Butternut Soup

This is a definite favorite for the kids. I often serve it over a tiny pasta like orzo or quinoa.

Ingredients:
1 medium to large onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
1 large butternut (poke a few holes with a knife and microwave for 20 minutes, the scoop out seeds, and remove the pulp to a bowl). Another option is precut butternut found in most supermarkets.
8 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup olive oil plus more for sauteeing the vegetables
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Sautee the onions and carrots in a tablespoon of oil over low/medium heat until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt.
2. Add the stock, olive oil and butternut and bring to a boil
3. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for about an hour
4. Use the handheld blender to puree the soup in the pot
5. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Simmer another hour and puree again until creamy.
6. Taste one more time to adjust seasoning.

Other ideas: Other possible spices include ginger and cinammon. Another option is adding a peeled cut up apple in the same step the butternut goes in.

Caramelized garlic shrimp

This delicious and easy recipe comes from a book called "Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table" by Mai Pham. We have been making it for many years, and now our kids like it so we've pulled it out again.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh shrimp (the recipe calls for shell on, but I made it shell off, tail on for the kids. Or you can use shell off)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

5 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat

2. Add the shrimp and sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes

3. Add the garlic and shallot and continue to cook and stir another couple of minutes

4. Add the fish sauce and water and cook until the shrimp are done and the pan is almost dry

5. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the cilantro

I served it with rice and sauteed fresh spinach.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

This recipe has been on our short-list of breakfast foods since we started growing our own zucchini. It has evolved from a recipe I found online to a healthier, less sweet, slightly more moist version. You can play with the ratios and types of flours to fit your family's taste. They keep in an airtight container for about 2-3 days or freeze very well. Often I'll make them on the weekend and then use the frozen ones for a quick breakfast before the morning school rush. The recipe makes about 22 muffins.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs (room temperature)

2/3 cup plain yoghurt

2 1/4 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cinammon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2. Grease (or non-stick canola spray) two muffin tins, (leaving 2 empty)

3. In a large bowl. whisk together sugar, oil, vanilla, eggs, and yoghurt until smooth

4. Add the zucchini and whisk

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinammon

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just enough to combine

7. Fill muffin tins until each is about 3/4 full

8. Bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean, but before the edges brown.

Sufganiot

Lisa had asked for a Sufganiot recipe. This is the 4th year I have used this one, and they are awesome.
http://www.recipezaar.com/Sufganiot-Hanukkah-Jelly-Doughnuts-15188

Homemade Pizza

This site will be fabulous to share our ideas and experiences with delicious and healthy food and cooking for our families. I can't wait to learn from you all.

Ok here goes... My first blog

Tonight we made pizza dough in our new breadmaker and each of us made our own pizza for dinner. The kids loved the fun of it and ate well too.

I based the dough on Mark Bittman's recipe from "How to Cook Everything" substituting half the flour for whole wheat.

1 1/4 cups luke warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups organic bread flour

1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon rapid rise yeast

Place in breadmachine on pizza dough setting.

Divide into 5 balls and leave for 20 minutes under oiled saran wrap.

Flatten into pizza shape and use a rolling pin if you like your crust a little thinner.

Toppings:

1. Caramelized onions and leaks - cook down 2 onions (cut into thin rings) and one leak stem (julienned) in a little olive oil for about an hour or so on very low heat. I cooked them a head of time.

2. Shitake mushrooms - cooked in the same pan as the onions after taking them out the pan.

3. Baby spinach - blanched and cooled in ice bath earlier in the day.

4. Pasta sauce (from the jar. I used Wegmans organic roasted garlic marinara)

5. Shredded mozarella

Cook:

Place on a baking sheet in a 500 degree oven for about 10 minutes

Finish:

Drizzle with excellent olive oil and balsamic glaze ( we make our own by cooking down a large bottle of balsamic vinegar and keeping it in a squirt bottle).