Enjoying The Long Thanksgiving Weekend

I have to say I am enjoying this long weekend. I am sure many of you, of my Canadian friends that is, may have had their big Thanksgiving Turkey dinner already. We are having ours today. Actually Trevor and I are heading to my Mum's place this evening for the big dinner... mmmm I can smell that turkey baking now and Mum's dressing is the BOMB!!! ooh and of course I can't forget to mention the salt beef too. Hey I'm from Newfoundland, what would you expect!!! Gotta have that touch of Newfoundland cuisine in the Thanksgiving dinner too. I should have picked up some Turnip greens at Bidgoods grocery store this weekend to go with dinner.. ooh well.. I'll have to treat myself to some of those soon for another dinner down the road.

So as I mentioned in my last thread, I did a little more experimenting in the kitchen over the weekend. I made Trevor Coconut Curry Butternut Squash soup and a Partridge Berry Steamed Pudding Cake with a Brown Sugar Sacue. It was DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! I never had butternut squash before and I have to say I am now an instant lover of it!

So for those of you who are curious and would like to give it a shot, I am going to post the recipes. Again I got them from the Downhome Magazine. That is a local magazine here in Newfoundland. They have some beautiful recipes and other great stories of local people and communities.

Bon Appetite!!

Coconut-Curry Butternut Squash Soup

1 3lb squash, peeled, seeded and diced
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Thai yellow curry paste (available in 100g tins or 500ml plastic tubs in Asian markets or in the Asian section of the supermarket. If not available, use 2 tsp curry powder for a similar flavour)
1 can coconut milk
1 small ripe banana, mashed
2 tbsp Lady of the Woods birch-sap wine (made here in Newfoundland, and available in local liquour stores. If this is not available, then 2 Tbsp of white wine will work too. That's what I used. The Lady of Woods sounds very nice and fruity but decided against it this time)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (water will do - if using canned stock, omit salt)
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
Black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp each of oil and butter

Heat oil and butter in deep saucepot: add onions, squash and thyme. Cook, stirring until it all starts to caramelize (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and saute anotehr minute or two. Add curry paste and stir a coupe minutes more. Add the wine and let reduce a minute, then add the coconut milk. Add the salt and pepper. Let reduce a few minutes. Add stock and the banana adn boil until squash is soft. Puree soup in the pot with stick blender (or transfer to a regular blender or food processor). For a velvety consistency, strain througha medium sieve. Taste and adjust with salt or pepper. Garnish with some toasted coconut or a dollop of sour cream.


Steamed Partridgeberry Pudding

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups partridgeberries
3/4 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. Rub in the butter. Add berries, then milk, stirring lightly to make a batter. Pour into a greased one-quart mould. Place over boiling water and steam 2 hours or until done.

Sauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp butter

Combine sugar, flour and water and boil until thickened. Remove from heat and add the butter. Serve warm over slices of pudding.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

On the quilty side of things, I have one more Christmas tree skirt finished. Last night I layered and quilted another one while watching a couple movies. I machine binded that one this morning and will get to the hand binding this evening. I hope to get another two tree skirts layered by mid week.

Til next time!!!!

Quiltingly Yours
Andrea