Canadian Cheese Soup

1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Carrots 1/8 inch cubes
1/4 C. Flour
1 C. Onions
1/2 C. Celery 1/8 inch cubes
2 Tbsp. Flour
3 C. Chicken Broth
3 C. Half and Half
2 lbs. Velveeta
1 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley

Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions and celery all at once. And saute until soft but not brown. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook until mixture begins to turn a light-brown color. Over medium high heat, add the chicken broth a little at a time. Stir and continue to cook and stir with a whisk until a thick base is formed. Add half and half being careful not to let boil. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Just before serving add parsley. Garnish with diced tomatoes and jalapenos if desired.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients-

Crust:

1 3/4 c	Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 Tbls	Brown Sugar
½ tsp	Cinnamon
1 Stick Filling:	Butter
3	8oz packages cream cheese
2 c	Pumpkin (or 1 can)
3 ¼ c	Eggs + 1 Egg yolk Sour Cream
1 ½ c ½ tsp 1/8 tsp 1/8 tsp 2 tbls 1 tsp	Sugar Cinnamon Nutmeg Cloves Flour Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

For Crust:

In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter, press down flat into 9 in sprinform pan. Set aside.

For Filling:

Beat Cream Cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs + yolk, sour cream, sugar spices. Beat well, add flour and vanilla mix to incorporate. Pour into pan and place pan in a shallow foil lined pan with 1 inch of water. Bake for 1 hour remove and refrigerate over night.

Pumpkin Bread

Not too long ago, I came up with a copy-cat version of Starbucks lemon loaf.  My oldest daughter Valerie Martin, requested I do the same for the Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf- so... Here it is, enjoy!! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 ½ cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon baking powder 

¾ teaspoon cinnamon 

½ teaspoon ginger 

¼ teaspoon cloves 

¼ teaspoon allspice 

½ teaspoon salt 

4 eggs 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/2cup brown sugar 

½ teaspoon vanilla 

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) 

¾ cup peanut oil 

(¼ cup chopped pumpkin seeds, optional)

Drizzle-
1/2 cup sugar
1/2cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Combine the flour, soda, powder, spices and salt in a bowl, set aside. Beat the eggs, sugars and vanilla together in an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin and the oil and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, do not overbeat. Pour into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, if desired. Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and turn onto cooling rack. 

Make drizzle by combining sugar, water, cinnamon, bring to a boil on stove top until sugar dissolves, spoon over loaf carefully allowing drizzle to soak in. Cool completely.

Pumpkin Soup

6 c	pumpkin, peeled and cubed
3 c	chicken broth, low salt
4 Tbsp	butter
6 Tbsp	chopped onion
1/2 tsp	dried marjoram
1/4 tsp	ground black pepper
dash	cayenne pepper
4 oz	cream cheese

Directions

In a large heavy pot, saute onions in butter until tender. Add Pumpkin, broth, marjoram, black pepper and dash of cayenne pepper (be careful..a little goes a long way!..if you like hot spicy..then add up to 1/8 tsp. Me, I only do a dash) Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender. DO NOT remove any liquid.

2

Puree pumpkin mixture and cream cheese in blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil. When serving place into bowl and use a decorator's tip and swirl a small amount of softened cream cheese on top of soup...if desired.

3

**You can cut pumpkin in half, place skin side up in oven set at 375 degrees for about 1/2 hour or so. It helps with getting the skin off easily, as well as cutting into cubes. Cooking time on top of stove won't be as long if squash is baked first...use your judgement when doing it this way.