Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

This recipe is from The Food Network.  It makes a LOT of soup!  Very good fall soup and squash is on sale this time of year.  

Jesse-4

Megan-4

FATT ONION Sandwich

Ingredients

Feta Cheese

Apple Slices

Turnip Leaves

Turkey

Onion bun

Put the turkey and apple slices on the bottom section of the bun.  Toast the turkey, apple slices and onion bun in the oven until apple is warm and the bun toasted.  Take out of the oven and add feta cheese and turnip leaves.  Enjoy.

Jesse and I made this sandwich up about 2 years ago.  It is a great sandwich and easy to remember the ingredients with the title FATT ONION.

Jesse- 4.5/5
Megan- 4.5/5

Balsamic-Marinated Flank Steak

• Ingredients

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak

Preparation

1. Combine vinegar, sugar, rosemary and 1 1/2 tsp. salt in a ziplock bag. Add steak to bag, seal and turn bag several times to coat meat with marinade. Refrigerate 20 minutes, turning once or twice.
2. Preheat a gas grill to high for 20 minutes. Remove steak from marinade and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Discard marinade. Grill steak for 4 to 6 minutes, turn over, and continue to grill until done, 3 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare, depending on thickness of meat and heat of grill. (Alternatively, grill in batches on a lightly oiled ridged grill pan over medium-high heat on stove.)
3. Transfer steak to cutting board, tent loosely with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

I got this recipe from the ALL YOU Eat Well, Save Big Cookbook.  I let the steak marinate for a few hours instead of 20 minutes.  I also did not preheat my grill for 20 minutes more like 5 minutes.  The steak had a nice flavor.  We had left overs and ate it cold on sandwiches the next day and it was still very good.

Jesse-4/5

Megan- 4/5

Pineapple Jerk Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno chile--stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pineapple, cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup jerk marinade
• 1 15 ounce can  black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rice, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook until the onion is browned, 7 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the pan and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pineapple and jerk marinade and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the onion mixture, black beans and cilantro; cook until the beans are heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve over the rice.

This recipe is form the Rachel Ray Magazine.  I use Kroger brand jerk marinade and canned pineapple chunks.  This is a very flavorful dish.  

Jesse-3.5/5

Megan-4/5

I would love to hear feedback from people who made this recipe or any of the other recipes on the blog.  Enjoy!

Raspberry Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Ingredients

Boxed Angel Food Cake Mix

Filling

• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Frosting

• 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Cook angel food according to box.  Let cool and cut in half horizontally.  Spread raspberry preserves between the two pieces.  Melt the chocolate chips and mix in sour cream.  Frost.

This recipe is a modified version found in Self Magazine.  This dessert is awesome.  Very hard not to go back for a second piece.  The picture above is from the one my mom made over labor day weekend.  I have made this cake in the past and it is not hard for how good is tastes.  

Jesse- 4.5/5

Megan- 4.5/5

Chicken and Pasta in Peanut Sauce

Ingredients
8oz spaghetti noodles
1 bunch of baby broccoli cut into 2-3 inch length
1 medium red sweet pepper cut into strips
1 lb chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup peanut sauce
crushed red pepper
salt

In a dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions.  Add broccoli and sweet pepper during the last 2 minutes of cooking; drain.  Return pasta and vegetables to dutch oven and set aside.  Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet heat oil over medium hear and cook chicken in hot oil 8-12 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once.  Transfer chicken to cutting board and slice; add to pasta and vegetables   Stir in peanut sauce.  Heat through.  Sprinkle crushed red pepper on top.  Makes 4 servings.

This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens All-Time favorites 2010 cookbook.  I used regular broccoli instead of baby because I could not find baby.  I made the mistake of emptying the container next to the stove that holds our spaghetti noodles into the pot with out measuring the noodle amount.  I used WAY more than 8oz.  This caused the dish to have excess noodles.  Jesse and I ate the dish that night and it was okay.  I went out and bought more peanut sauce and added it to the left overs the next day and it was so much better.  I had a friend over and she and I got seconds.  The picture above is the first night with too many noodles.    

Jesse-2.5/5
Megan-3/5 first night 4/5 second night