Yummy Butternut Squash and White Bean Stew

The changing of the seasons whets my appetite for the quest of new and interesting "comfort foods". My eating persuasion of late has leaned more and more towards vegetarian concoctions although I'm not devout in my following. Normally, I am not even the cook in the house, so basically I'm happy to dine on what ever is prepared for me. But in the late fall and winter, when more time allows, I have recently been inclined to become more involved in the kitchen. (I'm not sure if my husband views this as a good thing yet or not.) Therefore, the reading of recipes is becoming something I'm encouraging myself to do more frequently. Many recipes I discard immediately because they are too lengthy and involved or require unheard of ingredients. I am if anything, simple and efficient in my cooking attempts. But occasionally I come across a recipe that meets all my requirements; simple, savory, fresh, healthy ingredients and is either a soup or a stew that can be simmered on the stove in the Le Creuset or crock pot for several hours. Both warming up the kitchen and filling the house with wonderful aromas is a necessary requirement when it comes to my cooking attempts. This recipe filled all my requirements so I tried it and it did not fail to please. Give it a try and let me know what you think. So far my husband has not turned up his nose at anything I have prepared, so I'll take that as a good sign.

Butternut Squash~White Bean Stew

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup slivered onion

3/4 cup thinly sliced celery

3 cups mushrooms, sliced

4 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (aprox. a 2 pound squash)

1 (14 oz.) can diced roasted tomatoes

1 garlic clove pressed

2 cups water (or vegetable broth)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary...or fresh if available

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (15 oz) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish...optional

*1. Heat oil in dutch oven (Le Creuset) over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Cook until veggies start to brown, about 8-10 minutes.

*2. Stir in squash, tomatoes, garlic, water, tomato paste, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. I thought it would take longer, but it didn't. Uncover and stir in beans and simmer until stew consistency about an additional 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with crusty bread. Also Parmesan flakes is a nice additional flavor when serving.

Enjoy and I welcome your feed back.