Roasted Garlic & Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients
1 whole head of garlic
1 red onion
1 large sweet potato, peeled
2 tsp olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
salt & pepper

To Do:
PREHEAT oven to 450 F
SEPARATE garlic into cloves and remove root end, but do not peel.
Cut onion into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut potato into 1/4 inch slices.
Place garlic, onions and potato on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.
ROAST for 15 min. turning once, or until brown.
REMOVE skin from cloves. In pot, combine garlic, onion, and potato with stock, thyme, curry powder and paprika. Simmer, covered for 15 min or until tender.
PUREE in food processor or blender. Return to pot; reheat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with parsley.
Make 4 servings.

::Caramel Thumbprints::

THESE ARE A VARIATION ON A HOLIDAY CLASSIC. AFTER HAVING MADE THIS FANCY VERSION OF A THUMBPRINT COOKIE, I HAVE TO SAY I MISSED THE JAM CENTERS. HOWEVER, THIS DOUGH WAS FAR BETTER THAN THE STANDARD DOUGH. SO, IN FUTURE, I WILL USE THIS DELICIOUSLY NUTTY DOUGH RECIPE, BUT WILL FILL THE COOKIES WITH JAM.

Found via *Country Living*

Fall Harvest Feast

4 bacon slices, chopped

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasthalves, chopped

1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped carrot
1/4 c. chicken (or vegetable) broth

6 c. chicken (or vegetable) stock
14 oz. can of pure pumpkin (no spices)
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. ground sage

Cook bacon in large saucepan on medium until crisp. Tranfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp. drippings in same saucepan on medium-high. Add chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until browned.

Add next 4 ingredients. Heat and stir for about 5-10 minutes, scraping any brown bits from bottom of pan, until vegetables are softened.

Add remaining 4 ingredients. Stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add bacon. Stir.

Makes about 81/2 cups (2.1L.).
Serves 4

::Curry with Naan Bread & Creamy Curried Veggies::

WE ALL HAVE A MEAL THAT MAKES US WEAK.
ONE WE WANT OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
ONE WE BREAK ALL OF OUR DIET RULES FOR...
THIS IS MINE:

::Basic Chicken Curry::
WE ALL HAVE A BELOVED RECIPE. MINE IS A FAMILY RECIPE I THROW TOGETHER FROM MEMORY, SO I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU TO FIND ONE YOU LOVE.

::Naan Bread::
NAAN IS A MUST-HAVE WITH CURRY. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS FIND IT ON THE MENU AT AN INDIAN RESTAURANT. A FEW YEARS AGO, MOM AND I DECIDED TO TRY IT FROM SCRATCH. WE NAILED IT. I THINK THAT THIS STUFF TASTES JUST LIKE THE REAL THING. LOTS OF WORK, BUT THE MEAL JUST ISN'T THE SAME WITHOUT THIS BUTTERY BREAD.

4 T warm milk
2 t sugar
1- 1/2 t dry yeast/ or 1/2 oz fresh

Warm your milk in a microwave for 20 seconds or so. Add sugar and yeast. Let rest for 10 minutes, until you see that the yeast has begun to create a frothy layer in the bowl.

3 cups + 2 T flour {1 pound}
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Sift all of these dry ingredients together in a big bowl. Set aside.

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup + 1 T milk
1/2 cup + 1 T yogurt
4 T melted butter, {referred to as "ghee"}

Combine all the above. Combine egg mixture and yeast mixture and add to the dry ingredients. Bring together into a ball. Dump onto a floured surface and knead it for a good long while ie. 5 minutes, {feels like an eternity.} Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm and draft-free spot for about an hour and half. {I heat the oven for a few minutes until it's warm, then turn it off and let my dough rise in there.} It should double in size.

TICK. TOCK. TICK. TOCK.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Punch down the dough and separate into 8 balls. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for another 10 minutes in warmth.
3. Form each ball into elongated ovals. They don't have to be rolled flat. Just aim for that lovely naan shape. Place on one or two baking trays, covered in parchment paper or foil. Butter the tops with ghee. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip over and brush with more ghee. Bake 6 minutes more, or until lightly golden.
Serve warm. The sooner the better. But if you want to make them ahead, the keep beautifully and can be easy reheated. I have even been known to pop them into the toaster!

::Creamy Curried Veggies::
I REMEMBER SHOPPING IN WHOLE FOODS STORE WITH MY MOM WHEN I WAS A GIRL. THE STORE WAS CALLED "HERB & SPICE." WE WOULD BUY THIS BRIGHT YELLOW SALAD, COMPOSED OF JULIENNED CARROTS & TINY FLORETS OF CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI, TOSSED IN A CREAMY CURRY DRESSING. IT TASTED EXOTIC AND REFRESHING. AND IT BELONGS WITH THIS MEAL. I HAVE SINCE TRIED TO REPRODUCE THE DRESSING WITHOUT FULLY RE-CAPTURING THE FLAVOUR. BUT THIS IS PRETTY CLOSE...

Curry Dressing
1/3 cup (125 mL) sour cream
1/2 cup (75 mL) mayonnaise
1 tbsp (15 mL) mild curry paste
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated ginger root
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) granulated sugar

Salad
cauliflower, broken into small florets
broccoli, broken into small florets
carrot, julienned

NOTE: Another possible salad combination: shrimp and avocado.

::Apple Cream Cheese Squares::

THIS TIME OF YEAR I AM ALWAYS ON THE HUNT FOR APPLE RECIPES. THESE SQUARES ARE EASY AND DELICIOUS. THEY HAVE A BUTTERY BASE AND A CREAMY LAYER ABOVE, WITH A BIT OF CRUNCH ON TOP. YES, THIS PICTURE SHOWS THE SQUARES MADE WITH BLUEBERRIES, BUT THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW VERSATILE THEY CAN BE. I RECOMMEND TRYING THE APPLE VERSION FIRST, THEN FEEL FREE TO MIX IT UP A BIT!
{Recipe found via Harrowsmith Country Magazine}

Pastry Bottom:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Whirl in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.
Press into a lightly greased 9" x 9" pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
Remove and let cool.

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 pkg cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla

Place in food processor and whirl until smooth.
Pour over cooled crust.

Apple Layer:
4 large apples, {I used fresh Mac's}, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Mix sugar, cinnamon and sprinkle over sliced apples.
Arrange apples over the cheese layer. Sprinkle with almonds.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

BAKER'S NOTES: I serve these cold. Like lemon squares, I prefer the refreshing taste of the cols squares, along with the extra crunch the base develops.

::Warm Potato Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing::

THE ORIGINAL RECIPE CALLED FOR A COLD SALAD. I DISAGREED. IF YOU HAVE A STOMACH FOR BLUE CHEESE, THIS WARM, DELICIOUS SALAD IS A PERFECT BBQ SIDE DISH.

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING:

1/3 cup (75 mL) mayonnaise
¼ cup (50 mL) sour cream
2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
A couple of dashes hot pepper sauce
½ to ¾ cup (125 to 175 mL) crumbled blue cheese,
preferably Danish
2 green onions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

1. For dressing, whisk mayonnaise with sour cream, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Stir in ½ cup (125 mL) blue cheese and green onion. Taste and if desired add remaining blue cheese, salt and pepper.

POTATO SALAD:
1½ lbs (750 g) potatoes
3 strips bacon
1 red pepper, cut into ½-inch (1-cm) pieces
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice {optional}

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Peel potatoes if you wish, then cut into bite-size chunks. Toss with olive oil, pepper and salt. Cook for 1 hour, or until done to your taste. {I like them golden and crunchy.}

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate, then crumble. {I pre-chop my bacon into 1 inch chunks. Spread them on a plate. Cover with two paper towels and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes.}

3 Stir dressing with warm potatoes until mixed. A little squeeze of fresh lemon brightens the flavour. Add bacon, red pepper and green onions.

::Fig & Cherry::

I made *THIS* last night from *THIS* yummy food blog.