Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Here's the recipe I promised on Friday: Curried Butternut Squash Soup. I realize I've posted about a million butternut squash soup recipes, but I just can't help it. Squash is delicious. It's also a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.

Even with all the squash soup I've served, a recent conversation with my gal pals made me realize an important variation I'd inadvertently ignored; I have never made butternut squash soup with curry powder in it! It was high time I checked that off my bucket list, and the result was as delicious as I'd hoped.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Serves: 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups cubed butternut squash (I buy peeled and cubed butternut squash at Costco. It's the best thing since sliced bread. Seriously.)
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 apple, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
1.5 teaspoons curry powder
32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
Sour cream, for serving

In a very large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high. Add squash, onion, carrots, and apple. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they're starting to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add curry powder and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, making sure you scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to incorporate the browned bits of flavor into the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream.

All Points Bulletin

If anyone sees my brain, please let me know. I seem to have misplaced it.

You see, I started a really lovely post about butternut squash soup. And then I forgot to finish it. Just forgot. I went to bed and read a magazine. No good excuse. Nuthin'.

So, it's official...my brain is lost. Why else would I forget something as important as butternut squash soup?!

Look forward to a delicious recipe for Curried Butternut Squash Soup on Monday. 

Unless I forget...

Berry Smoothie

It's the end of January. It's cold. It gets dark early. It's really cold.

I could sure use a little taste of summer.

Berry Smoothie
Serves: 1

10 frozen strawberries
15 blackberries
6 ounces Greek yogurt (I used honey flavored yogurt.)
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey, or more/less to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Let 'er rip until everything is combined. If you're having trouble blending the smoothie, try adding a bit more liquid.

A Well-Stocked Pantry

As usual, I watched a bunch of shows on The Food Network this weekend. I can't help it; it's good TV. Plus I have no guilt about watching cooking shows because I think of them as educational. How do you think I learned to try stuff in the kitchen?

One theme that kept popping up show after show (after show...) was cooking from your pantry. I am a huge fan of pantry cooking for several reasons: 1.) It allows me to be lazy. It's January in Wisconsin, and it's COLD. Sometimes I just can't be bothered to leave the house. 2.) It forces me to be thrifty. If I use up the ingredients I have on hand before I head back to the store, less food goes to waste. 3.) It encourages creativity. Some of my all-time favorite meals have been inventions of desperation. You never know when you're going to come up with something great!

For today's post, I'm jumping on the pantry bandwagon. Below I've listed my pantry staples and a few recipes to go along with them.

Canned Beans:
Protein-packed and simple, canned beans are a regular dinner hero at our house. Try Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans, Black Bean and Cheese Chimichangas, or Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos.

Frozen Pizza: 
Do I really need to explain this one any further?

Cheese: 
The husband and I always buy a giant chunk of cheddar when we go to Costco. It keeps well in the fridge as long as I keep it tightly wrapped. I shred cheddar for Mom's Cheesy Potatoes and slice it for Ham and Cheese Toasties. Then there's goat cheese. Stir crumbles into Penne with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese or use it for a super easy appetizer, Pesto Goat Cheese Spread.

Dried Cranberries:
I have sung the praises of dried cranberries many times. I eat them by the handful as a sweet and tangy treat, stir them into Creamy Oatmeal for a chewy burst of flavor, and add them to salads for beautiful color and flavor. And have you ever combined dried cranberries and quinoa? You've gotta try Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash, Cranberries, and Pecans.

Frozen Peas:
In junior high school, my BFF and I used to snack on peas straight from the freezer. Not only is this pantry staple perfect for pre-teen grazing, they add color and nutrients to just about any meal. Stir them into pasta, tuna salad, soup, or Shepherd's Pie.

Tortillas: 
I always keep flour or corn tortillas in my freezer. They are the perfect start to so many meals: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Baked Chicken Chimichangas, Lazy Beef Enchiladas, or Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas.

Canned Tuna: 
This pantry staple isn't just for tuna salad sandwiches in your lunch sack. Add drained and flaked tuna to pasta like I do in Balsamic Tuna Salad. Or go old-school and try re-vamped Tuna Noodle Casserole.

Science Geek Gets Clean

Today I'm in the kitchen, but I'm not cookin'. I'm cleanin'.

Cleaning my jewelry, that is.

I have a box full of lovely sterling silver jewelry that is, to put it gently, horribly discolored and gross looking. Every time I see my pretty necklace with the silver beads I think, "What a beautiful bauble! Or at least it used to be." Then I feel mopey and sad and choose a less wonderful (but also less dingy) accessory to wear in its place.

But no more, people. No more! You see, I cleaned my sterling silver jewelry with baking soda. I'll give you the instructions below, but first, a word of wisdom: Before you try this at home with your all-time favorite bracelet in the history of the world, test it out with less-special sterling silver jewelry. Make sure you're happy with the results and then continue on to the good stuff. Now, here it goes...

How To Clean Sterling Silver Jewelry with Baking Soda
Courtesy of eHow.com

1.) Fill your kettle and set it on the stove to boil. (Or just microwave some water. Whatevs.)
2.) Line a glass baking dish (make sure it has sides) with a slightly crumpled piece of aluminum foil.

3.) Lay your sterling silver jewelry on the aluminum foil.
4.) Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over the jewelry.

5.) Pour boiling water over the jewelry until it is covered. Alka Seltzer-like bubbles will start dancing off your jewelry, and you'll be assaulted with a serious rotten-egg smell. Apparently this is just the release of sulfuric gases. So, don't fret. (But do feel free to plug your nose.)

6.) Gently stir around the jewelry to ensure all the surfaces have come in contact with the aluminum.
7.) Rinse the jewelry under tap water, taking great care that it doesn't fall down the drain and disappear forever.
8.) Dry jewelry with a soft towel.
9.) Enjoy all the compliments you receive on your super-sparkly accessories! 

Balsamic Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

When I was at the grocery store, they had gigantic, and I mean gigantic, parsnips and carrots on sale. Could I pass that up? Absolutely not. Just look at those suckers:

Since these veggies were so stinkin' big, I figured they might be tough and fibrous. A little nibble while I cut them up confirmed this was the case. In order to soften and sweeten my veggies, I decided to roast them.

A quick trip to my backyard for some rosemary, and I was ready for action. By the way, did you know that rosemary survives in the snow?! Crazy!

Next time parsnips and carrots (gigantic or otherwise) are on sale in your neck of the woods, give this one a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Balsamic Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
Serves: 4-6
Adapted from Bon Appetit (via epicurious.com)

1 gigantic carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/8" thick coins
2 gigantic parsnips, peeled and sliced into 1/8" thick coins
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. You should have about 4 cups total of sliced carrots and parsnips. Place vegetables onto a very large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle rosemary, salt, and pepper on top. Toss everything together so the carrots and parsnips are evenly coated.

Roast for 20-25 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Chicken and Creamy Mustard Sauce with Egg Noodles

Sometimes it's fun to eat a meal that feels fancy. Bust out the china from your wedding, light a couple candles, and pour yourself a tall glass of wine while you cook.

Today's hot dinner isn't super tricky, but it's a little fussy. Don't be deterred though! Remember that tall glass of wine you poured yourself? You've got that to see you through. Just think of the recipe in steps: 1.) You make some chicken. 2.) You make some sauce. 3.) You combine the chicken and the sauce. Seems pretty simple when you think of it that way, doesn't it? Now, get that wine and go for it. You can do it!

Bon appetit!

Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious.com
Serves: 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1.5 tablespoons grainy mustard (If you don't have grainy mustard, use Dijon.)
2/3 cup sour cream

Using a meat mallet, heavy measuring cup, or the heal of your hand, pound chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dust both sides of each chicken breast with flour and pat off excess. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through (an internal temperature of 165 degrees), about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate; cover and keep warm.

Add mushrooms and onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Add broth, wine, mustard, and sour cream to the skillet. Stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Simmer until the sauce is reduced, about 15 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Cook until chicken is heated through, about 6 minutes longer. Serve with Therese's Egg Noodles.

Therese's Egg Noodles
Serves: 4

8 ounces egg noodles
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
Chopped parsley for garnish, if you're feeling swanky

Cook egg noodles according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until it's caramelized and softened, about 10-15 minutes. Stir onions into egg noodles and garnish with parsley.