Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion

Olive oil

Low sodium chicken broth

1 butternut squash

Cream/milk (optional) 

Salt

Pepper

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Directions:

Peel and deseed butternut squash and cut into .5-1 inch cubes

Sautée onion in olive oil in big soup pot until onion is see through

Pour six cups of broth into the pot and let simmer

Add in cubes of squash and let cook in the broth until soft

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth

Depending on how healthy you want it, you can add a little skim milk or half and half or cream to the soup at this point. Sometimes the soup is so good I don't add any!

Season to taste with salt pepper nutmeg and cinnamon. 

Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta

Ingredients:
1 Box Barilla Plus Penne (multigrain)
1 Large Buttnernut Squash
1 Small Onion, minced
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil for sauce, another 3 for roasting the squash
1/2 cup grated Locatelli (or parmesan)
3/4 cup - 1 cup (depending on taste) good aged Gruyere (more aged, stronger)
about 2 dozen Sage Leaves, chopped roughly
2 cups milk (I used skim milk) (warmed)
1 cup of Chicken Stock (warmed)
Salt and Pepper
Nutmeg
3 Tablespoons flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel and de-seed the Butternut Squash and then cut into .5-1 inch cubes. Toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil on cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake until softened - approximately 45 minutes - tossing once halfway through.
Prepare salted water to boil the pasta.
Using a large sauce pan, heat 3 table spoons of butter and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook sage until crispy, 30-60 seconds. Remove 3/4 of sage and set aside for garnish. Add onions and sautee until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes (on low heat as not to burn butter). Add flour and whisk into butter. Cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth and whisk. Slowly add milk and continue whisking. When thick add 1/4 cup Locatelli and 3/4 cup Gruyere. Whisk. Add salt, pepper, approximately 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Stir until smooth. Add in the squash. mix.
When pasta is done, strain and put in large bowl. Pour mixture over pasta. Garnish with the rest of the Locatelli and Sage leaves.
Makes 4-6 hardy servings.

peach upside down cake - LOVE

• Ingredients:

  
  

  1/4 Cup butter

  1/2 cup packed brown sugar

  1 1/2 - 2 cups sliced, pitted, and peeled peaches or frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed and large slices cut in half length wise

  1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

  1 1/4 tsp baking powder

  1/4 tsp salt

  1/2 cup butter softened

  3/4 cup granulated sugar

  1 egg

  1 tsp vanilla

  1/2 cup milk (i use nonfat)

  
  

directions

1.

Place 1/4 cup butter in an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Warm in a 350 degrees F oven about 5 minutes or until butter is melted. (Be sure to watch carefully to avoid overbrowning the butter). Remove pan from oven. Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is completely moistened. Spread sugar mixture evenly in pan. Arrange peach slices evenly over brown sugar mixture. Set aside.

2.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in granulated sugar until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to beaten butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly over the peaches in the pan.

3.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto a large serving plate. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Sweet potato, red pepper, coconut milk soup - HEALTHY AND EASY

Sweet Potato Red Pepper and Coconut Milk Soup (vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, microwave-friendly)

Makes about one quart, 32 to 36 ounces (4 to 4 1/2 cups)

1 extra-large sweet potato (or 2 to 3 smaller sweet potatoes), peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

about 3/4 cup water

1 large red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped into large pieces

one 14-ounce can coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s Light Coconut Milk)

optional seasonings – any included should be seasoned to taste : salt and pepper; red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili powder; cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg; garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder

**I used cinnamon

optional additional vegetables – while steaming the sweet potato, steam carrots, squash, zucchini, or other vegetables on hand (***I did not add any extra veggies)

Place sweet potato cubes in a large microwave-safe bowl or baking dish, add 3/4 cup water or until the water comes up about 1-inch high in the base bowl (the cubes do not need to be fully submerged in water; water simply needs to be present to create steam), cover bowl with plastic wrap, and heat on high-power for 13 to 15 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are very fork-tender (microwave temperatures and strengths vary and so will cooking times). Transfer cooked potatoes to a high-speed blender or food processor, add the red pepper, coconut milk, and blend on high power until very smooth and creamy. (*** BE CAREFUL MICROWAVE BOWL WILL BE VERY HOT)

Taste the soup and wait five minutes before seasoning it, and if desired season to taste. Let soup sit for a while before you serve so all the flavors can blend together. If you eat too soon it will not taste as yummy!

dollop of sour cream or yogurt; a dash of salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Soup will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Super Easy Pumpkin Cake

This was so moist and yummy...

Very few ingredients!

I box of Pillsbury moist classic yellow cake mix
1 can of pumpkin puree

bake at 350 for 28 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. might be longer than 28 minutes
I used a 7x11x2 greased pan
for glaze:

apple cider (non alcoholic)
powdered sugar
pumpkin pie spice

3 cups powdered sugar
6 tbsp apple cider
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
combine. glaze should be thick but pourable
add more sugar or cider if needed
if you prefer less glaze you can half this recipe

Yummy (but not the healthiest =\) Hash brown casserole!

Ingredients 

1/4 cup butter, plus more for dish
1 onion, chopped
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (30-ounce) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups crushed corn flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.

In a small skillet, melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, garlic powder, hash browns, and salt and pepper. Combine until well blended.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Top evenly with crushed corn flakes mixed with butter and bake for 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Mac and Cheese

16 oz macaroni pasta (any shape shape you like) (I like shells)
1/2 C butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C flour
3 1/2 C milk, warmed (I used nonfat)
1/4 C white wine (or sub w/chicken broth)
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 lb cheddar, cubed (I used white cheddar)
1/2 C Italian bread crumbs (seasoned with spices including parsley*)
2 Tbl butter, melted

Heat 350' oven. Grease 9x13 glass dish ( 8x8 or round casserole, if making half the recipe).
Cook pasta for about 2-3 minutes less than called for, drain, set aside.
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 C butter, salt pepper, once melted add flour, stir until smooth. Let cook for 1 minute. Add milk, wine, bring to a boil, whisking. Add cheeses and stir until melted. Pour over cooked pasta and add to greased dish. Combine the bread crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle macaroni with bread crumb topping, bake uncovered 30 minutes. (or until topping is golden brown)