Hot-Hot-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Hot-Hot-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

This is a fall favorite to warm you up on the inside, it's got a bit of kick to it!  It's best to make a day in advance, but there is no rule you can't eat it on the same day that you make it...I don't like rules :)

 

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth, not low sodium

1 can (same size) pure pumpkin

1 large potato

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 onions

2 large jalapenos

1 1/2 t. dried thyme

1/4 t. allspice

1/2 t. black pepper

1 t. garlic powder

Method:

Steam onion, garlic and jalapenos in microwave

Cook potato until soft

Food process potato, onion, garlic and jalapenos

Mix pumpkin and chicken broth in large pot

Whisk in other ingredients and spices

Simmer on stove, cool, refrigerate overnight

Reheat on stove, serve w/ dollop of sour cream

Traveling Companion: Granola Bars

I've tried many different recipes for granola bars, to which the mister can testify.  Many of them turned out to be too cake-like, too thick, not moist enough, or requiring far too many eggs (4 eggs, really?).  I used to eat chocolate chip granola bars for breakfast every day in high school, back when they were a quarter, with a side of Sunny D, and missed those thinner, flat, honey-oat packed bars of goodness.  Now I'm not about to tell you that I've managed to replicate that recipe, and I didn't want to, because I'm sure they were not very healthy even then, but I have a recipe that is more of a grown-up version.  They are compact, thin, emphasize oats, and so very versatile.  Did I mention quick and easy?  Well, they are that too, taking about 16 minutes to bake.

Ingredients:
1/4 C margaine
1 C brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 T honey
2 C oats
1 C flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 C raisins
2 T sunflower seeds (Optional)
pinch of ground cloves (Opt.)
1/2 C chopped apple (Opt.) 

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease the bottom of a rectangular cake pan
Cream the margarine and sugar
Add egg, cream with hand mixer
And honey, mix
Add baking soda, cinnamon and flour, mixing well
Add oats, raisins, mix to evenly distribute
Add other optional ingredients, be careful though, if you add the apple you will be pushing the limit of what this granola bar recipe can hold while still having enough dough to make everything stick together, you don't want to end up with a crumbly mess.
Press mixture onto the bottom of the cake pan, making sure there are no air pockets, and finishing with a level top.

Bake for 14-18 minutes, until firm but springy and a light golden brown
Cool completely in pan before slicing.

I've taken these for travel food many times, and it sure is nice to have a healthy-ish road snack, or one you can individually wrap and take with you on the plane.

Using dried apricots or other fruits is highly recommended too. 
Anyway, if you have been frustrated by not finding a good granola bar recipe that is simple and not full of unhealthy junk, I hope you will give this one a try, and enjoy!

Skip the Pizza, Make a Calzone!

You can see how much spinach shrinks inside!

Not exactly craving pizza, but up for Italian?  Try making your own calzones!  It’s really not that difficult.  If you have all of the ingredients you would for making a homemade pizza, you are good to go, I’ll show you how—

What you’ll need:

• 1 short can of tomato sauce (about 5-6 oz. in the store for ~ 30-40cents ea)-season this how you like it, or have it straight

• 2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

• olive oil, for brushing

• Stuffing ingredients!  (Ex.: raw spinach, sautéed mushrooms, onion, garlic, black olives, pepperoni, etc. etc.  I pre-saute anything that might take a while to get a to a cooked state, BECAUSE this is only going to be in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Avoid extra juicy items like tomatoes)

1. Make two thin pizza crusts*(see below)
2. Shape them with two long sides (parallel) and two convex sides (fanning out)
3. Place the crusts on baking sheets
4. Add your stuffing ingredients, cheese, sauce and any herbs/seasoning from the halfway mark out to one side, KEEP clear about 1” along the edges
5. Gently bring the empty side over the filled side to meet
6. Fold the bottom edge over the top edge (gives you about  1/2” lip) and use a fork to press and secure the lip
7. Use your fingers or gently brush a small amount of olive oil over the top, sides and lip of the crust
8. Bake at 425 for approximately 20-25 minutes, calzone is done when the crust feels solid and has turned just slightly golden brown

Slice open with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

Thin Pizza Crust Recipe/calzone crust recipe

 This is a wonderful recipe, I’ve been using it for years, it goes together quickly with a hand mixer, and tastes great, but most importantly, it cooks likes it’s supposed to.

Ingredients (for 2 crusts)

2 C flour + extra for rolling

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/4 C margarine

3/4 C milk

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl

Cut in margarine (with a hand mixer to save time)

Add milk, mix

Divide into two halves and roll out until very thin, about 12-16 inches in diameter

For calzone, shape and proceed

For pizza crust, brush edges lightly with olive oil and pre-bake for 5-8 minutes at 450 degrees, then add toppings and bake for 15 minutes