Butternut Squash Soup

2 large butternut squash
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot or 5-6 baby
carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
water
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds. Place squash face down on a baking pan and pour approximately 1/2 cup water into pan. Place in oven and bake until tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scoop squash out of skins. Reserve squash and discard skins.

While squash is baking, heat oil in large stock pot. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté over medium heat until colored and softened, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken broth and reserved squash. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until everything is tender.

Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add water to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The first time I made this the kids wrinkled their noses, but I gave them straws to drink it with and they loved it, not drinking it with straws, but the flavor!

Swedish Meatballs

1 lb hamburger
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup rice
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/3 cup milk
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/4 t poultry seasoning
1 c cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients except soup and water. Form into meatballs. Mix soup and water and pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 1 1/4 hours. Serve over rice.

Caramel Corn

2 sticks butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 t baking soda
1 cup un-popped popcorn

Pop popcorn and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, add butter, sugar, salt, and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil exactly 5 minutes, remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour misture over popcorn and stir to coat. Bake at 250 for one hour stirring at the following intervals:
10 min
10 min
20 min
20 min

Meringue Puffs

4 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 package chocolate chips

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar. Add vanilla, beat until firm. Fold 1/3 cup sugar, pinch of salt and chocolate chips. Bake on greased cookie sheet, 275 25-30 minutes.

Pesto

2 Cups firmly packed basil leaves
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts

Mix all ingredients in a blender, about three minutes, until smooth. Serve with hot pasta.

"Fried" Chicken Fingers

Not deep fried, but pan fried chicken fingers that are crispy tasty and not too unhealthy since a mixture of olive oil and canola oil is used.

1 lb chicken cut into strips (maybe 3-4 "fingers" per breast)
1/2 cup milk
1/2-3/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup rice chex cereal crushed
powdered spices to taste, I use salt, pepper, garlic (go light,) onion, parmesan cheese, etc...

Mix bread crumbs, cereal and spices. In a large frying pan, heat enough oil to amply cover the bottom of the pan, I use a mix of olive oil and canola. Dip chicken strips in milk, then flour, then egg and finally bread crumb mixture. "Fry" in oil until brown and crispy on both sides.

Variations:
Any kind of bland cereal can be used (Kix, cheerios, etc...) and if you don't have any around you can just omit it, it just adds an extra crunch.

You can do chicken nuggets too, but they take way more time!

This is an original recipe so all measurements are approximate.

Tin Foil Dinners

I just got back from camping where we had tin foil dinners. They were so good and so simple!! We did them on the campfire, but they can also be done on the grill.

1/2-1 cup hamburger or cubed beef
1 potato (red is my favorite) small chunks
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
6-8 baby carrots, cut in half
salt and pepper to taste

Put all raw ingredients in a layer of tin foil, season to taste. Close tin foil by pinching edges together and folding over several times (this helps with leaking.) Add a second layer of tin foil and bake in a nice bed of coals about 45 min (this is very approximate!!!)

I have never grilled them before so I am not sure how long it takes. I will update as soon as I try it.