ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Posted in Seafood, Soups, Veggies by sallybr

And a truly amazing idea for leftovers… Read on!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
(adapted from Naturally Nidhi)

roasting mixture:
1 medium butternut squash , cut in half
2 tbsp walnuts
3 medium Roma tomatoes , cut into halves
1 large yellow onion, halved
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Herbes de Provence

soup base:
1 + 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
salt , to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala

toppings:
roasted pumpkin seeds
sourdough croutons
grated cheese
heavy cream or thinned yogurt drops

Heat oven to 400°F.

On a large baking tray, arrange the butternut squash halves, walnuts, tomatoes, and onion halves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, black pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven, until soft. Scoop out the roasted squash. Add all the roasted ingredients to a blender, Vitamix works best.

Pour in 1½ cups water and blend until smooth. Add more water if needed. Transfer the blended puree into a pot. Add 1 cup milk first, then more as needed to adjust the consistency. Season with Garam masala, adjust salt if needed. Warm gently for a few minutes, but do not let it boil.

Pour the soup into bowls. Add toppings, decorate with drops of heavy cream or thinned yogurt. Serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is an amazing soup, the taste is complex, warm, absolutely wonderful on a chilly evening. If you protect the walnuts under the little hole of the butternut squash, they won’t burn during the roasting time. If some are left unprotected, check after 25 minutes or so, and remove when nicely roasted but not burned.

And now for leftovers… Full credit for the husband not only for the idea but the execution. Phil grilled lobster tails and used the meat to bring the soup back to center stage. It was absolutely outstanding! I highly recommend this combination, blew my culinary mind. To decorate, I used chili oil drops. Those little tiny drops pack a punch. A nice ingredient to have around. Big thank you to Naturally Nidhi for the recipe.

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4Nov2025

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE SHRIMP AND SQUASH DINNER

Posted in Incredibly simple, Seafood, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

For a light version, pair the shrimp with spaghetti squash. To go for the kill, serve with a hearty helping of fettuccine… Two super easy recipes that we absolutely loved!

Let’s start with the main dish…

SAUTEED SHRIMP WITH LEMON-CAPER DRESSING
(adapted from The New York Times)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ cup lemon juice
2 very thin slices of lemon, deseeded and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill
1 tablespoon capers or more, coarsely chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt

to brine the shrimp (optional, but recommended)
1 qt water
1/4 cup Kosher salt
squeeze of lemon juice

Brine the shrimp by soaking in the solution for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain, rinse lightly and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve.

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil with the lemon juice, chopped lemon, dill, and capers; set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and lightly browned on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the lemon dressing and toss to coat. The shrimp can be served right away, over pasta, rice, or any side dish you desire.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

SUPER SIMPLE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

To get the original recipe, click here

I don’t think I will ever use another method to make it. The only tricky part is slicing it, BUT if you poke a few holes with a fork around the skin and microwave it for 5 minutes, slicing is easy.

Place crosswise slices (about 1.5 inches thick) over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Drizzle some olive oil, salt and pepper, rubbing the slices to coat slightly.

Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, flipping the slices midway through roasting.

Use a fork to shred the squash while still warm in the pan.

Comments: The shrimp preparation is delicious, I’ve made it three times in the past month, so I highly recommend you give it a try. As to the squash, I love how each little portion is perfect for a single serving. You can do that and follow with recipes that use the squash in little muffin tins with a bit of tomato sauce, or an egg, there are countless options out there in the blogosphere and Pinterest universe. It ends up with perfect texture.

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11Oct2025

INCREDIBLY SIMPLE ZUCCHINI ROUNDS

Posted in Incredibly simple, Side dishes, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I don’t know if I am embarrassed or thrilled. Embarrassed because this is truly SO simple that it hardly qualifies as a “recipe”. But thrilled at the same time because it totally blew my expectations. So simple, so tasty. Even next day, and you know how much I go crazy for leftovers.

BAKED ZUCCHINI TOMATO STACKS
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
olive oil
salt and pepper
Fresh tomatoes, sliced (about the same diameter as the zucchini)
grated mozzarella cheese
Herbes de Provence to taste

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay one slice of zucchini, brush both sides with olive oil, season with a little salt and Herbes de Provence.

Place a slice of tomato on top, season with a little salt. Add shredded mozzarella on top of the tomato.

Bake at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was such a delicious side dish, I just know I will be making it again and again. Leftovers were perfect warmed up in a hot oven for just a few minutes. Zucchini tends to get a bit mushy, but for some reason, with the tomato and the cheese on top, it all works well. Give this recipe a try, I believe you will love it too…

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2Aug2025

TWO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE RECIPES

Posted in Incredibly simple, Salads, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

The first one is truly simple because you actually make the potatoes a day or two before, but the recipe itself qualified to be in this folder when I first published it in 2023. Check it out here. I always make one or two extra potatoes so that I have leftovers. Because, how could you resist these?

Simply grab the leftover roasted potatoes from the fridge, and cut in slices that should not be too thin, not overly thick, as they will warm up exclusively on the skillet. Add olive oil to the pan, once it is really hot, add the slices and brown them on both sides. Add a little more salt to serve. They will be super creamy inside and get that superb crust all over. Addictive, I tell you.

The second one was featured recently in the New York Times with a lot of praise by the readers. It seemed a bit odd, very few ingredients, kind of monochromatic. But we were both quite impressed by the flavor and texture. I share with you my version, which is slightly modified from the original one. A bit of olive oil and dill were brought to play.

CUCUMBER-AVOCADO SALAD
(modified from The New York Times)

1 large English cucumber
Kosher salt
2 very ripe avocados
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
drizzle of olive oil
fresh or dried dill to taste
red pepper flakes for serving, to taste

Peel the cucumbers in alternating strips and trim ends. Halve lengthwise and slice thin. Transfer to a colander and sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt all over the slices. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Halve the avocados and remove the pits. Using a spoon, remove the flesh from the skins, then cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and season with salt. Stir to combine.

Shake the cucumbers in the colander to get rid of any excess moisture, rinse briefly then transfer to the bowl with the avocado. Drizze olive oil, and add dill. Mix well but gently, the avocado should start getting creamy and cover all the slices of cucumber. That is a good thing. Serve with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if so desired.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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12Jun2025

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA

Posted in Breakfast & Brunch, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I might be on a roll concerning special gadgets. Case in point, I have a pan that is designed to make Tarte Tatin (!!!), but today I am incredibly proud to show you how to use it to make a nice frittata. Do you need that pan? No. But are you going to be the coolest cook in town if you use it? YES, YOU ARE.

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

2 Tbsp. olive oil or unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
2 medium zucchini, sliced and each slice quartered
4 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
4-6 pieces of fresh mozzarella
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place rack in middle of oven; heat oven to 350°. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil or unsalted butter in an oven-proof skillet. Add the shallots and zucchini, sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the large eggs in a medium bowl with the milk, salt, pepper and spices mix.

Pour egg mixture into the skillet. Add the pieces of mozzarella. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until edges pull away from sides of pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until set, 10–15 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature within an hour or so.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can flip the frittata off the pan and serve it with the brown side up, or cut it straight in the pan, anything works. It turned out creamy, light and fluffy. The pan makes it a breeze to invert and flip the frittata onto a serving plate. We will be enjoying this type of meal in many variations on a regular basis… Mushrooms, red bell peppers, maybe even some smoked salmon in the mix.