My newest addiction-- Pumpkin Soup!

Every time we go to a new country we have to adjust our eating according to what is available-- both to buy, and what we have in our new kitchen. This recipe is very simple, and since everything is pureed even a baby can eat it. Cora loves it.

Pumpkin, Carrot & Coconut soup:
1 pie pumpkin (3-4 lbs)
1 small to medium red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
4 carrots, chopped
1 can coconut milk (or cream-- the stuff we have here in spain has a lot of solids in it--about half the can. I don't know what they would call it in the states)
Chicken base to taste (I usually put in enough for 3 quarts of water, but go by taste since you don't want to ruin it by over doing it!)
Water

To prepare the pumpkin there is the easier way that takes longer, or the quick way that is harder to do: you can either jab it a few times with a knife and cook it whole in the oven until it is soft, then scoop the cooked pumpkin out, or cut it up while raw into chunks and boil it in the soup until soft.

Put all the ingredients except the coconut milk into a pot. Add enough water to cover all of the veggies and let boil until carrots and pumpkin are soft (about 15 minutes). Pureè everything. I use a hand blender that I can just put into the pot and turn it on. The soup should be VERY thick right now, and you want to turn the heat off so it doesn't send splashes of boiling pumpkin mixture everywhere! I then open my can of Coconut Milk, pour in and stir. Serve with crusty bread.

Note: I often double this recipe, and use one pumpkin & one butternut squash. It is a nice blend, but I have made it just with butternut also when pumpkin wasn't available at the store.

I hope you enjoy. We sure do!

Yummy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c butter, soft
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanila
2 c flour
2/3 c cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 c milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt.  Mix the two together and then mix in the chocolate chips.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Let sit on the pan for another minute and cool on a rack.

Chinese New Year's dishes

Hey ladies! I thought I would post a link to Food Network's Chinese New Year's dishes. This is the year of the Ox and Chinese New Year is on the 26th this year. So if you feel inclined to cook up some grub with the family to celebrate, here is a link!
Chinese Recipes

Raspberry White Chocolate Scones

This is so yummmy! Got it from a friend named Emie this week! Great for brunch!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 c cold chunked butter
1/3 c milk
1/3 c non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla
1 c frozen raspberries
1 c white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a cookie sheet. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Work butter into dry ingredients until crumbly. Combine milk, yogurt, egg and vanilla in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients, mixing until just moist. Knead in remaining ingredients. Shape about 1/3 c of batter into a triange shape for each scone and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and slightly firm but springs back when touched. Makes 1 dozen scones.

Peanut butter sandwich cookies

I attended a cookie exchange and these were made by another girl and my family really loved them. All they are are ritz crackers sandwiched with peanut butter in the middle then dipped in white(vanilla) chocolate. Drizzled with chocolate on top. YUM!

Baked Potato Soup

4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
3 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon salt

toppings:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup green onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup bacon, chopped finely

Melt butter, stir in flour and add the chicken broth and milk. Whisk together to make smooth. Add bay leaves, pepper, potatoes and salt. Simmer over low heat 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and soup thickens. Right before serving the soup stir in the 4 toppings.

Chocolate-Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S White Chocolate
12 hard peppermint candies, crushed

Instructions:
HEAT oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Blend in semi-sweet chocolate. (Dough will be stiff.)

ROLL tablespoonfuls of dough into 52 balls; roll each into 3-inch-long rope. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets, bending top of each slightly to resemble candy cane.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until puffed and set; cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Melt white chocolate; drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candies. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

I made these to take to a church Christmas party and they were a big hit, everyone asked for the recipe.