Butternut Acorn Squash Bisque

I couldn't resist visiting this favorite. Butternut Squash soup is truly one of my favorites. In passing I came across a recipe that mixed acorn squash and butternut squash. Who can resist the flavors of autumn. This soup I put bought all the ingredients and literally just put the soup together. Although, after I made the soup I listened to The Splendid Table and heard more scrumptious items to put into the bisque.  My soup was very thick and creamy.

Butternut Acorn Squash Bisque
About 1 2 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
About 1  3/4 lb acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 cups chicken stock
1 white onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped with leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup almond milk
Place sauce pot on heat to warm over medium heat, and add olive oil to heat. Add celery, carrots, and white onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and brown slightly. then add the chicken stock and squash. Add the curry. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes or until heated through. Once heated through, process the soup in a food processor until blended smooth, or blender, or with a hand blender.

I headed back to school like many of kids. I headed off to school online with Quinnipiac University. This is my first time heading to school online and I can say it is quite an adventure.

Quinnipiac University (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Enjoy the soup,

Shrimp with Rice

I found this recipe in The New York Times Cookbook. The copy write date is 1961. Craig Clairborne edited the book. It is part of a 2-book collection.

Here is the book. It is definitely old. When I look in the cover I can see that the book has been taped to give it a little more support.

I have to be honest, I made this recipe with brown rice, and added the shrimp too soon, so the rice was only half cooked. The flavor was wonderful. I did not use water with this recipe, I used chicken stock. This recipe is worth trying if you love having shrimp and rice. If you use brown rice at Step 2 you should probably cook the rice covered for 20 minutes instead of 10 minutes.

So there was only one thing left to do. Put the rice back into a pan and cook it longer.

The dish the way it ought to be.

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Roast Chicken by Julia Child

I have to admit, I have made many a roast chicken. I have made so many chickens you can say for me they have become multicultural. I have not made any recipes by Julia Child, so you could say, this is the first. For me, I would say this is fitting.

Here is everyone's favorite cook. She didn't even need to graduate from cooking school to achieve her dreams. Here is her recipe which I found in Food and Wine Magazine.

JULIA CHILD'SFAVORITE ROAST CHICKEN                    Serving Size  : 4

Recipe By : Food and Wine Magazine

2½ tablespoons Unsalted butter	Salt & freshly ground pepper
⅓ cup Each finely diced carrots, onion	Parsley stems & celery leaves
and celery	6 ⅛-inch thick lemon slices
1 teaspoon Thyme, savory or mixed herbs	½ cup Each sliced onion & carrot
OR 2 fresh thyme sprigs	1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
4 pounds Fresh chicken	¾ cup Chicken stock or broth

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet.  Add the diced carrots, onion and celery and cook over moderate heat until softened about 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs.

Wash the chicken rapidly inside and out with hot water and pat thoroughly dry.  For easier carving, cut out and discard the wishbone. Pull the neck skin up over the breast and secure it to the back with a toothpick. Salt and pepper the cavity and spoon in the cooked vegetables, a handful of parsley stems and celery leaves and the lemon slices. Massage the chicken all over with 1 tablespoon of the butter then truss it. (Alternatively, tie the ends of the drumsticks together and tuck the wings under the body)

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Choose a flameproof roasting pan that is 1 inch larger than the chicken.  Salt the bird all over and set it breast up on a rack in the pan.

Roast the chicken in the oven for about 1½ hours, as follows:

AT 15 MINUTES:  Quickly brush the bird with the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter.  Scatter the sliced vegetables around the bird. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

AT 30 MINUTES:  Baste the chicken with the pan drippings.

AT 45 MINUTES:  Brush the lemon juice over the chicken, Add ½ cup of water to the pan to prevent the vegetables from burning.

AT 60 MINUTES:  Baste with the pan drippings.  Begin testing chicken for doneness: the drumsticks should move fairly easily in their sockets and their flesh should feel somewhat soft. If not, continue roasting, basting and testing every 7-8 minutes.

Spear the chicken through the shoulders and lift it up to drain; if the last of the juices run clear yellow, the chicken is done. Set it on a carving board and discard string. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Spoon all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the juices in pan. Add the stock and boil rapidly until reduced and lightly syrupy. Strain the juices -- you will have just enough to bathe each serving with a fragrant spoonful.

Reprinted from Food and Wine Magazine - January 1997.

Here is the juices for the chicken, all prepared. 

In the favor of Julia Child, all this chicken had was flavor and was very moist. It was quite enjoyable. 

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