Pumpkin Casserole

This is a recipe of my second experiment with pumpkin. It is not a traditional dessert, but it can be a nice side dish for your chicken or fish (anything that is not too heavy) or a meal by itself.

You need:

Pumpkin (I used 1 medium sized tiger pumpkin and 1 medium sized golden squash)

Milk (about 1.5 cup)

Flour (1 tablespoon)

Butter (2 tablespoons)

Panko breadcrumbs (to your taste, depending on the sized of the baking dish)

Swiss cheese (depending on the size of the baking dish, I used about 6 oz)
Salt

Clean the pumpkin from seeds, peel and cut in cubes. Ones again I had two different types - tiger pumpkin and golden squash. You can use regular pie pumpkin.

Sauté pumpkin in one tablespoon of butter.

To make the sauce:

Melt one tablespoon of butter on the pan, add one tablespoon of flour. Sauté until golden. Add 1.5 cup of milk. Cook for 5-20 minutes. Add salt.

  Layer pumpkin in the baking dish.

Add milk sauce.

Cover with shredded Swiss cheese.

Cover cheese with panko breadcrumbes.

You can sprinkle a little bit of melted butter on the crumbles.

Bake at 350-400 F for about 40 minutes or until cooked.







 You can make some variations with this meal. Add sugar in the milk sauce and do not add cheese and you'll get sweet pumpkin casserole! Or substitute Swiss cheese with parmesan to add it more flavor.

Enjoy!

Ala

Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts (with bone)
1 Chicken Bullion
8 oz Baby Carrots, peeled
1/2 Medium Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Leek
Crackers or Bread, if desired

This recipe is very easy and delicious. In medium pot, place peeled and sliced garlic, sliced onions, baby carrots, both chicken breasts and bullion. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 30 minutes or until chicken falls off the bones. Remove chicken and bones. Discard bones. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and return to pot. Wash Leek and cut off roots. Cut into thin slices and add to pot. Cook for 5 minutes and serve. (Leeks will dissolve completely if cooked too long.) Add crackers or bread. Enjoy!

It is easy to make variations of this recipe. If you like celery, mushrooms, tomatoes or any other vegetable, toss them in the pot. If you want, add noodles or rice. To change it up a bit, I will add a few slices of jalapeño peppers and then remove them before serving. They add a nice flavor without burning your mouth.

Be BOLD!  Experiement with the ingredients and have fun!
Posted by PAR

Cream Mushroom Soup!

Here is my another favorite recipe for lunch. Simply amazing! Made this many time. This is very easy soup to make. It's tasty and durable. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients


3 tbsp/35 g butter

1/2 c. flour

8 ounces/227g white sliced mushrooms

1 spring of flat parsley

1,5 liter hot water

1/4 c. chopped parsley

1 pt/8 ounces heavy cream (optional)

Salt and pepper 

Equipment

Medium saucepan

Wooden spoon

Blender

Preparation

In the medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add flour and whisk to form a roux,  then add the hot water. Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then transfer to the blender and carefully blend at high speed until smooth. When blended, return the mix to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper. Cook 15 minutes on low to medium heat. Add the cream to produce a richer soup. Cook 5 minutes more. Add the chopped parsley last.

Posted by C.A.

Eat Healthy Even When You Eat Out

When you can't have fun cooking and have to eat out, use this site to "decode" the menu and still eat healthy.  http://eatthis.menshealth.com/menu-decoder/?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-2009_10_05-_-HTML-_-body1  Posted by PAR

Quick and Tasty Stir Fry Chicken

Ingredients
1 Skinless, boneless chicken breast per person
Italian Salad Dressing
Frozen Bag of Stir Fry Vegetables
1/2 C Uncooked Rice per person

Cut chicken breasts into strips or bite sized pieces.  Set aside.  Put vegetables in glass or microwave dish.  Heat in microwave for 2-3 minutes.  In saute pan, place chicken and 1-2 Tablespoons of Italian dressing.  Cook chicken until it is white in color.  Add vegetables and heat through.  Cook rice according to directions.  (I use minute rice, equal parts of rice and water and a pat of butter.  Add chicken boullion for more flavor.  Cook in microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Serve chicken and vegetables over rice.

You can get creative with this recipe by adding water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, sprouts, snow peas, mushrooms and a little soy sauce.  Change the flavor a little by adding sweet and sour sauce.  The basics are easy---then have fun experimenting a little.  Posted by PAR.

Pot Pie - That you will love!

Try this recipe and then come back and share your comments. Every time I have made this pot pie for somebody new they say "Pot Pie---I hate pot pie!" And then they proceed to eat half the pie and ask when I am going to make it again.

The first time I made this pot pie, I emptied my refrigerator with leftovers. It can't be something you don't like because you only add the things you do like to it---and anything goes.

Ingredients

1 Philsbury Pie Crust

6 oz Meat of Choice, cooked
1 pkg Frozen Vegetables (or empty your refrigerator using all leftovers)
1 can Cream Soup of Choice
1/3 can Milk
1/4 cup of Cooked Pasta or Rice
3 oz Cheese of Choice (about 5 slices)

Place pie shell in pie dish. Cover bottom with bite-sized pieces of meat. In separate bowl, mix vegetables, pasta or rice and can soup with about 1/3 can of milk. Stir well. Pour mixture over meat in pie dish. Cover top with cheese. Put top pie shell on and pinch outer edges together. Vent top by making 3-5 slices in crust. Bake 45 minutes at 400 F or until golden brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes so the juices won't run. Enjoy!

Posted by PAR