Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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I went to lunch with a friend today and we both ordered the Butternut Squash soup off the seasonal menu.  It was delicious.  My friend order a quart to go, and I told her whatever the restaurant charged I would charge $1 less - kidding of course.  It got me thinking about making some soup though.  Then my cousin messaged me and asked if I had a good Butternut Squash Soup recipe. Now I know it was a sign for me to make some.  So here it is.  The lighting in the photo makes it look more like Split Pea Soup, but in reality it's the richest butternut color and tastes even richer. This is a curried version, not quite as sweet as some of the others.  If you desire more sweetness, up the amount of brown sugar.

Ingredients:

1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded & cubed
1 large Vidalia onion
2 large carrots, peel and cut into chunks*
2 medium sweet apples, peel, cored and cut into chunks*
Vegetable oil
1 Tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 T butter
3 T brown sugar
1 T curry
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/3 C toasted pistachios
3 C chicken or vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
2 T maple syrup
Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish with bread, coconut & pistachios, if desired

*Try to make all the vegetable chunks the same size so that the roasting time is the same for all.

Preheat oven to 400*. Place peeled and cubed vegetables on rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle w/oil, sprinkle with salt and cinnamon. Stir well until all vegetables are coated.  Bake 20 mins., stir and bake an additional 20 minutes or until all vegetables are fork tender.

In a large pot, melt butter, add brown sugar, curry, Garam Masala & toasted pistachios. Cook for 1 minute. In the bowl of a food processor add the roasted vegetables in 3 batches, along with the curried pistachios and the broth.  Process until desired consistency.

Add to the large pot and pour in the coconut milk and maple syrup. Add salt & pepper.  Serve with multi-grain bread.

Now curry along and make this - the outside temps are dropping over the next few days and this is just the thing to warm you up!

Nutella Cheesecake & Oreo Brownies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C butter, melted & cooled
2 C flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa
10 Oreo cookies, crushed
1 C sugar
8 eggs, divided
1 13oz. jar Nutella, divided
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13 x 9 pan with aluminum foil large enough to hang over the sides and spray with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl add flour, cocoa & crushed Oreos. Set aside.  In a large bowl of an electric mixer beat sugar, eggs, butter & 1/2 C Nutella on low until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

In a separate bowl beat cream cheese, 1/2 C sugar, 4 eggs & remaining Nutella until smooth. Pour over brownie batter and smooth carefully.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until cream cheese layer is set & firm to the touch.

Cool completely and remove from pan using foil overhang as handles.  Cut into squares.

Display Stands From Repurposed Glassware - Shabby Chick

These stands are so easy to make using items around your kitchen.  Take a volunteer wine glass and a plate buddy and put the two together to make an attractive, versatile & very functional display for your cookies, cake, macarons, candy, finger sandwiches, etc.  You can use them as candle stands, to display a potted plant, cheese trays or countless other items.  Use them individually to display larger items, or stack them as shown and layer with smaller items.

Give glassware that you no longer use new purpose or visit yard sales and thrift shops for suitable glassware.  I found mine at my local thrift shop, and since the glasses featured gold leaves, I thought they would be perfect for Fall.  Here's how I made them ...

Supplies Needed:

Orphaned wine glasses
8" - 10" discarded plates depending on the size of the wine glass
E6000 Glue

Flip the wine glass over and add a ring of glue around the bottom.  If there is an indentation on the bottom of your glass, make sure you go around the outside of it with the glue or it will not make contact with the plate.  Wait approximately 2 minutes then center the wine glass on the back of the plate. Press down on the glass while slightly turning it back and forth in place to help distribute the glue toward the edges of the glass.  Let sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

These make great gifts as well.  Place a paper doily on top and fill with handmade confections.  Deliver to a family member, friend or neighbor to make their day.  The stands are very inexpensive to make and after the treats are gone, they have a lovely keepsake handmade by you!



Can you stand it?

Mascarpone & Buttermilk Ice Cream With Caramelized Peaches

Ingredients:

8 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 C reduced fat buttermilk
1 C heavy cream
1 C sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or seeds from half a vanilla bean
1/2 tsp salt
4 peaches, peeled and diced
4 T butter
3 T brown sugar

Leave the buttermilk and heavy cream in the refrigerator until ready to use. Chill the beaters and mixing bowl at the same time.

In a saute pan, melt the butter with the brown sugar.  Add the peaches and cook until thick and caramelized over medium heat, about 10-15 minutes.  Cool completely.

Beat mascarpone cheese until smooth and creamy. Slowly add buttermilk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste and salt. Beat just until blended.  Add to the container of ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's directions.  Once ice cream has become thick, add in cooled peaches and serve.  Note: For a more hardened ice cream, transfer to a freezer safe container and chill in the freezer for about an hour.

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg and a cookie if desired.

Keep it cool!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

24 Oreo cookies, crushed fine
5 T butter, melted

5 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
3 T flour
1-3/4 C sugar
5 large eggs
1/3 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 C peanut butter chips, melted
2/3 C semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 500.
Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 10" springform pan. Wrap the pan well with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Set aside.

For the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, process the cookies into small crumbs. In a medium bowl, add the processed cookie crumbs and the melted butter.  Stir until well combined. Pat into the bottom of springform pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and flour until creamy.  Slowly add sugar, alternating with an egg, mixing until well combined. Continue until you've added all the sugar and all 5 eggs.  Beat in heavy cream and vanilla.

Divide batter evenly into 2 bowls. Melt the peanut butter chips for 30 seconds in the microwave.  Stir and continue to microwave up to 60 seconds total. Stir the chips until there are no lumps.  Whisk into half the cheesecake batter in one bowl.  Do the same for the chocolate chips and add to the second bowl.

Carefully place the springform pan into a baking pan about the same height as the springform pan.  Place on center rack in oven, and fill halfway up the sides with hot water.

Bake for 10 minutes; lower heat to 325 and continue baking for 1 hour or until center of cheesecake is slightly wobbly.  Turn off oven and with the door closed, let cheesecake sit in oven for an hour.  Crack oven door and leave cheesecake for another hour.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from springform pan and place on serving platter.  If desired, decorate with mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

Say Cheese...cake!

Espresso Bean & Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 rounded tablespoons Espresso powder
3 T Kahlua
1/2 C butter, room temperature
3/4 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
2 C All-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C chopped chocolate covered espresso beans
1/3 C mini chocolate chips

1/2 C bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening
1/3 C white chocolate
1 tsp shortening

Heat oven to 325.
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Add espresso powder to Kahlua and heat 15-20 seconds.  Stir to dissolve. Set aside.
With paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar to light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour, baking powder & salt. Mix until combined. Fold in espresso beans and chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half.  With floured hands, form each half into a log that is 12" x 2" on the cookie sheet.  Place logs at least 2" apart.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Cut each log diagonally into 1/2" cookies. Place cookies cut side down making sure they do not touch. Bake an additional 8 minutes; turn cookies over and back another 8-10 minutes or until dry to the touch.

Cool completely on wire rack.  Melt the bittersweet chocolate and shortening in a bowl wide enough for a cookie to sit length-ways, approx. 40-50 seconds.  Try 40 seconds, remove stir well and add 10-second intervals if necessary to melt completely with no lumps.  Rest each cookie into the melted chocolate to coat the entire bottom and place on waxed paper.  Next melt white chocolate and shortening in microwave for approx. 30 seconds, adding 10-second intervals if necessary. Stir well until the chocolate is completely melted with no lumps.  With a spoon drizzle the white chocolate back and forth across the cookies let set on the waxed paper until both chocolates are set.  Remove and place in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

These caffeine crusaders taste even better than they look!

Gourmet Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl and Pecan Praline Crunch

Ingredients:

Pumpkin bread:
1 15oz. can pumpkin
1 3/4 C sugar
2/3 C vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 C chopped dates (I used candy coated dates I had on hand)
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/4 C toffee pieces
1 T flour

Cream Cheese mixture:
4 T cream cheese, room temperature
3 T sugar
1 egg

Pecan Praline Crunch:
5 T butter
3 T brown sugar
1/2 C toasted pecans, finely chopped
1/4 C confectioners' sugar
Set 4 tablespoons aside

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and flour 2 loaf pans

Place 1/4 batter in each pan.  Add half the cream cheese mixture on top of batter; then half of the pecan praline crunch (reserving the 4 tablespoons).  Top each with half the remaining pumpkin batter.  Sprinkle the tops with 2 tablespoons pecan praline crunch.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until tester inserted near center comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Turn out and cool completely.

Yield: 2 small loaves

It's always nice to break bread with friends, baking bread is even nicer!

Orange, Cranberry & Pistachio Biscotti with Sesame Crunch

Ingredients:

1/4 C Olive Oil
3/4 C sugar
3 Eggs
1 T fresh squeezed orange juice
2 T Grand Marnier
1 Tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Zest of 1 large orange
1/3 C dried cranberries
1/3 C chopped pistachios
1/3 C chopped Sesame Crunch candies
Egg white
Course sugar

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
With a paddle attachment or by hand mix together olive oil, sugar, eggs, orange juice, Grand Marnier and vanilla bean paste at medium speed until well combined.

Add flour, baking powder, salt orange zest and mix on low until combined.  Fold in chopped cranberries, pistachios and candy.  With flour covered hands, divide dough into 2 and form two 13"x2" logs at least 2" apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Beat egg white with a fork until frothy.  Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each log and sprinkle with course sugar.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and let cool in wire rack 10 minutes.  Cut 1/2" slices diagonally across each log.  Turn the cookies on their side without touching and bake another 6 minutes.  Turn cookies over to the other side and bake an addition 6-8 minutes or until dry to the touch and golden brown.

Cool completely on wire rack.  Store in airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

Orange you glad I shared this recipe?

Natural Almond Brown Sugar Body Scrub w Oatmeal & Honey

This is my "go to" recipe for a natural, homemade body scrub, and makes wonderful gifts as well.

What you'll need:

3/4 C. packed Light Brown Sugar
1/2 C. processed Old Fashioned Oats
3 T Coarse Sea Salt (optional)
1 T Honey
1/3 C. Carrier Oil (Jojoba or Almond)
3-4 drops of Almond Essential Oil
10 oz. clean glass jar w/lid

Process Oats in food processor until fine.  In a large glass or stainless bowl mix together all ingredients, making sure there are no dry areas.  I prefer a moist, rather than a wet scrub.  However, if you prefer a wetter one, add more carrier oil - NOT essential oil.  Essential oil is very concentrated and should only be added a drop at a time until you achieve the fragrance strength you prefer. Place in jar and replace lid.  I prefer glass as opposed to plastic, firstly because it's earth-friendly, and secondly because the oil tends to break down the plastic over time and leaves a sticky residue.  Not ideal for reusing the container when it's time to make more.

The benes:  The oatmeal helps with itchy skin, the brown sugar acts as an exfoliant, adding sea salt helps heal irritated skin and provides a heavier exfoliant.  The honey has natural antiseptic & antibacterial properties, and the carrier oil is necessary as it is used to dilute essential oils before they are applied to the skin; i.e., they carry the essential oil onto the skin.  It also serves to moisten and soften your skin.  Essential oil provides a fragrance, so choose one that appeals to you.

Note: You can also grind up whole unblanched almonds and add as an exfoliant instead of the sea salt.

Use within 2 months.  Before refilling, clean the jar in hot, soapy water and dry with a clean cloth.



Always aromatherapy,

Wreath Made From Vintage Book Pages

Supplies:

Grapevine Wreath, any size
Book with Pages Removed (I used a book from 1934 for an antique look)
Scissors, straight edge, pinked or scalloped
Wooden spoon with round handle or a dowel, approx. 1/2" in diameter
Ribbon
Wire
Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

For the wreath pictured above, I used a 12" wreath and cut approx. 40 squares.  

Instructions:

Cut all pages so they are square.  The number of squares you'll need will depend on the size of your wreath and whether or not you want to cover the entire wreath or only part of it as I have done.  You can use standard straight edge, pinking shears or fancy edge scissors.  I used a scalloped edge.

Once you have finished cutting the squares, place the tip of the wooden spoon handle in the middle of each square and with your other hand go underneath the square and gather it up around the handle - giving it a crumpled cone appearance.

Next make yourself a bow and attach it to the wreath wherever you prefer with either wire or hot glue.  Leave the ends loose.  I also made 10 2" loops and trimmed the ends to insert after all the book pages are attached.

Now attached the book pages.  I started around the bow and then filled in above and below it.  Once I added all the pages I wanted I added a dab of blue to each loose end of the bow and attached them in place for a flowing look.  I continued that look by then attaching the 10 loops above and below the bow.

Add a loop from ribbon or wire to the back of your wreath and it's ready to hang!

I hope you give it a try.  It's fairly quick and very easy.

Enjoy!