Monday, November 28, 2016

Autumn Squash Soup


recipe and image from here


I loved having this sweet soup at Panera, so found a copy cat recipe.

Panera Bread's Autumn Squash Soup
1 extra large butternut squash
2-3 T. extra virgin coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
15 oz. pumpkin
1-1/2 c. apple juice
1-1/2 c. vegetable broth
1-1/2 c. half-and-half
1-1/2 T. honey
1/4 t. curry powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1-1/2 t. sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 t. black pepper
roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
Preheat oven to 450°.
Peel squash.
Remove seeds and cut in chunks.
Place in baking dish or on cookie sheet and drizzle with oil.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.
Mash squash with a potato masher and place in a large stock pot.
Add pumpkin, apple juice, half-and-half and vegetable broth.
Puree ingredients with an immersion blender until well mixed.
Add honey, curry, cinnamon, salt and pepper and heat through about 10-15 minutes at a low simmer.
To serve, garnish bowls of soup with roasted pumpkin seeds.

NOTE: Adjust the apple juice, vegetable broth and half-and-half according to how large your butternut squash is. If the squash is smaller, decrease liquids. If it’s a whopper you may have to increase this amount. I increased these amounts above the original recipe because I had a whopper butternut squash.


Dee's notes: I just half, clean and roast the squash instead of cutting. I only had apple/pomegranate juice so used that. I used chicken broth instead of veggie. I used a bit of left over sweetened condensed milk with 2% instead of half and half. AND, finally, it didn’t taste as sweet as Panera’s…so I added a little brown sugar. But other than that : ) I followed the recipe!!

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, Green Chili Pumpkin Soup

recipe and image from here


Today I'm posting a couple more recipes I want to try, but haven't yet.
Scott won't go for the Pumpkin Soup,
but said he is looking forward to the Cheesecake Strawberries!



Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
24 strawberries (medium to large)
8 oz. light cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

1. Remove the tops of all the strawberries and and cut out a cone shape from inside the middle of each strawberry with a paring knife - a little well to be filled with cream cheese mixture.

2. Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Fill a ziploc bag with the cream cheese mixture (filling it into one of the corners). 

3. Twist the top of the bag and snip the corner of the bag with the filling.
4. Squeeze filling into each strawberry and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

YIELD: MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN STRAWBERRIES






recipe and image from here



Green Chili Pumpkin Soup
4 oz. diced green chiles, divided
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. cilantro
1 small onion, diced
1 t. oil
1 can pumpkin puree
1 can vegetable broth
1/2 c. water
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. ground red pepper


1) In a food processor, combine 1/2 of the chiles, sour cream and cilantro. Process until smooth. Set aside.

2) Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion and remaining chiles. Saute for about 5 minutes or until onions are softened. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and red pepper. Cook for 1 minutes or until fragrant.

3) Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If soup is not smooth enough, use an immersion blender to make it smoother…this is totally optional!

4) Swirl sour cream mixture into soup just before serving.

The sour cream mixture adds a cooling component and a little tartness to the the soup. I think it is the perfect compliment. Plus, you can get this to the table in under 30 minutes which means it is the perfect weeknight meal for fall and winter too.

Friday, November 11, 2016

Teriyaki Chicken Salad, Better Than Thin Mints... Grasshopper Poke Cake

recipe and image from here




I saw this recipe and wanted to try it. 

The event was a friend's surprise birthday lunch for four. 
This salad, sparkling cider and the yummy cake another guest made 
(see recipe below) made it fun.




Teriyaki Chicken Salad

For the Salad
3-4 Chicken Breasts, cooked in Teriyaki sauce, sliced thin
(or use the pre-cooked Teriyaki Chicken by Tyson at Costco)
1 Large Bag of Spring Salad Mix
1 Can Mandarin Oranges, drained
1 c. Celery, sliced *optional
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
1 Can Pineapple Chunks, drained
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 c. Raspberries
1 c. Cashews
Dressing (recipe follows)


Dressing
In a blender combine,
¾ c. White Sugar
1 t. Dry Mustard
2½ T. White Vinegar
2½ T. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T. Diced, Purple/red Onion
1 c. Canola Oil
1½ T.  Poppy Seeds


For the Salad
In a large platter, flat to spread out, arrange the lettuce with all of the other ingredients on top, leaving the cashews to be added right before serving, so as to not get soggy.
Sometimes it's also nice to just arrange the ingredients around the side, so everyone can take what they want if it is being served family style in a casual setting.
Drizzle the dressing and top with cashews, serve immediately.


For the Dressing
Blend the sugar, mustard and vinegars on high until thoroughly mixed, this should only need a few pulses. Turn off the blender.
Add the purple onion. Turn the blender back on and in a slow, steady stream drizzle in the canola oil.
Add in the poppy seeds and give the blender a few quick pulses to mix in the poppy seeds. Chill and serve over the salad.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 6-8 servings



recipe and image from here



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Better Than Thin Mints... Grasshopper Poke Cake

1 chocolate cake mix + water, oil, eggs as listed on the box
1 - 14.5 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 - 12.8 oz jar Hershey's Special Hot Fudge Sauce
1 - 10 oz package Keebler Fudge Mint Cookies (or Thin Mints, when in season)
1 - 16 oz container cool whip (I like lite)
1 Duncan Hines Mint flavor packet
1 c. Andes Mint chips


Prepare and bake the cake mix in a 9x13 baking dish. Allow to cool completely.
Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly across the entire cake (about 20 holes). Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the cake, trying to fill the holes.
Heat the hot fudge sauce in a small bowl in the microwave. 30-40 seconds should do the trick, you jut want it to soften a little.
Crumble half of the fudge mint cookies into the hot fudge sauce and mix. Spread the cookie/fudge sauce over the cake.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mint packet and the cool whip. Spread the whipped topping over the fudge layer.
Crumble the remaining cookie crumbs over top of the cool whip. Sprinkle the Andes Mint chips over top.
Refrigerate and chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
Cut and serve. Serves 12-15.