Butternut Squash Soup WOW!

For years I have loved the butternut squash soup made by Campbell's but it was too little soup for a family of four and too much money, even on sale. I have an aversion to spending more than a dollar for prepared soup when I know how easy soup is to make. Yet, in all this time, I have never tried to make it myself. Perhaps I feared disappointment knowing it wouldn't be the same, or maybe I knew, as I have since discovered it is a little more time consuming than I prefer. But having succeeded, it is worth the time.

So what takes so much time? Prep work. I prefer doing one thing while something else is brewing, baking, or rising in the background. This soup requires advance planning or other projects to occupy your time while the squash bakes. If you think you can bake the squash while making the soup base you're wrong. Either the potatoes in the base will turn to starch waiting for the squash to cool or you'll burn your hands scraping the squash from the skin. I suffered the later. I'm glad I have soup to comfort me!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Step 1

Oven 350 degrees

Slice a medium butternut squash longways.

Remove seeds.

Place flat side down in a casserole pan with 1 inch of water.

Bake 35-45 minutes. It is done when a fork can easily pierce the skin and the underside gives when pressed.

Remove from the pan and LET IT COOL.

Scoop the insides out with a spoon leaving the skin behind.

Set aside.

Step 2

One soup pan

Saute 1/2 a sweet onion- minced- in margarine.

Add 1 stalk of celery with leaves, finely chopped.

Then add 1 medium carrot- peeled and chopped

along with 1 cup of water.

Next,

Peel and cube 4 medium potatoes

Yes, regular brown Idaho potatoes work fine. You don't need the floury reds or yellows.

Add diced potatoes and 2 cups of water.

You want the water to just cover the potatoes. Too much water in this recipe will mean a watery, not creamy soup. It'll be hard to resist adding water after the next step because the smell will be so concentrated, but don't do it.

After the potatoes have cooked but still retain their shape,

add 2 Knorr Vegetarian Bouillon cubes.

The smell will be strong but it's important to not add any liquid. You will get all the liquid you need from the squash.

Cook just long enough to dissolve the cubes.

Add the chunks of butternut squash, stir well.

Step 3

The food processor

I have a larger food processor otherwise you'll have to work with what you have and recombine everything in the soup pot later.

Pour the soup into the food processor with the blade in place. Puree everything.

Add 1 TSP salt

and 1 TSP ground pepper

and 2 TBSP of cream cheese

Puree until well blended.

Serve and enjoy.

If you reheat this, careful not to scald it now that the cream cheese has been added.

Southwestern Corn Soup

One soup pot

One baking sheet

One food processor

Roast 2 red peppers for 12 minutes.

Oven : 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Slice red bell peppers into 2-3 inch slices so they are almost flat on the pan, skin side down. After 8 minutes, flip over and cook 4 more minutes. Some people like their peppers skinned, I prefer the skins on to save the nutritional value.

Saute

1/2 - 3/4 finely chopped sweet onion

3 tsp garlic

Then add chopped roasted red peppers,

1/2 to 1 jalapeno, sliced

and 2 cans of corn kernels, drained.

Add 2 cups of water and cook while you prepare the potatoes.

Peel and dice 3 medium potatoes.

Add potatoes to the pot along with 1 cup of water. The water should just cover the potatoes.

Cook about 10-15 minutes allowing the potatoes to cook but retain their shape.

Add 2 Knorr vegetarian bouillon cubes,

plus 1 tsp ground black pepper and

1/2 can of rotel tomatoes with cilantro and lime.

Cook 5 minutes.

Then drain off 2 cups of vegetables.

Place vegetables in a food processor

with 6 oz cream cheese and

1 cup of whole milk.

Puree

Add this back to the soup.

Add 1 tsp salt.

Stir until warm.

Remove from heat and serve.

If you have any tortilla chip crumbs, add these to the soup to give it a little crunch.

Aloo Mutter

The Aloo Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) recipe can easily be changed to Aloo Mutter (potatoes and peas). Simply replace the cauliflower with frozen peas. The rules for fresh v. frozen still apply. So easy and so tasty.

Aloo Gobi

Once again I've grabbed a recipe, researched it, and tweaked it to make it my own.

ALOO GOBI
(Indian spiced potato & cauliflower)

Saute
1/4 stick margarine
1/2 sweet onion finely chopped

After the onion is translucent, add
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp minced garlic
Cook 2-3 minutes, just long enough for the garlic to cook but not burn.

Add
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed small
1/3 - 1/2 head of cauliflower
If you use frozen cauliflower, add the cauliflower about ten minutes after the potatoes. Frozen will break up if cooked too long.
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala or 1 tsp chole masala
1 tsp chili powder

Add just enough water to cover the mix.
Cook 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are done. This means you have to add water to keep it going.

Add
1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt as the dish finishes and mix well.

The end batch should be thick, sticking to the potatoes and cauliflower. You want the potatoes to cook through but maintain their shape.

With the potato in the dish, don't serve over rice. Rather, have a side of bread (naan).

Indian Spiced Rice with Peas

This recipe has become a staple in our house.

INDIAN SPICED RICE WITH PEAS
In a saute pan
Melt
2 tbsp margarine
Add
7 green cardamom seeds
2-7 black cardamon seeds (these are optional because they are expensive and hard to come by)
1 tsp cumin seed
7 cloves
2 inch cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ginger paste
Saute until the cumin seeds crackle and the smell of the spices is released.
Measure
3 cups water
Add just enough of the water to the saute pan to ensure the garlic cooks thoroughly. This should take only 2-3 minutes.
Measure
1 cup long grain basmati rice
into a microwave safe round casserole pan.
Put spice mixture and remaining water in the rice bowl. Use some of the water to rinse all the spice mixture out of the saute pan. Mix well.
Microwave for 10 minutes.
Add
1 cup frozen peas,
mix well,
and microwave another 8 minutes.
Salt to taste.
ADVICE: As you eat, you will want to set aside the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom seeds and cloves. Otherwise, you'll get a burst of flavor unknown to most western palates.

Molasses Spice Cookies

I found this recipe for Molasses Spice Cookies in Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours. I don't have the patience for cookie recipes which require you to chill the dough, blah, blah. So I just made it a drop cookies recipe instead. The ingredients remain the same, except I used salted butter and dark brown sugar.

MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

350 degree oven

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Whisk together

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

2 TSP baking soda

1/2 TSP salt

2 TSP ground ginger

1/2 TSP ground cinnamon

1/4 TSP ground allspice

double pinch of black pepper

In a separate bowl mix well

12 TBSP salted butter, room temp

1 CUP packed dark brown sugar

1/2 CUP regular molasses

1 large egg

Stir dry mix into wet & mix well.

Finish off with a blender.

Place 1/2 CUP granulated white sugar in a shallow bowl,

then drop spoonfuls of dough into bowl.

Coat each dough ball (1 1/2 inch) with sugar.

Place cookies about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lemon Cookies

Eat these lemon cookies right out of the oven for their softness. Allowed to cool, they become crisp, but remain just as delicious.

LEMON COOKIES

Prep time 15 minutes

Oven 350 degrees

Mix together

1 stick of salted butter, softened**

**30 seconds in the microwave will do the trick

and 1 cup of white sugar

Add in

1 egg

1/8 cup whole milk

1 TSP lemon extract

rind of half a lemon, finely grated

Beat 3 minutes until light and fluffy

In a separate bowl whisk together

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 TSP salt

1 TSP baking powder

1/8 TSP baking soda

Stir dry mix into the wet,

then finish off with a mixer for 2-3 minutes

Add 4-6 drops of yellow food coloring.

Mix until color is spread evenly throughout.

Place 1/3 cup of white sugar in a shallow bowl.

Drop teaspoons of dough into bowl one at a time rolling into a ball about 1-11/2" in size. Coat all sides with sugar.

Colored sugar is great. Try pink sugar with the yellow of the cookies for a beautiful treat.

Place sugar coated balls onto greased cookie sheet about 2-3 inches apart.

Press down with thumb in the middle of each dough ball just enough that the ball doesn't roll, but not too deeply.

Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Served warm, the lemon cookies are warm, soft and fragrant. Once they cool they will become crisp, not hard, still delicious, and perfect for lunch boxes.

Curried Chana Dal Soup

I wanted to make a different dal than my usual thick version. Inspired by a watery light dal at Udipi Cafe, delicate in flavor, I researched numerous recipes. Not finding the thin variety, I selected a few staple spices and started experimenting with two types of beans I had on hand. The bean I needed to use primarily was a split red dal that I have had disappointing results from previously. Determined to make use of a bean that loses its color and cooks down to nothing, I decided that I would use it with the tried and true chana dal I love. Because the split red dal cooks so quickly, I decided to add it after the chana had cooked down. The red dal served to thicken the soup and when it cooked through, it gave the soup an unexpected creaminess. While the dal I ended up with wasn't what I went looking for, the dal turned out creamy, mild, and with a pleasing scent. It is a nice change from the thick spinach dal I usually make. I'll be glad to add this to my rotation.

The difference between the red split dal and the chana dal is not only apparent in color, but also in thickness.

CURRIED CHANA DAL SOUP

Cooking time: 2 hours

Water : add water throughout as you see fit

Boil 1 cup Chana Dal 1 hour over medium heat

Add 1 cup Red Split Dal. Cook additional 20 minutes.

The red dal will break down and begin to thicken the soup. More frequent stirring is required from this point forward.

Add

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

1/2 TBSP garlic paste

1/2 TBSP ginger paste

20 curry leaves **optional

Cook additional 20 minutes over medium heat.

At this point carefully consider the water you add because it won't cook down much further. Based on how thick, thin or creamy you want the final product, remember that once the salt is added it's hard to avoid sticking if you don't stir or to thicken it much more.

Turn heat to LOW and

Whisk in

1/2 TSP black mustard seed

1/4 TSP ground coriander

1/2 TSP ground cumin

2 TSP turmeric

1 TSP cayenne pepper

2 TSP Madras Hot Curry powder

1 TSP salt

Cook 20 minutes over low heat.

Rajmah :Indian Spiced Red Kidney Beans

Once again it seems overstocked sale items have led to a new experiment. This time it's Rajmah (also spelled Rajma), Indian spiced red kidney beans. It was my first time trying to make this dish, As always, I went online for ideas, found similarities and some differences in ingredients, and had to go looking for some substitution ideas. For example, star anise has a similar flavor to fennel. Not having the anise, I opted for fennel. Others changes were off the top of my head. After eating Indian food for quite a few years, I've learned which spices compliment each other. Not to mention, the old fashioned method of taste as you go, which always helps.

RAJMAH : Indian Spiced Red Kidney Beans

Using 3 TBSP margarine
Saute lightly

2 TSP garlic paste

2 TSP ginger paste

2 bay leaves
1 TSP fennel seed

Add

1 TBSP oil

1/2 sweet onion, minced

Saute until the onions are done.

Add

1QTY 15-16 oz can of diced tomatoes, liquid included

1QTY 2inch cinnamon stick

1 chili pepper, whole

Cook about 5 minutes

Then add

2 cups water

2 cans of red kidney beans, about 32 oz total, rinsed and drained

2 TSP cumin powder

1 TSP ground coriander

1 TSP garam masala

1 TSP sugar

1/2 TSP spearmint, crushed and dry

2 TBSP dried cilantro

Set the heat to medium low and allow to cook down until a thick sauce forms. It took about 30 minutes simmering and the flavors mixed beautifully.

Remove the 2 bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Serve the chili pepper to the heat lover in your family.

Chana Masala

CHANA MASALA

Serves 4-6

One pan- a deep saute pan

Saute slowly
1/2 stick margarine
3/4 vidalia (sweet) onion finely chopped
then
2 tsp minced garlic after the onion has cooked a while

When the onion is translucent, add

1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 tablespoons chopped tomatoes (I used canned diced tomatoes)
1 cup water
2 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer
Then add
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chana (chloe) masala**
1/4 tsp cardamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 tsp lemon juice
1 heaping tsp or ginger paste or 1 teaspoon ginger powdered. Fresh ginger will yield a hotter batch, try a scant 1/2 tsp fresh ginger instead of powdered. My preference is for the ginger paste because it has vinegar in it and this adds a slight tartness to the dish.

**Garam masala is more commonly found and can be used, however, eliminate the cardamon. I don't like the Garam masala because I think it's a bit too sweet and I find the hint of cinnamon distracting.

Remove about a cup of chick peas, mash and return to the pan.
Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. You want to create a thick sauce. The mash helps it reach this point. If the sauce isn't thickening, use a fork to mash a little more of the chick peas.

Chana Masala with a side of my chunky raita.

This can be served over rice, preferable if the sauce is a little thin, or try papads to scoop up a thickened version.

Chunky Raita

CHUNKY RAITA

Mix together
16 oz plain yogurt plus

Grate 1 whole cucumber, medium or large. Peel if waxed. Include the juice when you add the cucumber to the mix.

1 stalk green onion. Cut the green part into tiny circles.
*Mince the white part and set aside for the true onion lovers to use as a topping.

Dice and add 1 or 2 small roma tomato including juice and seed.

1/2 tsp cumin ground

1/2 tsp cayenne or 1 tsp chili powder will do if you fear the hotter stuff

1 heaping TBSP mint chutney or 2-3 tbsp fresh mint or 2 tbsp dried mint, if nothing else is available. The mint chutney is preferable because most are made with a "bite".

Refrigerate.

Some raita purists argue that mint chutney should be separate from raita. I admit my raita does cheat by adding the coolness of the mint to the coolness of the yogurt but it is well worth a taste.

Spinach Dal

Spinach Dal

1 cup chana dal
This is the chunkier split dal.(Almost twice the thickness of split peas.)
The paper thin split dal is worthless if you want a thick option on the soup. The thicker dal also soaks up the water and flavor better.

Boil until almost done.

Add
3/4 vidalia (sweet) onion
4 tsp minced garlic
1 cup frozen chopped spinach

Cook until onions are soft. The dal should be fully cooked by now.

NOTE: As with all my soups, I never measure the water, adding as I see fit. Some like a thin dal; my husband wants a dal to hand ladle with naan. To each their own.

Taste as you go along. Experiment and have fun. Open your sinuses!
Remember to allow time for the flavors to infuse. A dal should simmer.
The picture above shows where I have cooked this dal down to half to thicken it.

Add
1 TSP turmeric
2 TSP chili powder
1 TSP ground ginger (a one inch knob minced fresh is so much better and hotter but I never seem to have any on hand.
2 tsp chana masala
1 tsp garam masala

Cook at least 10 minutes more

Add 1 tsp salt. Taste and add 1/2 tsp more if it suits your taste.

**For those seeking serious burn,
finely chop 2 green chilis.
I bought a handful of small green chilis and strung them to dry. As they dried, the colors changed and some are green, some red, some a mix. All seem to have increased in heat the longer they dry. Simmer.

Top with chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) if desired.

I recommend adding the chilis after the salt tasting because one can't correctly judge the salt after the hot chilis are added.

AN EXTRA KICK- To accomodate my husband's palate, I add 2 heaping TBSP of garlic chutney at the end. His sandalwood soap helps offset all the garlic oozing from his pores for the next couple of days.

I'm still looking for the perfect Zucchini Bread

Ever since I found the perfect Zucchini bread at the Watkinsville Farmers' Market last year, I have searched for that ONE perfect recipe- perfectly spiced, perfectly moist, and a rich brown color inside and out. I still haven't found it. Instead, I came across a recipe that while not dessert worthy, it makes a nice bread for a meal. Not as sweet as that perfect loaf, it has a mild flavor that will work well as a side dish. The other complaint I have with this loaf is the color. It's pale, pasty, and well, rather ugly. None the less, it makes for a decent addition to any meal.

I can't remember where I found this recipe online, so forgive me for not giving credit.

ZUCCHINI BREAD

Oven 325 degrees

Makes 2 QTY 8x4 loaves

2 mixing bowls

In the first bowl, whisk together

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 TSP cinnamon

1 TSP baking soda

1/4 TSP baking powder

1 TSP salt

In the second bowl mix with a blender until frothy

2 cups white sugar

2 TSP vanilla extract

3 eggs

Then add

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup vegetable oil

Mix well

Add dry to the wet and mix until well blended

Stir in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour 2QTY 8x4 bread pans

Bake 1 hour 10 minutes at 325 degrees

or until a knife comes out clean from the center.

3 lb of Red Delicious Apples: Apple Pie and Apple Brown Betty

Red delicious apples can only be appreciated in a tasty dessert. Red delicious apples may be red but they are not delicious. The only time I buy them is when they are on sale and I want a baked apple dessert. With a 3 lb bag, I can make a pie and a brown betty.

The first recipe, apple crumble pie, comes from the BH&G New cookbook. The lemon gives the apple the perfect tartness and the apples remain solid, not turning to mush when sliced into half moons.
APPLE CRUMBLE PIE

Oven 375 degrees

Thinly slice 6 cups of peeled apples.

Sprinkle apple slices with 3TBSP of lemon juice.

Combine

1/2 cup of sugar

2 TBSP all purpose flour

1/2 TSP grated lemon peel

dry peel is what I usually use, but fresh will add to the tartness even more.

Toss the apples with the sugar mixture.

Stir well.

Immediately add sugar coated apples to a frozen pie crust. Regular depth is fine if you gently press the mixture into the pan.

For the topping combine

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 TSP cinnamon

1/4 TSP ginger

1/8 TSP mace, a must for the best flavor.

Wisk well mixing all the spices into the flour.

Add 1/4 cup cold butter, divided well into 1/2 TBSP size.

Add butter to the topping mix.

Stir to coat the butter

Then using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter. You will be left with a grainy crumble when complete.

Top the pie with the crumble topping.

Line the edges of the pan with AL foil to keep the crust from burning. Done properly, the crust will end up glazed and beautiful.

Bake for 30 minutes at 375 with the foil in place. Then bake another 30 minutes with the foil removed.

Allow to cool before serving.
The Apple Brown Betty was found at cooks.com with a the ingredients listed and not much in the way of either instruction or spice. With a few changes, I've made it my own.

APPLE BROWN BETTY

350 degrees

Peel and slice 4-7 apples into half moon shapes.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar

and 1 TSP cinnamon

Sprinkle apples with the sugar mix and stir well.

Pour apples into an greased 8x11 pan.

Topping

Next combine

3/4 CUP all purpose flour

3/4 CUP brown sugar

1/8 TSP mace

1 TSP cinnamon

Dash of Nutmeg

Cut 1/2 CUP cold butter into the topping mixture.

Then stir in 3/4 CUP regular dry oats.

Add the topping to the apples.

** This makes a lot of topping. The first time I tried this I had so few apples I used an 8x8 pan and only half the topping. I saved the other half and used it to make an 8x8 blueberry brown betty later on. The kids preferred the apple version; my husband, the blueberry.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Stir in options & substitutions

Apple Brown Betty

Add 1/2 CUP walnuts and 1/4 CUP raisins

Blueberry Brown Betty

Substitute 2-3 cups of fresh blueberries for the apples.

Add 1/2 cup of pecans to the blueberry version if desired.

Substitution

Consider substituting 1 cup granola cereal for the oats.

This makes a great lunch addition for brown baggers.

Barley Vegetable Soup

An overabundance of tomatoes and green beans at the end of last year brought about the creation of this soup. With or without the barley, it is a hearty soup, packed with veggies.

BARLEY VEGETABLE SOUP

One large soup pot

Water : You want to add just enough water to cover the ingredients as you go. At the end when the tomatoes are added, this should be just enough liquid to cook the barley.

Saute

1 minced onion, medium or large- I prefer sweet onions
4 tsp minced garlic

in 3 TBSP margarine or butter

Chop 3 stalks of celery, leaves included

Add celery to onion mixture and cook down

Peel and slice 3-4 carrots

Add carrots to the pot with just enough water to cover the mix.

Cook at least 5 minutes before adding the next ingredients.

Dice into 1/2" cubes 4 medium idaho potatoes. Add to soup.

**No brown potatoes??- Red potatoes will cook down a little too much, so care should be taken.

Add 1-2 cups of fresh green beans and 1 cup of fresh peas now or

if using canned, let the potatoes cook about 5 minutes first,

then add 1 cup frozen peas and 1QTY 15-16 ounce can of drained green beans (not french cut).

Cook another 3 minutes or just long enough for the potatoes and fresh beans to cook through but not break down.

When I originally created this recipe I had over a dozen smallish tomatoes from the end of the season. I blanched the tomatoes to remove the skin. Then I pureed them in a food processor.

This year, I have 25cent canned tomatoes and they have worked great. Honestly, paste, diced, or any tomatoes work just fine. Use about* 4 cups of whatever you have.

Puree 2QTY 14-16 OZ cans of whole tomatoes and add to the soup

along with

3QTY veggie bouillon cubes,

3 TBSP of fresh parsley,

and 3/4 cup quick cook barley.

At this point the instructions on the barley box will be your guide. If you've added a minimal amount of water as you've added ingredients, then the tomato puree should have added enough liquid to cook the barley. Use your judgement. Remember that barley will thicken the soup as it cooks. Add a little water at a time if it gets too thick for you. The box will have a recommended cooking time.

Finish by adding 1 TSP salt and 1/2 TSP ground pepper.

TOP IT OFF:

My husband loves adding hot sauce to his soup.