Fall Soup

Between my CSA share and my husband's cousin, I ended up with a variety of winter squashes. I decided with the recent change in weather, Squash Soup would be a comforting change. As I usually do, I hit the internet for ideas and found a recipe for Roasted Squash Soup that uses several types of winter squash. Since Ihad butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash, I decided to use this recipe as a basis for my version.

 Roasted Winter Squash Soup
Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-squash-soup/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=roasted%20squash%20soup&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

• 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash*, halved and seeded
• 1 acorn squash*, halved and seeded
• 1/2 small spaghetti squash*, halved and seeded
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion*, chopped
• 6 cloves roasted garlic*, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 Gala apples* - peeled, cored and chopped
• 2/3 cup white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place the squash, cut side down, on baking sheets and roast for 45 minutes, or until flesh is soft. Scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
3. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the onion, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook 1 minute. Add the apples and sherry and simmer for 10 minutes, or until apples soften.
4. Puree batches of the squash flesh and broth in a food processor or blender. Transfer the squash puree to a large saucepan. Puree the apple/sherry mixture and stir into pureed squash.
5. Heat over medium heat and season with salt, pepper and cayenne, to taste. 

 *CSA ingredients

Chicken and Vegetables

After a rough week, I am finally feeling like I have energy again. Unfortunately, my meats have gone bad. I am thankful that I have friends willing to help me out. My friend, Leland, is headed to the grocery store to get me a rotisserie chicken. I hope they have some available. I decided to just make a melange of sorts and add chicken for protein. It smells really good cooking on the stove.

 Chicken Vegetable Soup

• 1/2 large onion, finely diced
•  1 small butternut squash, diced
•  3 stalks celery, with leaves, diced
•  2 carrots, diced
•  1 red pepper, diced
•  2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
•  1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
•  1 small rotisserie chicken, shredded

 Prepare vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add vegetables and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently over medium heat. Add diced tomatoes and chicken stock. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Add shredded chicken, cover and cook another 20 minutes. Blend a 1-cup serving.

Note: I have purposely overcooked this soup to make it blendable. Cooking times can be adjusted and chicken added with the tomatoes and stock if you prefer firmer vegetables.

Squash Soup

Now that my music obligations are complete, its time for me to get back to some cooking. I received butternut and buttercup squash in the last share. I had located a recipe for slow-cooker squash and broccoli soup I thought I'd try. I cut up the squash and an onion and put them in the cooker, but when I opened the bag of broccoli florets, they were clearly spoiled. While this was disappointing to me, I moved onto plan B.

Curried Butternut Squash Apple Soup

• 2 small butternut squash*, peeled and cubed
• 2 large granny smith apples*, peeled and cubed
•  1 large onion*, diced
• 3 cloves garlic*, minced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup apple cider*
• 4 cups water
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• salt and pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients into crock of slow-cooker. Cover and cook 4-5 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW, or until vegetables are soft. Cool slightly then blend with an immersion blender or countertop blender until smooth. If you like, add a little cream or plain yogurt before serving. Garnish with diced apples or pears.

*CSA ingredients

More Squash and Greens

Since it is fall, we are receiving a lot of winter sqash and late greens.  In graduate school, each lab I've worked in has been full of people from other countries.  In our collaborators lab, there is a lab tech from Africa.  Between his meals and the meals of OUR lab tech from Peru, I am constantly trying to figure out exactly what types of spices are used in their food.  I have been intrigued with African cooking since living in Ann Arbor where there are two Etheopian restaurants there.  Today I ran across a recipe for North African Squash Stew and decided to give it a try.  According to the recipe, you could serve this over couscous, although my friends tend to put their stews over rice. 

North African Squash Stew
Adapted from http://www.cookingclub.com/Recipes/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7888/North-African-Squash-Stew

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 small onions, cut into thin wedges*
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced*
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 (2-lb.) butternut squash, seeded, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (5 cups)*
• 1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Pinch saffron threads, crushed
• 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Rotel)
• 1 (12-oz.) bunch Spinach, stems removed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch slices (6 cups)*
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. In Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add garlic, ginger and turmeric; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add broth, squash, garbanzo beans, cinnamon stick and saffron; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 8 minutes or until squash is almost tender.

2. Stir in tomatoes, Swiss chard and raisins. Increase heat to medium; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until squash and Swiss chard are tender, stirring occasionally. Discard cinnamon stick. Sprinkle with pepper.

8 (1 1/4-cup) servings

PER SERVING: 195 calories, 3 g total fat (.5 g saturated fat), 8 g protein, 37.5 g carbohydrate, 0 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, 7 g fiber

 

*CSA ingredients

 

Eggs with winter vegetables

After roasting the winter vegetables, I then was still faced with making breakfast. I decided to put the vegetables in the eggs instead of having them as the side.

Scrambled eggs with Roasted Winter Vegetables

-2 cups roasted winter vegetables*

-3 large eggs*

-3 large egg whites*

-2 slices sharp cheddar

1) Beat eggs and egg whites until well mixed.

2) Coat a large skillet with cooking spray.

3) Heat winter vegetables, pour eggs over vegetables and break up cheese over entire mixture.

4) Allow bottom of eggs to cook, then cook, flipping every minute or so until eggs are almost cooked (note: eggs will finish cooking after you turn off the heat. This keeps them moist).

5) Makes 2 servings.

*CSA ingredients

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Potatoes and squash

This morning, I only had squash, potatoes and sweet potatoes to work with. It reminds me that summer is over and soon enough I will be missing all the wonderful local produce I've enjoyed this season. Not one to be down, I decided to roast these beautiful vegetables for breakfast and for John to have for meals during the week.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

-1 small butternut squash*
-1 medium sweet potato*
-1 large Yukon gold potato*
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 tsp garlic powder (use fresh if you have it)
-Mrs. Dash Italian blend

1) Preheat oven to 400F with foil-covered cookie sheet in oven. Wash and peel squash; dice into 1/2" pieces.

2) Wash potatoes, remove blemishes and eyes (leave peel-it's good for you), and dice to 1/2 inch pieces.

3) Place all pieces in a large bowl and coat with oil and spices.

4) Spread vegetables in single layer on heated cookie sheet.

5) Roast 40 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through.

*CSA ingredients

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Monday Nov 22 dinner

Today had only one element from the CSA package, but it was the big one.  I roasted the chicken in my crockpot today and it tasted so good!  Although, I could have used a bit more salt.  I obviously don't have fresh from the farm chickens very often!  LOL!  The rest of dinner consisted of plain brown rice and a roasted butternut squash.  And of course, a bowl of borscht!

 

Slow Roasted Chicken

• 1 5-lb fresh chicken*
• 1/2 stick butter*
• mixed herbs (I used a garlic and herb mix)
• sea salt (please remember this, I forgot)

 

Remove chicken from the packaging and rinse inside and out.  Dry chicken thoroughly and place into the crock of a large crockpot that has been prepared with cooking spray.  Bring butter to room temperature and mix your herbs into the butter.  I do this to taste and based on what herbs I am using.  Some herbs are stronger than others and need smaller quantities.  Rub the butter all over the chicken and then sprinkle with salt.  Cover and cook 8 hours on LOW.

 

 

Brown Rice (in a rice cooker)

• 2 scoops brown rice (approx. 3/4 cup per scoop)
• 6 cups water

 

Place water and rice in bowl of rice cooker.  Choose brown rice setting and press start.

 

Note: this is easily done on top of the stove as well.  You will want to use a 3 qt saucepan.  Put the rice and water in the saucepan.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover.  Cook until all water is absorbed.  Fluff rice as soon as it is done to prevent sticking.

 

 

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 medium butternut squash*
• 1/4 stick butter*
• mixed herbs (I used garlic and herb mix)

 

Preheat oven to 400.  Remove stem and then with a sturdy knife, cut squash in half lengthwise.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place squash halves cut side up on the sheet.  Cut butter into pats and place them on the squash halves.  Sprinkle with your herbs.  Cover squash with foil and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for another 20 minutes.  Squash is done when it is fork tender.

 

Note: this recipe should work with any type of winter squash.  I prefer butternut squash, but acorn and buttercup squash are good too.

 

 

For Thanksgiving, my brother is cooking dinner.  This is always a treat because cooking is a passion of his.  And the food is always great!  For the first time, he said we could bring an appetizer.  I had some beets left over, so I decided to make pickled beets for the first time.  They turned out great!  Here's the recipe:

 

Cider-Vinegar Pickled Beets
From Food & Wine Magazine

 

• 1 cup cider vinegar with 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced*
• 4 cloves garlic, quartered
• 1 Tsp yellow mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried thyme (would be better with fresh - 2 tbsp)
• 2 lbs medium red beets, peeled and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks*

 

In a saucepan, bring the vinegar mixture, sugar, onion, garlic, mustard, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, thyme and oregano to a boil.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the beets until crisp tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and transfer to a heatproof bowl.  Pour hot liquid over the beets and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours or refrigerate overnight.  Drain the beets, transfer to a bowl and serve.

 

If I find anymore time before we leave (I am thinking this is unlikely), I also have a Crispy Garbonzo Bean recipe I would love to try.  Busy day tomorrow, so not sure I will have the time.

 

Enjoy!  Tomorrow is pickup #2!!!

*CSA ingredients