Butternut Squash Soup

 

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients: 

·      butternut squash large

·      2-3 carrots (full size or equivalent baby carrots) 

·      1 yellow onion 

·      1 large apple

·      2 large yukon gold potatoes 

·      1 can coconut milk 

·      4 cups vegetable stock 

·      4 cloves garlic

·      1 tsp salt

·      ¾ tsp pepper,

·      1/8 to ¼ tsp cayenne

·      ½-3/4 tsp cinnamon

·      ½-3/4 tsp nutmeg 

 

Directions: 

·      Wash, peel, and chop vegetables and fruit into small chunks. Add all ingredients into a crockpot or large pot except the coconut milk. 

·      You can cook this on high for 3-4 hours or slow cook it on low for 6-8 hours (I recommend slow cooking it, personally.) 

·      After the desired cooking time has passed and ingredients are a nice, soft texture, remove from heat and add the coconut milk.

·      Use an immersion blender or pour soup mixture into a blender and blend till desired consistency. 

·      Pour into serving bowls and enjoy! 

 

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy, gooey, slightly crispy with a buttery brown sugar flavor. The mix of semi sweet and milk chocolate chips are just one of the secrets to perfect cookies! Make them gluten-free simply by swapping the wheat flour for a fine all-purpose gluten-free flour.

Makes about 4 dozen

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Total Time1 hr

Servings: 44 cookies

Calories: 92kcal 

Author: Tara Teaspoon

Ingredients

• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 sticks (1½ cups) unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 12-oz pkg (2 cups) milk chocolate chips
• 1 12-oz pkg (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1.             Heat oven to 350ºF. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Add the flour mixture, a little at a time, and mix. Stir in chocolate chips.

2.             Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets at 350ºF. Medium and small cookies bake until golden around the edges and just set in the center, 10 to 12 min. Don't overcook! They continue cooking on the pan out of the oven. Let cool slightly (if you can wait) and remove from pan.

3.             If cookie dough has been chilled they will bake 12 to 14 minutes.

I made these recently and we loved them.

Double Chocolate Cookies from Cary Kullick

 

Double Chocolate Cookies

½ cup margarine or butter

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbl milk

2 cups flour

¾ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Melt chocolate and butter in bowl in microwave. Cool. Add sugar and egg, mix well, add vanilla and milk. Stir in dry ingredients. I add about ½- ¾ cup chocolate chips. Make into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 8 mins. (The small size and baking time are critical to chewy/crispy texture! Don’t make them bigger or over bake!)

Sometimes we've added mint chocolate chips to the dough instead of regular chocolate chips. I always double the recipe. We used these to sell to raise funds for Eagle projects.

Nutella Brownies

 

Nutella Brownies

• Prep Time: 10 minutes

 Cook Time: 36 minutes

 Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes (includes cooling)

 Yield: 12 brownies

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Completely outrageous Nutella brownies!! They’re rich, fudgy, chewy, dense, and perfect!

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Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (5 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cups Nutella, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
• optional: 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and sea salt

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Instructions

1.       Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the brownies out of the pan when cool. (If using a 9-inch pan, the bake time will be a few minutes less.) Set aside.

2.       With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in 1 cup Nutella and salt. Mix until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix. If using chocolate chips, gently fold them in.

3.       Pour the batter into prepared baking pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of the remaining 1/4 cup Nutella on top. Using a knife, swirl the Nutella into the batter. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.

4.       Bake the brownies for 32-36 minutes. Keep your eye on them and test with a toothpick to determine doneness. If the toothpick comes out with only a couple moist crumbs, the brownies are done. The brownies may take a few minutes longer; all ovens vary. Mine took 36 minutes.

5.       Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once cool, lift the foil out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. You can top each with more sea salt if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They won’t last that long!

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Note: Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the brownies for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.

Cortez Chicken Enchiladas

 1/2 c onion, chopped

1/2 c green (or other color) pepper, chopped

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles

1/2 c chicken broth

2 c. canned green chili enchilada sauce, divided

1/2 T. chili powder

1 tsp. pepper, optional

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded OR 15 oz canned chunk chicken in water, drained

12 corn tortillas

Cooking spray

1 c. part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine onion, peppers, green chiles, chicken broth and 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce in a large, nonstick skillet; cook for 5 miutes. Add chili powder, pepper, garlic and chicken. Mix well, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Meanwhile, heat corn tortillas (if doing rolled method) by wrapping them in paper towels and microwaving at HIGH for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. 

For layered method: Pour some enchilada sauce in the pan, layer 1/3 of tortillas, 1/2 of mixture, some sauce. then 1/3 of tortillas other 1/2 of mixture, 1/3 of tortillas and pour sauce over the top.

For rolled method: Spread 1/3 cup of chicken mixture lengthwise on each tortilla. Roll tortilla and place, seam side down, in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray' pour remaining enchilada saue over and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 min or until thoroughly heated.

Makes 12 enchiladas/6 servings. 384 Calories 13.6 g fat.

From the Simply Colorado Cookbook.

The classic family story from the first time I made this in May of 1995 the Sunday after I had finished putting on the Nevada State Dietetic Association state meetings, 8 months pregnant with Alayna and had been too busy to make a decent family dinner very often lately, so I wanted to make something for dinner. I don't think I had ever made enchiladas before.  It was Sunday, so had to make it with things on hand. We had everything--ISH. I had some cans of jalapeno peppers that I naively didn't know were any different from cans of green chilis.  I only had 1 can green chili enchilada sauce . . . no worries . . . I purred up another can of two of jalapeno peppers (I got them cheap). As we ate it Kim commented on how hot it was. After a bit he said that perhaps it was jalapeno peppers instead of chili peppers . . . that was the first I realized there was a difference. We still ate it (honestly not sure little Aria ate much of it) with LOTS of sour cream. It burned both coming and going!

I usually use 1 large 28 oz can of enchilada sauce.

Been and Beef Enchiladas

 3/4 lb extra lean ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1 can (30 oz) vegetarian/no fat/ or dehydrated (rehydrated) refried beans 

1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles (or we like hatch chiles)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

12 tortillas (6 inch) flour or corn

2 cans (10 oz each) enchilada sauce

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

4 oz grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a large skillet with non-stick coating. Add onion and ground meat. Cook until meat is done. Add next for ingredients and mix well. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick coating. Add 1/4 tsp garlic to each can of enchilada sauce. Pour 1/2 can enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan. Follow one of the methods below for rolling or layering. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with cheese and return to oven for 15 minutes.

Layered Method: Follow this order:  1/3 of tortilla strips (cut tortillas into 1 inch strips), 1/2 of the bean mixture, 1/3 of tortillas, 1 can sauce, remainder of bean mixture, remainder of tortillas, remainder of sauce.

Rolled Method: Place filling in each tortilla. Roll to enclose. Place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top.

Serving suggestions: Serve with salsa, sour cream, Spanish Yogurt Sauce

We always double the recipe and either cook the whole thing in a larger pan or put in different pans, you can freeze one for later. You can add corn in the layered method. I just usually use one 28 oz can of enchilada sauce (doubled recipe)

1 recipe = 12 servings, 260 kcal, 8 g fat with low-fat cheddar cheese. 1 1/2 medium fat meat, 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable

From Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas by Brenda J. Ponichtera

Garlic Mushroom Pasta: Delicious dish

 

Garlic Mushroom Pasta Recipe

PREP TIME10 mins   COOK TIME20 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces dry pasta I used Toscani-shaped pasta
• Kosher salt
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 shallots minced
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 8 ounces Baby Bella Mushrooms sliced
• 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced
• 8 ounces portabella mushrooms roughly chopped
• black pepper
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• ½ cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan)
• ½ cup packed parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• Red pepper flakes to taste optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.                   Cook the pasta to al dante in boiling salted water according to box instructions. Keep 1 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain the pasta.

2.                   In a large skillet, heat the olive and butter over medium-high heat, add the shallots and garlic and cook, tossing regularly for 2 to 3 minutes (manage the heat so that the garlic does not burn).

3.                   Add all the mushrooms and toss them around in the pan for a couple of minutes, adding another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt, black pepper and the rosemary. Cook the mushrooms for about 7 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until they turn color and release their juices.

4.                   Add the tomato paste, wine and about ½ to ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water. Cook over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes (this becomes your mushroom pasta sauce).

5.                   Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom sauce. Toss to combine. If needed add a little bit more of the pasta cooking water.

6.                   Stir in Parmesan cheese and finish with a sprinkle of parsley, walnuts and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately!