Tuesday Recipe: PUMPKIN SOUP

Every October I do #PunkinChunkin #31DaysOfPumpkin as a fun expo of all things pumpkin and squash and pumpkin spice. I try the newest packaged food, restaurant offerings and other pumpkiny products giving my two-cents-worth of opinion. Going with the creative flow, I try out recipes or generate some of my own concoctions.

Momma wasn't feeling too perky and I was getting pretty hungry, so we needed a quick-fix dinner. Time to either get creatively nutritious or run through the drive-thru for something not good for us. I tend to prepare to the size of the pot and end up with way too much food. So, I chose the smaller pan to limit the recipe and here's what popped out of the pot...

PUMPKIN SOUP

2 cups 100% Pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1 cup Almond Milk (or your choice of "milk")
32 ozs Vegetable Broth (the entire package)
2 Shallots, thinly sliced (or a small mild, sweet onion like Vidalia)
1 tablespoon Olive Oil, your choice
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
**optional: 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
**optional: 1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder
Salt, to taste
**optional: Sriracha Sauce, added to each bowl, to taste

Note:  I did not have a clove of garlic to sauté with the onion, but the veggie broth had enough essence of garlic for this recipe.

• Sauté thinly sliced shallots (and garlic, if you choose) in just a little Olive Oil until transparent.
• Add spices to shallots and slowly stir-in "milk" and broth and maple syrup.
• Spoon-in pumpkin stirring until loosened.
• Let simmer.
• Salt, to taste.
• If you want a velvety bisque, use an immersion blender to zip all ingredients down.
• If you don't mind the thinly sliced shallots (or onions & garlic), just stir occasionally making sure the soup doesn't scorch on the bottom.
• Serve with a good bread and perhaps a dollop of sour cream. ENJOY!

Tip: Each person can add the curry or sriracha to their bowl. Add a little at a time and taste.

Go play with your food!

October Skillet Hash

October Skillet Hash with Fire Roasted Tomatoes

Right up there with Christmas in December is my other favorite, ALL THINGS PUMPKIN in October!

As a foodie, I get pretty excited about ways to enjoy the little plump squash. From sweet to savory to seeds to spice, I think it's tasty, healthy and the color is pretty nice! Today's recipe is a spin on a previous recipe, Veggie Skillet Hash, originally posted in October, 2013.

So, how did I change it up? Three ways: I added diced pumpkin and sweet potatoes in my little cast iron skillet while my hubby's skillet had chicken. The third way is by listening to a reader of my blog (and sister kitchen-ninja) when she suggested I add Fire Roasted Tomatoes for that "extra juiciness." Sorry, it took me so long to get there!

October Skillet Hash

1 large, Onion, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground Sage
3-4 Red Skin Potatoes (or whatever ya got), diced
1 cup Pumpkin, diced (or substitute butternut squash)
1 small Sweet Potato, peeled & diced
1 (15 oz) can Cannellini or White Navy Beans (whatever ya got), drained & rinsed
1-2 cups Kale, large stems removed & leaves coarse chopped
1-2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes
S&P, to taste
Red Pepper Flakes
Olive Oil
(optional: 1-2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly)

...and before Fire Roasted Toms were added.

Because my hubby doesn't care for pumpkin nor sweet potatoes, but wants meat, I divided some of the ingredients between the two cast iron skillets.

• Sauté onion and red bell pepper over medium heat in olive oil or splash(es) of water until just getting soft.
• Add garlic, herbs, diced potatoes, pumpkin and rinsed beans. Cook slowly --don't rush-- until taters and pumpkin are fork-tender, approx 20 minutes.
• Add kale, seasonings and fire roasted tomatoes and continue cooking until kale wilts and skillet is bubbly!

Serve with a good bread or cornbread or crackers, even! Enjoy!

Tip: If you have left-overs, the taters and pumpkin may soak up the "extra juiciness." Re-saucy with a little bit of water or veggie broth.

Go Play with Your Food!

"Sam"

First Snow

Chasing the sunrise or the sunset or the Super Moon have been part of our travels and some our runs in 2014. This time, I chased the first snowfall of the season in Tennessee on October 31!


Living in the burbs of Nashville, I had not given it much thought when the weather gurus were predicting snow for the higher elevations of our state. However, with my work caught up, hubby in India and a free weekend, the thought tickled my fancy and I quickly posted an invitation on social media. Several friends were too busy, some considered it a joke and others thought it to be a crazy idea. 

"Where will you sleep?" 
"In the back of my fake SUV."
"When will you be back?" 
"Sunday."
"Are you going alone?" 
"No. I'll have my vicious Shih Tzu."

That evening Zuzu and I blazed a trail eastward down the interstate toward the Great Smoky Mountains and encountered the first flakes mixed with rain on the Cumberland Plateau near Crossville! It was getting late. No time to stop.



Taking the national park bypass around Gatlinburg, the road climbs and is where the rain flipped and the flakes gathered! By the time we reached Elkmont Campground at midnight, there were 3 inches of the fluffy stuff on all surfaces! 

Throughout the night the river behind our campsite could be heard along with the wind howling through the trees and my puppy snoring under the wool blanket. We were comfortable... until a loud ruckus too close outside startled us awake. Black bear? Holding my breath I listened. Hearing nothing else other than the river and the wind, we drifted back to sleep.

November 1. The sounds of other snowchasers waking and making breakfast were too exciting for me to remain in the warmth of my sleeping bag, any longer! Only brightness was filtering through the windows. Quickly I jumped into my hikers, leashed Zuzu and opened the door. Oh my goodness! 



The winter storm had veered off the predicted North Carolina course and came right over our side of the mountains. Elkmont was blanketed in 9 inches of heavy snow and with the weight of it, a huge tree branch had fallen barely missing the front of the SUV! Park rangers clearing the fallen trees said Clingman's Dome (Tennessee's highest point) had received double-digit inches with hikers taking refuge at the primitive lodge at LeConte.


After my breakfast and a walk-around, fellow campers helped to remove the tree branch blocking my passage while others were gathering groups to go hiking to the abandoned homesteads. We had all come hoping to catch the first snowfall and did! Some had braved the night in tents!

Plans to stay one more night were halted when the park rangers announced the mandatory evacuation due to another storm approaching. I didn't mind, because I had chased and caught the first snow of the season in my mountains!

2-on-Tuesday: Pumpkin-Butterscotch Fudge

Don't even snarl your nose or stick out your tongue!  This recipe uses Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin Pack (in a can), but the flavor that comes through is the buttery taste of butterscotch! Mmmmm! 

Pumpkin-Butterscotch Fudge

3 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
1 5 oz can or 2/3 cup Evaporated Milk (NOT Sweetened Condensed Milk)
1/2 cup Solid Pack Pumpkin
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 12 oz pkg Butterscotch Morsels
1 7 oz jar Marshmallow Creme
1 teaspoon 
**(optional) 1 cup Pecans, chopped and toasted

• In heavy saucepan combine sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin and spice
• Bring to boil, stirring constantly to 234-240 degrees on candy thermometer. May take 10-ish minutes for proper consistent
• Remove from heat, stir in butterscotch morsels, marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla
• Mix well
• Pour into 9x13 baking dish, spread evenly and allow to cool before cutting

2-on-Tuesday: Pumpkin Crunch

It's PUMPKIN MONTH! If you love all things pumpkiny, this is a #pumpkinchunkin must-try for you!

PUMPKIN CRUNCH

1 pkg Yellow Cake Mix
1 16 oz can Solid Pack Pumpkin
1 12 oz can Evaporated Milk (NOT Sweetened Condensed Milk)
3-4 Eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups Sugar or 1 cup Monk Fruit Sugar
4 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 cup Pecans, chopped
1 cup Unsalted Butter, melted

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spice and salt and pour into 9x13 baking dish
• Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over pumpkin mixture
• Top with pecans
• Drizzle melted butter over entire mixture
• Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and not jiggly in the center

Super easy, this recipe is like a mouthful of autumn! Enjoy! 

2-on-Tuesday: Butternut Squash with Apple Soup

Curry is available in
multiple colors and intensities

Fall has finally arrived in the hot and humid South! I always wish it to come in August or even in September, but it usually saves its grand entry until the first week of October. Nevertheless, I celebrate its return with pumpkins, mums, a little scarecrow on my front porch AND with this recipe! Last week I was giddy (while wearing my hoodie) as my home filled with the wonderful scent of autumn, this soup and homemade bread!

Butternut Squash with Apple Soup

4 cups  Onions, chopped
2 tablespoons  Olive Oil
2 tablespoons  Butter (or Pressed Coconut Oil)
2 tablespoons  Curry Powder (mild, medium or HOT!)

• Saute these first four ingredients.
• In a separate large pot, simmer on low the next five ingredients until fork-tender.

Scoop seeds out of the
squash before peeling

5 pounds  Butternut Squash, peeled and chunked
4 large  Apples, peeled, cored & chunked (I choose Honeycrisp or Braeburn because they are tart and cook well)
2 cups  Water (or for more flavor use Chicken Broth)
2 tablespoons  Salt
Black Pepper, to taste

• Using either a Food Mill or a Food Processor, mill or pulse all of the above cooked ingredients into your preferred texture for soup anywhere from velvety to coarse.
• Add only enough apple juice to thin the milled ingredients to your desired thickness.
• Heat & Serve with a great bread!
• Save the rest for easy lunch OR freeze it for a cold, winter day!

This same recipe is great substituting PUMPKIN for the Butternut Squash! 

Happy Fall Y'all!

~"Sam"

2-on-Tuesday: FOOTBALL FOOD!

Go VOLS!

I love, love, love football season! In the South, where football is akin to a religion, the weather is finally cooler and people gather for civil rivalry and the food is FUN! I've collected some of our favorite football foods for you to try... for when pizza and wings run their course.


Bush's White -Chicken- Chili
(My family loves this lean, protein-packed Chili Blanco de Pollo! Yours will, too!)

1 mdm Onion, chopped
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 (4 oz) can Chopped Green Chilies
3 tablespoons All-purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 (15.8 oz) cans Bush's Great Northern Beans
1 (14 oz) can Chicken Broth
1 1/2 cups Chicken Meat, cooked and chopped
Optional Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Salsa, Tortilla Chips, Cilantro

Terry & I @ Oklahoma Sooners game!

**In large skillet or pot, cook onion in oil until transparent. Add chilies, flour and cumin; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add beans and chicken brother; bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 10-ish minutes until thickened. Add chicken. Cook until piping hot and serve with desired toppings.

Terry's Pride & Joy!
Thanks to Doug Everaard, OK DYD!

Roasted Eggplant Spread

Yeah, so what, 'Bama Boy Johnny Byrd?

(I've made this so many times and forget just how good it is until I make it, again! FIT FOODS!)

1 lg. Eggplant
2 lg. Red Bell Peppers
1 Red Onion
2-3 cloves Garlic
Olive Oil
S&P
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
Optional Stir-ins: Feta Cheese Crumbles, sliced/chopped olives
Tortilla Chips or Crackers

As close as I'll ever get to hugging
Coach Barry Switzer!

**Chunky-cut the eggplant (don't peel), peppers, onion and garlic. Toss with olive oil. Season with S&P. Place on cookie sheet and roast 400 degrees for 45 minutes OR until all veggies are fork-tender. Keep an eye on it. You don't want one veggie to burn while another is still cooking. Remove from oven, spoon veggies into food processor, add tomato paste and pulse to make coarse. If you don't have a processor, allow veggies to cool and coarse-chop. To serve: remove from processor, spoon into a container, stir in some feta crumbles and olives (if you like 'em). Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Hot Corn Dip
(For me, this recipe just works! All ingredients meld together for a new flavor!)

Alabama-Schmalabama,
Todd Goodwin!

1 (15 oz) can White (Shoepeg) Corn, drained
1 (15 oz) can Yellow Corn, drained
1 (10 oz) can Rotel Tomatoes & Chilies, drained
1 (8 oz) pkg. Cream Cheese, diced & softened
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Tortilla Chips or "Scoops"

**After the veggies are drained, mix all of the ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips or "Scoops."

WHO DAT talkin' 'bout
beatin' dem Saints?

Powder Puff Football Food Menu

(I did this, last season, when I was tired of the same-o football fare with my guys.)

Mozzarella Cheese with Prosciutto
Goat Cheese & Honey
Sliced Pears & Dried Apricots
Spiced Pecans
Artisan Breads & Crackers
No-Bake Chocolate Cookies

**Wrap the mozzarella cheese braid/log with the Prosciutto Ham slice(s) roll with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until time to slice. You may be able to find this already packaged at your grocery store.
**Drizzle honey over softened goat cheese. Serve with toast points or crackers.
**Homemade Spiced Pecans are easy to make and wonderfully fragrance your home!

~"Sam"

Boomer Sooner! And, hit the spot!