Carrot Soufflé

Remember yesterday, when I said that today I might have a carrot recipe?  Well, here it is!

I got this 2 pound bag of defrosted frozen carrot pieces.  Carrots are on the top of my least favorite vegetable list, so transforming these suckers are going to be tricky!!

I must have read 50 general soufflé recipes and 15 carrot soufflé recipes, who knew there are so many carrot soufflé recipes, but there are and I wrote mine before bed last night.  I have NEVER made a soufflé so I really don't have any business writing a soufflé recipe, but I did, so I really hope this turns out ok.

Carrot Soufflé 

ingredients 

1.5 lb. carrots

1/2 C. granulated sugar

4 Large eggs

1/2 C. melted butter. plus butter to coat baking dish

1/3 C. flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

2 t. Brandy (if you don't have Brandy, you can use vanilla extract)

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

freshly grated nutmeg

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Cook carrots in salt water (water should taste like the ocean) for 15 minutes or until very tender; drain.  Place carrots in a food processor; process until smooth.  Add sugar and the next 8 ingredients (eggs through ginger); pulse to combine.

2. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated in butter.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until puffed and set.  Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg. (remember a little goes a long way!)

Roasted Spaghetti Squash Meatball Soup

This Tuesday I got a spaghetti squash, I've never had spaghetti squash, but I have had acorn squash which I don't like and I've have pumpkin which I don't like (I do like pumpkin cookies)  So I was scared I wouldn't like this squash, but after roasting it I tasted it and I'm sure this is going to be successful!  This is two recipes I'm combining and my own touches thrown in, so this is my recipe that I am sharing with you!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash Meatball Soup

ingredients

1 pound spaghetti squash, halved and seeds discarded

3 T. EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)

Kosher salt

Ground pepper

2 T. butter (I always use salted butter, even when recipes say unsalted, it gives the food a little something something)

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1/4 C. of carrots chopped small (I also got these on Tuesday, so tomorrow there may be a carrot recipe)

1/4 C. green bell pepper chopped small

4 Large mushrooms chopped large

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 t. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

22-24 meatballs 

(you can use frozen meatballs, I made mine with 1lb g. Beef, 2 eggs, and a half of a package of stove top stuffing... I hate stove top stuffing, but it was another item we got from church, I put the stuffing in the food processor and mixed until it was a bread crumb consistency, mixed together and made 22 meatball, baked at 350 for 30 minutes)

5 cups chicken broth, or 3 cans (I normally make all my stocks and broths, but I'm out so I'm using canned.

8oz uncooked pasta, cooked (which I mean is measure out 8oz or raw pasta, then cook it, drain and set aside)

1/4 cup parmesan grated cheese

2 T. chopped green onions

Mise en place - French culinary phrase which means "everything in its place"

instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Rub the cut sides of the squash with 1 T. of the EVOO and season with salt and pepper (be generous! remember you are only placing salt and pepper on the surface of the squash but you are going to be scraping the meat after it cooks and you want it all seasoned, so don't be afraid to really use the salt!!!).  Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until tender.  Using a fork, scrape the squash strands into bowls and keep warm.

Roasted Squash, Really Pretty!!

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt the butter in the remaining 2 T. of EVOO.  Add the onion, carrots, and bell peppers and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are golden, about 7 minutes.  Add broth, pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper and bring to boil.  Add pasta and cook for 4 minutes.  Stir in parmesan grated cheese.

3.  Ladle the soup over the squash and meatballs, garnish with green onions.

It was super tasty!!

Tuesday Nights

On Tuesday nights after bible study, my church has Food Ministries.  This really helps my family since I'm still not working.  Sometimes we get items we would never buy ourselves, but I strongly don't believe in wasting food or wasting a gift, so I turn these items into something good, something my family will love (I hope... sometime the 6 year old doesn't like anything, because it's Friday and the wind blew on her face, and pink is no longer her favorite color!!

Some examples of things I've done in the past are Black Bean Brownies, Cantaloupe BBQ Sauce, and Mango Chicken (The Mangos were in a can which made this challenging)

My friend Jessica suggested I start a blog, posting these recipes and I thought it would be fun, so here we go!!!  I hope you all enjoy!