a little of each

A family's cookbook

Baked Winter Squash Soup December 21, 2012

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 1:08 pm
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Ingredients (serves 12)

  • 2 acorn squash (about 2 pounds each)
  • 2 butternut squash (about 2 pounds each)
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 8 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 3 carrots, peeled and halved
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground mace
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • salt, to taste
  • creme fraiche, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the four squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds.

Place the squash halves, skin side down, in a shallow roasting pan. Place 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar in the cavity of each squash half. Arrange the carrots and onion slices around the squash. Pour two cups of stock in the pan, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and bake for two hours.

Remove the pan from the oven, and allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Scoop the squash pulp out of the skins and place it in a soup pot. Add the carrots, onions, and the cooking liquid.

Add the remaining eight cups of chicken broth, and the mace, ginger, cayenne, and salt. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return it to the pot, adjust the seasonings and heat through. Serve each portion garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche.

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Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:56 pm
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English: A basket of garlic (allium sativum) o...

 

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6)

  • 2 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup panko or white, unseasoned bread crumbs
  • 24 large button or cremini mushrooms, stems removed $
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a small saucepan over low heat, slowly cook garlic and cream until garlic is soft enough to mash with a spoon, about 45 minutes. (Cream will be reduced and thick.) Remove from heat and mash garlic into cream with a fork, making a rough purée. Stir in salt and panko and mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 450°. Lay mushroom caps, top side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Brush edges with oil and fill centers with garlic cream.

Bake until starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Lift mushrooms from any released liquid and arrange on plates or a platter. Sprinkle with pepper.

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Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 12:52 pm
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Ingredients

Turkey Broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 onions, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 smoked turkey or chicken carcass, cut into 4 pieces (see note)
3 cups white wine
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Soup
1 cup wild rice
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
Salt and pepper

Instructions

For the turkey broth: Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onions, celery, and turkey carcass until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and chicken broth and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Strain broth, discarding solids.

For the soup: Wipe out Dutch oven and toast rice over medium heat until rice begins to pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in turkey broth, carrots, thyme, and baking soda and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Whisk flour and cream in bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk flour mixture into soup. Add turkey and simmer until soup is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

 

Cilantro Lime Rice December 20, 2012

Filed under: Pasta and Grains,Sides — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:14 pm
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Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • zest from one lime
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

Add the oil to a sauce pan and heat on low. Add the garlic and rice to the oil and saute for 2 minutes on medium heat stirring frequently.

Add the chicken broth, salt, lime juice and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or according to rice package directions.

When the rice is done, add lime zest and chopped cilantro and stir to mix in. Serve immediately.

If you are using regular long grain rice, follow the cooking directions on the box regarding the amount of liquid to use and the cooking time.

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Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Strawberries

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:13 pm
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From recipe-submitter Stephanie: This is a yummy salad that I make whenever I can get wild-caught shrimp from the Georgia or Carolina coasts. My choice the other day was “farm-raised” or wild caught – despite the fact that the shrimp had their heads on, I went for the wild caught. The fish monger showed me how to easily pinch off the heads – just like asparagus – it knows where to break off. While it looked easy at the fish counter, at home was another matter. They were all looking at me. They had four inch antennae getting in the way. I was grossed out. There were cream colored blobs that must have been the brains clinging to the part of the shrimp I wanted. All this before I even cleaned out the disgusting vein. I finally took off my glasses so I couldn’t quite see all the detail and cleaned the entire pound and a half. Husband George grilled them and ate the salad with gusto. Me? Not so much. (Though I did eat my fair share, I kept imagining their beady little eyes pleading with me to spare them.)

Ingredients

1 pound 16-20 count shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 lime, juiced
1 cup strawberries, sliced thinly
4 oz. goat cheese, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Spicy Pecans, chopped
1 cup jicama, julienned into matchsticks
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 bag Spring mix, or baby greens
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Instructions

Clean shrimp, marinate for 30 minutes in half the vinaigrette mixed with the juice of one lime. Place shrimp on wet bamboo skewers for grilling. Grill for a couple minutes on each side. Assemble the remaining ingredients, and toss. Place warm shrimp on top and serve immediately. For non-seafood lovers, substitute grilled chicken.

Spicy Pecans – take Stephanie’s original Sugar & Spice Pecans and add 1/2 t. Cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients. Bake as usual.

if you can not find jicama, use an English cucumber, sliced paper thin.

 

Baked Brie with Apples and Cranberries

Filed under: Appetizers — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:12 pm
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Ingredients (serves 8)

  • 1/2 cup chopped apple
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1/4 t cinnamon
  • 1T butter, melted
  • 1 round (8 oz.) Brie cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Coarsely chop apple. Combine apple, almonds, cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix gently. Stir in butter until ingredients are just moistened.

Cut Brie in half horizontally. Place one half of Brie, rind side DOWN, on a small baking dish. Spoon half of the apple mixture onto the bottom half of the Brie, spreading evenly. Top with the remaining half of Brie, rind side UP. Spoon the remaining apple mixture over the top.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until cheese is soft and just begins to melt.

Serve with toasted sliced of French bread, apple wedges, or assorted crackers.

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Greek Frittata

Filed under: Main Dishes — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:06 pm
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Ingredients (serves 6)

  • 2 large red potatoes
  • olive oil
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 oz feta cheese
  • 1-2 Tbl Penzeys Greek Seasoning

Instructions

Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Layer them in the bottom of a casserole or deep-dish pie plate. Overlapping is fine. Drizzle a little olive oil on the potatoes and cook at 350 for about 10 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking a little, whisk together the eggs, milk, and mayonnaise.

Separately, chop up the feta cheese.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle them with a generous sprinkling of Penzeys Greek Seasoning.

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes, sprinkle the feta cheese evenly into the egg and bake in a water bath (I used a baking dish for the water) at 350 for about 45 minutes.

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Spaghetti with Pesto Trapenese

Filed under: Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:05 pm
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Ingredients (serves 4)

  • ¾ pound cherry tomatoes, very ripe and sweet
  • 12 leaves fresh basil
  • ⅓ cup whole almonds, lightly toasted
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for cooking the pasta
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

Instructions

Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry. Rinse the basil leaves and pat dry.

Drop the tomatoes into the blender jar or food processor bowl followed by the garlic clove, the almonds, basil leaves, and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine purée; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.

With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the purée into a thick pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If you’re going to dress the pasta within a couple of hours, leave the pesto at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage, up to 2 days, but let it return to room temperature before cooking the pasta.)

To cook the spaghetti, heat 6 quarts of water, with 1 tablespoon salt to the boil in the large pot. Scrape all the pesto into a big warm bowl.

Cook the spaghetti al dente, lift it from the cooking pot, drain briefly, and drop onto the pesto. Toss quickly to coat the spaghetti, sprinkle the cheese all over, and toss again. Serve immediately in warm bowls

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Spicy Apple-Glazed Chicken with Gorgonzola Grits

Filed under: Main Dishes,Pasta and Grains — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:03 pm
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Ingredients (serves 4)

    For the Chicken

    • 4 skinned, boned chicken breast halves
    • 1/4 cup apple butter
    • 1/4 cup spicy brown or Dijon mustard
    • 1/4 t salt
    • 1/4 t ground red pepper
    • 1/8 t black pepper
    • 2 T chopped green onions to garnish
    • Oregano sprigs (optional)

    For the Gorgonzola Cheese Grits

    • 2 cans (14.25 oz.) chicken broth
    • 3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
    • 1 cup (5.8 oz.) creamy Italian Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
    • 1/3 cup sour cream
    • 1/4 t ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 t fresh ground pepper

    Instructions

    For the Chicken

    Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten to 1/2″ thick. Place chicken in a greased baking dish.

    Combine apple butter, mustard, S & P; brush sauce over chicken. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

    Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually add grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and remaining ingredients.

    Cut chicken into 1/2″ slices. Spoon grits onto salad plates or into shallow bowls. Top with slices of chicken and garnish with green onion & oregano.

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    Black Bottom Pie

    Filed under: Desserts — alittlemoreofeach @ 9:02 pm
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    Ingredients

      For the Crust

      • 14 crisp ginger cookies
      • 5 tablespoons melted butter

      Basic Filling

      • 1 3/4 cups milk
      • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
      • 4 tablespoons cold water
      • l tablespoon gelatin
      • ½ cup sugar
      • 4 egg yolks
      • pinch of salt

      For Chocolate Layer

      • 2 squares melted chocolate
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla

      For Rum-Flavored Layer

      • 4 egg whites
      • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
      • ½ cup sugar
      • 1 tablespoon rum

      Topping

      • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
      • 1 cup whipping cream
      • Grated chocolate

      Instructions

      For the Crust

      Roll out the cookies fine. Mix with the melted butter. Line a nine-inch pie tin, sides and bottom, with the buttered crumbs, pressing flat and firm. Bake ten minutes in a slow oven to set.

      For the Pie

      Soak the gelatin in the cold water. Scald the milk; add one-half cup sugar mixed with the cornstarch, pinch of salt, then beaten egg yolks. Cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and will coat the back of the spoon. Stir in the dissolved gelatin. Divide custard in half.

      To one half add the melted chocolate and the vanilla. Turn while hot into the cooled crust, dipping out carefully so as not to disturb crust.

      Let the remaining half of the custard cool. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, adding half of sugar slowly, Blend with the cooled custard. Add one tablespoon rum. Spread carefully over the chocolate layer. Place in ice box to chill thoroughly. It may even stand over-might. When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream stiff, adding two tablespoons confectioners’ sugar slowly. Pile over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with grated bitter or semi-sweet chocolate.

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