Curried Squash Soup

This soup is one of our favorites, particularly through the fall and winter. Plus, if you own a hand blender (see my earlier post "The Best Kitchen Tool Ever") it is deceivingly easy to make. It can also be made using a regular blender, but has the potential to get a little messier. Either way, it never lets the taste buds down. Like many soups, it gets better as time goes on and is almost better then next day.

I think this meal is a prime crock-pot candidate, although I have never tried making it this way (mainly because I have no crock-pot). If you want to try making it this way, I recommend throwing all the ingredients except the coconut milk into the crock pot for the day (or several hours). Upon coming home, add the coconut milk, blend the soup, and enjoy. Tasty. Easy. My kind of meal.

1 TBS ghee 
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 med to lg butternut squash OR 2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds taken out and chopped
1 green apple (a red apple will also do), cored and chopped
4-5 stalks celery, diced finely
1 lg sweet potato or yam, peeled and chopped
5-6 cups water
1 1/2 TBS curry powder
1 TBS salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 can coconut milk (I recommend the regular fat version, while caloric, it is good fat and oh so much tastier)

If making this soup with a hand blender, don't worry about chopping the vegetables very small; large chunky pieces will be just fine (except with the celery). If using a regular blender, take the time to chop everything smaller, it will be worth it when it comes time to puree. 
 
First, peel, scoop out the seeds, and chop the the butternut squash into large pieces. Set aside. Peel and chop the onion. In a large stockpot (i.e. a large, deep pot), melt the ghee. Add the onions and cook on med-high heat for 3-5 minutes until they start to look clear. Add 5 cups of water and the prepared butternut squash, keep on med-high heat and bring to a simmer.

Chop the celery into thin, tiny pieces. Add to the pot. Peel and chop the sweet potato/yam. Add to the pot. Peel and core the apple. Add to the pot. Add the curry, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Cover and let simmer for 30-45 minutes until everything is thoroughly cooked and soft (you won't be able to overcook it). Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes if desired. Add the can of coconut milk and puree using a hand blender or regular blender. At this point in time, you may choose to add the remaining cup of water for a slightly thinner soup.

To puree using a regular blender, let the soup cool longer if time allows. Transfer the cooked veggies 1 1/2-2 cups at a time to the blender and puree. Be aware that the heat of the ingredients, when blended, will create a tremendous force inside the blender that will attempt to blow the lid off (no matter how tight you hold on) and spit soup ingredients all over you and the kitchen. Patience in this scenario is well worth it.

Recipe Dilemma

I have come across a recipe-writers dilemma. You'd think there was only one way of writing down a recipe, but truth is, there are endless variations and subtleties that can (and should) go into the process. Since I am still finding my recipe recording stride I would like to provide you with a little of the "why" behind some of my phrasing. The subtlety I am struggling with most is two pronged:

1. The way in which ingredients (particularly veggies) are listed in the recipe
2. To what degree prep work/step by step processes for making the recipe should be included in the little recipe "how to" write up that follows

Let me attempt to explain a little more. In my experience, the average recipe will list ingredients and say things like "1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped," "1/2 onion, diced," or "1 cup large thinly sliced zucchini." In doing this, the recipe writer is essentially telling you what prep work needs to be done to the ingredient before it is ready to be incorporated into the dish. I believe this can be problematic in more ways than one.

First, I believe this wording can be problematic for the new and/or timid cook that does not trust his/herself to, 1) know how many carrots or zucchinis equals one cup and/or, 2) is simply intimidated by the assumption that peeling and chopping and dicing while making a 30 minute meal is nothing to talk about for any averagely decent "cook" (thereby incorrectly reinforcing the idea that he/she "can't cook"). I mean, if just looking at the recipe is overwhelming, forget trying to make it!

Second, this wording can also be a hang-up for the not-so-timid cook (experienced or not) who dives right into the recipe only to forget about all the prep work because they weren't reminded in the directions/how to write up. Then the whole timing of the recipe is thrown off, something burns, or the meal doesn't end up looking like the picture.* I think this is one of the reasons I don't like cooking from cookbooks, I hand over my kitchen savy to the cook book and end up lost. In either scenario, frustration occurs; and, in my opinion, FRUSTRATING is one thing cooking/kitchen work should absolutely NOT BE.

In writing this post, I have come to a final opinion on this "dilemma" of mine. From here forward, I will attempt to write all my recipes with the following three aspects:

1. Volumes of produce will be written as 1/2 onion, 5 carrots or one head of broccoli as often as possible (rather than 3/4 cup onion, 1 1/2 cups carrots and 2 cups broccoli-even I am never sure exactly how many carrots equals 1 1/2 cups.)
2. In traditional fashion, I will include how those veggies are to be prepared on the ingredient list-diced, chopped, peeled etc. (This will allow those who pre-chop, to continue to do so)
3. As often as possible I will include the prep-work in the recipe directions so one can dive right into making the recipe without needing to worry about first taking care of vegetable readiness. That way the information will be there for those who need it and can be ignored by those who don't need it.*

Despite this "final" opinion on the matter, I welcome recipe user feedback on how my recipes are reading now and as this blog moves forward. My primary purpose is to make it easy to share the joys of my kitchen with yours and, if there is something I can to do make that easier, I'm all for it.

* On a side note, pre-chopping all the veggies before even starting to cook can sometimes be easier than following directions on prep-work. This of course depends on the person and the meal. For me, especially when using recipes that don't list prep-work in the directions, pre-chopping will almost always guarantee I don't screw it up...it does create a few more dirty dishes and requires a little more foresight to implement than I seem to have sometimes...but, when used successfully, it does reduce cooking stress/anxiety.

Eggplant Pasta

Eggplants are such beautiful produce items that I am always drawn to purchase one of them. However, once I get it home in the fridge, I often have trouble using it before it goes bad. This pasta dish is now a reason we choose to buy eggplant-it is the star ingredient. Plus, it's easy to make and the helping vegetables can be flexible. The only item on the recipe that I have to make sure to buy (besides the eggplant) is a can of diced tomatoes (I prefer the Italian flavored or garlic flavored cans, but I don't think it really matters).

1 TBS ghee, butter, or oil
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 1/2 tsp garlic
1 medium size eggplant
1/2 onion
1 cup either chopped asparagus, squash, or broccoli (your choice, or more than one of them)
1 can diced tomatoes-undrained
3/4-1 box angel hair pasta (depending on your preferred pasta to sauce ratio)*


*If you don't have angel hair pasta, plain spaghetti, fettucine, or even shaped pasta will work just fine. It just seems to go better with long pasta in my opinion. 

Cook pasta according to package directions. Put the ghee in a large fry pan and melt. When melted, add the basil and oregano. Saute the spices briefly over medium heat (it will smell very good). Add the onions, salt, pepper and garlic along with a little bit of water to prevent pan sticking. Cook 2-5 minutes. Add the eggplant and other veggies (if you are using broccoli, do not add it here, wait). Cook about 10 minutes on medium high heat, adding water to the pan as needed. When the veggies are cooked, add the can of tomatoes (if using broccoli, add the broccoli now). Turn heat to low or off and cover while straining the pasta. Mix the pasta and the veggies together. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if you'd like. Serve.

Yield: 2-4 servings. This will vary depending on the amount of pasta used.

The Perfect Whole Wheat Pancake

Every weekend of the last month and half I have been making pancakes one morning in search of a batch worth making more than once. This recipe has stuck-we've had it now three weekends in a row and like it more every week. I use whole wheat flour and soy milk, but the below recipe could also be made with white flour and regular milk if the whole wheat and soy aren't items you keep in your kitchen. The flavor will change slightly, but it will still be a good pancake.

The Perfect Whole Wheat Pancake
 2 cups whole wheat flour
1TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2TBS brown sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup soy milk

Preheat the griddle/frying pan on med-high heat. While it is heating up, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar together. Then add the water, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Spoon onto the pan (I use a 1/4 cup scoop). The pan should sizzle a little when the batter hits it. Cook until small bubbles begin to form and flip. Cook the other side until golden brown. I like to turn the oven on low and put the cooked pancakes on a plate in there to stay warm until I have cooked them all. Serve with your favorite topping.

Yield: Using a 1/4 cup scoop, this will make about 12 small to medium sized pancakes.

The Best Kitchen Tool Ever

That's right. A hand blender. No kitchen should be made to suffer without one (although mine did for several years...). I use this to make soups, dips, hummus, spreads-you name it. It is SO much easier to use, less messy and more effective than a traditional blender is for most blending needs. (I still keep a blender around for the occasional smoothie or milkshake though.)

These baby's can be affordable to quite pricey, but are well worth whatever cash you put into them. Mine came from Target and cost about $20. They also had a $40 version for sale and, while it did look bigger and better than the $20 version, I've never regretted getting the "cheaper" one. Who needs their kitchen appliances to be on steroids anyway?

If you're not sure it's worth it, find a friend's to borrow for a week. Then use it. At least three times. For me, it was love at first puree, but it took a couple more uses to convince me that my love was real. I eventually gave into the urge and bought my own. Maybe you will too.

Winter Veggie Pasta

Variations of this meal happen all the time in my kitchen, but this happens to be one of the better variations. The following recipe is vegetables only, but chicken would go well with the flavors if you would like to add it. I suggest dicing a chicken breast and adding it before the step below where the onions are added. Cook the chicken for a few minutes alone before adding the onions and moving on. Depending on your taste buds, 1/4-1/2 tsp of any of the spices in the list may need to be added because of the chicken. If you aren't sure, don't add any extra until it is all mixed together, then taste. If it seems a little bland, start with 1/4 tsp more of all 4 spices and taste again.

Winter Veggie Pasta
1TBS Oregano
1 TBS Basil
2 TBS ghee (see last post for more info), butter or olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated garlic/salt/powder
1/2 lb (about 1/2 a box) shaped pasta (I prefer the shells or spirals)
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 summer squash or zucchini
1 cup chopped asparagus OR 1 1/2 cup chopped broccoli


In a deep fry pan, melt 1 TBS of the ghee over high heat. Add the oregano and basil. Brown the spices for 5-15 seconds, then add the onion, salt and garlic. Cook for a few minutes. Add sweet potatoes. Add water to the pan to prevent burning/sticking if necessary and cover. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes start to soften (about 5 minutes if on high heat). 

Meanwhile, start water for the pasta. Follow package instructions.

 After the sweet potatoes start to soften, add a little more water to the pan to prevent burning and put in the summer squash and asparagus. (If using broccoli DO NOT put it in with the squash. Instead, add it about 1-2 minute before you turn the stove off.) Cook another 3-5 minutes until the squash is cooked. Remove from heat and cover until pasta is ready.

Drain the pasta, and mix the vegetables with the cooked pasta. Add the remaining 1 TBS ghee and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

This will make 2-4 servings depending on what you consider a serving to be.