Squash Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups diced squash (butternut, acorn, hubbard, etc.)
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 large celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 small onion roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups chicken stock
enough water to cover vegetables
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

In a large pot, add squash, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaves, parsley, salt, curry powder, ground cayenne, chicken stock, and water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until squash is tender.
 
Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Remove bay leaves. 

In food processor/blender, process soup in batches until smooth.
 
Return to the pot. Stir in butter and wine (you could use milk or coconut cream if you prefer) and reheat the soup (if using milk or cream, make sure you do not let it boil at this point as it will curdle). Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve garnished with a little sour cream swirl, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, and a sprig of fresh parsley (or however you like it).

Orzo Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-light olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) box orzo pasta, cooked and drained
1 seedless cucumber, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 (14-oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 (6-oz.) can whole pitted black olives, drained
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Garnish: fresh oregano


Directions:

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, chives, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine; set aside.

In a side bowl, combine pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives, and feta cheese.

Pour lemon juice mixture over pasta mixture, stirring to combine well.

Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Garnish with fresh oregano, if desired.

Roasted Peaches

Ingredients:

peaches
ground cinnamon (or cayenne pepper or Chinese Five-Spice)

toppings:
honey (or maple syrup or brown sugar)
yogurt (or sour cream or ricotta or whipped cream or ice cream)
almonds (or pecans or walnuts)
granola


Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut peaches in half and remove pit. Sprinkle peaches with cinnamon (I've been using cayenne this summer because I like the heat). Place peaches on baking pan (I do cut side down, unless I'm adding sweetener before roasting).

Put pan in oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Place peaches in bowls and top with a drizzle of honey and a couple spoonfuls of yogurt, almonds, and granola.


This recipe is also linked to...

Food on Friday: Pears and Peaches

Blackberry-Peach Cobbler

For the filling:
3 cups blackberries
1 tablespoon sugar (use more if your fruit is particularly tart)
2 1/2 cups chopped peaches
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the biscuits:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar, plus additional 2 tablespoons sugar for sprinkling
1 cup sour cream


Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F, position a rack in the bottom third of the oven.

Mix blackberries and sugar in a medium bowl, add peaches and almond extract.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar until well blended. Fold in sour cream and stir until incorporated.

Turn out dough onto a floured work surface and shape into a log. Cut the log into eight slices, and pat until about an inch thick.

Pour fruit filling into a deep-dish pie pan and arrange biscuits on top. Sprinkle top with remaining sugar, then place the pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch drips.

Bake 25 minutes on lower rack of the oven, until the top is golden.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp water
peaches (fresh, frozen or canned)
12 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups milk
1 loaf (1 pound) day-old French bread, cubed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


Directions
                                                                                                         
In a saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, butter, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Pour the brown sugar mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and tilt the dish to cover the entire bottom. Place peaches in a layer over the sugar coating, then top with cubes of French bread. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Slowly pour over the bread slices to coat evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. 

Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Bake for approximately 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bread is golden brown. Spoon out portions to serve.


NOTES: To make this a gluten-free, dairy-free breakfast, I used a package of Glutino's Gluten-Free English Muffins and unsweetened coconut milk by So Delicious and it was so very yummy.


This recipe is also linked to...

Food on Friday: Pears and Peaches

Breakfast Strata

Ingredients:

12 slices day-old bread, torn/cut into bite size pieces
1 cup diced fresh mushrooms (I used cremini)
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
2 cups cubed cooked ham
12 eggs
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp chopped green onion (optional)


Directions:

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the torn bread in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the mushrooms and green bell pepper evenly over the bread layer. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with remaining bread pieces, then layer with the onion and ham. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Whisk together eggs and milk; pour over the entire pan. Cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake covered for 35 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until top is evenly brown.


NOTES: I did this recipe using 16 slices of Udi's Gluten-Free White Bread and a whole ham steak. It was really yummy.

Key Lime S'mores

Ingredients

24 square graham crackers
3/4 cup Key lime curd or pie filling
12 marshmallows


Directions

Spread the half of the graham crackers with a thick layer of lime curd (about 2 tablespoons apiece). Toast the marshmallows until they are slightly blackened on the outside and soft inside. Smear the marshmallows on the other half of the graham crackers. Sandwich and eat immediately.

Garlic and Lemon Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound trimmed green beans
8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.

Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Corn and Chickpea Fiesta Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups corn (fresh, frozen, canned....whatever you prefer, but if you're using canned corn make sure to drain and rinse it)
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about a 1 pound container)
1 green pepper, diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 English cucumber, chopped

Dressing:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 tbsp lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper




Directions

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a big bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and stir until everything is mixed well.

Refrigerate until serving or at least for a half an hour to let the flavors blend.

Baked Herb and Parmesan Potato Slices

Ingredients

2 whole russet potatoes (medium size)
2 whole large red potatoes
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse the potatoes and dry them off with a paper towel. Slice the potatoes at a slight diagonal. Try to keep the slices at a similar width (about a ½ inch) so they cook evenly.

Add the potato slices to a large bowl. Next add the herbs, spices, and olive oil. Mix all of the ingredients together so the olive oil and herbs evenly coat both sides of the sliced potatoes.

Lay the potatoes on to a cookie sheet. Try to lay the potatoes as flat as possible on to the cookie sheet rather than stacking the potatoes on top of one another.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the thinnest pieces are a golden color. Serve warm right out of the oven as a side dish.

Chorizo Sausage with Peas and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 chorizo sausages
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 can (400g) cherry tomatoes, undrained
2 cups quinoa grain, rinsed and drained
3 cups hot water
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen peas
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leafed parsley
2 Tbsp chopped chives


Directions:

Cut the chorizo into quarters length ways, then into pieces. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the chorizo until golden, then remove from the pan.

Add the onion and saute until soft, adding a little extra oil if needed. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, then add paprika, cherry tomatoes, quinoa and water. Season to taste, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the peas, parley, chives and chorizo and simmer, covered, for a further 8-10 minutes.

NOTES: You can substitute shrimp or strips of chicken breast for the chorizo. If using chicken, cook it almost completely through at the beginning. Shrimp can be added at the last step, but vary the cooking time accordingly.

Roasted Taco Potatoes

Ingredients

5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup Monterrey Jack and Cheddar blend cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a baking dish and set aside.

Put your potatoes in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil.

In a small bowl, mix all your seasonings together (you could also just use a package of taco seasoning). Add to potatoes and toss until well-coated. Put seasoned potatoes in greased baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are done and a fork pierces them easily. I mix the potatoes at the halfway point (15 minutes) so that all sides of the potatoes get browned.

Sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes and bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

NOTE: This would also be yummy using sweet potatoes.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

Ingredients

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cups frozen corn
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1 can (4 ounces) green chilis
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, for garnish


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Coconut Flour Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1/2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
1 Tbsp coconut flour
fresh or frozen blueberries (optional)


DIRECTIONS

 In a bowl, add all the wet ingredients and whisk together until well blended.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and whisk mixture again until well blended and frothy – this will get them even fluffier!

Add additional oil or butter to a frying pan on medium to low heat and let warm for a few minutes.

Next, pour the batter into small circles in the frying pan without letting the edges of each circle touch. Keep the heat fairly low and let the pancakes heat up slowly and rise – about 3 to 5 minutes.
Wait until there are several bubbles appearing on top of the pancake circles and the edges are cooked, and then flip each pancake to cook the other side. This will not take long, so watch them carefully, and then move the pancakes onto another plate. Continue this until all the batter is gone.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Swirl Cake

Ingredients:

For the batter:

3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the topping:

1 cup butter, softened (the softer, the better)
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cinnamon

For the glaze:

2 cup powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the batter together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter. Pour into the greased 9x13 pan.

Mix topping ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter.
Swirl your topping and cake mixture with a knife going up and down the length of the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Mix the ingredients for the glaze. Drizzle over the cake while it's still warm.

Creamy Salsa Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

2/3 cup uncooked brown rice
1 1/3 cups water
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups shredded Tex-Mex cheese, divided
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mild salsa


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rice and water in a casserole dish. Place seasoned chicken on top and put dish in oven for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and salsa. Pour mixture over chicken and bake for another 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and sauce is bubbly.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and serve.


This is one of those quick and easy "go-to" meal and it's so very tasty. It's also very forgiving/flexible...

...use Mozzarella or Marbled cheese instead of Tex-Mex
...switch out cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken or cream of cheddar or even cream of celery
...use diced tomatoes instead of salsa (with Jalapeños, Italian, Greek, plain or whatever you like)


This recipe is also linked to...

Food on Friday: Stews and Casseroles

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips




Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.


This recipe is also linked to...

Food on Friday: Parsnips and Pumpkin

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

1 pound top sirloin steak, cut into strips
6 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup beef stock
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Directions

Heat a large skillet  over a medium-high heat and allow 2 Tbsp of butter to melt. Add the beef strips and cook on each side for just one minute, until golden brown and then remove from the pan and set aside. Don’t be worried that the meat isn’t cooked through, as it will return to the heat to cook again later.

Repeat the above step, but this time cooking the mushrooms. They may require a minute or two longer, just enough time so that they begin to take a golden color. Once cooked, remove them from the skillet and set aside for later use.

This time, repeat the first step, but with the onions and garlic. More cooking time will be required, as the onions need to become tender.

Once the onions and garlic have cooked, leave them in the skillet and add the white wine. Cook for just a few minutes so that the alcohol burns off and the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan come up. At this point add the coconut milk and beef broth, stirring until a consistent creamy sauce takes shape.

Return the beef and mushrooms to the skillet and allow them to simmer slightly for 5 to 7 minutes. You may need to turn the temperature down to prevent the sauce from boiling. Also be sure to check the beef, as you do not want to overcook it and make it chewy.

Serve as is or on top of some pasta. Bon apetit!

Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp and Feta

Ingredients

5 large tomatoes, cut into eighths
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
 2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup Feta, crumbled


Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the tomatoes in a large baking dish. Spoon the olive oil and garlic over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss.

Place on top rack of oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Remove baking dish from oven and stir in the shrimp, parsley, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with the Feta.

Place back in oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked.

Serve warm with crusty bread.

Grilled Pineapple With Butter-Rum Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup rum (I used Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum)
A pinch each of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice
1 (3 to 4 pound) pineapple
oilcoconut (or vanilla) ice cream

Directions

In a small saucepan, cook the butter, sugar, rum and spices over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the butter melted.

Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 10 min. longer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly syrupy and coats the back of a spoon.

Keep warm.

Heat the grill, making sure it's clean and brush or spray it with a touch of oil so the pineapple doesn't stick. Grill the pineapple slices until warmed through and carmelized, about 7 minutes on each side.
Serve immediately with a scoop of ice cream and the warm sauce drizzled on top.


This recipe is also linked to...

Food on Friday: Pineapple