Golden Squash Soup

I had this soup at a friends dinner party a couple of weeks ago. It was a cold, snowy night, and this squash soup hit the spot. Tonight I made this for dinner and served it in a bread bowl to make it more of a meal-bread and soup. I was unable to find the banana squash the recipe calls for, so I just used butternut squash and it turned out quite well I think. In the future I think I will use less curry than the recipe calls for, but I will definitely make it again. I hope you will try it and let me know what you think.

Golden Squash Soup
Recipe from Essential Mormon Celebrations
Pictures by Caroline

2 apples
2 ½ pounds banana squash (I couldn't find banana squash, so I used butternut squash)
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons mild curry powder (optional; I would suggest using about half this amount, otherwise it is quite strong)
1 cup apple juice
1 cup cream
Salt to taste

1. Peel, core, and cut apples in half (I just left the peel on the apple, and it seemed to work fine). Place apples and squash face-down on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° degrees for 1 hour.
2. Scoop out squash. Place squash, apples, and chicken broth in a blender and mix until well blended; set aside.
3. In a large cooking pot, melt butter over low heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add salt, pepper, and curry powder and stir together. Add apple juice, cream, and squash mixture. Stir and beat through. Do not boil. Salt to taste. Serve hot. Makes about 8 cups.

Milk Chocolate Chunk and Peanut Butter Brownies

I know, we've already done a peanut butter-chocolate recipe on here a while ago. But the thing is, I really like peanut butter. And chocolate. And brownies. And I especially like them together. And considering that anything from The Essential Baker is fantastic, I knew I had to try this recipe when I found it. I wasn't disappointed.



Milk Chocolate Chunk and Peanut Butter Brownies
from The Essential Baker

6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup natural-style (old fashioned) chunky peanut butter*
1 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 extra large eggs (or 3 large)
3/4 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 oz milk chocolate (or half semi-sweet/half milk), chopped into small chunks

1. Place the butter in the bowl and beat butter on medium speed until it's fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter, and cream together well. Add the sugar and cream until smooth.
   
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until blended. Add vanilla and blend completely.
   
4. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture in two stages and stir thoroughly.
5. Add the chocolate chunks and stir.
   
6. Pour into greased (with butter) 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350° about 35 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out slightly moist.
   
7. Let cool and serve.

*As I didn't feel like going to the store tonight, I used regular peanut butter. However, it may make your brownies a bit saltier and greasier (I've tried it both ways). I suggest using the old fashioned style.

-Kelly (including photos)

Rice Pudding

Breakfast or dessert? This has always been my quandary when eating rice pudding- when should it be served? Is it a too-sweet breakfast (like my mom always used to feed us) or is it a light evening dessert? I don't know what the "right" answer is, and frankly, I don't think it matters one bit. I'll eat it anytime, anywhere, in any of its many delicious forms.

Rice Pudding
recipe by Kelly

3 cups milk*
4 cups cooked rice (preferably cold)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine 2 cups of milk, rice, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and salt in large saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until rice is warm and mixture is creamy. Stir frequently (being careful not to burn the milk, although using a heavy saucepan should prevent this from happening)
2. Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in raisins and vanilla.
3. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl to blend.
4. Pour 1 cup of milk into a small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Gradually whisk hot milk into beaten yolks.
5. Pour egg-milk mixture into saucepan with rice mixture. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes (do not boil).
6. Remove from heat and serve warm.

*If you like your rice pudding a bit thinner, add a little extra milk; if you prefer a thicker, more custard-like pudding, use a little less milk.

Sweet n' Sour Pork

You've probably noticed that I, Caroline, love red bell peppers. They truly are one of my favorite vegetables. I put them in almost everything that I cook from eggs to salads to stir-fry's. I just think they are so delicious both cooked and raw. So naturally my sweet n' sour pork recipe is full of them. However, feel free to use a mixture of peppers in this recipe for a greater variety of flavors.

Sweet n' Sour Pork
Recipe and Photos by Caroline

2 boneless pork chops, diced into 1/2" chunks
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup chicken broth (I use bouillon cubes mixed with water)
1 1/2 red pepper, sliced (or a mix of peppers)
1/2 medium red onion
1 can pineapple chunks, drained (save the juice)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pineapple syrup
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1. Heat oil in skillet; add pork and cook until just browned on each side. Add the chicken broth, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, combine the sugar, pineapple syrup, vinegar, corn starch and soy sauce to make your sauce.
2. Add vegetables and pineapple over top of pork; add the sauce and mix everything together, coating all the meat and the vegetables. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Serve over rice.

*this recipe makes enough for 2 large helpings or 4 smaller ones

Sweet-Pepper Balsamic Sandwich

So I was making one of my favorite sandwiches for lunch the other day, and figured I should share the goodness. Lunch is always a tricky menu for me, because I want something delicious, but I don't want to take a lot of time to make anything. If this sounds familiar try this sandwich. It is simple, healthy, and so so tasty. This day I enjoyed it with a simple fruit salad made with apples, bananas, and pineapple with a bit of honey and lemon juice



Sweet-Pepper Balsamic Sandwich
Recipe and Photos by Caroline

This is an approximate recipe, meaning add and subtract how you like. The amounts below are enough to make 2 sandwiches

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
2 full slices of red onion
1 white mushroon, sliced
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Italian Seasoning
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
4 pieces white bread, toasted (wheat bread isn't very good with this sandwich)
2 tbsp veggie cream cheese or plain cream cheese

Directions:

1. Slice all of your vegetables. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-low heart; saute peppers and onions for a few minutes until they begin to become tender, add mushrooms.
2. Season vegetables with salt, pepper, and the Italian Seasonings and let saute another minute or two. Add balsamic vinegar and cover with a lid for about one minute (note: when you add the vinegar it is going to sizzle, so watch out and cover the pan as quickly as you can to avoid a mess on your stove).
3. Once the vegetables are soft turn off the burner, but leave the pan on the stove. Leave the vegetables in the pan and pile them into the middle and cover them with the cheese; replace the lid and let the cheese melt.
4. In the meantime, toast your bread and slather each piece with the cream cheese. When the cheese on the vegetables has melted, place on your toast and make the sandwich. Enjoy!

ps..these sandwiches really are tasty!

Whole Wheat Bread

Baking bread from scratch is often thought of as an ordeal best left to those with lots of time, patience, and a whole lot of know-how. But I'm here to tell you that it's really not that hard. No really. I promise. All you need is a few basic ingredients, a mixer to do all the tough work for you (unless, of course, you're feeling like you're kneading, I mean needing a workout), and a few hours around the house. You just can't beat the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the house...

There are dozens of fantastic recipes for whole wheat bread out there. I, however, am quite partial to my mom's recipe, it being the one I grew up on. It's moist, delicious and flexible; sometimes I follow the recipe and sometimes I throw in a bit of oatmeal or rolled oats or more or less honey...you get the point. But no matter what I do, I've never had a loaf turn out badly. A batch of this bread makes about 5 hearty-sized loaves, so I usually freeze a couple of them to eat later. Save some of your old bread bags to store the extra loaves in.

Half-and-Half Cookies

These cookies are yummy! And they will stay soft for a long time if you keep them in a tupperware or plastic bag. Also, the icing is delicious, I think it is the addition of yogurt to the recipe...anyways use it on other cookies too. Enjoy!

Half-and-Half Cookies
Recipe from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook
Pictures by Caroline

Cookies:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup shortening
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
4 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or plain or vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 400°F

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, zest, salt, and vanilla. Beat in the sugar, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, beginning and ending with the flour and adding the sour cream or yogurt in three additions.
3. Using a muffin or ice-cream scoop, drop ¼ cup dough-balls onto parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Flatten each ball to a circle about ¼ inch thick and 4 ½ inches across. Leave 2 to 2 ½ inches between each cookie.
4. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until there’s a hint of brown at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Cover them with a dish towel while they finish cooling to keep them soft. When the cookies are completely cool, seal them in a plastic bag so they stay soft. Let the cookies rest for at least an hour before frosting.

Icing:

8 tablespoons butter
¼ cup yogurt
1 teaspoon clear vanilla (or regular; the clear vanilla will keep your icing a pure white while regular will tint it slightly)
4 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, plus ¼ cup
½ cup chopped unsweetened chocolate

1. To make the icing, melt the butter in a large saucepan, over low heat. Remove from the heat, and then stir in the yogurt, vanilla, and 4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar. The icing will be soft and runny. Immediately separate it into two halves, 1 cup each. Add the remaining ¼ confectioners’ sugar to the one-half of the white icing, and the chopped unsweetened chocolate to the other half. Stir to melt the chocolate icing in a pan of hot water, or in a saucepan over very low heat, to keep it spreadable.
2. Dip one side of the top half of each cookie into the white frosting and put on a rack to drip and dry. As soon as you can handle the cookies without leaving fingerprints in the frosting, dip the other half of each cookie in the chocolate frosting. (Or, if you are me, spread the frosting with a spoon.)

-Caroline

Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

This dish is a nice change from my usual flavors, and it is a great combination of a bit of spice mixed with the sweetness of apples. The yogurt sauce is a beautiful combination of greens and produces a wonderful smell as you grate the apples and chop the cilantro.

Although this recipe doesn't call for it, I think that next time I make this dish, I will add some chicken broth to my rice as it cooks for a bit of additional flavor. Also, I would suggest making extra yogurt sauce, because it is just so good you will want plenty for slathering on your chicken.

Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce
Recipe from Everyday Foods: Great Food Fast
Pictures by Caroline
Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes (It only took me about 15-20 minutes of prep time)
Total Time: 35 minutes

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
4 bone-in, skinless chicken breast halves (10 to 12 ounces each). Note: I used boneless chicken breasts
2 Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. In a large bowl, mix together ½ cup of the yogurt, the garlic, turmeric, ginger, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken; turn to coat.
2. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast (avoiding the bone) registers 160°F, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel the apple; coarsely grate into a medium bowl. Add the cilantro and the remaining ½ cup yogurt; season with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce alongside the chicken, with rice, if desired.

-Caroline

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican breakfast dish. They are usually made with stale corn tortillas cut or torn into strips and then fried. Salsa is poured over the tortillas to soften them, and eggs or chicken can be added to the mix. They are then topped with sour cream or a white cheese and served with beans. The dish may vary depending on region or family preferences. This recipe is a healthy American spin on a Mexican favorite.

Black Bean and Chicken Chilaquiles
adapted from Cooking Light November 2006
Makes about 6 servings

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced red or yellow onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups shredded chicken breast
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
15 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
1 1/2 cups shredded queso blanco*

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until light brown. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Add chicken; cook 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in beans. Add 3/4 cup cheese and stir.
   
3. Add broth and salsa to a pan and bring to a boil Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
4. Place half of tortilla strips in bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking pan (a 9 x 13 will work as well, but yield thinner chilaquiles) coated with cooking spray. Layer half of chicken mixture over tortillas; top with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
   
5. Pour broth mixture evenly over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
6. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned and cheese is melted.

*If you don't have any queso blanco hanging around the house, try using mozzarella, white cheddar, swiss, or any combination of white cheese

Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake

Words can not express how delectable this cake is. Although a pound cake, it's light and sweet with just the right amount of lemon. You should make it. And then you should eat many slices because it's so amazingly good.

If desired, you may top the cake with a simple lemon glaze (water, powdered sugar, lemon juice), fresh fruit or a berry syrup. Or, of course, you can eat it in its plain deliciousness.

Sour Cream and Lemon Pound Cake
adapted from Bon Appétit July 1993

3 cups cake flour (all purpose flour will also work)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 16-cup tube or bunt pan.* Dust pan with cake flour; tap out excess flour.
2. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl.
   
3. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel.
   
4. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients. Mix in sour cream. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
5. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Turn out cake.
6. Carefully turn cake right side up on rack and cool completely.

*If you have too much batter to fit in your pan, pour the extra into greased muffin pans. Just be sure to bake them for less time and watch them closely so they don't burn.

Carrots and Zucchini with Vinegar

One of my favorite chefs is Giada De Laurentiis. Aside from being Italian, beautiful, and personable, she makes fantastic food. I was delighted with her recipe for Zucchini and Carrot a Scapece (basically pickled vegetables) and anxious to try it...but then proceeded to ignore half of the directions and several ingredients. I'm sure it would have been amazingly delicious had I followed the recipe, but something about letting the veggies marinate for 8 hours didn't quite fit my 40 minute time slot and lack of fresh herbs and red wine vinegar. So I altered it and was fairly pleased with the result- a simple, warm, vinegary salad. If you have time to plan your menu in advance, look up Giada's recipe. If you're in a hurry, I'm sure this one will do just fine.

Carrots and Zucchini with Vinegar
adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis

3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4-inch rounds
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch rounds
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3-4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute 2 mintues.
   
2. Add zucchini and fry until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan.
   
3. Add the remaining olive oil and carrots. Fry about 5-6 minutes, or until slightly softened.
4. Return the zucchini to the pan and add salt and pepper.
5. Pour vinegar into pan and simmer, about 4-5 minutes. Serve warm.
   

Tortilla Soup

I love this soup; it is so simple, it is delicious, and it is healthy (well depending on how much sour cream and chips you add to the meal)! Make it in the morning before you go to work and when you get home your house will smell wonderful.

Tortilla Soup
Recipe by Caroline
Pictures by Caroline

Makes 4-6 servings

2 chicken breasts
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. butter
2 14 ½ oz. cans chicken broth
2 14 ½ oz cans diced tomatoes
1 cup salsa
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. ground cumin
¾ cup frozen corn
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

1. Add minced garlic and butter to crock-pot. Let garlic cook a few minutes in the butter.
2. Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, tomatoes, salsa, cilantro, and cumin to crock-pot. Cover and let cook on low for 8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
3. Just before serving remove cooked chicken breasts and shred; add the frozen corn.
4. Serve soup with a spoon of sour cream and tortilla chips.

-Caroline