NuM NuM

I found this recipe on one of my new favorite blogs. She always has new innovative recipes and makes them sound so appetizing. Since I was leaving for a business trip I thought I'd make these egg rolls for lobster so he'd have something to munch on all week. But after I had one, I liked them so much I left him only a few and froze the rest so WE could eat them together when I got back :) Hey, it's the thought that counts! I liked these egg rolls especially because they're a "freezable meal." These would also make a great gift to give a friend who's about to have a baby since they won't have much time to cook with a screaming peaceful, sleeping baby around.


Southwestern Butternut Squash & Black Bean Egg Rolls
Adapted from Cara's Cravings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 200gm)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 lbs peeled, diced butternut squash
3 tbsp canned diced green chilies
2 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice from 1 lime
1 1/2 packages egg roll wrappers (I used Nanka Seiman Golden Dragon Egg Roll Skins)
Mae Ploy Sweet chili sauce for dipping

Roast butternut squash for 25 minutes at 425F flipping halfway through until you can pierce them easily with a fork. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, green chilies, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, and cook for a few more minutes. Add the black beans, cilantro and lime juice and stir to combine evenly. Remove from heat.

Place the butternut squash and the onion mixture in a large bowl and mash to combine. These will be best if the mixture is left a little bit chunky.

To assemble the egg rolls, place a wrapper on your surface with one corner pointing down (diamond position). Place a couple tablespoons of the squash mixture onto the wrapper, and use a pastry brush dipped in water to wet the edges of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up, then fold the outside corners in, and roll it all up. Make sure you place a damp paper towel over the wrappers and finished egg rolls as your making them or else they will dry out. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue until squash mixture is used up; I got about 24 egg rolls using a large ice cream scoop for the squash portioning.

To bake: Place a baking sheet in the oven while heating at 400F. When it's hot, remove from the oven, spray with nonstick cooking spray, and place the egg rolls on the sheet. Spray them well with nonstick spray. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.

Extra egg rolls can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer. To freeze for later consumption place egg rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in freezer for about an 1 1/2 hours. Once frozen place them all in a freezer zip lock bag and keep frozen.

Serve these with Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce. The sauce goes especially well with the egg rolls since they're kinda spicy and the dipping sauce is a little sweet.

***I also stuffed these inside of a pita pocket and enjoyed them just as much. Simply cut a pita in half, insert the stuffing into one half and roast in a pre-heated 400F oven for seven minutes or until pita is brown and nice and crispy. However, of course this does defeat the purpose of a freezable meal.