Wednesday Recipes

Enjoy!

SOFT FROSTED PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES

This comes from The Baker Chick, otherwise known as Audra. Makes 2 – 3 dozen cookies.

To view this online, as well as Audra's description and photos of the cookies, to to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/10/soft-frosted-pumpkin-spice-cookies/.

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

1/2 cup softened cream cheese

2 – 3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste if you're fancy)

Instructions

For the Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until well combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly with floured fingers (dough will be sticky.)

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are set and just turning golden.

For the Frosting:

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix with an electric mixer until thick and creamy. Add vanilla and mix on high.

When cookies are cooled- spread frosting on top with an offset spatula.

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

This also comes from The Baker Chick. Yield: 4 – 6 servings.

To view this online, as well as to read what Audra writes, go to http://www.thebakerchick.com/2015/10/creamy-butternut-squash-soup/.

Ingredients

1 medium sized onion, chopped

4 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 medium sized butternut squash (about 2 lb.)

3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

1 8 oz pacakge of cream cheese

salt & pepper to taste

cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the squash in half vertically. Drizzle the open sides with olive oil and place face down on a cookie sheet. Roast for 40 minutes or until tender. When cooked and cool, scoop out the inside of the squash, or cut into cubes, whichever is easier and set aside.

When the squash is cooked and cooled, sauté the onions in the butter or oil until soft and golden. Add the broth and squash and bring the broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes*.

Add salt & pepper and a dash of cayenne (you can add more later.) Use your immersion blender if you have one to pureé the soup until smooth. (Or process in batches in a normal blender.)

Add the cream cheese, a chunk or two at a time, and continue to pureé until smooth as silk. Return all the soup to the pot if you used a regular blender and cook over low heat for a couple minutes as you stir to marry all the flavors.

Add more salt & pepper as needed, and gradually add more cayenne until it's as spicy as you like.

Note: *Another option with the squash is to peel and cube it raw and then just toss it into the broth, letting it cook for about 20 minutes. This seemed like so much more work, as peeling raw squash is no picnic. You can do it this way if you prefer though.

WINTER VEGETABLE RAGOUT

This comes from Rebecca Franklin, About.com's French Food expert. She wrote, "Warm and inviting, this winter vegetable ragout makes the perfect home-style dinner. Serve this simple vegetable stew with a bottle of wine, a loaf of country bread, and a crisp, green salad for a complete meal." Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

This winter vegetable ragout recipe make 6 servings.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes

2 medium red onions, cut into thin strips

2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage (optional)

2 medium turnips, coarsely chopped

Salt

Ground black pepper

1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 plum tomatoes, cut into cubes

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme or rubbed sage

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Toss the carrots, butternut squash, red onions, cabbage, and turnips with the olive oil and arrange the vegetables in a large roasting pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste and then roast them in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Stir the vegetable stock, white wine, tomatoes, and thyme or sage into the vegetables and continue roasting them for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened considerably and the vegetables have started to caramelize.

SPINACH AND KALE GRATIN

Another recipe from Rebecca Franklin. She writes, "This spinach and kale gratin recipe will be at home on any dinner menu, be it for a relaxed family supper or a special holiday meal. A touch of thyme and a dusting of cheese sparks up the flavor of this beloved classic dish." Serves 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 1/2 pounds spinach, rinsed, drained, and chopped

1/2 pounds baby kale, rinsed, drained, and chopped

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparations:

Preheat the oven to 375F and butter a gratin dish.

Sauté the onion in the olive oil for five minutes in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and continue sautéing the mixture for 30 seconds. Add the salt, pepper, dried thyme, spinach, baby kale to the pan and stir until the ingredients are combined. Cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat to low. Allow the spinach and kale to wilt for 3 minutes.

Stir the milk and heavy cream into the spinach mixture and turn it out into the buttered gratin dish. Stir together the melted butter, bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle the bread crumbs over the gratin. Bake the spinach gratin in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is hot and bubbly, and the bread crumbs have turned golden brown.

PEANUT BUTTER TURTLE BARS

This comes from Linda Larsen, About.com's Busy Cooks expert. Linda wrote, “Oh my goodness, is this recipe ever good. Peanut Butter Turtle Bars combine peanut butter, caramel, and chocolate in one of the best cookie recipes you will ever taste. And yes, there is 1-1/2 cups of peanut butter in this swoon-worthy recipe.” Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Yield: 36 brownies.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 (9" x 13" pan size) package brownie mix

1/2 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 (14 ounce) package caramels, unwrapped

1/4 cup light cream

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13" x 9" pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour and set aside.

In large bowl, combine brownie mix, 1/2 cup peanut butter, water, oil, and eggs and mix until combined, then beat for 40 strokes. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until brownies are just set; do not overbake.

In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels and light cream. Microwave on high for 2 minutes; remove and stir.

Continue microwaving, as necessary, for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter and pour over brownies.

In small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and 1/2 cup peanut butter. Microwave on high for 2 minutes; remove and stir until smooth. Pour carefully over the caramel layer and spread to coat. Let stand until set, then cut into bars.

SKILLET RAVIOLI LASAGNA WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE

This comes from Delish. It begins, “This cheater's lasagna is genius: You start with simmering marinara in a skillet, add ravioli and cooked sausage, and top it off with cheese for a melty one-pot meal.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb. Hot Italian sausage, casings removed

2 c. marinara

1/2 c. water

1 lb. cheese ravioli

1 1/2 c. ricotta

1 large egg

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 c. shredded mozzarella

Directions

Heat broiler. In a cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned and no longer pink, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. (Drain fat, if desired.) Add marinara and water to pan and bring to a simmer. Add ravioli and let simmer until ravioli is tender and sauce slightly thickens, 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta and egg and season with salt and pepper. Drop spoonfuls of ricotta mixture all over the ravioli and let cook 3 minutes.

Sprinkle mozzarella all over, then transfer skillet to oven and broil until cheese is golden, 3 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then serve.