Ivars Clam chowder

 2 (6.5oz) minced clam cans
1 bag (16oz) of frozen Newport Steamer clams in the shell (not necessary, but I happen to have them)
1 c finely chopped onion
1 c finely diced celery
2 c finely diced potatoes
4 garlic cloves
3/4c butter
3/4c flour
4c half/half
1 t salt
1 dash pepper
1/2t sugar

In medium saucepan, drain the juice. Set the clams aside. Combine clam juice with the onions, potatoes, celery and potatoes. Add enough water in barely cover and simmer, covered over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 20 min.

In large saucepan, melt butter. Saute garlic for 3-4 min, add flour and stir. Slowly whish in the warm half and half. Cook and whisk till smooth and thick, about 5 min.

If you want a thinner chowder, add 1/2-3/4c water or clam broth. Add the veggies with the cooking liquid, clams, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well and adjust seasonings if necessary

Dayna said, "Ive tried the bacon type of clam chowder, it ends up tasting like loaded baked potato soup. The Ivars recipe is a washington state tradition and most everyone up there in the pacific northwest is accustomed to the clam chowder, so other soups that include bacon taste like good soup but not clam chowder. Once you add bacon to anything, it all becomes bacon. This recipe sticks to the clam base (sauteing the veggies in clam juice)."

10/26/22 RIDICULOUSLY amazing! Definitely a must do soup again.

I added the steamer clams to the recipe (it wasn't from the original recipe), I followed the directions on the package, put the whole bag in boiling water and wait for 4 min to have the clams pop open. Then take them off the stove and open the bag and pull out the  clams in the shell and put the clams in the big soup pot and stir.

Pumpkin gingersnap Cake

 Cake by Courtney

10/2021   I was so surprised what a delicious cake this was. I think i've forgotten with the easyness of boxed cake, what a difference in taste homemade cake is.

 34 cupcakes

THE CAKE

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup  (165 g) light brown sugar packed
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup (218 g) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6.3 g) vanilla
• 2 cups (450 g) pumpkin purée 
• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) baking powder
• 1T ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (3.9 g) ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon (2.64 g) nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g)salt

FOR THE CRUMBLE

• 1/2 cup (45 g) quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped gingersnap cookies about 2 cookies
• 1/2 cup finely ground gingersnap cookies about 8 cookies


• 3 tablespoons (65.6 g) molasses
• 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar packed
• 3 tablespoons (42.3 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 teaspoon (1.32 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) salt

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 7 cups (875 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup 3 sticks (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) cinnamon chips
• 1/3 cup (77 g) heavy cream

US CUSTOMARY-METRIC

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

1. Preheat 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Spray again and set aside. 

2. 9/15/21 I made 34 cupcakes and cooked for a surprisingly small amount of time 15 minutes

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the oil and vanilla and beat on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin filling and mix until combined, about another 30 seconds. 
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt, and with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add to the pumpkin/egg mixture.
5. Evenly distribute batter into the prepared pans, smooth with a small offset palette knife and place in the center of the middle rack of the oven, about 2 inches apart. Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. (Mine took 23).
6. Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, and then invert cakes onto rack and cool them completely.
7. 
   

FOR THE CRUMBLE

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles clumps of sand. 

3. Pour the mixture over the parchment paper and spread it out evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring the mixture about halfway through.

4. Let it cool completely and then crumble the mixture into smaller pieces. The mixture will still be soft when you take it out of the oven. It will harden as it cools.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Continue to beat until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla and beat for another 1-2 minutes.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a wooden spoon and mix by hand to stir out the air bubbles.

FOR THE GANACHE

1. Place the cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Alternately, you can heat the cream over the stove.
2. Pour the warm cream over the cinnamon chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth and silky. Allow to cool, but not set, before using on your cake.

ASSEMBLY

1. After leveling each cake layer, place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board. Apply 1/2 cup of the frosting over the cake layer, followed by 1/4 of the crumble and a drizzle of the cinnamon chip drip.
2. Repeat these steps for the next two cake layers. Finish by placing the final cake layer, top side down, on top of the last layer of filling. 
3. Before frosting the entire cake, you will want to apply a thin coat of frosting around the cake and on top of the cake. This layer of frosting doesn't need to look pretty, it's simply functional. We want to lock in any crumbs. Freeze the cake for 10 minutes.
4. After the crumb coat is set, apply the rest of the frosting and drip.

Green bean and veggie soup

Cooking LSL

• 2 tbsp olive oil
•  1 small chopped onion
•  2 cloves garlic chopped
•  2 medium potatoes diced
•  1 medium chopped carrot
•  2 cups diced tomatoes — (fresh or canned)
•  3 cups green beans — (fresh or frozen, thawed) cut into pieces
•  5 cups chicken — (or vegetable) stock (can use hot water and chicken base)
•  1/2 tsp black pepper
•  1 tsp salt - or more depending on taste
•  1/4 tsp dry basil
• avocado
• 
  

1. In a large sauce pan, over medium heat saute onions and carrots in olive oil for 3 minutes.
2. Add chicken stock, potatoes, tomatoes and garlic and bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and basil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add green beans and simmer for 15 more minutes, until tender. (I do not like over cooked green beans, that's why I add them 15 minutes after all the other vegetables.).
4. Cook soup until all vegetables appear cooked through, it usually takes me 30-35 minutes. Cooking time depends on the king of pot used, stove, vegetables amounts of stock used.
5. Serve hot. You can garnish with chopped parsley or dill.
6. After cooked, I served the soup with avocado on top. It made everything come together, Delicious

When I was sick I made this and it was quick and easy and perfect for my sore throat

Burrito Spaghetti Squash Boats

Delish

-------FOR SPAGHETTI SQUASH--------
2  

medium spaghetti squash, halved, seeds removed

1 tbsp. 

extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt
1/2 tsp.  

chili powder

 
1/2 tsp. cumin

-------FOR FILLING--------
1 tbsp.  

extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

 
2 

cloves garlic, minced

 
1 lb. 

ground beef

1 tbsp. 

taco seasoning mix

Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1  

(15-oz.) can black beans

 

1 c chopped cherry tomatoes

 

1 c corn, canned and drained or frozen

 

1/2c shredded Monterey jack

 

2 TBSP. shredded cheddar

 
freshly chopped cilantro (optional)

avocado

1. heat oven to 400°. Drizzle cut sides of spaghetti squash with oil and season with salt, chili powder, and cumin. Place cut side down on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly. Using a fork, break up squash strands.
2. Meanwhile, make filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat. 
3. Stir in taco seasoning, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in black beans, cherry tomatoes, and corn. 
4. Fill each spaghetti squash with beef mixture and top with cheeses. Return to oven to melt cheese, 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

HOW TO ROAST THE PERFECT PUMPKIN

The Healthy Chef

INGREDIENTS

1 kg / 2  1/4 pounds pumpkin (I love using Jap / kent pumpkin)
2 tablespoons cold pressed olive oil or your choice macadamia nut or coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180 C / 356 F.
2. Cut pumpkin into chunks (with or without skin)
3. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Add cinnamon and sea salt.
5. Massage well with your fingers, coating all the pumpkin.
6. Spread in a single layer onto 1 or 2 prepared baking trays.
7. Roast for 40 – 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and caramelised.
8. Enjoy and use as required.

NOTES AND INSPIRATION

It’s a great idea to double the recipe and use for yummy portable salads and winter warming soups.

Pumpkin marries perfectly with other aromatics such as ginger, coriander, sage, orange, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves, cinnamon.

Simple Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Cookie and Kate

Apple filling
2 ¼ pounds Granny Smith apples (about 5 large or 7 small), cored and sliced into ¼” thick wedges, skins on
⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
¼ cup water, or bourbon or brandy, or apple cider or apple juice (I like 2 tablespoons bourbon and 2 tablespoons water)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons arrowroot starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg


Oat, almond meal and pecan topping
1 cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free crisp)
½ cup firmly packed almond meal or almond flour
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional but recommended)
⅓ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)

Don’t forget vanilla ice cream or whipped coconut milk, for serving!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the sliced apples in a 9” square baking dish. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey and water until combined. Add the lemon juice, starch, cinnamon and allspice, and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture over the apples and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond meal, pecans, coconut sugar and salt. Mix in the melted butter and the yogurt. Stir until all of the flour is incorporated and the mixture is moistened throughout.
4. Once the apples have baked for 20 minutes, give them a stir and redistribute them evenly in the baker. Dollop small spoonfuls of the oat mixture evenly over the filling (see photos, no need to pack it down). Return the baker to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 more minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is nice and golden.
5. Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, I insist. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 5 days.