Pumpkin Puree

I make a wonderful pumpkin soup every fall, I normally use a canned pumpkin. This year I decided to try to make it with a homemade puree. It was easier then I thought it was and well worth it. I canned a bunch of the puree to try my pumpkin pie, I'm sure it will be better then perfection. Try making your own canned pumpkin, its worth it.













2lbs makes 2c
Cut a sugar pie pumpkin in half,

 scoop out and discard seeds with a metal spoon

 

 

Next rub the cleaned out inside of pumpkins with veg oil. 

 Set pumpkin with cut side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 375° for 45-75 min until its very tender to touch.

 Scoop flesh into blender and puree until smooth.

 Jar. For canning Make sure you read up on canning. I sterilize all the components of the jars in a boiling water-bath. I then fill jars, clean rims and seal and water-bath them again for like 40 min.

 

Pumpkin Coconut Curry

I love Pumpkin. I Love Indian food. I tried this recipe in this months Sunset Magazine. It was heavenly. I altered the recipe added a few little touches. I recommend if you love Indian you have to try this one. Its soooo yummy.


Ingredients
6c peeled chunks of pumpkin
1/2c cuped sweet potatos
1tsp Kosher salt
3tbsp olive oil
1 onion halved and cut into half moons
1 or 2 serrano chilies minced
1 cinnamon stick
3bay leaves
1tsp red curry paste
1tsp curry
1tsp tumeric
1tsp cumin
2 cans coconut milk
1c salted cashews
1/2 lemon juice

Method
Heat oil in pan and salt pumpkin and sweet potatos, brown turning 6-8 min, dont get pumpkin too dark. In seperate pan heat oil and fry onion until deep golden 12-15 min. Reserve half in a bowl. Add chili to remaining onions, saute with cinnamon, bay leaves and currys about 2 min, add other spices about another min. Add spices and onion with coconut milk to pumpkin, bring to a boil and cook until veggies are tender about 5-10 min. stir in cahews and lemon juice. Serve in a bed of basmati rice and top with cooked onions.

Pork Noodle Bowl

A Vietnamese Pork noodle bowl is so fresh and good. Its the best main course. I make the lemongrass pork to top it off.
The noodle bowl is very simple it is basically a table salad but with more noodles. Also make sure you make the lettuce shredded for the bowl. Add chopped peanuts to serve.

Lemongrass Pork (suon nuong xa)

This grilled pork is so amazing, with its lemongrass flavor it adds the right touch to your Vietnamese meal. I use it inside of the summer rolls and on my pork noodle bowls. You could also just eat it right off the skewer. Whatever your pleasure it will rock your taste buds.


Ingredients
1/8c fish sauce
1tbsp thick soy sauce
3tbsp sugar
2tbsp veg oil
2 stalks of lemongrass outer leaves and tough tops removed and finely ground
1 large shallot finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1lb thinly sliced pork tenderloin
16 soaked bamboo skewers

Method
Stir together fish sauce soy oil and sugar until sugar is dissolved, add everything else and marinate the meat for at least 1 hour. Slide meat on to skewers and grill 1min per side.

Table Salad (sa lach dia)

A Vietnamese Table salad is meant to be served with finger foods. The table salad is wrapped around the cooked finger foods. First a piece of lettuce, then your finger food, then top with carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber, rice noodle, and mint...Then dip in your sauce of choice. Table salad adds your vegetable and starch to your protein. Serve your table salad with spring rolls. It really puts them over the top.


Ingredients
1 Head Boston Lettuce
1 cucumber thinly sliced and halved
2 carrots julienned
1c rice vermicelli cooked and drained
Bunch of mint
1c bean sprouts

Arrange leaves then noodles and sections of remaining veggies.

Summer Rolls (goi cuon)

Vietnamese is so fresh, buy the freshest ingredients for the best meal. I love going to a good Asian market to buy the stuff for my meal. Its easy and a one stop shop. I am lucky to have a Uwajimaya here, what a great quality specialty market. Summer rolls are a cool treat. This recipe calls for pork tenderloin, I love to use the grilled lemongrass pork for noodle bowl, but if making just spring rolls you can do it how the recipe states below. The Summer rolls are a yummy treat, I love to serve them with a table Salad and a great peanut dipping sauce.


Ingredients
4oz dried rice vermicelli
4oz pork tenderloin
18 small shrimp shelled and cleaned
12 round rice papers
1 head Boston lettuce ribs removed
24 large mint leaves
1c julienned carrots

nuoc leo peanut sauce
1tbsp veg oil
1tbsp hoisen sauce
2tbsp peanut butter
chopped peanuts for top
sugar to taste

Method
Soak vermicelli noodles in lukewarm water until soft. Drain and squeeze out excess moisture. Boil rice vermicelli in a sieve for 5sec. Remove and transfer to a bowl until cool divide into 12 equal portions. Cook pork in boiling water for 10 min. (if you are not using grilled lemongrass pork) when pork is cool enough to handle thinly slice the pork. Then cook shrimp in the boiling water until opaque. Cut in half lengthwise and devein. In lukewarm water soften the rice papers, blot excess water with clean towel. Place a lettuce leaf, then vermicelli, 3 shrimp halves, 2 pork slices, 2 mint leaves and some carrot, fold wrapper over filling then fold in sides and roll tightly till the end.

Peanut Sauce
Mix ingredients until well combined. Adjust to taste. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top.

Spring Rolls (cha gio)

When I was a teenager my mother and I would go and eat Vietnamese food quite frequently. It is so fresh and good. I have included my favorites all together. You should make all of them together and enjoy all of them. If you are making just these spring rolls you must make the table salad to be eaten with them. I use a lumpia paper when I make the rolls, its easier then the rice paper.

Ingredients
2oz dried cellophane noodles
1oz dried cloud ear mushroom
1lb ground pork
1 medium yellow onion minced
1 large clove of garlic minced
1 carrot peeled and grated
1 egg
Salt&P
Triangular Rice papers or lumpia
Veg oil for frying
Table Salad

Method
Soak noodles and mushrooms in lukewarm water and cover until rehydrated. Drain and squeeze to rid excess water. Finely chop and put into a mixing bowl. Add pork, onion, garlic, carrot, egg and season with S&P. Mix all together with hands until well combined. If using rice papers, soak until pliable. blot with clean towel so not wet. Or use lumpia. Place 1tsp filling 1 inch from rounded edge, fold wrapper over filling, then fold in sides and continue rolling tightly till point end (triangle) Heat oil to 360° over medium high heat. fry on all sides 3-5 min, keeping them clear of each other. Drain on paper towel. Serve with table salad.

Chocolate Brownies

I saw these on Nigella on Cooking channel. OMG they are the best brownies I have ever had. With the chips inside these brownies melt in your mouth. What is more perfect then a chocolaty brownie and a glass of milk...

Ingredients
12oz best-quality bittersweet chocolate

6 eggs

1 3/4c superfine sugar

1tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method

Preheat the oven to 350° Melt butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over  low heat.

In a bowl beat the eggs together with the superfine sugar and vanilla extract. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate chips, and the semisweet chocolate chips. Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie mixture into the prepared pan 11 1/4 inches by 9 inches by 2 inches greased or sides and base lined with baking parchment. Bake for about 25 minutes. 

Chocolate Mousse

Mmmmm, this mouse is so yummy. Its light and flavorful. We chose it out of a French cookbook. I am glad that I tried it because its the Epiphany of chocolate.


Ingredients
12oz dark chocolate
1.5c milk
6 eggs separated
4tbsp confectioners sugar
Dash of salt
3/4c heavy cream, whipped, or creme fraiche



Method
Melt chocolate with milk on double boiler on medium heat until smooth and melted. beat egg yolks and sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir into chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites with a dash of salt with clean whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Fold cream int mixture. Chill for 4 hours.

Pumpkin Soup

I first made this recipe 10 years ago, I made it on Halloween at my best friend Amy's House. We loved it so much, so hearty and a wonderful blend of fall flavors. I love this recipe so much it has become a tradition to make it every Halloween. I have changed the recipe to perfect it. This year I made my own pumpkin puree. It was sublime. If you don't have the time to make your own puree, you can use canned pumpkin. This is the perfect meal, serve it with a banana pumpkin mufffin. you will warm up to the fall.

Ingredients
1 large onion chopped
1.5tbsp chopped fresh ginger
2tbsp butter or olive oil
4 large garlic cloves chopped
1 celery stalk
2 large carrots
4.5c veg or chicken broth
1tbsp sugar
1/4tsp nutmeg
2tsp coriander
4.5c pumpkin mash or puree
1/2c half and half
1/4c sour cream
Salt&P to taste

Method
Melt butter or olive oil in saute pan. Saute onion, garlic, ginger and celery. Add carrots and saute for flavor, until onions are caramelized.

 In a big stock pot start to heat your stock, add veggies, and spices to the stock and boil until carrots are tender.

Add pumpkin and puree or blend in batches until smooth.

Put soup back into the soup pot, add half and half and sour cream, simmer.

Make sure spices are adjusted, you may need more salt. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.