Pumpkin Soup with Herbs

It's been a banner year for squash and pumpkins in our garden. I do love a good pumpkin soup, one redolent with savoury tastes. This soup freezes well and is lovely to enjoy with a slice of fresh bread.  

Pumpkin Soup with Herbs

6-8 cups of peeled, cubed pumpkin

3 leeks, cleaned and sliced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

6-8 cups stock, either chicken or vegetable

sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage tied together in a small bundle

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks, onion, and garlic and slowly saute until softened.

2. Add the pumpkin. Note: I added a small Red Kuri Squash into the mix, as well. 

3. Add the stock and place the herb bundle on top. Simmer until the pumpkin is completely softened and falling apart, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. 

4. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust. 

5. Serve and eat. A bit of cream on top adds smoothness. I saved the pumpkin seeds and roasted them to add for a bit of crunch, along with some toasted kale leaves. 

Apple Cake with a Crunchy Top

 

Our trees have been loaded with apples this year. There's another recipe for Apple Cake on my sidebar, which is still a favourite, but I wanted to try something else. Sour Cream coffeecakes are popular, and I thought to add some apples to mine. I subbed in plain yogurt for the sour cream, and am happy with the texture and taste. 

Apple Cake

1/2 cup (115 g) butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) white sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup (240 g) yogurt or sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 cups (218 g) flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Tablespoon French Brandy (optional)

2 apples, unpeeled, cored and diced, about 1 1/2 cups (176 g) (I've included an image below the recipe to show you the size of the chopped apples.)

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

2. Mix together the yogurt and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, then 1/2 of the yogurt, followed by another 1/3 of the flour, remaining yogurt, and remaining flour. Stir after each addition; but it's not necessary to full incorporate the ingredients until the last. 

5. Stir in the apples, vanilla, and brandy (if using).

6. Place in a parchment lined 9-10 inch springform pan. 

7. Mix the following and sprinkle over top: 

       1/2 cup white sugar

        2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

        1/2 cup (60-80 g) chopped walnuts, pecans, or a mixture

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream. 

Tomato Garlic Basil Bake

 

If we've eaten a large midday meal, not much is needed for supper. I brought in the last of our garden tomatoes a couple of weeks ago and they've been ripening nicely on trays. This tomato-garlic-basil mixture, spooned onto slices of fresh focaccia bread more than satisfied us one evening last week. You could toast the bread and place the mixture on top, or let guests/family spoon on for themselves. Either way, it's easy and delicious.

Tomato Garlic Basil Bake

Ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice, about 2 cups

2-3 large cloves garlic, minced 

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, finely sliced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Fresh basil to top

Place tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar in a shallow baking dish. Stir just to combine. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top, then return to the oven for about 5 minutes.

Serve with more fresh basil sprinkled on top. 

Top slices of fresh focaccia bread with the mixture to serve. 

Onion Mushroom Gratin

 

Wanting something comforting and creamy to accompany rather plain chicken, I sauteed onions until soft, quickly fried onions in another pan and came up with this recipe that my husband and I enjoyed very much. Easy to make ahead and let sit in the fridge for a day or two before baking. 

Onion Mushroom Gratin

3 medium-large onions, sliced 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick (about 3 cups)

10-12 mushrooms, sliced (about 1-1/2 cups)

2 Tablespoons butter, divided

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

2 - 3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

Heat half of the butter and olive in a heavy skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and saute, letting them slowly soften and sweeten. This should take a good 15-20 minutes. They should not get too brown, but a little caramelization is good. 

In another skillet, heat the other half of the butter and oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute quickly, letting them brown a little before turning them. 

Add the mushrooms to the onions along with the thyme and salt. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Swiss cheese. Pour into a gratin dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly. 

White Chicken Chili

 

On a day with chilly winds and dropping temperatures, a favourite meal of ours is White Chicken Chili. The credit for the recipe goes to Penny, a former blogger. I've adapted it slightly. I like to make a double batch and freeze portions for the future. 

White Chicken Chili

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1-2 cups frozen corn kernels

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis

1/2 cup Salsa Verde

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 (15oz) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans) drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion until soft. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove the chicken pieces and shred them with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot.

Serve in bowls with toppings of grated cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream, and avocado. All depending on your taste.

Rhubarb Cinnamon Cake

 

When the first leaves of rhubarb begin to uncurl and the red stalks stretch towards the sun, it's time for this Rhubarb Cake. Tender and not-too-sweet, with a bit of crunch on the top, it's a great way to welcome spring. I've made it twice this year already and it disappears quickly. 

Rhubarb Cake

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup softened butter

2 eggs

1 cup sour milk (2 T vinegar, 1 cup milk)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped fine

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream brown sugar and butter, add the eggs and beat well. Add sour milk, soda, salt, and flour. Stir well. Add vanilla and rhubarb. Stir to combine.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.

Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on batter. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious with whipped cream or ice cream. 

This recipe is from Enjoy - The Best of Bridge series, first published in 1980. 

Lemon Loaf

 

Having a couple of quick bread loaves in the freezer is good insurance for busy days or weeks when there is no time to bake. Date Loaf and this Lemon Loaf are my usuals. Lately, I've been craving the fresh sharpness of lemon and have made the recipe twice in the past month or so. Most recently I doubled the recipe and made four small loaves which are good for giving away to friends or neighbours. The lemon and sugar glaze on top really adds to the flavour, and I wouldn't recommend skipping it. 

Lemon Loaf (makes one large loaf or two small ones) 

1/2 cup (125 g) soft butter

1 cup (250 g) sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup (125 ml) milk

1 1/2 cups (375 g) flour

1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt

grated rind of 1 lemon

Glaze: 

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup (50 ml) sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 C). 

In large bowl, cream butter, add sugar, then one egg. Beat in second egg. Stir in milk.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon rind. Pour into the butter/egg mixture and stir just to combine. 

Spoon into greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

While the loaf is baking, prepare the glaze by combining the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir just to dissolve sugar.

Remove from oven and pour glaze evenly over immediately. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool on a rack.