Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Andrea

As the frosty days of January settle in, it’s such a comfort to have some warm and soothing soup. I made a batch of this squash soup and enjoyed it so much. I’m sure it tastes better the second day too. This is an easy recipe and the addition of a bit of orange or apple juice and a grated apple at the end just balance it out perfectly. I added 2 tsp of curry powder when I cooked the onions…for those of you who know me, you know I love me some curry. If you love it, add the curry too…but this soup stands up beautifully on it’s own as well. Here’s to keeping cozy.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Makes about 9 cups

1 2lb (approx) butternut squash diced (about 5 cups)

1/4 cup butter

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2-3 tbsp orange juice or apple cider

1 large apple, grated

Directions:

In large saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, stir and cook 2 minutes. Add squash and stock. (enough to cover). Increase heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.

Using handheld blender, puree soup. Add orange juice or apple cider, and grated apple. Taste and adjust seasoning – salt/pepper.

*this soup is also excellent with the addition of curry powder. Stir 2 tsp. in after adding garlic and ginger.

Saute onions, garlic, ginger - add squash and stock.

When squash is tender, puree soup with a handheld blender

Add orange juice or cider and grated apple. I like to use granny smith's.

So delicious and easy. And you can see me in the spoon. 😉

Deep Dish Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Andrea

Deep Dish Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

the insides....yum

These are fun to make – everyone loves these, and they taste so much better than the ones you buy – a real treat. I would use a milk chocolate or if you want it darker than that – maybe a chocolate around 55-60% at the most. Give them a try — easy, but there are a few steps involved.

Deep Dish Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

from Chef Michael Smith’s Kitchen

makes 8 large treats

8 muffin liners

8 ounces of milk or dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp pure vanilla

1/2 tsp grated fresh nutmeg

Directions:

Place muffin liners in muffin tin. (this recipe uses regular sized muffin liners).

In a heatproof bowl over a pot with about an inch of boiling water, place chopped chocolate, stirring occasionally until fully melted. Turn off heat. Using a small pastry brush, and holding the muffin liner steady, paint the bottom and about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the liner with chocolate. Place pan in refrigerator until chocolate has hardened.

Place peanut butter and cream cheese in processor and process until smooth. Scrape down sides and add honey, vanilla and grated nutmeg. Remove chocolate cups from fridge and place 2 to 3 tablespoons of peanut butter filling into each cup. Smooth top of filling to make level. Place back in fridge to firm up, abotu 15 minutes.

Reheat your leftover chocolate over hot water until melted again. Spoon chocolate over top of your chilled peanut butter filling, sealing the edges. Refrigerate again until firm. To serve, peel off liners. Enjoy. Keep refrigerated, but they taste best if you let them warm up a bit (10 minutes or so) before serving.

melt chocolate in heatproof bowl over an inch of simmering water

Mix up peanut butter filling with cream cheese in processor. Add other ingredients.

paint insides of muffin liners with chocolate, about 2/3 of the way up the sides. Let harden.

place filling into cups, leveling it. Place back in fridge to firm up.

Spoon remaining chocolate over filling to seal edges. Back in the fridge to harden.

Yum

Santa likes these.

Slow-Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Andrea

Slow-cooked pot roast, pureed cauliflower, gravy, green salad, beet horseradish

This is a great time of year to pull out the slow-cooker and figure out how to cook with it. I use it as often as possible because it means I’ve dealt with my dinner-making obligation early in the day and I can move on to other fun stuff – like baking and eating baking. Besides that, everyone should know how to make a pot roast, it’s a Canadian staple dinner.

Anyhow, I bought a grass-fed beef sirloin tip roast – it works well for pot roast — or use a blade or other tough chunk of beef. We’ll be cooking it low and slow so all those fibrous strands of meat will break down in the process, all the while providing some great flavour. I chose ‘grass-fed’ because that is what cows are supposed to eat naturally and I believe that it is way, way more healthy to eat this kind of beef.

You will need to make a flavour base to cook this in. Follow along with what I’ve used, but please feel free to stray from this guideline and use what you like and/or have on hand.

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

serves 6

2-3 lb beef roast (blade, sirloin tip)

2 medium onions, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup red wine (I used shiraz – use a good wine)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (use any kind)

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp tamari or soya sauce

2 tsp ground ginger

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup bbq sauce

ground black pepper

to thicken gravy:

1/2 cup water mixed with 2 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

Turn slow-cooker on to high. Spread diced onions along bottom of cooker. Unwrap and wipe off roast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter until melted over med-high heat. Brown roast on all sides. Place browned roast on top of onions.

In separate medium-sized saucepan, put in the rest of the ingredients (except water and cornstarch). Bring to a boil and stir. Pour mixture over beef roast in slow-cooker. Cover and cook for 6-7 hours on low, or 4 hours on high. When roast is tender (can pull apart with a fork), remove from liquid to a plate and tent with foil. Mix up water/cornstarch mixture and stir into liquid in slow cooker (on high). (If there is alot of fat on top of liquid, remove as much as possible before doing this). When thickened, pour into a gravy boat. Slice meat. Serve with horseradish (or beet horseradish – even better)…boiled or mashed potatoes and carrots – or for a healthier, lower carb option – pureed cooked cauliflower and a green salad. Cheers.

Brown roast over medium-high heat

Brown roast on all sides

Mix all ingredients (except water/cornstarch) in medium saucepan.

pour mixture over roast in slow-cooker

Add cornstarch/water mixture to liquid in slow-cooker to thicken

Slice roast, serve with gravy

Old Fashioned Carrot Bread (with Gluten-Free option)

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Andrea

Old Fashioned Carrot Bread

When I saw this recipe in an older cookbook that was discussing the history of Nova Scotia and it’s settlers, I couldn’t wait to try it. I’ve never heard of carrot bread before but since we all love carrot cake, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. The result is a deliciously dense, moist loaf with tons of fall flavour — perfect for breakfast on the run, afternoon tea or bedtime snack. Oatmeal, raisins, carrots, nuts… it’s much healthier than any purchased breakfast cereal or snack bar. The method of preparation is slightly different than most loaves (see instructions), but it is still a very easy recipe and I know it’ll be a favourite once you try it. Enjoy!

Carrot Bread

makes one 9 x 5 loaf

adapted from Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens by Marie Nightingale

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup raisins (or craisins)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter (or coconut oil)

1/2 tsp each nutmeg, ginger, cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup water

1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts or nut of your choice) chopped

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup large flake oats

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place pan on a baking sheet. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 F.

In medium saucepan, combine carrots, raisins, sugar, spices, butter and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. In separate bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, nuts and salt. Pour carrot mixture into flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Pour into loaf pan. Bake for 30 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean or with a few crumbs stuck to it. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan, slice and enjoy.

*For Gluten-Free option – replace flour with all-purpose gluten-free flour and add 1/2 tsp xantham gum.

mix carrots, sugar, butter, spices, water and vanilla in pot. Cook for 5 minutes.

mix flour, oats, nuts, baking powder and soda and salt in bowl.

mix carrot mixture into flour mixture, until well combined.

bake loaf for 30-45 mins, until tester comes out clean

Cool and slice.

Gluten free (with raisins) on right, regular flour (with craisins) on left. Both delicious.

Kick-Ass Chicken Curry

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Andrea

chicken curry with mango chutney

Are you ready to learn how to make a really good curry? I don’t mean curry like your mother used to make from her ‘Good Housekeeping’ magazine….I mean a really good, authentic-tasting Indian curry. First of all, your spices are really important – at the very least, make sure they are FRESH. Don’t be pulling that curry powder out of your cupboard that’s been there since 1993. Go out and get some fresh spices, it’s so worth it. The two spices you need (which are actually spice mixtures) are curry powder and garam masala.

Follow the steps in the recipe, taking your time especially when cooking your onions. Remember a good curry is layered with flavour, and to achieve that, it takes time, and also care and love while you are cooking it. After you make this a few times, you’ll become quite pro at it, and you’ll never make beef stew again. So get your ingredients organized, and give it a whirl. You will love it. And buy a jar of mango chutney and some fresh coriander at the grocery store while you’re at it.

A word about Garam Masala: This is a common Indian spice mixture and is available at you grocery store in the spice department – I believe McCormack’s now distributes it. However, if you have access to a Southeast Asian market, go in and find some whole garam masala. (see picture). Dry roasting some garam masala in a pan and then grinding it in your coffee grinder will kick up your curry to another level of awesomeness. While you are there, buy a decent curry powder like Lalah’s or Bolst’s. Ask the grocer for a mild or hot curry depending what you like. Be warned that the hot curry powder is much hotter than you think it will be.

Whole Garam Masala. (dry roast in pan until fragrant)

grind garam masala in coffee grinder and store in an airtight container.

Chicken Curry

serves 6 as a main course

1/4 cup butter (or ghee – clarified butter)

2 large onions, diced

2 tsp salt

4 cloves garlic minced

1 2 inch knob of fresh ginger, minced

1 tbsp garam masala

2.5 tbsp curry powder

1.5 cups water

1 (14oz) can coconut milk (or 35% cream)

6 chicken breasts, cut up into large chunks, or 10 boneless, skinless thighs

Directions:

In a large skillet, melt butter (or ghee) over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are cooked down and quite brown and carmelized. (about 20 minutes). Take your time.

Add ginger and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle your curry powder and garam masala over your onion mixture. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in your water, stir, and let the entire thing simmer on low, and reduce to a paste-like consistency. (about 15 minutes)

Remove curry paste from pan to a bowl. Add a knob of butter to the pan (or ghee). Salt and pepper your chicken pieces and add to the pan over medium-high heat to brown. Once chicken is browned, add the curry paste back into the pan as well as the coconut milk. Reduce heat to a low simmer, and let chicken cook. (longer if using thighs, so they will tenderize). (approx 20-40 mins) At this point, you can also add in some vegetables to cook. I like to use 1/2 a head of cauliflower cut up and some red pepper. The cauliflower works really well with this dish.

Serve over rice or quinoa. Serve alongside mango chutney and fresh coriander. Enjoy.