1/2 c. chopped onion
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
2 tbsp minced ginger
3 cups, cubed, seeded squash (I used one like the orange ones in the photo)
1 apple, peeled and cut into slices
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. plain yogurt
1 drinking box 100% apple juice
salt and pepper
Combine onion, garlic and ginger in a saucepan and cook over low heat until translucent, I added a bit of chicken stock to keep them from scorching.
Add the squash, apple and chicken stock and cook until soft, about 20 minutes.
Pour into a blender or food processor and puree.
Add the apple juice and yogurt and continue to blend until well mixed.
Makes 4 servings.
Adapted from "Canyon Ranch Cooking, Bringing the Spa Home"
Butternut Squash and Cider Soup
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
3 cups cubed, seeded and peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
1/2 c. fat free chicken stock
3/4 c. apple cider
1/4 c. light sour cream
1/2 unpeeled red delicious apple, finely diced, for garnish
cracked black pepper for garnish.
1. combine the shallot and garlic in a saucepan & cook over low heat until translucent, adding a little water if necessary to prevent scorching.
2. add the squash and chicken stock and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Pour into a blender and puree.
3. add the cider and sour cream and continue to blend until well mixed.
4. divide the soup among 4 bowls and garnish each with 1 tsp diced apple and a pinch of cracked black pepper.
Enjoy!
Check out the Canyon Ranch website - doesn't that look like a place the sisters should be?
This recipe hails from my friend Anne Marie who provided it to me when I encountered a cherry tomato emergency a few years ago. I had too many tomato plants and about a million cherry tomatoes ripened all in the same week.
It's the end of August again and they're back. The tomatoes have ripened. Ominous sounding, isn't it? We're going to be all tomatoes all the time around our house until the last one is off the vine and either canned, in the freezer or eaten whole with salt, while standing over the sink, thinking that really there is nothing that compares to a fresh picked tomato.
Anne Marie's Pasta with Roasted Garlic and Cherry Tomatoes
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
12 cloves garlic, halved
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each hot pepper flakes and black pepper
1 lb pasta
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. shaved parmesan cheese
In a 13 x 9 inch metal (she says this but I always use pyrex) cake pan, toss together tomatoes, garlic, oil, basil, salt, hot pepper flakes and pepper; roast in a 400 degree oven until tomatoes are shrivelled and garlic is tender about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but firm (8 to 10 minutes if using Bucatini)
Drain and return to pot. Add tomato mixture and parsley, tossing to coat. Serve sprinkled with parmesan.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
this is one of those recipes that occasionally one of the kids will ask, when are you going to make the artichoke pasta? some of the friends of the kids demand a standing invitation to dinner if this is on the menu. actually, even as small children they loved this and in those days i went easy on the vodka! it does not seem to be kid friendly, it is spicy, but full of flavour and with all that cream, comforting.
I was running late tonight and we're having company at the end of this week. I wanted to empty the fridge. I dragged all the vegetables out on to the counter. BB made salad and I made this:
2 zucchini cut in 1/2 and sliced
1/2 each red, yellow and orange pepper cut into strips
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
tomato paste
curry powder
quinoa
Heat olive oil & garlic and when it starts to brown, throw in the veg to start browning.
Squirt some tomato paste in (about 2 tbsp)
(If you don't have tomato paste in a tube - get some - it's the best!)
Add as much curry powder as you like, mine is rather mild so I used more than one tbsp.
Add one cup of water, bring to a boil (I measured this with a coffee mug because I couldn't get at the measuring cups because BB was making salad on the other counter)
Add a 1/2 to 3/4 cup of quinoa, bring to a boil (it doesn't matter how much you use, just make sure the water and quinoa are in equal amounts.)
Simmer 5 minutesCover and simmer another 10
Stir every now and then during the 15 minutes.You could use whatever veg you have. It's also lovely with mushrooms, eggplant, and/or yellow zucchini. I threw in the four ripe cherry tomatoes that I grabbed from the tomato plants as I passed from the garage to the house in the pouring rain on my way in.
And voila
I served it with fish tonight.
*the real recipe is in the Sonoma Diet Cookbook
WINE COUNTRY GRAIN MEDLEY
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup quartered fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup quinoa
1 cup canned red beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved if desired
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
6 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon minced)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a very large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook about 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally Add the water; bring to boiling. Add quinoa. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in beans, zucchini, tomatoes, basil, vinegar, garlic, kosher salt, and pepper. Heat through. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.
The original is delicious, but some nights I just have to do what I have time for and use what is handy.
enjoy!Kath
Margie and I call our mother Granny. She's been a granny for over 30 years and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren outnumber the children. Over time, we've stopped calling her Mom when we talk about her and we call her Granny.
She comes to visit me a few times a year. This year, the rhubarb was just coming in and I told her to bring her Rhubarb Orange Cream Pie recipe. I had not had it in over fifteen years, it did not disappoint.
The recipe is copied verbatim, if you have questions, let us know and I'll ask her.
3 eggs separated
1 1/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. soft butter
3 tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb (frozen or fresh)
1/3 c.pecans
Beat egg whites. Fold in 1/4 c. sugar
Beat egg yolks (in a separate bowl). Fold butter flour, salt, remaining sugar and orange juice into the egg yolks.
Add egg white mixture, then rhubarb.
(At this point she assumes that I know enough to put it in the pie crust* so she did not write it down)
Pecans on top
Bake at 400 for ten minutes
then 350 for 40-45 minutes.
*She made a pie crust and baked it before she put the filling in.
It's done when a knife comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Kath
I saw this recipe on finslippy's blog for the first time. It is in Mark Bittman's, How to Cook Everything" book. Mark Bittman is my kitchen boyfriend. I refer to his book two or three times a week. That book, it's my kitchen bible.
The first time I made the granola I thought it was going to be a one shot deal. It was a winter weekend and I thought it would be a good treat. I have made this granola twice a month (or more often) for six months now. Vanilla or plain yogurt drizzled over a small bowl of this eaten for breakfast will hold you all morning. Sprinkled on ice cream, it's divine!
Kath's version of Mark Bittman's Crunchy Granola
6 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant). (Sometimes I mix it up with some kamut flakes or other weird flakes from the health food store.)
2 cups mixed nuts and seeds (I always use almonds, walnut pieces, pecan pieces, sunflower and pumpkin seeds - cashews*)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups chopped dried fruit (raisins and dried cranberries, cherries, prunes, apples, pears, peaches and dates - I use any variation of these).
2 slices of candied ginger diced as small as possible.
Preheat the oven to 350
Mix the oats, nuts, spices, honey and maple syrup.
Spread onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring carefully and often (every five minutes or so).
You'll know it is done when it is nicely toasted.
In the meantime, chop the larger pieces of dried fruit.
When the oat nut mixture is cooked, let it cool in the pan on a rack for a few minutes and then combine it in a big bowl with the fruit. I stir it occasionally for the next little while just to let it cool evenly.
Stores in the fridge indefinitely.
You won't buy commercial granola again.
I buy all the ingredients in bulk at the health food store in large amounts so that I have them on hand when I need to make this. I store the nuts in the freezer.
Enjoy!
Kath
*Cashews - not very often on hand in my kitchen because I eat them. If you can keep them for recipes, by all means throw some in, they make a wonderful addition.
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