Fall Recipes

Butternut Squash Soup

Heat in large pan:
2 T olive oil
2 T butter

Add:
1 onion, diced
1 T minced garlic
4 strips of bacon

Saute for a few minutes.

Add:
1 apple, peeled and diced (tart apples work well)
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

Mix and cook for a minute.

Add:
1/4 c red cooking wine
4 c beef broth (or I use water and four beef bullion cubes)

Bring to a boil and cook until apples and squash are very soft. REMOVE THE BACON and discard. Pour into blender and puree in batches. Return to pot.

Add:
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
dash nutmeg
1 can of evaporated milk

Heat through for five to ten minutes and serve.

Chicken and Artichoke Soup
This was another improvisation from last week. I am posting it for Jeffrey's co-workers who wanted to try it out.

Heat:
2 tsp olive oil

Add and saute:
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (I did not have this on hand last time, but I think it would be a tasty addition.)

Add 2 chicken breasts and cook through, shredding into small pieces as it cooks.

After chicken is cooked, add 1 small can of green chiles, 1 large can of artichoke hearts (diced up and NOT the marinated variety) and 1 Tbsp of butter. Melt butter and mix.

Sprinkle with 3 Tbsp flour and mix well.

Add:
3 c milk
3 c chicken broth (I use water and bullion cubes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 Tbsp lime

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Add:
salt
pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cumin
dash cayenne red pepper
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Cook for about 10-15 minutes and serve,

I toasted up some crusty french bread, thinly sliced with a little bit of butter and garlic salt and then melted a little parmesan cheese on top. I served the soup with these croutons on top. Yummy!

Black Beans and Rice
This is my second try at black beans and rice, and was much better than the first. Like soups, rice and beans meals are quick, one-dish options that are both tasty, yet simple to prepare.

In 1 T olive oil saute:
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red or yellow pepper, chopped
1 can green chiles
2 Tbsp garlic

Add:
2 cans of black beans
1 can of stewed tomatoes (I puree mine before using since Jeffrey does not like chunks, but I think it would work just the same as they are.)
1 Tbsp cider vinegar

Heat and mix the above, then add:
1 tsp oregano
1 chicken bullion cube
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne red pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes. Serve over or mixed with rice. White rice is traditional, but I use brown and think it is still as good.

This recipe has some spice and flavor, but not too much as Mia and Elsie Jane would eat it. It could be spicy with more cayenne pepper or the addition of jalepenos.

Here are my favorite recipes that I have found on-line in recent months. I have made this Chicken Masala twice, and I am just looking for an opportunity to make it again. It is sooooo good.

We had these chicken and apple sausages with a Sunday brunch the week of general conference. We had dutch apple pancakes, fruit, and potato cakes to go with it. The recipe seemed simple, but the result was amazing. I did not have fennel seed, so I substituted about a quarter tsp of anise extract. I don't have a comparison, but it was really good the way I made it. I think I am going to add these to the line-up for one of our Christmas morning breakfasts.