B is for Butternut Squash Soup

I've had plenty of mediocre butternut squash soups.  They often need salt or lack some type of seasoning and typically they're too watery.  Why do so many chefs add apples and baking spices to butternut soup?  It's not dessert!  In my opinion, it should be more savory and less sweet.  I've ordered squash soup at restaurants before feeling confident that I'm making a smart, healthy choice, but after a few spoonfuls I feel disappointed.  Anyone else felt this way before?  In my mind, butternut squash soup might as well be called "jealousy soup," because I'm usually envious of the appetizers other people ordered.        

Many butternut squash soups disappoint, but this is an absolutely fantastic recipe.  I've made it a dozen times and for some reason, we don't tire of it quickly.  Peter and I like to have a small bowl as a first course to our meal and sometimes we pack it in our lunch bags with half a sandwich.  The flavors from roasting the squash and caramelizing the onions make it very special and give it the savory quality that I crave in a soup.  The blend of herbs--parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme--is absolutely perfect.  Fresh herbs are essential!  If you want to cut back though, at least use fresh rosemary and thyme.  When I prepare this soup, I use homemade chicken stock, but I'm sure the canned version would be just fine as long as you get the low-sodium version to control the saltiness.  If you want to make this vegetarian friendly, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.  Now, as a disclaimer: this recipe is not low-fat.  There will be heavy cream involved.  However, this soup is so rich, flavorful, and creamy, a relatively small serving is satisfying.  Expect to see empty bowls!  

Butternut Squash Soup
adapted from Tim Douglas' Seattle Kitchen

3-4 lb. butternut squash
olive oil for brushing squash
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 c. thinly sliced onions (about 2 onions)
3 c. chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1/2-3/4 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
creme fraiche and thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Brush the cut edges with olive oil and place on a baking sheet, cut side down.  Roast the squash until very soft, about 80 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  When cool enough to handle, scoop the squash out of the skin and set aside.

While the squash is roasting, caramelize the onions.  Heat the butter with the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally until they are soft and golden brown, 20-30 minutes.  Do not let them burn or become crispy.  Set aside.

In a food processor fitted with a standard chopping blade, process the squash, onions, and 1 cup of chicken stock until smooth.  This may need to be done in two batches, depending on your food processor.  Pour the puree into a large pot.  Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and heat the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Add the heavy cream, chopped herbs, and vinegar.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with a swirl of creme fraiche and a thyme sprig.  This soup can be made a few days before you plan to serve it; just store it in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.     
 

M is for Moroccan Vegetable Stew

When I hear this word "stew" I usually think of warm red meat meals in the coldest woes of winter.  I'll share with you today a stew, but this one is unlike any you're used to.  It includes fresh spring vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and onion.  It has fluffy couscous served along side and a sprinkling of toasted slivered almonds that give it a nice crunch.  It has the sweetness of cinnamon and golden raisins and the glorious kick of curry powder that I welcome in any season.  This is my Moroccan Vegetable Stew.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew
adapted from Pampered Chef

1 lb. small red potatoes or new potatoes
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 chopped onion
1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root
1 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 c. vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes in sauce
1/2 c. golden raisings
2 c. hot cooked couscous (original)
toasted slivered almonds as garnish

Cut the small potatoes in half using a crinkle cutter or a knife.  Use a crinkle cutter to decoratively cut carrots and zucchini in half-moon shapes.  Set aside.  Chop onion finely and add to hot oil in a dutch oven or large pot with the potatoes.  As the onions become translucent, grate the ginger root over the cooking onions and potatoes and stir in the garlic.  Stir in curry powder and cinnamon and cook for about 3 minutes.  Stir in the flour until it coats the onions and potatoes.  Add the vegetable or chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, carrots, squash, and zucchini.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.  Stir in the raisins and then remove from the heat.  To toast almonds, toss a handful of almonds into a saute pan over medium heat and stir frequently for 3-5 minutes.  When serving this dish, add hot cooked couscous and sprinkle with some toasted almonds.

    

K is for Kale Chips

I'm not a big fan of kale.  It's okay and I know it's healthy, but kale is just not a green I regularly pick up at the grocery store.  I used to eat it as a kid because my aunt told me it was like horse food and I loved horses.  That logic seems so silly to me now, but children will go along with just about anything, right?

Having a pound and a half in the farm box motivated me to try out a new kale recipe.  And honestly, when I say "recipe," that's a stretch.  This snack practically prepares itself.  I tore the leaves off the stalks into chip-sized pieces and put them on a cookie sheet.  Then I drizzled them with olive oil and tossed the leaves around a bit.  Finally, I sprinkled them with salt and toasted them in the oven at 375 F for 15 minutes.  I turned them halfway through with a spatula, and that was about the most difficult part of this recipe.  Done.

We had enough kale for three cookie sheets, so I did one sheet with plain salt, one with cayenne pepper, and one with garlic salt and grated parmesan cheese.  You just sprinkle on your favorite seasoning before you throw it in the oven.  My favorite was definitely the parmesan cheese version, but they were all good!  Baked kale chips don't shrink down like spinach in the way that it wilts.  They crisp up quickly and stay crisp for about 1 day.  I thought they were significantly better when a little warm and toasty, but you'll have to give it a try and see what you think!

Horses (or kids) would probably love them!        

        

 

P is for Peanut Lime Noodles

I'm feeling guilty that my last post didn't even include a recipe; it only had a link to one of my favorite blogs.  I was being lazy and sometimes we all feel that way.  The next time you're feeling lazy and don't want to venture to the grocery store for dinner ingredients, try Ellie Krieger's aromatic noodles with lime peanut sauce.  It's a vegetarian dish, but it's simple and relatively healthy and you can use any green peas, beans, or broccoli you have in the fridge.

This recipe works for me as a "pantry meal" because I usually have all that I need for it in the pantry: soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, ginger, peanuts, brown sugar.  If you don't have fresh ginger, use ground ginger.  I like to keep a ginger root in my freezer for a few weeks at a time and just grate off what I need and slip the root back in the freezer when I'm done.  Easy.  If you don't have scallions on hand, you could use some chives instead from an herb pot, dice a quarter of a sweet onion, or just skip it.  If you don't have a lime to squeeze, check your fridge for bottled lime juice.  In desserts and salsas, I think fresh lime juice is required; for this pasta dish, it's optional.

This meal is easy, affordable, satisfying, and it's a whole lot better for you than ordering in!   

Peanut Lime Noodles
adapted from Ellie Krieger

1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
2 c. stir fry greens, like broccoli, snow peas, sugar snap peas, or even green beans
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. water
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 scallion
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely grated (or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 c. shelled peanuts (optional garnish)

Cook the pasta in a large pot, drain, and rinse with cold water.  While  the pasta is cooking, steam your green vegetables for 3-8 minutes, depending on how crisp you prefer them and which vegetable you choose (broccoli will take longer than peas, etc.).

If you'd like to garnish your dish with crunchy peanut bits, then toast the 1/2 c. of peanuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes and set them aside to cool.

In your blender, make the sauce by pureeing the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, sugar, and red pepper flakes.

Toss the 1/2 lb. of pasta with about 3/4 c. of the peanut sauce and use tongs to evenly coat the noodles.  Serve the pasta immediately with the steamed vegetables on the side.  Sprinkle the dish with the roasted peanuts.  I serve the remaining sauce at the table so people can drizzle it over their vegetables.

When it's time for cleanup, put the remaining sauce on any leftover noodles before you put it away in the fridge.  These savory noodles are great cold or warmed up again in a packed lunch, but they absorb a lot of the sauce over time, so even if it seems like a lot of liquid at first, it won't seem that way the next day.  Trust me!

E is for Empanadas

Inspired by Bobby Flay's Throw Down, Cooking Light magazine, and a food blog I like (Four Seasons of Food) I decided to explore the world of Empanadas.  When Peter and I honeymooned in Cabo last summer, we had some incredible empanadas, but I have never made them.  On a health kick, I didn't want to fry them.  I searched for recipes that involved a simple crust, veggies, and baking the tasty meat pies.  I settled on sweet potato black bean empanadas.  I hoped that the sweet potato puree would keep them moist even if I didn't fry them.


My results?  Well, they were kind of dry...but the flavor was awesome!  The stuffing was fantastic, so really, I just need to work on that crust and making it more delicate and crispy.

Sweet potato and Black Bean Empanadas
from Cooking Light December 2010 and Four Seasons of Food

2 c. all-purpose flour 
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 c. veggie oil
1/4 c. cold water
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp hot smoked paprika
3/4 tsp chili powder
1 c. mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Combine flour and 3/4 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix together with a whisk. In a medium bowl, combine canola oil, water, vinegar, and egg. Slowly add oil mixture to flour mixture, mixing until just moist. Turn dough onto a work surface and knead until smooth. Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove pan from heat. Combine cumin, paprika, chili powder, sweet potatoes, black beans, onions, garlic, cilantro, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl and mash with a fork until well combined.

Divide dough into 10 equal portions, and shape each into a ball. Working with one ball at a time (keep remaining dough covered), roll dough out into a 5-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  It should be pretty thin!  Add 3 level tablespoons of sweet potato mixture to the center of the circle. Brush egg white around the rim of the dough, and fold dough over filling into a half moon shape. Pinch edges together to seal. Place empanadas on a large baking sheet coated with spray oil. Make 3 diagonal slashes on the top of each empanada using a sharp knife. Bake at 400 deg F until lightly browned, 16-20 minutes.  

One thing-  I wish I had some sort of delicious sauce to go with these empanadas, but I settled for a dab of sour cream.  Peter enjoyed snacking on these while we played Mario Galaxy on the Wii together. : )  And yes, I played a video game.  

P is for Pizza

Today as I was rattling off things to make for dinner, Peter asked if we could just order a pizza.  No, we will not just order a pizza!  It might be a big day for football playoffs, but I've been wanting to make my own pizza dough & I simply can't have Dominos do the job for me.

Because I've never made my own dough, I needed a true side-by-side comparison so that I'll know in the future if the homemade dough trouble is really worth it.  Yeast, kneading, rising, resting, etc...it's definitely more complicated than the wonderfully simple can of pizza dough.  God bless you, Pillsbury, but I need a new challenge!  I made one pizza using a can of refrigerated dough on a cookie sheet and one pizza using homemade dough on our pizza stone.

 The homemade dough didn't rise as much as I thought, and I was quite nervous about the "activeness" of my yeast.  However, the dough rose nicely in the oven at 425 and it was sturdy enough to support lots of delicious toppings- pepperoni, onions, green pepper, zucchini, and some spinach.  The homemade dough's crust by itself wasn't as delicious, but it looked a bit more appealing.  The canned dough was softer, but not as thick, and had good flavor, but not as much as the homemade.  When I blindfolded Peter, he guessed incorrectly as to which was homemade and he said that he preferred the homemade (when he thought it was the canned!).

So, I think the homemade pizza dough is worth it.  Here's the recipe incase you want to try it:


Pizza Dough

adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook


1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. warm water (100-110 degrees)
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups flour (I used 1 c. all purpose & 1 c. whole wheat)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt


Combine the water, yeast, vinegar, & olive oil in your stand mixer with a dough hook.  Mix until just blended and then add 1 cup of flour.  In a different bowl, mix together the rest of the flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the dry mixture slowly to your wet dough and beat slowly until thoroughly combined.  Mix for 2 minutes more at medium speed.


Put the dough ball in an olive-oiled bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel.  Let it rest at room temp for 30 minutes.


Roll out the dough on a floured counter and cover with a damp kitchen towel.  Let it rest for 10 minutes, and then top it with your favorite sauce, cheese, and veggies or meat.


I cooked the pizza at 425 for 15 minutes.  The book suggests 500 for 10 minutes, but they also divide the dough to make smaller personal pizzas.  To each his own!