Chowder and Troll 2

This week was my, Juliana's, turn to host soup night. I made a butternut squash and corn chowder with goat cheese croutons. It was great, however, the highlight of the evening was definitely Troll 2. It was so bad it was good. I am pretty sure we are all rethinking our halloween costumes.

Butternut Squash and Corn Chowder with Goat Cheese Croutons

*adapted from epicurious

Ingredients

Butternut Squash and Corn Chowder

4 oz. thick cut bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 2 1/4-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped

4 1/2 cups chicken broth 

2 tsp minced canned chipotle chilies

1 16-oz. canned corn

2 tsp minced fresh sage

Goat Cheese Croutons

4 oz chilled soft fresh goat cheese 

2 large eggs, beaten 

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tbs olive oil

Cut cheese into 8 rounds. Place eggs in small bowl; place cornmeal in another bowl. Dip cheese into eggs, then into cornmeal, turning to coat. Press cornmeal gently to adhere. Place on baking sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.

Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add onion and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add butternut squash, broth and chilies; simmer until squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using a potato masher, break up squash. Mix in corn. Add sage and season with salt and pepper. 

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add frozen cheese; brown well, about 1 minute per side. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with pancetta and cheese croutons.

Walnut Fig Salad

The salad consists of mixed greens, arugala, figs, toasted walnuts, shaved parmesan, and balsamic dressing.

Mini Turtle Cheesecakes

Ingredients

Jello cheesecake no bake

Store bought mini graham cracker crusts

1 egg white

pecans

chocolate chips

chocolate sauce

carmel sauce

Directions

Lay crusts on a baking sheet. Mix egg whites in a bowl; brush onto crusts. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crusts for 5 minutes. Toast pecans on another baking sheet for 5 min. Make cheesecake as the box directs. Fill cups evenly with cheesecake mixture. Top with toasted pecans, chocolate chips, caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce. Chill for at least an hour.

Wine, Beer, and Faygo served

Kaitlin's soup night and pumpkin carving

That time has come again! Soup night is back and better than ever. We had a pumpkin themed soup night. We ate pumpkin soup, carved pumpkins, and had pumpkin bread pudding. It was great to be back with soup-minded people.

our amazing pumpkins

We also have some new soup night members. Welcome Jason and Sarah!

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Serves 8
(this recipe was adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
4 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped

1 1/4 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup minced shallot

4 garlic cloves minced

1 tbs plus 2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup unsalted butter

4 cups vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup dry Sherry

1/2 pound cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch dice

3 to 4 tbs Sherry vinegar
Garnish: sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions
In a food processor coarsely mix beans and tomatoes. In a large stock pot sauté onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over medium heat, stirring until onion is softened and starts to brown. Stir in bean puree. Add broth, pumpkin, and Sherry. Stir until combined. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until the soup thickens. Just before serving, add ham and vinegar and cook until heated. Season soup with salt and pepper and garnish with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Kaitlin served this soup with a salad.

Roasted Beets

and Nick's homemade bread.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
(this recipe was adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs plus 1 yolk

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

2 tbs bourbon (Kaitlin used buffalo trace, which is the best)
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread

3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Directions
While preheating oven to 350°, melt butter in the bottom of a 8-inch baking dish. Once it is melted, take it out of the oven and toss bread cubes with butter, coating thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the remaining ingredients. Pour them over buttered bread cubes in baking dish, stirring to make sure all pieces are evenly coated. Bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes.

Apples and Caramel 

Wine and Beer served

My Favorite Things

Here are some more of my favorite things

I bought this cutting board from Fishs Eddy.  http://www.fishseddy.com/  

Its perfect for Juliana's Butcher Block.

I know it is a weird thing to love, but i love this fly swatter.  

Soups Out for the SUMMER

The soup night crew got together to have a clambake.  This easy recipe shows how to do a stove top version of a clambake.  The recipe has been adapted from the queen of cooking Martha Stewart.  Needless to say it was CLAMTASTIC.   We missed you Anand!

Stove Top Clambake

Serves 6-8

It’s the best to start with great ingredients.  Go to your local fish market.

Ingredients

3 medium onions

7 garlic cloves

1 bottle of pale ale (I choose Sierra Nevada.)

1 cup water

wild chives

1 ½  lbs small new potatoes

1 lb hot dried chorizo, cut into ½ in. coins

coarse salt

40 little neck clams, scrubbed well

6 ears of corn, husked and halved

2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 lb large shrimp, shell on

2 tbs butter

3 lemons halved

Directions

It is important that you have all your ingredients ready before you begin this recipe.  Cut all vegetables, and scrub all seafood.  If any of the  clams or mussels are open throw them away.  I like to put each ingredient in a different bowl.  It helps me stay organized.  The order of this is also very important.  Ingredients at the bottom take the longest to cook, while the ingredients on the top take the least amount of time.

Step 1.  Combine onions, garlic, pale ale, and water in a large stock pot (16 qt.)

Step 2.  Cover with wild chives. 

Step 3.  Add potatoes, chorizo, and 1 tbs. salt. Cook covered for 15 min.

Step 4.  Add corn

Step 5.  Add clams, and cook covered for 6 min.

Step 6.  Add mussels and shrimp, cook covered until clams and mussels open and shrimp is cooked  through, about 4-8 min.

Remove seafood, corn, potatoes, and chorizo using tongs, and transfer to a larger rimmed platter of baking sheet.  Discard chives and any unopened clams or mussels.  What remains in the pot is a really excellent spicy broth.  Strain the broth into a bowl and add butter for a great dipping sauce.  Garnish with lemons.

Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits

Makes 1 dozen biscuits

Ingredients

2 ½ cups bisquick baking mix

¾ cup cold whole milk

4 tbs cold butter

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 heaping cup of shredded cheddar cheese

To brush on top

2 tbs butter melted

½ tsp garlic powder

pinch of salt

fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl combine bisquick and butter.  Use your hands to mix.  You don’t want to overmix; there should be chunks of butter the size of peas.  Add cheese, milk, and garlic powder.  Continue to mix with hands.

Drop ¼ cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.  

Bake for 15-17 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from oven.  Melt butter in the microwave in a small bowl.  Add garlic and salt.  Brush mixture onto each biscuit.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley. 

Team Swan Song

The time has come, I’m sad to say, the last soup night of the season has arrived. Team Swan Song, otherwise known as Mari and Jake, brought the house down for this bittersweet event. They created an Indian-Mexican fusion. To put it simply it was souper.

Menu
Black Bean Tostadas with Mango Chutney
Curried Lentil, Potato and Cauliflower Soup
Tres Leche Cake

Black Bean Tostadas

Ingredients
black beans
salsa
tostadas
mango chutney
avocado
queso fresco cheese

Black Beans

2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 onion
2 cans of beans
1/2 cup water.

Directions
In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add chopped onions, and cook until translucent. Once translucent add beans. Mash beans with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for a few more minutes, and then add water. Stir to combine.

Salsa

3 tomatoes
1 jalapenos
1/2 onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
1 handful of cilantro

Directions
Dice all ingredients and combine in a bowl.

Assembly

Break tostadas in half and lay them out on a cookie sheet.Spoon black beans onto the tostadas. Cover black beans with salsa and mango chutney. Cut avocado into slices and add to the top. Finish with a sprinkle of cheese.

Curried Lentil, Potato and Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
2 large potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and diced
1 16-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
pinch of nutmeg
2 1/2 cups finely chopped cauliflower
2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach leaves
2 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to cook until both are browned. Add the lentils, celery, and bay leaves. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a rapid boil, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and curry powder, and simmer until the potatoes are half done, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cauliflower and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the spinach, cilantro, and lemon juice. Simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. Serves 6-8.

Tres Leche Cake

Wine and Beer Served

Team Party Mix

Second to last soup night! Team Party Mix, Nick and Kaitlin, did not disappoint. The team was named for the great party mix they serve. So dry those tears my sweet blog readers, and enjoy the pictures from the glorious evening.

Menu

Mixed Greens with Hot Olive-Oil Dressing
Sweet Potato Fries
Lentil Soup
Voss Brownies a la mode

Mixed Greens with Hot Olive-Oil Dressing

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tbs Sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb mixed greens

Directions
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; add garlic and almonds. Cook, stirring frequently, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add raisins and cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, stir to combine. Pour hot dressing over greens in a large bowl, tossing with tongs to coat.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients
6 sweet potatoes
1 egg white
2 tbs water

salt
Dipping sauce- combine Greek yogurt with curry powder and fresh lemon juice.

Directions

Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise into thick fries. Whisk egg white with water, and toss fries in the mixture. Season with salt. Preheat oven to 375. Bake directly on the rack until tender and crispy.

Lentil Soup

Ingredients
2 cups black beluga lentils, rinsed
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cups kale, rinsed, deveined, and finely chopped

Saffron Yogurt

30-40 threads of saffron 

1 tablespoon boiling water

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

salt

Directions

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.

While the lentils are cooking, make the saffron yogurt by combining the saffron threads and boiling water in a tiny cup. Let the saffron steep for a few minutes. Add the saffron water into the yogurt. Mix in the salt and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, and saute until tender, a few minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, and broth and continue cooking. Bring the soup to a simmer. Bring the soup to a simmer. Stir in the chopped greens, and cook another minute. Season if necessary. Ladle into bowls, and serve with a dollop of the saffron yogurt. Serves 6 to 8.

Brownies
Top secret Voss family recipe

Serve brownies with coffee ice cream and almond slices.

Disco Lazer Disc

Wine Served

Beer Served