Yummy Fall Dinner

I was given a butternut squash and didn't know what to do with it. One of the craft blogs that I like to look at The Feathered Nest had this butternut squash soap and bread on it. So we made it for dinner. Both were really good, even Robby liked them! The soup is full of flavor.

Butternut Squash & Corn Chowder

2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 5 cups)
1 medium onion, chopped
10 oz frozen corn, thawed
1 1/2 t curry powder
coarse salt and pepper
2 cans (14.5 oz each) vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large heavy pot, heat oil over med-high heat. Add squash and onion. Cook until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add corn and curry powder and cook until curry is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. In a blender, blend the soup until smooth, working in batches if you have to. Return to pot and stir in cream. Heat through but do NOT let it boil.

*I never have broth so I used chicken bullion and I didn't have curry so I used a little basil, still turned out great*

Artisan Bread
(14-20hours rising)


3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 5/8 cup water

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

*After taking the lid off my pan my bread was done in 5 minutes, so I'd watch it close*

Creamy Chive Mashed Potatoes

I'm getting really exctied to have company this Thanksgiving. I've been trying a few new things and I really like this, mostly because I love mashed potatoes and chives. It's a nice twist.

5 medium potatoes, peeled
1 1/2 salt, divided
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. butter, softened
2 Tbs. chives
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Boil potatoes with 1 teaspoon salt. Drain.

Mash potatoes until smooth. Add cream cheese, butter, chives, pepper and remaining salt; gradually beat in buttermilk. Yield 4-5 servings.

I only used half the cream cheese it asked for and still made it really creamy. I never have buttermilk or sour milk so I measure out milk and put a little lemon juice in it, let it sit for 5 minutes and it will sour.