Butternut Squash Soup

Besides the creamy texture and fantastic taste of this dish, I really love that this blended soup allows me to consume a wide variety of vegetables in mass quantity! And because I buy many of the vegetables pre-cut at my local grocery store, it is very easy to prepare! I literally throw everything into a pot and leave! How simple is that!?

This soup is truly so delicious I wouldn’t hesitate serving it at a dinner party or making it for a family who just had a baby and needed a meal! I have played around with the ingredients for awhile now and I think I have finally nailed it! It’s the apple! I really gives it a subtly sweet flavor without going over board!

2 Tbl butter or olive oil
4 cups cubed/peeled butternut squash (Central Market and Whole Foods sell
fresh butternut squash already peeled & cubed. You can also find it peeled and cubed in the frozen food section. AND if you want to go all out and by a whole butternut squash, one squash will yield approx. 4 cups)
1 small sweet potato or yam, peeled and cubed
2 sliced leeks* (again, I buy these already sliced at CM- saves time! If you are slicing the leeks yourself, use only the white & light green parts)
2 medium red potatoes cubed (I leave the skin on- extra vitamins & fiber!)
1 medium apple, cored & peeled, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (according to your spice preference)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 c chicken broth (1 carton)
1 c low-fat milk (use more for a thinner consistency)

1. Melt butter (or olive oil) in a large soup pot and add squash through cinnamon. Saute for 6 -8 min.
2. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.
3. Place half of the soup mixture in a blender (it is better to wait until it has cooled...or if you can’t wait and it's hot, make sure you take the center piece off the blender lid to let the heat escape- put a towel over this). Repeat with remaining soup. Put all the blended soup back into the pot.
4. Stir in milk just before serving and reheat until desired eating temperature.

*If you cannot find leeks, substitute for half an onion, roughly chopped
**I serve this soup with a sliced baguette sprinkled with shredded gruyere
cheese & pepper and toasted in the oven. YUM!

Eat Your Veggies Stir Fry

I keep a little “Kelly’s wants” list going in my day planner...things I don’t really need, but, would make great anniversary/birthday/Christmas gifts. After making this dish the other night I promptly add “wok” to it. I don’t have one, I don’t necessarily need one (afterall, I only cook stir fry a handful of times a year), but, it would be nice to add one to my arsenal of baking/cooking supplies!

The key to making a yummy stir-fry is to use cold rice (it’s a texture thing!)...So, this is a great way to use up some left-over rice! Or if you’re making rice on the same day of the stir fry, do so hours before so it has time to get cold in the refrigerator.

4 cups of cooked cold brown rice
1 1/2 Tbl canola oil
1 c. onion, chopped
1 Tbl garlic, minced
1/2 c. green beans, cut into 1” pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. broccoli, chopped
1/2 - 1 c. diced ham (I use a ham steak)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
A couple handfuls of dry roasted peanuts (optional)



1. Cook rice accordingly to directions (for added flavor I substitute the cooking water for chicken or vegetable broth). Set rice aside and let completely cool in the refrigerator for hours.
2. Heat a large pan (or wok) over high heat. Add canola oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add chopped onion and garlic; stir fry for one minute. Add diced ham. Cook for two minutes- until it starts to brown. Add beans, peppers & broccoli. Stir fry another two minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the cold rice; stir fry for two minutes, incorporating rice into veggie mixture. Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir fry another minute or two.
Plate fried rice. Sprinkle with dry roasted peanuts (we use a lot!). Enjoy!

Cowboy Cookies

Yeehaw! These cowboy cookies are worth hollering about! And let me tell you, so is the dough! Best darn cookie dough I've ever had! Don't try to hold back...let yourself have a little smidge- it's delicious!

2 sticks of butter, room temperature
1/2 c white sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c wheat germ*
2 c oats
1 c coconut
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 c pecans, chopped



1. Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Add eggs.
2. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the bowl with creamed sugars. Mix well with the hand mixer.
3. At this point, trade the hand mixer in for a wooden spoon. Add wheat germ and oats. Stir well. Add coconut, chocolate chips and pecans. You need to put a little muscle into it...this cookie dough is thick!
4. Drop by tablespoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet- two inches apart. I like to use a cookie scooper for consistency.
5. Bake at 350F for 12-13 minutes. I learned a long time ago that cookies taste best when they are slightly undercooked. So, you'll have to judge their "done-ness" for yourself. They should definitely turn a light golden brown.
6. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a platter.

This recipe makes a ton of cookies. You can easily cut it in half if you just want to make enough for your family.

*If you do not have wheat germ, just substitute it for 1/4 c of flour- giving you a total of 2 cups of flour.

Corkscrew Pasta with Bacon & Asparagus

This pasta dish is just flat out yummy! The dressing is light and fresh and the bacon gives the meal a rich savory flavor. It doesn’t really matter if this cools off a bit before you serve it...it tastes great warm or cold. I serve it with baguette slices topped with goat cheese, jam & walnuts. Hello?! Can you say delish!?

Pasta Ingredients:
1/2 lb corkscrew pasta
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 slices of bacon
1/4 pine nuts
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese

Dressing:
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl white wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
Whisk all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until just ready to serve.



1.Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
2.Drizzle a little olive oil over cut asparagus. Sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. Roast the asparagus in the oven on 425F for approx 8 min or until asparagus is crisp tender.
3.Cook bacon till crisp in a large pan. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain all but 1 tsp of bacon grease from the pan. Chop bacon into little pieces.
4.Saute pine nuts over med/low heat in bacon grease until lightly browned. Add minced garlic to pine nuts and saute for one minute.
5.Add drained pasta noodles, roasted asparagus and chopped bacon to the pan with nuts and garlic. Add whisked dressing. Mix well to incorporate all ingredients.
Top with cheese just before serving.

Easy Baguette Slices Topped with Goat Cheese & Jam

Okay, the name says it all! Get a fresh, soft baguette. Slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Brush a little olive oil on the top of each slice. Cook for 5 minutes in a preheated 350F oven. Top each toasted slice with soft goat cheese, then your favorite jam preserve & chopped toasted walnuts. Easy-peasy and super yum!

My Love Affair with Kind Bars

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would confess that I am having a serious love affair with Kind Bars. Oh yum. Oh yum yum yum! How can they taste so good and still be healthful? All natural ingredients, lots of nuts, some bars are even dipped in dark chocolate. I have tried quite a few- they are all delicious...but, my absolute favorite is Almond Coconut. It is pure heaven! From the very first bite I am dreading that soon I will be taking my last...I never want this bar to end!

You can find them at Whole Foods, Starbucks, Kroger's, and other super markets.

Yes, it is true. I have a huge crush on these candy-bar-esque health bars. I'm guessing that after you try them, you will, too!

Orzo Cherry Salad

This salad has come to be after much trial and error! My husband and I were served this dish ages ago on a vacation. We loved it so much I decided to make it when we got home. The main ingredients were easy enough to duplicate (although, the addition of the wilted spinach and toasted pine-nuts were my add-ons); it was the dressing that I had trouble with! I just couldn’t seem to get it right! Finally, my husband nailed it- I wasn’t using enough balsamic vinegar! “Put in as much vinegar as you do oil,” he said! “NO way,” was my reply! “That’s so much vinegar!” But, I did as he suggested and well, he was right! It was the vinegar!


Dressing:
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbl orange juice
4-6 whole cloves garlic, peeled
A whole bunch of basil- about 20 leaves

Salad:
1 lb orzo pasta
3-4 c. raw baby leaf spinach
1 c. dried cherries (not cranberries...although, if you absolutely cannot find cherries, I’m sure cranberries would be sufficient)
1 c. pine nuts, toasted in 1 Tbl olive oil
1/2-1 tsp salt
1-2 chicken breasts, cooked & cut into bite sized pieces
Feta cheese, crumbled





1.Cook orzo pasta according to the directions on the box.
2.While pasta is cooking put the spinach in large bowl.
3.Put olive oil in a nonstick pan over low medium heat. Toast the pine-nuts in the oil for about five minutes until they are golden brown.
Drain the orzo completely. Immediately put the hot orzo on top of the spinach. Leave it be for at least 5 minutes. The hot orzo will wilt the spinach.
4.Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender and just blend away until the dressing is completely smooth.
5.Pour the dressing on top of the orzo/spinach and stir, mixing well.
6.Add the salt, toasted pine-nuts, cherries & chicken to the orzo/spinach mixture.
7.Chill salad in the refrigerator for at least three hours.
8.Sprinkle feta cheese onto each dish just before serving.