Recipe - Butternut Squash Soup

3 lb. butternut squash
5-6 cups chicken broth (like Knorr Chicken Bouillon)
3 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place squash flesh side down with ¼ inch water in large baking dish (water keeps the flesh tender and moist). Bake at 350° for approximately 1¾ –2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.

Scoop flesh into blender with spoon. Discard skin. Add salt and nutmeg. (Note: It is easier to do half of the squash at a time.) Add 2 cups broth to blender. Blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add more broth until smooth and creamy. Empty blender into stockpot. Repeat with other half of the squash.

Heat on low to barely simmer. Add butter after ½ hour.

Once thoroughly heated, taste and correct seasoning. Prior to serving, add cream and warm. (Do not boil.)

Note: Soup can be frozen after blending squash, chicken broth and spices. After thawing, heat, add butter and cream, and continue heating until hot but not boiling.

Herbs & Spices, Pesto recipe

I use herbs and spices to make some of the bland food I've been eating tastier. I have an herb garden where I grow rosemary and oregano year-round (in central Texas), and basil in the summer.

Here are some ideas. I'll try to post more recipes and ideas soon.

Rosemary - chicken, pork, salmon.
Oregano - beans, zucchini
Garlic - any kind of meat or fish
Cumin - beans
Basil - chicken, pasta sauce. Good with tomatoes.
Olive oil - pasta, vegetables, meat, fish, etc. I keep a bottle of olive oil flavored with 1-2 cloves of garlic (peeled) in the refrigerator to pour over broccoli, brussel sprouts or whatever.
Garlic chives - potatoes
Cilantro - chicken, beans

Recipe - Pesto

2 c. basil leaves, loosely packed
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4 c. pine nuts
3/4 c. olive oil
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese*
salt

Combine everything except cheese in food processor. Scrape into mixing bowl and beat in cheese. Can be divided into small jars and frozen.

*Use the best quality Parmesan cheese you can find. I recommend Parmagiano-Reggiano.

Recipe - Sancocho

Here's my version of a tasty Panamanian soup that is easy to eat and not too spicy. I get yuca (a large root vegetable) and plantains at Central Market in Austin; Whole Foods Market probably carries them also. The plantains should be a little on the green side--they get sweeter as they ripen. They should not be sweet for this soup.

Sancocho

Ingredients:
5 chicken leg quarters
1 large onion
8 garlic cloves, chopped
3 quarts cold water
1 lb. yuca root, peeled and cut into chunks (substitute potatoes if yuca is unavailable)
2 plantains, not too ripe
1 tbsp. salt
½ c. cilantro, chopped, plus extra for garnish

Place the chicken in the water with the onion, garlic, and salt and cook slowly until tender. Cut the yuca and plantains in 1½-inch pieces and add. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender. Season to taste. To thicken soup, remove some of the plantain and puree with a little broth until smooth; return to pot and mix in.