April's Corn and Shrimp Chowder

Be warned, this makes a huge recipe! Not kidding, you can feed 15 to 20 people easily. I recently made this at a friends house and it was amazing.  Even though there were 7 of us eating it felt like we didn't even make a dent in the amount this makes.  Next time, I think I'll half it.

The result was amazing, however.  The chowder is thick and hearty, with tons of flavor.  There are big chunks of vegetables as well as shrimp.  I used a medium sized shrimp we found in the freezer section.  They'd already been deveined so all we had to do was peel and take their tails off.  The creamy base was thick and flavorful.  I was completely satisfied after my meal.  We served it with French Bread and Butter, and that was all.

The most time consuming portion of the meal was the chopping and getting the shrimp ready. Not difficult, just allow time for it.  

Such a hearty filling meal, and since there were so many vegetables we didn't feel it was necessary to add a side dish.  It was all made in one giant pot so clean up was pretty easy. You're going to want to make this for a crowd, and hope there are still leftovers for you to savor on your own. I loved this. My husband has declared this, one of the best chowder's he's ever had.

April's Corn and Shrimp Chowder

Recipe from April

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 whole onions, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bunch green onion, diced (for garnish)
• 1 pound bacon, cut into small pieces
• 4-5 pounds shrimp, deveined and tails removed
• 3 cans cream of corn
• 4 cans gold and white corn
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes
• 1 bunch carrots
• 4-5 pounds potatoes, cubed
• 1 quart half and half
• 1 pint whipping cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Saute the onions, bell pepper, celery and green onions in the butter until they are beginning to soften. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan add the bacon pieces and fry until they are crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel but leave the grease in the pan.
3. Saute the shrimp in the bacon grease and remove. If you want a little bit of spice you can sprinkle shrimp with a some old bay, slap your mama, or any other seasoning to your desired spice level. 
4. Add all of the other ingredients (not the shrimp or the green onions) including the vegetables that were cooked and set aside and cook until the potatoes are done. You can drain the canned corn if you want a thicker chowder or leave the liquid to thin it out a bit. 
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions.

*Some accompaniment options: Hot Sauce, Shredded Cheese, Diced Green Onion, Crispy Bacon Pieces

Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden CopyCat)

It's getting a little warm in our neck of the woods to be making soup but this one is too darn delicious to pass up. Simple and easy ingredients that you probably have most of in your refrigerator already.  You can make this spicy or mild depending on the sausage you use.  I used a sweet sausage so my daughter would eat it, and she did!

So comforting and just like you would get from Olive Garden. This version is fairly quick and can be on your table in less than and hour.

Make sure to get some good ol' crusty bread from your super market or try this recipe if you know you're making this one in advance. So good!

Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden Copycat)

Recipe by Damn Delicious

Ingredients

• 1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Cooking Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions in salted water. Drain and set aside. 
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large stock pot or a dutch oven. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink.  Crumble it as  you cook it. Drain off the excess grease and set aside. 
3. Add the remaining oil, onions, garlic, carrots and celery to the pot cook until tender about 3-4 minutes. 
4. Return the meat to the pot with the vegetables. 
5. Whisk in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender.  About 15-20 minutes. 
6. Add both beans and heat through and then serve hot. 

Dinner Club: Theme - Fall Foods

Dinner club is back in session on our cozy little street.  I missed it.  There is just something wonderful about the people living on our street, more than anywhere else I've ever lived. We all spend time with each other eating, drinking and looking out for one another.  It's great.

I was a little hesitant about dinner club in October because it's such a busy month for everyone.  Soccer is in full swing and I think most of us on this street have kids who play, volleyball is going on as well.  Not to mention trying to get ready for Halloween and school in general.  Busy busy busy, I'm sure you all can relate even if you don't have kids.

I decided to take a chance and host the first dinner club since back in the spring.  Luckily the attendance, food and company were awesome!  We had a new member join use last night, hi Alison!  Glad you could make it!

I made two recipes for this dinner club feast.  The main dish was Texas Chili that was made in the slow cooker.

Texas Chili

The second recipe I made was dessert, Chocolate Lasagna in fact. I've had this dessert many many times but I've never actually made it.  It's so easy and so delicious that I can see why it's such a favorite. 

Chocolate Lasagna

Jambalaya is a great fall weather food.  Alison brought this delicious dish and everyone loved it.

Jambalaya

Ingredients and Directions

2 liquid to 1 rice ratio
Roux - 1 can tomato paste and oil 
add trinity and garlic
add sausage and chunky chicken
cool down a bit
add 1 can/box chicken stock/broth, 1 can hot water, 1-2 cans tomatoes whole/sauce, 1 can rotel
season with tony's
bring to boil
add uncle bens rice
bring to boil, cover and simmer until rices is done and no liquid remains (30-40 min) depending on how much is made

trinity-onion, bell pepper, celery

Everyone loved this cornbread casserole made by Lisa W. So full of flavor, I loved the texture and it appears to be easy to throw together for those busy weeknights. 

Cornbread Casserole

Recipe by Home Sweet Ruby

Ingredients

• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can cream style corn
• 1 packages Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 1 pint sour cream
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Add all the ingredients (except the cheese) together in a medium bowl and stir.
3. Pour into a greased 9x13 for thinner, 8x8 or 9x9 for thicker pan.
4. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes.
5. Add cheese to the top and bake for another 5 minutes.
6. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This little gem was made by Wendy. The original name for this recipe was "No-Bake Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes" but we all thought that they were much more like a mousse than a cheesecake.  We loved the light an fluffy texture and the wonderful pumpkin cheesecake flavor.  Easy to make since there isn't any baking involved.  Great for the holiday's because your oven is probably already overloaded.  We all enjoyed this one tremendously. 

Pumpkin Mousse Cups

Recipe from A Family Feast 

Ingredients

• 1 sleeve graham crackers
• 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 - 8oz package cream cheese
• 1 - 15oz can pumpkin puree
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 - 1oz package sugar free cheesecake flavored instant pudding
• 1 - 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1-12oz container frozen whipped topping + extra for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. Add the graham crackers to a food processor and process until they are fine crumbles. Add the melted butter and both sugars and process again until combined and it looks like wet sand.
2. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of several 9 ounce plastic cups. Refrigerate while you make the mousse. 
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the cream cheese until smooth. 
4. Add the pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and pudding until well mixed. 
5. Switch to a whisk attachment and add in the whipped topping, slowly, until combined. 
6. Refrigerate for one hour. 
7. Use a pastry bag or a zip lock bag with a tip cut off to add the filling into the cups on top of the graham cracker crust. 
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve, top with more whipped topping and other garnishes if desired. 

Thank you Emily for bringing this one. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all loved this soup.  Most of us love sweet potatoes anyway so this soup was a favorite.  Sweet potatoes are so good for you anyway so to find a new use for them is awesome. Full of creamy flavor with little bites from the cashews.  So good!

Cream of Sweet Potato Soup

Recipe from Food.com

Ingredients

• 4 lbs sweet potatoes
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 Tbsp half and half
• 1 dash thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped cashews for garnish

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375º
2. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Peel off the skins and mash them.  You don't need to get them completely smooth, some chunks are OK. 
4. Add the mashed potatoes into a large stock pot and add the remaining ingredients except for the cashews. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour. 
5. Add cashews when ready to serve. 

I believe we will resume our dinner clubs after the holiday's.  I can't wait!

White Bean Soup

You are looking at the soup that helped make my vegan attempt during the month of February, doable. It is totally delicious and creamy.  I would eat this soup any day of the week, the fact that it's vegan just makes it that much more appealing to me.

You can choose to mash the beans a lot or a little to give the texture that you prefer.  I happen to love beans whole so I just left them that way. I didn't have much experience with fennel before this soup but I plan to use it much more now.  I loved the flavor and texture that it added.  Same goes for the Rosemary, don't skip it!

I have nothing bad to say about this recipe.  It makes quite a bit but it keeps very well in the refrigerator.  I ate it every single day until it was gone and I never got tired of it.  Loved it!

White Bean Soup

Recipe from Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist 

Ingredients

• 2 whole shallots, sliced
• 1/2 pound carrots, sliced thin on the diagonal
• 1 bulb fennel, sliced (I couldn't find one so I left it out)
• 4 celery ribs, sliced on the diagonal
• Olive Oil
• Rosemary, chopped
• 6 cans white beans in liquid (cannelloni or great northern(
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. In a large stockpot, add some olive oil and soften the shallot over medium heat. 
2. Add carrots, fennel and celery and cook for about 10-15 minutes. 
3. Add the beans with their liquid and some chopped rosemary (to taste) 
4. Cover and cook for 20 minutes at a gentle boil. 
5. Salt and pepper to taste
6. Cook for an additional 20 minutes or longer.  Just before serving use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to squish some of the beans.  You can also puree it in a blender if you want it smoother. 

Some optional toppings: 

Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette: Spoonful of Dijon, a few Tbsp of balsamic and about 1/4 cup of olive oil with some salt and pepper to taste.  Shake and drizzle over soup. 

Or/And

Cut some ribbons of Prosciutto, Parmesan curled into strips and chopped Rosemary. 

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup

With the ever so slight chill we've had in the morning air I've been thinking about fall foods.  One of my all time favorites is this Ham and Bean Soup.  I've never actually made it myself until now, I just remember my mom making it for my sister and I when we were growing up.

As you know, I grew up in Montana and let me tell you something, it is C.O.L.D. there.  I remember my mom calling us in from outside and us sitting down to a steaming hot bowl of this soup.  For some reason I have a memory of me blowing on the beans before I took a bit and the skin would peel right off the bean.  When I made this soup I didn't notice that happening, I wonder if it was just a certain type of bean or the way she cooked it.  I have no idea, but I loved blowing on the beans and watching the skins peel off.

I still to this day add vinegar to my bean soup, just as I did when I was little.  Something about that taste with the beans is so perfect.  Of course my husband and daughter thought I'd lost my mind, but that's OK.  I just take apple cider vinegar and add a cap full to my soup before I eat it.  It's yummy, you should try it.

Leftovers are even better, the "broth" turns into more of a thick sauce as it sits in the refrigerator which makes it even tastier.  I hope you try this one!

Ham and Bean Soup

Recipe from Food.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound Dried beans (I used Pinto but you can use whatever you want)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 lb smoked ham, or ham hock
• 6 cups water or broth

Cooking Directions

1. Option 1: Pick through and rinse the beans, then soak overnight in a large bowl with water about 1 inch above the beans.
2. Option 2: Pick through and rinse the beans, add to a large pot and cover with water about 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit (do not remove the lid) for 1 hour.
3. Rinse the beans and place them in a crock pot. Add the garlic, onion, salt, pepper, parsley and ham. If using ham instead of ham hock, dice it into large bite sized pieces.
4. Fill the crock pot with the water or broth and set on low for 8 hours.

Sherried Tomato Soup

I realize it's a little soon for tomato soup recipes, it's possible that I'm just ready for fall to get here. I love fall, it's my favorite time of the year.  Here's another thing I love, this soup.  I didn't know how I'd like it with the sherry in it but I LOVE it!

Want another little surprise?

My daughter LOVES it.  She does ask me to remove the "chunks" so I strain it and she gobbles it up. That was the most shocking part about this recipe for me.  She asks for it all the time and I can see why.  We all loved it.  The cream takes the acidic bite out of the tomatoes, the sherry gives a wonderful background without overpowering it.

I can't wait to try it with a recipe I saw for grilled cheese croutons.....YUM!

Definitely a new family favorite!

Sherried Tomato Soup
Recipe by ThePioneerWoman

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 whole medium onion, diced
• 1 bottle (46 oz) tomato juice
• 2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp (up to 3 Tbsp) chicken base
• 3 Tbsp (up to 6 Tbsp) sugar
• pinch of salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 cup cooking sherry
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• chopped fresh parsley
• chopped fresh basil

Cooking Directions

1. Saute the diced onion in the butter until it's translucent.
2. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, chicken base, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a near boil and then turn off the heat.
3. Add the cooking sherry, heavy cream, fresh parsley and basil to taste.

Dinner Club: Theme - Soup

Thank you Shannon for hosting February's Dinner Club!  I loved the theme this month because I'm a huge soup lover and I like to see what other people have in their arsenal of recipes.  Shannon is always a great host because she makes everyone feel very comfortable and her house is warm and inviting. And last but not least, she's an incredible cook!

Shannon made a wonderful black and white soup.  Half of it was black bean soup and the other was cheese soup and you pour them into the bowl at the same time which makes this nifty black and white look.  

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into matchstick sized pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat add the butter and then the peppers, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the flour and stir for two minutes.
3. Whisk in the stock, then the milk and cream and cook at a simmer for three minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese 1/2 cup at a time and whisk until smooth.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.




Black Bean Soup



Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried black beans
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 5 large fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Cooking Directions


1. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with cold water by 3 inches. Soak overnight.
2. Drain the beans and transfer to a large heavy pot.
3. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and the next 7 ingredients.
4. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the beans are tender (about 1 hour and 10 minutes).
5. Working in batches blend the black bean soup with the 2 cups of chicken stock.
6. Return the soup to the pot and add the chopped cilantro.
7. Add more stock if needed to thin it out.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour 1/2 cup of each the cheddar soup and the black bean soup together at the same time. Top with sour cream if desired. 

TiNeill wins the cook of the night award for bringing FOUR items!  This girl loves to cook and it's so obvious because her dishes are incredible.  I'm a dessert hound as you may have guessed and I fell in love with these brownies.  Mixing an Oreo with a brownie, good heavens!

Cookies 'n Cream Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box fudge brownie mix
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate sandwich cookies
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 4 tsp milk

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, stir brownie mix, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Sprinkle cookies over batter.
2. Bake 24 to 26 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
3. In small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over brownies. For brownies, cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Makes 20 brownies

Everyone loved these breadsticks, very soft and light in texture and the seasoning on top really added a nice saltiness and spice. 

Bread Sticks

Ingredients

• 1 package yeast
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
• 1/2 stick butter
• McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning

Cooking Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast into 1 1/2 cups of warm water.
2. Add the sugar and salt and stir until it dissolves.
3. Add the flour and stir in with a fork until the dough isn't sticky anymore and you can roll it into a ball. Add more flour if needed.
4. Put the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cheesecloth (or plastic wrap) in a warm spot. Watch for it to begin to rise, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and roll and shape into an oval, use a pizza cutter to cut breadsticks.
6. Melt the butter in a dish and dip the breadsticks into the butter and then place them on a cookie sheet.
7. Sprinkle with McCormick Salad Supreme seasoning.
8. Let the breadsticks rise in a warm place for another 10-15 minutes or until they are fluffy.
9. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. The breadsticks will probably not look golden and you might not think they are done. When they are fluffy and dry they are done.

The name of this recipe says it all.  Creamy deliciousness is how I would describe it. 

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups favorite homemade meaty spaghetti sauce (recipe to follow) or 24 oz jarred sauce with 1/2 lb hamburger and 1/2 lb ground sausage
• 4.5 oz fresh spinach leaves
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 16 oz frozen cheese tortellini

Cooking Directions

1. Combine spaghetti sauce (and meat if adding it in separately), spinach, cream cheese, chicken broth, and mushrooms in a slow-cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, on high for 2-3.
2. 20 minutes before serving, turn heat to high if it isn't already an stir in frozen tortellini. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and hot.
3. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.



Sort of Homemade Spaghetti Sauce



Ingredients

• 1/2 lb ground beef (browned) do not drain
• 1/2 lb ground sausage (browned) do not drain
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• 1 small tomato puree
• 1 package Mild McCormick Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning
• salt, pepper, minced garlic, oregano, basil - to taste

Cooking Directions


1. Simmer all ingredients together for 1 hour with lid on lowest heat, stir occasionally

Lisa F. brought this yummy salad which was perfect with the soup. TiNeill brought the salad dressing.

Poppyseed Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

Cooking Directions

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender and refrigerate.

Lynn brought this fantastic hot artichoke dip.  Everyone dove in and came up smiling.  Seriously good dip that I cannot wait to add to my party recipes!

Three Cheese Hot Artichoke Dip

Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup shredded mozerella
• dash hot sauce
• dash Worcestershire
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the cream cheese.
3. Add the mayonnaise and beat until smooth.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Transfer to a pie plate or shallow oven proof dish and bake for 30-40 minutes. The top will be golden brown and bubbly.

Lynn also made an incredible Lemon Pound Cake (which I failed to take a picture of).  Just trust me, it was goooooood.

Starbucks' Lemon Pound Cake w/Icing

The Recipe Circus

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon juice.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Mix until smooth.
5. Add the oil and mix well.
6. Pour the mixture into a well greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into the center coms out clean.
8. Let cool in the pan.

Lemon Icing

• 1 Cup plus 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp whole milk
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

1. Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. 
2. Remove the cooled cake from the loaf pan and frost with the icing.  Wait for the icing to set before slicing. 

Melissa Y. brought a cheese and cracker plate with two flavors of preserves.  We sandwiched the cheese in-between two crackers slathered in preserves, talk about good!  Glad she taught me this little trick so I can use it in the future.

On this try was Sharp Cheddar, Brie, Goat Cheese, Muenster and an Artisan marinara and pepperoni cheese (delish).
Strawberry and Raspberry Preserves.
Assorted Crackers.

My contribution for the evenings soup dishes was this Butternut Squash and Apple Soup.  I have the full post here.

As always, I'm super excited for the next gathering.  I think every time we get together we learn more about one another. Great excuse for us to EAT!

Cuisinart Cook Central Multi-Cooker, 7-Quart - 7 quart (Google Affiliate Ad)

Butternut Apple Soup

It's still a little chilly out, it hasn't officially turned into spring yet so I'm feeling pretty good about posting this soup recipe. As you know, or maybe you don't, we have a dinner club thing that we do on the street that I live on.  It's just the ladies, no men allowed.  We leave our kids with the hubby's (or a babysitter) and we get away from it all with our neighbors.  We learn about each other and we pick up some great recipes at the same time.  

I first had this soup at some friends house when they invited us to join them on Thanksgiving Day.  Our husbands are both Airline Pilots so it's pretty common typical that we don't have family around us to celebrate this holiday.  That's one thing I love about the people in this industry, they are welcoming and big hearted.  Anyway, I was blown away by this soup.  I even got to take some of it home with me AND she gave me the recipe!  

When I found out that February's theme for dinner club was soup I knew exactly the one I was going to make. Not only do I love butternut squash but it has lots of underlying flavors that make it irresistible.  I hope I didn't mess up her recipe too much, she told me some of her tips and tricks when she makes it and I tried to remember them all.  Either way it was a success!

Creamy with undertones of the leek and apple.  Smooth and comforting.  I want some, right now.

Butternut Apple Soup
Recipe from Jean Lux

Ingredients

• 3 cups butternut squash, chopped
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup leek, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 granny smith apple, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 heavy cream (optional)
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. in a large roasting pan toss the peeled and seeded butternut squash cut into large chunks. Add the orange juice, brown sugar and the cinnamon stick.  Toss the butternut squash so that it is coated with the juice and sugar. 
3. Cover the roasting pan and bake for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Discard the cinnamon stick. 
4. Drain the juice. 
5. In a heavy bottomed stock pot place 1/4 cup butter, leeks (white part only), onion and apple that has been peeled, cored and chopped. 
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until very tender. Do not allow to color. 
7. Add 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. 
8. Add squash but not the juice.  Cook for five minutes and add the cream if desired.  Simmer for about 5 minutes. 
9. Cool and puree in a blender until very smooth. 

Kitchenaid 5-Speed Blender (Google Affiliate Ad)

Dinner Club: Theme - Barefoot Contessa

I was the lucky girl who hosted January's Dinner Club and I decided to try something sort of new and pick a Food Network Star as the theme.  Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) is one of my favorites because I've never made one of her recipes that hasn't been successful. Not only that but her recipes are delicious.  I hear that in person she's very sweet and kind so it was that much more fun to make some of her recipes.

This month we had six attendees.  I was lucky to have any attendees at all because the day of dinner was also the day of a huge ice storm.  There were ton's of accidents and it took people twice and sometimes three times as long to make it home!  I'm was very glad to stay home and not leave at all but I know many of my neighbors didn't have that option.

Thank you to all my lovely neighbors and friends for helping me get the year started off.  I hope this year will be filled with yummy food and great conversations!

I made two Barefoot Contessa recipes.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

I'm a fan of these cookies.  Ina says that she makes this shortbread cookie dough and then uses it for several different types of cookies. I thought they were very easy to make and loved that they were egg free for those with allergies (just omit the egg wash step).  Very good cookies and they were gone in no time. Full post can be seen here.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

This falls into that comfort food category that we all love.  The filling was a chicken pot pie filling but without pie crust top.  Instead biscuits are used and they are yummy!  Flaky and golden brown and easy to put together. I had a lot of compliments on this stew. Ina never disappoints! You can find my full post here.

Gazpacho 

Made by Melissa Y. it was a perfect accompaniment to the dinner. Very flavorful with tons of veggies that were still nice and crisp with a hint of vinegar.  I loved this soup, I've never actually tried gazpacho before but this was a keeper for sure.  I can't wait to make it again soon.

Bread Pudding 

Made by Wendy, I loved the texture of the croissant rolls with the raisins inside.  Wendy ended up making her own version of the whiskey sauce that goes over the top and we all thought it was fantastic.  Since she made it up on the spot she doesn't actually have a recipe for it.  I think you would be fine without the sauce too, the bread pudding is wonderful!

Vegetable Coleslaw 

Made by Lynn was one of two treats she brought for us.  The coleslaw was amazing.  Nice and crisp with a slight creaminess from the mayonnaise.  The tang of the vinegar and mustard were noticeable without being overpowering. This will be great for summer barbecue's!

Italian Ricotta Cream Puffs were Lynn's surprise dessert. I thought this dessert was fantastic but of course I love cannoli's and these little puff's had a cannoli filling. Sweet but not too sweet with a citrus background.  The puff's were amazing, fluffy and with just the right amount of sweetness without being too sweet.

Italian Ricotta Cream Puffs

For the Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 to 4 eggs, plus 1 egg for egg wash

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan add the water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium high heat.
3. When the mixture boils take the pan off the heat and immediately add in all the flour at once and stir hard with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. 30-60 seconds.
4. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to evaporate some of the moisture.
5. Scrape the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
6. Mix at medium speed.
7. Add the eggs one at a time and mixing well after each addition until you've added 3 eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg.
8. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy. The dough should be thick but still fall slowly off the paddle when lifted.
9. Add the remaining egg and mix well.
10. Use a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe the dough onto the baking sheet in 2-inch diameter rounds or balls.
11. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 1/2 tsp water to make the egg wash.
12. Brush the dough rounds with the egg wash and smooth the points.
13. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until puffed up and light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
14. Let cool on the baking sheet.

Ricotta Cannoli Filling

For the filling
Ingredients

• 3 cups (660 g) fresh ricotta, drained overnight
• 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups (167 g to 188 g) confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (50 g) finely diced candied citron or candied orange peel
• 1/3 cup (65 g) miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. Place the drained ricotta in the bowl of your stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
2. Beat the ricotta on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
3. Add 1 1/3 cups of confectioners sugar and the vanilla. Beat until fluffy and smooth. Taste the mixture, add more confectioners sugar if you prefer it sweeter and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in the citron or candied orange peel and the chocolate chips.
5. Place the filling in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one day in advance.

*Lynn wanted me to mention that she didn't have any citron or candied orange peel so she used dried orange zest instead but felt that it made the filling too bitter.*

Thank you to all my neighbors who participated on this evening.  As usual I loved the "girl time" that this evening allows us.  Can't wait to do it again soon!

Vegetable-Cod Soup

As part of our attempts to eat healthier from now on I have started making a bunch of different soups.  Soup  a great way to get in a bunch of vegetables that you might not otherwise get.  Kale is a new one for me. Well relatively new that is.  I've been using it in smoothies for a couple of months but I'd like to try it in some other forms too.  If anyone has any great recipes for kale please send them my way.

In addition to kale, we've been trying to eat fish at least once a week.  This soup was a hit because it incorporated a bunch of different veggies and cod too.  Use whatever vegetables you have in your freezer, pantry or refrigerator, it'll be great!

This recipe makes enough for about 4 oversized bowls (like the one's above).

The great thing about soup is you can flavor it up just how you like it.  If you like it spicy just add the hot sauce right on in.  If you don't like spice but sort of dig that slight vinegar taste that hot sauce adds just add in a tsp or two of vinegar.  Easy peasy.

Vegetable-Cod Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced or diced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 container (32 ounces) vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 small bunch kale, stems removed and leaves roughly cut
• 1 pound cod fillets, cut into 1" cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• hot sauce, to taste

Cooking Directions

1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot drizzle the oil and add the onions and carrots. Cook over medium to medium low heat until the carrots begin to soften (about 5 minutes).
2. Next add the frozen corn and green beans and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the can of tomatoes and the broth. Add all of the dry spices and stir well.
4. Bring to a boil and then turn to simmer. Cook for about 20 - 30 minutes.
5. Add the kale and let wilt slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the fish cubes and cook for about 5 more minutes until the fish begins to flake easily.
7. Serve immediately with some hot sauce.