Home of the Heart Recipe Blog

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

11/13/2019

It's harvest time, and in our family, that means we get to enjoy the spaghetti squash from our garden. One of the side benefits is harvesting the seeds, about the same size as pumpkin seeds, for a delicious crunchy treat. In fact, I'm munching on a few as I write this blog. I like to use pumpkin pie spice on these, but you might enjoy experimenting with a number of different spices and even grated Parmesan cheese!

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Eating time: anytime!

Ingredients
3/4 cup raw pumpkin or other large
squash seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash pumpkin seeds in a colander to remove the pulp. Dry the seeds with a towel.
3. In a small bowl, combine the oil, salt, and spice. Add the seeds and stir.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil, shinny side down, and spread the seeds evenly.
5. Bake the seeds until they are crunchy, stirring half way through, for about 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Cool and enjoy.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,

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Spaghetti Squash with Walnut Alfredo Sauce

11/13/2019

Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs with Walnut Alfredo Sauce

Sometimes I don't so much as plan dinner as it plans me. I look at what food items I need to use up, and often figure out a way to combine two or three to make the main dish.
That scenario played out last night. Knowing I'm a fan of Aidell's sausage, my dear hubby had brought home a package of their Carmelized Onion Chicken Meatballs. In the meantime, we'd had a couple of small spaghetti squash in the fridge that I wanted to use.
It wasn't a leap to combine the squash and meatballs with a sauce. I wanted to keep the dish healthy, and the sauce I'd used for Walnut Alfredo Sauce seemed appropriate and quick to make. The result? Combined with a green salad on the side, it was a a satisfying and delicious meal. Here's how to put this meal together.

Baked Spaghetti Squash
Prep time: 10 minutes Baking time: 30-40 minutes Post-bake time: 12 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise. (I use a cleaver.)
3. Scoop out the seeds and set aside. (Check out this Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe)
4. With a fork, poke a few holes in the skin of the squash and place both halves cut side down in large baking pan. Fill bottom of pan with water about an inch high and place in oven.
4. Roast from 30 to 40 minutes. (You may want to test it with a fork, as the squash will be mushy if you roast it too long.)
5. When squash has cooled enough to handle, scrape away the meat from the shell, teasing the strands. Serve with a sauce or mixed with other ingredients.

Walnut Alfredo Sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients
1½ cup walnuts
1½ garlic clove
1/8 cup fresh basil
1/8 cup oregano
3/4 cup olive oil or walnut oil
3 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
*1½ cup milk
1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
pinch of white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

*For those who avoid dairy, use same amount of almond or coconut milk or soft tofu.

Instructions
1. In a blender, add walnuts, oil, garlic, lemon juice, nutmeg, white pepper, basil, oregano, milk, and sea salt.
2. Blend until creamy.
3. Heat in microwave to serving temperature

To Serve

1. Cook the meatballs according to package directions.
2. Spoon the squash into a serving bowl or individual pasta bowls. Place hot meatballs on top, and pour over the warm sauce.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out.

Good cooking to you,
Linda
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Lemon Shrimp or Scallops

11/8/2019

I'm all for easy meals, and this is one of them. You can use either shrimp or scallops in this dish. The original recipe called for butter, but I use a bit of chicken broth instead for less calories. Take your pick. Serve on a bed of cooked rice with a green salad on your next laid-back evening.

Servings: 6 Serving size: 1/2 cup Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
3 oz chicken broth
3 pounds shrimp or scallops
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoon cooking sherry
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
1. Heat broth to simmering.
2. Add the garlic cloves, shrimp or scallops, and cook about 3 minutes until tender.
3. Add lemon juice, sherry, and parsley and heat through.
Serve on a bed of cooked rice.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,

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Corn Tofu Chowder

1/14/2019

Corn Tofu Chowder

Do you avoid chowder because it's so full of fat? I've discovered a delicious, healthy alternative to the heavy cream usually used in chowders. The answer is tofu. this chowder is just as delicious and creamy as the traditional kind. See for yourself.

Cutting fresh kernels is not difficult. See directions below. If the optional milk is left out, this can be an all-vegan, lactose-free dish.

Servings: 4 Serving size: 1 cup Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients
*1-1/2 cups fresh corn kernels OR
15 ounces canned corn
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced green or red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
2 diced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
2/3 cup milk or almond "milk"
1, 6 ounce soft tofu
5 tablespoons diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
*Dash white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or chives

Options: Add and sauté diced jicama or potatoes, chopped cooked bacon or scraps of salmon. (If raw, the salmon will cook quickly when heating up the chowder.)

*Notes:
To cut kernels from the cob, cut off tip first. Place stem end on cutting board and run chef's knife or electric knife from top to bottom until only the cob remains. Break up kernels into individual pieces.

White pepper is very strong, so use with care.

Instructions (Alternative directions using an immersion blender below)
1. After the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic are diced, sauté them as well the fresh corn kernels in a deep pan with the oil. (I add the garlic toward the last, since it tends to burn if cooked too long. Do not add the corn if it is canned.) Saute until soft.

2. If using canned corn, drain off the liquid. Add the canned corn to the vegetable mixture after it has been sautéed. Remove about one-third cup of this mixture and set aside.

3. Put the tofu in the bottom of a blender and add the milk, remaining vegetable mixture, chilies, salt, cumin, and pepper. Blend until the chowder is the consistency you like. If too thick, add a little extra milk or water.

4. Pour the chowder mixture and the one-third cup un-blended mixture into the pan for texture. Heat slowly so that the chowder will not burn.

5. Adjust seasonings to your taste.

6. Pour into bowls and top with the diced cilantro, chives, basil, or red bell pepper and serve.

Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this dish. Let me know if you've tried it and how it turned out. Good cooking to you,
Linda
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Guacamole

11/10/2018

Guacamole

You'll never go back to frozen guacamole once you make this recipe with a good Haas avocado. So quick and easy and delicious. May be used as a dip or a spread on sandwiches. It won't take long for this treat to be scooped up and vanish.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients
2 Hass avocados, peeled, removed from seed and roughly mashed
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped green chile
Optional: Finely chopped tomato, chopped green onion.

Directions
Add all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix together with a fork. Serve on a bed of chopped lettuce or just plain with chips or fresh veggies.

Note: If kept too long, the mixture will turn brown and begin to weep. Best to eat shortly after making.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Leave a post here to let me know if you've tried this dish and how it turns out. Good cooking to you.

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Perfect Corn Bread

11/10/2018

I keep coming back to this recipe because it's ... well, it's perfect! I still have my first adult cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. It's falling apart, but I still refer to it from time to time. Like many of my recipes, it's quick and easy. Cornbread goes great with my Chile Stew, so check that out too.

Preparation time: 15 minutes Baking time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow corn meal
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1.2 cup soft shortening

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. If you have a sifter, sift the sugar, baking powder, and salt together. If you don't have a sifter, stir together with a fork or whisk to combine and aerate the mixture.
3. Add the eggs, milk, and shorting.
If you have an electric mixture, beat until just smooth, about 1 minute. If you do not have a mixture, use the fork and bet together until smooth. Do not over beat.
4. Pour into a greased 9x9x2-inch pan.
5. Bake in hot oven 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool and cut into squares. Serve with butter and honey.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Leave a post here to let me know if you've tried this dish and how it turns out. Good cooking to you.

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Harvest Salad with Greens and Roasted Butternut Squash

10/23/2018

Hardy harvest salads seem to be a "thing" these days. I was intrigued as to how the squash would integrate with the greens, so I googled some recipes and then tried my own. I loved the results, and so did our potluck group. But don't use acorn squash like I did. Peeling it is nearly impossible!

Prep time: 30 minutes Bake & cool time for squash: 1 hour Serves: 6

Basic Ingredients
6 cups greens, washed and torn
(spinach, romaine, etc. I use "Power Greens" with baby chard, kale, & spinach)
1 small butternut squash or pumpkin
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
Dressing Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 or 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cumin, fresh ground
2 teaspoons fennel seed, fresh ground
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Mix & Match Ingredients
Fresh basil leaves, torn
1 apple, chopped
1 firm pear, chopped
Dried cranberries
Pomegranate arils (seeds)
Pumpkin seeds, toasted
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts, toasted
Feta, crumbled

Roast Butternut Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Cut the ends off the squash, then slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds,(You might want to save the seeds to roast. Yum!) and peel the squash. Cut into bite-size pieces.
2. In a bowl, toss the squash with the olive oil, cinnamon, and salt and pepper.
3. Place the squash on a roasting sheet or pan and roast in the oven until tender, about 30-40 minutes . Set aside to cool.

Assembling the Salad
1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a covered jar and shake to mix.
2. Put the greens to a large bowl and add the ingredients you've chosen from the Mix-ins list.
3. Toss the salad with the dressing and squash and serve immediately.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Leave a post here to let me know if you've tried this dish and how it turns out. Good cooking to you.

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Portland Crock Pot Beef Stew

10/7/2018

This hearty beef stew has been around since crock pots came into common use, and it's still a winner. Why? Because like many crock pot recipes, it easy and stick-to-the-ribs delicious. Put it together in 15 minutes and leave to simmer all day. Can also be baked in the oven.

Servings: 8 Serving size: 1½ cups Preparation time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 6-9 hours

Ingredients
2 pounds chuck steak, cut bite-size
½ cup thin sliced onion
1 medium raw potato with skin, sliced 2 cups sliced carrots
2, 14.5 ounce cans cut green beans 10.75 ounces condensed tomato soup
¼ cup unbleached flour                                  ½ teaspoon salt lite
¼ teaspoon pepper                                          2 pieces bay leaf

Directions
1. Spray crock pot or casserole dish with non-stick spray.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in bottom of pot. Stir, add meat and stir again.
3. Add layer of onions, bay leaves, potato, carrots and beans. Spread soup on top.
4. Cover and bake for 5 to 8 hours in 250 degree oven or on low for 8 hours in crock pot.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Leave a post here to let me know if you've tried this dish and how it turns out. Good cooking to you.

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Crisp Sweet Pickle Mix

9/2/2018

What does one do when one's garden produces bunches of cucumbers? Make pickles, of course! My hubby found a Better Homes & Gardens recipe in his mom's recipe binder which we modified by using less sugar.
It had been years since we'd canned, but we remembered the steps, and every jar had a successful seal. We've already begun sharing the resulting product with our friends and have received rave reviews.

Makes 8 to 9 pints
Plan on spending an afternoon of slicing and dicing before the actual canning. Mixture has to sit for three hours before canning.

Equipment
8 pint jars, 8 unused lids and metal screw bands, slicer, tongs, ladle, funnel, large bowl, a least one large pot

Ingredients
4 quarts thin-sliced cucumbers (We used both regular and lemon cucumbers)
1 quart sliced onions
3 cups cauliflowerets (We sliced the larger ones.)
1 green pepper, chopped (We used a red pepper for contrast.)
3 cloves garlic
⅓ cup coarse kosher salt
4 cups crushed ice
2 cups sugar (more if you like your pickles really sweet.)
1½ teaspoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seed
1½ teaspoon turmeric
3 cups cider vinegar
Note: Next time I plan to add some corn kernels too.

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine vegetables, garlic, salt, and the ice. Mix well.
2. Put a weight on top and allow to stand 3 hours.
3. Drain the vegetables well and transfer to a large cooking pot.
4. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the vegetables.
5. Bring the mixture to simmer.
6. While waiting for the mixture to to reach the desired temperature, put clean canning jars in a pan of water and bring to boil. Once the jars are hot, place the sealing lids in the water too.
7. One at a time, place the funnel over the mouth of a hot jar and carefully ladle in hot mixture leaving a ½-inch space at the top.
8. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band and hand tighten.
9. For extra security, you may place the sealed jars in a canner or other large pot that covers the jars with at least two inches of water. Let boil for 15 minutes before removing to cool. (We did not take this step.)
10. Once the jars are cool, check for sealing by pressing a finger in the middle of the lid. If it stays depressed, the sealing is secure. Put on labels.
For best flavor, allow pickles to stand for 4 to 6 weeks.

Good cooking to you!
Linda
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Cold Curry Vegetable Salad

5/31/2018

I admit this salad seems pretty strange, and I'd be shocked if you found the recipe any place else. It's something that came out of a vague taste memory of mine. And it has Lima beans in it ... that dreaded vegetable remembered by many people of a certain age as a childhood horror.

In other words, you'll need an open mind to try this. But at our house, we find it so good, we sneak spoonfuls of refrigerated leftovers between meals. Tell me, are you brave enough to make this?

Servings: 6 people Serving size: 1/2 cup Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
16 ounces mixed frozen vegetables
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Spike
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
iceberg lettuce

Directions
1. Cook frozen vegetables according to package directions
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients.
3. Stir in the cooked veggies.
4. Serve warm or cold on individual plates on a bed of lettuce.

I hope you enjoy these recipes. Let me know which one's you've tried and how they turned out.

Good cooking to you,
Linda
Note: Would you like a printout of this and other recipes? These directions may help:
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Author

Linda M. Kurth is the creative mind behind such stories as Home of the Heart and the up-coming memoir, God, the Devil and Divorce, as well as the recipes and crafts you'll find in these pages. Here's how this blog began:

"This chicken salad is fabulous" my writer friends told me at our little luncheon. "We want the recipe."

"I've been thinking of starting a recipe blog," I said. "This will be the first dish on it. Will that work for you?"

"Do it!" they urged.

I've thought about creating a cookbook for years, but with all of my other activities, I realize that's not going to happen in the traditional sense. So I'm happy to have this venue to share my favorite dishes and discoveries. I hope you'll find some dishes here that become some of your favorites too.

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