Slow Cooker Maple Butternut Squash Soup

I made this a couple of years ago when I had bought too much butternut squash. Its rather good but its sweet flavor suggests it more of a dessert soup then an hor dourves soup.

Slow Cooker Maple Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
8 cups cubd, peeled, & seeded butternut squash
1 large onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large apple, peeled & chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
32oz container chicken broth
1/2 cup half & half or light cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup real maple syrup
3/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh chives (optional)

Directions: Spray 4-5quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix squash, apple, onion, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Pour brother over mixture. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours (or on high for 3 hours).

Pour 3 cups of soup into blender (allow to cool about 10 minutes), cover, and blend until smooth. Pour into heat proof pitcher. Blend remaining soup in batches until all is pureed. Pour puree back into slow cooker. Stir in syrup & half and half (or light cream). Cook on high 15 minutes until heated through. Serve topped with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of chives.

Butter Dips

I only made these once, they are really good but I just got lazy about doing the extra work

Butter Dips
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
Toppings: sesame seeds, garlic, onion or celery salt

Directions:
In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & cheese; add milk. Stir slowly with fork. When dough clings together turn onto a well floured surface; knead gently 10 times. Roll dough into 12 inch x 8 inch rectangle.
Cut dough in half lengthwise with sharp knife, then into 16 strips. Place butter in a 13 inch x 9 inch baking pan. Dip both sides of strips in melted butter. Place two rows in pan. Sprinkle with toppings of your choice. Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes. Serve immediately. Yield: 32 breadsticks.

Baked Crab Dip

I only made this one year, but its one of my oldest son's favorites.

Baked Crab Dip
Ingredients:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups sour cream
2 cans (6oz each) crabmeat, drained, flaked & cartilage removed or 2cups flaked imitation crabmeat
2cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Optional Ingredients: 2 round loaves of bread or Italian bread
additional green onions
Assorted Crackers

Directions: In bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, mix well. Fold in crab, cheddar and onions.

If using round bread or italian bread as serving bowl, slice off tops, and hollow out bread, leaving 1 inch shells. Cube removed bread & tops & set aside. Spoon mixture into bread bowls. Place on baking sheets. Place reserved bread cubes in a single layer around bread bowls.

If your not making bread bowls, you may places mixture into a small casserole dish instead.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until dip is heated through. Garnish with green onions if deserved. Serve with crackers.

You may also heat the dip in a slow cooker high for 2 hours, or on low for 4-6 hours.

Cheese Meatballs

The first time I made these a couple of years back they were a big hit, I made a single batch as an hor dourves, they were gone in less then 20 minutes.

Cheese Meatballs
Ingredients:
3cups finely grated cheddar cheese
1/4teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground pork

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first give ingredients. Crumble pork over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place meatballs on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Drain briefly on a paper towel before serving. Makes about 4 dozen.

Candied Pecans

Appetizer or Dessert? I only made these once a few years ago, I served them as an appetizer and they were quite yummy.

Candied Pecans
Ingredients
2 3/4cup pecan halves
2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place pecans in a shallow baking pan, in a 250F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed.

Grease a 15inch x 10inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside.

Grease the sides of a large heavy saucepan with remaining butter; add sugar, water, salt & cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cover and cook for 2 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals.

Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 236 (soft ball stage). Remove from heat; add vanilla. Stir in warm pecans until evenly coated.

Spread onto prepared baking pan. Bake at 250F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Spread on a waxed paper lined baking sheet to cool.

Yield: about 1 pound

Note: the original recipe said to use regular white granulated sugar. I prefer the dark brown sugar because it adds a caramel like flavor to the pecans.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms are one of my favorite Thanksgiving Appetizers. This recipes stems from my Grandfather's Italian restaurant, known in the 1960's & 1970's as the Half Moon Restaurant. It was located on Arthur Avenue, Bronx, NY. When I was a kid my father made them for Christmas parties. My mother is the one who decided to add them to our Thanksgiving dinners. She slightly altered the recipe, just using different amounts of garlic & breadcrumbs, and she served them with the main course instead of as a separate appetizer. On Thanksgiving I have so many people over my house that I have to make several separate courses just so that no one starves to death while I'm cooking.

Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 pound cremini or baby bella mushrooms
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Remove stems from mushroom caps. Wash mushroom caps under cold water, gently rub dry with clean paper towel.

In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, garlic, salt & pepper. Mix constantly with a rubber spatula until lightly browned. Remove from heat.

Spoon mixture into each cap, fill each mushroom cap to top, but don't over stuff. Gently pat each cap with the bottom of a metal spoon to pack stuffing inside mushroom cap.

Bake at 400F for 10-13 minutes. Don't overbake, they burn easily.



Notes:
1. You can substitute with white mushrooms, however for a more full bodied mushroom flavor, the cremini and baby bellas are really the best
2. Do not substitute margarine for butter
3. I'm really not in the habit of measuring so all my measurements are estimations, you might need to add a little more butter or a little more breadcrumbs to achieve a proper balance.