Scrumptious Summer Squash Soup

With the bounty of the summer garden continuing to ripen on the vine you are bound, at some point, to find yourself overwhelmed with too much of something. With this in mind I was at a loss when looking at the last of the summer squash hanging out in my fridge. I'd already fried some, used some with pasta and still had two lovely squash left. But what to do with them. (This is the point where things sometimes go terribly wrong.)

I've seen a number of recipes over the years for squash soup, pumpkin soup carrot soup, they all SOUND great. Unfortunately, I've had a few bad experiences and as a result am a bit gun shy. There was this terribly greasy pumpkin soup, a gazpacho that not even a starving rabbit would eat and other watery concoctions that don't bear mentioning.

So what makes a good soup. You have to start with good ingredients and plenty of flavor. Oh and a little bit o fat. I know it's such a dirty word, but fat adds flavor and improves texture. You don't have to have tons though as this soup will prove.


Scrumptious Summer Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2-3 summer squash cubed
1/2 cup diced bell peppers (any color)
2 lg shallots or very small onions sliced
4 cloves garlic crushed and sliced
16 oz Chicken or Vegetable stock
Olive oil (for drizzling, about 2-3 tbsp )
salt and pepper to taste
ground ginger
ground allspice
ground nutmeg
ground clove

Preparation:

Prepare the squash, peppers, onion and garlic and arrange on a baking sheet. drizzle with olive oil. Season with ginger, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. place sheet in a preheated 350 degree F oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Carefully transfer roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor. (Be careful when blending hot liquids because they will explode if you seal them in tightly. I open the top of the blender or leave the insert out of the top of the food processor so steam can escape.) Blend vegetables while slowly adding your chosen broth until it reaches the right consistency. Some like it chunky some like it smooth, it's up to you!

Once blended pour into serving dishes and garnish with a slight dusting of ground cloves. Sour cream is a tasty addition and if you'd like more texture you could put some diced peppers on top as well but truly, with no alterations this summer soup stands on it's own.

Back to Basics Chocolate Cake

What to do? You’re dying for a piece of chocolate cake but haven’t got a box mix to hand and the local bakery is closed. Don’t despair Better Homes and Gardens has got you covered.

One of my favorite cookbooks is the “Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book” I received it as a wedding gift and it has been invaluable since. If you knew nothing about home cookery you could pick up this book today and be whipping up marvelous mains, scrumptious sides, and delicious deserts by tomorrow. This book has it all. You are guided through everything from setting a table, selecting quality ingredients and kitchen tools and making everything from home baked breads to more sophisticated meals. Better yet it accomplishes all of this without alienating the reader so even an inexperienced cook can feel comfortable making a foray into the wonderful world of food.

So, back to the topic at hand, simple, from scratch, chocolate cake.

This recipe is Better Homes and Gardens One Bowl Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease and lightly flour a 9x1-1/2-inch round or 8x8x2-inch baking pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg and beat 2 minutes more. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack. To serve, top with Chocolate glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar (or both if you’re feeling naughty) and transfer to a serving plate. Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Glaze

4 oz coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate (or ss chocolate chips)
3 tbsp butter
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp hot water

Melt chocolate and butter together (you could do this on the stove over low heat…or you could give in to the temptation of the microwave like me. If you do use the microwave, melt them in short bursts and stir often say… 30 seconds then stir, rinse repeat till done) then stir in the powdered sugar and water and mix till smooth. (You can adjust the powdered sugar and water to get the right consistency which should be loose enough to drizzle but not runny. I only used 1 cup of powdered sugar and found it was plenty for me.) Now drizzle the icing over your cooled cake and dig in.

Cakes baked from scratch have a different texture and flavor than box mixes and if you start with this simple recipe I’m sure it won’t be long before you’re back in the kitchen looking to stretch you wings.

The "Ultimate" Burger

When I first met my husband he wasn't much bothered with fancy foods or complicated recipes. Over the years, for better or worse, I seem to have rubbed off on him and now he is building his own repertoire of delicious recipes including this one for "The Ultimate Burger" which I think he got from a co-worker while we lived overseas.

The Ultimate Burger Patties

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
2 lg eggs
¾ cup Brown Sugar
2 Jalapeno peppers diced
3 Green Onions finely diced
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp A-1 sauce
salt & pepper to taste
3-5 strips cooked crumbled bacon
1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp honey
½ tsp each of the following
garlic powder
onion powder
paprika
black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and form into patties (4 large, 6 average or 8 small)

When making patties I like to flatten with a small plate to keep the burger from bulging in the middle or you can form them so the middle has a slight depression to compensate. Grill burgers on medium high heat until cooked to preferred doneness. On the side of the grill over a low heat place buns sliced and spread with butter or olive oil. The buns should brown nicely in 1-3 minutes. Just before burgers are done top with a slice of pepper jack cheese.



I think you'll find the added ingredients make these burgers so good you'll have trouble NOT going back for seconds. We usually serve this with a side of onion rings and grilled corn on the cob. Somehow leftovers never seem to be a problem.

Heavenly Hummus and Perfect Pitas

The first time I ate Hummus...I HATED it...I was in New York City and wanted to try something different. So, near the U.N. building, I stopped at a street vendor and bought a Hummus Pita Wrap thinking that since I liked pitas and I loved Baba Ganoush (roasted pureed eggplant) I would like the hummus. In retrospect maybe I should have asked more questions because what I had expected was a sandwich with something like Falafel and some hummus as a condiment, instead I got a grilled pita full of a course and smoky warm hummus and nothing else. I really think it was the discrepancy between what I expected and what I got that made it so bad but it was years before I gave Hummus another try. When I finally did...It was like finding nirvana!



HUMMUS

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (save some of the packing liquid)
1 1/2 tbsp Tahini (sesame paste)
4 tbsp lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
2 tbsp garlic
2 tbsp Olive Oil

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. adjust the thickness by adding packing liquid from the beans a tbsp at a time. I find about 2-4 tbsp is about right. Serve in a dish with pita bread for dipping. If you'd like you can drizzle some olive oil on top and add fresh herbs of your choice.

Now that you know the basics just go crazy with it. Hummus is, in my humble opinion, the middle east's answer to sour cream. Americans use sour cream to make every conceivable type of snack dip and hummus can be used the same way. It's a great protein filled base for just about any flavor you can imagine. Caramelized onion hummus, roasted garlic hummus, olive hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, sun dried tomato hummus, basil hummus, hummus with pine nuts or just a dash of smoked paprika. Almost anything you can think of will be a good match. It also goes great on sandwiches, is delightful paired with roasted vegetables and couscous and is terrific for holding tabbouleh in a pita. Speaking of pitas, my favorite way to eat Hummus is as a dip and nothing beats pita bread for dipping.

A few months back I decided to try baking my own bread. I'd gotten an old Southern Living annual cookbook and it had a whole section on bread. I tried a couple loaves and did alight but it wasn't until I found The Fresh Loaf website,thefreshloaf.com, that I really got going. This forum has tutorials and a warm, welcoming community that will critique your work, offer suggestions and answer any question no matter how silly you may think it is. It was there, that I found the initial recipe for this pita bread. I have adjusted it by adding spices but the basics remain the same.



PITA BREAD

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey or sugar
2 tbsp olive oil, butter, or shortening
1 tsp each paprika, onion powder, dried basil (optional)
2 tsp yeast (or 1 packet)

Start by dissolving the honey in a half a cup of hot tap water then add the yeast and allow to proof for 5-10 minutes or until foamy. (You don't HAVE to add the honey here but the sugar in the honey helps the yeast to develop and I think it makes it easier to combine with the dry ingredients if the honey is dissolved) In a large bowl combine the flour, salt and spices. make a well in the center add the yeast water mixture. Add the rest of the water and the oil. Mix well until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a board and knead for about 10 minutes. (You can use a mixer to make this I just choose to make it by hand because I do not have a heavy duty mixer and I like to gauge the dough's readiness by the feel of it. If using a mixer, combine the ingredients in a mixer and once combined you can turn it out and still knead by hand or you can let the mixer do it for you which would be medium speed for about 10 minutes) Place in an oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough then separate it into 8 pieces. roll each piece into a ball and allow to rise for another 20 minutes. Prepare your oven by moving the rack to the lowest shelf and place your baking stone or cookie sheet on it. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Roll each ball of dough flat on a lightly floured surface. (You can let the rounds sit for another 15 minutes or so before placing in the oven but you don't have to.) When the oven is ready rub a bit of oil on your hands and pat each pita round a couple of times as you place them in the oven. Depending on the size of your baking surface you should be able to bake 2-4 at a time. Place the pitas on the hot surface and quickly close the oven door. bake for 2-3 minutes on each side. (I usually watch through the window and after the pita has puffed and gained some color I flip them with a pair of tongs.) Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

**Note** In the past I have let the pitas cool completely before cutting them and later have had difficulty getting the pocket open. When I cut them while the pitas were still hot all the pockets remained open so it might be a good idea to halve them while they are still hot.

Ravishing Radishes!

Planting a garden allows you to have beautiful fresh produce right at your fingertips, but sometimes you end up with more than you know what to do with such as the ranks of radishes that recently tried to take over my little garden plot. After I stopped the vegetable bullying I found myself with more radishes than I could eat in a month's worth of salads. So I went looking for other ways to fix the ravishing radish.

I settled on four distinctly different preparations. I also found that the radish seems to be a love hate food and most people have a very strong opinion whether good or bad. For those that love the radish, embrace this experience and welcome the new ways to enjoy this delightful root veg. For those who are not fans of the rolly poly radish I challenge you to give it another go, you just might be surprised.

Raw Radishes

Let's start with the most basic way to eat a radish, raw in a salad. This is adapted from a recipe found at epicurious.com.



Radish, Olive and Orange Salad

Ingredients (serves 2-4 as a small side)

2 oranges
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 bunch (about 8) radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
Some (about 12) oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped

Preparation

Cut peel and white pith from 2 oranges with a sharp knife. Segment the oranges. Whisk together lemon juice, oil, honey, cinnamon, and cayenne until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Add orange slices, radishes, and olives and gently toss. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

I served this as is but I think in the future it would be better served with a salad of arugula. In a pinch baby spinach or tender salad greens would also be great. Also I would use a tad more cayenne and less cinnamon but that is personal preference.

Roasted Radishes

I had a good long think on how to cook a radish before I tripped across the idea of roasting them. Looking back it seems like a natural conclusion since I love roasted turnips and they're all in the same family, but it just never occurred to me before. I had a salad recipe that incorporated some great Mediterranean flavors and after tweaking it a bit I came up with this delightful twist on a radish salad that would compliment any number of Mediterranean main dishes.



Green Pea and Roasted Radish Salad

Ingredients (Serves 3-6)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp dill seeds
3 cups fresh shelled peas or 1 pound frozen peas
1 bunch radishes, trimmed, halved
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 tsp allspice
1 small bunch of fresh mint finely chopped or 1tsp dried mint
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Place halved radishes in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and add cumin, dill, allspice, salt and pepper. Toss gently. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until tender. If using fresh peas, cook in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water, then drain well. If using frozen peas, defrost in cool running water and rinse well. You can cook them if you choose I do not.) Transfer to large bowl. Add radishes, feta, and mint; toss. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve.

The freshness of the mint is a wonderful accompaniment to the peas and will help balance the earthy sweetness brought out by roasting the radishes. Now onto something completely different.

Braised Radishes

I had never considered braising a radish or any other vegetable for that matter but this recipe is a keeper. It's a recipe from Rachel ray and I made it as directed with the exception of using beef stock instead of chicken stock. The result was a delicious rich sauce and tender sweet radishes that would be perfect served in Yorkshire puddings alongside a juicy beef roast.



Sweet and Savory Braised Radishes

Ingredients (Serves 2-4)

2 bunches radishes, (about 1 pound) trimmed of tops and roots
1 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
2 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Preparation

Place radishes in a skillet with stock, butter bits, shallots, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Uncover the pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook radishes 10 to 15 minutes and if the stock has not cooked away, remove radishes (when tender) and cook until thickened.

This was such a delightful surprise and I could not get enough. At first I thought it would surely need more flavor but I was pleasantly surprised to find it was just perfect as is. This next dish I already knew would be wonderful before I tried it but I had no idea how easy it was to make.

Sauteed Radishes

If you've ever been to a Bulgogi house and ordered the Bulgogi, you have probably tried the variety of small side dishes that come with the meal. These range from exotic roots to kimchee and yes the humble radish. Usually made with a daikon, or white radish this Korean side dish is so simple yet eminently satisfying.



Sauteed Radish Side Dish (Serves 2-4 as a small side)

Ingredients

1 Bunch of radishes,
salt to taste
garlic to taste or about 1 tbsp. minced (2-3 cloves)
sesame oil (a drizzle)
vegetable oil (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan to keep the radishes from sticking)

Preparation

Grate radish into thin strips. Heat up a pan and the vegetable oil then add the radish strips, salt and minced garlic, and sauté it for a few minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and close the lid and lower the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add a few drops of sesame oil and mix it gently. Transfer it to a serving dish and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

I hope you have as much fun exploring the radish as I did and don't be afraid to put your own twist on this tasty treat from the garden!

Fragrant Lemon Garlic Roast Chicken

While living in England I got into the habit of making a Sunday roast which was quite often roast chicken. I've tried many variations but one of my favorite remains lemon garlic chicken, it's like a little ray of sunshine on your tounge.

STOP! Step away from the spice cupboard! I didn't say over salted, goes stale while your back is turned, premixed lemon garlic season salts. Real lemons and garlic are essential for this satisfying roast chicken dinner that will have your family and friends begging for more.

Ingredients:

· 1 (3- to 4-pound) roasting chicken, necks and giblets removed and discarded, rinsed and patted dry
· 2 lemons, 1 ½ sliced, ½ quartered
· 4-5 cloves of garlic smashed
· 2 Tbsp Uncle Roy's Moffat Meadow flower petal salt or Fragrant Herb Mix or Herbs de Provence
· 4 Potatoes peeled and cubed
· 2 carrots cleaned and diced
· 2-3 stalks of celery
· Salt and Pepper to taste
· Butter or Olive Oil


Ok lets talk about the seasonings. What you're looking for here is a fragrant mix that will be brightened by the juice of the lemons and grounded by the earthiness of the garlic. I used 2 Tbsp "Uncle Roy's Moffat Meadows Flower Herb and Seed Seasoning Salt" which I bought from a village shop when we lived in England. You can order this online but for most people it won't be worth the trouble. I've listed the ingredients below and roughly it's 1 unit of measure of each. The only exceptions being the Rosemary, Sage and Nori (seaweed)which can be overpowering in too great a quantity. I may have underestimated how much you will want of these three but you can always add more where if you start with too much there is no going back. I suggest you make more than is called for here and store it in an empty (well cleaned) spice jar for future use. It's great on fish, potatoes, salads, pasta and all kinds of other stuff. You can include sea salt (the store bought variety includes it) but I prefer to have control of how much salt I use so when I run out I will remake it without the salt.

Fragrant Herb Mix
· 1tsp tarragon
· 1tsp thyme
· ½ tsp sage
· 1tsp dill
· 1 tsp chives
· 1/8 sheet Nori (dried seaweed) finely diced
· 1 tsp each dried marigold, rose and lavender petals (make sure they are food grade)
· 1tsp each poppy sesame, dill and celery seeds

Now if you don't have all that on hand or don't want to go to the trouble just get a nice jar of Herb's de Provence and you'll get a similar flavour.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place chicken on rack set in large roasting pan. Starting at each cavity end, slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen, being careful not to tear skin. Arrange lemon slices under skin to cover breast meat.

Season the cavity with salt and pepper and 1/2 tbsp of herb mix, stuff with quartered lemons, garlic, and some celery. (I usually use the leafy tops as this will be discarded)

Flip the chicken's wings back and tuck under the body. Rub butter or oil over the skin of the chicken, then rub with 1 1/2 tablespoons of Fragrant Herb Mix, salt and pepper. Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string. Add vegetables to the roasting pan with some chicken stock.

Roast chicken, basting occasionally with pan juices, until skins are crisp golden-brown and juices run clear when thighs are pierced, about 55 to 60 minutes. (Instant read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast should register 170°F.) Remove from oven, then remove lemons, and garlic from cavity and discard. Reserve pan drippings. Transfer chicken to carving board and tent with foil to keep warm.

While the chicken is resting I make some Couscous to serve with this by adding 1cup of hot chicken stock (or 1/2 cup pan juices and 1/2 cup hot water) to 1 cup of couscous. Stir well and cover to rest for 5 minutes.

Carve chicken and serve over a bed of couscous with roasted potatoes celery and carrots. Use pan drippings to make a gravy if desired or simply spoon over chicken and vegetables. You can also eat the lemons rinds and all and you will find that while still tangy they are very tender and can be quite enjoyable.



***Note***

This recipe is also easily adaptable for use in a crock pot with just a few adjustments. In fact the pictured bird was cooked in the slow cooker and came out beautiful tender and juicy. I prepared the bird as described above except I did not use any butter or oil on the skin prior to putting it in the slow cooker. Arrange your vegetables on the bottom of your cooker, add about 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock (1 small can), arrange your bird on top and set your heat. I left this bird in on low for six hours. (Darn having to work on your day off!!!) When the bird is cooked through (or you get home from work) transfer the bird to a roasting pan, brush with some butter or oil and stick it in a 450 degree oven until the skin is golden and crispy. In the meantime remove the vegetables to a serving dish and pour the cooking juices in a saucepan. Allow it to cool enough for the fat to separate. Skim off most of the fat. The rest of these juices can be reserved for serving as is, made into a gravy or used to baste the chicken until the skin is done. I often take some of the fat and add it to the bottom of the roasting pan and once it is hot I add the potatoes and stir them around to get that lovely caramelized crispy outside for a perfect roast potato.

Red White and Blue Shortcake

One of my best summer memories is picking berries with my grandparents and my grandmother making strawberry shortcake. For the Fourth of July I decided to revisit this old fashioned favorite and dress it up a little for the holiday. So here is a simple shortcake recipe perfect for any summer fruit!

Shortcake

2 cups flour
1 tbsp and 1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup sugar (I use just a smidge more)
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs separated
½ cup milk
Dash of nutmeg

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, nutmeg and salt, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg yolks and milk and mix well. This should make a soft dough. Place the dough between two pieces of cling wrap and roll out into a ¼ to ½ inch thickness and cut with a pastry cutter or cookie cutter. Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks and brush the tops of the shortcakes then sprinkle the cakes with sugar and bake for 8-10 minutes in a 450 degree oven. If the butter starts becoming too soft in the dough wrap it in cling wrap and place it in the fridge for a few minutes so it can firm up. Don’t over handle the dough or it will become tough. Allow the shortcakes to completely cool before serving.

Fruit:

Sliced Strawberries ½ quart
Blueberries ½ pint

In separate bowls sprinkle a few tablespoons of sugar over the fruit. I gently squash some of the blueberries to release some juice. Then mix well and allow to sit for at least an hour. You can do this with any summer fruit.

Whipped cream:

I make my own by adding 1/4-1/2cup of sugar to heavy whipping cream and add some vanilla to make it a bit more luxurious.(You can buy it already made if you would rather.)

To serve:

Place 1 shortcake or 1 cut in half on a plate add some whipped cream and berries some more whipped cream and the other half of the shortcake or a second shortcake.