Butternut Cauliflower Puree

I am not a huge fan of squash, but I am all for eating in season, so I have been experimenting with squashes and mixing with other veggies.  I found one I like tonight!

1 butternut squash
1 TB butter
1 head cauliflower
1 - 1.5 cups milk
Dash black pepper
Nutmeg to taste
1 ts vanilla
Dash cinnamon

Cut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds.  Place in oven safe dish, "meat" side up.  Put butter in each hole made from seed removal.  Roast squash in 375 degree oven for 45 min - 1 hour, until tender when poked with a fork.
Let squash cool.

Steam cauliflower for 20 minutes.  Let cool.

Puree squash + cauliflower in batches with milk and vanilla.  Only use 1/4 cup of milk or so each batch. Put pureed mixture into large saucepan and whisk in spices and any remaining milk.  Add water or milk if thicker than you want.

Heat mixture over low heat, and serve.

Apple Butter

4.5 pouds tart cooking apples, cored and quartered (about 14 medium)
3 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups sugar
2 TB fresh lemon juice, strained
1/2 teas. ground cinnamon

Notes: I used Gala apples, water, bottle lemon juice, 1.5 c. sugar, and added dashes of ground cloves, nutmeg, and ginger

1.)  In an 8- to 10- quart heavy kettle or pot combine apples and cider.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once apples have softened, remove from heat, and press through a food mill or sieve until you have 7.5 cups of pulp.  Return pulp to kettle/pot.

2.) Stir in sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cook, uncovered, over very low heat for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until very thick and mixture mounds on a spoon, stirring often.

*I found that several ways online to tell if it's done.  One was to put a spoonful on a plate, and if water/juice seeps out at all, it's not done.

Apple butter keeps in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or it can be canned using the boiling process.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Joy the Baker's version of a Martha Stewart recipe

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

       makes 14-18 small pancakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour 

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

pinch of ground ginger

pinch of ground cloves

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

Whisk together flours, salt, spices, sugar and baking powder in a medium sized bowl.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin and vegetable oil or melted butter.  

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.  Don’t worry if you have a few lumps.  You don’t want to over beat the batter, it’ll produce tough pancakes.  

Let the batter sit for 10 minutes while you heat the skillet.  Over low-medium heat melt a tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil .  Once skillet is hot, spoon a heaping 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the skillet.  When pancake starts to bubble slightly, carefully flip over.

Once browned and cooked through place pancakes on a oven proof plate and place in the oven set at 200 degrees F to keep warm while the rest of the pancakes are cooked.  

Serve with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar.. or maple syrup.  Delicious! 

Plum oatmeal muffins

I got this off of cooks.com, and it is so good!

In a blender puree enough plums to make 1 cup; set aside.

Cream 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar. Add 1 egg and pureed plums.

Stir in:

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

Add:

1 1/2 c. old fashion oatmeal
1 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

Stir carefully only until moistened. Spray an unlined muffin pan with Pam in bottom of the pan put a pecan half centered between 2 slices of fresh plum. Fill muffin pans 2/3 full of batter and bake at 350 degrees for 20-5 minutes.

Remove from oven and invert while still hot. Replace any fruit and nut pieces that stay into pan in your muffins. Cool 5 minutes. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Serve warm or cold. Can be frozen for later use.

Super Easy Green Curry

1 can coconut milk (I use the 'lite' kind)
1 cup chicken/veggie broth
1/2 - 2 TB green curry paste - depending on how spicy you like it
1-2 TB brown sugar
1-2 TB fish oil
1-2 TB lime juice

1-2 cups veggies - I've used fresh, frozen, and canned... you pretty much can do whatever.  If you use frozen, let thaw in cold water first, and then drain out any liquid

Meat/Tofu/Seafood/more veggies! - whatever amount you want

Mix all ingredients together in a large pan or saucepan.  Start small with the amounts - you can add more as you go to make it the flavour you want.  Bring mixture to a simmer, and simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken.  Add meat + veggies and poach for 10 - 20 minutes.  Depending on type of meat used depends on cooking time.  Do not let sauce come to a boil!

Serve over rice.

Chicken + Barley Soup

::This recipe could easily be made Vegetarian::

Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 lb chicken breast, cut into small chunks

Salt + Pepper
1/2 teas. white pepper
1 teas. thyme
1 teas. parsley
1 teas. rosemary
dash of cayenne pepper/red pepper flakes
bay leaf
6 cups vegetable broth

2 bell peppers, chopped
1.5 cups barley (not quick cook)
1.5 cups frozen spinach


Heat oil in 6 qt. (or bigger) stockpot/saucepan.  Saute onion 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute or so.  Add chicken and quickly brown all sides.  Add rest of ingredients except spinach.  Bring soup to a boil.  Then, lower temperature and let soup simmer 45-50 minutes.  In last five minutes, add spinach.  Remove bay leaf.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes!

Yield: 20 standard cupcakes

Cook Time: 30-35 minutes

ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup dutch processed cocoa, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter, and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract, buttermilk, zucchini, and chocolate chips.

3. In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon batter into large muffin pans, filling them about 3/4 the way full. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack, while you make the frosting.

To make the frosting:

1. Melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder, whisking until smooth. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Frost the cupcakes with the chocolate frosting. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store cupcakes at room temperature in an air tight container.

* Note-the frosting makes about 2 cups, you might have a little extra.