Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

From stickygooeycreamychewy.

Okay, this wasn't fantastic, but it was good - perhaps 6.5 out of 10? I would tweak the recipe in future, to add some heat, and perhaps introduce some other Indian spices. The star was the roasted pumpkin seeds on top - it absolutely made the dish.

3 pounds butternut squash, seeded and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
5 large whole sage leaves
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream (I omitted this ingredient altogether)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crispy sage leaves or toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange squash in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with aluminum foil. Combine olive oil, garam masala, ginger, salt and pepper and sprinkle on pieces of squash. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft and tender.

While squash is roasting, set a large pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and sage, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion just turns golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the sage leaves and discard. Add the stock and roasted squash to the soup pot and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. Stir in the cream (if using) and reheat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with crispy sage leaves and/or toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Pasta with White Beans and Rapini

I believe this is from Chatelaine Magazine.

What a winner - absolutely amazing - but you gotta love your bitter greens, if you don't, this is not for you!

Simple, rustic, as if Jaime Oliver himself prepared it lovingly - enjoy heavily as you tuck into the creamy goodness.

1 large bunch rapini
4 cups whole wheat penne (I used scoobi-do!)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch hot pepper flakes
1 19 oz can romano beans, drained
Parm

Trim base of rapini stalks, roughly chop into 1" pieces, clean and drain. In large pot of boiling salted water, cover and cook rapini until tender, about 2 mins. With slotted spoon, transfer to colander to drain. Set aside.

In same pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm. * Reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid *, drain & return to pot.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat 1 tsp of the oil over medium heat; fry bread crumbs and one-quarter of the garlic, stirring, until golden, about 3 mins. Transfer to bowl; set aside.

In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; fry remaining garlic and hot pepper flakes, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in rapini and beans; heat through, about 3 minutes. Add to pasta and toss to coat, adding as much of the reserved cooking liquid as you like. Stir in some grated parm. Serve sprinkled with bread crumb mixture.

Creamy Garlic & Edamame Soup

From eatingwelllivingthin. I've only ever had steamed edamame with course salt in Vancouver (so yummy), and haven't had it since - so this recipe definitely had my curiosity piqued.

Gorgeous pistacio colour, smooth, but slightly textured - I didn't quite know what the heck I was eating, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
4 cups shelled edamame, divided
Two 14-ounce cans low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fat free half & half (who has ever heard of this? I used my usual soy milk)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until softened and golden. Add 3 1/2 cups Edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, red pepper flakes, sugar, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 25 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaves. In a blender or food processor, blend or process the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cream and and heat through, but do not let it boil. Garnish each serving with the reserved whole edamame. (I would omit this part next time, and simply sprinkle with toasted nuts, or even toasted soy nuts, for texture.

Chicken with Roasted Grapes and Shallots

Nothing too spectac about this recipe, though the roasted grapes had an amazing flavour and texture, plus, roasted chicken - nuff said. Looks, smells, tastes great - simplicity at its finest.

1 ¼ lb assorted seedless grapes (such as green, red, and black), cut into small clusters
6 large shallots (about 10 ounces), peeled, halved through root end
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme plus 6 large sprigs
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 4-to 4 1/2-pound chicken, excess fat removed from cavity

Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently toss grape clusters, shallots, chopped thyme, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl to coat. Rub chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place thyme sprigs in cavity. Place chicken in large roasting pan; arrange grape mixture around chicken. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165°F and grapes are shriveled, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, arrange grapes and shallots around chicken. Transfer pan juices to small pitcher; spoon fat from surface of juices and discard. Serve chicken with pan juices alongside.

Spinach Pie Quesadilla

Adapted from biggirlssmallkitchen.com. Wicked little recipe - if you're in the mood for spanakopita (and who isn't), this lazy version will more than satisfy. Would be killer for brunch too. Make Popeye proud. 

I prepped the spinach the night before, just to save some time. 

2 tsp olive oil
2 shallots and 4 scallions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp each salt & freshly ground pepper
generous pinch each of thyme, oregano, and dash of cayenne
1 large container washed spinach, cooked (approx 1 cup cooked?)
2 whole grain tortillas 
2 eggs
2 tbsp yogurt
4 tbsp feta cheese, in all

In a small pan, heat the oil. Add the onion and scallions and cook until soft, 2 mins. Stir in the garlic, cooking a minute or two more. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the spices. Mix in the cooked spinach, cook for another minute, stirring until combined. Remove to a bowl and cool slightly. 

Combine eggs, yogurt, and half of the feta.

Wipe out the pan, then brush it with a bit more oil or cooking spray. Over medium heat, put the wraps in the pan and sprinkle half the remaining feta over one side of the wrap. Add half the cooked spinach mixture onto half, then pour the egg-spinach mixture over the same half of the wrap, fold the other half over; repeat process for 2nd wrap - and cook both in same pan on one side until the egg begins to firm up, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.  (Serves 2)

Really Good Clam Chowder

It’s been ages since I made clam chowder, at least this New England style one, I usually have the Manhattan style, with more seafood added. Either way, you’ve got to start with a killer broth (as all successful soups do), which I made by saving all the liquid strained from canned tuna and salmon, which I keep topping up in a large freezer bag, then using it whenever I need a hit. I also had the wherewithal to freeze some colossal prawn shells from some summer bbqs a while back, which were then simmered on the stove, with about 2 cups of chicken stock, and about 1 cup of water, for about an hour.  This may sound really icky, but trust, it makes for the BEST stock! (Clam nectar and chicken stock may be a good alternate here).  You’ll need about 5 cups of stock.

Chop a couple of carrots, 2 stalks of celery, a small onion, a red bell pepper – throw into your pot to sauté.  Chop up a couple of potatoes, and keep them in a bowl of cold water until ready to use. Chop a big handful of Italian parsley, set aside.

Add your stock to the sautéed veggies, bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes.  Strain the potatoes, add them to the soup, and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft.

Add 2 cans of baby clams, and the parsley. Stir in about a ½ cup of half and half – and serve up the mollusky goodness!

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Okay, I didn't go all Jessica Seinfeld on you by 'hiding' the cauliflower in a measly one cup mash; this was bold and flavourful, and uber tasty. I had some blue brie in the fridge a wee too long, which needed to be consumed. By liberally hacking off the rind, I was able to salvage a pretty nice chunk. It made a fantastic addition to what would have been pretty good, but not as good as, this mac & cheese!

5 cups quite finely chopped cauliflower
340 g pkg brown rice, veggie spirals
2 tbsp butter, same of whole grain flour
1 can skim evaporated milk
1 heaping cup of 2 yr old aged white cheddar, shredded
approx 3/4 cup of blue brie, with the rinds removed
pepper, and a dash of nutmeg

Bring lightly salted water to a boil, add the cauliflower, cook for 5 mins. Remove same, leaving the water to cook the pasta in. Cook the pasta. (I added the cooked cauliflower to the sauce about 4 mins prior to serving).

In the meantime, in another pot, make a roux from your butter and flour, add the milk, whisk constantly until hot and bubbly, turn heat down slightly, add the cheddar, whisk until smooth, add the blue brie and continue whisking. Adjust your seasonings. Add your cooked pasta to the sauce, and voila!

Post-Remembrance Day Cocoa

It was a pleasant, though slightly chilly day here today. After the remembrance day observance, we practically galloped home to warm up - to this:

2 cups soy milk
a splash of Baileys
1 heaping Tbsp hot chocolate mix
1 tsp instant coffee

Heat above until warm enough to drink.  Add a heaping tsp of cocoa - whisk until combined - pour into mug, sip and enjoy!

Chicken Biryani

Well wasn't this ambitious? I had a huge craving for Indian food yesterday, so sought out some recipes - and this one from allrecipes.com caught my eye. Was it prep heavy? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. It was a dull, grey day - perfect for comfort food. Plus, Scottie had just purchased some Indian incense, so the mood was right to tuck in to some spicy, fragrant goodness (along with some sparkling chardonnay, which surprisingly, was a perfect match!). I ended up cooking the chicken portion separately from the rice, as I used brown basmati, which takes 45 mins to cook (as opposed to 20 mins for white rice) - then I combined the two once they were both cooked - and it was amazing.

4 Tbsp vegetable oil (2 for the chicken portion, 2 for the rice)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
Spinach (this was my addition in lieu of potatoes, I cooked it beforehand)
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
3 boneless, skinless chicken pieces cut into bite sized pieces

2 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pinch powdered saffron (I forgot to add this!)
5 pods cardamom (which I removed after cooking, though one is still hiding!)
3 whole cloves (didn't have any, but used a pinch of ground)
1 (1 inch) piece cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups brown basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
dash salt

In a large skillet, oil fry onion, garlic and ginger in 2 tbsp grapeseed oil until onion is soft. Add chili, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and the tomatoes. Fry, stirring constantly for 5 mins. Add yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 mins. 

When the mixture is thick and smooth, add the chicken pieces and stir well to coat them with the spice mixture. Cover and cook over lowish heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.  Stir in cooked spinach, if using. 

In the meantime, in a separate pot, heat vegetable oil and fry the onions until they are soft. Add saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ground ginger and rice. Stir continuously until the rice is coated with the spices. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring to boil. Cover the saucepan tightly, simmer for 45 mins.

Combine all - spoon biryani into bowls.

NOTES:  I added some chopped cilantro at the end, and for the leftovers, combined a dollop of yogurt with more chopped mint - as I couldn't detect the mint at all. Also, as an afterthought, I toasted some cashews and tossed them in as well, the nutty crunch made a nice addition. Namaste!

Chicken Quinoa Chili

I've been very reluctant to try new chili recipes, as I'm quite pleased with my own thank you very much! Cocoa powder? Cinnamon? Blasphemy! But I swallowed my pride, as it can't hurt to expand my culinary horizons, particularly when wading into previously unchartered territory with ingredients like quinoa. I substituted Yves veggie chicken for the real thing, as it was meat overload last wkd. I've also reduced the cinnamon to 1/4 tsp from 1/2 tsp, as I want to keep it more on the hot-spicy side of things, and thus added cayenne and upped the chili powder and cumin as well; in addition, I added s & p, and some celery - which I think is essential in chili, and threw in a small can of V8 juice in lieu of the chicken stock. Delicious & hearty - I can't wait for leftovers tonight!

1/3 cup quinoa
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp sugar
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
a couple celery sticks, chopped
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
dash cayenne
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
One 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
One small can V8 juice
One 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
One 15 ounce can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg Yves veggie chicken
Chopped cilantro and green onions  

In a small saucepan bring 2/3 cup water to boil; add quinoa, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and all water is absorbed. Set aside.

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and celery with sugar for a bit. Stir in zucchini, peppers and celery and cook for a few mins more. 

Stir in spices, canned tomatoes, V8 juice, and beans; simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the cooked quinoa and Yves veggie chicken - simmer for an additional 5 minutes.  Serve, topped with chopped cilantro and green onions.