#14 Photo A Day:: Makes me laugh: I mistakenly keep locking the door while Da Hubs works outside. What can I say??? I am a creature of habit. He doesn’t think it’s funny, but I DO! (Taken with Instagram)
Broccoli & Cannellini Bean Soup
Oh, this Broccoli & Cannellini Bean soup is easy peasy! Just be sure to have a hand blender or blender on hand. My hand blender ceased working and I was forced to run the soup through a food processor. Yes, I know I could have used the blender, but that’s a whole ‘nother story….*the base is in my classroom while the pitcher remains here….like I said..a whole ‘nother story.
Anyway, this soup is tasty and thick. If you don’t want it thick then drain and rinse your beans. I chose to make it thick and did NOT drain the beans. Be sure to add lots of spices and/or herbs if it tastes too bland to you.
If you happen to NOT want onion, don’t add it in. I didn’t since I added some scallions instead. It’s all up to you…but no matter how you make it you are sure to love it.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound frozen chopped broccoli
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, undrained
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 ounce shaved Parmesan, for serving
Preparations
- Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until translucent, about 6 minutes. *Be sure to not BURN the garlic.
- Add frozen chopped broccoli, beans and stock and bring mixture to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender until smooth.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with some cheese.
Recipe adapted from wholeliving.com
#13 Photo A Day:: Landscape: Notice the rainbow? It appeared as the bride and groom said their vows on top of the mountain site wedding. (Taken with Instagram)
#12 Photo A Day: On the table: Celebrating Da Hubs’ Birthday (Taken with Instagram)
#11 Photo A Day:: Up Close: My coffee tumbler ❤ (Taken with Instagram)
#10 Photo A Day:: Emotion…I feel it every day and it never goes away. I love her too deeply to ever let go…❤ (Taken with Instagram)
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
- 3 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta shells or a shape you like
- 4 cups 1/2-inch cubed uncooked butternut squash *I used frozen
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups skim milk (or unsweetened almond or coconut)
- 6 ounces freshly grated fontina cheese*
- 2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese*
- *****I used a mix of Cheddar & Jack cheeses
- 2 tablespoons unsalted brown butter
- 2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
- fresh chopped herbs for garnish (sage, basil, cilantro, thyme or scallions)
Preparations:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare water for pasta and once it comes to a boil, cook pasta according to directions and then drain.
- While water is boiling, heat a large cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, then toss in squash with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Add stock and cover skillet, cooking for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally, until squash is soft and can easily be mashed. Remove cover and reduce heat to low.
- Mash squash with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Smooth it out with a spoon to remove any chunks.
- Add in milk, 4 ounces of fontina and all of the parmesan cheese *or just a mix of cheeses like my cheddar & jack, stir until melted and smooth.
- Stir in brown butter and mix until well combined.
- Fold pasta into the sauce until well coated. Top with remaining fontina cheese/cheddar & jack and breadcrumbs and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it cool down a bit and serve. *I baked mine, but didn’t let it brown. The 2nd photo above is what it looked like before it went into the oven.
To brown the butter: Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking or stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, cook the butter until it bubbes and small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan. Then remove the butter from the heat, whisking or stirring for an additional 30 seconds or so.
Recipe adapted from howsweetitis.com
Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 2 cups pumpkin or butternut squash, small dice *I didn’t add this to my dish
- 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese *I substituted with cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of nutmeg…I couldn’t resist!
Preparations:
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.
- Combine broth, rice, squash*, puree, and onion in a 3-quart baking dish, season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg if desired. Stir well to evenly combine.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake. Stir occasionally, until most of the water has been absorbed and rice puffs up, about 35 to 30 minutes.
Best if devoured the day it is made…Yum!
Recipe adapted from cookingchannel.com
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread w/a Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Cream Cheese Swirl
This bread is yummy. Oh, you are so going to love it! The flavors fuse so nicely together. The chocolate fuses so nicely with the pumpkin and spices on the palate. I used mini chocolate chips for they suspend well in the batter. If you use regular sized chips, be sure to mix them in sprinkle of flour so they don’t sink to the bottom.
The swirl is yummy, but mine did not swirl so much. Next time I may drop the cream cheese swirl in scoops as I layer the batter. Then….I won’t have to swirl and the mix will be a bit more evenly distributed.
Now, if you don’t add the swirl, be sure to keep an eye on your bread and don’t over bake it.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread w/ a Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Cream Cheese Swirl
Yield: 1 loaf
Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 60 min
Ingredients:
Bread:
- 1 cup canned pure (unsweetened) pumpkin puree
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 4 large egg whites, 3 for the bread, 1 for the swirl
- 1/2 cup fat-free milk, *I used whole milk
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Brown Sugar and Cream Cheese Swirl:
- 1 (8-ounce) package low fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- 1 egg white
Preparations:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom only of a 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside.*I greased the whole pan.
2. Prepare the bread: Whisk together pumpkin, sugars, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spice and salt. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir just until moistened. Fold in mini chocolate chips into the batter.
4. Prepare the swirl:In a medium bowl, beat swirl ingredients with an electric mixer until well blended.
5. Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into prepared pan then spoon swirl mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with the remaining pumpkin batter. Use a knife to gently drag through the batter and swirl it around, but careful not to touch the bottom or sides.
6. Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Be sure to run a knife loosen the bread. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan to wire rack and cool completely.
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