Friend of Julie: Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese

I was surfing the Whole Foods website for a new recipe to make on this cold winter day when I found this recipe for Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese. I have a lot of butternut squash stored in my basement, so I only need to buy a few ingredients to make this dish.

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
• Salt and ground black pepper 

Instructions

Roast the butternut squash:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. Halve the squash lengthwise. 
3. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard seeds.
4. Peel the squash with a knife or a vegetable peeler and then cut the squash into 1-inch cubes.
5. Place squash cubes on a large, rimmed baking sheet and toss with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
6. Spread the squash out in a single layer.
7.  Roast, tossing occasionally, until just tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

After removing roasted butternut squash from the oven:

1. Mash blue cheese and lemon juice together in a large bowl to make a thick smooth dressing.
2. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add onions, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Add spinach and cook, tossing often, until slightly wilted and warm, 1 to 2 minutes more.
6. Transfer contents of skillet to bowl with dressing, add squash, salt and pepper and toss to combine. 

Recipe and photo source: Whole Foods