Falling for Autumn

 

This past weekend, my family and I spent three days on the St. Lawrence River fall camping.  It is always my favorite camping trip of the year... the colors, the cooler temperatures, and a feeling of nostalgia... thinking about all the fun we had camping over the summer.  This trip, my eleven year old daughter wanted to make all of us breakfast one morning as well, using a recipe she found in a book.  She made us all peanut butter and jelly French toast fingers, and while everyone said they were good, my little chef wasn't impressed.  She told me how she didn't think she would make them again, and I asked her, "Why?"  She went on to list the reasons as we walked around, and when she was done I think I taught her a valuable lesson, that everyone who likes to cook should learn.  Never ever give up on a recipe!!!  Cooking is all about experimenting... instead of throwing away a "bad" recipe, figure out what you could have done or should do to make it better and try it again!  Next time my daughter makes her French toast, she's decided to try using Nutella instead of PB & J.  She talked about using a different kind of bread so the toast wouldn't be so flimsy.  She wants to sprinkle them with powdered sugar next time for a finishing touch.  Point is, maybe it will be successful, maybe it won't... but try again!  You just may come up with a winner all on your own!

My pumpkin soup is one of those recipes for me.  To be honest, I have NO idea where I got the original recipe for this soup.  All I know for sure is that the first time I made it, I was unimpressed.  It tasted like hot pumpkin in a bowl, and it wasn't the least bit appetizing to me.  I kept at this one, to it got to the point where it is now... and it is SO good, I can't think of tweaking a single ingredient!  My original recipe is on this old, beaten up piece of paper that has been scribbled on again and again as I made adjustments.  This soup just screams autumn to me.  It is warm, spicy, and just ultimately comforting.  This is one of those recipes that I make, that I always get asked for the recipe for.  My favorite step of making this is when you add the spices to the hot onion and garlic... when those babies hit the heat your whole house will smell AMAZING.  This soup would be great served in mini pumpernickel bread bowls, or you can even serve it in mini hollowed out pumpkins. 

Pumpkin Soup

4 tbs. unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 cayenne pepper, add more or less to adjust spice level
3 15oz. cans of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling, just plain old pumpkin!!)
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt

Melt butter in a 4 quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add spices and cook for a minute longer, until the spices are fragrant.  Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth.  Stir and blend well, until completely combined.  Bring to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Puree the soup using an immersion blender or transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and puree.  Return soup to saucepan over low heat.  Add brown sugar and mix well until incorporated.  Slowly pour in milk while stirring until well blended.  Add cream and salt and stir until well blended.  Taste soup and adjust seasonings to taste: if not spicy enough add more cayenne pepper, if too spicy add more heavy cream.  Serves 8.

For camping this weekend I also baked up a batch of caramel stuffed apple cider cookies.  These cookies were fantastic.  This was a recipe I found on pinterest, and immediately tweaked it a bit.  The original recipe calls for using a whole caramel candy in the center of each cookie... I worried this would be a bit much, maybe oozing out the cookies and making a mess of my sheet pans.  I cut my caramels in half and  they baked up perfectly, just know you could try to use a whole caramel if you would like a lot of it in the center of each cookie.  Also, I didn't have a box of instant apple cider drink mix.  What I DID have though was a TON of Hot Apple Cider K cups.  The original recipe called for using an entire 7.4 ounce box of apple cider mix (10 packets), I weighed and measured the amount of mix in my K cups and ended up opening and using 7 of them to equal about 7 ounces and the cookies were perfect!

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
7 ounces of instant apple cider drink mix
2 eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups flour
16-20 caramel candies, cut in half

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, sugar, brown sugar and apple cider drink mix, until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one a time, then add vanilla.  Reduce the speed of your mixer to low and slowly incorporate flour mixture into butter mixture, in 3 equal additions.  Beat each addition until just incorporated.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or so, so it will firm up and be easier to work with.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with baking cooking spray.  Begin by rolling about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough into a ball.  Flatten slightly with your palm, then place a piece of caramel in the center, forming the dough all around it so the caramel is completely encased.  Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cookies are just beginning to brown.  Remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment paper from the cookie sheets and onto the table or counter top to let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies from parchment to a cooling rack and let cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

As always, don't be afraid to try something new and I hope these recipes will have you in love with Autumn too!

Broaden those horizons!!

If any of you are anything like me... we get stuck in ruts at dinner time.  Same old, same old.  Blah, blah, blah!  Yet, sometimes when we feel the need to try something new, it's a big leap of faith, especially for anyone who doesn't have an adventurous palate!  So here are 2 of my favorite, different than the norm recipes to spice up your week!

First off, let's begin with my mango chutney. A few years ago, my husband and I went to a beer tasting event.  There were 6 courses served, each course with a different food that would compliment the beer.  One of the entrees featured was pork with mango chutney.  Neither one of us had ever had chutney before.  I was a fan of mangos, my husband had never tried one.  Both of us, never really afraid to try something new tasted it.  It was delicious.  Chutney is somewhat of a cross between a jam and a salsa, being chunkier than jam, yet thicker than a salsa.  It is sweet and spicy, but not overpoweringly hot.  You get the sweetness immediately upon your first bite, and then that warm, fuzzy feeling from the heat after you swallow.  It is perfect with pork, but can be used many other ways as well... over cream cheese served with crackers, as a dip for pita chips, eaten by the spoonful... well, you get the idea!

Mango Chutney

3 Mangos, stoned and diced
1/2 of an onion, finely chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (de-seeded too if you like less heat)
1 tbs. grated, fresh ginger root
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, + 2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently.  Simmer for 45-60 minutes until mangoes are soft and chutney is golden brown.  If you like your chutney chunky, simply serve!  If you like it not quite so chunky, use an immersion blender to puree the chutney to desired consistency.  Store in sterilized glass jars in the refrigerator until ready to use! 

 

 

The next recipe I want to share is for Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto.  I know, I know... sounds INCREDIBLY weird!  Several years ago for Christmas my husband bought me one of Giada De Laurentiis's cookbooks.  As I leafed through it this recipe jumped out at me... I had never had butternut squash, and the thought of making a dinner with vanilla in it was just so bizarre to me that I had to try it!  When I make it I use more broth than Giada calls for, and most of the time vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean.  It is now one of our family favorites and perfect in the fall when butternut squash is in season.  For the record too... do NOT be afraid of risotto!!!  While it IS time consuming, and a dish that definitely needs to be "babysat," I think it gets a bad rap as being difficult to make.  Before you start just have everything lined up, ready to go and you will end up with a beautiful dish that will wow!!!

 

Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto

 

6 cups chicken broth (can also use vegetable broth if you want to do this vegetarian!)

1 large vanilla bean, OR 3 tsp. real vanilla extract

3 cups (about 12 ounces) butternut squash, peeled and cut into roughly 1 inch squares

3 tbs. unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (it HAS to be Arborio rice... other kinds will not work!!)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbs. finely chopped chives

 

In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium high heat.  Either cut the vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds into the broth and put entire bean into the broth, or simply add the vanilla extract.  When the broth comes to a simmer, add the butternut squash, and continue to simmer until the squash is cooked through, 7-10 minutes.  Squash is done when a fork easily pierces it.  Remove squash from the broth with a slotted spoon to a side dish.  Turn the heat on the broth down to low, and cover to keep warm. 

 

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté until transluscent, but not brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with butter.  Add the wine, and simmer down until all of the liquid is almost completely absorbed, 2-3 minutes.  Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth (I use my soup ladle to do this) and continually stir until all of the liquid is almost absorbed.  Continue cooking the rice, adding 1/2 cup/ladle full of broth, allowing each addition of broth to almost fully absorb before adding the next.  Continue until all of the broth is gone and the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy.

 

Turn off the heat under the risotto and gently stir in the cooked squash, parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter and salt.  Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately!

 

Now go and broaden those horizons!!