Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Even if you don't care for butternut squash, you will LOVE this soup.  It is so flavorful and filling, perfect for a cold, rainy day!  An added benefit is that it is so healthy and nutritious, no butter or cream added.

Here's what I did.

Heat oven 350 F

Slice one large butternut squash in half.  In the pocket of one half put three small shallots, or one small onion quartered.  In the pocket of the other half put three or four whole garlic cloves (more or less garlic per taste~~I used four)  Drizzle olive oil over the onion and garlic, salt and pepper (I used white pepper) to taste.

Roast the squash for about 1 1/2 or until fork tender.   After squash has roasted, heat 2 cups NS (no salt) chicken broth (I keep a stock pile of chicken broth in the freezer.  Whenever we have chicken, I make broth from the bones, carrots, celery and onions and freeze it.  Perfect!)

Scoop out the squash and add to the broth, along with the roasted onions and garlic.  For seasoning I used salt and white pepper (I like the white pepper it adds a little spicy flavor that I love), winter savory, rosemary and herbs de provence, but if you don't have that,  you can use whatever herbs you prefer like basil, parsley, oregano, etc.

Cook to boiling.  Using a hand held  emulsion blender, break up all the chucks of squash, onions and garlic until it is smooth and creamy.  Serve with a dollop of goat cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt.   SO GOOD.

Let me know if you try it.  ENJOY

Quinoa Pasta with Chicken Sambal sauce

Sunday's Experiment~~Quinoa Pasta with Chicken Sambal (crushed chili paste) Sauce

I love using Sambal, crushed chili paste.  It gives a unique sweet/spiciness that goes well with just about anything.

I also love quinoa, so when I saw quinoa pasta at my favorite store, Health Plus in Sandusky I had to try it.  And I was not disappointed.  It is delicious.  Closest thing to durum pasta I have found, and believe, I have been looking.  If you don't know or have not used quinoa, do it.  It is wonderful.

I marinated thinly sliced chicken breasts for about an hour in:
2 tablespoons each olive oil and rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Sambal or other chili paste.  Blot off marinated and brown in pan and small amount of oil olive. (I used my grill cast iron pan)


Cook the quinoa according to package~~about 6-9 minutes in rapidly boiling water.  While that is working, make your sauce.

Chicken Sambal sauce

2 cloves sliced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes (I used my own that I made from my tomato harvest, so easy to make and so much better than commercial brands)
2 tablespoons Sambal or other chili paste
cook until boil
Add cooked chicken, cubed
Right before putting in pasta, add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half

Add pasta to pan and cook for another minutes, until pasta is coated with sauce.  Add some pasta water if it gets too thick.

THIS IS A DELICIOUS DISH!!! TRY IT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!

Roasted Eggplant and Pablano Pepper Pizza

I love roasted vegetables and pizza, so what better than putting them together.  I went to the garden for the eggplant and peppers.  There is absolutely nothing better than picking fresh veggies,  cooking them and then eating them immediately.  Best taste ever.

I peeled the eggplant and cubed it.  After drizzling with olive oil and salt, I baked it on 400 for about 15 minutes.  I let it cool while I prepared the peppers.  I baked the peppers whole on 400 to char the outsides.  After they blackened, I put them in a bowl and covered with plastic wrap, letting the steam help in the peeling of the skins.

I rarely buy pizza crust because it is so easy to make it.  My standard go to recipe is

3 c. White Lily unbleached bread flour
1//2 c. cracked wheat
1/2 c. hemp seed hearts
1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds
salt

2 1/4 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil

bloom the yeast in the water and honey for about 15 minutes until frothy
Mix all dry ingredients together

I use my food processor but if youa re luck enough to have a kitchen aide, USE IT

Put the bloomed yeast mixture into the processor and gradually add the flour mixture
Mix until dough pulls from sides of processor
 Turn onto floured board and knead slightly
Place in oiled bowl cover with plastic wrap
Let sit for about an hour, or until doubled in size

Punch down and let sit another half hour

Flatten and put on corn meal covered cookie sheet

Spray with olive oil and assemble pizza
Fresh basil and parsely
Roasted eggplant and peppers
Goat cheese
Mozz. Cheese
Bake 400 for about 15 minutes.

Fabulous!


bloom

Homemade multigrain bread

If you have read any of my blogs, you know I am constantly taking recipes and adding my own twist.  Well, after much trial and error, I have found a great dough recipes that I use as a base and make my additions per my mood.

Today I felt like multigrain bread.  I try to keep my pantry stocked with gains, like cracked wheat, flax seed, spelt, oatmeal, and  my favorite hemp hearts.  Love them, they are packed with nutrients and add a nice flavor and crunch to many recipes.

Here is what I did:

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons dry yeast ( I never use rapid)

1 tablespoon raw honey

Mix together and proof for 10 to 15 minutes until frothy.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil (olive, walnut, safflower, grapeseed, whatever)

1 and a half cups organic bread flour

a half cup hemp hearts

a half cup cracked wheat

a quarter cup whole oats, not instant

salt

Add yeast mixture to food processor or if you are lucky enough to own a kitchen aid, use that

Gradually add flour mixture until all is incorporated and soft ball forms.

Knead slightly and let sit in oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap until doubled, about 1 hour

Punch down and form into loaf (loaves), place on corn  meal covered pan and cover with plastic wrap about half hour or until doubled.

Bake 450 for about 15 to 2 minutes, depending on size  of loaves and or  until browned and cooked through.

Fabulous. 

Homemade margherita pizza

I love making homemade pizza.  It's our heritage.  When we were kids, my brothers and I would invite all  our friends over to the house and my mom would whip up 15 pizzas for us to enjoy.  Great childhood memories for me and my friends to share.  

After a lot of trial and error, I have found a great dough recipe, so simple.  And the great thing is you can add whole grains or substitute spelt or  whole wheat flour.  Here is what I did.

I mixed 1 cup room temperature water,  2 teaspoons of active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon of raw honey together.  Set it aside for 10 minutes to proof.  

Poured the yeast mixture into my food processor and gradually added 3 cups of unbleached, organic  bread flour.  Mix until dough forms soft ball.  Remove from processor and knead slightly.  Put into lightly oiled bowl and covere with plastic wrap and a towel until  it doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down and let rise again, about 1.2 hour.

Assembling the pizza:

Pinch a piece of the dough for whatever size pizza you plan to make.  I find making personal size works for us.  Flatten dough to size you want and put it on pizza pan or stone sprinkled with corn meal.  I have had great success with corn meal on the pan instead of oil.  The pizza does not burn and comes right off for cooling.

 Ingredients I  used:

 Olive oil

chopped garlic

fresh basil

sliced tomatoes, I take the seed out and skin them

goat cheese (I used a creamy goat cheese and it was awesome)

Gruyere for topping

Assemble all ingredients except gruyere.  Bake pizza in oven for about 10 minutes before adding Gruyere for last 10 minutes of baking.

Bake 425-450

Delicious!!  

Homemade french onion soup

At the farm market yesterday, I bought some fresh, sweet onions, along with several other things.  When I got home,  I couldn't decide what to make, then the onions jumped out at me.  I had some gruyere cheese, left over bread that I made the day before~~french onion soup.

My husband hates onions, but loves my french onion soup.  So  win win.   I promise this recipe so easy.  Here it is!

Two onions, sliced very thin, I used a mandoline
Red wine, I used shiraz (I do not use cooking wine~~ever!)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
beef broth
1 chopped garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste
croutons to fit small bowl
cheese~~swiss is good, gruyere is better

Saute sliced onions in the olive oil and better, they should be soft, not carmalized,  about 5 minutes
Add garlic clove and cook 3 minutes
Add red wine, about 1/2 cup and let cook for about 5 minutes
Add beef broth, salt and pepper - bring to boil and let simmer for about 45 minutes, just so the flavors melt together
Ladle soup into small oven safe bowls.  Makes about 4 small cups.  Place crouton top and sprinkle with the cheese, your decision how much or how little cheese you use.

Put  bowls under the broiler until bubbling and brown, or just heat in 450 oven until bowl is filled with melty goodness.

That's it,  FABULOUS!!!  Please try it and let me know.

Homemade croutons

When I have left over bread, I usually make bread crumbs or croutons.  Croutons are easy, just slice the bread, brush with olive oil, and I put a little garlic salt or powder on it, and bake in oven at about 400 until golden brown.

Pan Seared Fresh Wild Salmon with fresh herbs on a bed of greens and blueberries with rice wine vinaigrette


OMG is this so good and simple.  This is what I did.

Cut wild salmon into whatever size pieces you desire.  I  went to my garden and picked the follow fresh herbs.
 Sweet basil, oregano, dill, savory, marjoram, thyme and rosemary.  I chopped them together and sprinkled them onto the salmon, with a little salt and pepper.

I heated my cast iron pan, then added a small amount of olive oil and put salmon skin side down into the pan.  I let it cook for about 3 minutes and flipped, cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, until it is done to your liking.

For the greens, I used rice vinegar, herbs to your taste, a little salt and pepper,  garlic and onion powder and for sweetness I chopped in a little sweet herb from  my garden.  I used a little grape seed oil.  I find the grape seed oil gives it a lightness and does not interfere with the olive oil  used to sear salmon.

I had some blueberries in the frig and decided to add those to the greens, and WOW what a great idea!  I love the savory sweet combo and always add fruit to my salads these days. Add a little fetta cheese for a salty zip.  Try the salmon, you will love it.

Buffalo Chicken Salad with black beans, chorizo and prosciutto

Since I am sick to death of using left over chicken breast on salad for lunch, I decided to take a recipe from my BFF Pam Romick, buffalo chicken soup and adapt it to make something new~~buffalo chicken salad.  I took the basic ingredients but added my own little zing~~diced chorizo and prosciutto hock.

 I am always looking for new ingredients to play with, and on my last trip to the Italian grocery store, Gallucci's in Cleveland, I hit pay dirt. In addition to my usual Spanish chorizo, sopressa (wonderful italian salami), five different olive salads, pickled eggplant and peppers, fresh ricotta and buffalo mozzarella,  homemade italian sausage, hot and mild and of  course, capicola, they found a bin of prosciutto hocks. I had never heard of prosciutto hocks.   I was told by trusted deli dude that prosciutto hocks are great soups or stews.  The meat is so tender it melts in your mouth.  That was all I needed.

If you like buffalo wings, YOU WILL LOVE THIS dish.  I have come up with a great combination to give this already spicy dish a blast of additional flavor!!  Oh, if you do not have both chorizo and prosciutto hocks, I suggest you get one or both before preparing this dish.  You only need a little of each, so after using what you need put the  remainder in the freezer for another time.  It will  last you quite a while.

So here it is, let me know if you try it and what you think.

Ingredients
1 chicken breast cooked, chopped and skin off
3 tablespoons each:
olive oil or unrefined coconut oil
  finely diced chorizo
  finely diced prosciutto meat from the hock (you can use regular prosciutto if you cannot find the hock, but believe, the deli dude was right, the meat from the hock is wonderfully silky and so full flavor)
   finely diced shallot
   finely diced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese (I do not use low or no fat cream cheese; to  me, the ingredients in those varieties are worse for you than the original, so I just use a small amount of the original)
1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce (you can use another brand but Frank's works for me)
1 tablespoon honey
 1/4 cup black beans, home cooked or from can (rinsed)
Sprinkle of dill, either fresh or dried

Heat frying pan with olive oil, add finely diced chorizo and prosciutto, cook 1 minute to extract flavor;
Add shallot and garlic, cook another minute until soft
Add chopped chicken and mix  with other ingredients in pan;
Add butter, honey and cream cheese to pan stir until melted
Add hot sauce and bring to boil.  Cook  one minute.
Add black beans to heat
Remove from heat and  let stand 5  minutes
Add dill

Place on a bed or romaine lettuce (I use romaine because it holds up well with the warm buffalo chicken.)
If you want, you can add a little ranch dressing to the top of the salad.  (I make my own with dried buttermilk, dried dill, powdered garlic and onion mixed together with coconut or almond milk.  So good.)

Enjoy!

Supreme Turkey Burgers with blood orange picante

I  love turkey burgers, but turkey alone makes for a very dry, tasteless creation.   After trial and error, I found a great combination that adds so much flavor, you won't believe you are eating  turkey.  I waslucky enough to go to  my favorite place, Galucci's and Italian deli in Cleveland for the additives, but you can find the same ingredients at any grocery store.

Here is what I used:

1 pound ground turkey (I get a breast and have the butcher grind it for me whenever possible; if that is not possible, Jenni O is a decent substitute.)
4 chopped kalamata olives
3 large green olives chopped
1/4 cup chopped pickled eggplant
1/4 cup chopped roasted red, yellow and/or orange peppers
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 shallot chopped
1/4 cup finely diced poblano
3 pickled jalapeno slices
salt and pepper
fresh parsley and basil to taste

Shape into patties and cook in heated non stick skillet until done.

For picante:
1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion or shallot
1/4 cup finely diced poblano pepper
1//4 cup chopped seeds removed tomato
Juice from one blood  orange

Mix ingredients and heat in same  skillet you cooked your turkey burgers.  Heat until the juice evaporates.  Add to the top of the turkey burgers.

This is another recipe where you add whatever tastes good to you and will add flavor.  Try it and let me know what you think.

Fabulous Grape Nut Date Bread

I love the taste of Grape Nuts, but get bored just eating them with milk.  After exploring a little, I found a recipe for Grape Nut Date bread.  Of course, I adapted to my own tastes, substituting white flour with spelt flour, the white sugar for evaporated cane sugar and adding almonds for more texture.  I love using dates.  I use them in place of sugar in recipes whenever I can.   I love this bread, and if you like a crusty, nutty, grainy bread, you will too.

Here is  what I used:
2 cups scalded milk~~I used coconut milk, helps with texture and flavor
1 cup Grape Nut cereal
3 cups sifted flour~~I used 1 cup. white whole wheat flour and 2 cups spelt flour, but you can easily use whole wheat or unbleached all purpose if you like
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar, but you can use raw sugar, agave, honey, anything but white sugar)
1 egg, well beaten
3 tablespoon melted butter
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped almonds (you can use walnuts, or any other nut you like)

Pour hot milk over Grape Nuts; cool.  In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Sift twice.

Add beaten egg,  melted butter, dates and nuts to cooled Grape Nut mixture.  Mix.  Add dry ingredients, stirring just enough to moisten all ingredients.  Use wooden spoon for this not hand  mixer.  Turn into a greased and floured 9x5x3 loaf pan.  Let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature, then bake 350 F for 1 hour 20 minutes until the bread is golden brown and crispy outside and dry on toothpick inside

 Try it and let me know what you think.

Homemade granola

Homemade granola is so easy but most importantly, you can control what goes into it.  I have experimented with several different recipes, chosing and deleting ingredients to make it my own.  Don't be afraid to do the same.

Here's what I did:
Preheat over 350F

In small saucepan add:

3 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil (the recipe called for vegetable oil, but I never use that)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup organic pure maple syrup (the recipe called for 1/4 cup white sugar; try never to use that)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chinese five spice
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger (I would have used fresh grated ginger, but ran out)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract,  orange or lemon extract, whatever you like, but just pick one

You can add or delete any of the spices to your own taste

Heat ingredients just until mixed, not necessary to boil; set  aside

In separate bowl mix
3 cups oats (not the quick cooking stuff)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pistachios
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup dried cherries, cranberries, blueberries, what ever you want
1/4 cup almonds

Put pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, walnuts and almonds in a heated, dry pan and toast for just a couple minutes, then add to oats.

Add whatever dried fruit you want. Actually, you can add whatever you like to it.  That is the beauty of homemade granola.

Pour liquid over dry ingredients, and thoroughly mix until all dry ingredients are coated.

Put piece of parchment papaer on a cookie sheet and spread mixture on top.  Bake 10  minutes, take out of oven and stir mixture, return to oven.  Continue to cook and stir in 10 minute intervals for 30 minutes, or until granola is toasted brown.

Remove and  let cool 10 minutes.  Break up as you desire.  I left a few bigger pieces.

It is really delicious.  Let me know if you try it.

Chicken Avacado Sauce over Homemade Angel Hair pasta

 If you like guacamole you will love this dish.  Creamy and flavorful. Check it out.

Ingredients
Small shallot finely diced
2 garlic cloves finely diced
1/2 poblano pepper finely diced
2 tblsp olive oil

Saute above ingredients until soft

Add
1 c. cooked chicken (I  used skinless boneless thighs, but you can use whatever.  You could also use raw adn cook it with veggies.)
1/2 cup sliced grape or  cherry tomatoes

Heat ingredients through.

Mix in separate bowl
1 ripe avacado smashed
1 tblsp diced shallots
2 tblsp. fresh or pickled jalapeno
juice of one lime

Add above mixture to chicken and veggies with 1/2 c. chicken stock (homemade or store bought)

Mix all ingredients together

Cook store bought or homemade pasta to al dente stage
Add to sauce and cook another minute or two

Plate and serve with sliced grape tomatoes on top and sprinkle of parmagiano reggiano cheese.

Excellent, so creamy and delicious.

Homemade eggplant parmigiano over homemade fettuccine!   I have forgotten how easy it is to make homemade pastas and the flavor cannot be compared to the petrified box option.  I am lucky to have my mom's hand crank pasta maker.  I remember as kids what a big deal it was to make pasta, and only for special occasions.  That might because my mom would triple or quadruple the recipes, using 2 to 3 dozens eggs at a time.  The whole kitchen would be filled with pasta!  I have cut that recipe considerably.  I used 3 eggs and made enough to feed 4 to 6 people.

 If you have thought about buying one of those new pasta makers that mixes the dough and makes the pasta, in my opinion DON'T DO IT.  I tried that once, and it was a disaster.  Maybe because I am used to my hand crank, anyway the quality of the pasta is much better when you do it by hand.

If you do not have a pasta maker, you can roll the dough out with rolling pin, or how my grandmother did it, with a broom handle.  It will take a little work rolling it out this way, but it can be done.  Keep the pasta well floured.

Here are the recipes for the pasta and the eggplant casserole. To my delight, I was able to find beautiful, shiny eggplant at, of all places, a corporate grocery store, Mejier.  That never happens,  They are usually soft and dull.  When I saw them, I had to have them.

OK, enough prattling, here you go~~~enjoy!~

Pasta
3 eggs
3 (ish) cups of flour(I used one cup unbleached  all purpose, 1 cup spelt and 1 cup whole wheat all organic~~by ish it depends on how much it takes to get the proper consistency of the dough)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Put the flour in a heap on the counter and make a little well in the center.  Add the eggs and oil.  Using a fork (I used my fingers)  fold in small amounts of the flour from along side the well.  Mix until the dough holds and does not stick to the counter.  Knead the dough, adding flour if necessary, for 6 to 10 minutes.  Form into a ball.  The dough will be sturdy.  (When you gently poke it it should spring right back.)

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for half hour or up to 2 hours.  Remove from refrigerator cut into quarters. Flour counter and flatten dough.  Put into pasta maker at setting 7, then 5, then 3.  Lay flat on counter and flour.  Do same with 3 other pieces.  My pasta maker has a fettuccine and angel hair setting.   Take large pieces of pasta and run through cutting side of pasta machine.  Lay on counter and mix with flour to help the drying processing.

Make sure you salt the the boiling water before you add pasta.  It takes literally 1 to 2 minutes to cook this pasta.  Once you try it, you will not want to buy cardboard pasta again.

Make sauce (recipe below)

Eggplant casserole
 This is for a small casserole feeding 4 people.

1 Large or 2 medium eggplant (Make sure they are firm and shiny, if not, don't bother)
Salt

This should be done at least 3 hours or preferably  the day before
Peel and slice eggplant on a medium slice
Layer in a deep bowl, salting between each layer
Place plate and something heavy on top of the salted eggplant
This helps remove the moisture eggplants hold.
Put in refrigerator

Remove eggplant from water and  lay on paper towels to dry~~make sure slices are completely dried before going to next steps.

Heat cast iron pan add enough olive oil to just cover bottom.
Add eggplant slices one layer at time,  cook until softened.
Remove and lay on paper towel to drain
Continue until all slices are cooked.

Tomato basil sauce
I large can tomato sauce (I get whole tomatoes and put in magic bullet to make sauce, but you can just use can sauce)
1 Tablespoon dried basil (since it is winter, I do not have fresh basil.  I tried to bring a plant in the house and unfortunately  it died so I am forced to use dried)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
2 Tablespoon grated parm. cheese
1 teaspoon raw sugar(I used sweet herb dried from my garden)
Bring to boil, then simmer 30 to 60 minutes

Assemble casserole
Layer bottom of small oven safe dish with sauce
Add one layer of eggplant
I used fetta cheese because I love the flavors of tomato, fetta and basil.
Sprinkle with fetta or your favorite cheese like mozzarella, monty jack, etc.,
More sauce to cover
Another layer of eggplant
I eggplant will give you two layers usually
Sprinkle top with parmigiano cheese

Bake 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbly

That's it.  Not as hard as it sounds.  One day I may get brave you video how to do it.  Until then,  keep creatively cooking like you know how~ :)