Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 T Olive oil

2 Leeks, trimmed and sliced

1 Garlic clove, crushed

1 t Ground ginger

1 t Ground cumin

2 C Canned Pumpkin (or fresh cooked pumpkin, puréed)

3 C Chicken broth

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

4 T Sour cream

Cilantro leaves, for garnish

2 Small pumpkins, optional

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pan. Add leeks and garlic. Cook gently until softened but not colored. Add ginger and cumin and cook, stirring, for a further minute. 

Purée the mixture in a food processor or blender. 

Mix pumpkin and chicken broth in a medium-large pot. Add puréed mixture and heat to boiling. Cover and simmer for as long as desired to blend the flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro. 

Optional pumpkin bowls: Carefully cut pumpkins in half. Scoop out insides, scraping well. Place upright on a baking sheet and brush top edges with oil. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Brush with oil again. 

Serves: 4

* My mom's recipe

Easy Homemade Hummus

Ingredients:

1/4 C Tahini

1/4 C Lemon Juice

2 C Cooked Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 Garlic clove, minced

2 T Olive oil

1/2 t Kosher salt

1/2 t Ground cumin

2-3 T Water

Dash of paprika

Directions:

Combine Tahini and lemon juice in food processor and process for 1 minute to whip. Add half of the beans and process for 30 seconds. Add remaining beans and process another 30 seconds. 

Add garlic, Olive oil, salt, and cumin and process. 

Add water to bring to desired consistency. 

When serving, sprinkle a little paprika on the top. 

* Adapted from http://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/

Sarah's Awesome Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 Avacados

3 Garlic cloves, roasted and pressed

3 T Lemon juice

3 T Lime juice

1 t Onion powder

1/4 t Cayenne pepper

1/4 t Salt

Directions:

Mash Avacados. Combine all other ingredients. 

 

* My friend Sarah's recipe

Autumn Harvest Soup

Ingredients:

2 t Olive oil

2 Small red onions, diced

1/2 C Green onion, chopped

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Jalapeño, seeded and sliced

1 Medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 C Zucchini, peeled and chopped

2 C Pumpkin purée (fresh or canned)

3 C Chicken broth

1 1/2 t Cumin

1 t Kosher salt

1/4 t Black pepper

1-15 oz Can Garbanzo (or other) beans

2 C Chopped turkey (or chicken), cooked

Directions:

Pour oil into a large pot. Add red onion, green onion, garlic, jalapeño, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook on medium heat until red onions become tender and translucent. 

Stir in pumpkin, broth, cumin, salt, pepper, beans, and turkey. Cover and simmer for at least one hour.

 

* My recipe

Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pound ground beef
• 3 green peppers, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 T Mexican Seasoning
• 2 C rice, cooked
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 15 oz can corn kernels, drained
• 1 15 oz can black or pinto beans
• 2 C mozzarella cheese, divided
• Dried cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook meat in frying pan with onions until meat is almost completely browned. Add peppers. Cook over medium-low heat until beef in completely cooked and peppers begin to turn tender. Add seasoning. 
3. In a 3 qt casserole, stir together the rice, sauce, diced tomatoes, corn, beans, and 3/4 C cheese.
4. Add in the beef mixture and stir until combined. Cover with remaining cheese (or more if desired). Sprinkle dried cilantro on top of cheese.  
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through and cheese begins to brown. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

 

* Adapted from http://www.a-kitchen-addiction.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole/

Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

3 T Butter

1 T Olive oil

1 Medium onion, diced

1 Large carrot, diced

1 Celery stalk, diced

2 Garlic cloves, pressed

2 T All-purpose flour

48 Oz. Chicken broth

6 Medium red potatoes, diced

1/2 C Greek sour cream

1/2 C Unsweetened almond milk

6 Oz. Roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 t Thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and mix in the olive oil. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes, until onion is lightly browned. Stir in the garlic, and continue to cook 1 minute. Mix in the flour. Whisk in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Place the potatoes in the pot, reduce heat to low, and cook 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Mix the sour cream and almond milk together and stir into the pot. Stir in the roasted red peppers. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking until heated through.

* Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-red-pepper-and-potato-soup/

Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

1 Acorn squash

Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Using a strong chef's knife cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving.

* Adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/classic_baked_acorn_squash/