A magnificent butternut squash soup!

Nothing is better than a warm bowl of soup on a freezing cold day. Right now we are experiencing very frigid weather with temperatures of 7 degrees or below. A soup like this would be perfect serve with this weather because it will warm you and your household.

This butternut squash soup is full of flavor and looks beautiful as well. It has settle complexities of flavor with the curry, sweet pears and delicate squash. If you didn't like butternut squash soup before you will now. It is sure to change your mind. As a added bonus this recipe is perfect for entertaining because it can be made a day ahead and then reheated and garnished when served. It is sure to impress your guests. To make this recipe vegan, omit the cream and use vegetable broth.

sauteed onions

roasted butternut squash

roasted pears

prepped pears

Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

Serves: 4-6      Cook Time:  30 min   Prep Time: 40 min

Simmering squash to enhance flavors

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, roasted
• 6 d'anjou pears, diced and roasted
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ceyenne
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup pepitas toasted for garnish

Directions

To roast pears, toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons evoo. Roast at 400F for 15 minutes. To make soup, heat stock pan over medium heat.  Saute onions in olive oil until tender and translucent. Add squash and 4 pears. Saute for a couple minutes more. Add broth, curry powder, and ceyenne. Bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with reserved pears and pepitas.

An amazing butternut squash soup!

Turkey for Two!

Turkey is a must at Thanksgiving! But who wants to buy an entire turkey for only two people? It is just to much food and such an expense. This quick and easy dish will solve all your problems. If you wish, you can purchase a much larger turkey breast in order to have leftovers. Just remember the cooking time will increase as well.

Turkey Cutlets with Herbed Reduction Sauce

Serves: 2        Cook Time: 25 min        Prep Time: 5 min

• 2 boneless skinless turkey breasts, seasoning with salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 1/4 turkey broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs sage
• 2 tablespoons minced onions
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Heat saute pan until oil shimmers and smokes. Add turkey breast skin side down. DO NOT TOUCH for 3-4 minutes and repeat on other side. Transfer turkey to sheet pan. Place in oven and bake 5-7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.

Deglazing with Wine

Adding Herbs and Stock

Final Reduction

Add wine to deglaze the pan. Reduce by wine half and add onions. Next add broth, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and cream. Reduce by about half or until it coats the back of the spoon. Serve with Turkey. Don't forget these classic sides: Stuffing with Dried Cranberries and Herbs and Herbed Infused Mashed Potatoes.

A starchy side fit for Thanksgiving!

I can't imagine a Thanksgiving that didn't have mashed potatoes on the menu. Every year I would help my mom make them in the kitchen with our hand mixer or potato masher. They were very simple, milk, potatoes, salt and pepper. Then one year, we decided to use a ricer to make this delectable side. The resulting mashed potatoes were light and airy. I haven't made them any other way since. This technique makes a huge difference in texture. It prevents you from getting that gluey mashed potato. The best part is a ricer only costs 5 or 10 dollars. Which is not much to pay for perfect mashed potatoes! So enjoy these mashed potatoes and change it up with any herbs you'd prefer or have on hand.

Herb Infused Mashed Potatoes

Serves: 8-10        Cook Time: 35 min        Prep Time: 15 min

• 1 1/2 lbs. yukon gold whole
• 1 1/2 lbs russetts whole
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/4 cups cream
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

	Cover potatoes with cold water. Place on medium high heat and cook until easily pierced with a knife.
Meanwhile, place butter, milk, cream and herbs in a saucepan. Bring to simmer and reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes.
	Drain potatoes. Cut in half and push through a ricer. Removing the potato skins from the ricer as necessary. Add heated milk mixture to potatoes and combine thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

My family's favorite stuffing!

This stuffing recipe has become somewhat legendary in my house hold. It has been perfected over the years. I usually quadruple it so there is enough leftovers. This stuffing even gets better the next day. I know this recipe seems strange without dried bread. I have found that stale bread absorbs too much liquid and makes it incredibly soggy. If you prefer your stuffing that way, then add more broth. Once you try this stuffing, you will never go back to anything else!

Stuffing with Dried Cranberries and Herbs

Essential Ingredients

Serves: 8-10   Cook Time: 45 min      Prep Time: 15 min

• 2 cup diced onion
• 3 cups diced celery
• 1 cup butter
• 4 springs thyme
• 4 springs sage
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
• 1 loaf  brownberry white bread, cubed
• 1 loaf kings hawaiian bread, cubed
• 3/4 cup chicken, turkey or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon powdered sage
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Sizzling Aromatics

Cranberries add great color

All Ingredients Combined

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, thyme and sage. Let cook 10-15 minutes covered or until tender. Add dried cranberries and cook another 5 minutes covered. In very large bowl, combine bread and onions, celery, and cranberry mixtures.  Gently mix and add broth, dried thyme, powdered sage and salt and pepper to taste. Cook stuffing in  9x13 dish covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Turn oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake 15 minutes more or until golden brown. Enjoy this stuffing! I guarantee you won't forget it!

Delicious Stuffing

A new spin on a Thanksgiving favorite!

Cranberry sauce is a classic for the holiday feast. I don't know anyone that celebrates with out it. I know this is not the jellied can stuff, but it tastes exceedingly better. I wanted to put a spin on the classic version, so changed it up a bit with using the lambic. Apple cider maybe used, if you don't want the alcohol. I encourage you make this dish for your Thanksgiving feast. It's a very easy dish to make and tastes wonderful!

Sauce Ingredients

Apple Lambic Cranberry Sauce

Simmering Cranberries

Serves: 4-6   Cook Time: 15 min      Prep Time: 5 min

• 1 12 oz. bag cranberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup apple lambic or apple cider
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan except ground cinnamon. Bring to simmer and boil for 10-15 minutes. After it is done cooking add ground cinnamon and stir to combine. Remove cinnamon stick and allow to cool before serving.

Final Presentation

Baked potato or gourmet side?

Sweet potatoes are a nutritional power house in the kitchen. They contain high amounts of Vitamin A&C, B6, Potassium and Manganese. Plus, they are easy to bake and add great color to any plate. Normally, a baked potato is not a stunning side dish. This recipe brings them to an entirely different level. The piped compound butter and maple pecans elevate this dish. It makes a gourmet presentation. Keep the compound butter in the freezer for future use. The pecans can be used on salads, cheese plates, or eaten as a snack.

For another plating option, you could scoop out the flesh of the potatoes and combine it with some of the butter. Then place in a casserole dish. Heat up and top with pecans before serving. This would make an excellent dish to prepare for Thanksgiving day!

Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Butter and Maple Glazed Pecans

Serves: 5           Cook Time: 1 hour        Prep Time: 15 min

Sweet Potatoes

• 5 Sweet potatoes, washed

Spiced Butter

• 1 stick butter,softened
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom
• half of orange zested
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• salt

Maple Glazed Pecans

• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place potatoes on parchment lined sheet tray evenly apart. Cook for 1 hour or until soft when pierced with a fork.


Combine butter, spices, salt, zest and juice. Then either pipe on sheet tray or place in saran wrap and form into a roll.


Bring maple syrup up to a boil. Then add pecans. Cook until thick and syrupy about 3-5 minutes. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan and let cool. Break apart and store in cool dry place.

Tip- Compound butter is a a butter that has spices, herbs or even fruit added. This adds extra flavor and the combinations are endless. It is often used as a sauce on steaks or fish. I encourage you to experiment with this in your own kitchen!