Weekend in the Mountains

Just got back from a fabulous weekend away!!  The girls and I decided to head to the mountains for a weekend of fresh air, hiking, eating and drinking!  We had a marvelous time!  Here is a recipe we made that was simply delicious! 

 
Vegetable Ragout with Cheesy Polenta

What you'll need: 

 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed 

 3 parsnips, peeled and diced 

 1 medium onion, diced 

 5 cloves of garlic, chopped 

 1 lb. of kale, chopped 

 2 (15 oz.) cans of white beans, drained 

 1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes 

 1/4 lb. of kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise 

 What you'll do: 

Saute the butternut squash and parsnips in olive oil on medium high in a large pot till lightly browned.
 

Add in the onions, and garlic, sprinkle with salt and reduce heat to medium.  When the onions are soft, add in the kale and mix.
 

After about 5 minutes, add the tomatoes and let simmer.  When simmering, add the beans and olives.  When beans have been warmed up serve over polenta.
 

 For the polenta: 

 What you'll need: 

 1/2 package polenta 

 2 cups heavy cream 

 4 cups vegetable broth 

 1/2 cup parmesan 

 3 tbsp. butter 

 What you'll do: 

Bring the broth and cream to a boil (on medium high, don't let the liquid boil over!) and the polenta, stir frequently and reduce the heat to medium.  Continue to stir for about 25-30 minutes or until polenta is soft.  Turn heat off and add in the butter and parmesan cheese and serve.
If you are in an area where some of these ingredients are not available you can easily swap them out.  No kale? add spinach or collard greens.  No parsnips? Use carrots!
This is such a yummy dish for winter!!  For the meat eater version, add some shredded, roasted chicken to the ragout.

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