Ginger Squash Soup

Recipe from Elaine at WVC

1 medium Butternut squash
1 large sweet onion
1 piece ginger about an inch long

3 carrots
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
Cilantro for garnish

Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds, then roast in the oven (covered w/foil so it doesn't brown) until very tender.

While squash is cooking, take a soup pot and melt a little butter in it. Roughly chop and add onion, carrot, and peeled ginger. Saute this for 5 to 7 minutes (make sure it doesn't brown). Add the chicken stock and simmer until very tender.

When the squash is done, scoop out the flesh and add to the pot. Using a food processor or blender, process the soup in batches until all is smooth- place back in soup pot. Add the cream and warm to serving temperature. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped cilantro sprinkled on top.

You can make this sweeter by using more carrots or less so by more squash. Also works great with cooked pumpkin!

Kentucky Browns

Justin found this on the food network. It takes some work to get everything together but it is delicious!
I'll try to make the directions simple:

Cook up some chicken in a frying pan. Make some french toast in another frying pan (cinnamon is good). In another frying pan, start some bacon cooking. In a saucepan, make a white cheese sauce starting from a rue and adding milk, mozeralla cheese, parmesan, even some cheddar is fine. Slice up some tomates, slice the chicken up a little, turn the oven on to broil and get ready to assemble. It goes like this:

Place a piece of french toast on an oven proof plate. Put a dab of cheese sauce on top. Then place some chicken slices, tomato slices, and top with some bacon slices. Ladle some cheese sauce over the top of everything, and broil in the oven just slightly until you see the cheese sauce slightly brown.
DELICIOUS! Careful though, it's hot!

More detailed instructions can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_37222,00.html

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thanks to my sister Kathryn for finding this new recipe online somewhere. I like it better than the recipe that was my favorite for years! Be sure to add PLENTY of chocolate chips!

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter (not margarine) slightly softened

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 large eggs slightly beaten

3 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups chocolate chips

Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The trick is to take them out slightly before you think they're done, and let them sit on the hot pan for a minute before taking them off.

Tonkatsu Chicken

This is a fun and easy dinner that we like a lot at our house. It's kind of the designated last-minute meal at our house: it's fancy enough but doesn't take much time or effort. This is how I make it:

White Rice done in the rice cooker

Tonkatsu Sauce- made by Kikkoman and found near sweet n sour sauce in the oriental isle.

Frozen chicken breasts- as many as you need

Place frozen chicken in a frying pan with a little oil, on medium high. Season with a little salt and pepper or garlic powder, or italian seasoning. Brown on both sides, then immediately put the lid on and turn the heat down to low. After about 15 minutes check to see if chicken is nearly cooked through the middle. When it is, remove the lid, turn the heat back up to med high and cook most of the liquid off (you can slice the chicken up first if you want it that way).

Serve with a little Tonkatsu Sauce over the chicken and rice. Also serve a vegetable like broccoli and/or a salad.

Herb Roasted Pork Loin

from the internet

This is probably my family's all-time favorite meal. It makes everyone happy and it's very easy!

5 lbs boneless pork loin
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed

Combine above in bowl. Rub thoroughly all over pork. Place pork in an uncovered roasting pan on the middle oven rack. Bake at 325 degrees for about 3 hours. I actually put it in the crockpot on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.

In about the last hour of cooking the roast, place the following in a small saucepan:
1 c sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
4 Tbsp soy sauce

Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Brush roast with glaze 3 or 4 times during the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Pour remaining glaze over roast, and serve. We usually have rice too, with some glaze over the top.