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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Crock Pot Applesauce

Disclaimer: This one is so easy it is literally embarrassing that I am posting about it.
Crock Pot Applesauce


1 Dozen apples, cored and chunked
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c water

Savory Apples
Replace water with chicken stock
add 1/2 tsp cumin

Super Sweet Sauce
Replace water with apple juice or cider
add 1/4 c brown sugar

Place apples and cinnamon in the crock-pot and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 8. Stir well to break up apple chunks before serving. Eat plain as a snack, over oatmeal for breakfast or serve over ice cream and/or pound cake for dessert.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Eggplant Gratin

This is one of my all time favorite recipes from when I was a kid. My mom always called it eggplant Parmesan so it wasn't until much latter in life that I realized that true eggplant parm is fried (which is also delicious but a lot more work and calories.) This *healthier* version is truly a gratin with all the cheesy goodness. Its super quick to prepare and could be assembled the night before and either cooked or reheated when you are ready to eat. Another bonus is that it freezes well and makes super yummy eggplant subs for sandwiches the next day!


Eggplant Gratin



2 Medium Eggplants, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch slices
1 c water
16 oz of Ricotta
16 oz of mozzarella
½ c shredded Parmesan
1 jar of tomato sauce


Place eggplant  and water in a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave for 5-10 minutes until the eggplant is soft. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with tomato sauce, layer eggplant on top of the sauce until the pan is covered, place dollops of ricotta cheese on top of the eggplant layer and then sprinkle mozzarella to cover the layer of veggies. Repeat the layers and end with a layer of sauce, a thick layer of cheese (add the Parmesan to this layer) and then a bit of extra sauce for some color.

Bake at 400 for 30 min

Eggplant Gratin Sub

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Raw Kale Salad

My sister was the first one to make this super healthy and tasty treat. I had never eaten raw kale before but I found I really like it in this satisfying salad and I love that it is SOO darn nutritious.
The avocado dressing on this salad helps the rather tough raw kale to break down essentially cooking it without the heat. For my version I used purple kale because its pretty but you can feel free to use any type you want. In fact, if you are really scared of kale a good hearty curly leaf spinach would also do the trick.

Raw Kale Salad




1 head of kale shredded or chopped into bite size pieces
1 c grape tomatoes cut in half
1 avocado, ½ cut into chunks and the other ½ reserved for the dressing
2 tbs EVOO
½ lemon (juiced)
½ tsp sea salt
¼ sweet onion thinly sliced
In a large mixing bowl smash ½ avocado and mix with EVOO, lemon and salt to make the dressing. Mix in onion, tomato, avocado and kale and toss until everything is covered. If you like spice try adding ⅛ tsp of cayenne pepper to the dressing for an extra bit of bite!

Kitchen Sink Cookies

I LOVE oatmeal cookies… actually I love cookies but oatmeal ones are definitely up there on my list. I am going to blame this cookie addiction on my husband and son. The Mr. has always been a big fan of the sweet stuff and ever since the pregnancy I have not been able to get enough baked goods in my stomach. So here I am, not much of a baker, but working on increasing the recipes in my box.
Kitchen Sink Cookies


These chewy oatmeal based cookies are just sweet enough to give my sweet tooth its fix without making me feel guilty. After all they contain oatmeal, cherries, walnuts, coconut and maybe a little dark chocolate. I personally think of all of these ingredients as health food and think so should you.


1 C Butter, soften
1 C packed brown sugar (I used dark)
½ C white sugar
2 eggs
1 C flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C quick cook oats
½ C shaved coconut (no sugar added- I got it at WF)
1 C walnuts
1 C dried cherries
1 C dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven at 325. Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer and add eggs one at a time. In another bowl mix flour, baking soda and salt together and then add to the butter mixture. Next mix in quick oats, coconut, walnuts, cherries and chocolate chips one at a time. Drop tablespoons of the mixture on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 min and let them cool on a rack.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Thai-Style Green Curry

Chicken and Sweet Potato Thai-Style Green Curry
As I have said before, I love Thai and would probably eat it once a week if I could get the hubs to agree to it. Thai curry was my go to meal throughout the third trimester my pregnancy and we continued to order it on a regular basis after lil B was born since I spent most of his first nine months on a dairy free diet and lets face it, a lot of eating out makes a dairy free diet hard.

This particular recipe is another one from my friend Susan who really is a phenomenal cook, mother and homemaker. I love both the bold flavors and beautiful colors of  this dish. The recipe below is a bit tame for my taste so I usually dress my serving up with some sriracha for a bit of added heat.

2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger minced
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, white part, minced or 1 tsp dried lemongrass powder
2 tbs Thai green curry paste
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb) cut into 2 inch pieces
⅛ c light oil (canola, coconut, safeflower)
1 can coconut milk
⅛ c lime juice
2 tbs soy sauce
1.5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 c tomatoes (I used grape tomatoes cut in half)
½ c thinly sliced red onion
¾ c chopped cilantro
¾ c chopped mint
¾ c chopped basil (preferably thai basil)


Mix garlic, ginger, lemongrass and curry paste in a large bowl. Add chicken and mix well to evenly coat the chicken with the spices. Allow chicken to marinate for at least 10 min in the refrigerator. (I have marinated up to 24 hours when I prepped dinner the night before)

Heat oil in a wok or saute pan over medium/high heat. Saute the chicken for five minutes, add coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25-30 min until the chicken is cooked through and the the sweet potatoes are tender. During the last five min of cooking, add tomatoes, onion and fresh herbs.

I usually add extra veggies to this recipe to make it closer to a stir fry and serve it over a heap of hearty brown rice. Some of my favorite additions include: bell peppers, summer squash, broccoli, sugar snap peas, spinach and edamame. I have also done a veggie only version of this dish for my father that went over great!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Crock Pot Ribs

For new years this year we packed up our casa and headed to Bethany Beach, DE with some friends for the long weekend. There were 5 couples, three with children and all who were hungry. Since a couple of us are also quite competitive we decided to hold the first annual Crock Pot Wars on New Years Eve. Each contestant had to cook a majority of their meal in the slow cooker but other than that there were no rules or regulations specified. We ended up with three really tasty entries, a seafood creole, a nutella bread pudding and my entry, crock pot BBQ ribs.  This recipe comes from the blog: http://www.mmmisformommy.com and she says her recipe is an adaptation from Americas Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Revolution.
Crock Pot Ribs with Garlic Spinach and Smashed Potatoes

I made them once for the hubs to see how it would work and then again for the large group. I tweaked the sauce a bit to make it more of my own but I must say they turned out fall off the bone tender and delicious!

Spice Rub
1 tbs dark brown sugar
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs paprika
½ tsp salt and pepper

Sauce
6 oz ketchup
2 tbs molasses
2 tbs sriracha
½ c marmalade
¼ c vinegar (I used apple cider)
1 tsp ground mustard
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together and let it simmer on the stove for 10-15 min. I made the sauce ahead of time and stored it in the fridge.
Crock Pot Ribs held up by beer cans

In a small bowl, mix together the spices for the rub. Cover both sides of the ribs with the spice mix and let them sit overnight. The original recipe just had you drop them directly in the pot but I think the extra time in the rub really bumps up flavor. Arrange the ribs around the pot so they are standing up right with the meaty side against the stoneware. The first time I made the ribs they slid down the side of the pot so on my second run I used crushed empty beer cans to hold the ribs in position which worked really well. Pour sauce over the ribs and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Remove the ribs from the pot and place fat side up on a cookie sheet topped with a wire cookie rack or grill rack so that they will be surrounded by air. Use reserved bbq sauce to baste ribs and broil them for about 15 min basting every 3-5 minutes and turning them over half way through the process.  

Friday, January 20, 2012

Smoky Sausage and Veggie Lasagna

I grew up with vegetarian lasagna. My mom always kept it simple with a classic cheese version or occasionally a spinach twist. My meat eating husband has a hard time understanding why any meal would ever go green so I often work to make some sort of compromise sneaking in extra veggies while not eliminating the meat. My newest take on a classic lasagna featured a smoky andouille sausage and eggplant base with a spinach laden cheese layer and my favorite whole wheat no boil noodles by DeLallo. The result was a super rich and thick lasagna that didn’t make me feel like I also needed to serve a veggie on the side.


DeLallo 100% Whole Wheat No Boil Lasagna Noodles
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 160z package of shredded mozzarella
1 8 oz container of ricotta
Shredded Parmesan
1 egg
1 frozen spinach, defrosted and drained of access water
1 eggplant
3 cloves of garlic, minced
6 mushrooms (I used crimini)
½ zucchini
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 pork andouille sausages
2 tbs EVOO

Peal and chop eggplant, mushrooms and zucchini. Heat EVOO in a large saute pan, add garlic, Italian seasoning and vegetables to the pan. Add the sausage (without the casing) and saute for 5-10 min or until the eggplant has browned and broken down and the sausage is cooked. In a small bowl mix together ricotta, ¼ c Parmesan, egg and spinach and set aside. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with a thin layer of sauce, place one layer of noodles on top of the sauce, cover noodles with the spinach and cheese mixture, then a layer of the eggplant and sausage mixture and a layer of mozzarella. Start the process over again and finish with a layer of noodles, sauce and a mix of mozzarella mixed with extra Parmesan.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 min covered and another 20 min uncovered.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Tangerine Pistachio Sticky Buns

Tangerine  Pistachio Sticky Buns

I saw this recipe in the Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine and had to try it. While the store bought dough was not nearly as delicious as the homemade version we made last year the level of effort made up all the difference. They were a great addition to our Christmas morning brunch but since I am a sucker for cinnamon I might have to try this time saving trick with the classic version again sometime soon.

½ c dark brown sugar
½ c shelled unsalted pistachios
5 tbs unsalted butter, melted
all purpose flour for work surface
1.5 lbs pizza dough
⅓ c marmalade (there was actually a recipe for homemade marmalade  that came with it but I opted for the store bought version to save time.)
course salt

In a food processor pulse brown sugar and pistachios until ground. Sprinkle the bottom of an 8 inch round baking dish and then drizzle with butter. Roll out pizza dough on a floured work surface. Dough should end up in a rectangle about 12x18. Spread with marmalade leaving a 1 inch border. top with remaining sugar mix, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with butter. Roll the dough starting at the long edge until it resembles a jelly roll. Cut crosswise into 8 pieces and place in pan. Cover and let it rise for about an hour. Preheat oven to 350, place pan on baking sheet and bake for 35 min or until buns are golden brown. Cut around the edges and flip. Serve warm.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Sandy's Spanish Omelet

 This tasty treat has been a staple at our tailgates, parties and now brunches since Sandy came into our lives. We thank her for it and gladly scarf it down every chance we get. Its super easy, delicious and my boys cant seem to get enough so I have a feeling Ill be making it for years to come.

6 eggs, beaten
6-7 yukon gold potatoes
½ onion, diced
2-3 C EVOO for pan frying
salt to taste

Peel and cut the potatoes into thin slices or chunks. Mix the potatoes, diced onions and salt in a large bowl. Heat EVOO in a large non stick frying pan. Pour potato and onion mixture into the pan and make sure the EVOO almost covers the mixture. Cook the potatoes until they are soft, stirring occasionally to make sure they do not burn. If you are unsure if the potatoes are done try to break one with your spatula. If it breaks easily they are cooked. Reserve 1-2 tbs of oil at the bottom of the pan. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and allow the oil to drain. Scramble eggs with a whisk and pour in the potato mixture. Stir the egg mixture and pour into the hot pan helping it to spread out evenly. Allow the egg to cook well around the edges until you can carefully scoop it up and check for a browning on the bottom. The inside of the mixture should still be runny. When the desired consistency has been reached take a large plate (larger than your pan) and place it on top of the pan, with one hand on the handle of the pan and the other on the plate, flip pan over and the omelet will fall onto the plate. Place pan back on the range, add a bit more oil to cover the bottom and slide the egg mixture, soft side down, into the pan. Use your spatula to shape the omelet back and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let the omelet stand for an additional 2 min in the pan then flip back onto the plate and serve.




This omelet tastes great hot or cold, it can be sliced like a pie or eaten in squares with tooth picks.



I linked this awesome recipe up with A Little Nosh for her Tastetastic Thursday

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Trendy Tot Tuesday: Week 1

 I definitely have my own style. I am not saying I am stylish, but I roll with it. I would call it comfy classic with a bit of mama chic mixed in. When it comes to my favorite little dude I prefer a slightly more hip version of my same style. I am a sucker for a good pair of overalls but I also cant help but dress the little guy up from time to time. The kicker is, I am a thrifty mama. I almost exclusively shop at discount stores or outlets and even then I usually buy things from the sale or clearance section. I like to think its my good strong Scottish roots that keep me thrifty but in reality it might just be that I am cheap.




I know I am biased  but B really is an adorable kid and I think we put together some good looking outfits for shopping on a budget so when my friend Maria from Mummy’s Busy World and Very Busy Mama approached me about sharing little B’s style for her Trendy Tot Tuesday link up I jumped at the opportunity. So here we go, my first attempt at Trendy Tot Tuesday

Lil B’s Style: It sure is some sorta style


Hat: This is our favorite winter accessory and by ours I mean MINE. It doesn’t matter where we are, the park, the store or just out for a jog someone always complements us on it. Its super warm, soft and bonus, its so bright I can’t loose my kid if I tried. Chaos Little Things Hat: http://bitylink.info/gul
Puffer Jacket: OshKosh B’gosh outlet
Shirt: Manchester United Soccer Jersey with a long sleeve white onesie underneath to keep him warm
Pants: Carters Sweatpants
Shoes: Adidas kicks 60% off from the Syms going out of business sale!



Monday, January 16, 2012

Garlic and Rosemary Smashed Potatoes

These smashed potatoes are the perfect mixture of crunchy roasted and soft mashed ones. The original recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen which is a rocking publication for aspiring cooks. The recipe is super simple and lets face it, I love to smash things!

Yukon gold potatoes
EVOO
Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Rosemary, chopped
Salt and pepper

Set oven to 400. Pierce potatoes in several places and insert garlic slices into the potatoes. I did 3 or 4 slices per potato. Roll potatoes in EVOO, sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary. Bake the potatoes for 30 min or until soft. Smash each potato once with a large fork and continue to bake for 10-15 min.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Playtime!

We love playtime with our friends!

Ben and his friends

Photobucket

Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potato heaven could describe this truly decadent dish. I love strong flavors and the mix of the sweet roasted garlic and tangy goat cheese really takes these mashed potatoes to a whole new level. I think I could eat them forever.

6 yukon gold potatoes quartered
2 tbs butter
¼ c milk
½ head of roasted garlic (Id probably do more next time because I LOVE garlic)
6 oz goat cheese

Boil potatoes until they are soft. Strain and mash. Mix in the other ingredients and serve. DELISH!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Rainbow Beef Stew

Traditionally beef stew recipes call for potatoes and carrots and onions as the veggies and then it uses a strong tomato base to pull all the flavors together. Since I am in a super veggie, post holiday pig out mood I decided to shake things up a bit and give a few more of my favorite winter veggies a try. Toady’s beef stew features sweet potatoes, beets (including their tops), carrots, celery, onion, garlic and tomatoes.

While the highlight of beef stew is usually the beef I am switching it up to highlight seasonal winter veggies making this a more economical and healthy family friendly dish.


1-2 lbs of stew beef- bonus, I had some in my freezer from the last sale at WF!
1 c flour
½ c EVOO
1 lb sweet potato chopped into 1 inch pieces
3 Beets, washed and chopped into 1 inch pieces (tops saved)
½ head of garlic, chopped
½ onion, chopped
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c dry red wine
2 c stock - beef is preferable but I used chicken because I had it in the freezer
½ tsp red pepper flakes (omit if you do not like spice)
1 tbs kosher salt
Fresh thyme and rosemary
bay leaf

Place flour and meat in a large Ziploc bag and shake until covered. In a large pan heat EVOO and brown meat. When meat is brown place in crock pot. Use the same pan to cook onion and garlic until tender (about 10 min) and then add cooked aromatics to the crock pot. Pour wine into pan and scrape up any drippings left from the meat and onion mixtures. Add the wine and the rest of the ingredients (except for the beet tops) to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4. 

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Quick Greens

Winter gardens bring dark greens and root veggies. They are nutrient rich, budget friendly and when cooked down become a super soft consistency perfect for baby, toddler and adults too. Yes, greens are an acquired taste, but I really love them. I grew up on kale and spinach and was introduced to collards and chard later in life. Now they all grace my table on a regular basis in soups, salads and sides galore.


Collards are traditionally cooked low and slow but I don’t always have time for that so this recipe for quick greens is a great way to go when I’m in a rush. 

1 bunch of greens washed and chopped
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
EVOO
1-4 tsp red pepper flakes


Dressing:


1-4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tbs brown sugar
Salt to taste

Bring pot of water to a boil. Boil greens for 10 min. Strain and set aside. Heat oil in pan and saute garlic until it begins to brown, add greens.
Cook greens down, stirring every couple of min for 10 min. Add dressing and mix til incorporated. Serve warm.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Sandy's Paella

Paella

Our friend Sandy is a phenomenal cook, her Spanish roots see to that. She makes some  amazing paella as well as a Spanish Omelet that is to die for. On top of being a great cook, she loves wine, discussing food and well lets face it, shes just plain fun. I am so happy that I have gotten to know her better and I can’t wait for our next dinner date!  Because she is also amazingly gracious, she agreed to let me share a couple of her favorite recipes with you, my lucky readers. First up is her delicious paella. You can thank me/her later.

Paella is a great one dish wonder that is perfect for large group dinners. Its bright vibrant color makes it perfectly festive and the flavors transport you instantly into vacation mode.

Calamari (cleaned and cut)
Shrimp
Chicken
Chorizo
Scallops
Mussels
Clams
3 c Rice
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 large chicken stocks
Generous pinch of saffron threads (Trader Joe’s has it for a decent price)
½ bag frozen peas


For this recipe you will need a large paella pan or skillet that can be placed in the oven. The amount/type of seafood and meat you use can be up to you. Traditionally paella has shrimp in it but I am allergic to shrimp so Sandy sweetly accommodated my allergy and left them out. The sad thing is I LOVE shrimp and can totally imagine how good they would be in this wonderful dish.

Clean and prep all seafood. Steam mussels and remove one ½ of shells and set aside. Cut chorizo and chicken into chunks. Pour stock into a pot with saffron and bring to a slow boil. In a separate pan sautee onion and garlic with some olive oil to make the sofrito or the base flavor for the dish. Once the onions have begun to caramelize add the tomatoes. Fold in the rice until it is coated with the mixture and begins to toast. Mix the chicken and chorizo into the rice. Pour in 6 cups of the stock into the rice mixture and stir for 10 min until the rice begins to absorb the liquid.  Add seafood tucking each piece into the rice by pushing it down with a spoon. Bring the entire mixture to a boil and then add frozen peas. Place the pan into the oven and cook for 30 min at 350.

Before serving sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with fresh lemon wedges for some added flare.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Oatmeal Banana Nut Muffins/Bread

Fresh baked goods are the best.They make the house smell yummy and they are the perfect treat with my cup of coffee in the morning. These delicious muffins are packed with nutrient rich calories that can keep you going all morning long.

We always have bananas in the house since B eats one every morning for breakfast. I personally like mine a big on the green side and can not stand to eat them once they get more than a couple brown spots. Since we don’t always make it through the bunch before they get overripe I have taken to freezing the extra ones. They do turn brown and when you defrost them they are super mushy but they still work well for things like banana bread and smoothies (Ill have to share my frozen banana smoothie recipe later.) Waste not, want not! This recipe is an adaptation from Boston’s own Flour Bakery which I love!


1 ⅔ c flour
½ C quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 C sugar
2 eggs
½ c apple sauce
3.5-4 ripe bananas, mashed (I used 4 frozen)
2 tbs yogurt (I use Brown Cow Maple Whole Milk Yogurt)
1 tsp vanilla
⅔ c walnuts, toasted and chopped

Set the oven to 350 and spray or line a bread pan or muffin tins.

Defrost and drain frozen bananas (if using frozen.) Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Beat sugar and eggs together with a whisk until light and fluffy. Drizzle in oil applesauce. Add mashed bananas, yogurt and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients. Pour into a loaf pan and bake for 45min to an hour or 30 min for muffins.
If you are interested in the original recipe for Flour Bakery Banana Bread please click here.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Mini Veggie and Cheese Frittatas

Isn’t breakfast the most important meal of the day? These super easy, and perfectly portioned frittatas are a great way to get a protein and veggie packed meal in as you are dashing out the door or make a great post sleep over party brunch. I use to make a pan of these on Sundays when I was working out of the house so that I could have breakfast ready for the week. I might not be dashing off to beat traffic anymore but I should resume that old habit so I can dash off to chase little B down again.


The best part about these is they are super healthy and totally toddler friendly.





if you are wondering why one has a tooth pick in it. I had a dairy free guest so I made one sans cheese and marked it with a pick while baking.


Personal Veggie Frittatas
EVOO
Frozen hash browns, thawed
6 eggs
1 tbs milk
1.5 c chopped veggies of choice (I usually use a mix of peppers, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, summer squash and fresh herbs)
½ c shredded cheese
S&P

Rub muffin tins with EVOO. Cover the bottom of each tin with a layer of potato hash browns. Mix eggs, milk, S&P, cheese and veggies together and pour equal amounts of the mix into each muffin tin. Bake for 10-15 min at 350

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

My Brother the Ape at the Natural History Museum

We love the They Might Be Giants children’s music. B’s first album was Here Comes Science which features his jams My Brother the Ape and I am a Paleontologist. Since he loves his science, and running around so much we headed over to the Natural History Museum to show him science in action.

He really loved the large mammal room and being able to get up close to all the different animals but the dinosaurs and the ocean life were a close second. I loved having the space for him to run and showing him all the different interactive exhibit pieces. There were “fossils” to touch, electronic and mechanical exhibits to work and we even got his picture taken and then turned into a cave man (hilarious.) I was extremely nervous to take him around at such a young age but once we got there I realized it was the perfect place for us to cruise and learn. Since we are going to be looking for lots of indoor activities to keep us moving this winter I think next up on our museum tour will be the Air and Space or American History museum.

being a giraffe- they have long tounges

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Pumpkin Mushroom Soup

Once the crisp fall air hits I begin to crave pumpkin in everything I do. I am certain that the craving doesn’t end before the crocuses bloom so I am still knee deep in my favorite pumpkin recipes. Pumpkin, like other winter squash varieties is super sweet and delicious and have a bonus of being high in the vitavegamins.


A couple of weeks ago, my dear friend Shannon put together a fantastic Christmas play dates for a few of our friends. We had a wonderful time catching up, playing baby games and filling our bellies with delicious holiday treats. One of the yummiest was a wonderfully rich pumpkin mushroom soup that she had purchased from the Back Porch Restaurant in DE, brought home and froze just for us. When I say this soup was decadent I mean it. The perfectly creamy pumpkin laced with the deep umami flavors of the shrooms had me at hello.

Since I couldn’t get the soup out of my head I thought I would try and whip up my own version to see if I could get close to the flavor I was looking for. The version that I ended up with is a bit different but yummy all the same. It was super quick and easy to make and as Shannon pointed out, it would totally be a perfect way to start out a festive holiday dinner in the future.

Pumpkin Mushroom Soup

¼ c Chopped celery
½ c Chopped onion
¼ c Chopped carrot
4 tbs Butter
2 tbs Flour
1 tbs Cumin
3 c Homemade chicken stock
16 oz of fresh pumpkin (baked and strained) or 1 can Pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 tbs honey
Dash of nutmeg
½ lb Sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
1 c Heavy cream
Salt and Pepper

In a stock pot saute celery, onion and carrot in 2 tbs butter until soft. Add flour and stir until incorporated. Add cumin, stock, pumpkin, honey and nutmeg and blended using an immersion blender. (if you do not have one you can always blend in a traditional blender and then pour it back into the original pot to continue cooking.) Saute mushrooms in the remainder of the butter until they are soft and stir them into the soup with cream. Simmer and flavor with salt and pepper.  

*The version that is pictured was done without the blending. The result was a chunkier version of the soup where you could pick out the pieces of carrot, celery and onion. While delicious, I much preferred the super smooth version I had at Shannon’s so I thought the blending would definitely be worth the extra step. My recipe research did lead me to find several versions of this soup that did not include the trinity veggies (onion, celery and carrot) but I really love the extra flavor they bring so I almost always use them when making soups.