Butternut Squash Soup

Posted on by aurorameyer

Butternut Squash Soup

We love love love love love this perfectly fall soup (even the toddler!)
Print Recipe
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 butternut squash roasted at 425 for about 45 minutes
  • 3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallots
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 Cup vegetable broth
  • 2 Tbs butter

Instructions
 

  • Coat squash in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast squash in the oven at 425 for about 45 minutes.
  • Peel the squash and set aside.
  • In a soup pot, heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil until shimmering over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot, onion and salt. Cook, stirring often until the shallot and onions have softened and are starting to turn golden about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently. DON'T LET THE GARLIC BURN.
  • Add the reserved butternut squash, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few shakes of ground black pepper, plus half the butter.
  • Pour in the broth and using your favorite stick blender, blend until smooth. Add the butter and blend again.

Instant Pot Directions

  • On medium saute heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped shallot, onion and salt. Cook, stirring often until the shallot and onions have softened and are starting to turn golden about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently. DON'T LET THE GARLIC BURN. Add the reserved butternut squash, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few shakes of ground black pepper, plus half the butter. Pour in the broth.
  • Add the broth and CANCEL the saute function. Turn on Pressure cook. Set time for 10 minutes. Turn steam value to seal. When cooking time is done, let NATURAL release for 10-15 minutes. If the release valve hasn't depressed after 10-15 minutes, SLOWLY turn the release valve to venting. NOTE: if you get liquid coming up through the valve wait 2 to 3 minutes and try again.
  • Remove the lid when the pressure has released. Using your favorite stick blender, blend until smooth. Add the butter and blend again. Serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Yum

Tyler Florence’s Roasted Sweet Potato Banana Puree

Posted on by aurorameyer

As promised, now that Thanksgiving is over and we have had a chance to do a post-mortem on what worked and what didn’t, I’ll be sharing the recipes that made the cut. First, is this delicious take on sweet potato casserole.

C found this recipe on the Fabulousfoodshow.com and has perfected it in the last year.  We kept it warm in a crock pot while other dishes took up precious oven and burner space.

Tyler Florence's Roasted Sweet Potato Banana Puree

Print Recipe
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed
  • 6 medium bananas
  • 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cups and 1/2heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest fresh is best!
  • 2 bay leaves
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Topping Ingredients:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and put them on a roasting pan.
  • On another roasting pan prick bananas and lay out in a single layer.
  • Roast sweet potatoes for 45 minutes until very soft and roast bananas for 25 minutes. (If you are in a huge hurry, you can boil the sweet potatoes, but do not try boiling the bananas!)
  • Remove both pans from the oven and allow to cool slightly.  
  • In a small sauce pot heat cream with bay leaf until reduced by half, then keep warm until ready to puree potatoes and bananas. 
  • When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into the bowl of a food processor (A blender will work, but only if the potatoes are cool).
  • Add peeled bananas. Season with salt, add butter, cream (make sure you took the bay leaves out!), cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and puree until smooth (or if you like it a little chunky, a little chunky).
  • Pour into an oven-proof dish. 
  • Make the topping by combining flour, cold butter and brown sugar in the food processor and pulse until you have the texture of coarse bread crumbs.
  • Sprinkle on top of the puree and place under the broiler until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

My opinion:
I really love this dish. This year we actually forgot the topping and it was still just as wonderful! You can make it a couple of days (no more than 2!) ahead of your holiday meal and keep it refrigerated. Then reheat in a crock pot like we did or in the oven. If you are keeping it in the crock pot, sprinkle each serving with the topping and use a brûlée torch to make it golden brown and crispy.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Posted on by aurorameyer
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Jamaican Jerk Chicken

I’ll admit I was skeptical about this recipe. But after one bite, I wasn’t skeptical at all. It was deliciously flavorful and less labor intensive than we thought it would be. Warning: it’s pretty filling.

Ingredients:
1 tb Ground allspice
1 tb Dried thyme
1 1/2 ts Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 ts Black Pepper freshly ground
1 1/2 ts Ground sage
3/4 ts Ground nutmeg
3/4 ts Ground cinnamon
2 tb Salt
2 tb Garlic powder
1 tb Sugar
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c Soy sauce
3/4 c White vinegar
1/2 c Orange juice
Juice of 1 lime
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, Seeded and finely chopped (if you can’t find this, feel free to use a habanero)
1 c white onion Chopped
3 Green onions finely chopped
4 6-oz Chicken breasts Trimmed of fat, up to 8-oz each

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, garlic powder and sugar. With a wire whisk, slowly add olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice and lime  juice. Add the Scotch bonnet pepper (we used habaneros since we couldn’t find Scotch Bonnet), onion and green onions and mix well. Reserve about a cup or so of the marinade to use later. Add the chicken breasts, cover and marinate for at least an hour, but the longer the better! Remove the breasts from the marinade and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. If you prefer a sear, turn on the broiler and broil each side first for a few minutes and then bake. Or if you prefer, fire up the grill and cook for 6 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. While grilling or baking, baste with the left over marinade. Heat the rest of the leftover marinade and serve on the side for dipping (we just did this on the stove). If you prefer more intense flavors, feel free to double the spices.

My opinion:
Even without doubling the spices, this was plenty hot. It was the right combination of sweet and spicy and the chicken was very moist. We will try this on the grill next time! The rice and slaw will be in another post. I”m having trouble locating the original recipes to link back to at the moment.

C’s Blueberry and Peach Buckle

Posted on by aurorameyer


My sister has a gift. The gift of making extremely amazing baked goods. This is one of my new all time favorites. Right up there with her pound cake recipe. She created this dessert using a hybrid of the recipes from Alton Brown and Joy of Cooking.

Ingredients:
1 large ripe peach, halved, pitted and cut into small chunks (or 4-5 if you’re just using peaches)
Combine with:
1 1/2 cups blueberries or boysenberries
whisk together:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (you can use up to 3/4 cup whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
Combine in another bowl and beat until light and fluffy:
1/4 cup or 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup sugar if the peaches are very sweet)
1 large egg
Gradually beat in 1/2 cup milk

Struessel topping:
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (chilled)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
In addition to the directions above, position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan or 9-inch square baking dish (C uses shortening instead of butter). Combine all the dry ingredients and then cut the butter up into pieces, using a fork to blend in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Add the flour mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the batter is smooth. Gently fold in the fruit. Spoon into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the struessel topping over the batter. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick (or butter knife) inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

My opinion:
Like an extra delicious coffee cake. Perfect at any time of day for any occasion.

Beef Stroganov

Posted on by aurorameyer

Easy Homemade Beef Stroganov by Dispatches from the Castle

While this isn’t my most favorite dish, it is one of J’s most favorite dishes and he’s been searching for a good recipe for a while. He found this one from Big Oven ending the search. Extremely filling and comforting, with a few tweaks this is hands down the best Beef Stroganov recipe. Originally fearful of the nutmeg addition, it added a flavor depth that made the whole dish.

Ingredients:
2 Boneless Sirloin Steaks, sliced thinly
1/2 cup flour
1 medium onion, sliced thinly (we used a mandolin)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef stock
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon Seasoning salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup sherry
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup of sour cream
egg noodles
Fresh parsley chopped

Directions:
Heat olive oil in pan. Coat sliced meat in flour and cook until brown. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef stock and bring to a boil. Add paprika, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer until meat is tender, approximately an hour. Add mushrooms and sherry and simmer about 10 more minutes. Turn off stove and fold in sour cream. Let dish reheat gently and spoon over egg noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley.

My opinion:
I usually find  Beef Stroganov to be too heavy, too filling and too much everything. This dish isn’t too much of anything. It’s flavorful without being overwhelming.