Potato, Apple, Parsnip Stew and Pumpkin Cranberry Pie

This week we have a short list of recipes. But they are both super good. One of my co-workers mentioned she made a Cream of Apple and Parsnip Soup a few weeks ago. I didn't think much of it; it didn't seem all that exciting to me (and I'm all about exciting soups!). But the more I thought of it, the more I realized that I could made it any way I wanted (i.e. not creamed). So, a new-soup-of-the-week was born. It is glorious!

And then this last week I wanted to make a unique pie for my small group Bible Study. I had a can of pumpkin in my pantry, so I went to Pinterest and started searching. I am so glad I found this pie. Although, it would be nice to try a Cranberry Swirl Pumpkin Pie next time.

Potato, Apple, and Parsnip Stew

Multiple Servings (includes 3-4 servings of vegetables and fruit)

Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

1 Leek, chopped

3 Red Potatoes, cubed (¼ inch)

1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed (¼ inch)

2 Parsnips, cubed (¼ inch)

1 large Apple or 2 small Apples (I used Fuji), diced

1 can low sodium White Beans

1 carton low sodium Chicken Broth

Garlic

Black Pepper

Paprika

1-2 Tbsp. Oregano

2 Tbsp. Parsley

1 Tbsp. White Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

Roast cubed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips on 2 olive oiled baking sheets. 400 degrees, for 30-40 minutes.

When there are about 20 minutes remaining, sauté onions and leeks in a large soup pot. Before they brown, add apples. Then pour in beans, broth, spices and herbs. Add roasted vegetables. Bring to a boil, add vinegars. Reduce heat and simmer for about half an hour.

Serve with Parmesan Cheese.

Pumpkin Cranberry Pie

Multiple servings (includes 2 servings of vegetables and fruits)

Dough:

1 cup + 2 Tbsp. Flour

1/3 cup Oil

5 Tbsp. Cold Water

Combine ingredients. Roll out between two pieces of wax paper. Place in greased pie pan. Arrange crust edges as desired. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from oven.

Pumpkin Filling:

15 oz can Pumpkin

3 Eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup Half & Half or Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tsp. Vanilla

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Flour

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

1/4 tsp. Allspice

1/8 tsp. Cloves

Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl, then pour dry ingredients on top and lightly stir. Stir everything together until well blended. Pour into prepared crust. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees and then remove from oven.

Cranberry Topping:

1/2 bag of fresh Cranberries, washed well and chopped

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

4 Tbsp. Flour

2 Tbsp. Butter

Cut butter into flour. Add sugar and cranberries. Mix until well combined. Sprinkle cranberry mixture on top of pie. Bake for another 45-60 minutes, or until top begins to brown and an inserted knife comes out clean.

Serve alone or with homemade Whipped Cream.

Pozole, Pie and Spinach!

Welcome to the third week of a Soup-a-Week! This time it's Butternut Squash Pozole. I've made this one before, but it's amazing every time.

And what's not to love about pie. It seems that I went a little fruit-happy last week, but then got a bunch of delicious apple that were more appetizing, so I had to save the fruit-- thus the pie.

And finally two recipes that include Spinach! I was in Madison this weekend for my friend's wedding. It was great to spend time with my family and celebrate at a beautiful wedding. But it's always hard to stay low-sodium and less-processed away from my own kitchen. I made the skillet potatoes when I couldn't make myself eat another sandwich for lunch. They turned out very well. And this evening, a creamy spinach sauce seemed perfect for the end of a rainy day. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Pozole

Multiple Servings (includes 3-4 servings of vegetables)

1 Onion, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed

4 medium Tomatoes, diced

1 bunch of Cilantro

1 can low sodium Pinto Beans

1 can low sodium Hominy

1-2 cups Chicken, cooked in a crockpot the night before

1 can Green Chilies

Homemade Chicken Broth

2 Tbsp. Chili Powder

2 Tbsp. Cumin

Garlic

1 Tbsp. Oregano

2 tsp. Black Pepper

1 Tbsp. Paprika

Dash of crushed Red Pepper

3 Tbsp. White Vinegar

2 Tbsp. Honey

In a large skillet, sauté butternut squash until browned.  In a large soup pot, sauté onions and green pepper until tender and browned. Add all other ingredients except for vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about half an hour. Add vinegar.

Strawberry Nectarine Pie

Multiple Servings (includes 2 servings of fruit)

Crust:

1 cup and 2 Tbsp. Flour

1/3 cups Vegetable Oil

5 Tbsp. Cold Water

Filling:

2 cups Strawberries, de-stemmed and diced

3-4 Nectarins, de-pitted and diced

1/4 cup Flour

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

 1 tsp. Cinnamon

2 Tbsp. Water

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ingredients for pastry dough. Roll out between two pieces of wax paper, larger than pie pan. Arrange in pan and trim left-overs. Re-roll out remaining dough and cut into strips. Bake dough for about 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine fruit, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon. Pour into pie pan. Lay strips of dough across  pie filling in a grid. Wet dough along the intersections to help pastry hold.

Take two pieces of tin foil, place them on counter in a “T”. Place pie pan in the center and fold up edges until they envelope the pie, but leave a large opening. Bake for about 20 minutes and then peel back tin foil. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until top begins to brown.

Skillet Spinach and Lemon Potatoes

1 Serving (includes 2 servings of vegetables)

1 medium Potato, peeled and diced

Water

Olive Oil

1/4 cup Onion, chopped

1 cup Spinach

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Garlic Powder

Black Pepper

Italian Spices

Paprika

Parmesan Cheese

Boil potatoes until tender. Move to an oiled skillet. Sauté with onions until browned. Add spinach, spices and lemon juice. 

Serve with Parmesan cheese.

  

Pasta with Spinach Cream Sauce and Broccoli

1 Serving (includes 3 servings of vegetables)

1/2 cup Pasta

Water

Olive Oil

1/2 cup Onion, chopped

2 cups Spinach, finely diced

Garlic

Black Pepper

Oregano

Tarragon

Paprika

1-2 Tbsp. Cream Cheese

1 cup Water

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta according to instructions. In an oiled skillet, sauté onions until translucent. Add spinach, spices and herbs. When spinach is wilted. Add cream cheese and water. Stir and heat until well blended. Add lemon juice.

Pour in pasta and combine well. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

A Soup-a-Week: Chili, with a side of Pumpple Pie and Squash Gratin

In the last three weeks I have made three soups. I owe it all to this chilly weather. But now I think it's time for something official. Welcome to A Soup-a-Week. Keep checking back to see what soup I make next!

I know I must be a champion of my own recipes, but this chili is amazing. Actually, all three of these recipes are so packed full of great flavors. Pumpple Pie is going to be the next best thing. And the Apple, Leek and Butternut Squash Gratin is going to have to show up at Thanksgiving this year. Enjoy! 

Ground Beef Chili with Butternut Squash and Kale

Multiple Servings (including 4 servings of vegetables)

Olive Oil

1 large Onion, chopped

1 Green Pepper, chopped

1 Yellow Pepper

Ground beef

2 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed

1 can low sodium Black Beans

2 cans of low sodium diced Tomatoes

1 can Tomato Paste

1 bunch Kale, de-stemmed and chopped

1 carton low sodium Beef Broth

1 ½ cups Water

Garlic

2 tsp. Sage

2 Tbsp. Oregano

1 ¼ Tbsp. Chili Powder

1 ½ Tbsp. Cumin

1/2 tsp. Coriander

1 Tbsp. Paprika

2 tsp. Black Pepper

Dash of Cinnamon

1-2 Tbsp. Honey

3 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

In a large soup pot, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil. In a separate skillet, cook ground beef until browned. Pour beef into soup pot. Use same skillet to cook squash until tender and browning. Add to soup pot. Also add beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, kale, broth, water, spices and herbs.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about half an hour. After a while, add honey and vinegar.

Pumpple (Pumpkin Apple) Pie

Multiple Servings, makes two pies (includes 2 servings of fruit and vegetables)

Crust (x2):

1 cup and 2 Tbsp. Flour

1/3 cups Oil

4 Tbsp. Cold Water

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Ginger

Apple Filling:

2 cups Apples, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 tsp. Flour

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

Pumpkin Filling:

1 ½ cups Pumpkin (canned or fresh + cooked)

1 cup Evaporated Milk

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Butter, melted

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/4 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

 

Topping:

2 cups Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Oil

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix crust dough. Roll out between two pieces of wax paper. Arrange in two pie pans. Cook for 10 minutes before filling.

Slice apples. Combine with flour, lemon juice and spices. Pour evenly into pie pans.

Combine pumpkin filling ingredients. Pour over apples.

Heat oil and brown sugar in sauce pan. In a medium bowl, pour over oats.

Bake pies for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with oat topping. Bake for another 30-40 minutes, or until oats are browned.

Apple, Leek, and Butternut Squash Gratin

2-4 servings (includes 3 servings of fruit and vegetables)

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 medium Leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

Black pepper

1/4 cup Wine

1/2 cup Water

1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp. Sage

1 tsp. Thyme

1 pound Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/8-inch thick

1 pound Apples, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, sauté leeks and spices until begin to brown.  Add wine, vinegar and water. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Coat a 2-quart shallow baking dish with oil. Arrange squash in overlapping layers, sprinkle with pepper. Spread leeks evenly over the squash. Arrange apples in an overlapping layer over the leeks. Add a little more water if needed. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Cook in broiler for a few more minutes, until the cheese has melted and is golden brown.

Serve as a side dish, or stand alone entrée.