Keeping true to my word, pantry time...

See linkhttps://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/rosemary-garlic-parmesan-biscuits.html

Winter time Food, enjoying warm soup...

 

Something else besides Zucchini Bread....

Beside making bread with zucchini try making a creamy soup, sometimes creamy soups made from roasted and puréed vegetables are called bisques. I have learned to make a few different ones with all the vegetables we have at times. Yesterday I decided for our Sunday meal I would use up the few zucchini's we had, serve with fresh bread and bruschetta, corn on the cob and a cucumber salad.

The one thing about this meal is every thing could be prepared the day before, except for cooking the corn. This allows me to have a lazy Sunday. Knowing that My Gardner Guy has a huge sweet tooth I made a few loaves of banana bread and some unbaked cookies. By Sunday evening I pretty much bet the treats will all be gobbled up!!!

 

Zucchini Bisque

5 cups zucchini
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves minced 
1/2 cube butter
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half & half
salt & white pepper to taste
1 dash nutmeg

Simmer everything except the cream until squash & onion are tender. Blend until smooth, add cream.
Garnish this delicious soup with a little cheese, croutons, bacon, chives, parsley or even cilantro leaves ....

Those treats I made well there almost gone!!!

Soup is always good with the tomatillo in it!!!

I am going to be busy the next few weeks being a grandma to four grandcritters under the age of eight. Like most children they can be really picky at what they eat. Having a garden helps spark their interest to sometimes try other foods. It is not always easy but I hope that my introduction's to them one day at a time they will grow up learning how to make healthy choices in the foods they eat.
That pretty green tomatillo works and pairs well in chicken soup. Notice by the list of ingredients there is a lot of items that can be pulled right from the garden making this a pretty fresh dish. Some like soup in the fall and winter weather, I enjoy it even in the summer but mostly on a overcast day....it feels and taste good!!!
So that is what I am preparing today yummy soup because it smells like rain is coming!!!
Maybe a loaf of French bread served up with some pesto....

Tomatillo Chicken Soup

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 7 hours

Total time: 7 hours 10 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 6 medium tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
• 1-1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 -32-oz. box chicken broth
• 1 medium green sweet pepper, chopped
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
• 2 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro
• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced*
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• Dairy sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped red sweet pepper, sliced jalapeño peppers, snipped fresh cilantro, and/or tortilla chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Chop three tomatillos. Place remaining tomatillos in blender. Cover; blend until smooth.
2. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine pureed and chopped tomatillos, chicken, broth, sweet pepper, onion, celery, chiles, cilantro, jalapeño, cumin, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and 1 tsp. each salt and pepper.
3. Cover; cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.
4. Remove chicken; let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred chicken; return to soup.
5. If desired, top with sour cream, additional chopped red sweet pepper or jalapeño peppers, snipped cilantro, and/or tortilla chips.

Garden Peas and their many uses!!!

The  garden pea can have many uses in your kitchen....from pesto to soup or try a pasta with this garden delite!!! 

Sweet Pea Crostini

Ingredients
Sweet Peas:
2 cups chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas,  or fresh
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 ounces finely diced prosciutto

Crostini:
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
3 to 4 cloves garlic
Directions:

For the Sweet Peas: Warm the chicken broth and red pepper flakes in a medium

saucepan over medium-high heat until the broth boils. Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the peas in a mesh sieve.

Place the peas in a food processor with the mint, salt, and pepper. Puree the pea mixture. Place the pea puree in a medium bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven until toasted and golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. While the crostini are still warm, drizzle the tops with extra-virgin olive oil. Using a whole clove of garlic in your fingertips, rub the top of the crostini a few times to give a hint of garlic.

To finish, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pea puree. Top each of the crostini with about 1 tablespoon of pea puree. Sprinkle with a bit of the diced prosciutto. Serve immediately.

 

Garden Pea Pesto (without nuts)

Ingredients
Pesto:
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/3 cup olive oil

Crostini:
8 (1/2-inch thick) slices whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old, * see Cook's Note
1/3 cup olive oil

8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced

Directions:
For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.

Top with tomato halves and serve

Linguine with Pea Pesto

1 1/2 cups (from approximately 1 1/2 pounds peas in pods) fresh pea or a 10-ounce package frozen peas, defrosted
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and cooled
1/2 cup (1 1/8 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon table salt, plus more for pasta water
1/3 cup olive oil
12 ounces dried linguine
Garnish (optional): thinly slivered basil or mint leaves
If you’re completely maniacal about your peas getting overcooked (I am!), prepare an ice bath, a large bowl filled with ice water. Bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add peas and cook for 2 minutes (this leaves them with a bit of structure). Drain peas then add them to the ice bath (if using) and drain again. If you haven’t used an ice bath, let your peas cool to lukewarm before making the pesto.
Set aside 1/2 cup of your cooked peas. Whirl the remaining cup of peas in the work bowl of a food processor with garlic, pine nuts, 1/3 cup parmesan and salt until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary. With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil. You can stop right here, toast some baguette slices and make some fine, fine crostini. Or, you can continue…
Cook your linguine until al dente. Reserve about two cups pasta cooking water (yes, this is a lot, the pea pesto will be surprisingly thick) then drain linguine and return it to pot. Over moderate heat, toss pasta with pesto, reserved peas and as much reserved pasta water as needed to smooth and distribute pesto; let cook for one minute so that the pesto adheres. Adjust salt to taste, add freshly ground black pepper if desired. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh herbs, if using, and remaining parmesan for passing.

Pea and Pesto Soup

Ingredients:

3 cups water
3 cups frozen peas 0r fresh
2 scallions
1 teaspoon Maldon salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fresh pesto (not jarred)
Directions:

The quickest way to proceed is to fill a kettle first and put it on to boil. When it's boiled, measure the amount you need into a pan and put on the stove to come back to a boil.

Add the frozen peas, scallions, salt and lime juice and let everything bubble together for 7 minutes.

Discard the scallions and blitz the peas and their liquid with the pesto in a blender.*

Pour into a thermos flask that you've left filled with hot water and then emptied and make sure you screw the top on securely.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

Sweet Pea Salad and Ricotta Cheese Crostini

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh sweet peas
1/4 cup minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 teaspoon lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
Olive oil, for brushing
1 loaf focaccia bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch thin squares
1 cup ricotta cheese
Directions:

Preheat grill to medium.

In a large bowl, add peas, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, mint, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside.

Brush focaccia squares with remaining oil. Grill on each side for 2 to 3 minutes until well marked. Remove from the grill to a serving platter. Spread ricotta cheese on each square and top with sweet pea salad.

Butternut Squash Bisque (Soup)....hummmm good!!!

I really love this cute shapely squash...it stores well, as I still have some from my 2011 garden that I am using for these two recipes. Yes, two different soups, I like them both. The first recipe I got from my daughter a few years ago. When she and her husband were in South Africa they had this soup and fell in love with it. So, they brought the recipe home with them and it was what Shelley requested that I cook for her after delivering Ella. I liked it and soon My Gardener Guy was growing butternut squash in the garden. The second recipe is milk free using apple juice...I had them both tonight and My Gardner Guy and I could not decide which one we liked best...

Butternut Squash Soup 1 (from Africa)

3 TBSP butter

2 onions

2-3 cups Butternut squash cleaned, diced into cube like pieces (I use 3 cups)

1 apple peeled and chopped

1-2 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3 cups of chicken stock 

1 1/2 cups of milk

grated rind of one orange

juice of one orange

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley, croutons, crumble bacon for garnish all optional....

Drying your own grated orange and lemon rind tips....http://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/drying-grated-lemon-or-orange-peel.html#links

Homemade Croutons...http://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/crotons-spag-squash.html#links

Orange and Lemon peels...http://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/drying-orange-and-lemon-peels.html#links

How to peel and cut Butternut squash...http://mygardnerguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-peel-and-cut-butternut-squash.html#links

Directions

Cut your butternut squash in half, clean out the seeds, peel, then diced it up in cubes. Place on oiled baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until  tender.

Saute your onions and apples in butter.

In large cooking pot or stock pot add chicken stock, nutmeg, curry powder, grated rind and juice, sauteed apples and onions, butternut squash, cook on medium heat for 10- 15 minutes then add milk. Use a immersion blender to mix together. Salt and pepper to taste.....Serve warm.... garnish it with chopped parsley, croutons, or crumble bacon.... 

Butternut Squash Soup 2

4 TBSP butter

2 onions (medium)

3-4 cups Butternut squash cleaned, diced into cube like pieces (2 medium size)

2 apples peeled and chopped

3-4 tsp curry powder

4 cups of chicken stock 

1/2 - 1 cup of apple juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped parsley, croutons, crumble bacon for garnish all optional....

Directions

Cut your butternut squash in half, clean out the seeds, peel, then diced it up in cubes. Place on oiled baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until  tender.

Saute your onions and apples in butter.

In large cooking pot or stock pot add chicken stock, curry powder, juice, sauteed apples and onions, butternut squash, cook on medium heat for 10- 15 minutes. Use a immersion blender to mix together. Salt and pepper to taste.....Serve warm.... garnish it with chopped parsley, croutons, or crumble bacon.... 

ROASTED PUMPKIN AND GARLIC SOUP

2 pounds peeled pumpkin, cut into large chunks
1 bulb garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
Leaves from 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme
Leaves from 1 large sprig of rosemary
1 or 2 sage leaves, diced
2 tablespoons minced parsley
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Toss pumpkin in 1 tablespoon of oil and spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cut top off of garlic bulb, place bulb in center of a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with a little olive oil. Wrap bulb up, sealing completely. Place wrapped bulb on baking sheet. Bake the pumpkin and garlic for one hour. Remove and let cool. Remove skin from pumpkin pieces.
Saute the onion in a stockpot in remaining oil until translucent. Add in herbs and cook another minute. Add in broth and roasted pumpkin. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the cooked bulb and add to pot. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, until slightly reduced.
Blend with a stick blender or in batches in a blender. Add sour cream, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Optional garnishes: nutmeg, paprika, sour cream swirl, croutons,  and bacon...

Georgie