Soup x 3

I had a few camp friends over last night and made 3 different kinds of soups that were delicious!!

Cauliflower Soup
I took onion and garlic and sauteed them in olive oil. I added the cauliflower, sauteed a little, then added the broth and cooked it until the cauliflower was really soft. Then I used the immersion blender (favorite thing ever!) to make it into soup. I added a bit more broth to thin it out a little and salt and pepper. It was delicious and very creamy, even though there wasn't any milk or cream in it. Everyone seems to really enjoy it.

Butternut Squash Soup
I roasted a butternut squash in the oven (cut in half, took the seeds out and put on a baking sheet until soft). I sauteed onion, garlic and sliced carrots in olive oil. I added the butternut squash and broth. I cooked it down for a while (til the carrots were really soft) then used the immersion blender to make it into soup. I added a but more broth to thin it out. It was super sweet, which, I think, was a combination of the carrots and butternut squash. It was delicious!

Tortilla Soup
I sauted onion, garlic, a jalapeno (seeded) and poblano peppers (light green- which are sweeter and milder than green peppers-yum). I added cumin, chili pepper, a bit of cayenne, and whatever other seasonings sounded good. I added a few tablespoons of tomato paste and cooked it together. I added broth and brought to a boil. I added chicken and boiled it until the chicken was cooked, then took out the chicken and shredded it and added it back to the pot. I had to season it a bit more and added some lime juice. I imagine you could make it with extra veggies and no chicken.

I served soup crackers, cheeses (cauliflower and tortilla), pumpkin seeds (butternut squash), avocado (tortilla), tortilla chips (tortilla) on the side.

YUM!!

I also made bread..... which if you are interested, you should try a no-knead recipe which is super easy, you just mix it together, let it sit for 18hrs and then bake it in a hot dutch oven. Let me know if you want me to add a recipe. It is surprisingly easy.

Everyday Food Blog - MarthaStewart.com - Part 7

Everyday Food Blog - MarthaStewart.com - Part 7
nights like tonight make me start thinking about chili and this recipe for vegetarian chili looks good!

Pumpkin Seeds

The real reason i carve pumpkins every year is for the seeds. I love pumpkin seeds. I rinse them, season them with a heavy hand of sea salt and fresh ground pepper and roast them in the oven until they just start to turn brown. This year we only carved two smallish pumpkins so i only made one pan and the seeds were gone before they had even fully cooled, but i have a few more pumpkins and i am considering taking the seeds out before they go bad. Anyone have any good pumpkin seed recipes?

Matzo Ball Soup

We both had a wonderful weekend full of more junk food then we would care to admit! So tonight it is easy Matzo Ball Soup from the box. I buy the box of Matzo Ball & Soup Mix ( I usually buy Manashevitz (sp?) but other brands are good too). I follow the directions on the box but add lots of veggies to the soup broth... tonight it is carrots, celery, onion and frozen peas and carrots. I also added raw chicken breast tonight. I may also add some dill. It takes about 40 min total, most of it is waiting for the broth to boil and the raw matzo balls in the fridge, then waiting for it to all cook together. It tastes yummy and is a great super easy dinner.

ps. you don't have to be Jewish to eat this!

Roasted Cauliflower

I also roasted a head of cauliflower tonight. We haven't eaten it yet but we tried a bite and it was good.

Cut up on head of cauliflower. Toss in olive oil with salt, pepper and chopped garlic. Roast at 500 for 15-20 minutes.

I might try to make soup out of it (I am totally into my handblender right now), I will let you know if that happens!

Pumpkin Soup

We had pumpkin soup for dinner after a big pumpkin adventure. We roasted and pureed our own pumpkin (hence the adventure) but I am sure you could use canned puree.

Warm 1 and 1/2 cups of milk (we had 1%, so we used that). Add 2 cups pumpkin puree and mix. Then add about 1 tablespoon of butter, about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup, about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, a pinch of salt and a couple shakes of nutmeg.

It was delicious!!

Eggplant "Meat"balls

These were ok, but kinda bland... They were missing something but I can't put my finger on what they needed. But, I think that it's a good start to improve upon, which is why I'm posting. Let me know if you have any ideas!

- 1 eggplant, peeled & cubed
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- garlic, minced
- 2-3 eggs, beaten (I only use the whites)
- fresh basil, chopped
- 1 cu. breadcrumbs
- salt & pepper to taste

1. Lightly saute eggplant until tender. When done, transfer to food processor and lightly process.
2. Saute onion and garlic. Add to eggplant. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Once mixed, form "meat"balls and place on very well greased cookie sheet.
3. Cook in 350 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

I served with a chunky tomato sauce that I threw together (with sundried tomatoes, garlic, onions, and peppers), and some sauted spinach and mushrooms.