Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

This is a recipe back from my days at Oregon State--in my Food Science Class (I was a dietetics major). It's cold and rainy here today and it makes me yearn for fall! Autumn is my most favorite cherished time of the year. I can't explain it, I just love it so much. When you have an abundance of squash on hand (or when I happily shop at my local Farmer's Market next month) come back to this recipe. It's interesting and yummy.

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream
Oregon State University Food Science Class

-2.5 lbs Butternut Squash
-5 Tbsp Butter
-2 cups Leeks
-1/2 cup Carrots
-1/2 cup Celery
-2/3 cup Sour Cream
-2 small Granny Smith Apples
-1.5 tsp dried Thyme
-1/2 tsp dried Sage Leaves
-5 cups Chicken Broth
-1.5 cups Apple Cider
-1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
-1/2 cup fresh Chives (for garnish)

1. Peel, seed and cut Butternut Squash into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Chop Leeks, Peel & Chop Carrots, Chop Celery, Peel, Core & Chop Apples, Crumble Sage Leaves, Chop fresh Chives.
3. Melt Butter in Large Saucepan over Medium Heat, Add squash, onions, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes
4. Mix in Apples, Thyme and Sage. Add Chicken Broth & 1 cup Cider and bring to Boil.
5. Reduce Heat to Med-Low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally (about 30 minutes).
6. Cool slightly
7. Working in batches, puree soup in blender and return to pan.
8. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 mintues) and let cool.
9. Place Sour Cream in a small bowl, whisk in reduced cider.
10. Bring Soup to simmer, mix in heavy whipping cream.
11. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with cider cream and top with chives.




This recipe can be made the day before up to #9. Just store both items in refrigerator.

Dutch Babies

Derek made these for me on one of our first breakfast dates. I worked a lot in the evening so he invited me over for breakfast--and the best part was that he cooked!!

Dutch Babies
The Taste of Oregon Cookbook**Recipe Card written by Derek's Mom

-1/3 cup butter
-5 large eggs
-1 cup milk
-1 cup flour

Put butter im 9x13 inch dish and set in a 425 degree oven to melt. While melting, put eggs into a blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and then the flour, blend an additional 30 seconds. Pour into the hot baking dish (that holds the melted butter). Bake until brown & puffy, about 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately with powdered sugar, lemon juice, jam or syrup.

Our family of four eats this all up FAST, the kids love it! We will have to start making two of these very soon!

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-Grease 12 muffins cups

In a mixing bowl, beat the oil with eggs, sugars, and vanilla extract.

Combine the flour, soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; add to the wet ingredients; stirring until blended.

Fold in the shredded zucchini and carrots.
Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar, if desired. Bake for 20 minutes.

Caramel Corn

-1 cup butter
-1/2 cup corn syrup
-2 cups brown sugar
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-6 quarts popped corn
*Optional* nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans)

Preheat 250 degrees.
Melt the butter, corn syrup, brown sugar and salt together over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the soda and vanilla. It will foam! Pour over the popped corn and mix well. Spread the coated corn onto large buttered cookie sheets and bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let it cool and eat!

Little hands won't be able to stay out of it!


Side note: I cut the recipe in forth for the above pictures. We had also eaten 70% of the treat in the 2nd picture!

Pronto Mini Pizzas (a.k.a english muffin pizzas)

My kids love this meal!

-English muffins
-Pizza or Spaghetti Sauce
-Pizza Blend Cheese
-Assorted Toppings Ideas
*We love turkey pepperoni (if you haven't tried this it's a must! Not so greasy like regular pepperoni)
*Canadian Bacon
*Sausage
*Pineapple
*Mushrooms, bell pepper, olives, onion

Preheat Oven to 400. Split English Muffins in half, spread app. 2 TBLE sauce onto each muffin. Sprinkle evenly with toppings of your choice. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

***This recipe was taken from THE PAMPERED CHEF. It came with my stonewear pan. The time should be the same but check it a bit earlier if using a regular cookie sheet, stonewear seems to take a bit longer.

Good for you Shrimp Scampi

We love this dish! Derek gets the medium sized shrimp from work (frozen) and it works great!

1.5 lbs shrimp (if in shell, peel and devein).
2 Tble Olive Oil
2 Tble Thinly Chopped Green Onion
1.5 tsp Basil (more if fresh)
1 tsp Parsley (more if fresh)
2 Tble Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Salt
2 cloves garlic

Parmesan Cheese
Whole Wheat Pasta (I love the Barilla Plus with the Omega 3)

Heat Olive Oil in 10-inch skillet

Cook everything together (except for the cheese and pasta) for 2-3 minutes (just until the shrimp is cooked).
Top with Parmesan Cheese and serve over hot pasta.

Chicken Cordon Bleu--Crockpot Edition

My mom makes this on special occasions and we love it! It does take some initial prep time but great if you're having a dinner party! I dislike throwing dinner together right before people arrive. You could serve this entree with a yummy salad, maybe some rice or mashed potatoes and some crusty french bread...at least that's how we'd serve it here in the Northwest! :)

Serves 6 (counting on one stuffed breast per person).

INGREDIENTS:

* 6 chicken breast halves
* 6 slices ham
* 6 slices Swiss cheese
* 1/2 c. flour
* 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. pepper
* 3 tablespoons oil
* 1 can cream of chicken soup
* 1/2 cup dry white wine

PREPARATION:
Place each chicken breast half between pieces of plastic wrap and pound gently to flatten to an even thickness. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast; roll up and secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine.


Combine flour, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in bowl. Roll chicken in the Parmesan and flour mixture; chill 1 hour. After chilling the chicken, heat a skillet with 3 tablespoons oil; brown chicken on all sides. In crockpot combine chicken soup and wine. Add browned chicken and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours or HIGH for about 2 1/2 hours. Thicken sauce with a mixture of flour and cold water (about 2 tablespoons flour whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water). Cook for about 20 minutes longer, until thickened.