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However, Las Vegas has my permission to apprise me of upcoming attractions and deals on flights and room rates.
It looks like we’ll be able to close the book on a couple of requests today. The first is butternut squash ravioli, for which Mary Watson of La Crosse shared a recipe that she found “while surfing recipezaar.com.” In a similar vein, I ran across a recipe for butternut squash and sage lasagna in Good Housekeeping magazine this month. You can check it out by going to goodhousekeeping. com; click on “recipes and entertaining” and then on “in this issue,” which should take you to the “recipe finder.” Enter “butternut squash and sage lasagna.” This will bring up the link to the recipe.
Hopefully these two offerings, combined with the recipes in previous columns, have provided Amy Bigjohn
of West Salem, Wis., with
something similar to the
seasonal dish she has enjoyed at Ciatti’s.
The cheesy mostaccioli recipe shared by Lynda Mueggenborg of West Salem should pretty much close the book on Jodi’s request as well. Lynda says, “I have gotten many compliments on this dish.” Jodi now has four or five mostaccioli recipes to test.
Hopefully, she and Amy will let us know how the recipes turn out.
Soup is definitely on our minds lately. We recently filled a request for Chicken Florentine Soup with Artichoke Hearts. We’re currently working on Baja Tortilla Soup like that served at Baker’s Square for Anna Mae Pruse and Asiago Cheese Soup like what Julie Voss of La Crescent, Minn., enjoyed at Stones’ Throw in Hatfield, Wis.
Jan Lash of Bangor, Wis., has added another installment to our “soup opera,” requesting a recipe for a hot and sour type soup like Hong Kong Buffet serves.
Be sure to tune in to Coulee Region Cooks, which airs from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays on WIZM-AM radio. Mike Hayes and his guests share recipes and tips and are always informative and entertaining. When he can catch me at my desk, Mike and I spend a few minutes during the first half of the show chatting about the upcoming Exchange.
Send requests, recipes and/or cooking tips and
techniques to Alice P. Clark at: Reader Exchange, c/o
La Crosse Tribune, 401 N. Third St., La Crosse, WI 54601; e-mail: exchange@lacrossetribune.com or send a fax to (608) 782-9723.
Cheesy Mostaccioli
1 pound mostaccioli pasta
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1 (30-ounce ) jar spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Combine cooked pasta, meat, soup and spaghetti sauce. Add seasonings and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Mix to combine. Place in 21/2-quart casserole dish; sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 25 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
(Shared by Lynda Mueggenborg, West Salem)
Butternut Squash Ravioli
Filling:
1/2 to 3/4 of a large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere or ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Dough:
2-1/2 cups pre-sifted, unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 eggs
Water
Steam squash until easily pierced with a fork. Mash squash; add spices, cheese and salt and pepper. Cool. For dough, mix flour and salt together. In a separate bowl, combine cilantro, eggs and 1/4 cup water. In food processor, pulse cilantro mixture until cilantro is fine. Add flour gradually until well mixed. Add water if necessary to obtain a stiff dough. Knead dough by hand; let rest in a covered bowl for 20 minutes. Knead again; roll into a thin sheet, approximately 1/8-inch thick. Cut out an even number of circles in the dough. Drop a spoonful of filling in the center of half of the circles; moisten edges with water and cover with remaining circles of dough. Pinch edges to seal; let ravioli dry for about 2 hours and then refrigerate until needed. Cook ravioli in boiling salted water for about 15 minutes; drain and serve with your favorite sauce.
(Shared by Mary Watson, La Crosse)
