This soup started out as a Stuffed Squash recipe I was developing. I had a lot of leftover filling and, as it was on the bland side, knew we weren’t going to eat it. But as regular readers may know – I HATE waste!!! There was no way I was going to throw it out.
So, I put on my thinking cap. The filling was a mixture of butternut squash, mushrooms, chickpeas, rice, dried cranberries, pecans, and a shallot. An omelette was my first thought…but, no.
Then it occurred to me – SOUP! One can of whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, and an onion later I had an amazing dinner. The result was a delightful blend of textures and flavors.
When life sends you lemons, make lemonade.
STUFFED SQUASH SOUP – makes about 10 cups
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1/2 cup uncooked rice (I use Trader Joe’s 3 Rice Medley)
- 1½ T olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 T pressed garlic
- 8 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 28 oz can whole tomatoes, chopped
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1½ cups water
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit.
Wash and dry the butternut squash. You’re going to need to cut it in half lengthwise. In order to prevent injury, soften the squash a bit by microwaving it for 3 minutes ONLY. (You don’t need to pierce it.) Turn it over and zap it for another 30 seconds. Slice it in half lengthwise and place halves cut side down on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake in 375º F oven for about 25 minutes – until flesh can be pierced with a knife. 
Let cool enough to handle. Scrape out and discard seeds and fibers. Cut into 1/2″ slices, then cut away the peel. Cut flesh into 1/2″ cubes. 
While squash is cooking, cook the rice.
In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over a medium flame. Add in onions and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often. 
Add in shallot, garlic, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes over medium/high flame, stirring often. 
Add in squash, rice, garbanzo beans, cranberries, pecans, thyme, chopped tomatoes and it’s juice, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.
Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve.
I’ve rarely met a potato dish I didn’t like. However, I was never very happy with homemade potato cakes. There’s a slight difference between potato patties, latkes, hashbrowns, and pancakes. I’ve tried making them all and never been very happy with any…until America’s Test Kitchen came to the rescue.
Drain, then return potatoes to pot or large bowl. 
Mash potatoes until smooth and let cool about 10 minutes.
Form 8 3″ patties – they’ll each need about 1/2 cup’s worth of potatoes. Make sure to press the patties together firmly so they don’t fall apart. 
Beat the whole egg with a fork and pour onto a plate. Pour the panko onto another plate. Dip each pattie on both sides into the egg, followed by the panko. 
Set all the patties aside for 5 minutes before frying.
Place on a cookie sheet and keep warm in the 200º F oven. Cook the remaining 4 patties in the same manner. Serve immediately or keep warm in the oven until ready to eat.
I’ve been on another quest. (For some reason, my quests usually involve chocolate.) This time I was on a search for the perfect brownie recipe.
Immediately pour hot liquid into bowl with chocolate, stirring to melt chocolate completely. Allow to cool 10 minutes, stirring now and then. (You’re going to be adding eggs, and don’t want to cook them.)
Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in approximately half of the eggs and mix in completely. Pour and mix in the remaining egg. Stir in the vanilla.
Add in the flour mixture, pecans, and mini chocolate chips. Mix just until all the flour has been incorporated. 
Pour into prepared baking pan, smoothing batter flat. If desired, sprinkle on fleur-de-sel.
Bake at 325º F for about 28 minutes. (They start to look done at around 25 minutes in my oven, but I let them go a few minutes more – otherwise they’ll sink too much as they cool and be a little too gooey for my taste.)
Remove from oven and let brownies completely cool several hours before cutting. (This takes a LOT of self-control!!) Note: They’ll still sink a little at 28 minutes, but not as much as they would at 25 minutes.
Let me start by pointing out the quotation marks around the word SAUSAGE mean imitation. (For you carnivores, you can use real sausage.)
Add in onion, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook 3-5 minutes – until onions are softened. 
Add in stock, beans, tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to boil, cover, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in spinach off heat and check for seasoning (I add another 1/2 tsp salt). 
Sprinkle servings with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, if desired.
Speedy Thin Crust Pizza has become my go-to pizza recipe not only because I can have it on the table in a little over an hour, but because it’s REALLY good. It’s a very thin pizza with a nice chew.
Set the workbowl on the processor base and run the machine for 10 seconds.
Let mixture set in place for 10 minutes. Add in the salt and process for 30 seconds. 
Empty dough onto a floured counter and fold the dough onto itself a few times to bring the dough together. 
Divide the ball in half and place each one on a piece of oiled (I use olive oil) parchment paper approximately 12″ wide. DO NOT USE WAXED PAPER – IT’S TOO THIN!!!
Rub the tops of the dough with a little more oil then top each with another piece of same-sized parchment. Press down with your hands to smoosh the dough into a square to get it started. With a rolling pin roll both dough balls to about 13″ x 10″ using short strokes, working from the center outward. (I find it easier to keep the parchment from sliding on my counter if I place it on a dry tea towel.) Let set 30 minutes.
Use this time to get your toppings ready.
Carefully peel away and discard the top parchment (which used to be the bottom parchment). 
Top pizzas with your choice of sauce and toppings.
Slide the pizza with bottom parchment onto the preheated stone or steel. 
Bake for 4 minutes. Rotate the pizza 180º, then remove and discard the parchment by securing it in place with a spatula with one hand and pulling out the parchment with the other. (The parchment won’t burn your fingers, so you don’t need to use an oven mitt as long as you don’t touch anything else.) 
Let bake another couple of minutes, until it’s browned to your liking. Remove from oven, let set a minute or two, then slice it up and serve. (This is not the same pizza I placed in the oven in the above pictures.)
Slice sweet potato in half lengthwise and scrap out pulp, leaving a 1/4″ border intact. 
Chop pulp to break up strings, then mash. 
Stir mashed sweet potato into jalapeño mixture along with all but 2 T of the cheese.
Fill each sweet potato shell with the mixture. Sprinkle 1 T cheese on each half. At this point they can be covered and baked just before serving.
Bake at 375º F for about 8 minutes, until sweet potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted. 
Serve immediately.
I’m not sure when it happened but, for better or worse, every year new foods become pumpkin flavored during Autumn.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin, milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold to mix.
Empty onto a well-floured counter and knead about 5 or 6 times. (I use a bench scraper to help since the dough is sticky.) 
With floured fingers, pat dough into an 8″ circle (try to keep the dough to an even thickness) and cut into 8 wedges.
Place on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet (I prefer a dark sheet that’s greased.)
Bake at 400º F with the rack in the middle position for about 16 minutes. They’re at their best when they’re slightly dark on the bottom. 
The last time I baked them, I thought I overcooked them (see photo), but they were amazing – a slight crunch on the outside and perfect chew inside. So when you check them for doneness, look for slightly dark sides. 
Then remove from oven onto wire rack to completely cool before icing.
For easier control over the drizzle, pour icing into a spouted cup or a pastry bag with a small circle tip. Design as you wish.
Allow icing to harden before serving.
I love Indian food! In particular, I look forward to the soft chewy naan bread. I previously posted a plain naan bread recipe (
During the half hour wait, sauté the onions: In a skillet put 3 T olive oil, the onions, and salt. 
Over medium to medium/high heat cook until onions are well browned. Adjust heat as necessary. (This step can be done ahead of time.) Remove from heat to cool a bit.
Once the dough has set for 1/2 hour, add in 3 T olive oil, buttermilk, baking powder, onions, and about 125g (1 cup) of the flour. Blend to combine and break down onion somewhat.
Add flour in increments until you get a dough that’s only slightly tacky to the touch. 
Pour dough into an oiled bowl, flip dough so both sides are oiled, and cover. Let rest about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
Pour dough onto a lightly oiled counter (not floured). Cut into 8-12 pieces, depending on how large you want them.
As it’s cooking, roll out next dough ball(s).
Remove to a tea towel and wrap to keep warm.
Green Chili Stew is an incredibly tasty blend of flavors that’s quick to put together. The little pop of lime is my favorite part!
If you’re using fresh chilis, turn oven to broil. Wash and cut pepper and chilis top to bottom. Discard seeds and ribs. Lay cut side down on cookie sheet.
Broil until skin starts to blacken. (It only takes a few minutes, so keep an eye on it!!!). Remove and discard blackened skin. 
Chop skinless pepper and chilis into bite-sized pieces.
Wash tomatillos well (they feel kind of waxy) and chop into bite-sized pieces. 
In a Dutch oven, place the oil, onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, and 1 tsp salt. Sauté over medium/high heat 4 minutes, stirring often. 
Add in corn, chilis, and pepper – cook 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add in hominy, beans, tomatillos, vegetable stock, and fake chicken or tofu. Turn burner to medium/high heat, bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to keep a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro, lime juice, and additional salt, if needed (I usually add in 1 tsp salt).
My introduction to Morovian Sugar Cake was a little bittersweet.
Add in 84g (6 T) butter and eggs. Process to blend.
With machine running, pour in the proofed yeast water. 
Add 400g (3½ cups) to processor and blend. Add flour 25g (¼ cup) at a time, processing after each, until dough starts pulling away from sides of the work bowl. Stop adding flour, and run machine another 30 seconds to knead the dough. Empty dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times to bring together. 
After dough has risen, create pockets with your fingertip, the handle of a wooden spoon, or something else that’s about 1/2″ diameter.
Sprinkle the sugar topping over the entire cake. Drizzle the remaining 84g (6 T) melted butter over all. 
Bake at 350º F for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. 
Cool at least 5 minutes before serving.
Vegetarian Cooking For Carnivores BLOG 