Spicy Pumpkin Soup

I found this recipe on the  Simply Recipes website and decided to try it with a few substitutions. The result was a beautifully flavored soup with a hint of heat.

**I used coconut milk instead of dairy, and I substituted garlic powder for minced garlic, so I wouldn't have to use the food processor or blender. I omitted onions altogether for the same reason.

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp unsalted butter 

2 medium yellow onions, chopped 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 

Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin* 

5 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)** 

2 cups of milk 1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup heavy cream

*To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. 

Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use.

**If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free broth.

METHOD

1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.

2 Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.

4 With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.

Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted pumpkin seeds. 

Yield: Serves 8.

Irish Soda Bread

Many Southern families hail from Northern Ireland where soda bread (or farl) is a commonly made bread. This soda bread is super easy to make and tastes delicious with a hearty winter stew.

Ingredients:

• 4 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt (or sugar)
• 1.5 c. butter milk

Directions:

Knead together for one minute on floured surface. Form into ball, making a 1-inch deep ‘X’ in the top. Bake at 425 degrees fahrenheit for 35-45 minutes. Bottom of bread will sound hollow when done.

Italian Sweet Sausage with zucchini, sweet peppers, and pasta

Italian Sweet Sausage with zucchini, sweet peppers, and pasta

(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:

• 2 Sweet Italian Sausages, sliced into ½ inch pieces (uncooked from meat department)
• ¼ cup red wine
• 2 Tbs Canola oil
• 1 medium to large Zucchini, cubed
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ cup Jarred sweet red peppers
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ cup water
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese (1/4 cup per serving)
• Uncooked pasta (enough for 2-3 people)

Directions:

Over low heat, start cooking sausage slices with 1 tbs canola oil until both sides are browned. Add red wine. Continued cooking until sausage is cooked through.

In another sauté pan, add cubed zucchini, garlic, and sweet peppers with 1 tbs canola oil. Add butter and ½ cup water. Cook until zucchini is tender. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Cook pasta as directed by package.

Add layer of pasta, then zucchini mixture, then sausage slices in bowl. Top with 4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Fennel...more than just an herb

Read my article about the fennel plant here.

California Avocado and Mango with Yogurt, Honey and Lime | California Avocado Commission

California Avocado and Mango with Yogurt, Honey and Lime | California Avocado Commission

I tried this recipe today, substituting paprika for cayenne, and it turned out wonderful. It's very light and refreshing, perfect for a summertime salad or even a dessert.

Herb Spotlight: Dill

Read about the many uses of dill here! 

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Coconut Milk and Mint

The original recipe for this soup was from 911 Chef Eric, but the following is my modified version. The original recipe turned out too tangy (way too much lime juice), and I felt that Greek yogurt added the extra creaminess needed). Serves 8.

Ingredients:       (*signifies my modifications to original recipe)

• 2-3 large cucumbers, about 2 lbs.
• 1 3/4 cups of coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp Greek Yogurt*
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves*
• 1 lime, zested; juice of 1/2 lime
• salt to taste (I didn't need any with mine)

To garnish:

• mint leaves
• pinch of paprika
• 2-3 diced cucumbers

Directions:

• Peel cucumbers, and cut them in half, scraping out the seeds. Chop coarsely and place in colander over mixing bowl. Reserve a handful of cucumber dices for garnish.
• Sprinkle cucumbers with salt and allow to stand for 30 minutes. 
• Rinse cucumbers with cold water to remove salt, then pat dry with clean cloth.
• Place cucumbers, coconut milk, Greek yogurt, mint leaves (bruised), lime juice and zest into blender. Blend at high speed. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Serve soup in small glasses or bowls, garnishing with a few cucumber dices, a pinch of paprika, and a mint leaf.

Cook a whole chicken in 30 minutes...seriously

Before yesterday, I had never attempted to cook a whole chicken. I've cooked chicken breasts, pork loin, roasts, etc., but never a whole chicken. The idea scared me, as crazy as that sounds. I don't have a meat thermometer, so I had no way of really knowing if the thing would be completely cooked, and the idea of eating raw chicken makes me gag. 


However, Pampered Chef has a deep covered baker (stoneware) that is supposed to cook an entire chicken in the microwave--the microwave--in 30 minutes or less. Being a PC consultant, naturally, I have a deep covered baker, so I finally got up the courage to attempt cooking a whole chicken. 


And guess what? It turned out amazing. And, if the moist, flavorful chicken wasn't enough--the outside was a golden brown color! It browned the chicken, even though it was cooked in the microwave. 


Here's the recipe that I used to make this wonderful chicken. I'm not sure how it'll turn out in any other dish, so you may want to invest in a deep covered baker from PC to get the results that I got.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (gizzard, neck, insides removed)
• olive oil 
• seasoning of your choice (I used PC Moroccan Rub)
• sliced lemon

Directions:
Rinse chicken with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Brush entire surface of chicken with olive oil. Add seasoning to surface of chicken. Place sliced lemon into chicken cavity.

Place chicken in deep covered baker. Microwave uncovered for 25-30 minutes (7 minutes for each pound of chicken). Remove and check chicken. Stick knife in deepest part of chicken. If juices are clear, chicken is done (160 degrees fahrenheit--internal temp). If juices are pink, continue to cook.

Remove from microwave. Cover with lid for 10 minutes. Your chicken is ready! (And it should be golden brown). 

Martha Stewarts "Smashed Parsnips and Potatoes with Thyme"

I found this recipe in Martha Stewart Living magazine (Nov 2011), so I thought I'd give it a try. Parsnips isn't a common staple in the South. In fact, many Southerners couldn't identify a parsnip to save their lives. I was guilty of this until a few days ago myself. 


This dish tastes a bit like beefed up mashed potatoes and is really delicious. I would recommend adding 1/2 cup of milk or cream because the recipe is a bit dry for my taste.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 lbs. baby Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook parsnips with 1/4 teaspoon salt for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; cover with water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer until parsnips and potatoes are very tender but still hold their shape (12-14 minutes).

Drain parsnips and potatoes. Return empty sauce pan to high heat, allowing remaining water to evaporate. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil and thyme. Cook until thyme sizzles, about 1 minute. Add parsnips and potatoes, and smash with the back of wooden spoon until combined but still chunky. Season with salt and pepper. [Add cream or milk]. Drizzle with oil.

Refrigerate up to 2 days. Serves 4.

Tempting Bread Pudding...without using alcohol

Most of the recipes that I found for bread pudding called for brandy, rum, or bourbon. Since I don't keep alcohol on hand, I decided to try bread pudding and omitting the alcohol. It turned out wonderful. Here is my revised recipe.


This recipe yields 4-6 servings.

Ingredients:


1/2 loaf of French bread, cut into cubes
2 cups whole milk
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tbsp butter, melted

Pour milk into medium bowl. Add bread cubes. Press down to allow bread to absorb milk. In separate bowl, mix egg, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Pour egg mixture over bread and gently incorporate. Add raisins.

In 9x12 baking dish, add melted butter. Coat bottom and sides of dish to prevent bread from sticking. Add bread mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Bread will start to pull away from sides when done.

Drizzle with sauce.


Sauce for Bread Pudding


1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Bring all ingredients (except vanilla) to a boil in small sauce pan. When mixture boils, remove from heat and add vanilla. Drizzle over bread pudding when sauce thickens.

Sauteed Green beans with garlic and lemon zest

The following is a flavorful twist to this common side dish. This version is a variation of a recipe found on Food Network.

Ingredients:


2 lbs. green beans (the long kind)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter (unsalted)
1 tbsp cracked pepper (a blend of peppercorns is nice)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon zest
salt to taste

Cooking instructions:


Cook beans as instructed. (I use frozen steamers and they work great for this recipe). Shock beans in ice water to stop cooking.

In saute pan, combine oil, butter, garlic, pepper. Saute garlic until tender. Add green beans. Turn beans until they are coated with oil. Cook 5 minutes. Add lemon zest. Serve.

Serves 6-8 people.

Homemade Mayo...in less than 30 minutes

This homemade mayo recipe was shared by Molly Wizenberg in bon appètit magazine (April 2008). I don't usually like mayo, but this recipe caught my eye, so I decided to try it for myself.

Ingredients:

1 large egg yolk   *to avoid the risk of salmonella, you can use pasteurized egg yolk instead
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
3/4 cup canole oil, divided

Directions:

Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds.

Using 1/4 teaspoon measure, and whisking constantly, add 1/4 cup oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4 minutes.

Gradually add remaining cup oil in very slow stream, whisking constantly, until mayo is thick, about 8 minutes. Mayo will be lighter in color. Cover and chill.

Can be made up to 2 days in advance. Keep chilled.

Cinnamon Apple Jelly

This recipe is from Pamela Bennett's Jams and Jellies in Less Than 30 Minutes, as printed in Southern Lady Magazine (September/October 2011)

Cinnamon Apple Jelly
Makes 1 pint


Ingredients:


1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 2/3 cups unsweetened apple juice, divided
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 stick cinnamon
1 drop yellow food coloring
1 drop red food coloring
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:


1. Bloom, or soften, the gelatin in 1/4 cup apple juice.

2. Combine remaining apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and food coloring in a saucepan. Boil approx. 7-8 minutes to reduce to one-third. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in sugar and softened gelatin mixture until they dissolve. Discard cinnamon stick. Pour into sterilized jars. Cover tightly. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.