POTS AND PANS CITY BLOG

This creamy soup is a great addition to a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.  Reminiscent of the flavour of pumpkin pie with the ginger and nutmeg flavours added into it, it is a light creamy soup that offers a magnificent taste.  Using fresh pumpkin (instead of canned) definitely adds to the flavour.

• 2 cups steamed pumpkin (or 1 large can pumpkin)
• 3 extra-large carrots
• 1 onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 TBSP. butter
• 1 can vegetable broth
• 5 cups water
• 2 cubes of vegetable bouillon
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. ginger
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. garlic
• 1 cup half & half cream

Melt butter in large stock pot.  Chop onions and sauté in butter until onions are transparent.  Cut carrots and celery into large chunks and add to pot.  Add canned broth, water, crumbled bouillon and spices.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low heat.  Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. 

Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.  In 3 batches, purée soup in blender.  Pour soup purée back into stock pot and return to stove.  Over medium heat bring soup back to a simmer.  Turn heat to low and add cream.   Stir until all the cream is blended. (Do not boil.) Serve immediately.

Pumpkins are typically a fall fruit that are made into pies, but this recipe incorporates all the great spicy taste of a pumpkin pie into a thick pudding cake. The added pumpkin gives bread pudding a whole new taste, one that your family is sure to love. Try serving it as a finishing treat to your Thanksgiving dinner.

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups puréed pumpkin (or 1 large can)
• 8-10 slices day-old white or crusty bread
• 2 TBSP. butter
• ¾ cup raisins
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half/half cream
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 365°. Cut bread into ½” cubes and place in 8 qt. Casserole dish. Melt butter in microwave for 30 seconds and stir into bread cubes. Add raisins. Place puréed pumpkin in food processor. Add all remaining ingredients and process until smooth, spooning sides down. Pour pumpkin mixture over breadcrumbs and mix together thoroughly. Let sit to let bread soak up mixture for 15 minutes. Bake for one hour, uncovered. Serve hot or cold. (Good served with milk or ice cream)

Roast Duck provides a rich, full flavoured dark meat that is a favourite with food connoisseurs. Roasting a whole duck in the manner below ensures a tasty, crispy skin and the meat inside is sweet and succulent.  The flavour of the orange from inside gently permeates through the meat and is accented by the orange-marmalade glaze.  Why not try serving this delicious bird in place of your traditional holiday turkey?

Ingredients:

• ½ orange, cut in chunks
• ½ lemon, cut in chunks
• 1 duck
• salt & pepper
• garlic powder
• basil

Prick duck all over with a kitchen fork.  Fill duck cavity with orange and lemon chunks.  Season outside of duck with spices.

Place duck on rack in large roasting pan.  Cover and bake at 350? for 2 hours, basting twice with pan drippings.

Prepare Glaze:

• 3 TBSP. orange marmalade
• 1 TBSP. hot pan drippings
• Mix together in small cup.

After duck has been cooking for 2 hours, spread ½ of the glaze over duck.  Return to oven for 15 more minutes.  Spread remaining glaze over duck and return to oven, uncovered to brown.  (About 10 minutes.)  Remove duck from oven and let sit (covered) for 10 minutes for juices to reabsorb.

Serve duck with Sauce for Roast Duck

Sauce For Roast Duck

• 1 small onion, finely diced
• ½ stalk celery, finely diced
• grated rind of ½ orange
• grated rind of ½ lemon
• 1 TBSP. butter
• ½ cup water
• 2 pkg. chicken OXO
• 2 TBSP. marmalade
• 1 TBSP. brown sugar

Sauté onion and celery in butter in small pot.  Add all other ingredients above.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 20 minutes.

Add:
1 TBSP. cornstarch mixed with ½ cup water. 
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms

Simmer together for 10 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked.

Just before serving, add 2 TBSP. Grand Marnier. 

Serve sauce hot over roast duck.