Pretending Like It's Fall...

It's October which means Starbucks can officially start making bank on all drinks pumpkin, ladies are pulling their cute fall sweaters out of the deepest black holes of their closets, and I'm sitting at my desk writing this sweatinglikecrazy because I just attempted a run in 80 degree heat. Despite the fact that San Diego may have the lamest fall of all time I'm determined to make the most of it. This week I made a butternut squash and spinach cream gratin that's seriously AMAZING! Here's the recipe, originally found on epicurious. Tomorrow I will continue to ignore the weather and am planning a red pepper, corn and leak soup. TAKE THAT SAN DIEGO!

What You Need:

• 3 pounds fresh spinach, stems discarded, or 3 (10-ounce) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 pounds butternut squash (2 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded
• 1/2 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 cup)

• Special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer, I used a very sharp peeler and it worked just as well.

 I think the frozen spinach tastes great and saves hassle time. Make sure to squeeze out extra water after you thaw.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine. 

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches; not glass). 

Cut squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with slicer. 

Layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish, using about one fifth of squash and one fourth of spinach for each layer, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with cheese and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cover directly with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, or broil 3 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes.

Enjoy!