By Debbie D. from Louisville Middle School, Louisville, Colorado.

Description

This Three Sisters recipe evokes the Native American synergistic agricultural triad of corn, beans, and squash.  Beans use the corn stalk as a climbing pole, and the squash protects both crops with its prickly leaves, as well as providing ground cover to contain precious water in the ground.

This delicious main course has a rich, cheesy outward appearance, with a  southwest flair that combines layers of vegetables, tortillas, cheese and a flavorful sauce.

The recipe is lacto vegetarian and gluten free.

It uses seasonal, local fall squash as well as Colorado pinto beans.

 

USDA commodity products used in the recipe include canned pinto beans, low-sodium spaghetti sauce, low-sodium salsa, low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese, and part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese.

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1

Calories	304
From Fat	26%
From Saturated Fat	9.97%
From Sugar	0%
Sodium	592.5mg

Ingredients

Ingredient	6 servings	50 servings
butternut squash	1 cup/7 oz	8.3 cups/58.2 oz
pinto beans	1.5 cups/9 oz	12.5 cups/75 oz
spinach, frozen	3/4 cup/3 oz	6.2 cups/25 oz
yellow onion	3 fl. oz/2 oz	25 fl oz/16.6 oz
garlic, whole peeled, minced	3/4 tsp/0.2 oz	6 cloves + 1/4 tsp/1.2 oz
white corn tortillas, 6 inch round pieces	9, 6-inch tortillas/9 oz	75, 6 inch tortillas/75 oz
spaghetti sauce	12 fl oz/366 g	100 fl oz/3045 g
enchilada sauce	4 fl oz/122 g	33.3 fl oz/1015 g
salsa, canned	4 fl oz/124 g	33.3 fl oz/1032 g
mozzarella cheese, low fat, shredded	1.5 cups/6 oz	12.5 cups/50 oz
mozzarella cheese, low moisture part skim shredded	1/2 cup/2 oz	4.2 cups/16.6 oz
salt, kosher	0.4 tsp/-	3 tsp/18.7 g
oregano	1/2 tsp/-	4 tsp/4.2 g
ground cinnamon	1/16 tsp/-	1/3 tsp/0.6 g
oil	1 Tbsp/12 g	7.3 Tbsp/99 g

Preparation

THREE SISTER SOUTHWEST BAKE

RECIPE PREPARATION FOR: Servings: 50.00 Serving Size: 1.00 Type: PIECE

PRE-PREP INSTRUCTIONS:

PREPARE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH. Yield from fresh raw 55%. (4 cups fresh, cooked, mashed squash =1.75#.) To roast squash: Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and discard. Place squash cut side down in hotel pan w/ 1/2 inch of water. Roast at 400 degrees for approx. 1 hr until soft. Scoop meat into bowl, discard skin.

PREPARE THE BEANS:

Drain pinto beans in colander and rinse. Burr mix or mash half the beans and combine with salt. (6 cups pinto beans = 2.3#). Set aside.

Mix squash with beans and cinnamon in mixer with paddle attachment until combined. (10 c total = 4#). Set aside.

Thaw spinach. Drain, press to remove water from spinach, and chop fine. Set aside. (Frozen, thawed, drained, chopped spinach 3 c = .75#.)

Small dice onion. Chop garlic.

Thaw cheeses if frozen. Measure 16 oz low-fat for two layers (8 oz each layer) and 8 oz LF for top per pan. Thaw 8 oz part skim per pan. Combine 8 oz LF with 8 oz PS for top layer only. This will help prevent excessive browning of top layer, as low-fat mozzarella tends to brown easily.

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS for 50 serving yield:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat 2.5" full hotel pans with 1.5 T oil.

Heat remaining oil in tilt skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes.

Add spinach and combine. Take off heat. (3 cups total.)

Combine spaghetti sauce, enchilada sauce, salsa, and oregano and set aside. Reserve 16 fl oz sauce for top layer.

Layer the Three Sisters SW Bake as follows:

Place 12 tortillas in oiled hotel pan. Top with half the squash/bean mix (5 cups), half the spinach mixture (1.5 cups), half the remaining sauce (32 fl oz), and 8 oz LF cheese. Repeat with one more layer of 12 tortillas, 5 c squash/bean, 1.5 c spinach, 32 oz sauce, and 8 oz LFcheese. Add final layer of 12 tortillas, top with remaining 16 fl oz sauce and then 16 oz of mixed cheeses. Cover with parchment and foil.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove foil and continue baking until casserole is bubbling around edges and cheese is slightly melted, about 10 more minutes, or until internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Chill according to HACCP protocol. Cover with new parchment and foil for transport.

SERVING INSTRUCTIONS:

Ship cold. Reheat at site in 350 degree oven until internal temperature is 165 degrees F (approx 45-60 min).

Cut each hotel pan 6 x 4 into 24/9 oz portions.

Half hotel pans cut in 3 x 4 or 12/9 oz portions.

Before cooking weight 14# 4oz

After cooking weight 13# 8oz

FOR 6 SERVING RECIPE

Recipe ID: MV052 THREE SISTERs SOUTHWEST BAKE

Servings: 6.00

INSTRUCTIONS FOR 6 SERVING yield

PRE-PREP INSTRUCTIONS:

PREPARE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH and the beans in the same manner as with the 50 serving instructions.

Mix squash with beans and cinnamon in mixer with paddle attachment until combined. Set aside.

Thaw spinach. Drain, press to remove water from spinach, and chop fine. Set aside.

Small dice onion. Chop garlic.

Thaw cheeses if frozen.

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS for six servings:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat one side of a 1/2 hotel pan with 1/2 of the oil.

Heat remaining oil in tilt skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and combine. Take off heat. Combine sauces, salsa, and oregano and set aside.

Layer the Three Sisters SW Bake as follows:

Place 1/2 tortillas in oiled pan. Top with half the squash/bean mix, half the spinach mixture, half of the sauce mix, and 1/2 of cheeses. Repeat with one more layer of each. Cover with parchment and foil.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove foil and continue baking until casserole is bubbling around edges and cheese is slightly melted, about 10 more minutes, or until internal temperature of 155 degrees F.

Chill according to HACCP protocol. Cover with new parchment and foil for transport.

SERVING INSTRUCTIONS:

Ship cold. Reheat at site in 350 degree oven until internal temperature is 165 degrees F (approx 45-60 min).

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Additional information for

Full hotel pan = 24 servings

ingredient

24 serv

wt measure

24serv

vol measure

squash

28

ounce

4

cup

pinto beans

36

ounce

6

cup

spinach

12

ounce

3

cup

onion

8

ounce

12

fl oz

garlic

0.6

ounce

3

clove

corn tort

36

ounce

36

each

veg oil

47.6

grams

3.5

Tbsp

spag sce

1464

grams

48

fl oz

ench sce

488

grams

16

fl oz

salsa

496

grams

16

fl oz

mozz LF

24

ounce

6

cup

mozz LMPS

8

ounce

2

cup

oregano

2

grams

2

tsp

cinnamon

0.29

grams

0.125

tsp

salt

9

grams

1.5

tsp