Yellow Squash Soup

This delicious squash soup recipe was submitted by customer Jill Yelverton (April 2012).

Perfect for freezing, Jill's wonderful soup offers a flavorful and pleasant surprises.

(Many thanks to Jill for sending it)

Note: We enjoyed the flavor so much without the evaporated milk, that we left that ingredient out. So please use your imagination to visualize the extra creaminess the evaporated milk would have provided.

Ingredients:

•             1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash

•             2 tablespoons butter

•             1 medium onion, sliced

•             1/4 lemon, sliced, seeds removed

•             1/4 cup flour

•             6 cups chicken broth

•             1 teaspoon salt

•             1/4 teaspoon white pepper

•             3 to 4 grinds of fresh nutmeg or dash of ground nutmeg

•             1 cup evaporated milk

Preparation:

Wash, slice and cut squash, onions, lemon.

In a large saucepan, melt butter; gently saute onion and lemon. 

Sprinkle with flour and cook slowly, stirring, until flour is absorbed. Add chicken broth gradually, then sliced squash, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour. 

Puree soup in blender or food processor. Add nutmeg. 

NOTE: for safety reasons, pour until blender is 1/3 to 1/2 full, and keep your hand on the top of the lid, because hot liquid responds differently to blending than cooler foods.

To heat, stir in evaporated milk with a wire whisk and cook over low heat. Do not allow to boil. Garnish cream of squash soup with reserved squash slices.

Squash soup serves 8.

We found this soup extremely flavorful, and light. It's perfect alone, as a side, or in a cup. Thank you, Jill, for sharing your fantastic recipe!

Healthy Easy Corned Beef

adapted from The Food Network

Ingredients:

4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket

3 tablespoons “pickling spice” (ours was included with brisket)

1 pound large carrots,

1 1/4 pounds large potatoes

2 or more small-to-medium onions

1 head Savoy or regular cabbage, cut into wedges

prepared horseradish, if desired

1/3 cup sour cream

4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket

3 tablespoons “pickling spice” (ours was included with brisket)

1 pound large carrots,

1 1/4 pounds large potatoes

2 or more small-to-medium onions

1 head Savoy or regular cabbage, cut into wedges

prepared horseradish, if desired

1/3 cup sour cream

Directions

Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.

Remove the meat from the slow cooker and keep warm. Meanwhile, boil one cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and sour cream in a small bowl.

Cut carrots, favorite potatoes (unless using tiny new potatoes) celery, and other other vegetables your family enjoys into bite-size pieces or slightly larger. In steamer, layer carrots, onions and celery on the bottom, creating a bed for the cabbage quarters. Include cut potatoes and turnips if your family enjoys them on the bottom of the steamer. After meat is cooked and is “resting”, steam veggies until desired doneness.

Slice the corned beef and serve with the steamed vegetables, cabbage and sauce; reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash, if desired.

Jack’s EASY Ginger & Nutmeg Carrot Soup

We enjoy our soups, and find it convenient to make a large kettle, freezing several individual and family size portions for future meals. 

A quick thaw and "soup's on!"

Ingredients:

2 lbs carrots, rough cut

6 cups of chicken broth (or your favorite stock)

1 rough cut onion

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

(OPTIONAL: cinnamon or more nutmeg)

Many recipes include brown sugar and half & half. Striving to exclude excess sugar and fat from the soup, we eliminated both, and found the flavorful carrots sweet in themselves.

Method:

Saute onion in olive oil.

Add carrots and 4 cups of chicken broth.

In covered pot, boil carrots until tender.

Cool slightly.

A little at a time, add cooked mixture to blender.

Caution: (do not fill blender completely -- about half way -- as the heat may blow the top off the blender)

After mixture is blended, return to pot and add seasonings, and remaining two cups of broth.

When serving, add toppings of fresh sour cream, cut scallions, sprig of mint or basil, or freshly ground nutmeg.

mmmmmm! Delicious. It’s one of our favorites!

Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef

Slice vegetables (the 8-ball zucchini is excellent for this recipe, but regular zucchini “coins” or lengthwise cuts are also good!)

Slice Veggies

Season and brown ground beef as desired.

Drain beef and set aside.

Layer the vegetables as you would lasagna...

... with layers of beef and ricotta cheese.

Layer more vegetables.

Continue layering for a deep dish.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for approximately 50 minutes until vegetables are cooked to your satisfaction.

In place of beef, tofu, rice or potatoes may be substituted.

In place of zucchini, yellow squash may be used.

For a delicious vegetable side dish, eliminate the ground beef, but layer as shown.

Swiss Chard Side Dish by Emily

Emily created the most yummy and nutritious Swiss Chard recipe! The recipe is perfect for spinach as well.


Because it is on her website, I'll give you a sneak peek of the finished product, but please visit her place to obtain the wonderful step-by-step photos and directions for creating this fantastic addition to any meal!


Emily claims this is equally as good with Spinach! YUMMMMMM...

Emily's Swiss Chard Recipe

Chicken Pot Pie - Family Style

adapted from Ina Garten (Food Network)

This recipe is great because much of the prep can be done days in advance. Use a variety of vegetables, herbs, seasonings, and meat cuts.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, boiled (or cooked in crock pot)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 2 tsp “Chicken Base Better than Bouillon”
• 1 1/2 sticks butter
• 2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

For the pastry:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

NOTE: We cheated by using a store bought pie crust.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F.

NOTE: Items used in cooking the whole chicken we not listed above.

Place chicken in pot with water (or in crock pot) with a whole rough chopped onion, 3-4 cloves of garlic, tbsp black pepper corns, 3 stalks rough chopped celery, 3 bay leaves, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh oregano. When chicken is finished cooking, it will be tender, nearly falling off bone. Remove bones, skin, excess fat and unwanted pieces. Shred or rough chop chicken meat.  You will have 6-8 cups of chicken, making for a very inexpensive and meaty meal.

Strain stock and place in covered bowl overnight. Fats will solidify on top overnight, and may be easily removed the next day. The balance of the liquid is wonderfully flavorful, homemade chicken stock.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the Chicken Base Better Than Bouillon in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. 

Add the chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry: Either cheat we like we did, or make homemade: mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Note: It will fit nicely in a 4-quart pyrex-type bowl to serve 12, spooned out family style. Place crust on top, and crimp edges of crust, putting 3 vent holes in the middle. Place on baking sheet to avoid any messy accidents. Bake at 375 until crust is golden brown and middle is bubbly, about 45-60 minutes. There were lots of left overs. 

Ina suggests individual serving and baking dishes. Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

NOTE: Ina’s original recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Cucumber Onion Salad

A wide variety of Cucumbers enables most people to enjoy at least one type!

On a hot summer day, enjoy sliced cucumbers as finger foods or in quick salads.

They are delicious low calorie, low carb snacks. At room temperature, they are perfect for cold-day sides.

We offer standard cucumbers, as well as the smaller "pickling" or "salad" cucumbers.

Cool, Crisp Cucumber Salad

Slice cucumbers as desired, and add your favorite sweet peppers, onions, chopped herbs, and salad dressing.

For changes, try adding green or black olives, diced tomatoes and sunflower seeds.