Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata

D made this while I was sleeping. He must have done the 2 to 2-1/2 hour suggestion.

It was pretty good. It wasn't spicy at all. I think I would add more Sriracha next time. D thought more salt, but he likes salt in everything.

Would have again

Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata

Photo by ALB

Makes: 4 to 6 servings (4 2C servings)
Prep: 25 mins Slow Cook: 4 hrs to 5 hrs(low) or 2 to 2-1/2 hours (high)

Ingredients
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth
1 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha) sauce or crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 Thai Gremolata (see recipe below)

Directions

1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker stir together squash, broth, coconut milk, onion, brown sugar, fish sauce, and Asian chili sauce.

2. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

3. Use an immersion blender to carefully blend soup until completely smooth. (Or, transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender; or use a potato masher to mash mixture nearly smooth.) Stir in lime juice. Ladle into bowls and top with Thai Gremolata. If desired, serve with lime wedges.


Thai Gremolata

Ingredients

1/2 cup snipped fresh basil or cilantro
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 tablespoon finely shredded lime peel

Directions

In a small bowl stir together basil, peanuts, and lime peel.

Nutrition Facts (Butternut Squash Soup with Thai Gremolata)

Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 189; Protein (gm) 5; Carbohydrate (gm) 24; Fat, total (gm) 10; Cholesterol (mg) 1;Saturated fat (gm) 3; Monosaturated fat (gm) 3; Polyunsaturated fat (gm) 2; Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 4; Sugar, total (gm) 6;
Vitamin A (IU) 133; Vitamin C (mg) 30; Thiamin (mg) 0; Riboflavin (mg) 0; Niacin (mg) 4; Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0; Folate (µg) 56; Sodium (mg) 581; Potassium (mg) 567; Calcium (DV %) 81; Iron (DV %) 2,

Better Homes and Gardens

Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

This dip needs salt. Past that, I liked it. My brother liked it. D, not so much. He thinks Jalapeno Popper dip is better. I think we need to have it again with cilantro (and salt).

We dumped everything in a crockpot and heated.

Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

Prep: 15 min., Bake: 30 min.

Prepare up to a day ahead; cover and chill in an airtight container, and bake just before serving.

YIELD: Makes 10 servings
COURSE: Appetizers, Dips/Spreads

Ingredients
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened (used 1/3 Fat)
2/3 cup sour cream (used Reduced Fat)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (used Reduced Fat)
1 tablespoon finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (used 25 oz of canned chicken)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded colby-Jack cheese blend
1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Garnish: fresh cilantro sprig
Tortilla and sweet potato chips


Preparation

1. (we dumped everything into a crockpot and turned it on and stirred periodically until everything was mixed). Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients until blended. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.

2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish, if desired. Serve with tortilla and sweet potato chips.


Southern Living NOVEMBER 2008

Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack, and Egg Breakfast Braid

I have looked at this recipe for a year. But never got around to making it. With Christmas coming, and not wanting a HUGE meal considering we would be grazing all day, this seemed to be a good idea.

D and I made this together. First, if you ever have used a Pillsbury Pizza Dough, you know what a PITA it can be. So lots of flour on the counter and rolled it out. I ended up cutting it into a rectangle.

Johnsonville has a new Chicken Sausage with Cheese, so we got the Chipotle Monterrey Flavor. I used 6 oz, because the package is 4 links/12 oz (I froze the other 2). D used 3 eggs in the mixture.

The result was decent. A little mild in my mind but I did seed the jalapeno much more than usual.

Update: I added cilantro, and half-ass seeded the jalapeno. I added salsa as a condiment. I also didn't roll out the pizza dough.  I just made sure there were no holes.  It was really good.

We got 4 servings out of it.

Jalapeño, Sausage, Jack, and Egg Breakfast Braid

Photo by ALB

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1 slice)
COURSE: Breads, Breakfast/Brunch

Ingredients

1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
Added 2 minced garlic cloves
4 ounces chicken sausage with jalapeño peppers, chopped (used 6 oz)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten (used 3)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
Added some cilantro (between 3 TBSP and 1/4C)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten (used ICBINB Spray)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion (and garlic) and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook 1 1/2 minutes or until set. Remove from heat.

4. Sprinkle Monterey Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.

5. Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Nutritional Information (6 Servings, none of my changes/additions)
Calories: 323; Fat: 15.1g; Saturated fat: 5.1g; Monounsaturated fat: 6.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.1g; Protein: 15g; Carbohydrate: 32.3g; Fiber: 1.2g; Cholesterol: 98mg; Iron: 2.1mg; Sodium: 643mg; Calcium: 119mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2010

Chewy Pizza Bread

So I made this while D was walking the dogs. It was so quick, the oven hadn't even heated all the way up.

While making it, I noticed it didn't have any flavorings besides the beer. So I added some garlic powder, oregano and Italian Seasoning. I couldn't find crushed red pepper. I didn't measure any of this. I probably should have because I'm pretty sure everything I used was less than 1/4tsp each

So the result was decent but it was a little raw tasting. Of course this didn't stop me from eating half the pan (no, not kidding!) I think there needs to be more tweaks. Like adding some garlic to the flour mixture and crushed red pepper. Or putting the basil in the dough.

I will continue to make/tweak these because we almost always have the ingredients on hand, which is certainly cheaper than Pillsbury Breadsticks.

Chewy Pizza Bread

Posted by LDHAWKE98
8 Servings (2 squares each)

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ cup regular or non-alcoholic beer (used Bud Light)
½ cup spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
Chopped fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Spray square pan, 8x8x2 inches, with cooking spray.
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Stir in beer just until flour is moistened. Spread dough in pan. Spread spaghetti sauce over dough. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 2-inch squares. Serve warm.

NI Information per Serving:
Calories: 120; Fat: 2g; Carbs: 22g; Protein: 4g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium: 200mg

Tourtière

I found this recipe when looking for an untried recipe for ground pork. I wasn't sure about it, but after Thanksgiving we had leftover celery and potatoes and we routinely buy ground pork on quick sale. So it would be relatively cheap to make.

I helped D make this. It was pretty easy. Just a lot of chopping. We don't have 6 ramekins so we used a 2-qt casserole dish. It was very full. D pulled it out of the oven with 12 minutes left on the timer.

Although messy, it was very good. I loved all the flavors. Definitely would have again. We had with Broccoli with Roasted Balsamic Butter (subbed broccoli for the asparagus).

Photo by ALB

Tourtière

Spiced meat pie dating back to the Middle Ages is a holiday tradition in Québec. The dish is often made in a pie plate with top and bottom crusts. Our version calls to bake individual pies in ramekins with just a top crust—a simple way to shave both fat and calories from each serving. If you don't have ramekins, simply spoon the pork mixture into a (9-inch) pie plate and top with the entire store-bought pastry. (the pie plate will not hold it all, use a 2-qt casserole dish)

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 1 ramekin)
COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon salt, divided (it only was called out once...we added the 2nd 1/2 tsp when we added the veggies)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 (1-pound) russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)

Photo by ALB

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan. Sprinkle pork with 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper, and cloves; sauté for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Using a slotted spoon, remove pork from pan. Add olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add 1 cup onion, carrot, celery, and potato; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Return pork to pan. Stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick. Remove from heat; stir in chives.

3. Place 1 cup pork mixture into each of 6 (8-ounce) ramekins. Roll pie dough to an 11-inch circle. Cut 4 (5-inch) dough circles. Combine and re-roll dough scraps. Cut 2 (5-inch) circles. Place 1 dough circle on each ramekin, tucking edges inside. Cut an X in the top of each circle; coat lightly with cooking spray. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly (D cooked it for 28 minutes since he used a 2-qt casserole dish).

Wine note: With traditional Canadian Tourtière, reach for the strong and spicy Québécois beer Maudite ($8.99/750 ml). Made in a Belgian style, Maudite has a peppery, spicy signature that echoes this dish's layers of cinnamon and clove. The beer is strong and full-flavored, with bold fruit, caramel, bready, and figgy flavors that work with the complex flavors of these meat pies, while remaining refreshingly drinkable. —Jeffery Lindenmuth

Nutritional Information
Calories: 420; Fat: 22.2g; Saturated fat: 7.6g; Monounsaturated fat: 9.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2g; Protein: 17.5g; Carbohydrate: 36.5g; Fiber: 2.4g; Cholesterol: 54mg; Iron: 1.8mg; Sodium: 683mg; Calcium: 45mg

Cooking Light JANUARY 2010

Spicy Guinness Mustard

So although I love Guinness, I really don't like Guinness Extra Stout. It always tastes flat. And yet, most people will buy me that when I visit because they assume that I don't want to drink beer out of a can. So I acquired some Extra Stout and ran around this recipe from Saveur at the same time.

It was terribly easy to make. And it has a good kick/bite to it.
But it makes a ton. So much, that I actually threw some away. Because 2 Cups of Mustard is going to last me forever!.

Spicy Guinness Mustard

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
1 12-oz. bottle Guinness Extra Stout
1 1⁄2 cups brown mustard seeds (10 oz.)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon (I didn't have any, so I used apple pie spice)
1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
1⁄4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1⁄4 tsp. ground allspice

Instructions
1. Combine ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 days so that the mustard seeds soften and the flavors meld.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a jar and cover.

3. Refrigerate overnight and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 months. (The flavor of the mustard will mellow as the condiment ages.)

MAKES 3 1⁄2 CUPS

Pan-Fried Onion Dip

Yum and it only gets better the day after.

Pan-Fried Onion Dip

Photo by ALB

Posted by RLLLML508
Yield : 2 cups

Posted by Auntina32/November 2010:
"This recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa. It's so good. I use light sour cream, low fat cream cheese and light mayo. I cut the butter down to 2 TB. You'll want to forego the crackers and stick your face in the bowl."

Ingredients
2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil (Al's Note: used 1 TBSP)
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (Al's Note: used LF)
1/2 cup sour cream (Al's Note: used RF)
1/2 cup good mayonnaise (Al's Note: used Hellman's LF)

Directions
Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature (Al's Note: liked it better cold).