Two Soups: Sweet and Savory

Pumpkin has gotten so expensive.  I remember paying $1 for a can.  Of course that was twelve years ago.  I wonder if that pumpkin is still good.  Yep, it is.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Serves 5
From https://www.verybestbaking.com/libbys/recipes/creamy-pumpkin-soup-2/


Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 can (14 1/2 fluid ounces) chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and sugar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft. Add broth, water, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); process until smooth. Return to saucepan. Serve warm.

 

Pumpkin Pie Soup
Serves 6-8
From: https://www.food.com/recipe/pumpkin-pie-soup-a-k-a-pumpkin-soup-255080

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider
•  
• 
  1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth (about 2 cups worth)
• 
  1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 
  1 cup granulated sugar (you may need slightly more or less depending on how tart your cider is)
• 
  1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 
  ¹⁄₂ teaspoon clove
• 
  ¹⁄₂ teaspoon nutmeg
• 
  ¹⁄₂ teaspoon allspice
• 
  1 pint heavy whipping cream
•  
•  
•  
• 
  
  Directions
•  
• 
  
• In large pot on LOW HEAT, combine all ingredients EXCEPT whipping cream; while stirring frequently, bring to simmer.
• Allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in heavy cream and return to simmer; serve.
  
  
  

• NUTRITION INFO

  Serving Size: 1 (304) g

  Servings Per Recipe: 6

  AMT. PER SERVING % DAILY VALUE

  Calories: 455.2

  Calories from Fat 270 g 59 %

  Total Fat 30.1 g 46 %

  Saturated Fat 18.5 g 92 %

  Cholesterol 108.7 mg 36 %

  Sodium 263 mg 10 %

  Total Carbohydrate 46 g 15 %

  Dietary Fiber 1.4 g 5 %

  Sugars 35.6 g 142 %

  Protein 4.5 g 9 %

   

Big Soft Ginger Cookies

Big Soft Ginger Cookies
From Country Home 1999
Makes 2-2 1/2 dozen
 
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

In a medium bowl combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
 
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed beat butter for 30 seconds.  Beat in the 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and molasses; beat well.  Stir flour mixture into egg mixture. 

Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch size balls, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough for each.  Roll balls in the 2 tablespoons of sugar to coat. Place balls 2 1/2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until light brown and still puffed.  (Do not overbake.)  Cool cookies on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.   

Sometimes I frost them with a lemon frosting. My family loves these. Frosting: 2 c. powdered sugar, 1/2 c. butter, softened, 3 T lemon juice

With 2 dozen cookies: 
1 cookies equals 143 calories, 21.1 g carbohydrates, 9 mg cholesterol, 6 g fat, .04 g fiber, 1.6 g protein, 147 mg sodium.
With 2 1/2 dozen:
1 cookie equals 111 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 19 mg cholesterol, 98 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Our Thanksgiving Table

Happy Thanksgiving

99 Cent Expired Sugar Cookies Amoung Other Things

Why is the cent key gone on today's keyboards?  I either have to spell it out or type $.99  It used to have it's own key.  Not even a shifted key.  Or I can just type [Option] + [4].  Poor ¢.

Apple Streusel Cookie Tart
From Pillsbury
Serves 8

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies 
4 large baking apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice 
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 
1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces 
1/3 cup slivered almonds, if desired
Sweetened whipped cream, if desired

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 9-inch round springform pan with cooking spray. Press cookie dough in bottom and 2 inches up side of pan.  

 In large bowl, mix apples, granulated sugar, apple pie spice and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Toss to coat. Arrange mixture in crust. 

In small bowl, mix oats, brown sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons flour. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Top with almonds.  

Serve with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream or a dollop of cinnamon-spiced whipped cream for extra fall flavor.
Cover leftovers with plastic wrap, and use within 3 days.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool 20 minutes; remove side of pan. Cool 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream.  



Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Serving 
Calories 490
Calories from Fat 150
Total Fat 16g 
Saturated Fat 7g
Trans Fat 3g 
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 250mg
Total Carbohydrate 82g 
Dietary Fiber 2g 
Sugars 37g 
Protein3g

Moldy Oranges

My daughter and her family flew 1400 miles a month ago with cut up oranges in her bag.  That's ridiculous.  Sniff.  So proud.  Then there was the time in college she brought home raw potatoes because she didn't want them to go bad.  Grandma was smiling from above.  But I digress.  The inside of the oranges were moldy but the rind was still good. 

 

Molded Cranberry Sauce  
That's molded not moldy.  Kind of. 
From William-Sonoma
Serves 14 to 18
 
1 1/4 lb. fresh cranberries
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tsp. orange zest
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. fresh orange juice
Pinch of salt
1 cup water
1 Tbs. unflavored gelatin

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, salt and 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the cranberries have burst, 25 to 35 minutes. Note: The sauce should measure no more than 3 3/4 cups.


Meanwhile, pour the remaining 2 Tbs. water into a bowl (use a small mixing bowl) and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let stand until the gelatin softens and swells, 5 to 10 minutes. 


Spoon 3/4 cup of the hot juices from the cranberries into the gelatin and whisk until the gelatin has dissolved. If you prefer a sauce with a smoother texture, transfer the remaining cranberry mixture to a food processor and pulse for 2 seconds (10 to 15 times), then proceed as directed.
 
Pour the gelatin mixture into the cranberry mixture and whisk to combine. Lightly coat the inside of a ceramic cranberry mold with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the cranberry mixture into the prepared mold and let cool to room temperature. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. 

 

To unmold, set the mold in a large bowl of warm water (115° to 120°F) so the water reaches almost to the rim of the mold. Let stand for 30 seconds, then remove the mold from the water. Carefully insert a small offset spatula or paring knife along the side of the mold. Gently pull the gelatin away from the mold to release the suction, then remove the spatula. Place a serving platter upside down on top of the mold and invert the platter and mold together. Remove the plug. Gently shake the mold until you hear the gelatin begin to release, then lift off the mold. If the gelatin does not release, replace the plug and return the mold to the warm water for 15 seconds, then repeat the steps as directed above. 

All I had to do was run the mold under warm water for seconds, unplug it and it slid right out.  






 

Thanksgiving Memories

Every year we enjoy filling this out.  The PDF is below the photo.  Copy the PDF image and paste into a document to print. 

Getting Rid of Some Old Nuts

I sure you can think of something to say here.

Chex Mix
Yield: 10 cups
1/2 cup butter or margarine 
4 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt 
2 1/2 cups Wheat Chex square cereal
2 1/2 cups Rice Chex square cereal
2 1/2 cups Corn Chex square cereal  
1/4 cup nuts
1/2 cups small pretzel rods

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Melt butter in a shallow pan. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt.  Add Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, nuts (peanuts, pecans or cashews), and pretzel rods. Mix until all pieces are coated with the butter mixture.  Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool.

Thanksgiving Bark or Old Dried Fruit

You know that dried fruit you bought because you were going to snack more healthy.  Yeah, that never happened.  Now you will eat it.

French Chocolate Bark
From Ina Garten
Made by my daughter, T
18-20 pieces
In France, the raisins and nuts are embedded on the top not mixed in as done in the U.S.  For the holidays, this makes very elegant s'mores around the fire.

 

6-7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (T used 10 oz of semi-sweet chips)

6-7 ounces very good bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (T used 4 oz of Ghirardelli Dark Melting Wafers)

1/4 cup dried crystallized ginger, 1/2-inch diced
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews

1/2 cup dried apricots, 1/2-inch diced
1/2 cup dried cherries (could substitute dried cranberries)

1/4 cup golden raisins 

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

 

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw a 9 by 10-inch rectangle on the paper. Turn the paper facedown on the baking sheet.

Spread the cashews in one layer on another sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes.  Set aside to cool. 

Melt the 2 chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Or alternatively: Place the semisweet chocolate and half the bittersweet in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 20-30 seconds.  Stir with a rubber spatula.  Continue to hear and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted.  Immediately add the remaining bittersweet chocolate and all it to sit room  temperature, stirring ofter, until it's completely smooth.  Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier. 

Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread lightly to form a rectangle, using the outline. Sprinkle the cashews, apricots, cherries and raisins evenly over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in 1 by 3-inch pieces (about18-20 pieces) and serve at room temperature.

Old Bean Art

I used my old hard beans to make this turkey bean mosaic a long time ago.  The mice didn't mind how old the beans were and ate half my creation.  I patched it up relying on my memory to get it right.  I don't think I got that black belly right.  

 
Turkey Bean Mosaic


Cut out a turkey shape out of 1/4 inch plywood and spray paint black.  Use various beans such as black, corn, lentils, kidney, red, navy, white, and pinto to make the mosaic.  Glue beans with Tacky glue.  Spray with varnish if desired.  Keep out of reach of mice.  

Eat Your Fall Decor

When I planted my jack-o-lantern seeds it said on the package good for eating, too.  So I thought I'd give it a try with a couple I used for decoration.  They were so big there was a lot of pumpkin.  These recipes called for small pie pumpkins but mine worked out fine with adjustments. 

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
From Dorie Greenspan via Martha Stewart
This recipe serves 4.  Adapt to your pumpkin size.

1 (3-pound) pumpkin (a small pie pumpkin) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 pound Gruyere, Emmenthal, or cheddar cheese (or a mix of all three), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 to 3 cloves garlic, split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or sliced scallions 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1/2 cup heavy cream Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or use a Dutch oven that is slightly larger in diameter than your pumpkin (in which case, you will need to serve your pumpkin from the Dutch oven, as it may stick, but it will keep its shape better this way). 

Using a sharp, sturdy knife, cut off top of pumpkin, working around the top with the knife inserted at a 45-degree angle to cut off enough to make it easy to work inside the pumpkin; reserve top. Remove seeds and strings from cap and pumpkin. Season inside of pumpkin generously with salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet or in Dutch oven; set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, chives, and thyme until well combined. Pack into pumpkin; it should be well filled but not overstuffed. You may need to add some bread and cheese or some of the filling may not be necessary to use. In a small bowl, stir cream and nutmeg to combine. Pour over filling; filling should be moist but not swimming in cream -- you may need to use more or less accordingly.

Place top on pumpkin and transfer to oven; cook until filling is bubbling and pumpkin flesh is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove top and continue baking until liquid is slightly evaporated and top of filling is browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. 

Carefully transfer pumpkin to a serving platter (or serve in Dutch oven, if using) and serve.  (Slice into 4 wedges.) 

Pumpkin Soup
From thepioneerwoman
Serves 8

2 whole Pie Pumpkins (the small kind)
1 quart Vegetable Or Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
Dash Of Nutmeg
Salt To Taste
Extra Cream, For Serving

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pumpkins on a cookie sheet and roast them until slightly shriveled and soft. Allow to cool slightly, then slice in half and carefully scoop out seeds and pulp. Scoop yummy flesh into a bowl. Set aside.
In a pot, heat up the pumpkin flesh with the stock and maple syrup until simmering. Mash out the big chunks, the transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor (or use an immersion blender) and puree until velvety smooth. Add cream and nutmeg, then blend again.
Reheat if you need to, or just go ahead and serve in a hollowed-out pumpkin of whatever size you'd like.

Pumpkin Puree
From thepioneerwoman 

One small (4-pound) pumpkin yields at least 1½ cups of mashed pumpkin—the same as one small can.  A 3 pound pumpkin will yield about 1 cup. 

Select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this.
Place all the seeds into a bowl (you can roast them later and make pepitas). Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp.
Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I’ve done both) and roast in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. They should be nice and light golden brown when done.
Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill.
Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid or the preferred method for a particularly moist variety, once roasted and puréed, it should be sautéed for about five minutes over high heat to cook off excess moisture.) My note:  the large pumpkins are watery. 
Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done.
You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like, store it in the freezer for later use.
To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them.

 

Old Pic, New Recipes

Ok and old squash.  My squash from last year winter well in my root cellar but is now starting to mold.  I figure its only a few more months until more squash so we better eat it.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE
From AB and SS

2 white onions                        
Minced garlic
3 butternut squash, peeled then cubed        
Butter
Vegetable stock                    
Nutmeg
Cinnamon                        
Allspice
salt & pepper to taste                   
¼ - ½ C maple syrup

Sauté onion and garlic in butter in a soup pot.  Add cubed squash and cook briefly.  Add vegetable stock to cover.  Add pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper.  Add maple syrup. 

Simmer until squash is soft.  May need to add more vegetable stock at this point.  Puree until blended and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Finish with half and half or cream if desired.

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Hazelnut Baked in Phyllo

Adapted From Thierry Rautureau, Author of Rover's: Recipes from Seattle's Chef in the Hat
(Makes 4 servings)

1 butternut squash (about 1-1/2 pounds)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons hazelnut oil or olive oil
1 Granny Smith apple
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 pinches minced thyme
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup apple juice or small amount of brandy extract with water (my substitution for Calvados)
2 teaspoons minced chives
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 sheets phyllo dough
3 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
2 tablespoons hazelnut flavoring (my substitution for Frangelico)

Garnish
Beet coulis
Pumpkin seed oil or hazelnut oilTrim the ends from the butternut squash and halve it lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibrous flesh from the center. (The seeds can be cleaned and tossed with olive oil and salt to roast for a tasty snack.) Cut the squash into large pieces for easier handling. Use a small knife to carefully peel away the skin from the squash and coarsely chop the meat.

Heat 6 tablespoons of the butter with the hazelnut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted and foamy white. Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften (but not brown), 5 to 7 minutes. Peel the skin from the apple, using a paring knife so that some of the flesh still clings to the apple skin. Add the apple skin to the squash with 3 tablespoons of the shallot, the garlic, and a pinch of the thyme. Cook, stirring, until the shallot and garlic are tender and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vegetable stock and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the hazelnuts, then work in batches to purée the ingredients in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Strain the soup through a fine sieve back into the pan and set aside.

Core the apple and cut it into 1/4-inch dice. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat until melted and foamy white. Add the diced apple with the remaining teaspoon of shallot and remaining pinch of thyme. Sauté the apple, tossing gently a few times, until it just begins to soften but still holds its shape, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the apple juice. (If using Calvados, carefully light the liquid with a long match, and flambé until the flames subside.)  Take the pan from the heat and stir in the chives with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 450-degrees-F.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan, then take the pan from the heat. Lay 1 of the phyllo sheets horizontally on the work surface and lightly butter the surface with some of the melted butter. Lay another sheet on top and brush it with butter as well. Repeat with a third sheet of phyllo dough. Cut the phyllo sheets in quarters vertically. Spoon 1/4 of the apple filling onto the bottom center of 1 phyllo portion, about 2 inches up from the bottom. Fold the bottom edge of dough up over the filling, then fold in both long edges to make an even vertical strip. Fold the filled portion of dough upward as for a flag, forming a phyllo packet in a triangular shape (or simply fold upward to make a square packet). Brush the top of the packet with more melted butter and set it on a heavy baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo strips and apple filling. Bake the apple-hazelnut phyllo packets until crisp and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

While the phyllo packets are baking, finish the soup. Stir in the crème fraîche and hazelnut flavoring (or Frangelico), then use an immersion blender to fully incorporate. Taste the soup for seasoning, adding more salt or pepper to taste, and gently reheat over medium heat.

To serve, ladle the hot soup into warmed shallow soup bowls. Garnish with dots of beet coulis around the outer edge of the soup and drizzle pumpkin seed oil lightly over the surface of the soup. Set a phyllo packet in the center of each soup and serve right away.

Fresh goat cheese is an optional addition to the apple-hazelnut filling for the phyllo packets, offering a touch of tangy complement to the rich soup. Note that some phyllo producers now sell half-sized sheets of phyllo rather than the more common full-sized 14 by 18-inch sheets. If you purchase the smaller sheets, form 2 triple-layer sheets and halve each lengthwise. --Thierry Rautureau

---

French-born Thierry Rautureau moved to Seattle and opened Rover's in 1987. Since then, both chef Rautureau and Rover's have received endless national and local recognition and accolades, including four James Beard Foundation nominations for Best Chef in the Northwest, winning the honor in 1998. Chef Rautureau resides in Seattle, Washington with his family.

Swedish Sweets

Two Homemade Wreaths

Its that time of year.

That time when you disguise yourself and pretend your something your not.  Like these carrots that are all dressed up to look fresh.  Well at least edible.

Roasted Vegetables with Fresh Herbs
Adapted from Food and Wine
Serves 12

2 pounds of carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used a food processor slicer)
5 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 sage leaves
5 thyme sprigs
Two 6-inch rosemary sprigs, cut into 2-inch lengths
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper  
  
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil, sage, thyme and rosemary and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 55 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and golden. Scrape into a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Soggy Potatoes

Garlic helps hide any flaws in the taste area.

V's Do-Ahead Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

16 servings 

Serving size: 192 g

Calories per serving: 224

5 lbs sierra gold potatoes or 5 lbs red potatoes, diced with peel 

1 cup water 

1 cup butter, cut into chunks 

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder (optional) 

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1 1/3 cups milk, warmed 

Directions: 

Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker.  Season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.  Cover, and cook High for 3-4 hours.  Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. This adds to the creamy texture. 

Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve a creamy consistency.  Keep warm on low until serving. 

Potatoes keep consistency for a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep the lid on the slow cooker and serve directly from there.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/vs-do-ahead-slow-cooker-mashed-potatoes-196153?oc=linkback

Tang Turkey

Hey, I had no juice in the house.  I was desperate.  Ok lazy.  It tasted good but did have a weird orange glow about it.  I used the recipe here and substituted Tang for apple cider.  The Tang mix was brown though, just like apple cider.  I can't decide if this is a new low or a new high.  

The Rot Cellar

AKA the root cellar.  I had some butternut squash wintering there and were doing quite well until it turned into the warmest March on record.  I managed to salvage some. 

 

Caramelized Butternut Squash 

From Ina Garten
Serves 6-8 

• 2 medium butternut squash (4 to 5 pounds total)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

A Few Things

Namely, some expired milk and old turkey bought on sale after Thanksgiving.  Is this grub or slop?

Turkey Noodle Casserole   
Adapted from foodwishes.com
6 Servings 

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 1/2 cups cold milk

1 (10-oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 teaspoon garam masala, or curry powder

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese (or cheese of choice, I used fresh grated Parmesan)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

12 ounce package dry egg noodles (I used thick homestyle)

3 cups diced cooked turkey (or chicken)

5 oz bag potato chips, crushed into crumbs (more if desired)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in flour.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Slowly whisk in cold milk.  Add condensed cream of mushroom soup.  Stir in curry, tarragon, onions.  Bring to a simmer.  Cook for a couple of minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese.  Stir in turkey.

Cook noodles in boiling salted water for 1 minute less than instructions.   Drain, do not rinse.  Add to mixture and stir.

Crush potato chips in a Ziploc bag using a rolling pin or similar item.

Spray 9x13 pan with Pam.  Spread turkey mixture in pan.  Top with crushed potato chips.  Press slightly with fork.

Bake 350 for 30 minutes, until bubbly. 

Variation:  Top with traditional breadcrumb topping