Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 2 to 2½ pounds butternut squash
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 large onions, peeled & diced
• 1 piece of celery, sliced
• 1 leek, white part only
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 quart of chicken stock
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of thyme
• 1 cup heavy cream

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Brush with some of the melted butter.

In a large pot, add remaining butter, onion, leeks, celery, and garlic. Cook until soft but not browned. Scoop out squash from shells, add to onion mixture with stock. Increase heat and simmer 10 minutes. Season with nutmeg and thyme. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly then puree in blender. Return to pot, add cream, and heat almost to boiling.

Mini Meat Loaves with Cheddar Cheese

• 1 egg
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ½ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon prepared mustard

In a bowl, beat egg and milk. Stir in cheese, oats, onion, salt, and pepper. Add beef and mix well. Mixture will be very moist and loosely packed. Shape into 8 small oval loaves. Place in greased 13 x 9 baking dish or pan. Combine last 3 ingredients and spoon over loaves. Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160°. If loaves are firm to touch, they are probably done. Makes 4 very generous servings.

Twice baked potatoes

• 2 good size Idaho baking potatoes. If using smaller potatoes, allow 1 potato per person
• 3 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/4 cup America cheese shredded - about 4 slices (you can also use Vermont cheddar cheese)
• 1/4 cup hot milk or half and half
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin are available at your supermarket and are packaged in a plastic sleeve. You can also use a pork loin. Plan about 1/3 lb. per person. The tenderloins weigh about 1 pound each and there are usually 2 in a plastic sleeve.

• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons whole rosemary fresh or 1 tablespoon dried
• 2 teaspoon leaf tarragon - 1 teaspoon dried
• salt and pepper
• 3 gloves minced garlic

Remove tenderloin from plastic sleeve. Rinse in cold water and pat dry. Marinate meat with all ingredients, all day. Sear pork in frying pan on high heat. Either grill 20 minutes turning every 5 minutes or roast in 400° oven for 30 minutes. Serve with applesauce or rhubarb sauce.

Applesauce
You can purchase a good applesauce and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and (optional) saute 1 thinly sliced apple or 1/3 cup apple cider. Heat.  Spoon over sliced pork tenderloin.

Home Made Applesauce
5 lbs of regular mackintosh,
1/4 cup water, apple cider, or apple juice.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar.

Slice apples. Do not peel or remove cores. Put apples and liquid in large covered pot and cook over medium flame for about 1/2 hr. or until apples are tender. Put apple mixture through food mill—great kitchen gadget, especially for pureeing soups and vegetables. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Applesauce can be frozen.

Paper Bag Apple Pie

• 4-5 apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
• 1 pie shell
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 tablespoon flour
• 3 tablespoon water, apple cider, or apple juice

Place apples in pie shell. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ quick oats
• 1 stick of margarine or butter

Combine topping ingredients to make a crumbly mixture—spread on top of apples in pie. Place in large brown paper bag. Use either paper clips or paper staples to bind airtight. Bake 1 hour at 425°. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8-10

Spinach Salad

• 1 lb baby spinach - washed and rinsed
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 hard boiled egg - chopped

Dressing

• 1 pint of sour cream
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• ¼ cup of wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon of sugar
• pinch of salt

Nancy's Fresh Tomato Soup - Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 6 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 pound 12 ounce can whole tomatoes or diced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 teaspoon thyme
• 3 springs parsley
• 1 can of cream of potato soup

Melt butter in a heavy pan. Add onion and sauté until golden. Add tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil and simmer 30-40 minutes. Remove bay leaf and parley. Add 1 can of potato soup until blended. Pass through a food mill or blend.

Jerry's Potatoes

• 2 good size baking potatoes
• ½ cup of beef, chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

Slice each potato in half. Place flat side down on cutting board and horizontally slice potato making about/at least 10 slices. Carefully place each sliced potato in 8" square pan. Pour broth around potatoes and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400° for about 45 minutes or less. Remove from oven. Remove aluminum foil. Pour butter and sprinkle cheese over potatoes and return to oven for about 15 minutes. Serve 1/2 of potato sprinkled with chopped parsley. Serves 4.

Maple-topped Pumpkin Custard

This uses some of that expensive maple syrup that you bought on your last visit.

• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 10 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk

Using electric mixer, beat cream and 2 tablespoon maple syrup to peaks. Refrigerate is separate container. Preheat oven to 325°. Place eight 1¼ custard cups in roasting pan. In mixer, beat pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk in milk. Divide custard among the 8 cups. Fill pan with hot water halfway up sides of cups. Bake until custard is softly set in center, about 50 minutes. Chill, uncovered at least 3 hours or up to a day. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon of syrup and a dollop of maple syrup and serve. Can freeze leftover cream. Serves 8.