butternut squash bisque

OK, so moving has really put a damper on my posting here... that and the fact that we've been eating pretty creative/bad for you foods to use up what we have. Here is a soup that I love. I usually do it in the crock pot. I bake the butternut squash ahead of time, puree it, and keep in the freezer. I've also done it with our jack-o-lantern. It's a great fall soup!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 or 2 butternut squash, roasted
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock (Pacific brand is the best store bought brand I have found)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• cayenne

Directions

1. Roast the butternut squash like you would normally in the oven, when done, scoop out the flesh.
2. Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots, saute for a few minutes.
3. Pour in vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender.
4. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup mixture with the roasted butternut squash until smooth. Return to the pot and add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. Heat through, but do not boil.

les pommes

Hi guys! I just made applesauce. It's delicious. It only took about an hour. I got the recipe here.
The only thing I did differently was that I used ground cinnamon instead of a stick. Carrie, what is your applesauce like? I'm going to freeze about half of it because I don't have any canning equipment.

CURRIED APPLE AND ZUCCHINI SOUP

this light cream soup has a lovely delicate flavor. it's a good choice for a first course at a dinner party. or if serving for two (like me) then i just paired the soup with a sourdough bread.

2 TBS. margarine or butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 apple, cored and chopped, do not peel. (the recipe didn't specify so i used a granny smith)

2 tsp curry

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup uncooked rice - can add more for a thicker soup

2 cups diced unpeeled zucchini - can add more to use whole zucchini

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1 cup milk

In saucepan, melt butter; saute' onion and apple until soft. Sprinkle with curry powder; cook stirring, for a few seconds.

Pour in chicken stock; bring to a boil.
Add rice, zucchini and salt. Cover and cook until rice and zucchini are tender, about 25 minutes.

Pout into blender and blend until smooth.

Return to pan and add milk. Heat through.

Serve hot

Makes 8 3/4 cup servings.

cooking asian

last night i was searching through one of my cook books and came across a picture of mandarin orange chicken stir-fry. it looked A-mazing.

so i decided to try it out.

i went to the store and bought the ingredients (which is a rare thing, i like to cook with what i have, but i was craving so i splurged)

let me just say

it turned out horrible! with a capital H.

it didn't look like the picture at all. and i really hope it wasn't supposed to taste that way cause i should just get rid of that cook book right now if it did.

but i have kind of noticed a trend in my cooking.

i am not very good at cooking asian dishes.

i wonder why?

does anyone else have this problem with a certain style of food? maybe it is just me.

i guess from now on i will just stick to asian take out.

creamy potato broccoli soup

Ingredients

• 6-8 golden potatoes
• 1 head of broccoli
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• Pepper to taste
• Shredded cheese for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Chop potatoes and broccoli into small pieces (I leave the skin on the potatoes)
2. Steam potatoes and broccoli (I use my rice cooker for this step)
3. Place potatoes and broccoli in blender
4. Add sour cream, chicken broth, and pepper.
5. Blend until smooth (depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do this in batches)
6. Pour directly into bowls
7. Top with cheese

This goes great with homemade bread bowls! MMMmmmm!

peanut butter fudge

This one always impresses people. Good thing it is super easy and quick! This is one of our favorites for potlucks and parties.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 8 oz. bar of chocolate

Directions

1. Mix butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar together
2. Microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes on high
3. Spread evenly into an 8 x 8 inch pan
4. Set aside
5. Pour chocolate chips into microwave safe bowl
6. Add chocolate bar
7. Melt in microwave for 2 minutes on high
8. Mix well
9. Quickly spread on peanut butter bottom
10. Smooth chocolate surface
11. Let cool

choc-oat-chip cookies

This is my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe these days (other than Rebecca's GIANT cookies!)...

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt (optional)
• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes

bechemel

First I'm going to tell you that cooking with cream-of-anything-soup makes me slightly uncomfortable. I don't mean anything by that, but it's true nevertheless. And in my desire to eat sour cream enchiladas and chicken bakes with sauce, I have devised an adequate solution: white sauce as a substitute. Here's the recipe I use from The Joy of Cooking cookbook:

Melt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat: 2 tablespoons butter.
Whisk in until smooth (about 1.5 minutes): 2 tablespoons all purpose flour.
Remove the pan from head and slowly whisk in: 1 cup of milk.
Return the pan to heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook 1 to 2 minutes.
(I always add salt and pepper and usually a couple of other spices or herbs. Tonight it was just some thyme, but I sometimes use paprika.)

It's so easy I don't even mess it up usually, and it was perfect in enchiladas and tonight I used it in a sausage/rice bake. I haven't tried it yet in the crockpot (the other great cream-of- cooking giant) but if I do (and if you'd care to know) I'll let you know how it goes. Plus, I love saying bechemel.

molasses cookies

These cookies take my hubby back to his childhood. I've never had anything quite like them. They are tasty! Thanks to my mother-in-law for her recipe! She sure is one fine meal woman.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup coarse sugar or granulated sugar

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside
2. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening until softened. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar; beat until fluffy. Add eggs and molasses; beat well.
3. Add half of the flour mixture beat until combined. Stir remaining flour in with a wooden spoon.
4. Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop shape dough into 2 inch balls. Roll in the sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 1/ inches apart.
5. Bake in a 350*oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. (Do not overbake or cookies will not be chewy.)
6. Let stand for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool.