Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is incredible. It's more like a bisque with its creamy, rich texture. It's restaurant quality (if we're talking about the best restaurants out there). The first time I had it was years ago when we were invited to the home of a woman who was hosting a Russian pianist. Michael speaks Russian and loves music, so she wanted us there to help welcome him. The entire evening was perfect, but I have especially remembered that soup with great fondness. :)

Butternut Squash Soup
printable version

3 cups peeled, diced butternut squash (about 1 small)
2 cups thinly sliced carrot (4 medium)
3/4 cup chopped onion (I used 3/4 tsp onion powder as an emergency sub)
1 TBS butter
2 14-oz cans (that's 3 1/2 cups) reduced-sodium chicken broth (my favorite is Swanson's)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (black will work)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup half-n-half or light cream (while making pumpkin pie for Christmas, I learned from my niece Autumn that evaporated milk can be a substitute for this)
toasted pumpkin seeds as garnish (optional)

I peeled and diced the squash and carrots the night before. It's not hard, just a little time-consuming. Make sure you peel the squash past the "rind." (If you slice the ends first, it will be easier to see how deep you need to go).
All of these substitutions I've noted on here are what I did. The soup was amazing even so...but I have to say, following the recipe exactly will give you the very best version of this soup. Especially when it comes to white pepper. 

In a large covered saucepan cook squash, carrot and leek in hot butter over medium heat about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Cool slightly.

Place one-third of the squash mixture in a food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until almost smooth. Repeat with remaining squash mixture. Return all of mixture to the saucepan.
Add white pepper and nutmeg; bring just to boiling.
Add half-n-half; heat through.

Serve hot! 

(Optional: garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds).

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

This is a really summer-y salad, and even though it might sound like one of those old-people salads, it's actually very tasty. It's got a sweet flavor, and just the perfect balance of chewiness and crunchiness.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
printable version

2 or 3 heads broccoli
1 head cauliflower
fresh spinach leaves
chopped bacon
cashews
sunflower seeds
raisins
red onions, chopped

Dressing:
1 cup mayo
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBS vinegar

Sauteed Mushrooms

I know this isn't really something anyone needs a recipe with, but I like having a recipe to at least give me an idea of amounts.

Sauteed Mushrooms

printable version

2 TBS butter

8 oz. small fresh mushrooms (I used blanc, but it's really just a preference thing)

1 TBS lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Melt butter in a skillet. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in mushrooms (don't let them overlap much or they won't brown as well). Stir mushrooms about 5 minutes or until tender. If necessary, simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has evaporated.

Gulliver's Cream Corn

This is from my mom. I love corn, and cream corn is almost a comfort food to me. For the longest time I looked for recipes to do cream corn and only found stuff that included cream corn from a can. I thought that was stupid.

Um, so anyway, here's The Recipe...

Gulliver's Cream Corn

printable version

2 (20 oz.) pkgs. frozen kernel corn

8 oz. (1/2 pint) whipping cream

8 oz. homogenized milk

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Accent (or Mrs. Dash)

6 TBSP sugar

pinch of white pepper (or cayenne pepper--even black pepper)

2 TBSP melted butter

2 TBSP flour

Combine all ingredients except butter and flour. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the butter and flour, then remove from heat. Tada! Yummy cream corn--NOT from a can!

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

Believe it or not, this is low fat! And if you or your kids have a particular aversion to carrots, this might help you eat them without plugging your nose. I think it's delicious, even treat-like (although there's no way carrots are replacing my chocolate needs).

I like to use this recipe when doing vegetables my regular style gets boring (butter, maybe a spice or two).

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

printable version

1 lb peeled baby carrots -OR- medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 TBS butter or margarine (I'm truly a butter snob, go for it)

1 TBS packed brown sugar

Dash salt

Black pepper

1. In a medium saucepan cook carrots, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; remove carrots from pan.

2. In the same saucepan combine butter, brown sugar and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Add carrots. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until glazed. Season to taste with pepper.

Herbed-Glazed Carrots: Prepare as above, except substitute 1 TBS honey for the brown sugar and add 1 TBS snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed, to the butter mixture.

Mmmm...I love vegetables.