Easy Butternut Soup

I'm not a big veggie soup person but last year as I was trying to get my family to eat vegetables in different ways I tried squash soup - and G-boy LOVED it. This was not for dinner tonight, I was just making it to keep in the fridge for the rest of the week but guess who had two bowls for DESSERT!? Yes, G-boy.

And tonight I accomplished my soup in half the time and effort I usually put in so I felt I should share. Normally I peel, chop, boil, then puree. But tonight I slipped it in the oven with my sweet potatoes.....ahhhh, much better!

Easy Butternut Soup

Halve your medium to large butternut squash and lay cut side down on a foil lined pan.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or so until soft.

Let cool and scoop squash from skin with a big spoon.

Put your squash in the blender and add:

3 cups of chicken stock

(vegetable stock if you're a vegetarian)

1/2 cup water

a generous shake of onion powder

a generous shake of garlic powder

a little shake of cinnamon

a little shake of nutmeg

a pinch of salt to taste

Puree in blender until smooth, add more water if needed for your favorite consistency.

Reheat to eat.

After the baking it should just take 10 minutes to put together. No cream and no butter - because it tastes good with out it, and you can use those calories to make the salad taste good! Add breadsticks if you got 'em. Enjoy!

♥

We're Having Moscjitos Tonight!

Introducing the "Moscjito"

(pronounced like the blood sucking bug - named by my girlfriend Lauren and I)

It's a cross between a glass of Moscato and a Mojito. Exciting right!?

Usually in a tumbler:

a few ice cubes

Moscato Wine

(Trader Joe's has a sparkling Moscato that is perfect but you can use any or add a dash of club soda to make your own sparkles)

The juice of 1/4 to 1/2 a lime

& throw in a slice of lime too

That's it!

Happy Holidays!

♥

Pesto Chicken Pasta

It was supposed to be fajita night last night but I didn't have sour cream. Ack! I can't do mexican without sour cream! So I switched to chicken and pasta. Generally we sautee the chicken and throw it on pasta and peas with white sauce from the jar. But I really do hate that white sauce in a jar... I always think I'll like it, but I don't! I generally can thin it out with some milk but it's still always too rich and flavorless at the same time - if that makes sense. And making the pesto sauce from the dry package takes another pot I have to watch. The taste doesn't see to match the work load involved. So I went in a new direction.

Pesto Chicken Pasta

start your penne pasta first

add frozen peas half way through cooking your pasta

(just throw them in the water)

heat your oil (thinly coat the entire bottom of the pan)

add chopped bacon pieces (give them a minute head start)

add your chicken pieces

add a handful of sliced up artichoke hearts

add onion powder & garlic to season

add 1/2 a package of Knorr Pesto Sauce Mix

(add dry, do not make into a sauce)

keep cooking all this together until the chicken is done - use more oil if things get dry

drain the pasta and peas but keep 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water

add that cooking water back in

plus 2 tsp of butter

plus your yummy chicken and pesto sautee

mix

top with cheese!

It's a very normal and easy recipe. I think you'll like it!

Sorry I'm not very technical in my recipes. I can't measure like I've said before! My friends sometimes call to clarify. Feel free to comment here if needed!

♥

Sweet and Spicy Crock Pot Chili

Sunday was the famous chili-lunch at church so it's time to share my winter favorite: Sweet and Spicy Crock Pot Chili! I don't eat soup much but I'll eat a hearty chowder or this chili anytime! This one is not messing around!

I haven't used the actual recipe in a while. I actually just found it. My recipes are printed sheets of paper stuffed inside my Better Homes and Gardens Bridal cook book. One cook book of 4 I own. It's the biggest so it seems to make the best home.

This recipe was sent via e-mail from my fabulous sister-in-law and is now cut in two pieces as it almost died being mistaken for scrap paper at work! I'm editing it as I type to show exactly how I do it.

Throw in your crock pot in the am on low:

1 lb ground beef - brown and drain

15 oz tomato sauce

14 oz petite diced tomatoes

2 14 oz cans of chili beans drained

1/2 a large onion chopped and sauteed

two cloves of garlic chopped finely and sauteed with onions

(if you're feeling lazy onion powder and garlic powder will do)

1 1/2 tbsp of chili powder

1 pack of McCormicks chili seasoning

1/3 cup brown sugar

Taste for final sugar, spice, or salt additions.

Serve with cour cream and/or cheese.

Don't be afraid to double the recipe.

I can't believe I gave you the recipe. I like to be the one getting all the compliments. Use this power wisely!

♥

Orange Julius Knock-Off

Want a sweet treat this weekend? This is my go-to Orange Julius knock-off recipe.

Speaking of Orange Julius, when I went to Dairy Queen last night in my robe and untied tennys (I used the drive thru but they can still see you I realized) I noticed a sign in the window. They now serve real Orange Julius drinks! I know they aren't as popular as they were in the 90's but I hope they never die. LONG LIVE THE JULIUS!

Here's what I make - I got it from this guy

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8-9 ice cubes

It's a bit sweet so you may want to skimp on the concentrate and vanilla just a tad.

Lasagna Filling Upgrade

I had waaaay too many lasagna noodles in the pantry so it was time for some cookin! Finding myself low on cheese I threw in a 1/2 a jar of Alfredo sauce.

That's why Tim and I drink when we cook together. He gets super aggressive with his spices, looking over my shoulder all the time, and I like substituting ingredients that make him say "ew" a lot. There is a lot of laughing and hitting happening in my tiny kitchen these nights. That's probably why we only cook together once a week.

But I think we are on to something here! I want to use this new lasagna filling whenever I can now. Try making your traditional lasagna {layering noodles, tomato sauce, ground beef, mozzarella} and add:

16 oz Ricotta Cheese

1 jar Alfredo Sauce

1/2 package of frozen spinach

1 beat egg

garlic powder

pinch of salt

{mixed all together}

It would have been perfect it I didn't have to skimp on the mozzarella. There's nothing better than a thick, hot layer of cheese baked on top of .... well, everything.

♥

Citrus-Green Juice

Oh man! I just made a really good smoothie. I wasn't going to share but now I feel I have to. I think you'll like it!

by my estimation it was:

1/3 a blender of kale

3 large beet greens I had left over

3 ice cubes

4 large baby carrots or one large carrot

5 whole frozen strawberries

1/2 can of pineapple + juice

1/2 cup apple juice

1 cup orange juice

makes 2 large glasses

It was more of a juice consistency than a smoothie, goes down easy!

Let me know if you try it.

♥