Curried Coconut Pumpkin Soup

I'm in soup mode.  It's all I want to eat right now.  It hasn't been bitterly cold out but it must be the way the leaves are changing into beautiful oranges, reds and yellows that creates this craving.
At the grocery store the other day I picked up a can of plain old Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), not knowing what I would  do with it.  It sat on my counter for a few days and all I could think about was soup.  So here it is....I winged this and it turned out well.  It's really really simple.  There's nothing complicated about the ingredients or the flavors.  It's just good and it hits the spot, it's healthy and it's a lovely burnt shade of orange.  You can eat it right away or make it ahead.  It held well for two days in the fridge.
If you want to add in extras, be my guest.  As I've said before, it's just a recipe.  Play with it.  Get creative.  It's a base for many possibilities.
p.s. we ate the soup and completely forgot to take a picture.  Please enjoy the scenic pumpkin photo....

 

Coconut Curried Pumpkin Soup


Serves 4-6

1 tbsp Coconut Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 776ml can Pumpkin Puree
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (not light)
2 tbsp maple syrup

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over med heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sweat for a minute or two.  Add the curry powder, cinnamon and salt.  Cook until the curry powder is fragrant, about 45 seconds.  Add in the pumpkin and stir to combine.  Pour in the stock, coconut milk and maple syrup.  Simmer for at least 15-20 minutes.  Puree once the soup is cooled if you want a creamier soup.

Salmon with Panko

  This is almost to easy to post but it's yummy so I must.  This is my go-to salmon.  I almost never stray from this.  My kids inhale it as does the husband.  Keep it simple people....
Use whatever flavorings you want.  I opted for dill in this picture but I've been known to throw curry powder into the mix, or tarragon, pesto or even a little fresh rosemary.  In fact, you could leave all seasonings, herbs and/or flavorings out all together.  This is a base and it carries whatever you want to add.  Feel free to mix up the mustards too.  Use honey mustard or a grainy dijon.  I also like the Panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs) because they get super crispy and add fantastic texture.  If you're gluten free, leave them off.  The possibilities are endless with this one.
If you're in a hurry, bake your salmon at 425F for 10-15 minutes.  Check the center of it to see if it's done.  I do believe the rule is 10 minutes of baking per inch of salmon. If you've got time to kill, you can also toss it into a 350F oven for 30 min.  I like to pull mine out about a minute before it's done and let it finish cooking through residual heat to keep it super moist.
p.s. sorry I didn't fancy up the picture but it was a last minute effort.  You can also see where I poked the salmon to see if it was done.  Ok, not my best effort but it tastes good.  That's what matters right?!

Salmon with Panko


Serves 2

2 - 5 oz salmon fillets
1 tbsp mayonnaise, light or regular
1 tsp dijon mustard
Herbs or flavorings of choice
Panko crumbs, seasoned or regular

Preheat the oven to 425F.  Combine the mayo, dijon and flavorings in a small bowl.  Spread over the salmon.  Sprinkle with enough Panko to cover the top of each piece.  If you're using plain Panko, you may want to spray a little olive oil on top to help crisp them.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until the salmon is done.  That's it.  That's all.  Enjoy.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives

So, how'd you like the title of this recipe?!  Original isn't it?!  I had no idea what to call this.  It's a cross between braised chicken thighs and a 'kinda' Puttanesca sauce.  Whatever it is, it's good.  The sauce get's all chickeny and thick.  It's easy and I just happen to always have these ingredients on hand.
Now, I know it calls for anchovy paste, don't be frightened.  It doesn't taste fishy at all.  It adds a depth of flavor and I really must insist you don't skimp on the anchovies.  If you don't have a can of anchovies, buy a tube of paste and I guarantee, you'll use it again.  It gives things a deep, salty flavor that you can't get from anything else.  Leave it out and you're missing out.  Just sayin'....don't argue with me on this one. I'll win.
Alternatively, you could add in a big dallop of pesto in lieu of the basil.  That would make things delish.
You could serve this over pasta but I chose to keep it simple and make crostini drizzled with olive oil.
p.s. I took the skin off my chicken once it had been cooked.  If you crisp up the skin, avoid submerging it in the sauce and it will stay a little crispier.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives


Serves 4 - 6

8 Chicken Thighs, bone in, skin on
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1-2 tsp anchovy paste or 2 anchovies
2 tbsp capers, rough chopped
1/2 cup olives (black and/or green), rough chopped
2 796 ml can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh
2 tsp dried oregano
pinch hot pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet (with lid) over med high heat.  Add oil.  Add chicken (lightly seasoned with salt and pepper) and sear on both sides about 2 minutes each.  Remove and set aside.  In the same skillet over med heat add the onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two.  Add the anchovy paste and let it melt into the onions.  Add the peppers.  Cook another 2 minutes.  Toss in the capers and olives then the tomatoes and finely the basil and oregano.  Simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavors.  Add the chicken and it's juices as well as the pepper flakes if using.  Put the lid on and simmer over med low for about 20 - 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  If the sauce is too thick, add up to a 1/4 cup of water.  Check the seasoning.  Toss in the fresh chopped parsley and voila, dinner is served.

Very Basic Mac and Cheese

Ok, so I didn't use macaroni, but does it really matter?  It's tastes the same.  It's tastes delicious.  It's warm, creamy, soothing, cheesy...need I say more.
I had a couple of extra little people at my house the other day and wasn't quite sure what to feed them.  The boxed mac would have been easy but I don't always do easy.  Too many ingredients in the boxed stuff I can't pronounce that can't be good for little people.  So I took the extra 10 minutes and whipped up a very basic mac and cheese (or pasta and cheese for those that may give me grief for not using macaroni - get over it) a couple of hours before and tossed it in the oven just before dinner.  When I make an adult friendly version, I like to add sauteed mushrooms and truffle oil and top it with panko and parm for crunch.  You can keep it simple or mix it up.  I usually throw in frozen peas for my kids but I wasn't sure if the other little people would like it so I kept it simple.   I will be blogging about another, more adult mac and cheese in the future.  It's easy fun food, so why not?!
Basic rules: Before you add the cheese, take the white sauce, or bechamel, off the heat or the cheese will split.  If you think you have too much sauce or it's not super thick, don't worry, you're baking it and some of the pasta with absorb it and make the sauce thick.  And, if you undercook your pasta by a minute or so, it will be perfect after you bake it.
p.s. you could eat this right out of the pan and not bake it but the little crunch you get from baking rocks.

Basic Mac and Cheese


Serves 4

2 cups macaroni (or pasta), uncooked
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cheddar cheese (preferably old), grated + more for topping of pasta

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Cook the macaroni until about a minute before it's done.  Just al dente.  Drain and set aside.  Heat a saucepan over med heat and add butter.  Once the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk it in cooking for about 2 minutes (watch it doesn't burn).  Add the milk slowly while whisking to ensure you don't get lumps.  Cook the white sauce until it thickens, about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Turn down the heat if you think it's burning.  Take the sauce off the heat and add in the cheese, stirring until it's melted.  Combine the macaroni and the cheese sauce and pour into a baking dish.  Top with extra cheese if you'd like.  Pop in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Yum!

Curry Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Knowing that the days aren't as warm as they were in July and the evenings are even cooler, I've been craving soup.  Soupy soup soup.  All kinds of soup.  I was awake at 6 AM today listening to the thunder boomers and the rain and thinking about what I had in my crisper.  Cauliflower.  It took off from there.  It's a simple recipe that's healthy with good flavor and enough substance to nourish your soul.  Sorry, I got a little deep there.  Anyhow, I also apologize for the picture which seems to lack substance but what can you do with a pureed soup?
This is easy peasy and yum yummy.  Geez, you'd think I'd had drink while I'm typing this.  Maybe I should.  I am making Risotto tonight and I do need to add wine....hmmmmm...
p.s. my mom just popped by and put her two cents in.  She said it would be nice to keep a couple of the roasted cauliflower bits and add them as garnish.  I prefer a smooth soup but if you want to 'fancy' it up, it's your soup, do what you will with it.  That's the beauty of cooking.

Curry Roasted Cauliflower Soup


Serves 4

1 head Cauliflower, chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tsp Garam Masala
1 small onion, chopped
1 large potato, chopped and peeled
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Bay leaf
1 1/2 - 2 tsp Madras Curry powder, or regular curry powder
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place the cauliflower in a baking dish and drizzle over 1 tbsp of Olive Oil and 2 tsp of Garam Masala.  Toss it to coat.  Roast for about 35 minutes.  Meanwhile, add 1 tbsp of Olive Oil to a large pot and add onions, cooking over medium heat, cooking for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and potato and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes longer.  Add the curry powder and cook for another minute, then add the bay leaf and chicken broth.  Simmer on low.  When the cauliflower is done, take it from the oven and add it to the soup.  Simmer for another 5 minutes.  Take it off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before popping it into the blender or food processor in batches (adding hot liquids to a blender can be dangerous so please let it cool off for about 5 minutes or so - it can splatter).  Once it's blended, add 1/2 cup of milk to slightly thin it out.

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

Tomatoes, tomatoes everywhere!  This is a favorite side dish of mine and my husbands and come to think of it, my daughters.  So totally easy and so super yummy.  I love them with goat cheese but they are equally delish with feta.  Serve them along side steak or chicken.  Toss them on a warm salad or pop a couple on top of a simple pasta with olive oil.  Yum!
I'm not giving exact measurements because I don't have them.  Depends on how many you make.  You could even sprinkle on some toasted bread crumbs.  Wing it.  That's what makes cooking fun!

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes


Plum Tomatoes
Clove of garlic, chopped (optional)
Dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper
Goat Cheese or Feta Cheese
Olive Oil
Fresh Basil (Optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the tomatoes in halve and scoop out seeds.  Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and sprinkle in a little chopped garlic and a pinch of oregano.  Mound in your cheese of choice.  Place in a baking dish.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes and cheese are soft.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss on some fresh basil for good measure.

Pesto

I was in Ottawa for the weekend and spent some quality time in the Byward Market perusing all of the fresh veggies, meats and cheeses.  I was in heaven.  I happened to pick up a huge bunch of Basil with Pesto in mind.
I love Pesto on pasta, mixed with mayo as a spread, drizzled over goat cheese as an app, spread on chicken, fish, seafood, even steak or even drizzled over gorgeous juicy red tomatoes.
I am freezing my pesto in ice cube trays so I didn't add the cheese.  I got about 8 cubes out of this recipe.  I will add the cheese in once it's thawed.  I will give you my recipe for Pesto with the parm in it.  If you are planning on doing as I did and popping it into the freezer, omit the cheese before freezing and simply add it in as you need it, once you've thawed it.  If you're dairy free, don't use it at all.  You're still going to get wonderful flavor from the basil and garlic.

Pesto


2 cups fresh Basil leaves
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped (I used 3)
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
salt & pepper

Toss the basil, garlic and pine nuts into a food processor (or blender) and pulse, scraping down sides until rough chopped.  Slowly add the olive oil until a loose paste forms.  Stir in parm if using.  Add salt and pepper to taste.