Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup just symbolizes fall - partially because that's when you find those funky shaped guys all over the grocery stores. They're creamy, hearty, and nice and orange.

Here's what you'll need

1 butternut squash - around 2lbs in size

4 cups chicken stock (better if it's from scratch. Click here for that recipe)

2 teaspoons ground thyme

2 teaspoons salt

olive oil to drizzle

1 carrot

1/2 cup ditalini pasta (optional)

blue cheese crumbs (optional, but if you like blue cheese - holy crap does this add a new level of amazing!)

First preheat your oven to 450.

Then cut your squash in half length wise. This can be tricky if it's pretty hard, so don't cut yourself please.

Then scoop out the seeds and squishy stuff in the bowl of the squash. I just named this spot 'the bowl' because that's what it looks like.

 Now place the two pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with some olive oil, and add some salt and pepper. Not a ton of salt and pepper, but just shake it over. And pop that into the oven.

 So I thought to myself, I wonder if these seeds taste like pumpkins seeds. They are both squashes so why not! So I removed the seeds from the squishy stuff and rinsed them.

 Then I covered them with a cajun seasoning and put them in the oven for 10 mins. Out popped some crunchy good stuff. Bake them until they are golden brown.

 It takes the squash about 45 mins to get squishy. It all depends on how big of a squash you get. But bake them until you can stick a spoon and scoop out a chunk like it's softened ice cream.
Now put your chicken stock in your pot and add all the scoops of squash. Chop up a carrot and add the too. And add your thyme and salt. Make sure it's on medium heat and let it bubble until the carrot is cooked.

 Now grab your blender and pour the soup mix in. This picture just looks weird.

Transfer your soup back to your pot and bring to a boil.
 I decided to add some pasta because I love pasta in everything, pretty much. I went with this cute little shape. Make sure you stir it frequently so these little guys don't stick to the bottom.
Once your pasta is cooked, you're done!

 I read somewhere that can be served with blue cheese and I thought, that's crazy! And it is crazy, crazy delicious!

Pancakes

I used to think pancakes were impossible to make without Bisquick. But they're not. And they make a weekend morning awesome. Plus, there's something to be said for knowing exactly what you are eating AND being able to pronounce all the ingredients that go into it ;)

Here's what you'll need

1  3/4 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1  1/2 cups milk

3 tablespoons cooking oil

Put you egg, milk, and oil in a bowl/measuring cup and mix.

This is me squishing the egg yolk.

Now add the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt and mix. 

Add the egg mixture to the flour combo and mix. Make sure your sous chef is supervising.

The trick with pancakes is low and slow. Low heat, seriously at about level 2 out of 10. Otherwise the insides will be goo and the outside will burn.

Add another tablespoon of oil to a skillet and a quarter cup of your mix to make on pancake.

Now, I often end up with a sacrificial first pancake and that's ok. I'll flip it too early or there's too much oil in the pan and it looks weird. So be prepared to throw the first one out and keep going.
It will be worth it, I swear.

This is what should look like when you are ready to flip. You can see bubbles that are popping, the sides look solid. It's starting to look cooked.

 Flipped!

 Stack them together on a plate and smile.

 Then add some syrup :)

Applesauce!!!

You can make your own applesauce. It's actually not too hard.

Here's what you need
6 apples (go to the orchard, it's a good date)
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 orange - juice and zest
1 lemon - juice and zest


First, zest your lemon and orange. Place this stuff in a bowl. Then squeeze out the juice into the bowl.
Preheat your over to 350.

Now peel your apples. This part is a pain. I have an apple slices that cores and cuts the apple, so it made this next step easier. Either way you need to cut your apple into 4 pieces and cut out the core part.
Then put the apples in the bowl and mix with the juice and zest.

Now add this to a dutch-oven style pot that's oven safe. Add your sugar and butter. Mix it up.

 Cover the pot and put it in the over for 1 1/2 hours. When you take it out, use a whisk to swish all the goodness together.

And you just made applesauce :)

Pepper Jack Stuffed Pork Chops

So I have a thought, let's put some cheese in a pork chop.

Here's what you'll need
2-4 pork chops, thick ones without the bone
Shredded pepper jack cheese
Cajun seasoning (your choice)
Sliced apple (optional)
Tin foil
Olive oil for you to drizzle

First, preheat your oven to 400.
Then, you need to cut a pocket into your chop. Take a knife and push it about 2/3 of the way into the side of the chop like this.

Be careful not to cut your hand as you move the knife all the way across the one side of the chop. Also, don't let the knife go all the way through.
Here's a sliced one.

 Now take a handful of cheese and shove it in each chop.

You can shove as much in as you want. I like to put so much that it's hard to press the edges down to close the chop.

Now place the chop on a piece of tin foil that's big enough to close it into a little pouch. Then cover with Cajun seasoning. I use some stuff my parents brought me back from New Orleans and it's amazing.

We just went to the apple orchard so I thought hey, let's put a few slices of apple on the pork because they bake beautifully.
Does this look like Kermit the frog to anyone else?

 Close up your pockets and back for 30 minutes.

Ta da! The salty kick of the Cajun spice matches the pepper jack in an equal battle of deliciousness.
I chose to serve this with some sautéed veggies.

Garlic Lime Chicken Bucatini

Bucatini? This pasta gem was an adventure to find...until I realized it's sold at Hy-Vee. It's thicker than spaghetti with a hole that goes right down the middle. I think it was designed for slurping.

Anyways, this dish is my take on something I ate at Flying Mango - a taste explosion in Beaverdale. If you haven't been there before, then you should probably go. Just google them and make your reservation now.

Here's what you'll need

2 chicken breasts

3 limes

2 lemons

1 zucchini chopped

some mushrooms chopped

4-6 garlic cloves, depending on the size, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1+ teaspoon red pepper

1 mango chopped

1 package bucatini pasta

This one requires some marinating for at least a couple hours if not overnight. Put your two chicken breasts in a plastic bag or a container that closes. Add the juice of two limes and one lemon. Throw the leftover limes and lemon in the bag too. 

So I forgot to take pictures when I started this, but I then I remembered about half way through.

When you're ready to start cooking, chop your chicken into small pieces.

Boil your water and cook the pasta according to the package directions.

While that's cooking, turn your pan on medium heat. Add oil. Then add your garlic. Let it sizzle for just a few moments so you don't burn it. Now add your chicken. Sprinkle some, but not all, of your red pepper flakes on the chicken when it starts to cook. 

When your chicken is almost cooked, add your veggies and cook until they're done.

Set this mix aside. Here's what it looks like. Look, a picture!

Now turn your heat down a little. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the butter. Melt the butter. Watch it so you don't go overboard and burn it.

Once the butter is melted add your pasta and mix. Add the juice of your last lime. Add more red pepper flakes. If you love the spicy, you can add more and more until you're happy. Just mix it all up.

Once the butter is evenly mixed through the pasta, add your meat and veggies.
Then chop up your mango and scatter some piece on top of each plate.

The sweetness of the mango blends into the tang of the lime and then they both roll into the cream of the garlic-butter sauce. Every few bites you get the pep of the red pepper. And it's a damn good time!

Sloppy Joe's!

Sloppy Joe's, slop sloppy joe's.

How can you think of sloppy joe's without thinking of Billy Madison? Well, I guess it depends on when you were born, but us kids of the '90s know what's up.

Here's what you'll need
1 lb ground beef
1 red pepper
1/4 of an onion
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbs worchestire sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup ketchup

I didn't feel like chopping my onion and red pepper, so I let my food processor do it for me.

Set that aside and start browning your ground beef on medium-high heat.

You don't want any pink showing. It should look more like this. Now add your brown sugar and mix evenly.

Then push the meat to the side, turn your heat on medium and add your pepper/onion mix.

Cook for a couple minutes until that is softened. Then add your worchestire and red wine vinegar.

Mix that all together and let it cook for about 5 minutes. The liquid will absorb into the meat.

Now add your ketchup.

I added a little more than a 1/4 cup. Mix that all together, turn your heat on low and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

Then boom, sloppy joe spectacular! Serve with some kind of steamed vegetable because those are good for you :)

Simple Rigatoni and Chicken Sausage Pasta

This one actually is simple. And it's still from scratch, sort of...you don't make the chicken sausage...you just buy it.

Here's what you need

1 package of chicken sausage-go with whatever flavor sounds tasty. I recommend something with garlic or tomato.

1 lb rigatoni pasta

1 red pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

6 basil leaves torn

2 teaspoons olive oil

First grab your chicken sausage. You can remove the casing or leave it on if you're feeling lazy. I recommend removing it. Just make a small slice into the sausage and use your finger to pull the casing off. It kind of seems like plastic, but you can leave it on and eat the whole thing, it's just slightly chewy.

Here's the sausage I went with.

Now boil your water and cook your rigatoni according to the package directions.

While that's doing it's thing, chop up your sausage and pepper. Add your oil to a pan and cook the sausage on medium high heat. Technically, it's already cooked, but I like to cook it more.

 Once it's a little browned, add your pepper.

 Once your pasta is cooked, turn down your heat and add your tomato paste and basil. Mix it really well because the tomato paste is very thick.

Sprinkle with some cheese if you want.

That's all!