Red Kuri Squash & Apple Cider Soup

• Serves 2 or 3 people.
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
• 1/2 red kuri squash, peeled, cooked and then seeded and chopped
• 1 small semi-sweet apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 1 C. apple cider (I used the kind with alot of pulp)
• 1 1/2 C. chicken or turkey broth
• 1/2 - 1 C. water
• 1 T. maple syrup
• 2 T. butter
• 1 heaping tsp. of fresh chopped ginger
• 2 or 3 fresh mint leaves torn into small pieces
• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin spice
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups sage croutons

Cut one Kuri squash in half, peel off the skin and place in a microwavable or oven safe covered bowl.
Cook until soft (in microwave this takes about 10-12 minutes). Then let cool. Remove seeds and chop into bite sized chunks.
If it's a bit mushy, that's okay.
Peel, core and chop the apple.

Pesto Pasta

• 450 g Penne (lisce or rigate)
• 1 cup Basil pesto (see recipe)
• 12 pc Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 6 tbsp Sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ cup Pine nuts, toasted
• To taste Black pepper
• ¼ cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, shaved
• To taste Fresh basil leaves for garnish

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne until tender but firm, drain well. Transfer to a heated serving dish.
Add pesto and toss. If pesto is a little too thick to blend in, add 15 mL or 1 tbsp of pasta water or hot water.
Stir in cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts, season with fresh pepper.

Pesto Recipe

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

Place basil leaves in small batches in food processor and whip until well chopped (do about 3/4 cup at a time). Add about 1/3 the nuts and garlic, blend again.

Add about 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese; blend while slowly adding about 1/3 of the olive oil, stopping to scrape down sides of container.

Process basil pesto it forms a thick smooth paste. Repeat until all ingredients are used, mix all batches together well. Serve over pasta. Basil pesto keeps in refrigerator one week, or freeze for a few months.

Basil Pesto #2

• 2 cups Basil leaves, packed
• ¼ cup Italian parsley leaves
• 3 cloves Garlic
• ½ cup Pine nuts
• ½ cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated
• 1/3 to ½ cup Olive Oil

In a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, garlic and pine nuts. Pulse until finely minced.
Add cheese and process to blend.
Using the feed tube, slowly drizzle the olive oil processing to a moist paste.
Remove to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface, which will prevent oxidative browning. You may also store pesto covered with a thin layer of oil or in an airtight resealable bag.
Pesto will keep refrigerated for approximately one week.

How to prepare: PEPPER PADRONE

also known as Pimientos de Padron

Take a pan and pour enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the frying pan.
Turn the heat up on the burner.
When the olive oil starts to sizzle throw the peppers in whole.
When the peppers start having small white blisters they are ready.
Take the peppers out of the pan, place on plate with a paper towel.
Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Hold the pepper by the stem and BITE. Enjoy

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

• 2 pcs or 200 g (6.5 oz)Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges of 6
• 1 mL (1/5 tsp) Salt
• 2.5 mL (½ tsp) Sugar
• 1 mL (1/5 tsp) Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 mL (1/5 tsp) Thyme, dried
• 1 mL (1/5 tsp) Basil, dried
• 1 mL (1/5 tsp) Oregano, dried
• 7.5 mL (1½ tsp ) Olive oil

Set a toaster oven to broil at 230ºC (450ºF).

Combine all ingredients, place on the perforated lined toaster oven tray and broil tomatoes for 15-20 minutes. Remove and reserve until use.

These roasted tomatoes can also be used in antipasto or salads.

Greek Salad

Salad

• 1 Vine ripened red tomatoes
• 1 Vine ripened orange tomatoes
• 1 Vine ripened green tomatoes
• 1 Vine ripened black tomatoes
• 1 Vine ripened yellow tomatoes
• 1 English cucumber
• 1 Yellow peppers
• 1 Red peppers
• 1 chocolate peppers
• 2 Red onions
• 150 g (5 oz)Black Kalamata olives
• To taste Salt and pepper
• 150 g (5 oz) Feta cheese

Vinaigrette

• 5 mL (1 tsp)Dried basil
• 5 mL (1 tsp)Dried oregano
• 2 mL (½ tsp) Thyme
• 2 mL (½ tsp) Fresh garlic, minced (optional)
• 2 mL (½ tsp) Pepper
• 50 mL (¼ cup)Balsamic vinaigrette
• 175 mL (¾ cup)Extra virgin olive oil

Vinaigrette

Cut tomatoes into bite size wedge pieces. Place in a large bowl.
Dice or triangle cut cucumber into bite size pieces.
Dice peppers and red onions to the same size as the tomatoes. Add all vegetables and Kalamata olives to tomatoes. Set aside.
For the vinaigrette, combine all dried herbs and balsamic vinegar.
Slowly incorporate olive oil.
Pour vinaigrette over salad. Carefully mix the salad as not to damage the tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Place salad into serving platter. Garnish with lots of crumbled feta cheese.

For best flavour, dress the salad one hour prior to service. This will infuse and marinate the vegetables.
For personal preference, add more or less olives and feta cheese.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

• ½ cup margarine
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup sour cream or ½ sour milk
• 2 ½ cup flour
• 6 tsp cocoa
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups shredded zucchini

Cream margarine, oil and sugar. Add eggs and sour cream. Beat with mixer. Mix dry ingredients together and add to batter. Beat will. Stir in zucchini and some chocolate chips. Spoon batter into 9x12 greased and floured pan. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until done!!!!

Basil Pesto Torte

• 1 pkg - 250 g (8 oz) Cream cheese, softened
• 250 g (8 oz) Goat cheese (chèvre), softened
• 125 mL (½ cup) Butter, softened
• 250 mL (1 cup) Basil pesto (see recipe)
• 125 mL (½ cup) Pine nuts, toasted
• 125 mL (½ cup) Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• To taste Basil leaves for garnish

In the food processor blend the cream cheese, chèvre and butter until well blended.

In an 18-20 cm (7-8 inch) spring form pan, begin with a layer of 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Next, spread half of the pesto, another 1/3 of the cheese mixture, the remaining pesto and the last layer of cheese. Refrigerate for 1 hour. (If you do not have a spring form pan, line a small straight-sided casserole with plastic wrap.)

After chilling, invert torte onto a plate.