Winter Squash Soup

After a bad season of small and rotten CSA veggies and stupid "treats of the week" I was very disappointed with my seasonal investment. One of the last few weeks we received a pumpkin, a winter pumpkin squash, and carnival squash.

Our larger pumpkin was eaten by a squirrel. Grrrr.. That squirrel was named Simon and I am still very mad at him.

Two months later, the other two squashes have been blended into a new favorite of the Keenie Kitchen. This was a true process of experimentation. I researched a bunch of recipes online, I read lots of winter squash, butternut squash, and pumpkin soup recipes. Without knowing if I should put in curry and other strong flavors I decided to go for the more "pure" squash soup. The experimental process included figuring out if I should use the blender or food processor, and figuring out what spice was missing... And this is how it went:

The Shopping List:

2 small squashes or maybe 1 large butternut squash
1 small-medium sized onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon of honey
S&P
Paprika
Parsley

Putting it Together:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 and put the rack second from the top
2. Peel and cut the squash into about 1 inch pieces
3. Chop the onion and mince or press the garlic
4. Combine squash onion, olive oil, honey, a healthy dose of freshly cracked pepper, and cracked sea salt to cover

5. Once preheated, put the pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes with a watchful eye
6. After 30 minutes turn down the heat to 375 and cook until the vegetable bake starts to caramelize

7. Add the vegetables to a FOOD PROCESSOR. It will need a little liquid to start blending properly. I was a little unsure throughout this process so I added half and half in small doses. (see picture)

8. Once fully blended transfer the puree to a pot and keep slowly whisking in half and half (I ended up using almost an entire pint)

9. Add salt, pepper, and a little bit of paprika to taste
10. Garnish with paprika, fresh cracked pepper, and freshly chopped parsley (dried is fine and pictured below, but fresh will take the cake!)

Notes:

- Try with a fresh loaf of bread.. french bread was just perfect.

- Paprika to taste

- I don't know the difference between half and half versus a heavy cream but I think either will suffice

- The thickness of the soup is a preference, more or less is up to you.

- Taste testing is essential! Don't be afraid to taste, wonder, think, and execute. I took out a little soup and tried paprika on the small sample before I added it to the pot. It is a good tip for trying new things without spoiling the batch!! 

- This is my own variation, but most of the recipe was from http://www.pumpkinsoup.org/Pumpkin-Soup-Recipe/pumpkin-soup-recipe/basic-pumpkin-soup-recipe.php

Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad can be the most refreshing weekend lunch. An open faced toast sandwich with melted munester cheese is the BEST way to consume. Depending on your taste buds you can eat it with whatever cheese you choose- but you are missing out if you don't use munester!

TUNA! Salad.

The Shopping List:

-          1 to 2 stalks of celery depending on size

-          Celery seed

-          Garlic powder

-          Pepper

-          Parsley (fresh is best, dried is fine)

-          Onion (just need a little)

-          Bunch of scallions

-          Can of tuna

-          Mayo

Putting it Together:

1.       Chop celery into very very very small pieces, this is an eyeball thing. I cannot have too much raw celery so I go very light on them and compensate with some of the green part of the scallion ( you can also add carrot, I add this for my brother and mom sometimes but then I can’t eat it at all)

2.       Thinly slice scallions until you get to the soft part, you can add the top part as a little bit of a garnish and I do sometimes depending on how I feel.

3.       In a medium bowl add tuna and break up with a fork. Add celery and scallions so it looks right. You can kind of gather it up with your fingers to get a feel for it

4.       Take the engineer out and put the Jenna brain on for the following:

a.       Add 3 pinches of celery seed sprinkling over all of everything so you can see the seeds but not so it is black with seeds. The point is you are compensating for being allergic to raw celery

b.      Add 2 dashes of garlic powder- if you add too much it is all you will taste so even though you love garlic don’t be too liberal

c.       Add pepper the similarly to the celery seed, shake pepper over so you can see it but not so it is gross

d.      Parsley, same thing but a little more than you would normally because I have the feeling you will under-do it.

5.       Add a scoop or two of mayo to the bowl, mix it around, let it sit a minute, taste it, what is it missing? If it needs a kick, grate onion in.
6.       I usually add a tad bit more celery seed and pepper at the end. But think about it.

Notes:

-          Penzy’s shallot pepper is a mind blowing addition http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysshallotpepp.html

Linguini alla Puttanesca

After our wine tour in Mendoza and needing a nice refreshing Dave and I ended up at a great Italian restaurant to soothe our early evening hangover. I, being worse off, got the plain bolognese, Dave got the puttanesca, promising to be a little spicier. It was the best choice and amazing. AND, After a great night out with Sharon and Matt and after splitting a chicken and muscle puttanesca, he requested we cook one ourselves.

In the supermarket, and with a desire to have a more healthy diet we crafted a veggie dish with a wonderful eggplant instead of the protein.


This is how it went:

Shopping List:
1 eggplant
1 green bell pepper
1/2 medium sized onion
1 serrano pepper
2 tbspns of dried crushed red pepper
1 small can of mild green chillies
1 can of pitted black olives
2 large cloves of garlic
2 tbspns of capers
1 tsp of salt and to taste
1/2 a small can of tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Fresh cracked pepper


Putting it together:


1. Peel and slice the eggplant and soak in a salt water bath for 30 minutes.
2. Remove eggplant and dice
3. Heat 2 tbspns of olive oil and add eggplant and the next four ingredients to the pot. Cook for about 7-8 minutes before it starts to brown.
4. Add the mild green chilies and can of black olives and the rest of the ingredients.
5. Make sure all ingredients combine.. if it is too thick start to add water, you can add up to about 2/3 cup of water, this is a great way to add to the sauce and let it cook down with out it getting really thick and gooky.
6. Cook for as long as desired but a minimum of 30 minutes for the best flavor.


Puttanesca:


- Known for being ("the whore's spaghetti") a this and that of the remnants in the fridge, you shouldn't hesitate to add similar flavors that you like, such as Greek olives, green olives, all sorts of peppers, more or less spice.. any way is the right way, but the above combo was so wonderful it must be shared!
- This meal was accompanied by freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a fresh large chopped curly parsley- adding a great tartness to the savory meal.

Bake-Fu

Updating you on my tofu adventures:

I was in a rush to get some fast dinner and thought I'd revisit the Kung Pao Tofu from the Whole Foods prepared foods counter. I have to say, it made me sad eating out so much ( I think my body is used to a certain amount of home cooking and it hates getting off schedule- both digestively and mentally). ANYWAYS, back to the tofu, I asked the clueless clerk how they prepared it to get that meaty texture. The clerk wanted to help and called to another guy to ask. The chef wasn't in ( no doubt I was getting home at 8pm) but they said they thought it was grilled.

My thought process ( i was on the right track!!) do I use : the Griddler (awesome Cusinart purchase from ruelala)? or the Oven?

With this in mind while I was at work I needed to take a small mental break from the project I was trying to clean up, I searched for baked tofu recipes online. The authors told tales of making the best tofu they'd ever had and they even ate it plain (without the accompaniment of a meal) because it was so delicious.

First attempt at baking tofu:

1. Removed one block of tofu from its package and pressed between paper towels weighted by an empty growler for 30 minutes.
2. Diced into 1" to 1.5" cubes
3. Mixed: 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar, 2 tblspns of red curry paste, 1/4 tsp (or more) of red pepper flakes. Marinated tofu in marinade and put in the fridge from 15-hours.. it can be as long as you want.
4. Pre-heat the oven until 350, meanwhile place tofu on a baking dish in one layer
5. Bake the tofu for 30-45 minutes (depending on size) and turn over every 7 minutes or so.

The Meal:

1. Heat 1 tblspn of oil in a wok

2. Once heated add onion and carrot for 7 minutes on medium heat, and garlic powder, 1.5 teaspoons of crushed red pepper and salt to taste
3. Add mushrooms and baby corn for 4 minutes or until tender
4. Add tofu and stir in, wait 1 to 2 minutes
5. Add a big 1/2 cup of lite coconut milk and any remaining tofu marinade to the stir fry.
6. (Add more coconut milk as you go depending on how much is getting absorbed, you want a nice amount on the bottom so you have sauce for the gravy)
7. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes
8. During the 5 minutes cook the rice noodles.
9. Serve and devour!

The Verdict:


Six thumbs up ( me, Dave, and Scott) "It is substantive, chewy, meaty, and maintains a silky texture too", "just the right amount of tang and spiciness and refreshing", "yum in the tum!!"

Notes:

- I used a weird rice wine vinegar Dave's sister bought 4 years ago- contains high fructose corn syrup that I wasn't aware of and as Dave and Scott said, that part was weird otherwise it would have been amazing. Don't use a vinegar with HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.

- It didn't have enough sauce for the noodles. Because I marinated the tofu for hours I think it soaked up a lot of my marinade, while the extended marinating time resulted in a great flavor in the tofu, next time I would mix up a little extra marinade if planning on it being for as long.

- I ran off another Cooking Light recipe but modified it a lot- this includes adding baby corn. I used it as a substitute for bean sprouts, but I am dreaming of adding peppers, broccoli, and water chestnuts in the future. Let me know if you think other combinations would add better flavor and texture.

Baked Tofu for the Future:

I am going to pre cook tofu for the week and try a variety of marinades. I will highlight some of my favorites as I find them!

Thanksgiving - A Feast with Friends

Thanksgiving is an awesome holiday. The name explains why it is such a great day. I have so much to be thankful for and everyone at some point will take the time to think of what that means to them. Together with close family and friends was the recipe needed for a great Thanksgiving- and for a meal fit for kings.

9 people, three turkeys, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower gratin, beets, rolls, salad, pumpkin cheese cake roll, homemade ice cream, kiwi pie.

Knowing there would be a deep fryer, a dangerous addition to any party with our friends, and so much turkey, I volunteered to bring a bunch of vegetables to ensure proper vitamin intake.

I soon realized preparing vegetables was going to be hard! My last veggie bake was a disaster in my eyes. What to do...? In the grocery store aimlessly staring at the vegetables before me I found cauliflower, a brilliant white and freshness was oozing out of the bag. Cauliflower Gratin! I knew I had prepared this before and it just perfect.

Thanksgiving morning I prepared the Cauliflower Gratin (actually a Barefoot Contessa recipe, and amazing, I have attached the link.. and I will not rewrite her recipe here) thanks to the wonderful cookbook from Dave's mom. Upon getting it in the small baking dish I realized I had not considered the fact that there would be 8!!! In a panic and with a second trip to the grocery store in the same morning in sight I got a little upset. My brother volunteered to run out and save the day.

Fresh bunches of beets and broccoli arrived. I took on the broccoli. I tried a second attempt at baking vegetables. Broccoli alone was safer than a large array of veggies with varying cooking times. The roasted broccoli ended up being a great addition to our feast. When roasted broccoli develops an earthy, nutty, sweet flavor. It is a simple and healthy addition to any meal. I am going to share with you the most simple broccoli dish.

Oven Broiled Broccoli:

Shopping List:

• Bunches of broccoli
• A little olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Fresh salt and pepper

Putting it Together:

1. Chop the broccoli into nice medium sized florets
2. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Dig your hands into the bowl and combine. You don't want there to be too much oil, just enough to coat. If there is a pool of oil and the bottom of the bowl you added too much.
3. Depending on how much broccoli there is this changes but I'd say about 1/2 tablespoon of Garlic powder to a bunch, then crack salt and pepper over the top and distribute the seasoning with a large spoon.
4. Cook right away or let marinate.. the longer the better
5. When ready to cook spread the broccoli to one layer and place on the highest rack in the oven
6. Cook for about 10 minutes, check and mix at 7 minutes
7. Serve, add a dollop of whipped butter and fresh turn of cracked pepper, if desired

Notes:
- A fun addition is to roast garlic cloves along with it

The Potato - 2 Ways

Mashed Potatoes have been one of my favorite sides since I can remember. Potatoes are versatile, substantive, and delicious.

For the first part of my life I had whipped mashed potatoes. My mom had to have her potatoes completely whipped. When I inquired why the process was so involved she responded by saying eating a little lump of hard potato in a mashed potato made her feel like gagging.. it went something like: "oh I remember getting a few lumps when I was little (*gag*), it is so awful! So, I always said I would never have those lumps in mine." Those creamy candy-like whipped mashed potatoes take the labor of love to whip to perfection and are always WELL worth the effort.

Since leaving home and tasting new types of mashed potatoes, in part due to not being equipped with beaters, I have a low dairy method of mashing potatoes with a hand smasher. These potatoes are lumpy and hearty potatoes. They can stand alone well, but are best topped with  a little gravy ( Gravy in a Bind works well).

I agree with you when you say, where is the sour cream? the cream cheese? But this time I am taking a slightly healthier approach to the meal, the amount of butter used is fat enough!

Shopping List:

•  Potatoes
• Whipped Salted Butter 
• S&P
• Mama's Whipped: Skim or 1% Milk
• Smashed Lumpies: Garlic

Mama's Whipped Potatoes:

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil
2. Peel and dice 4 potatoes
3. Cook until tender - depending on your potatoes it can be 15-20 minutes
4. Strain completely return to pot
5. Heat about 1.5 cups of skim or 1% milk ( you might not use all of it )
6. Mix half a cup of hot milk, 2 tablespoons of salted whipped butter, and a few pinches of salt
7. Mix with a hand mixer
8. Slowly add more hot milk and butter as the potatoes start to whip up.
9. Taste test every step of the way. There is no exact formula because all potatoes are a little different in size, freshness, and flavor.
10. Your hand will start to tire, and you won't hear anyone talking to you without a small shout, make sure to use a spatula to clean off the sides of the pot and get additional lumps.

TASTE TIPS: Milk helps get rid of the lumps but make it more sour, butter will sweeten it up, think about the amount of salt, and be careful, but salt can sometimes be the missing ingredient when it is not quite right and you don't know why.

NOTE: YAMS work really really really well this recipe!!!

Smashed Lumpy Potatoes:

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil
2. Peel and dice 4 potatoes
3. Cook until tender - depending on your potatoes it can be 15-20 minutes
4. Toast three cloves of minced or pressed garlic in 1 tablespoon of whipped salted butter take off right before it browns
5. Strain the potatoes and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid
6. Add potatoes back to the pot with 2/3 of cup of the reserved cooking liquid and 2-3 tablespoons of whipped salted butter
7. Add about three pinches of salt and a nice healthy dose of cracked pepper (the cracked pepper adds a little heartiness to these rustic potatoes.
8. Add the toasted garlic
9. SMASH! It takes a nice arm work out to smash these babies up!
10. Make adjustments as necessary. (extra water if too dry, butter, salt, pepper.. )

Meat Pie!

My favorite food that I have had here are the Empanadas! As a finale to my trip to Argentina I am going to share a fairly short entry about these pies.


I've ordered all sorts, ground beef, skirt steak, large and small. They vary as far as the light pastry crusts and spiced fillings. The best empanada depends on the taste buds of the beholder. Whether they have more gravy, cheese, peppers.. or are baked  or fried, and contain other ranges of spices.Empanadas really embody the carne Argentina is known for as an appetizer, evening snack, or for me, breakfast! 


Campobravo had the best empanadas I have had while I have been here. They are sweet and savory, the crust is fried, chewy, and flaky and encase a warm sweet carne. This is my favorite because the filling is similar to the flavors in the rump roast I had at my grandparents' as a little girl. These empanadas have a rump cut of minced bife and is marinated with onion, barely noticeable minced tomatoes, garlic, green onions, pepper, and slow cooked with a light red wine and complimented by a thinly sliced mozzarella. 

I have never explored making puff pastries or breads in general. After coming to Argentina and experiencing a new variety of food, despite my slightly squimish Sweeney Todd thoughts of what really goes into a meat pie, puff pastry and building an empanada is towards to top of my list of new kitchen experiments.