Mashed Butternut Squash and Pears

Mashed Butternut Squash and Pears


Danny Boome

1 large butternut squash, about 1 pound
2 Bosc or Anjou pears
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
Course salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel
the pears, cut in half and remove the core. Place the pears and
squash, cut side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet.

In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter. Cut the vanilla
bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds off of each side with a
paring knife. Add the seeds to the butter. Reserve the pod for another
use. Whisk the brown sugar and ginger into the melted butter and
remove from the heat.

Brush the butter mixture onto the cut sides of the squash and pears.
Season with salt and pepper. Set the remaining butter mixture aside
and keep it warm. Roast the squash and pears until soft, about 45
minutes to 1 hour depending on the size of the squash. The squash is
cooked when a knife can be inserted easily into the flesh.

Scoop flesh out of the squash and discard the skin. Place the squash
and pears in a large bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher.
Stir in the remaining melted butter mixture. Season with salt and
pepper, to taste, and serve warm.

Mini Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies

Mini Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or regular margarine, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups flour
2 cups (12 ounce pkg) mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large
mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in the flour. Stir in the morsels and
nuts. Shape level tablespoons of dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place on
ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set and
lightly browned. Remove from oven. Sift the powdered sugar over the hot
cookies on the baking sheets. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Remove
to cool completely on wire racks.

Recipe Source: 1Recipes_galore2007 yahoo group, submitted by Jeannie the cook.

PUMPKIN CHOWDER WITH LIME AND CILANTRO

PUMPKIN CHOWDER WITH LIME AND CILANTRO

This soup is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients - and tastes fabulous. Calabaza squash is often called pumpkin in South Florida and sold in large wedges in the produce department. Try culantro in place of cilantro for a milder flavor. You can garnish the chowder with pumpkin seeds.

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 cups peeled and diced calabaza squash
1 large all-purpose potato, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon minced lemon grass
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and mince
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 quarts vegetable broth or water
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 (16-ounce) can white or yellow hominy, drained and rinsed well
1/2 cup dried orzo pasta
1/2 cup minced cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt, to taste

Heat oil in a 10-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onions, calabaza and potatoes, and sauté 2 minutes. Add lemon grass, garlic, ginger root, jalapeños and turmeric, and continue to sauté 1 minute longer. Add broth or water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Add red peppers, hominy and orzo; continue to simmer 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and orzo is cooked through. Remove from the heat and add cilantro, lime juice and salt. Makes 1-1/2 gallons.

French Canadian Sugar Pie

French Canadian Sugar Pie

* 1 Tbsp. Margarine
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 1/2 Tbsp. All-purpose flour
* 1 cup milk
* pinch of salt
* 2 unbaked 8 inch pie crusts

Directions:
Mix margarine and brown sugar. Add egg. Sift flour with salt and to the
Sugar mixture; stirring to incorporate thoroughly. Add milk. Mix until
Smooth.

Pour in bottom crust and set top crust in place, crimping edges and cutting
A 1/2 inch hole in middle of top crust.
Bake in preheated oven 325 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until set. Remove
And allow to completely cool on wire rack.

Low Cal Turkey Chili

This is my recipe, and it is very good. You would not know this chili was even close to healthy.

3   C onion roughly cut, saute in 0 cal spray butter
1   lb ground turkey, brown with onions
10 tsp garlic
1   envelope Fajita seasoning
1   sm can stewed tomatoes
1   sm can rotel tomatoes
1   sm can tomato paste
1   can water
2   med cans pinto or kidney beans

Mix together in a large pot.  Simmer for at least 30 minutes.
267 calories per cup, makes about 14 cups.

Pumpkin Walnut Bran Muffins

Pumpkin Walnut Bran Muffins

Servings: 12

2 1/2 c. raisin bran cereal
15 oz. canned pumpkin puree
1/4 c. milk
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 c. flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cereal, pumpkin, milk, eggs and oil.
3. In a medium bowl, stir flour, brown sugar, baking powder and spices until well combined. Stir flour mixture and walnuts into pumpkin mixture.
4. Scoop batter into muffin cups. Bake 25 min. or until toothpick inserted through side of muffin top comes out clean.

* VARIATIONS:
1. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
1/4 c. cream cheese
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 as above. Scoop batter into muffin cups and place a heaping teaspoon of cream cheese filling on top of muffin batter before baking.


Walnut Crunch Topping:

* 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
* 1/4 c. chopped walnuts
* 1 1/2 tsp. butter


Prepare muffins as above. Combine all ingredients and sprinkle on top of muffin batter before baking.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cake


12 oz. can evaporated milk
29 oz. can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 c butter, melted
1 c nuts, chopped
frozen whipped topping thawed

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine evaporated milk, pumpkin, eggs, sugar,
cinnamon, salt. Mix well and pour into greased 9 x 13" pan. Sprinkle
with dry yellow cake mix. Drizzle with butter and sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Serve with whipped topping.

Silly Ghost Cups

Silly Ghost Cups


1 (6-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups thawed nondairy whipped topping
8 (7-ounce) clear plastic cups
Red decorating gel
16 miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Fold in whipped topping, mixing well.

Spoon mixture into a large resealable plastic bag. Close bag tightly. Snip 1/2-inch piece off one corner of bag. Holding top of bag tightly, squeeze and swirl mixture into the 8 plastic cups to resemble ghosts. Create a "face" using the decorating gel for mouths and miniature chocolate chips for the eyes

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 8 servings.snagged from cooksrecipes. com

Pumpkin Face Brownie Cups

Pumpkin Face Brownie Cups


1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter flavored shortening, melted
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
1/2 cup REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
FROSTING (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350°F. Place 2-inch foil bake cups on cookie sheet; set aside.

Stir together sugar and cocoa in large bowl; add shortening. Stir with spoon until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add flour, vanilla and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in peanut butter chips and nuts, if desired. Spoon equal amount of batter into each bake cup.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool completely.

Prepare FROSTING; frost brownie cups with orange frosting. Place green and chocolate frosting in separate reclosable sandwich bags; seal. Snip off pinpoint corner of each bag. To decorate, squeeze out green frosting for stems and chocolate frosting for faces.

Makes about 2 dozen brownie cups.

snagged from cooksrecipes. com

Boo-ti-ful Ghosts

Wrap these in pretty cellophane paper and ribbons and hand them out to trick-or-treaters.-If you do be sure to print out your name and address on the tag, so people will feel a little better about letting their kids eat them.


Boo-ti-ful Ghosts

Wax paper
2 cups (12-ounce package) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
12 lollipop sticks (found in craft stores)
Assorted candies for decorating (such as Spooky WONKA NERDS and/or WONKA TART N TINYS)

LINE baking sheets with wax paper.

PLACE morsels and shortening in large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute 30 seconds; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted; cool slightly.

PLACE lollipop sticks on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 6 inches apart.

SPOON melted morsel mixture halfway over lollipop sticks into ghostly shapes. Decorate with candies. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set.

Makes 12 ghosts.

snagged from cooksrecipes. com

10-Minute Creamy Pumpkin Pie

10-Minute Creamy Pumpkin Pie

1/2 cup cold milk
1 pkg (6 serving size) vanilla instant pudding & pie filling mix
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 Graham cracker pie crust

In a large bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and spice together with a wire whisk for 1 minute or until very thick. Whisk the pumpkin into the mixture. Gently stir in the whipped topping. Spread the mixture into
the pie crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Serve topped with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.

*If you do not have pumpkin pie spice, use 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/8 tsp ground cloves.

GOLDEN SQUASH SOUP

GOLDEN SQUASH SOUP

1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash nutmeg
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cooked, mashed, winter squash
2 tablespoons snipped parsley

Cook onion in butter until tender but not brown. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in remaining ingredients; cook and stir until mixture comes to boiling. Serve at once; garnish with parsley sprigs and a sprinkle of nutmeg.