Roasted Chestnut Soup

This soup rocks and it is really easy to make. It comes from Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup onion
1 quart chicken stock/broth
salt and pepper
10 - 15 roasted chestnuts
2 Tbsp olive oil

To roast the chestnuts cut an X on the flat side and toast in oven for about 10 minutes at approximately 400 degrees. Then peel the skins off. You can chop the chestnuts roughly if you want but it doesn't really matter.

Saute the celery and onion with salt and pepper to taste in the olive oil for 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and chestnuts. Bring to a boil and let simmer (not boil) for 30 minutes or until chestnuts are mushy. Purée in batches in food processor or blender or better yet use a handheld immersion blender right in the soup pot until smooth. Garnish with celery leaves and serve!

Yummy!

Strangely enough the first time I made this I used chestnuts that were a couple of weeks old (read somewhat shrivelled) and I swear this soup had a really intense flavour that was even yummier then the versions with fresh chestnuts that I made after. They were all good though!

Rumballs - Dark and White

In the spirit of Christmas Elfing that is happening today at B's here is my tried and true rumball recipe. Please note the directions to roll the rumballs in cat fur lint came from JH as did the original recipe.

Dark Rumballs

¾ cup whole blanched almonds or
½ cup slivered almonds
8 oz bitter or semi-sweet chocolate
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup sifted icing sugar
¼ cup of rum, almond or orange or raspberry liquer
¼ tsp of vanilla

Toast almonds. Grind into bits using coffee grinder. Melt chocolate with butter. (Can melt in microwave in pyrex glass measuring cup about 2cup size on defrost slowly) Mix in icing sugar, rum, vanilla, and almonds. Refrigerate just until firm enough to roll in balls. Roll rum balls in icing sugar, sprinkles, or Sylvester’s belly fur.

White Rumballs

6 oz white chocolate
8 oz pecans (about 1 ½ cups)
½ cup vanilla wafers
½ cup of grand marnier or orange liquer (cointreau, triple sec, orange brandy)
finely grated peel of one orange
icing sugar

Grind pecans in coffee grinder. Melt chocolate, stir in pecans. Whirl vanilla wafers in food processor until finely ground. Add 1 cup crumbs to chocolate mixture along with booze and peel. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll in balls. Then roll in icing sugar or dryer lint.

Ting Clam Chowder

this is from my friends Lena and Adrian. This is really really really good clam chowder.

5 cans (33 fl oz) chopped clams (the cans are the ones the size of tuna tins or use one large restaurant size plus one small can)
1 bottle clam juice (8 fluid ozs)
1 large onion chopped
2-3 strips bacon chopped
4 Tablespoons flour
1 pint cream
half tsp thyme
quarter tsp ground black pepper
about 3 chicken boullion cubes
about 5 large potatoes diced
chopped fresh parsley for topping
1. Brown bacon 2. Add 1 Tbsp or so of olive oil
3. Add flour and mix up
4. Add all stock from cans and bottle, boullion cubes and potatoes
5. Cook at low - med heat for about 15 minutes
6. Add everything else
7. Warm up
8. Better the second day

Martha Stewart's Sweet and Savoury Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

Makes 1 cup

* 1 medium pumpkin
* 5 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
* 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pumpkin open from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Separate flesh from seeds, and reserve the flesh for another use (see Pumpkin Pie). Pumpkin should yield 1 cup seeds. Spread seeds on parchment in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let cool.
2. In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer to bowl with spices, and stir well to coat. Let cool. These may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

I used canola oil (I didn't have peanut oil) and they were fine. Beyond fine, actually - I can't stop eating them!!!

PHILADELPHIA 3-STEP Mini Cheesecake Baskets

My friend Taina sent me this receipe raving about it and swears this is the only way she will make cheesecake from now on. She used Oreo cookies for the base (I'm not sure if she used the entire cookie or not - either way would probably still be good). She said she didn't bother with the basket part although it is kind of cute and probably not a lot of extra work. And in case you don't figure it out by the end of the recipe it comes from a Kraft website. Here's the original link: http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/philadelphia-3-step-mini-cheesecake-85524.aspx

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 3 hr 35 min

Makes: 12

Ingredients:

2 pkg. (250 g each) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

12 vanilla wafers or chocolate sandwich cookies

decorations, such as small candies or cut-up fresh fruit

12 pieces shoestring licorice (4 inches each)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.

PLACE wafer on bottom of each of 12 paper-lined medium muffin cups. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over wafers.

BAKE 20 min. or until centres are almost set. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Add decorations as desired. Bend each licorice piece, then insert both ends into each cheesecake to resemble the handle of a basket. Store leftover cheesecakes in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Substitute

Save 36 calories and 4 grams of fat by substituting Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese for regular product.

Gabe's Butter Chicken Recipe

Yum!!

Gabe's Butter Chicken
· 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter
· 1 onion
· ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
· 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
· 2 teaspoons of crushed ginger
· ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
· 2 - 3 teaspoons of chilli powder
· 1 tablespoon of coriander
· ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional - if you want to add a bit of kick)
· 400 grams / 14 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breasts (between 3 - 4 breasts)
· 225 gram / 8 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes with juice
· 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
· ½ cup of unsweetened yoghurt
Trim and cut the chicken into small cubes, cover and put aside. With a clean knife and board slice the onions into thin wedges (lyonnaise). Heat a large saucepan or frying pan and melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter until it is frothy. Add the onions and the cinnamon to the pan and fry lightly. When the onions are soft stir in the crushed garlic and ginger. Then add the turmeric, chilli and coriander, and sauté over a medium heat. The spices are fried first to release their maximum flavour and this really enhances the dish. Add the cubed chicken and sauté stirring constantly until the chicken has turned white. Pour in tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the yoghurt and heat through.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares

I was given this recipe by my friend Josée after she brought some in to work - they are a fun variation on regular Rice Krispie Squares.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Squares

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
5 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
½ package semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ package butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and corn syrup in pot at medium heat until sugar is melted. Remove pot from stove and add peanut butter. Mix well. Add to cereal in another bowl. Pour mixture into a greased pan. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together; pour on top of cereal mixture. Can refrigerate to hasten the solidification process.

Gorgonzola Tortilla Spirals

These are a really yummy appetizer and won't last long if you have cheese lovers around. The recipe comes from Crandell Country. Enjoy!!

TORTILLA SPIRALS

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 6 oz. jar marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
1/2 c. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1 tsp. dried oregano
pinch pepper
1 clove garlic, minced.
4 9" flour tortillas

Mix the above ingredients and spread evenly on tortillas. Roll tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day. Slice diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.