Creamy White Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Beans

From https://www.eatingwell.com/creamy-white-chili-with-sweet-potatoes-white-beans-8718974

Made this on Nov. 6, 2024.  Not bad, could use a little more flavor?  And I can't eat soup by itself,  I ate it over rice, maybe that's why it was a little bland.  Will I make it again?  Not sure.  Let's see what husband says :)

Ingredients

• Two (15-ounce) cans no-salt added great northern beans, rinsed, divided
• 1 T oil
• 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and coarsely chopped (about 3 1/2 C)
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 C unsalted vegetable broth
• 1 C water
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)
• Lime wedges for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Place one can of beans in small bowl and mash until smooth
2. Heat one tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven; add sweet potato and onion, cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften and lightly brown.
3. Add garlic, 1 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring constantly until fragrant 
4. Add the mashed beans, the remaining whole beans, 3 C broth, 1 C water and 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
5. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender.
6. Remove from heat, stir in 4 ounces cream cheese until melted.
7. Garnish with cilantro and lime if desired.

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

 

This is another recipe I'd like to try one day!

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

• 2 C graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 C unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 C white sugar

Filling

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C white sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 C whipped topping (eg Cool Whip)

Directions

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar for crust.  Press onto the bottom and a little bit up the sides of a 9-inch square baking pan.  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 325 deg F.
3. Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla for filling in a mixing bowl; beat with mixer until smooth.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Remove ONE CUP of batter and spread it onto bottom of the graham cracker crust.
4. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to remaining cream cheese mixture and stir gently until well blended.  Carefully spread the pumpkin mixture over the cream cheese mixture you already placed on the crust.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the center is set, about 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.  Cut into 16 squares and top it with whipped topping.  

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

 

This is on my list to make!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf day-old French baguette
• 5 eggs
• 3 1/2 C whole milk
• 1 C sugar
• 1 T vanilla
• 1/2 C butter
• 1 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 C shelled pecan halves

Directions

1. Cut the bread into cubes and let sit out about an hour to dry out a bit.  Using day-old bread is perfect; the drier the bread cubes, the better!
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs until they are combined.  Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla and stir until combined.
4. Place the bread cubes in a baking pan and pour the milk and egg mixture over them.
5. Melt butter in microwave-proof bowl.  Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved; then stir in the pecans.
6. Pour this mixture over the bread and egg mixture, and gently fold.  Don't mix it in too thoroughly, just fold the mixture so it forms into clumps throughout the bread pudding.  
7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown.  The center will still be a little jiggly.
8. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.  The egg mixture will continue to cook, and the bread will soak up more of the pecan solution.   

Baked Salmon with Panko-Dill Crust (from Once Upon a Chef)

If you know me, I find a recipe I like and then discover I don't have all the exact ingredients.  But no matter, the secret is "pantry cooking" or "fridge foraging."  

When you cook with whatever you find in the pantry and fridge, it's commonly called "pantry cooking" or "fridge foraging" - essentially using whatever ingredients you already have on hand to create a meal.

Here's the original website, in case you want to make it without alterations :)

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/baked-salmon-with-panko-dill-crust.html

 Ingredients

FOR THE PANKO-DILL CRUST topping

• ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (I didn't have panko so used bread crumbs)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 lemon (didn't have a lemon to make zest to skipped it)
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill (no dill either 😓
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE SALMON

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise 
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, from 1 lemon 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 
• Four 6-oz salmon fillets 


• Lemon wedges, for serving (didn't have lemon so I used lemon juice)
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Set rack in middle of oven.  Prepare the pan, covering it with foil and spraying with oil or Pam, etc.
• Mix the topping in a separate bowl.
• For the fish, prepare the mayonnaise mixture, spread on the salmon filets, then cover with the panko mixture.   Bake for about ten minutes.
• 
  Even with all the substitutions, the dish was delicious!!

  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  

Ina Garten's Risotto

 

Ina Garten’s One-Pot Oven Risotto

(This recipe is reproduced from Garten’s book “Go-To Dinners” [Clarkson Potter, 2022].)

• Good olive oil

• 1¼ cups thinly sliced shallots I used regular onions (2 large)

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends removed, cut diagonally in 1-inch lengths (see note below)

• 1½ cups Arborio rice (10 ounces) I used 2 cups

• 5 to 6 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade

• ½ teaspoon saffron threads I didn't have saffron so sprinkled in some turmeric :)

• ½ cup dry white wine Next time I make this, I'll add the white wine at the beginning because I didn't like the wine taste after cooking.  But. . .if YOU do, add it at the end!

• 1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Serves 4

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium (11-inch) Dutch oven such as Le Creuset, I used my Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

3. In the same Dutch oven, heat one additional tablespoon olive oil. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with oil. Add 4 cups of the chicken stock and the saffron, bring to a simmer and cover. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

4. Remove from the oven and add the white wine, stirring well until incorporated, then add one more cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, butter, 2½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes, until the risotto is thick and creamy, adding more chicken stock, if necessary, to keep the risotto very creamy. Stir in the asparagus-and-shallot mixture and serve hot sprinkled with extra grated Parmesan.

Notes

To reheat, add a little white wine and reheat in individual bowls in the microwave. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve hot.

Instead of asparagus, you can use broccolini, broccoli, snow peas or snap peas; or you can add frozen peas just before serving.

This dish was absolutely delicious!!   And easy!

The Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) Beatty's Chocolate Cake

I have not made this yet, but it had such great reviews that I'm going to try soon!

Ingredients 

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cups good cocoa powder, such as Valrhona

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

½ cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans (for cupcakes, see note).
2. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
4. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ones.
5. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. (Not to worry; the top will sink a little in the center.)
7. Place one layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top only. Place the second layer on top, flat side up, and spread the frosting evenly first on the sides and then on the top of the cake.
8. Cut in wedges and serve at room temperature.

Note: For cupcakes, reduce bake time to 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (frosts one cake, or 12 cupcakes)

• 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate, such as Valrhona (see note)
• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1¼ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules, such as Nescafe

1. Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl over a pan over simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
2. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes.
4. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.
5. Dissolve the coffee in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.

Note: I use Valrhona Le Noir 56% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate. You can use also use a good bittersweet chocolate but don’t use chocolate chips because they have stabilizers in them.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

·      1 medium to large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed

·      2 T olive oil

·      1 large yellow onion, chopped

·      2 stalks, green onions

·      ½ t salt

·      4 garlic cloves, chopped

·      1 tsp fresh ginger, ground

·      1 tsp maple syrup

·      1/8 tsp nutmeg

·      3 to 4 C broth (chicken or vegetable)i

·      1 to 2 T butter

 

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 425 

2.     Toss the squash cubes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper

3.     Roast for about 15 minutes until soft

4.     In the meantime, heat one T olive oil in stockpot until shimmering.  Add the chopped onions (yellow and green).  Cook, stirring frequently until the onions has softened.  

5.     Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

6.     Add the roasted squash, maple syrup and nutmeg.

7.     Add 3 cups of broth.  Use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender until mixture is smooth.   

8.     Add butter to taste and more broth if desired to thin.

9.     Top with pepper or pepitas.

10.  Serve with crusty bread.

I made this on Jan. 2, 2024.  Winter squash are back in the grocery stores.

MMade again on Feb. 26, 2024.  I peeled the squash first (surprisingly easy), then cut into cubes before roasting.  

When I made this on Jan. 4, I originally just cut the squash in half, then roasted the halves for about 40 minutes.   PAIN IN THE NECK to scoop the flesh out.  It was very difficult separating the flesh from the skin.  Better to peel first, then roast.  

Finished product.  I only had plain yogurt so spooned that over the soup.  You could use freshly ground pepper or pepitas.