Sweet potato Butternut Squash Casserole

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash - so many good recipes using them. Lon's at Hermosa Inn makes a Sweet Potato Corn Chowder, and Hassayampa Inn in Prescott makes a Summer Squash Saute (you can use butternut squash too). Both recipes are in Tastes & Treasures cookbook along with the history of these wonderful establishments.

Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Casserole

Ingredients:
 8 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
2/3 cup light vanilla soymilk
2/3 cup sugar-free pancake syrup
1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" X 10" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside. 

Fill a large microwave-safe dish with 1/2 inch of water. Add squash and cover. Microwave for about 8 minutes -- squash should be tender enough to mash, but not overcooked. Drain well. 

Mash squash thoroughly with a potato masher, food processor, or fork, but do not puree. (Squash should be pulpy.) Add soymilk, syrup, sweetener, salt, egg substitute, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. (Adding the ingredients in this order gives the squash enough time to cool before adding the egg substitute, which could begin to "cook" if added too early.) Mix thoroughly, but do not over-stir. 

Transfer mixture to the baking pan. Bake in the oven until mostly firm, 45 - 50 minutes. 

Top with mini marshmallows. Return to the oven and bake until marshmallows begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool before serving!
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Prefer to use sugar in place of Splenda? No problem; just use an equal amount. Then each serving will have 182 calories, 43g carbs, 23g sugars, and a PointsPlus® value of 5*
Thanks to hungry girl for recipe.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Tie on your aprons and get the kids to help with this one. They will learn about baking, measuring, ingredients, and working together. Plus the added bonus of licking their fingers!
More delicious dessert recipes in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER BARS

1 cup salted butter (melted)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 (11 ounce) bag milk chocolate chips


Combine all ingredients, except chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Pour peanut butter mixture into a 9x13 pan.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir chocolate and pour over the peanut butter mixture. Spread chocolate with a spatula.
Refrigerate bars for one hour. Cut while bars are still cool
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Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash

With Squash being so plentiful this time of year, we added it to a classic chili recipe. Nothing beats the texture and taste of Chili with Butternut Squash and Black Beans.

Make is easier with a can of Black Beans instead of dried beans and you don't need 10 cups of water or the long cooking process.

Toss in two handfuls of fresh spinach for the last 5 minutes to make it even healthier.

Ingredients:1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed
2 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
Coarse kosher salt
1 2 1/4-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup quick-cooking bulgur

Suggested toppings:
Sour cream
Avocado
Coarsely grated hot pepper Monterey Jack cheese
Diced red onion
Chopped fresh cilantro
Pickled jalapeño rings

Directions:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, red pepper and cook until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Sprinkle chili powder and coriander over; stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with juice, beans, chipotles, and oregano. Add 10 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (time will vary depending on freshness of beans). Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD Chili can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm chili before continuing.
Stir squash and bulgur into chili. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until squash and bulgur are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide chili among bowls. Serve with sour cream, cheese, red onion, cilantro, avocado and pickled jalapeño rings.
 Basic recipe from Bonappetit.com

One-Bowl Apple Cake

Make your Thanksgiving easier with this yummy dessert. This cake is so moist and rich.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup oil
6 medium Gala or Fuji or Honey Crisp apples
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, cinnamon and oil. Peel and slice the apples and add to mixture in bowl (coating as you go to keep apples from turning brown.) Mix together the baking soda and flour and add to the ingredients in the bowl. Mix well (best with a fork) until all of the flour is absorbed by the wet ingredients. Pour mixture into a greased one 9x13 or two 9″ round pans. Bake for approximately 55 minutes.

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Granola is wonderful in many forms but it is easier to eat when shaped into a bar form. The Granola recipe from page 196 in Tastes & Treasures cookbook can be adapted to this also.

No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients:
2 cups quick cooking oats (or pulse whole oats in a food processor a bit)
1 C rice crispy cereal
1/4 C shredded coconut
1/4 C butter
1/4 C honey
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix -In variations listed below

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, cereal and coconut. Set a small saucepan over medium high heat and melt the butter. Add the honey, brown sugar and salt. Stir together then leave it alone as it comes to a boil. Once the boil has reached all the way around the edges of the pan, begin timing. Allow this mixture to boil for 2 minutes and 15 seconds. During this time, you may need to turn the heat down a bit so it doesn't overflow, but be sure it keeps boiling.

Pour the mixture over the oats, using a rubber spatula to get all the sugar mixture out of the pan. Mix the ingredients together until the oats are completely coated. Add in your desired mix-in then press very firmly into a lightly greased 9x13" pan.

If you like your bars thicker, you can use a smaller pan. If you do not press firmly enough, the bars will fall apart when you eat them. Place them in the fridge for 20 minutes then cut to size.

Chocolate Chip
Add 1/2 C of mini chocolate chips to the finished mixture before pressinginto the pan, allowing it cool just a bit or you will end up with melted chips. Sprinkle on a few extra chips over the top after they are pressed into the pan.

White Chocolate Cranberry
Add 1/3 C of white chocolate chips and 1/3 C of Craisins to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan, allowing it to cool just a bit first or you will end up with melted chips.

Candy Bar
Add 1/3 C of Heath bar pieces, 1/3 C of mini M&M's and 1/3 C of chopped pretzels to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.

Peanut Butter
Add 2 Tb of peanut butter to the finished sugar mixture before pouring it over the oats. Once mixed with the oats, add 1/2 C peanut butter chips before pressing into the pan.

Raisin Nut
Add 1/3 C of chopped raisins and 1/3 C of chopped pecans to the finished mixture before pressing into the pan.
(recipe makes a 9x13 pan)

Thanks to Carole Jones of My Kitchen Escapades

Soup Basic Recipe

As a chill hits the air, soup sounds mighty good. Here is a basic soup recipe that can be altered by adding chicken, beef or seafood. Add your favorite spices to make it your personal recipe.

Another wonderful recipe in Tastes & Treasures is Rustic Tomato Soup from historic El Chorro Lodge.

Ingredients:
1 onion
 chopped
1 cup  chopped celery
1 cup chopped red, yellow or orange sweet pepper
1 large potato
 chopped
Ham (a little over a cup)
1/2 gallon of milk
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen carrots
Flour 3-4 tablespoons
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook onions in some butter or oil until translucent or brown them for a caramelized flavor.
Add celery, sweet pepper and potatoes and cook for several minutes until you see some browning on the potatoes.
Add milk and watch closely. Once the milk heats up, remove about a cup of liquid and mix with 3-4 tablespoons of flour. Blend well and add back to the soup. Small lumps are ok and won't be noticeable. Remember it will thicken more as it heats but you can always adjust by adding more flour or milk depending on how thick you want it.
Add ham, corn, and carrots.
Being to a simmer but watch closely. The flour makes the milk more stable but it can still curdle if it gets too hot.
Simmer lightly until potatoes are cooked.

Additional ingredients: any kind of beans, split peas, top with grated cheese . . . use your imagination!

Thanksgiving dessert idea

Beautiful presentation and yummy treat. Impress your friends, guests and even yourself with this recipe.

Don't forget to try other delicious desserts and appetizers in Tastes & Treasures cookbook.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:
1 lb large strawberries

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 – 1/2 cup powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 – 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
Instructions

Directions:

Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary (some of them are hollow already. Prep all of the strawberries and set aside.
 In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or Ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill the strawberries with cheesecake mixture.
 Once strawberries are filled, sprinkle or dip the tops with graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.