Pumpkin Soup

1 (4-pound) pumpkin (kabocha squash is best, but can also use buttercup squash, red kuri squash, Hubbard squash, or even butternut squash)
4 garlic cloves (do not peel)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cardamom
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk (reserve a little for garnish)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Water, as needed
Microgreens, for garnish (optional)
 
Heat the oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
 
Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle squash and garlic cloves with olive oil and sprinkle squash with pinches of salt and pepper.  Place squash and garlic on a baking sheet, squash cut-side down. Roast for 30 minutes, then remove garlic from oven.  Continue roasting squash for another 20 to 30 minutes, until very soft.  When cool to the touch, peel away the skin of the squash and measure 4½ packed cups of the flesh.  Peel the garlic.
 
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper, and sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes.  Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cardamom and stir for 30 seconds, until the spices are aromatic.  Add the cooked squash, coconut milk, and broth, and stir to combine.  Simmer for 20 minutes, then stir in the vinegar.
 
Transfer to a blender, working in batches if necessary.  Blend until smooth.  Kabocha squash can vary in water content, so if your soup is too thick add up to 1½ cups water (½ cup at a time) to reach your desired consistency.  Garnish with additional coconut milk, fresh black pepper, and microgreens, if desired.

Serves 6.

From Love and Lemons blog

Lemon Herb Chicken, Orzo, and Mozzarella Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary 
1 tablespoon chopped oregano or thyme
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 garlic clove, grated, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

Salad:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips

1 pound dry orzo pasta

4 tomatoes, thinly sliced, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1-2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped

8 ounces mozzarella pearls

1 cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped or torn

Heat oven to 350 F.

Combine all dressing ingredients in a glass jar and whisk or shake until smooth.  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

In a baking or roasting pan, toss the chicken strips with half of the dressing.  Roast in oven for 30 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Boil the orzo to al dente according to the package directions.  Drain.  Allow to cool a bit.  

Combine cooked chicken and pasta, tomatoes, peppers, mozzarella, and basil, with remaining dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or cold.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Half-Baked Harvest blog recipe

Magic Apple Plum Cobbler

1/2 cup (115 grams or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 grams) sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
3/4 cup (175 ml) whole milk
2 medium apples, peeled
3 small or 2 medium plums, no need to peel (and/or peaches)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
Heat the oven to 350°F.  Place butter in a 2 to 3-quart baking dish or a 7×11-inch cake pan.  Place pan in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until butter has melted.  Tilt the dish to ensure it is evenly coated with butter.
 
Whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and stir in milk. Mix until smooth.  Pour batter over the butter but do not stir, even if it looks like a puddle-y buttery mess.
 
Cut apples into 8 wedges, small plums into 4 wedges and medium ones into 4 to 6.  Space fruit over batter.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and then remaining sugar
 
Bake the cobbler until it is set and golden on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack. Serve the cobbler warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8 to 10.

From Smitten Kitchen

Zucchini Lasagna Bolognese

4 to 5 medium-sized zucchini squash
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground turkey (or substitute veggie crumbles)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 26-ounce box or can finely chopped tomatoes

3 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
16 ounces ricotta cheese (or substitute crumbled paneer mixed with a little cream)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
16 ounces freshly grated mozzarella or provolone cheese
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
Fresh basil, for topping

Spicy Basil Breadcrumbs:
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
 
Cut the zucchini into thin slices, about ⅛ inch, using a knife or, if you’d like thinner slices, a mandolin or vegetable peeler.  You are going to need 4 layers of slices; with a 9x13 inch dish, this is approximately 7 slices across for each layer, or roughly 28 to 32 slices total.

Place the zucchini in a single layer on paper towels or kitchen towels.  Sprinkle it all over with salt.  Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, but even up to 60 minutes.  This will remove the water so the lasagna isn’t watery.  While the zucchini sweats, make the bolognese.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-low heat.  Stir in the onions, mushrooms, and garlic with a pinch big of salt and pepper.  Cook until softened, stirring often, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add in the ground turkey.  Cook until browned, stirring and breaking apart the meat, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Once browned, stir in the tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano, and pepper flakes.

Add in the finely chopped tomatoes. Stir in the cream and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Let this sit over low heat, stirring occasionally, while you make the ricotta mixture.

In a bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, egg, remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon basil until combined.

Now it’s time to make the lasagna!  Press towels over the zucchini very well to remove all the liquid.  Place a few spoonfuls of the bolognese sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Layer one row of zucchini slices in a single layer.

Spoon some of the bolognese all over the zucchini slices.  Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over the meat.  Sprinkle on a few handfuls of the grated mozzarella cheese.  

Add another layer of the zucchini slices and repeat what you just did; add the bolognese sauce, a third of the ricotta mixture, then a sprinkle of cheese. 

Add another layer of zucchini slices.  Add more bolognese sauce, the remaining ricotta mixture, and a sprinkle of cheese. 

Top with the final layer of zucchini slices.  For the final layer, add the remaining bolognese sauce.  Top with the fresh mozzarella slices.  Bake the lasagna for 35 to 40 minutes.

Once finished, let it set up for another 30 to 45 minutes; it will cut much more nicely if it sits and settles.  This will NOT slice into perfect layered slices, but if you let it sit before slicing, it will slice nicely and shouldn’t be a watery mess!

Before slicing, top with the basil breadcrumbs, extra grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. 

To make spicy basil breadcrumbs:
While the lasagna is baking, make the breadcrumbs.  Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Once melted, stir in the breadcrumbs, basil, and pepper flakes.  Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing, until browned and crispy.  Sprinkle on the lasagna when it comes out of the oven.

Note: Ingredients can also be halved and lasagna made in a 9x9 inch dish.

Serves 8.  

From How Sweet Eats blog, with minor changes

Sun-Dried Tomato and Corn Chowder

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (drained if they are in oil), plus more for topping
2 cups corn kernels, cut fresh from the cob, plus extra for topping
1 1/2 cups chopped Yukon gold potatoes
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
 
Goat cheese croutons:
1 11-ounce log goat cheese (cold, right from the fridge)
1/4 cup flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
olive oil, for pan frying
 
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat.  Stir in the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper and smoked paprika and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
 
Stir in the corn, potatoes, and stock.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and cover, cooking until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes.
 
While the soup simmers, make the goat cheese croutons.  Slice the goat cheese into rounds, around 6 or so.  Place the flour on one plate, the beaten egg on another, and the breadcrumbs on a third.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Dip each goat cheese piece in flour, then in egg, then in breadcrumbs.  Place it in the hot oil and cook for about 1 minute per side until it’s golden and crispy.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to remove excess grease.
 
In a bottle, add the flour to the half and half and shake well until it is combined.  Slowly pour it into the soup mixture while stirring.  Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes – it should thicken up.  Taste and season additionally if needed. Stir in most of the chives, reserving a few for topping.  Serve, topping the bowl with extra sun dried tomatoes, fresh corn off the cob, and a goat cheese crouton!
 
Serves 4.
 
From How Sweet Eats blog

Sweet Quick-Pickled Onions

1 large red or white onion, halved and very thinly sliced into half-moons
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chile flakes
Generous amount of sea salt flakes

Combine all the ingredients in a lidded glass jar or plastic container.  Close the lid tightly, and shake vigorously for a couple of minutes until the onion slices soften, then serve.  Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days in a sealed container.

From Bazaar by Sabrina Ghayour

Golden Buttermilk Loaf

3 cups (340 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (82 grams) semolina flour
1/4 cup (36 grams) buttermilk powder (or substitute liquid buttermilk for the buttermilk powder and the water)
2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons (8 grams) instant yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons (8 grams) salt
3 tablespoons (43 grams) butter
1 1/4 cups (306 grams) water
 
Topping (optional):
1 large egg white
Sesame seeds
1 tablespoon (14 grams) water
 
Weigh your flour, or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Combine all of the dough ingredients and mix, then knead — by hand, mixer or bread machine — to form a smooth, soft dough, adding additional water or flour as necessary, about 8 minutes.
 
Allow the dough to rise, covered, until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
 
Turn the dough out onto a greased surface, gently deflate it, and shape it into an 8 1/2" log.
 
Place the log in a lightly greased 9" x 5" pan, cover the pan, and allow the loaf to rise for 45 minutes, until it's just crowned over the top of the pan.
 
To make the topping, whisk egg white with water.
 
Brush the top of the loaf with lightly beaten egg white, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
 
Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until it's golden brown and its internal temperature registers 190°F or above on an instant-read thermometer.
 
Remove it from the oven, cool it in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out of the pan and cool completely for easiest slicing.
 
Store, wrapped, at room temperature for 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
 
Makes one 9" x 5" loaf.
 
From King Arthur Flour