My top 5, from 2010

1. Gumbo

2. Palak Channa

3. Chicken Style Bean Stew

4. Pumpkin Cream Pasta

5. Caramelized Quinoa and Black Beans

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

3 carrots
1 onion
1 small eggplant, purple skin sliced off
4 cloves garlic
1/2 butternut squash, peel sliced off
olive oil
salt

2 c. couscous
3 c. chicken broth (imitation or vegetable both work)
3 green onions, sliced
dash black pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

Cut all the vegetables into small pieces that are roughly the same size, about 1/2 in in diameter. Toss with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Spread out on pans in a single layer. Roast at 425 until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes.

When cooked boil together chicken broth, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. When boiling add the couscous, immediately remove from heat and cover tightly. Let sit for 5 minutes. Remove lid.

Combine roasted vegetables, couscous, garbanzo beans, and bacon. Toss to mix well.

Serve with a salad.

You can drastically change the dish my changing the spices. Try it with curry, Italian, Moroccan or southwestern spices too

Pumpkin Cream Pasta

12 oz. Bow Tie Pasta

2 links Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (I suspect regular breakfast sausage would be great here too)
1 can white beans

Splash Olive Oil
4 - 6 green onions, sliced all the way up the green part
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1/4 c. heavy cream, half-an-half, or fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
dash black pepper
1 Tbsp parsley flakes
1/4 c. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the bow ties in lightly salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve some of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile saute the Italian sausage until browned. Add a splash of olive oil to the skillet and saute the green onions and garlic until fragrant. Add the chicken broth and use to lift the browned bits from the pan. Add the pumpkin, half-an-half, sage, pepper, and parsley and simmer two minutes. Stir in cooked pasta and white beans and simmer until pasta is tender. If desired, thin with reserved cooking liquid. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to combine.

Garnish with more Parmesan cheese to taste.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

8 Tortillas

1 large sweet potato
2 large onions
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 can black beans, drained
3/4 can corn, drained
1/2 bunch Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Melt butter and in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until tender. Add sugar and let the onions brown a bit over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are caramelized.

Meanwhile, prick the sweet potato all over and microwave until soft. Mash

Combine the mashed sweet potato, half of the caramelized onions, and cheese.

Heat the remaining onions, add the corn and cook a few minutes until the corn starts to get golden in spots. Add the black beans.

Divide the sweet potato mix evenly between the tortillas and spread on half. Sprinkle with a generous amount of chopped fresh cilantro. Top with bean and corn mix.

Heat a splash of oil in a pan, the one you used on the onions is fine, and cook each tortillas on either side until golden.

Pumpkin Enchiladas

I went to a pumpkin party last week and the host served these very tasty enchiladas.

The only change I made was to cut the meat in half and add a can of beans. You can make them entirely with black beans, just saute the garlic a few seconds with the onions before adding remaining ingredients and use two cans of beans

I think some cooked rice would make a great addition to the filling too

1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
1 large can enchilada sauce
1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey (optional, just add a second can of beans if not using)
1 can black beans, drained (pinto or adzuki would be good too)
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 small can green chilies
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Salt and pepper to taste

10 - 12 small corn tortillas
shredded cheese (optional)

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and meat and cook, breaking up large chunks of meat, until meat is cooked. Remove from heat and add 1/2 the enchilada sauce, black beans, pumpkin, chilies, and seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put about 1/4 c. of the enchilada mixture into each corn tortilla. Roll closed and place in a casserole dish.

Cover with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes until warm.

Pumpkin Chili

1 butternut squash
1 medium onion, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. beef broth (or imitation)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 lb. ground turkey (optional)
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can tomato paste
1 tsp. taco powder
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sour Cream and Cheese to serve on top

Cut the butternut squash in half vertically, scoop out seeds, and place cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 10-15 minutes or so just until tender enough to cut. Remove skin and cut into small cubes.

Meanwhile, saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add ground turkey and taco seasoning and cook, while breaking up the pieces, until meat is cooked.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer at least 1 hour until flavors are blended and squash is tender.

Corn and Squash Soup

4 or 5 bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
2 Tbsp flour
3 c. chicken broth
1 butternut squash
2 cans cream-style corn
2 c. half-and-half
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp. Lowrys seasoning salt
Dash Black Pepper
1 can white beans

Sour cream, optional


Cut the butternut squash in half vertically, scoop out seeds, and place cut side down on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 10-15 minutes or so until tender. Remove from the skin and mash one half of the squash. Cut the other into small cubes. Set aside.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from pan reserving drippings. In the drippings, saute onion, celery, and pepper until tender. Whisk in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the mashed squash, cubed squash, corn, half-an-half, parsley, salt, pepper, beans, and bacon. Cook and stir until heated through. Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Fall Black Bean Dip

I was thinking caramelized onions would be great on top in place of the green onions here,

2 c. refried black beans (for a recipe click here or canned works fine)
1 large sweet potato
2 Tbsp butter
Salt & Pepper to taste
small pinch cinnamon and nutmeg
Large dash cumin
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
1 c. sour cream
Green onions, sliced

Corn chips or crackers to serve (I used the Food Should Taste Good brand multi grain chips)

Prick sweet potato with a fork a few times on both sides and bake until tender. When cooked remove center from the skin and mash. Add the butter and seasonings to taste.

Spread black beans in the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Top with mashed sweet potato. Spread with sour cream and top with green onions.

Pasta with yellow squash

2 lb. yellow squash (or part yellow squash part zucchini) cut into coins
3 or 4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 large onion, chopped
Mortons Nature Seasons OR Salt and pepper to taste
4 c. cooked large tube pasta (penna or rigatoni work great)
1 can white beans, drained but not rinsed

Melt butter over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add squash and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender. Season to taste and return heat to high so the squash turns slightly golden on the edges.

Add pasta and beans and cook, stirring, until heated though.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 Tbsp butter
4 strips bacon
4 c. chicken broth (Or vegetable)
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium sliced peeled potatoes
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Sour cream
Chopped fresh parsley

Fry bacon until crisp, crumble, and set aside, reserving 2 Tbsp of the bacon grease. In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in bacon drippings and butter until both are tender. Add the broth, beans, potatoes and pumpkin; cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool. Puree half of the mixture at a time in a blender or food processor until smooth; return all to the pan. Add the milk, nutmeg, paprika, salt and pepper; heat through.
Spoon soup into bowls; top each with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of parsley and crumbled bacon.

Vegetarian version: Omit bacon (duh!) use butter to saute. Replace salt with 1 tsp. J&D's Bacon Salt

Variation: Reduce broth to 1 cup and cream to 1/2 cup. Toss with hot cooked pasta or cheese ravioli and top with crumbled bacon

Winter Squash Soup

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, diced or crushed

1 celery stalk, diced

1 cooked butternut or acorn squash (medium sized), cooled and scooped out of skin (or a medium-small pie pumpkin)

1 can garbanzo or white beans

2 c chicken or vegetable broth (or water)

1-2 tsp cumin

Dash red pepper or paprika (optional, to taste)

2 T olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion and celery stalk in olive oil over medium-low heat until soft. Add the garlic a few minutes before the end. When soft and fragrant, add chicken broth, spices, and squash. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, and add undrained can of beans. Puree and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

You can also add a chopped red bell pepper with the onions if you like. I don't recommend green because your soup will look disgusting once it's pureed!

Stuffed Peppers or Squash

You dont want too much liquid when you are finished cooking but you also don't want the lentils or rice to cook dry. If they start to look dry add more liquid, either more broth or water works fine as well. If you add too much you can always drain it off before filling whichever vegetable you choose. I have found with squash that it is best to start baking them right before I add the rice to the lentils and then just be careful and fill them hot and return them to the oven.

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 stick celery, minced
1/2 c. rice
1/2 c. lentils
1 can white beans
3 c. beef or vegetable broth
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black peppers
1/4 tsp. fennel
3/4 tsp. ground sage
Peppers or squash to be stuffed
Spaghetti or tomato sauce for peppers
Cheese for squash ( I like cheddar or mozzarella)

Saute onion, pepper, garlic, and celery in oil until onion is tender. Add broth and lentils, simmer until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes. Add the rice, white beans, can tomatoes, paprika, pepper, fennel, and sage. Simmer until the rice and lentils are tender.

Fill with lentil rice mixture and top with either sauce or cheese. Bake peppers uncovered until they are cooked enough to eat. Cover the squash beforehand since they require a longer baking time.

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry Soup

This soup has a warm mellow flavor and comes out somewhat like a stew, not to much broth and slightly thick. Something to note is the cooking time of the lentils, red lentils cook much faster than the brown variety. Also, in an effort to cut costs, I use chicken bouillon. If you do don't add the salt. Bouillon is typically pretty salty.

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry Soup
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp. Curry Powder
12 ounces red lentils
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken stock
2 c. water

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry and salt; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add squash; cook until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add stock and water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in lentils; cook until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

I love this soup, its a hearty, smokey, slightly spicy and perfect for a simple meal. I saw a pumpkin soup recipe on a cooking show while I was in the hospital having my third daughter. Upon locating the recipe it actually turned out to look kinda gross so I created my own version



Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
One can pure pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
4 c. beef broth ( vegetable works great too)
2 cans black beans (15 ounces), undrained (I sometimes use pinto)
1 can corn, drained, or 1 c. frozen
1/4 c. uncooked grain (rice, barley, quinoa, whatever)
1 Tbsp. lime juice (optional)
Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream

Heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until onion is translucent. Add apple and cook slowly over medium heat until starting to brown a bit and is looking tender all the way through. Add the garlic and cook JUST until fragrant and then immediately add liquid. Either broth or water and then bouillon cubes

Add the cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, corn, beans, pumpkin, and grain.

Simmer until grain is tender.

If using, stir in lime juice

Option: Reduce the beef broth to 1 cup and omit the grain. Serve as a sauce over rice