Curried Butternut Squash Soup

This is another squash soup recipe I found and tried and both Chris and I like it better than the other squash soup recipe I've already posted (though we liked that one a lot too). This one just has a kick to it thanks to the curry powder and we're big curry fans at our house so we of course like it!

I think I might have gotten this recipe from the Thanksgiving Point calendar mailers they send to me...though I can't quite remember if that's where I found it or not. I've kept the recipe mostly the same except I decreased the amount of olive oil and maple syrup by half.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
1/8 cup olive oil
pinch salt and pepper
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp butter
3 cups chicken stock (or 3 cups water plus vegetable or chicken base or bouillon cubes)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or coconut milk or evaporated milk)
pinch nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss diced squash with olive oil, salt and pepper in large bowl. Spray PAM on a large baking sheet and spread squash in an even layer and roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

While squash is roasting, place diced onion in a pot with butter and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear.

Add chicken stock to pot and then the roasted squash and boil until the squash is tender.

Place in a blender and puree until smooth. * (I recommend doing 1/2 of the soup at a time and make sure you loosen the middle part of the lid on the blender to let the pressure caused by the heat out - I usually cover it with a paper towel once I loosen the center piece).

Return to large pot and add the nutmeg, ground cloves, curry powder, maple syrup and cream. Simmer until hot and combined.

Top with Parmesan cheese and roasted pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds) if you have them and serve with breadsticks, in bread bowls, etc.

*Note: I like to puree 1/2 to 2/3rds of the soup and then mash the rest that's left in the pot with a potato masher. This gives the soup a little texture.*Note: You can of course substitute grated cheddar cheese for the Parmesan cheese, but like with the other squash soup Chris likes it with the Parmesan cheese better.

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

I got this recipe from my sister in law Traci. The cinnamon rolls are nice and light and fluffy just the way I like them. The original recipe calls for using dry active yeast, however I've been using instant yeast for everything lately so I've made that change. I also can't eat cinnamon rolls without a cream cheese icing so I've added that as well!

The last time I made them I gave some to a friend in the ward and she's been wanting the recipe, so I figured I'd better get it on here as that was over a month ago. I didn't take a picture at the time so I'll have to add it the next time I make them!

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

2 cups milk slightly scalded (little skim on top, barely bubbling around edge)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 cup instant mashed potatoes cooked (2/3 cup milk, 2/3 cup flake. I don't add salt, butter, etc)
1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast (I use SAF instant yeast and love it) or 2 tbsp dry active yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs, slightly beaten
7 - 8 cups flour (add more if needed to get right consistency)

4 tbsp softened butter divided in half
1 cup sugar and 4 tsp cinnamon mixed and divided in half

Directions:
Make instant potatoes.

In Kitchen Aid or large bowl, pour the scalded milk over the next 4 ingredients. Cool until lukewarm (approximately 15 minutes).

If using the instant yeast:
Combine 4 cups of flour and the instant yeast in a medium bowl and set aside.

When cooled, add the water, the eggs and 4 cups of the flour (with the yeast in it) to the Kitchen Aid bowl / large bowl. Beat until smooth. Then add the rest of the flour and mix until dough becomes smooth and elastic.

If using the dry active yeast:
Dissolve yeast in the warm water while the above ingredients cool, during last 5 minutes or so.

When cooled, add the eggs and 4 cups of the flour to the Kitchen Aid bowl / large bowl. Beat until smooth. Then add the dissolved yeast and the rest of the flour and mix until dough becomes smooth and elastic.

The rest of the directions are the same despite what yeast you use:
Place dough in a lightly oiled (PAM) bowl and cover with saran wrap and a dish towel and raise until doubled (at least 1 hour). Divide dough in two and roll out each half into a rectangle (about 10-12" by however long it rolls out).

Soften 2 tbsp butter and brush on the rolled out dough. Sprinkle with half of the sugar/cinnamon mixture (1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon).

Roll down 10" side and cut approximately 1" slices with thread or dental floss (slide the thread under the roll and pull it up on the sides and cross to cut).

Put on greased cookie sheet and let rise until doubled (30 min-1 hr.)

Repeat for the other half of the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins or until lightly browned. Add cream cheese icing while cinnamon rolls are hot.


Cream Cheese Icing
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 cup butter softened
3 cups icing sugar
3 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Note: the original recipe called for this glaze, but I'm all about a cream cheese icing instead so that's what I always use!

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
8 tsp milk
2 tbsp soft butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Enjoy!

*Note: I hope this makes sense...but if you have questions about the method for the instant yeast versus the dry active yeast please ask me!

European Bread

This bread is super super easy... you don't even have to knead it. The only catch is you have to plan ahead as it needs to rise for 10 - 15 hours plus 1 more hour. So you'll most likely want to start it late the night before and finish it the next day.

I took it to a Relief Society dinner tonight and I was asked for the recipe, so here it is girls! (It really is easy, though might sound a little different, so please let me know if you have any questions.) I think I'm going to try adding some rosemary and garlic next time and I'll update the recipe if it turns out to be a success;)

*Note: I cooked the bread in the picture a little longer than I'd planned (that's what happens when you're trying to do too many things at once) so it's a little darker than I like!

European Bread
6 cups flour
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp SAF instant yeast
3 1/4 cups water

Using a big spoon mix all ingredients together, but be careful not to overmix. Mix only until the flour has absorbed all the water (maybe 20 stirs). You will still be able to see some flour that's not quite mixed in.

Cover with saran wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 hours. Do not let the dough sit for more than 15 hours.

Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and four circles of corn meal or wheat hearts (hot cereal).

Sprinkle flour generously on the counter and scrape dough out of the bowl with a spatula letting it plop on the counter. Cut the dough into 4 portions and then gather up the sides of the dough to a stem (kind of like a balloon). Put flour on your hands and flop it over onto the cookie sheet. Cover with saran wrap and let it rise for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and turn the temperature down to 450 degrees. Bake for 35 minutes or until brown (golden brown is not dark enough).

Remove bread from the oven and let it cool completely before covering it (or the crust will turn soft).

*Note: Do not let the dough rise for more than 15 hours!

*Note: Make sure to use parchment paper and NOT wax paper as the wax paper will not hold up to the high heat.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yes it's another pumpkin recipe...what can I say it tis the season for pumpkin!

This is another recipe from my sister Rebekah.

And sorry for the bad pic...I mistakenly put them in my silicone muffin tin without a liner and I had the hardest time trying to get them out in one piece, so I decided I was just going to have to take a picture of them still in the tin.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
14 oz pumpkin (1/2 a large 29 oz can)
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
12 oz bag of milk chocolate chips, or raisins or pecans *optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl or Kitchen Aid, cream the butter or margarine, then add in the sugar and cream well. Beat in the eggs then add the pumpkin and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.

Add in desired amount of chocolate chips, raisins, or pecans.

Line muffin tins with liners and spray Pam on the top of the muffin tin (helps with removing the muffins from the tin). Fill the muffin cups almost full if you like a nice big crunchy muffin top or a little less full if you don't want a big muffin top.

Bake for approximately 20 - 30 minutes (depending on how full you filled your muffin cups) until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Note: the fuller the cups, the more the muffin top will spread on the top of the tin, if that makes sense!

Note: You can also make this into pumpkin loaves, bake time will be approximately 60-65 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cookies

This is one of my sister Rebekah's recipes. I haven't made them for years, but as I've been wanting to make some pumpkin recipes for weeks I finally made them last week! I ended up taking them all the Church for my Relief Society lesson so I didn't a picture, but I will next time!

Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups of pumpkin (14-16 oz can of pumpkin) **
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 cups flour

1 bag of milk chocolate chips (12 oz bag)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together the margarine/butter and sugars in a large bowl / KitchenAid. Then add the eggs and vanilla and cream till well mixed. Then add the pumpkin and mix well. In separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well mixed. Add the chocolate chips and mix well by hand.

Spoon onto ungreased non stick cookie sheets (if not non stick, then spray PAM on the cookie sheet).

Cook for 15 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

*Note: Makes approximately 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on size of cookies.

*Note: You want the cookie batter super thick, so you might want/need to add a little extra flour. The cookies should be nice and thick (almost like a mini muffin) when they're done baking. If they flatten too much you'll want to add a little more flour!

**Note: If you have a large can of pumpkin (29 oz) that you'd like to use you can double the recipe.

Enjoy!

Easy Cheese Quesidilla Appetizer

This is super easy and surprisingly yummy! I had the idea while trying to make a quick lunch one day. I was making a simple cheese quesidilla and saw some left over brushetta topping in the fridge and thought it would probably taste good on top...I was right...it's delicious!

So this is very simple and not too much of an actual recipe as I don't use exact amounts, but to help give you a bit of an idea I've guesstimated amounts here to make 2 quesidilla's.

Easy Cheese Quesidilla Appetizer

2 un-cooked flour tortillas (or cooked flour tortilla)
3/4 - 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp sour cream
1/2 large tomato, diced
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 tsp olive oil, approximately
1 tsp minced garlic
pinch of salt

Dice the tomato, green onions and mix together with olive oil, minced garlic and salt. Let mixture marinate while making the quesidilla.

Cook one side of the tortilla over medium heat in a large frying pan. Flip it over and sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on half of the tortilla, then fold the tortilla in half. Cook the tortilla for a few minutes and then flip it over and cook the other side. Remove the tortilla to a plate and spread a thin layer of sour cream on the tortilla and then put the tomato mixture on top.

*Note: The amount of tomatoes, green onions, olive oil, garlic and salt will depend on the amount you'd like to make. The mixture will keep well in the fridge for a couple of days if you'd like to make extra and then use it as needed.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

A friend of Chris's made this soup at work for one of their potluck Sunday lunches and Chris liked it so much he brought some of it home for me. I was happy because it's delicious!

The original recipe was from RecipeZaar, I made a few small additions.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 heaping tbsp minced garlic (or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced)
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 of a large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 1 1/2 lbs or 5 cups of cubed squash)
1 large carrot, diced
1 tsp ground dry sage (or 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped)
pinch of rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth (or 3 cups water plus veggie/chicken bouillon or base)
Parmesan cheese to garnish (or shredded cheese)

*Note: I just ran out of ginger and nutmeg, but if I had any I think I might add a pinch of one or both of these in the soup as well. Maybe in place of the rosemary leaves and maybe in addition to.

Add oil, garlic and onion to a large pot and saute over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Add sage, rosemary leaves, (ginger, nutmeg,) salt, pepper, broth, squash and carrots and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until squash is cooked through.

Remove from heat and puree in blender (puree half or all of the soup, depending if you'd like to have any chunks remaining in the soup).

Return to medium heat and continue to cook for a couple minutes before serving.

Serve garnished with cheese and fresh sage if desired.

Serve in bread bowls, with fresh breadsticks, etc.

Enjoy!

*Note: This recipe makes about 8 cups of soup, so if you want a nice big pot to feed a lot of people you'll want to double it and use a large butternut squash!