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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

By roasting the squash, you concentrate its flavor. Also, using full fat buttermilk adds a really nice tanginess that works well with the sweet squash.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author misangela

Equipment

  • stick blender or counter blender

Ingredients

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed 1" cubes about 2-3#, 4-5 cups cut up
  • 1 small white onion, diced about 2/3-3/4 cup
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbl butter add another Tbl if you like!
  • 1 Tbl flour heaping Tbl!
  • 1 Cup Chicken stock water is fine, you'll need more seasoning
  • 1.5 Cup full fat buttermilk sub half n half, but do try to use the buttermilk and make sure it is FULL FAT, not low fat
  • 2 Tbl EVOO
  • S/P to taste
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg fresh if you have it
  • 1 tsp dry rubbed sage +/- to taste (fresh is great, use sparingly)
  • water as needed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Cut up squash and place on large sheet pan in one layer. Drizzle with EVOO and season with S/P generously. Toss to ensure squash won't stick. Bake for about 40-45 mins until squash is soft and slightly browned.
  • In a large soup pot over medium heat, add butter and sweat the onions and garlic until translucent. Add flour and cook a couple of minutes. Set aside.
  • When squash is done, add to soup pot along with stock (or water). Put on med high heat and stir to break up the squash. This will be thick! Kill heat. Add add buttermilk, so you can blend with a stick blender (or counter blender).
  • Once puree is smooth add nutmeg and sage.
  • Adjust thickness with water and check seasoning.
  • Serve with roasted pepitas.

Notes

Tip: foods often need more salt after they've been refrigerated! This soup will likely need more salt due to the dairy. This soup is not freezable. 
If you cannot find full fat buttermilk, you can use low fat, but be careful with the amount used. It is thinner than full fat, you might need less. 
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Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini

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Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini stuffed with Israeli couscous, fennel, marinara and cheeses. This dish was born of leftovers as many of my recipes are, but it's so good, I had to share!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword fennel, israeli couscous, marinara, mozzarella, parmesan sauce, zucchini
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author misangela

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 baking dish

Ingredients

  • 3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise and scooped out Find straight ones for easy cutting, leave 1/2 inch all around to hold filling
  • 1/2 cup fennel, finely diced Sub onion or celery
  • 1 lg shallot, finely diced Sub 2 Tbl onion or omit
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely diced About 1.5 Tbl
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms, fine chop
  • 1 cup prepared Israeli couscous Or more if you like
  • 2 cups marinara sauce If you don't have your own, buy the Mezzetti brand. It is the best! Or you can make my recipe, search 'marinara'.
  • 1 Tbl dry marjoram Or use basil, oregano or all three!
  • 1 Tbl fresh thyme Or 1/2 Tbl dry thyme
  • 2 Tbl fennel fronds, fine chop If using fresh fennel
  • 2 Tbl sherry vinegar Sub red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup ground parmesan The dry kind found on the Italian aisle or you can use a little shredded
  • 2/3 cup shredded parmesan
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella You can use fresh, but I think shredded works best here
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs Mixed with 1 Tbl EVOO
  • S/P to taste You'll use more than you think
  • EVOO Used in various places

Instructions

  • Spray baking dish with food release and preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Cut ends off zucchini, hollow out with a spoon leaving 1/2 inch all around and at the ends to hold filling. I did not use the flesh, but you could if you wish. Just chop and add to filling and adjust seasoning. Place boats in baking dish, drizzle with EVOO and season generously with S/P. Remember: zucchini is bland!
  • Prepare couscous as directed on package. DO NOT use any flavourings that might be in the package, you want plain couscous. Make sure it's seasoned with S/P. You need to layer your seasonings since veg dishes need more seasoning in general.
  • In a skillet over med heat, add 1 Tbl EVOO and sweat the fennel, garlic, shallot and mushrooms. Once veg is soft, add about 2/3 cup marinara and the herbs.
  • Add in couscous and reduce heat to med low. Allow to simmer just a couple of minutes, then turn off heat. Add vinegar and ground parm, then allow filling to cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Taste the filling to check seasoning - you want it well seasoned. It should not be too dry, adjust marinara if needed.
  • Fill zucchini boats with filling, fill them as full as you can get them and allow couscous to cover the tops completely.
  • Add the rest of the marinara, making sure the ends of the zucchini are covered and the couscous has plenty of moisture. Keep on top of the zucchini, it is not meant for the squash to cook in sauce. Some overpour is fine, it will make a lovely crisp!
  • Top with parmesan, mozzarella and finally the panko. Again, any overpour will create a nice crisp at the bottom! (See photo.)
  • Cover with foil and bake at 375° for about 45 minutes. Check the zucchini's doneness with a spoon. You want it cooked, but still strong enough to hold the filling. When done, return uncovered to the oven, under the broiler to brown the panko. Watch this! Panko goes from raw to black quickly!
  • Allow to stand for 10 minutes or so, then serve. One zucchini is a serving, but 2 is fine. It's veg, dig in!!

Notes

Do get the fennel for this dish! It is delightful. If you hate fennel, celery will work. 
Fresh mozzarella could be used, but I like the dry shredded better. It doesn't form a blob and is not as bland. 
Many stuffed zucchini recipes call for sausage, which is fine, but I like how this turned out without it. It is light, but very satisfying with the fleshy zucchini. 
Of course this can be made vegan by using vegan cheese. 
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Potato Casserole

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Potato Casserole

This is a really great way to jazz up potatoes! It is almost a souffé, since it has eggs in it and it does rise a little. It can also be made ahead, which is great for holiday cooking!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword chayote casserole, potato, potatoes and cheese, souffle
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author misangela

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs Russet (baking) potatoes (3 large) Yukon Golds are fine
  • 3 cloves garlic, whole
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup half & half
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbl cream optional, use more half & half if skipping
  • 3 Tbl butter
  • 1 cup shredded gruyère cheese use whatever you like
  • 4 scallions, finely slice on bias both green and white parts
  • 1 tsp thyme fresh is best
  • 1 Tbl parsley, minced fresh is best
  • 1 tsp salt might need more, CHECK before baking
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/3 cup shredded cheese for topping

Instructions

  • Peel and cut potatoes into 2" cubes. Boil in heavily salted water (should taste like the ocean) with the whole garlic. Cook to fork tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375ºF.
  • If you have a stand mixer, use it! If not, get a large mixing bowl and put in 2 eggs and lightly beat them. Then add half & half, sour cream and cream, and stir together.
  • When potatoes are done, drain them and pull out the garlic. Smash the garlic and add to ingredients. Turn mixer on to stir and add hot potatoes a few at a time (slowly, so you don't scramble the eggs). Add butter in pats while stirring.
  • When potatoes are all in and mixture is getting smooth, add cheese, 2/3 of the scallions, herbs and S/P.
  • Pour potatoes into a 2 qt (9x9) baking dish and top with more cheese and the remaining scallions. Make sure to taste for salt levels!
  • Bake at 375ºF for 45 minutes, until brown on top. Add about 10 minutes if you're starting with a cold casserole.

Notes

This is a really great recipe for the holidays, because you can make it a day (or two) ahead. 
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Almost Thanksgiving!

This year has screamed by. I swear it was May just last month!

I am happy to see my blog getting busier with people googling recipes! Mirliton casserole is especially busy, which is great, because it is a SOLID recipe. :)

I’m hosting just a few friends this year and here is the menu (available recipes linked):
Deviled eggs 2 ways: dill/caper and kimchi
Ham spiral sliced
ham gravy
cornbread stuffing w/sage
corn casserole
squash casserole
potato souffle (recipe not published yet, sorry!)
green bean casserole is being brought by Heather
buttered mint peas
glazed carrots w/dill & orange
roasted lemon butter asparagus
Roasted acorn squash with goat cheese and pecan stuffing (a surprise for my vegetarian neighbors)
lemon curd tartlets w/ whipped cream
pecan pie (made with Steens!)

If the wayward bartender I invited shows up, he says he’ll make hot buttered rum! Otherwise, the booze will be wines, beer, sweet tea and soft drinks.

I am stoked to be cooking! I can put together the casseroles and baked things in advance, so Thu will be baking things all day. I’m borrowing a couple of cambros (large insulated container used to keep food hot for catering) since I only have one small oven. So many casseroles AND a ham will require TWO! LOL

I just love cooking for people. It truly is my happy place. Too bad that doing it professionally is not in the cards – although I think that doing it professionally would likely ruin it for me anyway.

So, I hope everyone has a great Turkey Day! Eat too much and watch football if you have network TV! (I DO miss live sports A LOT, but I refuse to pay Combastard for their stupid cable package and HD antennae don’t work well here.). I guess it’ll be movies for us.

Cheers!!

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How I Saved a Failed Recipe

I have tried two recipes from Milk Street – the Christopher Kimball dealie. The first was a stovetop chicken and risotto dish and the second was called Red Chile Soup. The first recipe I rescued with added herbs, lots more salt and lemon juice. But the soup recipe was just NOT GOOD. I actually made it a point to follow the recipe to the letter.

Here is the sad, bland Red Chile Soup ingredients:

2 ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded and torn into a few pieces
2 chipotle chilies, stemmed, seeded and torn into a few pieces (I used a pasilla, and New Mexico chiles
Boiling water, for soaking the chilies
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 plum tomatoes, cored
1 small white onion, root end intact, halved and peeled
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
6 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup masa harina or three 6-inch corn tortillas (I buzzed up some corn meal for this.)
1 1/2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster and shiitake, thinly sliced (I used cremini, shiitake and rehydrated dried chanterelles)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges, to serve

Notice ONE teaspoon of cumin and only 2 cloves garlic for a 6+ cups recipe. Yeah. There’s your first red flag. The directions are pretty straightforward. Roast the onions and tomatoes, toast and soak the dried chiles, then toss it all in the blender and puree. Cook the puree for a few minutes to reduce, add mushrooms, broth and the cup of water/masa. Season to taste. Pretty simple. And VERY VERY bland. I did not use 6 cups of chicken stock, thank the gods, I only used four, which brings us to about 7-8 cups volume all in. A lot. I added probably a Tbl of salt to this and another half pound of creminis. I did not bother with cilantro or limes, but I think both would be nice for service.

I am not at all happy with the taste of this soup, so I decide to turn it into chili. I added:

2 chubs of soyrizo (Cacique, the BEST)
3 roasted hatch chiles (I had these in the freezer)
1 small can tomato sauce
1 Tbl cumin
1 Tbl chili powder
1 Tbl ancho powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbl tomato paste
1 can black beans, partially drained
2 Tbl ketchup
2 tsp sugar

You can still taste the dried chiles (from the original recipe), which is nice and the soyrizo is up front, too. The mushrooms give nice texture – but the shiitakes have just a tish too much Asian flavor for chili. It could use more black beans, but I only had one can. The recipe almost doubled in size with all the additions I did to rescue it. It’s almost a gallon! It is a little bit looser than my usual chili, but I didn’t want to add more thickener and have to re-season.

This chili will be just great for chili cheese tots! I just had it with lime and some crema: YUM!

All in all, I’m happy that I managed to rescue the dish and make it tasty and edible. That Red Chile Soup recipe from Milk Street was straight up useless. That is two in a row that I’ve tried from that site and both were bland and called for little to no spices. So, here’s your warning: DO NOT bother with Milk Street recipes!

The thing to remember when rescuing any recipe that’s gone sideways, is to think about how to use the flavor profile you’ve got to either make something similar (soup -> chili) or amp up the lacking flavors by adding herbs and/or citrus. It’s surprising how much herbs and citrus can really make flavors pop. Being able to rescue a recipe is a handy skill to have, especially when you try out as many as I do! Just think about the flavors you have, then go from there. It takes a little practice, but it’s worth learning. I HATE wasting food, so it’s one of my prized skills to be able to use what I’ve already cooked rather than toss it. :)