Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

1 acorn squash

3 yellow squash

3 zucchini

2 cloves of garlic

2-3 roma tomatoes

1 onion

1 carrot

4-6 celery stocks

4 c. chicken broth

1 c. cream

sage and nutmeg (optional)

salt & pepper

Directions:

• Quarter butternut and acorn squash and place on a baking sheet.
• Spread melted butter over each of the squash pieces then sprinkle with salt, pepper, sage and whatever other spice you want.
• Cover lightly with foil and bake at 350 until soft (about 1 hour).
• Chop up the yellow squash, zucchini, and tomato into bite sized pieces.
• Mix together with chopped garlic, cover with foil, and place in the oven at 350 until cooked, but slightly firm (about 1 hour).
• Chop onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté in butter for a few minutes.
• Add 4 c. chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook until veggies are soft.
• When butternut and acorn squash are finished, remove them from the oven and scrape the flesh out of skin.
• Combine butternut and acorn squash with mixture in the pot, cook a few more minutes, then mix thoroughly in a blender until smooth.
• Add cream, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste.
• Add chopped squash mixture to the soup, draining if necessary.
• Allow to set for a few minutes, then serve warm

Butter Chicken (Coconut)

I previously posted about butter chicken here, with some general guidelines on this versatile classic and the recipe I followed that time. Last night, I changed it up, and it came out so easy and tasty that we decided to post exactly what went into it this time around. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Canola/veg oil

1 white onion, diced

1 tsp cumin seed or cumin powder

2-3 whole cardamom or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp garam masala or coriander powder

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp ginger powder or 1 tsp minced ginger

1 small green bell pepper

1-2 red chili peppers

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder

2-3 boneless chicken breasts, chopped in bite-sized pieces

1 can coconut milk

1 small can tomato sauce

About 1/2 - 1 tsp salt, to taste

1/2 tsp lime or lemon juice

Optional 1/2 tsp mint leaves or 1 tsp cilantro

1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pot or deep skillet
2. Fry onions on medium-low heat for several minutes until translucent
3. Add spices and peppers one at a time in the order listed, frying 1-2 minutes between each one
4. Add chicken and fry on medium heat until browned
5. Add can of coconut, bring to a boil, then let simmer for 5-10 minutes
6. Add tomato sauce, salt, and lime juice, then simmer for additional 10-30 minutes
7. Shortly before serving, add mint, cilantro, and butter
8. Serve over rice or with naan/roti

Salsa Verde Enchilada Casserole

4-6 corn tortillas (place on bottom of 9”x13” casserole dish)
2 c. frozen corn (spread on corn tortillas)
2 chicken breasts (boil and shred and spread over corn)

Mix together:
1 jar Salsa Verde (save 1/3 of jar)
1/2 c. sour cream
8 oz. (1/2 lb.) shredded cheese (save ½ )
Chopped cilantro according to taste

Pour mixture over shredded chicken, corn, and tortillas

Place 4-6 more corn tortillas over mixture, etc.
Spread the remaining 1/3 jar of Salsa Verde over tortillas
Sprinkle remaining 4 oz. shredded cheese on top

Put casserole in a pre-heated oven at 370 degrees for 20 minutes

Enjoy!

Almond Poppy Seed Cookies

½ c. sugar
½ c. packed brown sugar
½ c. butter, softened
1 egg
½ tsp. almond extract

Mix first set of ingredients together

1 2/3 c. flour
1-2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients together and then combine with
butter/sugar mixture

½ c. chopped almonds/walnuts/or shredded coconut

Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in chopped almonds, walnuts, or shredded coconut. Place on greased baking sheets.

Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire wracks

Yield: 30 cookies

Manjula's Kitchen

Want to try your hand at some Indian food but need a little more instruction than a recipe on the Internet? Take a look at the Manjula's Kitchen channel on Youtube. At the top of the list for me? Dosa!

Empanadas

The first few times we tried to make empanadas, we found the dough was a lot of work to make, and then baking them instead of frying them took away most of the goodness anyway. But then we discovered that the filling, which is easy and the main flavor anyway, works great just as a topping for noodles or rice. So here's our favorite recipe for the filling (courtesy of those little recipe cards they hand out at Walmart!)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 bell pepper (preferably red), minced
1 Tbsp garlic
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup olives (optional)
1 tsp tomato paste, or 3 tsp diced tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 small jalapeno, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

• Heat oil in skillet and fry onion until translucent
• Add peppers and garlic, cook until soft
• Add beef and cook until lightly browned
• Add 2 Tbsp water and remaining ingredients except for eggs.
• Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often
• Remove from heat and lightly stir in eggs
• Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Serve over brown rice, noodles, or in fried or baked empanada dough
  

Strawberry Pinwheel Cake

We first found this recipe in a magazine while waiting at the doctor's office right after our first child was born. We quickly scribbled it down, tried it at home, and loved it. We've made it many times since. I finally decided to add it to the blog, and within five minutes found the original recipe, along with the original picture, at the website for Taste of Home Magazine. What's that? June 2005 issue? Yep, that's it. Gotta love the Internet.

Ingredients

Cake:
4 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar

Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon curd (We use lemon juice and strawberry or lemon yogurt)
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in the water, oil and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture. Grease a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan and line with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Spread batter into pan.
• Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in lemon curd; gradually fold in strawberries.
• Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again; dust with confectioners' sugar. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.