idaho Huckleberry Sauce.

*The Ericaceae family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heather family, includes 124 genera. The genus Vaccinium includes bilberries, blueberries, cranberries and huckleberries. Blueberries are Vaccinium sect. cyanococcus, huckleberries are Vaccinium parvifolium.

†“Idaho Potato®” is a trademarked variety of russet potato, that ensures the potato has been grown in Idaho soil and its specific terroir. Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affect a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics gives the potato (or other agricultural product) its unique character.

We love cheesecake. Ninety-nine percent of the time it’s a sweet cheesecake, but every once in a while we come across—or decide to bake—a savory cheesecake.

There’s no sugar.

Using a base of cream cheese—just like dessert cheesecake—it’s an unsweetened cheesecake that combines savory ingredients: herbs, vegetables, seafood and/or other cheeses.

Savory cheesecakes are always a big hit, because few people have ever had one—and most people welcome a new way to enjoy cheese.

They can combine just about any flavors, from shrimp to jalapeño to roquefort.

Savory cheesecakes can be served as/at:

 
In addition to the featured Garlic & Herb recipe below, try these delicious recipes, courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Just take a look at the photos: You’ll want to make them all!

 

GARLIC & HERB CHEESECAKE WITH BOURSIN

This is a savory cheesecake using Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese, with a Parmesan cracker crust, topped with whipped Boursin® and a fresh tomato-olive salsa.

Chef James Musser used the lighter Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese instead of cream cheese.

The crust is made from parmesan crackers, but you can use wheat crackers or any savory cracker (we used Wheat Thins).

This is a party-size recipe, but you can cut it in half. Alternatively, since it’s made with two pans, you can freeze the second pan (here’s how to freeze cheesecake batter).

For a first course or a cheese course, serve it with a salad lightly dressed with Dijon vinaigrette.

For a wine pairing, try a Chardonnay or Chenin Blanc. If you prefer a red wine, try a lighter style like Beaujolais or Pinot Noir.
 
 
Ingredients For 24 Slices

 
For The Tomato-Olive Salsa

 
For The Whipped Boursin Topping

[1] Garlic-herb cheesecake made with Boursin cheese. The recipe is below (photo © Carlos Garcia | Flavor & The Menu).

[2] A no-bake savory basil cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo courtesy Eat Wisconsin Cheese).

[3] Nacho cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Taste Of Home).

[4] Blue cheese cheesecake. Here’s the recipe (photo © Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board).

[5] Goat cheese and basil cheesecake. Here’s the recipe from Love And Olive Oil (photo © Love And Olive Oil).

1. MAKE the cheesecake: Preheat a convection oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 9-inch springform pans with parchment paper. Brush the sides and bottom with melted butter.

2. PROCESS the wheat crackers into a fine crumb (we pulsed it in a food processor), then combine with 1 cup of the parmesan cheese and the melted butter, until moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom of each pan and bake for 5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Turn the oven down to 250°F.

3. PLACE the Garlic & Fine Herbs Boursin in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides and blade and add the eggs, yolks and sour cream. Mix for 3 minutes, until incorporated with no lumps remaining. Scrape the sides and blade and mix in any unincorporated cheese.

4. ADD the colby, the remaining ¾ cup Parmesan, the onions, salt, black pepper and white pepper. Mix for 3 minutes on medium until incorporated. Divide the filling between the two pans.

5. BAKE at 250°F for 1½ hours, until set and lightly browned on top. Remove and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour before wrapping and refrigerating. Once cooled…

6. UNWRAP and run a knife around the perimeter of the cheesecakes to release from the pans. Cut each pie into 12 even slices.

7. MAKE the Tomato-Olive Salsa: In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, onion, vinegar, salt and pepper until incorporated. Allow the salsa to marinate while the cheesecakes are cooking. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

8. MAKE the whipped Boursin topping: In a food processor, combine the Black Pepper Boursin, heavy cream and dried herbs. Process to combine, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

9. TO PLATE: Rewarm the cheesecake slices in a 350°F oven for 4 to 6 minutes, until heated throughout. Place a dollop (about 1 tablespoon) of whipped Boursin on top of each. Add the Tomato-Olive Salsa to the side of each slice. Garnish the top with microgreens.
 
 
> Discover The History Of Cheese

> Find More Types Of Cheese In Our Cheese Glossary