TOP NOVEMBER RECIPES

November's tablescape features a unique turkey made of gourds, pumpkins and “Florida Fall” croton leaves in a wire turkey basket combined with traditional fall decor plus our signature coastal starfish!!

Here are the links to the top three November recipes - soups were popular - plus some additional new recipes:

Soup Fest

WHITE TURKEY CHILI

1 chopped onion
2 chopped celery stalks
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 minced garlic clove
3c chopped cooked turkey
2 (19oz) cans white beans, drained
4c turkey broth
1 (4.5oz) can chopped green chiles
1c frozen whole-kernel corn
1 1/2tsp TEX-MEX blend or ground cumin 

            In a large soup pot, sauté onion, celery, pepper and garlic in butter for 5 minutes.  Add turkey and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with chopped fresh cilantro and grated cheese.  Great soup for after Thanksgiving meal!

BEEF ORZO SOUP
1 1/2lb cubed round steak
2-3 chopped carrots
2 diced celery stalks
1  chopped onion
4qts beef stock
2Tbs tomato paste
8oz Orzo pasta
            In a large soup pot, brown beef  with the onion and season with salt and pepper.  Add the broth and tomato paste and bring to a boil, skim top, lower heat to simmer and cook covered for an hour.  Add carrots and celery and simmer another 30 minutes.  Add pasta and cook until just done.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

HAM-9 BEAN SOUP
1lb diced, cooked ham
1 chopped onion
3 minced garlic cloves
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4.5oz) can green chiles
2 bay leaves
1tsp oregano
1/2tsp savory
1/2tsp basil
1lb dried bean mixture (navy, pinto, lima, split pea, lentil, great northern, garbanzo and red beans)  

          Rinse and soak mixed beans overnight.  Drain and rinse beans and place in pot with 5c water and add bay leaves.  Bring to boil, reduce and simmer uncovered 1 hour.  Remove bay leaves and add remaining ingredients and continue to simmer for another hour or until beans are soft.  

Veggie Soups

FALL ROOTS SOUP
3-4 chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1 1/2lb carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and diced
8c chicken stock
1 1/4c crème fraîche
          Sauté vegetables in butter for 10 minutes or until softened, or longer. Add stock, cover and simmer over low heat until vegetables are very tender, for about 30 minutes.  Puree the soup in a food processor or blender and return to the pot.  Whisk in 3/4 cup of the crème fraiche and season with salt and pepper.  Ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish with a generous dollop of crème fraîche and chopped fresh parsley.

BLACK BEAN-SWEET POTATO CHILI
1 chopped red onion
1 chopped red pepper
4 minced  garlic cloves
1 large cubed sweet potato
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
4 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 seeded & chopped jalapeno chile pepper
1Tbs cumin
1Tbs chili powder
1tsp cocoa powder

          Sauté onion, red pepper, garlic in olive oil until soft.  Add sweet potato and lime zest, and cook 10-15 minutes more, continuing to stir occasionally. Add the tomatoes, black beans, jalapeno, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, cocoa, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Serve over brown rice or with corn bread, biscuits, or taco chips.

BAKED POTATO SOUP
3 large baking potatoes, baked
1/4c butter
1 chopped onion
1 diced carrot
1 diced celery stalk
1 minced garlic clove
1/4c flour
2c vegetable broth
2c milk
toppings: chopped chives, crumbled bacon, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions

          Melt butter then add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes or until tender.  Stir in flour and then whisk in a combination of broth and milk.  Scoop potato pulp from 1 potato and mash, then add to soup mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes just to a boil. Dice remaining potato skin and potatoes and add to soup, season with salt and pepper and heat through. Top each serving with desired toppings.

Sweet Spice Blend

Spiced Dip: Blend together 1-8oz cream cheese, 2Tbs mayonnaise, 3Tbs applesauce, 2Tbs honey and ½ tsp SWEET SPICE.  Refrigerate to blend flavors and then serve with fruit or vanilla wafers.

Spiced Shortbread:  Combine 1/4c sugar, 1Tbs SWEET SPICE, 1/2c butter, 1tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp salt.  Beat at high speed until well blended.  Add 1c flour and 1/2c finely chopped walnuts then beat until smooth dough forms.  Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.  Roll out the dough, cut into diamonds, place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 15 mins.  Cool on wire rack.  Melt 6oz semisweet chocolate, cool slightly then dip fork into it and wave back and forth over cookies in a zigzag pattern.  Refrigerate until chocolate is set then store in an airtight container. 

Spiced Fruit & Nuts:  Melt 1tsp butter in skillet over medium heat then add 1/4c honey and cook 2 mins.  Add 1/4c each of almonds, peanuts, pecans and walnuts with 1tsp SWEET SPICE and continue to cook for 8 mins stirring frequently.  Stir in 1/2c raisins and 1/2c dried cranberries.  Spread onto greased baking sheet to cool.

Spiced Grapes: Heat 2c red wine vinegar and 2Tbs SWEET SPICE and simmer 5 mins.   Add 3c red seedless grapes.  Turn off heat, cool then refrigerate.  Nice side dish or addition to chicken salad.

Pear Muffins: Stir together 1 3/4c flour, 1Tbs sugar, 1tsp baking powder, 1/2tsp baking soda, 1/2tsp salt and 1 1/2tsp SWEET SPICE.  Stir in 3/4c peeled, chopped pears, 1c buttermilk and 3Tbs vegetable oil until dry ingredients are moistened.  Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Serve warm

Ginger Snaps:  Combine 1/2c softened butter, 1c sugar, 1/4c molasses and 1 egg and beat well.  Stir in 3oz coarsely chopped crystallized ginger.  Combine 2 tsp baking soda, 2 1/4c flour, ½ tsp salt and 1Tbs SWEET SPICE and then add to butter mixture and mix well.  Form 1” balls, roll in a combination of 1/2c sugar and ½ tsp ginger and then place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Cranberry Franks: Combine 1 can whole cranberry sauce and 1/3c soy sauce, 1 1/2tsp SWEET SPICE and 1/2tsp dry mustard in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn down heat, add 2lbs cocktail franks and simmer 20-25 mins.  Serve with toothpicks.

Fruit Dip: Combine 1/2c peanut butter, 1c vanilla yogurt and 1/2tsp SWEET SPICE until well blended.  Add 2/3c whipped topping and refrigerate.  Serve chilled with apple or pear slices, strawberries, grapes or other fruit for dipping.

Spiced Cocoa Meringues: Combine 2/3c sugar, 3Tbs cocoa powder and 1tsp SWEET SPICE and set aside.  Beat 4egg whites with 1/4tsp cream of tartar until foamy then add sugar mixture until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to large pastry bag with large star tip and pipe onto greased sheets.  Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, turn off and let meringues sit in oven for another half hour.  Remove and cool completely.  Melt 2 squares of semisweet chocolate and drizzle over cooled meringues.  Store in airtight container.

Pumpkin Butter Dip:  Combine 1-15oz can pumpkin, 1Tbs SWEET SPICE and 1c brown sugar in pan and cook slowly for 15 mins but do not let it boil.  Cool and freeze if desired.  To make dip, add to 8oz cream cheese and 1/2tsp vanilla. Chill 2 hours.  Serve with gingersnaps, apple slices or scones.

Spice Butter Cookies:   Cream 1c butter and 1c sugar, then add egg and mix well.  Add 2½c flour and 1tsp baking soda, then 1tsp vanilla and 1Tbs SWEET SPICE.  Roll into two logs, wrap & refrigerate overnight.  Slice, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 10 mins.

"So whether you eat or drink,
or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"
I Corinthians 10:31