Butternut Squash Soup (With cream)

 Ingredients ————————————————————————————————————————

• 2  small butternut squash - peeled, seeded, cut into 1” cubes (about 3 lbs)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Avocado Oil / butter
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (1/2 tsp dried)

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 - 5 small potatoes (finger potatoes)
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon paste
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

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Broil the Squash at 550 F for about 5 to 8 minutes

Melt the oil / butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook the onion, garlic, and thyme in the hot oil / butter until the onion has softened (about 5 minutes). 

Add the squash, potatoes and chicken stock and paste; bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes . 

Season with cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper; 

remove from heat. 

Add the Cream.

Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway. Hold the lid of the blender in place with a kitchen towel and carefully start the blender using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree.  Or…. just use the Soup setting on the Blendtec and it does to for you.

Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a serving bowl. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in the pot.

Broccoli/Cauliflower Pasta

This makes a ton so feel free to half it!

Ingredients:
16oz of noodles
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Rosemarry
1 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella 
2 tbs Olive oil
1 head of Broccoli chopped (frozen bags work great)
1 head Cauliflower chopped (frozen bags work great)
3 medium Potatoes (thinly sliced)

Preheat the oven to 425. Put parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.  On one sheet place the chopped potatoes.  On the other sheet fill it up with frozen chopped up broccoli and cauliflower florets. Drizzle olive oil, Sprinkle rosemarry, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder over the broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes. Place the sheets in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until your desired tenderness. 

Bring big pot of water to boil. Cook any sort of pasta you want (16oz). We prefer short spirals. Strain and set aside. 

Chop up one medium onion
Mince 3 cloves of garlic

Place a big sauté pan over medium-high heat and place 2 tbs of olive oil in there. Toss in the onions and sauté for 3 minutes. When onions are caramelized and sausage is cooked place in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in cup of vegetable broth. Dump in the broccoli/cauliflower/potatoes. Dump on 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Dump in the noodles and mix it all around and it eat it! Ha ha! 

Quick Faux Caesar Dressing

Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard
kosher salt and black

Quick and Easy Chicken Asian Rice Bowls

Ingredients
2 cups cooked brown or white rice
1 cup of cooked and seasoned shredded chicken ( I used boneless thighs)
2 cups broccoli florets, raw or lightly steamed
1/2 head napa cabbage, sliced thin (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, grated
4 large fried eggs
1/2 cup chopped green onions
sesame seeds


SAUCE
1/4 C packed brown sugar (or honey)
1/4 C soy sauce
2 T white vinegar
2tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger


Preparation
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
2. Divide the brown rice between 4 serving bowls.
3. Top each bowl with chicken, broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Drizzle each bowl with the dressing.
4. Top with the eggs, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Figgy’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks at room temp)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups milk chocolate chocolate chips (preferably guittard brand)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs and beat for 1 minute.  Add in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix ingredients until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablepoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until lightly browned (8-10 minutes).  Remove and cool.

Amazing Lemon Cupcakes!!!

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.

In a bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs.  Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk and lemon juice to the butter mixture. Gently beat until just combined; do not over mix.

Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1 cup of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup each of vinegar, oil sugar (honey)
1/2 cup fresh onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
Put in a blender and mix

Makes 3 cups
Can substitute any berry or mango.