Spicy Pumpkin Soup

 I think this is from Southern Living.  It is very warming on a cold day.

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. butter, melted
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups half and half (or whole milk)
16 oz pumpkin puree
8 oz. canned chopped tomatoes (or Rotel)

Saute onion and garlic in 2 qt. saucepan. Add broth and spices; bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.  Combine half and half (or milk) and pumpkin; mix well. Stir tomatoes and pumpkin mixture into broth. Stir until heated through. Do not boil.

Ginger Garlic Pork

    •    3 to 4 pound boneless pork butt/shoulder roast
    •    1 teaspoon ground coriander
    •    1 teaspoon ground cumin
    •    1 teaspoon salt
    •    1 teaspoon black pepper
    •    2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
    •    4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
    •    1 onion, peeled and cut into 8 chunks
    •    1/2 can of coconut milk
    •    Lime wedges for garnish

Instructions:
Mix together the coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Use your fingers to rub the seasonings all over the roast.
Place the meat in a slow cooker and surround with onions, garlic, ginger and the half can of coconut milk.

The roast will give off moisture and fat while cooking, doubling or tripling the amount of broth by the time the roast is ready.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Breakfast Hash

Serves 2 as written

2 links hot Italian sausage, removed from casing OR 8 oz of sausage
1 small zucchini, shredded or chopped to matchsticks
1 med onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine or shredded
1 cup shredded, grated or julienned potatoes
1 tbls butter
1/2 tsp chili powder
14 tsp salt
1/8  tsp each dried sage, rosemary and thyme
2 eggs, poached, fried or over-easy

Render sausage in large skillet, then add zucchini, carrots and onion to cook until just tender. Toss the potatoes in the seasoning mix. Move contents of pan to the edges of the skillet, melt the butter in the middle and cook the potatoes on one side, covered, until golden. Turn, and mix until evenly golden. Divide into bowls and top with an egg.

Hefenkranz

Dough:

• 3 oz. milk
• 3 oz. water
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 T. butter, softened
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 3 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. yeast

Filling:

• ½ c. powdered sugar
• 6 T. butter
• ½ c. ground almonds
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract

Icing:

• ½ c. powdered sugar
• 1-2 T. milk
• ½ tsp. almond extract or vanilla

Prepare dough in bread machine using Dough setting or mix as per any roll. Let rise till double. Roll dough into rectangle. Spread with filling mixture. Roll up longways and shape into a ring. Pinch seams closed with wet fingers. Place in springform ring pan or on a parchment-covered cookie sheet and ball up some tin foil and put in the center. (this will just make it prettier so you can skip and it taste just as good). Carefully slash top evenly every 1-2 inches. Let rise about ½ hour in a warm place. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool slightly, then ice. Sprinkle with slivered or sliced almonds, or decorate with marzipan.

You can assemble (but don't slash the top) the night before and stick in the fridge overnight. Take out first thing in the morning for a few hours than slash and bake.

 If all the butter stays in than it will be very soft and it'll be hard to tell if it's done but if your oven temp is correct it should be cooked after 30-35 min.

Swiss Eggs

• 2 T. butter
• 1 c. light cream
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper (opt.)
• Dash cayenne
• 4 T. saltine cracker crumbs

Melt butter in electric frying pan on medium heat (or in frying pan on stove). Add cream and heat till gently bubbly. Slip in eggs one at a time. Cover and cook till whites are almost firm, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and cracker crumbs. Cover and continue cooking until eggs reach desired doneness (this is the tricky part!). Plate, pour remaining sauce over eggs, and sprinkle with cayenne.

Asian-inspired Pork Meatball Soup

Meatballs:

• 1 lb. ground pork
• ¼ lb. ground beef (opt.)
• 1/3 c. panko
• 2-3 T. soy sauce
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder
• 2 T. chopped chives (opt.)

Mix all ingredients. Form into grape-sized balls. Pan fry or bake 15 minutes at 350.

Soup:

• 6 cups broth (chicken, beef, veggie or combination)
• 1/3 c. Japanese soup base for noodles (3x strength)
• 1 c. water
• 3 c. vegetables (shredded carrots, snow peas, chopped cabbage, daikon, sliced celery, etc.)
• ¼ c. chopped chives
• Meatballs
• 2 oz Japanese udon noodles (opt.)

Combine broth, water, soup base and vegetables. Bring to boil and cook until almost tender. Add meatballs and chives and heat through. Cook noodles according to package directions. Place in the bottom of soup bowls and ladle soup over.

Coconut Flour Fudge Brownies

Wet Ingredients
1 stick butter
4 oz cream cheese
3 tbls olive oil
4 eggs
1/4 cup half n half
1 tbls vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey

Dry Ingredients
1 cup coconut flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbls truvia

Stir in:
1/4 cup half and half

Bake at 350 for 30-35 min

Cream cheese, butter and honey, then add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth. Beat in remaining wet ingredients. In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Gradually blend the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir in half and half. Pour into greased 8x8" pan and bake.

Even better the next day if you can wait!

Coconut Flour Pancakes

MAKES ONE SERVING (Multiply by appropriate number of people
___________
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, ground
2 eggs
3 tbls oil/butter
3 tbls coconut milk/half and half/milk/cream
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 tsp maple syrup or honey

1. Using a wire whisk, mix together eggs, melted butter, milk, and sea salt.
2. Continuing to whisk, add the baking powder and coconut flour until thoroughly mixed.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter (or coconut oil) in a skillet on a medium flame.
4. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet making pancakes about 3-4 inches in diameter.
5. Serve with lots of butter and real maple syrup.

Flourless Chocolate Cakes

Makes 3 jars

Ingredients:
100g dark or milk chocolate, chopped into rough chunks
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tbsps sugar (rough guide is if you use bittersweet chocolate)
2 eggs
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder

Topping:

Handful of roasted nuts, crushed
Sprinkling of icing sugar

Method:
Preheat your oven to about 150 C (302 F).

Firstly, melt the chocolate chunks and butter together either with a double-boiler or melt the chocolate and butter in a pot over another pot with gently simmering water without touching the water underneath. Stir with a wooden spoon while melting.

Remove from heat and add sugar. Remember to adjust the sweetness according to your preferences. Whisk in the eggs one by one until just incorporated. Sieve the cocoa powder into the mixture.

Mix just to incorporate. Spoon the batter into the jars until about 3/4 full. Place the jars into a deep baking tray and fill the tray with water up till at least half of the jars' heights.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs sticking to it. You can also time this via the doming method where when the center of the cakes dome up, it's time to remove the cakes from the oven. I prefer to remove these kind of cakes slightly earlier rather than later especially since I plan to re-heat them in the microwave right before serving.

Once the cakes are done, top each cake with a sprinkling of cashew nuts and icing sugar. If you are not serving them yet, allow to cool, then seal the jars and place in fridge. Heat in microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.

Southern Summer Sorbet

20 oz cucumber, seeded and peeled
10 oz seedless watermelon, frozen
zest and juice of two limes (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup mint syrup
2 tbls orange liqueur
2 tbls olive oil
pinch salt

Blend to liquid, chilled. Pour into ice cream maker and chill.