Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot, and Ginger Soup

Sorry for the leave of absence!  I might have over committed myself a little last year.  Might meaning definitely!  Armed with a new camera and not one lesson, I am going to give picture taking a shot!  Bare with me. 

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this soup.  Hearty, flavorful, healthy- a winning combo for me.  I made it three times the first week I tried it!  If you are more of a "fewer steps" kind of cook, you could skip the roasting process, though I do believe that the caramelized vegetables add an element of flavor that you don't want to miss!  I hit it heavy with ginger and nutmeg for little extra heat and was glad that I did!  Enjoy!   

Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot, and Ginger Soup

Serves 4-6

Recipe adapted from http://withstyle.me/

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash (I usually buy the pre-cut containers and use about half)

1 lb carrots, peeled

1 yellow onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Garnish- spicy pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare baking sheet, cover with foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil; set aside.

Peel and cut the butternut squash and carrots into a 1 inch dice and place on prepared baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.  Roast the vegetables at 375 for 35-45 minutes.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add ginger and garlic and cook for one minute. Add squash, carrots, chicken broth, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, bringing to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender, food processor or blender and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Turkey and Vegetable Meatloaf Muffins with Balsamic Glaze

It has been a long time since I have made meatloaf; in fact I am not sure if I can even recall making it in my adult life.  I am not sure how many of you are on Pintrest, but it has become my latest obsession.  Recently, there has been a consistent homage to the muffin pan and it is being utilized for foods that have nothing to do with the traditional muffin.  I love the idea because it creates individual portions that are perfect in size, but the best part is that each portion has the lightly crisped crust that is my favorite part of any baked dish.  Everybody gets the good piece!  Be on the lookout- more muffin recipes to come! 

Turkey and Vegetable Meatloaf Muffins with Balsamic Glaze

Adapted from Bobby Flay

Serves 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small zucchini, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

¼ lb. cremini mushrooms, finely diced

5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)

1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, mushroom, onion, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.

Fill a muffin pan with 12 individual portions of the mixture. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Let it rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Crockpot Kale and Butternut Squash Stew

For those of you that know me, you know I do not often make the same thing twice.  Of course I have my favorites, but usually when given the option of old or new, I side with new.  That is half of the reason I started this blog; so that I could have a way to organize and revisit the new recipes that I have tried that I should make again.  I sometimes think that maybe it is a result of growing up in a house that had a weekly/monthly meal rotation and always knowing what to expect at dinner.  I loved the predictability back then and maybe I will again in the future.  I am working on that!  My whole point is that I have made this stew twice in the past week and at first I was shocked that I had, but then the reasons became obvious.  First, it is absolutely delicious and incredibly healthy- packed with vegetables, beans, and whole grain orzo.  Second, there is minimal prep time chopping and then it all goes in the crockpot- done!  Bonus- my 20 month old loves it! 

3 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled & chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bay leaf, dried
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried rosemary

32 oz. chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into small pieces (I use one half package of the precut)
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped
1 cup whole wheat orzo

1 package of mild chicken sausage (thinly sliced)
fresh ground pepper
parmesan cheese, for topping

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except pasta in the bowl of a crockpot. Cover and cook on high, 3-4 hours.
2. Ten minutes before eating, add the pasta. Just before serving, remove bay leaf.
3. Ladle soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

Fried Green Tomatoes

This time of year the farmer's market is one of my favorite places to visit.  The produce found at a local market is usually less expensive and certainly more fresh and flavorful than anything you will find at your neighborhood grocery store.  It is an experience in itself to go and walk the market and see what local products are available.  This past weekend  my market was filled with peaches, blueberries, strawberries, okra, peas and corn at every stand, but the tomatoes were the real show stoppers.  They were represented in every color, shape and size.  Inspired by the green variety, I decided to try out fried green tomatoes as a side dish for dinner on Sunday night.  Quick, easy, and absolutely delicious; these tomatoes will be popping up again on our menu very soon.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 3-4
Courtesy of SimplyRecipes.com

3 medium, firm green tomatoes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
2/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


1 Cut unpeeled tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Sprinkle slices with salt and pepper. Let tomato slices stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place flour, milk, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow dishes.

2 Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Dip tomato slices in milk, then flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. In the skillet, fry half of the coated tomato slices at a time, for 4-6 minutes on each side or until brown. As you cook the rest of the tomatoes, add olive oil as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Corn Salad with Sweet Basil

Corn is popping up in all of our local markets and I could not be more thrilled! It is such a wonderful addition to any summer meal, and at less than $.50 an ear, it is great to feed a crowd. We had a cookout last weekend and I decided to serve a corn salad alongside my barbeque chicken. There are sometimes that I look at a recipe and think, “is this step really necessary?” like brining pork or parboiling potatoes. But, what I have found is that in MOST cases, these somewhat annoying extra steps are what create the perfect end result. For instance, in this recipe is it really that important to parboil the corn for a few minutes prior to cutting off the ear? In my opinion, yes it is. The corn releases a lot of its starch while cooking, so it gives a nice clean finish to the salad. When I tried to skip that step, the flavor was still good, but the texture and presentation were noticeably compromised. I will always try the shortcut but sometimes have to surrender to the extra step. This corn is light and flavorful and will be a welcomed addition to your summer spread (makes great leftovers too).

Corn Salad with Sweet Basil
Serves 4-5

4 ears of sweet corn, husked and silk removed
1/8 cup small-diced sweet onion
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

In a large pot, partially filled with water, bring water to a rolling boil. Add the corn to the boiling water. Bring water back up to a boil; immediately remove from heat and drain corn in a colander in your sink. Run cold water over the corn in the colander to stop the cooking process.

Scrape the corn kernels from the ears of corn by using a sharp kitchen knife and a large cutting board. Cut off the stem end to give a flat base. Hold the ear, tip end up, then cut downward, removing a few rows at a time. I usually hold the ear of corn in the bowl to catch all of the kernels.

In a large bowl, gently combine corn kernels, onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate the salad until approximately 1/2 hour before serving. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Fried Eggs over Roasted Asparagus

One holiday has passed and another approaches! For all of the mothers out there, may your weekend be full of hugs, kisses, rest, and celebration, because you all deserve it. I will be spending Saturday with my mom and sister before heading off to my in-laws, so my mom’s Mother’s Day breakfast will come a day early. Since it will be sandwiched between waking up and getting out the door to our early morning pedicure, it needs to be easily prepared and not too heavy. Eggs in any fashion remind me of my mom, so I think this simple combination of eggs and asparagus will be suitable for the occasion. If you are preparing this for a crowd, you can just as easily scramble or poach the eggs. Crumbled bacon or pancetta is also a nice addition to this dish. 

Fried Eggs over Roasted Asparagus
Serves 4

1lb asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 large organic eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese


Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up).

Toss the trimmed asparagus in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender, but still a little crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare eggs to your liking. I prefer a fried egg over-easy. To do this, preheat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the eggs (2-4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan) to the pan and cook until the whites have set, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and then flip the egg over and turn off the heat. Let it sit in the hot pan for 2 minutes.

To serve, remove the eggs from the pan and place them over several stalks of roasted asparagus. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  

Green Beans with Blue Cheese and Almonds

Friday night is my favorite night of the week to cook. I pour a big glass of wine, turn on the music and all of the chaos of the week fades away. Each Friday, though I know the answer, I ask my husband for any special requests he may have. Without fail he always responds “steaks”. I can’t complain, I love them too! Considering that our main course does not change often, I have been in search of new side dishes that can add a little variation to this meal. I am pretty traditional and like to serve a starch and a green with my meat. For my green last week I tried out this recipe and thought it was a creative and delicious addition to my side dish collection. Blue cheese and steak…it is not rocket science!

Green Beans with Blue Cheese and Almonds
Serves 3-4

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/8 cup sliced almonds
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3oz. crumbled blue cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring pot of water to a boil. In a separate pan, melt olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium low heat. Add shallot and cook until shallots are golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the green beans to the boiling water and blanch for 3 minutes. Then drain, rinse with cold water, pat dry and add to pan with the shallots. Sauté 2 minutes and then add the almonds and blue cheese.

Salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently and serve immediately.

*Shortcut- If you are looking for a shortcut, you can steam the green beans in the microwave and eliminate the blanching. To steam them in the microwave add a tablespoon of water to the bottom of a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave for 2-3 minutes and then check the beans. You do not want them to be too soft, so do this cautiously.