Butternut Squash Soup

I never thought I'd ever love butternut squash soup until I've had this one. It's now one of my all time favorite things! I was watching Farmhouse Rules last year during a doctors appointment for my pregnancy with baby #2 and had to try it. It is everything a yummy fall soup should be. 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 3 apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 
• Two 3-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, chopped 
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (or 1 TBSP of dry)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 8 cups chicken stock 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 
• 2 tablespoons butter 

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Next, add the apples, squash, garlic and onions and saute until the vegetables begin to sweat and soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sage, ground nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook another 2 minutes. Add the stock, making sure that it covers the squash; if necessary, add a little water. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer until the squash is very tender, about 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan and butter. Serve immediately.

Oreo Cheesecake Trifle

This is SO GOOD! Made for Father's Day and loved it.

INGREDIENTS:

Brownie

1 Box Brownie mix premade in a 9x13

OREO CHEESECAKE FILLING

16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (155g) sugar
3 tbsp (45ml) milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups (176g) Oreo crumbs

ADDITIONAL

1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate sauce
16-20 Oreos, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the cheesecake filling, add the cream cheese and sugar to a large mixer bowl and mix until well combined and smooth.
2. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to make the whipped cream. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
4. Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
5. Add the remaining whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold until combined.
6. Add the Oreo crumbs and gently fold until well combined.
7. To make the additional whipped cream for layering, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl. Whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
8. To layer everything together, but the brownie into small pieces. Add about half of the brownie pieces to the bottom of the trifle dish.
9. Add about half of the cheesecake filling in an even layer on top of the brownies.
10. Add about 3/4 of the chopped Oreos in an even layer on top of the cheesecake filling, then drizzle with chocolate sauce.
11. Add a little more than half of the whipped cream, reserving enough to pipe some on the top of the finished trifle.
12. Add another layer of brownies and cheesecake filling.
13. Finish off the trifle with some swirls of the remaining whipped cream, the remaining chopped Oreos and another drizzle of chocolate sauce.
14. Refrigerate trifle until ready to serve. I like to let it all set together for a few hours before serving. Trifle is best when covered for 3-4 days.

Read more at http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2017/05/05/oreo-cheesecake-brownie-trifle/#xjyAe5kJMKDkVdel.99

Quick Drop Biscuits

Via Serious Eats. Really love this method of melting the butter and mixing it with cold milk to get a lumpy but easy way to incorporate all the butter without overworking or having to grate butter. 

Ingredients

• 4 ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and refrigerated
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (8 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk

Directions

1. 1.
   Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; alternatively grease a baking sheet with butter.
2. 2.
   In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
3. 3.
   Toss butter into the dry ingredients until coated with flour. Working quickly and using your fingers or a pastry blender, rub or cut butter into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Alternatively, add flour mixture and butter to food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times to form pea-sized pieces; transfer to a large bowl.
4. 4.
   Add milk and stir with a fork until it just comes together into a slightly sticky, shaggy dough.
5. 5.
   For small biscuits: Using a teaspoon or small ice cream scoop, mound walnut sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. For large biscuits: Using a 1/4-cup measuring scoop, mound balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
6. 6.
   Bake biscuits until golden brown, about 15 minutes for small biscuits and 20 minutes for large ones. Let cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Black Bean Salsa

• This is SO good. Not too sweet or spicy. Just yummy, tangy and fresh. It will disappear fast! Best if eaten in the first couple of days. From cullinaryhill.com
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• • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14 ounce) can of corn, drained
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • ½ cup red onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

  1. In a large bowl, combine beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro.
  2. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and chill for 30 minutes prior to serving to let flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side to any Mexican dish.

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This either sounds really odd or really good but either way it is DELiCIOUS! Skip the plain Jane corn next time and impress anyone with this incredibly delicious dish! Found it browsing The Chew recipes. I've always wanted to try their recipes and this one was SO GOOD! I will definitely be trying more. via The Chew Mario Batali 

Ingredients

MEXICAN STREET CORN SALAD

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 ears of corn (shucked, kernels removed)
• 1/2 medium red onion (peeled, small diced)
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled, minced)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes (cut in half)
• 4-5 radishes (thinly sliced)
• Kosher and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

SPICY MAYONNAISE DRESSING

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 lime (zested and juiced)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is mildly spicy)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

FOR GARNISH

• 1/2 cup cotija (crumbled)
• hot sauce (to serve)

directions

• In a large cast iron skillet over high heat, add olive oil, fresh corn kernels and red onion, cook until slightly charred, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool. 
• In a large bowl, add the cooled corn mixture, grape tomatoes and radishes. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest and juice, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the corn, tomatoes and radishes. Fold to combine. Sprinkle the cotija cheese on top, drizzle with hot sauce and serve! 
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White Peppermint Fudge

Last year our neighbor brought us some super yummy treats. The most memorable for me was the extra creamy, soft and slightly tangy white peppermint fudge. I hate to bother people for their recipes so I've searched to find one I think would fit. I could tell there was cream cheese in it so that's a must for me

1 cup  cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/4 teaspoons peppermint extract (or 3-4 drops of the concentated stuff-to taste)

1 cup candy canes, crushed

Preparation:

Line an 8x8 square pan with wax paper and set aside.  With a hand mixer beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and peppermint extract until smooth.   Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave in 30 second increments until melted and smooth.  Add white chocolate to cream cheese mixture, combine with a wooden spoon.  Next add in crushed candy canes, reserving about 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top).  Stir candy canes into fudge mixture until combined well.  Pour fudge into prepared square pan and smooth with a knife.  Sprinkle the reserved crushed candy canes on top.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and then slice and serve!!