Curry Pumpkin Soup

Curried Pumpkin Peanut Soup
found this recipe this fall when we had small pie pumpkins and apple to use up.  Great for fall.
serve 4 220 calories and 12 gm protein and 6 g fiber, 9 gm fat, less with fat free cream.

1 1/2 cups chopped peeled apples
1 cup onion
1/4 c sherry or apple juice
1 1/2 T curry powder
1 can pumpkin, pure or  cooked fresh pumpkin
1 can 14 oz chicken broth, I  use homemade
3/4 c evaporated milk , skimmed- I use fat free half and half
1/4 c peanut butter, creamy
3/4 t salt

In a large stockpot, combine apple , onion, sherry over med high heat
stir occasionally, cook about 8 minutes until onion is soft and liquid absorbed
add curry and stir for 30 sec
stir in pumpkin, broth and peanut butter, cover pan, bring to a boil then
reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stir in milk or cream
and allow to cool then pour into blender until smooth.  Warm on stove before serving, so not boil
Garnish with pumpkin seeds made from fresh pumpkin...

Flan

Quesillo ( Flan)
This recipe was from our maid in Venezuela who taught me how to make this when we lived there.
Preheat oven to 350



 Need a metal pan, 8" round cake pan or bread pan , coated with caramelized sugar
 To caramelize sugar:
in a heavy sauce pan heat 1 cup sugar on high  and start stirring in small circles as starts to melt, will clump up but keep stirring till all melted,  turn down or off so doesn't burn once starts to turn dark.
As soon as completely dissolved pour immediately into pan and turn all around till  the bottom and sides are coated 1/2 way up.  Hint: Use a hot pan, the pan will get hot and carmel will harden quickly
While cooling make the custard:

In the blender blend together
6 small eggs or 4 large
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can full of  whole milk or 1 can evaporated milk ( really rich)
(when I  double it/make 2, 1 use can evap and 1 can full of milk)
1 teas vanilla

Pour custard into caramelized tin

Bake at 350 in water bath for 1 hour or till browning on top and set
 ( water bath : I use a cake pan with 1 inch of water and place in the middle)

Remove from bath and let cool  about an hour and when pulls away from sides dump upside down on a plate with a lip, I take a knife around pan and back sure it is loose
Chill before serving

10 cup cookies

1 c butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 c sugar
1c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup flour
1t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 cup coconut
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup nuts,  I subbed 1 cup m and m's  for kids

Cream butters and sugars, add eggs and flour, oats and powders
Mix rest of ingredients

 drop by large spoonfulls on greased pan and
Bake 350 12 minutes

Larry's Salsa

This is a secret family recipe! Larry said : DO NOT REVEAL TO ANYONE!
 It makes alot so make it when there are lots of peeps around to eat it up.   I always cut in half
INGREDIENTS
7  28 oz cans of diced tomatoes. blend or grind 6 of the cans, leave one diced
5 7oz cans of diced green chilis
1 batch of green onions, trim and chopped
1 small onion, yellow sweet , minced
4 large anaheim green chilis, chopped
2 hungarian chiles, if can find, I use 2 jalepenos as sub
1 bunch of cilantro, soaked and chopped lightly
1T of garlic powder
1 t salt, add more to taste after made
1 can tomato juice

INSTRUCTIONS
mix the ingredients except juice and cilantro in a large bowl  and stir together like a crazy person
add cilantro to liking/look and juice to consistency you want, it will thicken over night
add salt in 1/2 t increments and stir like there is no tommorrow
seal and refridge  over night.  Last in fridge a few weeks.
invite friends over and enjoy!

FLAN

I started making this recipe in Venezuela
the trick is learning how to melt sugar, 1/2 c with 2 -4T water , stir till dissolved/melted together in pan over high heat and cook over medium heat, should boil without stirring till carmel color.  pour into bottom of can or mold quickly coating completely the bottom and sides, it should be hard crack then add mixture

1 can sweet condensed milk
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup of milk
1 teas vanilla

Beat together well and pour into a carmelized can or mold ( i use a round pyrex baking dish and it works)
Bake 350 for 60 minutes in a pan of 1 " water bath, 
Invert on plate when cold.

Peach Crisp

Every year we get palaside peaches to make jam and cobbler and this year we tried a new recipe and loved it.  Served with homemade icecream.

Peach Filling:
3# fresh peaches, cored and diced into wedges, 3/4 inch thick (I left the skins on , they were thin and sweet)
1T fresh lemon juice
1/4 c sugar
2T flour

Topping :
3/4 c flour
3/4 cup oats
1/4 t salt
3/4 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t ginger
3/4c brown sugar
10 T butter, cold an diced into 1/2 in cubes ( I used 8 oz)
1/2 c chopped pecans

Directions
OVEN 350, preheat.  In large bowl mix peaches with lemon and sprinkle sugar and flour on top pto coat evenly. Pour into a buttered 3 quart baking dish.
In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger.  Add
brown sugar and stir while using fingertips to break up any clumps.  Add butter to mixture and using fingertips rub into mixture until small clumps and pieces of butter gone.
sprinkle evenly over top of peaches in baking dish. 
Bake in oven 38-42 minutes till golden brown on top and juices bubbling along edges.
Serve warm with ice cream.