Curry Pumpkin Soup

I'm always on the lookout for some new recipe to try. You just never know where you're going to find the next family favorite. I especially love soup and stew recipes when the weather turns cold. This is the perfect recipe for a chilly autumn evening.

I found this Curry Pumpkin Soup recipe while flipping through the October 2008 issue of Better Homes And Gardens Magazine at a friend's house. Luckily BH&G keeps a catalog of their recipes online so it was each to track it down. To print your own copy click on the picture below and follow the link to the BH&G website.


Overall I was pleased with how simple a recipe and how tasty the soup was. My three year-old wasn't a fan, but my husband and I really enjoyed it.

With the exception of orange zest and onions (which we never have in our house, my husband hates them) we had all the ingredients in stock. Right there that is a plus for this recipe. I hate it when you have to go hunting for rare ingredients. The recipe was easy to follow and made enough leftovers we easily got two meals from one batch. Of course if I had doubled we could have had leftovers to freeze, but I'm short on freezer space and with such a fast and simple recipe it won't be a big deal to make it again anytime we are looking for something like this.

I should note that I don't have a food processor, so I used my blender and that worked just fine.

Another great thing about this recipe is that it can be done as time allows. It's a quick recipe, but I started it earlier in the day as that is what my schedule allowed. I completed all of step 2 and left the soup to cool. Later I came back and finished step 3 and just before step 4 I completed the Orange-Cranberry Topper (Step 1). This worked well and dinner was ready when my husband walked in the door.

One other slight change, I only had 1 can of chicken broth, so I substituted 1 can of vegetable broth for the missing can. Which got me thinking.... taking out the other can this could easily become a vegetarian soup. If you substituted the butter and milk with something else it could even be vegan. Pretty versatile if you ask me!

Definitely a great dish, would make again. Great if served with fresh bread or rolls or cranberry orange muffins.

Stuffed Flounder served with Parmesan Noodles and Lemon Parsley Carrots

(This was from last week's menu. I just got a chance to upload the photos.)

Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups

I actually posted this flounder recipe some time ago, but although we love flounder I wasn't too crazy about this particular recipe. I felt it needed some slight alteration when it came to seasoning. This time I added a little more seasoning (salt and pepper) and sauteed the mushrooms and spinach in butter instead of oil. Both of these changes went a long way to improving the dish's taste. We all really enjoyed it this time and I had fun adding some different sides.

Click here for the Flounder Spinach Roll-Ups recipe.

Parmesan Noodles:

1. Cook any type of noodle. I used elbow macaroni for 8 min.

2. Add a little butter and toss with grated Parmesan cheese.

3. Serve with a little cracked black pepper and a dash of salt.

Lemon Parsley Carrots

(Adapted from Better Homes & Garden: New Cookbook, 1953, pg 360)

1. Cook carrots (I used canned, though next time I plan to use fresh). To cook add carrots to a small pan and cook covered in a very small amount of boiling, salted water for 15-25 minutes.

2. Combine 3 TBS butter, 2 TBS chopped parsley, and 1 TBS lemon juice.

3. Drain cooked carrots and toss with the butter/lemon/parsley sauce. Serve hot.

*Note: Butter might be reduced to 2TBS depending on the number of carrots used. Lemon juice could be reduced to 2 tsp for less tartness.

The finished dishes:

Roasted Asparagus

I randomly picked up some fresh asparagus to serve with one of my meals last week. I can't remember how I've prepared it in the past, but I've never had consistent results. This time I decided to pull out a cookbook for help. I grabbed my copy of Joy of Cooking and looked up asparagus. Wonder of wonders, I learned something!! It is super easy to cook asparagus and get perfect results.

First, I learned how to prepare asparagus.

After rinsing, hold each spear with one hand at the base of the stalk and the other hand an inch or two farther toward the tip. Bend the spear. It will break at the point where the tender stalk starts to toughen. If it does not snap, move your hand a little farther up the stalk and bend again until the stalk breaks.

To roast asparagus,
Preheat oven to 5oo degrees. Prepare asparagus as listed above. Arrange the spears in a single layer in a shallow baking dish (I used a 9x13 pan and drizzle over them very lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Toss the spears to coat lightly. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender but still slightly firm, 8 to 10 minutes.

Refrigerator Pickles

Anyone who knows me knows that I love pickles. Although I prefer dill pickles and don't really care for the sweet ones, I did come across this recipe recently that Kendall and I both really liked (it's on the sweeter side of things). They're not your normal pickle, but they are very good and best of all, very easy to make.

Refrigerator Pickles

7 cups cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white sugar
1 cup diced red onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed

Mix the cucumbers and salt and let sit for one hour. Do not drain mixture and follow by adding the sugar, onions, bell pepper, cider vinegar and celery seed. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.

Copied from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Refrigerator-Pickles/Detail.aspx

Late-Summer Vegetable Soup

Recipe courtesy of 2008 Super Fresh Monthly Savings Magazine
Serves 6

Prep time/Total time: 35Min
(per serving: 182 cal; 5.6 g fat 9.8 g sat fat; 6 g protein; 31.1 g carb; 4.7 g fiber)

"The produce-packed soup is cooked quickly to preserve the fresh flavor of the vegetables. the orzo simmers right in the pot."

Ingredients:
- 4 ears corn, husks and silks removed (if fresh corn is not available use frozen or canned, but be sure to rinse before putting in the pot)
- 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 8 oz. fresh green beans (stem ends removed), cut into thirds (again, frozen can be substituted if fresh is not available)
- 1 can (14.5) oz diced tomatoes in juice (or substitute 4 fresh medium tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- water

Directions:
1. Cut off tip of each ear of corn. One at a time, stand ears in a wide bowl. With a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to release kernels. Discard cobs; set kernels aside.

2. In a Dutch oven or 5qt pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Add zucchini, green beans, corn, tomatoes (with juice), and orzo; cook, uncovered, until orzo is tender, 8 to 11 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To FREEZE: Ladle 1 1/2 cups into each of six resealable plastic bags. Store flat in freezer, up to 3 months. Before reheating, thaw in refrigerator.

Related Links:

Fresh/Canned Tomato Conversion Chart

How to Sneak in Veggies?

I have a 14 month old boy who would live on carbs, meat, cheese, yogurt and apple sauce if I'd let him. Any ideas for how to sneak in veggies or other tips for getting a toddler to eat a more rounded diet?

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

I am growing my own herbs this year and the basil finally reached the point where I could harvest some to use in my cooking. I decided to try my own Bruschetta. I searched around and this recipe seemed simple enough and I had all the ingredients. It turned out delicious and relatively quick and easy to make. Will definitely make again. Apologies I forgot to take pictures of my own food.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ingredients:

* 6 or 7 Ripe Plum Tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)

* 2 Cloves Garlic, minced

* 1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

* 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

* 6-8 (Med-Large) Basil Leaves, chopped

* Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

* 1 Baguette French Bread or similar Italian Bread

* 1/4 cup Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube or under cold water between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the steam area. (Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and thus easier to peel and there are fewer seeds and less juice.)

2. Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450 to preheat.

3. While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1TBS extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat ONE side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. Place tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, or until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

(Alternative Method/Traditional Method: You can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute per side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle 1/2 tsp of Olive Oil on each slice.)

5. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomato mixture, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

- Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer or 3-4 for lunch.

** Recipe adapted from SmiplyRecipes.com. Picture courtesy of SimplyRecipes.com

Vegetables in Dessert

I read Jessica Seinfield's book and I really tried to like the concept of vegetables in my dessert but I just couldn't do it. This recipe, however, is something I'll make an exception for. So, if you have any leftover summer squash / zucchini, it just might come in handy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Zucchini Bread

A friend recently brought me two zucchinis the size of police nightsticks. We've used some for dinner in our favorite saute recipe. But I still had a lot leftover so I decided to take some of them and make some zucchini bread. I used a recipe I found on another blog (here). It turned out wonderful! It actually reminds me of pumpkin bread, yum... It was especially good with an iced chai.

Mom's Zucchini recipe
From Kelly Sauer

Combine:
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Add:1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
2 cups grated zucchini

Bake in two greased and floured loaf pans or in one bundt pan for 50 minutes at 350°.

Roasted Green Beans

In my continual quest to find vegetables that we'll eat, I came across this recipe:

Toss fresh green beans with olive oil and some salt and roast in a 400-degree oven for 20-30-ish minutes until they're tender and slightly brown in places.

Make up a dressing along the lines of:

Vinegar
Oil
Sugar
Dill
Black pepper

Remove the beans from the oven, coat with dressing, and yummy! This is a "simple" one, Rachelle -- not a lot of ingredients. You may could try it with Ben. Our kids at least don't despise them.

-- SJ

Spring ahead with a light salad

It's getting warmer here and I thought a nice light salad might be a good recipe to post. I can't wait to try this one...

Salmon-Asparagus Salad

1 lb. fresh asparagus, diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 lb. salmon fillets
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens
3 plum tomatoes sliced
1 cub shredded carrots
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
14 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup bottled vinaigrette dressing (or homemade)

Arrange asparagus in a steamer basket over boiling water; cover and steam 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Sprinkle salmon with salt and peppers. Grill, covered with grill lid, over high heat 10 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness or until fish flakes with a fork. Flake salmon into chunks and plate over mixed greens. Toss with tomatoes, carrots, goat cheese, pine nuts; drizzle with vinaigrette.

Serves 6
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min

* Option: Use pre-grilled or smoked salmon to save prep time.
* Optional Subsitute feta for goat cheese

A tale of two soups...

This first soup is a favorite of mine. It is rather rich, so you may want to try serving it as an appetizer to compliment another dish rather than as a full entrée.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
3 lbs. Butternut squash, peeled, seeded & diced
2 Tbs. Butter
1 Cup chopped onion (or 2 tsp-1Tbs. of onion powder)
1 Garlic clove (crushed)
1 tsp. Ground coriander
1 tsp. Salt
3 Cups squash water and water (or chicken stock)
Chopped parsley

Directions:
1. Seed, peel, and dice squash
2. Simmer squash in boiling water 10-15 minutes, until tender (save water!).
3. Melt butter in small saucepan. Add onion and garlic, sauté until tender.
4. Stir in coriander and salt.
5. Add squash.
6. Add chicken stock (or squash water); heat to boiling.
7. Pour into blender; process until smooth. (If necessary, return to saucepan to reheat before serving.)
8. Pour into serving dish and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4-5 large bowls

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I confess I haven't tried this one yet, but this is the Tale of Two Soups, so one simply won't do. If someone tries this before I get a chance, let me know what you think. I do plan on making it in the coming weeks. :)

Cream of Acorn Squash Soup

Ingredients:
¾ large acorn squash (about 3 ¾ lbs.)
1 Tbs. & 1 ¼ tsp. butter or margarine
1/3 Cup & 1 tsp. chopped onion (or substitute onion powder)
2 Cups & 3 Tbs. Chicken broth
½ Cups 2 tsp. Dry white cooking wine (can omit and use more broth instead)
¾ tsp. Grated lime rind (optional)
¾ tsp. Fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp. Pepper
1/3 Cup & 1 tsp. Whipping cream (or substitute milk)

Directions:
1. Cut squash in half crosswise; remove seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a shallow pan. Add water to pan to depth of ½".
2. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slightly.
3. Scoop out pulp, discarding shells. Chop pulp; set aside.
4. Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion, and sauté until tender. Add chicken broth, wine (opt.), and chopped pulp. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add lime rind (opt.), juice, and pepper; cool.
5. Process half of broth mixture in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour into a large container. Repeat procedure with remaining broth mixture. Return both portions to Dutch oven.
6. Stir in whipping cream (or milk). Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until heated through.
Serves 4, hot or cold. Garnish if desired. (Suggested additional/optional ingredients include pumpkin pie spice or applesauce.)

~ Sarah

Butternut Squash Risotto

This recipe does not work well if you have small ones to tend to because it requires 30 minutes of constant stirring. But for those of you who do not have children or for a special dinner when the other parent is on duty, this is yummy, and a special treat.

2 C water, divided
2-14 oz. cans beef or vegetable broth
2 t olive oil
1/2 C finely chopped yellow onion
3 C cubed (3/4 in) peeled butternut squash (about 1 lb)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 & 1/2 C Arborio rice
1/2 C grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese (Asiago or Parmesan work too)
3 T butter
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley (I've used dried before too)

Bring 1&1/2 C water and broth to a simmer in a large saucepan. Do not boil; but keep warm over low heat.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, cook 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 C water, squash, salt, and pepper and cook 10 minutes or until squash is tender and water has almost evaporated. Add rice; stir until combined. Stir in 1/2 C broth mixture; cook until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 C broth mixture, stirring constantly until it is absorbed; repeat until broth mixture is gone (about 30 minutes total). Stir in cheese, butter and parsley. Ready to serve. Makes 4 servings as a main dish and 8 as a side.

A recipe that will get you a-head...with cabbage

I'm not sure how many of you are fans of cabbage, but this recipe is such a favorite at my home I thought it'd be worth sharing. This particular version of the recipe was given to me back when I was working at a 19th century village museum. Recently I learned that the English do not necessarily follow a recipe, to them Bubble 'n Squeak is made with any leftovers that are on hand. Either way, it's delicious. :)

Bubble 'n Squeak

½ Medium head cabbage, sliced
3 bacon strips diced chopped onion or onion powder
1 cup of ham (cooked and cubed)
1 Tbs. Butter
3 cups baked & cooked potatoes (thinly sliced)
½ tsp. Paprika
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Cook cabbage for 5 minutes until tender, drain & set aside.
2. Cook bacon & onion in a cast iron skillet (or frying pan if skillet is not available)
3. Add ham and cook till heated through
4. Add butter, mix in cabbage and potatoes
5. Season with paprika, salt & pepper
6. Cook until browned on bottom, turn and brown again.

Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4-6 (or 2 with leftovers)

- Sarah