Broccoli Soup

You may have noticed by now that one of the cooks in this house is a Vegetarian, and other one is most definitely NOT. 


Many people in my extended family are not only Vegetarian, but Vegan. This gives me many resources for ideas when I am trying to come up with something new to eat.


The impressive thing about many of these recipes is that the Non-Vegetarian in the house often enjoys them VERY much. (From time to time he will prepare some meat if he feels he needs more protein, but many times he is happy with the meal as served.)


Dinner tonight was a soup from a recipe book written by my great-aunt, Heather Leno. 


I didn't have any marjoram or fresh celery, so I substituted dried oregano and about 2 teaspoons of celery salt.  I also added some freshly ground black pepper towards the end.


Following is the version I made tonight.


Cream of Broccoli Soup


In a saucepan on medium heat, add the following ingredients. 

• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 2 stalks fresh broccoli, cut into chunks (approximately 4 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 a medium onion, cut into chunks

Cook covered while preparing the next set of ingredients. (You are basically steaming the vegetables. Do not overcook.)

Combine the following ingredients in a blender:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp dried dill
• 1/8 tsp dried oregano

Whiz until smooth and creamy.  Add the cooked vegetables and blend until smooth. (Vegetables are hot, you may need to vent the lid a little to ensure that it does not pop off in older style blenders.)  I added the veggies in two parts so the blender would not be too full to blend.

Add another 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water, a few grinds of pepper, and another tsp of celery salt. Blend again to combine, and serve. (Return to pot to re-heat if it has cooled to much in the blending process)

Browned Butter Frosting

I am enjoying some home-made gingerbread cookies with a browned-butter frosting that is DELICIOUS.  

Borrowed from http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2011/02/gooseberry-patch-cookbook-giveaway-with_21.html


Browned Butter Frosting
1/4 c. butter
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. Milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden. Watch carefully as this will happen quickly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.

Thanksgiving 2011 - The Eating

We both managed to burn ourselves right before dinner, I grabbed the stainless steel lid to a pot that had apparently been in the oven, then dropped it on the floor as soon as the message went from my hand to my brain. Scott then picked up the same lid from the floor and burned HIS hand.

Fortunately the burn didn't affect the delicious flavor of the food.


We are all in various states of recuperation. I admit that I am not helping put things away, I wouldn't be able to do much one-handed anyway.

Our dinner table, made by my brother-in-law and set by my sister-in-law.

The Williams Sonoma Pear Cranberry Chutney

Traditional Green Bean Casserole

Quadruple Bypass Mashed Potatoes

Grandma Virginia's Sweet Potatoes

Stuffing

Turkey

Mixed Greens Salad with Candied Walnuts, Pear and Herbed Goat Cheese

There is still Apple Pie and Pumpkin Cheesecake to come...

Thanksgiving 2011 - Prep

We are enjoying this holiday week at Scott's sister and brother-in-law's home in Virginia.


The traditional meal has been a co-op between Scott, his Mom, his Sister and myself.


The Menu:

• Turkey 
• Williams Sonoma Pear & Cranberry Chutney
• Quadruple-Bypass Mashed Potatoes
• Walt's Mushroom & Wine Gravy
• Jeremiah's Turkey/Vegetable Gravy
• Stuffing
• Mixed greens salad
• Grandma Virginia's Sweet Potatoes
• Green Bean Casserole
• Apple Pie
• Pumpkin Cheesecake

Turkey - Scott and his sister are team-cooking this, the turkey sat in a brine made of low-sodium soy sauce, salt, brown sugar and red wine for two days. They are putting 1/2 lemon, onion, sage, rosemary and butter in the cavity, and a few sprigs of rosemary here and there under the skin. They are rubbing a sage-butter on the outside.


Jeremiah's Vegetable Gravy - Turkey drippings with a little flour to create a roux, then the veggies (carrots, celery & onion) that were roasted in the pan alongside the turkey get "mashed in."


Stuffing - two loaves of white bread, cubed and left in a bowl to dry out a bit the day before. Vegetable broth, onion, celery, sage, butter and a few other things.


Grandma Virginia's Sweet Potatoes - peeled and cut into chunks, baked at 350F with orange zest, brown sugar and a few other secret items.


Pumpkin Cheesecake - I still couldn't find my recipe, and apparently the one I used last year I never wrote down my modifications, so I adapted another existing recipe.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

At one time I faithfully used a friend's Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe. I haven't been able to find that version for several years now, and generally end up adapting something I find online, instead.

This year when I discovered that I still couldn't find the old one, I thought "no problem, I'm sure I made notes from last year." WRONG.

I've learned my lesson (only took me 3 years) and am writing down what I'm making this year so I can repeat it!




Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 premade crusts (I used graham-cracker today, but it would be tasty with chocolate or ginger-snap, too!)

FILLING:

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/16 tsp ground ginger

Assembly:

• In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugars until smooth. 
• Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. 
• Whisk in pumpkin, cornstarch, vanilla and spices just until blended. 
• Pour into crust. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until center is almost set. 
• Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. 

• Refrigerate overnight. 

Quadruple Bypass Mashed Potatoes

I've never posted this recipe in it's own entry, only in context with other Thanksgiving posts. I figured it was time to give it the honor it deserves!

These potatoes are not particularly healthy. You'll notice that shortly. You can, however, use lower-fat versions of the fattening ingredients to not feel quite so guilty about things.

These are amazing on their own, AND with a delicious gravy (like Walt's Mushroom & Wine Gravy)

Quadruple-Bypass Mashed Potatoes
(so named because there are four heart-stopping additions to the potatoes - butter, goat cheese, cream cheese and sour cream)

I based my quantities on enough for 8 people - calculated at one and a half potatoes per person.

Ingredients:

• 12 Idaho baking potatoes 
• 11oz log of goat cheese 
• 6oz sour cream 
• 8oz butter 
• 1 pkg cream cheese (I used neufchatel) 
• Salt to taste 

Assembly:

• Set butter, cream cheese and goat cheese out to soften. 
• Rinse and peel potatoes, dice into 1.5 inch cubes and place in large cook-pot.  
• Add just enough water to cover and boil on med-high until potatoes are soft when poked with a fork. 
• Drain potatoes in a strainer and transfer to VERY large mixing bowl. 
• Add softened butter, goat cheese and neufchatel or cream cheese. 
• Mix with hand mixer just until blended. 
• Add sour cream and mix again just until combined. 
• Salt to taste.

Reese's Sweet Potato, Green Chile & Black Bean Enchiladas

While I was in Phoenix almost a month ago, I had the pleasure of dining at a fabulous restaurant with my cousin Mandi (and not just because she picked up the tab!).

One of the things we enjoyed was a sweet potato enchilada with a tomatillo sauce. It really was amazing.

I decided to see what I could come up with that would be similar, yet different.

They are REALLY good.


Reese's Sweet Potato, Green Chile and Black Bean Enchiladas

Sauce

• 1 29oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup Homeward Bound Hot Sauce SparkPlug
• 1/2 cup Homeward Bound Hot Sauce PattyCake
• 1 tbs cumin

Filling (see Assembly instructions before continuing)

• 3 sm/md sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into approximately 1" cubes. 
• 14oz (2 7oz cans) diced green chiles
• 1 - 15oz can black beans, drained
• 3 cups shredded cheese (I used a "Mexican 4-Cheese" blend)
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 24 corn tortillas (the Mission brand are a great consistency)

Assembly

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add sweet potatoes.
• Cook on a high boil for about 12-13 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.
• While potatoes are cooking, Combine sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl
• Remove potatoes from heat, drain and rinse with cold water, let cool for about 5 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F
• Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl, add sweet potatoes and cut potatoes into approximately 1/4 inch chunks as you combine them with the rest of the filling ingredients.
• In a microwavable container with a lid, microwave about 10 tortillas at a time with a few drops of water for 45 seconds. They will be HOT - do not burn your fingers!
• Pour about 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish (9x12).
• Spoon a heaping soup spoon of filling into warmed tortilla, wrap and place in baking dish with folded side down to help keep it wrapped up.
• Fill baking dish with enchiladas, pour another 1/2 cup to cup of sauce over the top and sprinkle about 1 cup shredded cheese over the whole dish.

• Bake at 350F until cheese is bubbly (about 30 minutes)

This made two 9x12 dish and two small dishes of enchiladas.