Tag: #biscuits

Fond Food Memories

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn breads & pastas, soups, The Recipes7 Comments

I often have trouble remembering someone’s name, but I never forget a good meal, whether in a restaurant or in someone’s home.

In the early ’90s, while I was on staff at Southern Living magazine, I remember going to dinner with friends at Chris and Idie Hastings’ house. Although it’s been almost 30 years ago, I can remember the meal they served.

Chris prepared a whole fish (I think snapper), stuffed it with fresh herbs and lemon slices, and tied it up with kitchen twine, and cooked it on the grill, of course. It was beautiful and delicious. The side dishes were simply prepared silver queen corn and lady peas. Idie made a homemade loaf of peasant bread, which she baked in a clay cloche. ( I owned one the next day.) We finished off the night with a warm peach cobbler right out of the oven served with a scoop of ice cream. Unforgettable.

One of the reasons I wanted to write Leslie’s Party Diaries last year and now my blog, DearPartyDiary.com, was to encourage people to take the time and confidence to entertain those they love and make fond food memories for life. There are few better memories.

To me nothing is more soothing than a warm bowl of soup off the stove and a savory, homemade bread.

This is the creamiest non-cream soup I’ve ever tasted.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Makes 2 quarts

1 large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 30 ounces of precut (4 to 5 cups)

1 onion, cut into 8 wedges

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

3 to 4 slices of good bread, cubed and toasted

Garnishes: ground nutmeg and pomegranate seeds

Squash can be confusing if you don’t buy it a lot. The butternut squash is pale peach with an elongated pear shape.
Removing the skin from a butternut squash is not an easy task. If you see a butternut squash precut it is worth every penny—and almost worth driving to store #2 or #3 to find!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

I love a recipe that comes together easily with little mess. Roasting the onions, garlic, and squash together in one pan makes for a quick cleanup.

Place squash, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat completely. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender.

Place roasted vegetables in a blender. Add honey, nutmeg, and chicken broth, gradually. Blend until smooth.

This soup is so delicious and creamy—you’ll feel like you could open your own restaurant.

This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated or warmed and served immediately.

Serve with toasted bread cubes, and garnish.

For the toasted bread cubes: Remove the crusts from several slices of multi-grain bread; cut into squares. Spray both sides with butter-flavored cooking spray. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Serve with soup.

Yields 2 quarts

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
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Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 30 ounces of precut (4 to 5 cups)
  • 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 to 4 slices of good bread, cubed and toasted
  • Garnishes: ground nutmeg and pomegranate seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place squash, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat completely. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender.
  3. Place roasted vegetables in a blender. Add honey, nutmeg, and chicken broth, gradually. Blend until smooth.
  4. This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated or warmed and served immediately.
    5. For the toasted bread cubes:
  5. Remove the crusts from several slices of multi-grain bread; cut into squares. Spray both sides with butter-flavored cooking spray. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Serve with soup.
  6. Serve with toasted bread cubes, and garnish.
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It doesn’t take any time to make a homemade crouton.
I love to serve this in espresso cups as a starter. It’s a nice change from a normal appetizer and it can be passed easily. (Note: if passing to sip, I omit the croutons.)

Leslie Likes: Dave’s Killer Bread

Easy Drop Biscuits

Makes 2 dozen

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup cold butter

1 ½ cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the cold butter into smaller pieces to incorporate it quickly into the flour mixture.
Don’t worry if there are a few clumps of butter here and there. What’s not to love about a little pocket of butter?

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add milk a little at a time, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

I use two teaspoons to drop the sticky dough onto the baking sheet.

Drop with two teaspoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immediately.

If you are not going to eat immediately, which I highly suggest, allow to cool on a wire rack.
Easy Drop Biscuits can be made in advance and frozen. (Note: it’s best to split before freezing if you plan to fill them with ham.) Remove from freezer, add thinly sliced ham, and warm before serving.
They are also delicious with plain old honey.

10 Live and Learn Party Tips

  1. Chop onion and garlic before you shower.
  2. PREP! Chop, measure, and prewash anything and everything and have it ready to go.
  3. Avoid bell or long sleeves on party night. They will drive you crazy. I prefer three-quarter sleeves or sleeveless for cooking.
  4. Run the load of last-minute dishes in the dishwasher, and unload before guests arrive. Start empty!
  5. Designate the coat and bag area on the front end, before they are strung out all over your house in messy piles lining the walls.
  6. Empty all trashcans.
  7. Never run out of alcohol.
  8. Nothing chills a party in a bad way than running out of ice. Have an extra bag or two in a cooler or the freezer.
  9. Be sure all doors are well lit and welcoming. The last thing you want is an ambulance at your house during a party—not festive.
  10. Change your shoes before the final cleanup at the end of the night. Your feet will thank you the next day!

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I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie