Pumpkin Soup with sweet potatoes & coconut milk

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

4 cups pumpkin, cooked and puréed 

1 large sweet potato, cooked and peeled

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 large onions, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground ginger

4 cups chicken stock (variation: substitute ½ cup white wine or 1 cup apple juice)

1x or 2x 400ml cans coconut milk

In a large saucepan, sauté onions 5 minutes, add carrots.  Add stock, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, ginger, salt, pepper, and bring to a boil.  Add coconut milk and simmer 20-30 minutes (add additional stock if required).  Remove from heat and purée with an immersion blender.  If desired, serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and some chopped parsley and/or chopped green onion.

Indian Style Creamed Spinach

 Serves four as a side or two as the main.

INGREDIENTS

13.5oz. can full-fat coconut milk

8 oz. fresh spinach (next time I'd double the spinach)

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric

pinch cayenne pepper

1 large tomato

1/4 cup water

3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS 

Add the coconut milk and spinach to a large pot. Stir and cook over medium heat until the coconut milk is warmed through and has wilted the spinach. Remove from the heat as soon as the spinach has wilted to avoid over-cooking the spinach.

Using a hand blender, lightly blend the warm coconut milk and spinach until it is in small pieces (you can choose to blend until smooth, if you prefer). Set this mixture aside.

Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to a large skillet along with the olive oil. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 minutes).

Add the cumin, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne to the skillet. Stir and cook the spices with the onion, garlic, and ginger for about two minutes more.

Dice the tomato and add it to the skillet along with about 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook the tomato with the other ingredients, dissolving any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the tomato has broken down (5-8 minutes).

Finally, add the coconut and spinach mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to heat through, stirring occasionally.

Taste the creamed spinach and add salt to taste. Start with 1/4 tsp, adding more as needed until the flavors pop (I added 3/4 tsp).

from: https://www.budgetbytes.com/indian-style-creamed-spinach

Thai Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

(Serves 4-6)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp ginger paste

1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste (or to taste)

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups vegetable stock

1 can (400ml) coconut milk, divided

Pinch dried cilantro or other garnish

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Sauté onions 5-7 minutes, add garlic, ginger and curry paste, and cook gently until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and stir to coat.  Add stock and bring to a boil, adding salt and pepper if stock is unseasoned.

Cook approximately 20 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.  Purée. Add water if mixture is too thick. Add ½ can of coconut milk (whisk before dividing to ensure both halves are consistent) and cook five more minutes. Adjust seasoning. (I have added cooked, chopped chicken at this point.)

Serve in wide soup bowls and drizzle each decoratively with remaining coconut milk and pinch of cilantro or basil. 

Benjamin's Grade Six Chocolate Chip Cookies

When Benjamin was homeschooled for grade six, Mom sometimes taught math in the kitchen. This recipe was (and is) one of Benjamin's favorites. He says they look like perfect chocolate chip cookies too. 

Stir together: 2 ½ cups flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 

In a separate bowl, mix together and beat until fluffy: 

½ cup butter or margarine ½ cup shortening 1 cup packed brown sugar ½ cup white sugar 

Add to butter mixture and beat well: 2 eggs 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract 

Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture and beat until well blended. 

Stir in: 

1 to 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate pieces 

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

Drop dough from a teaspoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing two inches apart. 

Bake in 375° oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. 

Remove to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Marina Tracy’s Shortbread

2 cups flour 

2 Tbsp sugar 

½ cup shortening 

1 egg 

½ cup milk (use extra to moisten if needed) 

3 tsp baking powder 

½ tsp salt 

Mix egg & milk with dry ingredients. 

 Press into two 9” pans. 

Poke with a fork to ventilate. 

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Japanese Beef Curry

 Serves 4-6 over rice

 3 Tbsp butter or margarine, divided

1.5 lbs lean ground beef

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp peeled and grated gingerroot

2 tsp grated garlic

3 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp mild curry powder

3 ½ cups beef stock

½ tsp Garam Masala

 Optional extras: ½ cup canned corn; 2 cups chopped spinach; ½ cup chopped red pepper

 In a medium saucepan, melt 1 Tbsp butter over high heat.  Add the beef and cook about 5-6 minutes, stirring to break it up, until light brown.  Add the onion and continue stir frying 6-8 minutes until soft.  Stir in the ginger and garlic.  Temporarily remove from heat and set aside.

 Melt the remaining butter in a separate pan over low heat.  Add the flour and cook until thick and golden, about 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle in the curry powder and mix well.  Gradually add the stock, whisking until smooth.

 Add the sauce mixture to the beef and onion mixture.  Return to heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes until sauce is thick.  If using, add any of the optional extras and simmer until vegetables and hot and spinach is melted, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the Garam Masala and serve over rice.

Red River Cereal Bread

 

Mix together in a large bowl:

1 ¼ tsp instant yeast

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 ¼ tsp salt

½ cup Red River Cereal*

1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour

For a more artisanal bread, you can add chopped olives (1/3 cup) and chopped walnuts 1/3 cup).

 

Add and whisk until smooth:

2 Tbsp oil

1 1/3 cup warm water

 

Add about 1 ½ cups all purpose flour to make a stiff dough. 

Kneed for 3-4 minutes.  Let rise 20 minutes in a warm, humid environment (such as a microwave with a mug of hot water in it).  

 

Punch down and form into 2 small loaves. Let rise 45 minutes to one hour.  

 

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

 

*The Red River Cereal can be substituted with rolled oats and some flax seed and chia seeds. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

 Mix together dry ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 ½  cups white flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

½ cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger powder

1 tsp mace

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ground cloves

Mix together wet ingredients:

1 cup (soy) milk

½ cup oil

1 ¾ cups puréed pumpkin

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Mix together wet and dry ingredients. Spoon into muffin tins. Makes 18-24 muffins

Bake at 375℉ for 25 minutes+

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

(Serves six)

Ingredients

¼ cup butter or margarine

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

½ cup red lentils

½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 tsp minced garlic

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon paprika

4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

¼ cup white wine 

plain yogurt or feta cheese (optional)

Directions

Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth and wine into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

Turn burner off and allow the soup to stop bubbling. Use an immersion blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.

Add hot water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt or feta cheese for garnish.

(modified from AllRecipes)

Sour Cream Coffee cake muffins

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Makes 10 medium muffins.

*** Combine well in a large bowl:

1/3 cup oil

2 Tbsp water

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 tsp vanilla

1 diced apple, cored, skin on

 

 *** Combine in second bowl:

¼ cup brown sugar

 ½ cup walnut pieces

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

 

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  Mix for 10 strokes.

Spoon into greased muffin tin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.