Apples Apples Apples!

I have a confession - I had never been apple picking until yesterday. I LOVED it. Almost a bushel of apples later I was inspired by the orchard, the farm, the day, the season and the amazing fresh apples I got. So today was a definite play day in the kitchen.

First Up. 

Curried Autumn Apple Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced medium
2 celery ribs, diced small
1 large apple (Macs are a good apple to use); peeled, cored, and sliced thin
2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
1 can light coconut milk

1 cup apple cider

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

1-2 tablespoons curry powder (start with 1 and add to your taste)
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 10 quick grates on a small grater (about 1/16 of a teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon salt
4-8 grinds of fresh, finely ground black pepper
Roasted squash seeds or pepitas for serving

Directions:

1.       Wash a whole butternut squash and cut in half lengthwise with a large knife. Scoop out and save seeds. Place the two halves cut side down in a microwaveable dish large enough to fit the squash (you may have to do one half at a time). Add water and cover. Microwave on high for 10-15 minutes or until flesh is soft when pierced. Take the squash out to let cool. Remember to use oven mitts because the dish will be hot! Scoop out flesh and set aside.

2.       Next, sauté the onion and celery in olive oil in a soup pot on a medium-low to medium for about 15 minutes, or until tender.  Stir periodically.  Add the apple and sauté for about 5 minutes more. Then add the sage and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off  when the apple is soft and the onions and celery are lightly caramelized and add in squash and coconut milk, apple cider and chicken stock.

3.       Using a stick blender mix until soup is smooth and well blended. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Warm and serve or refrigerate to serve later. Flavors meld and intensify when served the next day. Serve with a sprinkle of roasted squash seeds or pepitas and a sprinkle of parmesan for added zip.

Improvising in the Kitchen

You can't improvise if you are tense. Or thinking too much. You have to really let it go. Joy Bryant 

I have a feeling that the author was talking about acting but the same sentiment is true in the kitchen.

 I have a friend (and friend you know I really am very proud of you but I’m writing a blog here) who tends to follow the recipe to the letter and is not the greatest fan of cooking so they get tense and upset when things go wrong. Actually I know a few people like this. To me, baking is the one science I can actually _get_ (don’t ask me what I scored on my one and only chemistry test – Epic Fail doesn’t begin to cover it). But cooking is like expressionist painting. You add a splash of red, a dash of green until it looks – or in the case of cooking tastes right.

Why am I writing about this today? Well I was chatting with my BFF Rina through email while watching The Pioneer Woman – my new favorite cooking show. I like that she uses things like bouillon and store bought cheats… but I digress. So there I was, watching Ree and chatting to my BFF. Rina said she was making chili for dinner and lo and behold, the Pioneer Woman talked about chili and I suddenly had a craving. I’ve been under the weather this weekend and it’s been cold and rainy – a true fall weekend – and chili suddenly sounded just perfect.

I did a mental tally of what I had on hand. Celery –check; onions and a pepper – check; ground beef, tomato paste, pickled jalapeños, kidney beans - check and… oh crap, I only had crushed tomatoes on hand, no diced!

Ahhh… but I had a huge tomato in the fridge and a bunch of cherry tomatoes. So I didn’t panic or decide no I can’t make my chili without diced tomatoes. I improvised. I chopped up fresh tomatoes and Eureka! The chili was saved.

So in my short and sweet blog today my suggesting is to let go in the kitchen. Improvise, think outside the lines – or along parallel planes of existence. Just because you don’t have a can of diced tomatoes doesn’t mean you can’t have chili, just add some diced fresh tomatoes in with the crushed and Bob’s your Uncle.

I’ll let you know how my Improv Chili comes out!

Temptingly yours,

Tracey

And if you want to know who the Pioneer woman is – she blogs too! Go here:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Or here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-pioneer-woman/index.html?vty=pioneerwoman  to learn more.

I'mmmmmm Baaaack - with a fall dessert recipe: Raspberry Peach Crisp

Did you miss me??

It’s been a fair few months since I posted anything. I’d like to say it’s because I’ve been so swamped with real life that I just didn’t have time… well that’s partly true at least.

The truth is, as amazing as the events of last year were – monumental doesn’t begin to cover it – between the tv show and real life trials, tribulations and tragedies I was left burnt out. So I took a few months to recharge and rediscover my love of cooking. A trip to the Floridian beach thanks to my bff didn’t hurt either ;-) I got to try conch – yummy! And learn about Guava Duff. My friend is of Bahamian descent on one side of her family and Nordic descent on the other. Pretty cool hunh?

Summer has also been a busy, outdoorsy time. I’ve taken up Zumba and yoga – love them both – started to really try and eat healthy and work out and trim down, and I’ve taken time to take stock of my loves.

But the nights have grown longer, the temperature has dropped and the bite of fall is in the air and it’s turned my mind to the wonders of the season – the bite of a crisp Ontario apple fresh off the tree, the crunch of leaves, the uber cool boots and jackets to keep me both warm and fashionable…. Hey, I’m all about boots, ask any of my friends. I have like 6 pairs of boots! But I digress.  The other day I had my first cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season from the mermaid place and it put me in the mood for fall baking.

On Sunday I made my Spiced Pumpkin scones and tonight I made an easy breezy Raspberry Peach Crisp with 9% plain Greek yogurt for a creamy, dreamy topping with much less calories than heavy cream. The most time this desert took was in the pitting and chopping of the peaches. I kid you not! And crisps are so versatile. Any combination of fall fruits will do. There’s the traditional apple but you could also mix it up – bumbleberry, pear and fig (or quince), and plum crisps would all be delish too! The fruit is bountiful in the fall – mix it up and see what you come up with.

And here’s the segway to my recipe for Raspberry Peach crisp:

 (yup still a geek) but seriously here’s the recipe

Raspberry Peach Crisp

Ingredients for filling

6 ripe peaches, cut into slices

1 cup frozen raspberries

2 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

Ingredients for Topping

½ cup cold butter

3-4 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp whole wheat flour

2 cups large flaked oats

¼ cup brown sugar substitute

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1.       Remove the pits from the peaches and slice into segments;

2.       Pour in frozen raspberries

3.       Add maple syrup

4.       Sprinkle with the flour and spices and combine, fill bottom of 8 inch casserole dish, sprayed with cooking spray to prevent a mess

Topping Directions

1.       In a food processor combine butter and flour until a crumbly sand like consistency

2.       Pour into bowl and add oats, spices, sugar and oil

3.       Combine until lumpy

4.       Pour topping on top of fruit mixture and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Serve warm with Greek yogurt, crème fresh, heavy cream or ice cream.

(hot out of the oven crisp with some 9% fat plain greek yogurt.

Eat. Enjoy.

Delish!