Roasted Vegetable Hummus Plate: Just a quick dinner with roasted eggplant and butternut squash on light, creamy hummus. A dash of sumac and parsley then drizzled generously with olive oil. Add some sliced naan and a simple salad to the side and you have yourself a mighty tasty dinner indeed.
One thing that I had a lot of growing up was soups. My mom would make a lot of sinigang, arroz caldo, kare kare, and sopas. A big bowl of my mom's soup always spelled comfort food to me and always made me feel better and good, even on frustrating or busy days.
Funnily enough, now that I have my own household, I rarely make any soup. It's probably because my husband isn't a very big soup eater . . . he'd rather have a big honking meal that would make him full instead of a light supper of soup and buttered bread. To each their own, I guess.
I didn't start getting into soups again until I started working for Boudin Bakery. With clam chowder, chili, and a rotating special soup of the day, it wasn't hard to revive my love of soup. Throw in a bread bowl, and soup reached new heights of wonderment!
Speaking of soup, I was still employed at Boudin's when they rolled out an updated menu. Chief among them was all new pizzas and some new soups including a butternut squash bisque. The first time I had the bisque, I was blown away. I was the type of person who loved sweet things. So, when I had a taste of something that was both sweet and slightly savory all at the same time, I was hooked. It was my favorite soup from Boudin's.
Years later, I still come back to Boudin from time to time. And I still order that soup. However, Georgia has no Boudin Bakery. They do have Panera Bread, tho. But I've tried their autumn squash soup and it just isn't the same . . . too savory and not enough sweet.
So I decided to make my own.
Surprisingly, not many people have copycat recipes for Boudin's bisque. There's a crap ton of Panera recipes out there on the web tho. Luckily enough, I did find one recipe that took inspiration from Boudin and a similar one that had different spices. I decided to combine the two to make my bisque.
What I ended up with was something special. While not exactly like the bisque from Boudin's, it has similar flavor notes and passes as an acceptable alternative. I've topped it with some tart dried cranberries (no added sugar!), toasted pecans (instead of walnuts in Boudin's and heck, I'm in Georgia after all!), and fresh and bright flat-leaf parsley. I love this soup! It's like eating autumn in a bowl!
Now . . . if only I had a bread bowl . . .
Butternut Squash Bisque
(adapted from My PB+J and A Sweet Pea Chef)
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 acorn squash, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp salted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 large sweet apples, chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
nutmeg, to taste
cinnamon to taste
1/2 cup low-fat half and half
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
dried cranberries, for garnish
toasted chopped pecans, for garnish
chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
In a large pot, cook butternut and acorn squash in butter over medium heat, stirring, for 20 minutes. Add onion, celery, and apple then saute for 10 minutes. Add chicken stock or broth. Season with salt and pepper then simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and puree using blender or immersion blender. Return to heat then sir in half and half and brown sugar. Season to taste with nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Add additional stock, if necessary. Simmer an additional 10 minutes then remove from heat.
To serve, ladle into bowl and garnish with cranberries, pecans, and parsley. Serve with crusty bread and butter on the side.
Today was a hectic grocery day. I don't know why I didn't do it on Sunday, but I found myself wandering the island and getting things for next week's lunches and dinners. So not only did I get the groceries, I did a ton of prep today as well. Man... Am I pooped.
With that being said, I still wanted to make something that took *some* effort (even though I was starting to run on fumes) despite the busy day I've had. So I went on my pinterest board and looked for inspiration. I don't know what made me look for "Greek", but when I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it. And being an over-achiever that I am, I decided to make some mash and veggies to go with it.
The first problem that I ran into was not having any Greek seasoning. Another quick looksie through pinterest and I found this spice mix which looked interesting (with the added bonus that I had everything listed in my pantry). After tasting a bit of it, I was really blown away! Herby a little salty, I knew this was a killer spice mix! I made sure to save the recipe in my files so I can make it again when I run out in the future.
With the main problem out of the way, everything went surprisingly smooth and with very little effort than I anticipated. Of course, it definitely helped that I went grocery shopping earlier today...I just so happened to get all the ingredients that I needed for the recipes I chose. Yay for happy happenstance!
With regard to the actual meal, I thought that it all went well together. Loved the mash and also the veggies. The chicken was so-and-so... I'm thinking that I went overboard on the yogurt (I halved the recipe) and it didn't cook that way it was intended because I used skinless boneless thighs. I may do this recipe again, but with no lemon juice (just zest) and just enough yogurt to coat the chicken...
Greek Seasoning Blend
(from AllRecipes.com)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried Greek oregano
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried rosemary, minced
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Mix salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, cinnamon, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, dill, marjoram, cornstarch, thyme, and nutmeg in a bowl. Store in an airtight container. Alternately, blend spices in a spice grinder for a finer texture.
Greek Marinated Chicken
(from Budget Bytes)
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tbsp dried oregano
1 medium lemon
½ tsp salt
freshly cracked pepper
¼ bunch fresh parsley
3½ to 4 lbs chicken pieces
To make the marinade, combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper in a bowl. Use a fine holed cheese grater or a zester to scrape the thin layer of yellow zest from the lemon skin into the bowl. Also add the juice from half of the lemon (about 1-2 Tbsp). Stir until the ingredients are well combined. Roughly chop a big handful, or about ¼ bunch, of parsley and stir it into the marinade.
Add the chicken pieces and marinade to a gallon sized zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible, close the bag tightly, and massage the bag to mix the contents and make sure the chicken is well coated. Refrigerate the bag for 30 minutes. After marinating for 30 minutes, either cook the chicken on a grill OR preheat the oven to 375 degrees in preparation to bake the chicken.
To bake the chicken, place the chicken pieces in a large casserole dish (9x13). Bake the chicken in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Feta and Herb Mashed Potatoes
(from Katie's Cucina)
6 medium white potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup each fresh parsley, dill, and sliced green onions
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 tsp black pepper
*3 tbsp milk if needed
Peel, chop, and rinse potatoes. Fill water to just above the potatoes and add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft enough to fall apart when a knife is inserted in them.
Drain potatoes, and add 1/4 cup butter to the pot the potatoes were boiling in. Add the potatoes back to the pot then add fresh parsley, dill, and green onions followed by feta cheese. Place a lid on top of the potatoes and let them sit for 5 minutes.
Add black pepper to the potatoes and mash using a hand-mixer. Add milk if needed (one tablespoon at a time or until moist). Top with more fresh herbs and butter and serve immediately.
Easy Mediterranean Vegetables
(from She Wears Many Hats)
2 tbsp + 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium zucchini, cut in eighths lengthwise, then halved crosswise (about 3 inches long)
1 medium yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch wide strips
1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch wide strips
2 tsp greek seasonings
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp sugar
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large grill-safe skillet and place on hot grill (or stove-top over medium-high heat) until hot. Add zucchini, onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 6 minutes or until browned on edges.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil plus remaining ingredients.
Remove skillet from heat. Add seasoning mixture to cooked vegetables; toss gently to coat.
Sometimes I suck at using ingredients in season. Like this dish... I should've made this during November when all the squash was in season and reasonably cheap. But did I do that? NOOOOOOOO.... I just went ahead and made it now... when fall is long, long, gone and spring is about to start in a few weeks. *sigh*
Well... can't really help it, really. I live in Guam where it's perpetually always summer. And since I get tired of doing potatoes and frozen vegetables, I decided that some squash was in order. I haven't had acorn squash in a long time so this was a nice little dish to put together. I halved the recipe since it was just the hubby having dinner. Relatively easy with some surprising elements! Case in point: boiling the lemon for a couple of minutes took the bitterness away!
After the boiling, the lemon slices were edible afterwards (pith and all) and were pleasantly sweet. The taste reminded me of sweet lemons I bought at a farmer's market right before I left San Diego. Must remember to do that for future recipes that call for lemon slices in the dish.
For the pilaf, I decided to take a shortcut of sorts and used a boxed mix in order to replicate this pilaf. I basically added some veggies to it and called it a day. Ah, laziness! Anyhoo, here's what I did...
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Chicken Thighs with Roasted Acorn Squash and Canadian Maple Syrup
(from Fresh Canteen)
5 pcs chicken thighs
1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 to 3 green onions, green and white parts thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds
olive oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
butter
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 (1 to 1.5lbs) acorn squash
Preheat oven to 425F
Prepare Chicken:
Bring a small pot of water to boil & add the lemon slices, boil for 1 1/2 minutes & remove slices. Cut each slice in half. In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, chopped sage, garlic, coriander, 1 tsp salt & a good grind of pepper. Add the chicken, lemon slices & toss to distribute the mixture, set aside
Prepare the sauce & squash:
In a small sauce pan melt over medium heat 2 1/2 Tbsp butter, maple syrup, chili powder & a good pinch of salt. Simmer for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, set aside. Place the squash stem side down or cut the bottom point of the squash so it will sit flat. Using a sharp chefs knife, cut the squash in half & remove the seeds. Slice the squash in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices (if you want to peel the squash, use a vegetable peeler after the squash has been cut in slices). Place the squash in a bowl & toss with the maple sauce.
Cook the chicken:
Spread the squash on a medium to large rimmed sheet pan or an oven proof pan large enough to hold the squash & chicken without crowding. Place the chicken on top of the squash. Roast for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark sprinkle the green onions over the chicken & squash. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
Plate your dish:
Serve family style or plate individually with some rice, making sure to share all the delicious pan juices from the chicken. Garnish with some extra lemon slices.
Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Kale
(adapted from Cook's Hideout)
I tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup carrot, chopped match-stick size
1 cup kale, stem removed and chopped small
1 (4.3oz) box Rice-A-Roni Long Grain & Wild Rice
1 2/3 cup water
1/4 cup dried cranberries
handful of pine nuts
In a medium saucepan over low heat, cook pine nuts for about 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted. Be careful not to burn. Once toasted, remove from heat and set aside.
Return pan to stove top and increase to medium-high heat. Add the butter to the pan and saute onions and garlic until fragrant. Add kale and carrots, cooking for 5 to 7 minutes or until just wilted. Stir in the rice and seasoning packet from the Rice-A-Roni box. Cook for 1 minute then add the water. Bring to a boil then cover, reducing heat to low.
Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Fluff the rice and stir in dried cranberries and pine nuts. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes about 2 cups of pilaf.
