Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Autumn is by far my favorite time of year! The vibrant colors of the trees, the cool crisp air, the fresh smells, and of course the flavors. Anyone who knows me, knows that by mid August, I am getting excited about the thought of the temperatures dropping, (yes I do realize I am a bit crazy), hay stacks and pumpkins showing up on people’s front door steps, and all of the fresh fall produce one could hope for. One of my favorites happens to be butternut squash because there is so much you can do with it, roasting it, mashing it, and my personal favorite, making soup with it. It has the perfect amount of sweetness, and a pinch of cayenne gives the finish the right amount of spice. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

2 medium Butternut Squash’s

1 large Yellow Onion

6 cloves Garlic peeled

4 cups Chicken Stock

1 bunch leeks (white parts only, washed and drained)

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Butter

2 Tablespoon Fat Free Sour Cream

Salt & Pepper to Taste

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (more if you like it spicy)

Fresh Croutons (because who doesn’t love croutons on soup)

Fresh herbs (I used Tarragon because it was in the fridge, but sage and time would work well)

Peel and chop Squash and onion into 1 inch pieces. Combine with garlic, toss with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven at

450 degrees for 30 minutes.

When squash is done, sauté leeks in butter for about 3 minutes, add squash, onion and garlic and sauté another 3 minutes. Add about half of the stock and bring to a light simmer. Turn off the heat and use a hand blender (or in batches, place in a blender and blend until smooth). Stir in remaining stock (less if you want it very thick) and turn the heat on low. Add cayenne, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste.

Croutons

4 slices good bread (I used roasted garlic sour dough, but anything you have laying around will do) chopped into about 1 inch pieced

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

Chop bread into 1 inch cubes, place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes, or until bread starts to brown. Take out and allow to cool. Top soup with croutons.

Salad Nicoise

So I definitely loved all of the great food I ate on my vacation in the South of France, but one of my favorite dishes was such a simple one, Salad Nicoise. A crisp clean salad of greens, tuna, eggs, olives, and a light vinaigrette was great for lunch, or a light dinner back home. I had always envisioned it with green beans and potatoes, but those were never included.  When making this for some friends, I had to add those, so this may not be the most traditional recipe, but it sure was good. Oh yeah, what a great excuse to dig into a nice crusty baguette along with it.

Salad

3 heads Boston lettuce (chopped, rinsed, and dried0

6 small red skinned potatoes (boiled, cooled, and sliced)

6 hardboiled eggs

½ pound green beans (steamed to al dente and placed directly in an ice bath)

1 large can tuna (in water)

1/3 Cup good Nicoise or Greek Olives

Place lettuce on a platter and arrange ingredients on top. Drizzle dressing over top and serve with nice crusty bread.

Dressing (I lightened up the vinaigrette in the recipe, but if it too tangy for you; feel free to add more olive oil.)

Juice of one Lemon

¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 Small Shallot finely minced

1 Tablespoons Tarragon

Combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar and shake well. Place in the fridge for at least half an hour to let all of the flavors combine

European Vacation with the Perfect French Inspired Picnic

I have always said that the best way to explore a new place is by running thought it and eating as much as possible, an oxymoron I know, but I was fortunate enough to do both on our recent vacation to London and the South of France.  We ran though Hyde Park past Kensington Palace into Knotting Hill. In France we ran up the winding roads overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, past Palaces and Mansions to the top where we found a large moat surrounding an old fort. These runs were a great way to see little hidden gems that we most likely would have missed. They also allowed us to taste all of the local flavors, yes Fish and Chips in London, and the daily baguette in France without feeling an ounce of guilt. We even followed up one run with a fantastic picnic on the sea, complete with wine, local olives, cheeses, cured meats, and of course a freshly baked crusty baguette.

France was full of flavor and local ingredients from the fresh muscles (moules and frites) to the classic salad nicoise. Nice was known for a unique dish called the Soca that is like a crepe, but made with chickpeas instead. We tried one topped with fresh spring mix, sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced prosciutto, and a drizzle of thick, sweet balsamic vinegar, delicious!  Around each corner was a boulangerie filled with wonderfully fresh made breads and the ever so delicious pain au chocolate (chocolate croissants). Everywhere you looked there was freshly made food that was just amazing.

Both Nice and London were full of markets and shops where you could stock up on freshly baked breads, local produce, meats, cheeses, and so much goodness to take home and cook with. We definitely came home with jars of local mustards, olive tapenades, and locally made onion marmalades that I can’t wait to cook with.

I have been thinking of all the wonderful dishes I can make inspired by this trip, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Ingredients for a Perfect French Picnic

1 Bottle good French Wine – I recommend one from Cotes De Rhone

Freshly baked French Baguette

French Cheese – I recommend a good Munster

Cured Meats – Salame, Prosciutto, and anything else you may prefer

Curry Lentil Soup with Cauliflower and Kale

The days are getting shorter and the weather is finally starting to cool off (yes, I am one of those people who loves the cold weather), so that means one thing… SOUP.  I was so in the mood to make a big bubbling pot of one of my staples, curried lentil soup, but wanted to add a little something extra to it. I know Kale goes great with lentils and I have seen cauliflower added as well, so I thought why not. The soup has great color and flavor, with a little kick from red pepper flakes, and could not be easier to make. It is great when  you just want to curl up on the couch under a blanket and relax. Trust me on this one, it will become a staple for you as well!

1 Cup Red or Green Lentils

1 head cauliflower (cut in small florets)

4 tsp ground turmeric

3 tsp yellow curry powder

15 sundried tomatoes (chopped)

1 ½ red onions (chopped)

6 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 bunch Kale (chopped)

2 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy)

12 cups chicken stock

4 Bay leaves

Salt to taste

3 tsp butter

Sautee onion and garlic in butter until translucent, about 5 minutes (add a dash of stock if the pot starts to dry up). Add dried spices to the pan and cook an additional minute.  Add cauliflower, lentils, chicken stock, Kale, and bay leaves to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add chopped sundried tomatoes and salt to taste. Let cook for about 30 minutes until lentils soft and soup has thickened a bit. Enjoy!

The Easiest Tomato Sauce Ever!

So I read about this sauce on Food52, then again on Brusselsproutsforbreakfast and decided I had to try it. The tomatoes in our garden are ripening by the dozen and I didn’t want a single one to go to waste! I am not going to lie though, I was a but skeptical about this sauce since there are so few ingredients in it, no fresh basil or other herbs, but people were just raving about it, so I knew it would be good. I made a triple batch and canned it so we can enjoy it once the weather turns and we don’t have the fresh produce at our fingertips. I made a few slight adjustments, keeping the onion in the sauce and pureeing it to give it a little more flavor. I sautéed some fresh vegetables and added some sauce and basil and layered it with polenta and mozzarella cheese. The great thing about this sauce, it that you can do just about anything with it! I can’t wait to make some homemade chicken and spinach ravioli to go along with this delicious sauce… Enjoy!

Tomato Sauce

• 2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes (canned would work as well)
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion peeled and cut in quarters
• Salt to Taste

If using fresh tomatoes, cut a small X on the bottom of the tomatoes and place in boiling water for about 30 seconds, remove from water and peel skin.

Chop tomatoes and place in pot with butter, onion, and salt. Let simmer for about an hour. Use hand blender (or regular blender) and puree sauce with onion to desired consistency. Add salt to taste and let simmer for additional 15 minutes.

Polenta

Use 1 cup dry polenta and prepare following the directions on the package.

½ Chopped Onion

3 Cloves Garlic (chopped)

3 Medium Zucchini (diced)

½ lb Mushrooms sliced

2 cups Cherry Tomatoes

1 cup packed Basil Leaves (torn)

1 ½ Cups Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare Polenta according to instruction. Meanwhile sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes; add vegetables and sauté about 8 minutes, add sauce and torn basil and let simmer. 

Layer sauce, polenta, and cheese (do this twice), in an 8x8 pan, and cover with foil. You can let this sit in the refrigerator overnight, or bake right away. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour until it becomes bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato Basil Tilapia

It’s finally that time of year when the long awaited home grown tomatoes start to turn red and are ready to be picked, and the fresh herbs are green and fragrant. I am lucky to have a husband who loves to garden so there are plenty of ripe juicy red, cherry, and yellow tomatoes for me to choose from right outside the back door. I had some tilapia thawing and I thought what better way to use the tomatoes and basil from my garden!

Tomato Basil Tilapia

4 Tilapia Filets

½ Red or Sweet Yellow Onion

4 Cloves Garlic Chopped

4-5 Medium Tomatoes Chopped

1 ½ Cups Fresh Basil Leaves

½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more if you like it spicy)

Salt and Pepper

Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray and turn on medium. Salt and Pepper both sides of Fish and place in pan, brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Remove fish from pan and cover with foil.

Spray pan again with cooking spray (or use olive oil) and add onions and garlic; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add torn or cut basil leaves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook additional 5 minutes. Add fish back in for a couple minutes to warm back through. Enjoy!

Chipotle Peach Barbeque Pork Tenderloin with Cucumbers and Yogurt Sacue

It’s finally that time of year, when the local farm stands are starting to pop up with loads of locally grown sweet corn, fresh squash and zucchini, and one of my favorite, sweet juicy cucumbers. One of my favorite dishes to make in the summer is cucumbers with yogurt sauce. I figured it would be a nice cooling dish to compliment the chipotle peach barbeque pork tenderloin I was planning on making for a Saturday evening cookout with my parents. The cucumbers add a nice balance to the spice that the chipotles give the barbeque sauce. These two dishes paired with locally grown sweet corn, and a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc, make for a fantastic summer dinner.

Cucumbers with Yogurt Sauce

4 Cucumbers peeled and sliced

½ Sweet White Onion sliced thin

2 Cups Fat Free Plain Yogurt

¼ Cup Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon White or Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice Cucumbers and onion and place in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix; salt and pepper to taste. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for all of the flavors to combine.

Chipotle Peach Barbeque Sauce with Grilled Pork Tenderloin

4 Cups Chopped Peeled Peaches, (about 4 whole peaches)

1 Cup Ketchup

Juice of 1 Lemon

8 Cloves Garlic Chopped

2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce from canned Chipotles (more if you like it very spicy)

2 Chipotles Finely Chopped

4 Teaspoons Soy Sauce

2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 Pork Tenderloins

Combine first 5 ingredients in saucepan. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until peaches are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool slightly. Place in a blender (or use hand blender) and combine until smooth. Season again with salt and pepper.

Let the sauce cool slightly and pour over tenderloins and marinade at least 2 hours.  Grill the pork until center is 145 degrees, basting with additional sauce as you go.  Let pork rest, and serve with extra sauce.