Moroccan Squash Soup

This is one of my favorite soups

Not only does it make the whole house smell warm and delicious but

 The flavors go nicely together 

and it's the perfect soup for crisp, cool, fall days.

The spices can be adjusted to create for a milder or more intense soup suitable for the whole family.

And you can easily make it vegetarian/vegan if you swap vegetable broth for the chicken broth. 

Moroccan Squash Soup

(serves 6-8)

2 lbs butternut squash (halved, seeded and roasted 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 medium chopped onions

1 tsp black pepper

salt (to taste)

5 large chopped garlic cloves

1/2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander, ginger and all spice

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1 sweet/tart apple (honeycrisp works best!) cored and chopped

28 oz chicken broth

3 cups water

juice of one lemon

Directions

Roast squash, insides down, on a baking sheet at 400* for one hour.  Let cool.

While cooling,

In a 6qt pot heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat, once warmed stir onion, pepper and salt until onions are browned.  Stir in garlic, spices, apple and sautée an addtional 30 seconds.  Remove from heat.

Scoop squash into pan. Add broth and water and simmer on medium high for 20minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. 

(you can also pour, in small batches, in blender and blend until smooth)

Stir in lemon juice before serving.

ENJOY!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

These granola bars are a "healthier" version of last weeks cookies.

(and also a Max favorite!)

These came out of the oven and the "cool time" was barely tolerable.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

(from Two Peas and Their Pod)

(makes about a dozen bars)

3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup applesauce

¼ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray an 8 by 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don't want them to be under baked.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. 

 Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

These bars are NOT going to last long...

ENJOY!!

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

I know. I know. I know.

Another PUMPKIN recipe. 

I think there is one more and then I'm done...

...maybe.

And to be honest, I didn't even TOUCH pumpkin until 2009!

And it was a fluke. 

But, like most flukes, it was wonderful and now I can barely keep my hands away!

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili

(adapted Taste of Home)

(serves 10)

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups chicken broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions 

 In a large skillet, saute turkey breast until mostly cook. Add in the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to crockpot and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

ENJOY!!!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

I apologize (but not really) for the "All Fall All the Time" posts

These cookies are the epitome of fall. 

At least in mine and Max's opinion!

I first introduced these cookies to Max last fall and at least once a month he asks that we make these cookies.

These cookies are soft, moist and full of warm fall-y flavors.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

(from How Sweet)

(makes about 3 dozen)

1 1/2 sticks melted (and cooled) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the flour, salt, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the melted butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Stir in pumpkin butter until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. Fold chocolate chips and chunks.

Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes, then roll into golfball-sized balls.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are crisp and slightly golden on the edges, then let cool completely.

Grab your favorite cookie monster and a glass of milk and...

ENJOY!!

(ps you can now follow me on Twittter "@thatgirlbakes"!!!)

Applesauce

I love apples.  

Growing up, I swear, every year we took a trip to an apple orchard and spent a week  learning about apples (in particular graphing our favorite type of apples). 

While I may not have snuck off to an orchard for fresh apples, I am grateful that the grocery store sells apples and suggests what type of apples are best for cooking.

Applesauce

(makes 2 cups)

10 medium apples (I used Gala) washed

1/4 c water

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions

Peel, core and chop apples and place in large pan over medium heat.  Add water and bring apples to a boil. (Watch apples so they don't burn!!) Once apples are soft, use a immersion blender (or potato masher) to puree apples to desired consistency.  Remove from pan and place in serving dish and sprinkle with cinnamon and allow time to cool. 

ENJOY!

Roasted Tomatoes

I don't think it's any big secret that I LOVE tomatoes.

I like them in caprese dishes

I like them all sauced up.

And I also love roasting my veggies.

Roasted (grape) tomatoes become sweet, juicy and the perfect compliment to a steak dinner.

Roasted Tomatoes with Feta

(serves 4)

2C grape tomatoes (rinsed and dried)

4 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp garlic (minced)

salt and pepper

1/4C feta

Directions 

Preheat oven to 400*

In a large baking dish arrange tomatoes in a single layer.  Toss with olive oil to coat and season with garlic, salt and pepper. 

Roast in oven for 30 minutes or until tomatoes start to burst. 

Remove from oven and, using a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to serving dish. Top with feta and serve immediately!

(note: why the slotted spoon? the tomatoes will continue to create their own sauce, so I think it's best to drain the tomatoes originally)

ENJOY!!!

Trail Mix Cookies

This is the picture I posted as  "Guess the Mess" on Facebook...

These are also the September installment of my Dad's Christmas gift. 

I LOVE trail mix (regardless of if I'm on a trail or not)  and thought it'd be a good idea to make a trail mix cookie.

(Apparently these can also be "Monster Cookies" but I've also envisioned Monster cookies to be... HUGE... these are not oversized cookies... these are normal sized)

Trail Mix Cookies

(adapted from my Oatmeal Cherry and Chocolate Chip Cookies)

(makes 5 dozen cookies... 

maybe more if you can keep from taste testing the dough!)

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)

1 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup rasins 

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup peanutbutter chips

1/2 cup crushed pretzels 

1/3 cup M&Ms

(for the mix-ins measurements were estimated)

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, rasins, chocolate chips, peanutbutter chips, M&M's and pretzels.

Set dough in fridge to chill for  after about 30 minutes, Preheat oven to 350(F) and form the dough into little balls and set on lined baking sheet.  

Bake for 8-10 minutes

When done, move to cooling rack, let cool for 30minutes.

ENJOY!!!!