Thai Curry Butternut Squash Soup

I was inspired to make this soup by my cousin, Nicole, and the abundance of fall gourds available at the grocer’s.  The soup is so fragrant, warm, and velvety good that it will definitely be added to my regular rotation.

Servings: 6-8

Time:    Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 15-20 minutes
Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, a big knife, a microwave safe plate, a large spoon, large soup pot, an immersion blender (or blender, or food processor), a can opener, a wooden spoon, a ladle, serving bowls

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash (1½ -2 pounds)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 5-6 large basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon yellow curry paste
• 1-14 oz can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Garnish with cream and crystallized ginger 

1. Cut the squash in half with the large knife.  Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff.  Put the squash, cut side down, on the microwave safe plate and zap for 10 minutes or until the squash is soft.
2. While the squash is cooking, put the broth, basil leaves, ginger, onion powder, and salt on to boil.
3. When the squash is cool enough to touch, use the large spoon to scoop out the soft flesh and add it to the boiling broth.  Boil until the squash is completely soft.  Stir in the curry paste.  Turn off the heat.  Fish the basil leaves from the soup.  Use the immersion blender to completely purée the squash and ginger.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and butter.
5. To serve, ladle a serving into each bowl, top with a swirl of cream and a few pieces of chopped crystallized ginger.

Sweet and Spicy Teriyaki Wings

These wings are sweet and hot and a fun alternative to buffalo wings.  They are perfect for tailgating.

Servings:  Dozen wings

Hardware:  Kitchen scissors, measuring spoons and cups, a mixing bowl, tongs, a baking sheet, a cooling rack (or foil), a sauce pot, wooden spoon
Time: Prep-10 minutes, Cook-50 minutes


Ingredients

• 12 wings
• ½ stick of butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons powdered garlic
• ½ tablespoon powdered ginger
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 ½ cups teriyaki sauce (you can make your own)
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 ½ tablespoons hot sauce (you can use your favorite hot sauce, I use Sriracha for this)
• cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 400°
2. Use the kitchen scissors to separate the flaps from the drummettes.  Also snip the points from the flaps.
3. Place the cooling rack over the baking sheet.  If you don’t have a cooling rack, just line the baking dish with foil.  Spray liberally with cooking spray.
4. Mix the mustard, garlic, ginger, allspice, salt, pepper, and sesame oil together in the mixing bowl.
5. Rub the wings completely with the softened butter.  Then toss them in the mixture.
6. Lay the wings in a single layer on the cooling rack.  Place the wings in the oven.  Cook for 20 minutes. Flip and roast for 20 more. If you prefer crispier wings turn the broiler on for 5 minutes or so. Make sure to monitor them so they don't burn. Turn the oven off and leave in the warm oven for 10 minutes.
7. While the chicken is cooking, place the teriyaki sauce, honey, and hot sauce in the sauce pot.  Heat on medium high, stirring until the honey is completely melted.
8. Remove the wings from the oven and toss in the teriyaki sauce.
9. Serve warm or at room temp.

3. The cooling rack acts as a roaster. 
I line the pan with parchment paper
for easy clean-up.

Hot Garlic Wings

FOOTBALL!  My husband, Jeff, loves football.  If a game is on TV, I cannot get him to come to the table.  It is easier to make something he can eat without looking away.  These wings are delicious, much better than the stuff you pick up at the grocer’s.  They are also fun to take to a tailgate or a watching party.

Servings:  Dozen wings

Hardware:  Kitchen scissors, 2 large plastic Ziploc bags, 2 plates, plastic wrap, measuring cups and spoons, a large heavy skillet with a lid (I use cast iron), thermometer, tongs, paper towels, a sauce pot, a garlic press
Time: Prep-15 minutes, Rest time: 30 minutes, Cook-15 minutes
(Start cooking about 2 hours before you want to serve the wings)

Ingredients

• 1 dozen wings
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• ½ stick of butter
• 2 cups hot wing sauce
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Sliced red peppers, celery sticks, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing.

1. Use the kitchen scissors to separate the flaps from the drummettes.  Also snip the points from the flaps.
2. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a Ziploc bag.  Shake up.
3. Put the eggs and milk in the other Ziploc bag.  Shake like crazy.  Make sure the eggs are completely mixed.
4. Put the chicken in the flour.  Shake up. Then put the chicken in the egg mixture.  Then back into the flour mixture.  You can repeat this process if you like more breading.
5. Put the chicken on a plate and cover in plastic wrap.  Put in the fridge for 30 minutes.  This will help the batter adhere to the chicken.  You can leave the chicken in the fridge for up to three hours.  Remove the plate from the fridge about ½ hour before cooking to allow the chicken to warm up.  This will allow the wings to cook evenly.
6. Cover the other plate with paper towels. Set aside.
7. Put enough oil in the pan to fill it about half way up.  Pre-heat the oil until it is 350°.  This step is very important to keep the chicken from absorbing too much oil and becoming greasy.  You will want to adjust the temperature while cooking so the oil stays between 300° to 400°.   
8. Place the wings in a single layer in the hot oil.  Do not crowd the chicken.  You may need to cook in batches. Cover the chicken and do not turn for at least 5 minutes.
9. Turn the chicken and cook until it is a crispy golden brown.  The drummettes take longer than the flaps.  To make sure your chicken is done, cut into the thickest part of a drummette, the juices that run out should be clear and the meat should be completely opaque and have no hint of pink.
10. As the chicken finishes, place it on the paper towel covered plate to drain.  
11. While the wings are cooking place the wing sauce, butter, and crushed garlic in the sauce pot on medium high.  Stir until the butter is melted.  Turn off the heat.
12. When all the wings are finished, toss them in the sauce.  Make sure they are all coated.  You can let them sit in the sauce for a minute or two.
13. To serve, remove them from the sauce.  Serve them with sliced red peppers, celery sticks, and ranch and/or blue cheese dressing.  And lots of napkins.

Mexican Lasagna

This is very easy and very tasty.  It can be made one day ahead then baked the next day.  It also tastes just as good as leftovers!

Servings: 6-8

Time:  Prep:  15 minutes    Cooking: 35 minutes
Hardware: Measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board and knives, a can opener, a skillet, a wooden spoon, a microwave safe bowl, kitchen scissors, a loaf pan, a spatula

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced bell pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (You can make your own)
• ½ cup of your favorite chunky salsa (I like Desert Pepper Trading Company)
• 1 can condensed Fiesta cheese soup
• 1 can of refried beans
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 3-4 10 inch flour tortilla
• Cooking spray
• Salsa, sour cream, and green onions for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Open the cans.  Set aside.
3. Wash and dice the onion and green pepper.
4. Heat the skillet on medium high. Add the veggies, seasoning, and ground beef.  Cook and crumble the ground beef until the meat is brown and cooked through (7-10 minutes). Drain the fat from the beef.
5. Return the meat mixture to the medium pan.  Stir in the salsa and cheese soup.  Stir until everything is completely combined and heated through.  Remove from the heat.
6. Put the beans in the microwave safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes, or until heated.
7. Spray the loaf pan with cooking spray.
8. Using the kitchen scissors, slice a tortilla shell to fit in the bottom of the pan.  You may need to arrange pieces from more than one slice to cover the bottom of the pan.  You may overlap the tortillas.
9. Spread ⅓ of the beans over the tortilla shells with the spatula.  Cover the beans in 1 cup of the meat mixture and one cup of the cheese.  Cut another tortilla to cover the cheese mixture.  Press down firmly on the tortillas to compact the lasagna.  Continue layering in this manner, pressing down on the tortillas each time.  Finish with cheese.
10. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow the lasagna to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
11. While the lasagna is cooling, slice the green onions.
12. To serve, spread salsa on the plate.  Lay a slice of lasagna on the salsa, top with a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with green onions.

Potato Soup

Fall is the perfect time for soup. You can use late summer corn or fall root veggies in the same dish.  This potato soup is a great autumn meal because it can be served warm or cold, depending on the weather.

Servings: 4-6

Time:    Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 45 minutes
Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, large soup pot, a skillet, an emulsion blender (or a food chopper, or food processor), a wooden spoon, a ladle, serving bowls

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 ½ pounds potatoes
• 4 cups low sodium broth (you can use chicken or vegetable)
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon fennel
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup whole milk
• 1 small carrot
• paprika

1. Slice the onion into rings. Place the rings into the skillet with a little water.  You don’t want them to float or be covered.  Place them on medium high heat and allow the water to evaporate.  This will take about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. While the onions are cooking down, peel the potatoes and cut them into small chunks.  Try to make the chunks the same size.
3. Clean and chop the garlic and rosemary.  Set aside.
4. Shred the carrots.
5. Put the potatoes, rosemary, fennel, and salt in the soup pot.  Cover in broth and bring to a gentle boil.
6. By this time, the water should have evaporated from the onions.  Turn the heat to medium and add the butter and garlic to the pan.  The onions should just be bubbling.  Stir often.  Cook until the onions are caramel colored.  This will take another 15 minutes.
7.  Add the onions (and the butter) to the soup.  Boil until the potatoes are tender.  Use the immersion blender to cream the soup until it is the consistency of thick pancake batter.  (You can also add the soup to a blender.  Just make sure the lid is tilted or the heat will cause the lid to blow off your blender.  Not fun.)
8. Turn the heat off and stir in the milk.
9. To serve, ladle a serving into a bowl.  Sprinkle on a little paprika and top with carrots.
10. You can serve this soup warm or chill it and serve cold.

6. Caramelized onions

Shrimp Pad Thai

This dish may require a trip to your local pan-Asian grocery.  While there you should walk around and buy something new to try in your kitchen. (Read the entire recipe before starting.)

Servings: 4-6

Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, an 8x8 baking dish, a microwave safe plate and bowl, 3 small bowls and a fork, a sauce pot, a whisk, a colander, a spatula, a plate, a wooden spoon, a large non-stick skillet
Time:  Prep:  15 minutes    Cooking: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 oz dried rice noodles (about the size and shape of fettuccine)
• 1 ½ tablespoons tamarind paste
• ½ tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce (depending on your taste)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 green onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 8 oz (½ bag) frozen carrots
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• ¾ pound (31-35 count) shrimp (You can usually buy these from the butcher already cleaned)
• 2 limes
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts
• ½ cup bean sprouts

1. In the baking dish soak the noodles according to the package instructions.
2. Chop the peanuts and cilantro, set aside. Slice 1 of the limes.  Juice the other lime into a bowl. Chop the green onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Chop the garlic.
3. Place the frozen carrots in a microwave safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water.  Cover them with a microwave safe plate and zap on high for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Put the cornstarch in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons cold water.  Use the fork to stir until the cornstarch dissolves. Beat the eggs in another small bowl. Set aside.
5. Rinse the shrimp and remove their tails.
6. In the sauce pot, whisk together tamarind paste, peanut butter, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha, and chicken stock.  Heat on medium low until everything is mixed together and the sauce is warm. Turn off the heat.
7. Drain the noodles.
8. In the skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil on medium-high. Scramble the eggs until they are very soft set, 30 seconds. Transfer the eggs to the plate.
9. Add the rest of the oil to the skillet.  Add the white parts of the green onion, garlic and shrimp.  Stir constantly, for about 2 minutes.
10. Add the noodles, carrots, and sauce to the skillet. Stir constantly, and cook until noodles are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch-y water and allow the sauce to thicken, another 30 seconds.
11. Add the eggs and lime juice, stir until the eggs are broken up and mixed in, another 30 seconds.  Remove from the heat.
12. To serve place the pad Thai in bowls, top with cilantro, green onions, sprouts and peanuts.  Give each guest a lime wedge.

Grilled Scallops with Crispy Shrimp over Orzo in an Orange Sauce

This seems very simple, but is extremely full of complex flavors.  The grilled scallops and crispy shrimp have complementary tastes but contrasting textures.  The orange sauce is sweet without being cloying. The little punch of heat provided by the peppers helps cut through the sweetness of the sauce.  The slightly bitter taste of tarragon ties the whole dish together.  And the dish is beautiful, which believe it or not really does matter.  (Read through this recipe before starting.*)
 

Serves: 6-8

Time:    Prep: 20 minutes; Cook: 30-45 minutes
Hardware:  measuring spoons and cups, a cutting board and knives, a large bowl, a large heavy bottom skillet, a pot, a grill pan, a light skillet, a colander, a whisk, a slotted metal spoon, a wooden spoon, a gallon Ziploc bag, a paper towel covered plate.

Ingredients:

• 1-16 oz box of orzo
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 pound of shrimp
• 1 pound of sea scallops
• 1 leek
• 1 Serrano pepper
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate (½ can) -defrosted
• ¼ cup orange liquor (I used Grand Marnier)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 chicken bullion cubes
• ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
• ½ + ¼ teaspoon tarragon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• cooking spray
• oil for frying
• Salt & pepper

1. Slice the leek into thin rings and place the rings in a bowl of water.  Swish around and allow the leeks to float until you need them. (Leeks are very sandy, but they float and sand does not.)
2. Clean the shrimp, leaving the tails intact.  Rinse the scallops and pat dry.  Slice the pepper in half.  Place the flour and bread crumbs in the Ziploc with a little salt and pepper. Shake the bag.  Add the shrimp to the Ziploc bag and shake like crazy.  Set everything aside.
3. Cook the orzo according to package directions, adding 1 chicken bullion to the cook water.  When the orzo is done drain it, and toss it immediately with one tablespoon butter and ½ teaspoon tarragon.  Keep warm.
4. Place the orange juice concentrate, orange liquor, water, remaining bullion, ginger, ¼ teaspoon tarragon, pepper halves, and brown sugar in the light skillet.  Bring to a boil whisking constantly, making sure that the bullion cube dissolves.  Turn down to low and simmer until the sauce is reduced and becomes the consistency of syrup, (about 30 minutes).  Whisk often enough to keep the sauce from sticking, scraping the sides and bottom as you go.  Remove the pepper halves before serving.
5. While the sauce is reducing, cook the shellfish.  Add enough oil to fill the heavy skillet up half way.  Heat it on medium high.  Shake as much flour as you can from the shrimp.  Fry the shrimp in the hot oil for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through.  Using the slotted spoon move them from the oil to the paper towel covered plate.  Keep warm.
6. Spray the grill pan with cooking spray and heat it on medium high.  Place the scallops on the hot pan for 3 minutes and then turn and cook for 2 more minutes.  Do not over cook the scallops.  They get rubbery when over cooked.  Lift the leeks from the bowl of water and shake a little of the water off.  Place the leeks on the hot grill pan and allow them to wilt.
 
7. To serve, place a serving of the orzo on the plate, top the pasta with leeks, and the leeks with scallops.  Drizzle the sauce over the scallops, leeks, and orzo.  Place the shrimp to the side. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the whole plate.  Offer your guests more sauce at the table.  All you need to do to make this a complete meal is add a mixed green salad tossed with a vinaigrette.

 

 

*If you are a practiced enough cook, you can start the sauce and the water for the orzo at the same time.  While the sauce is reducing cook the orzo.  Then cook the shrimp and scallops at the same time, while keeping an eye on the reducing sauce.  This will cut down on cooking time.  If you do not feel confident enough to do this, cook everything separately.  Just keep everything warm until you serve it.