Delicious!

Here's the yummy soup recipe that Derrick and I love. Make some this weekend as I think it's supposed to snow....a tiny little bit.

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
(from the Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook)

prep: 15 minutes total time: 6 hours 45 min makes: 6 servings

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 butternut squash (2 lbs.) peeled, cubed
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
2 extra-large vegetarian vegetable bouillon cubes (i use chicken...still good!)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed

1.) In a 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.

2.) In 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker, mix onion and remaining ingredients except cream cheese.

3.) Cover: cook on low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

4.) In blender or food processor, place one-third to one-half of the soup mixture at a time. Cover: blend on high speed until smooth. Return mixture to slow cooker. Using wire whisk, stir in cream cheese. Cover: cook on low heat setting about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally with wire whisk, until cheese is melted and soup is smooth.

Enjoy!

Good Food/Good Times

We had absolutely NO plans for what turned out to be a really great super bowl game....until my mom invited herself (and the rest of the family) over to watch it on Mr. Pope's very impressive TV. She NEVER does that. She's not that kind of mom. She gives me lots of space and time and anything and everything I need. So I loved that she called and made plans like any other mom on the planet.

What a nice afternoon! Mom, Judy, and dad, Jim, came up with my grandmas, Lola & Doris. They brought dinner, chips & dip and cookies. All I contributed was a moderately clean house, some beverages and a super-delicious baked brie complete with mini football cutouts baked on top. (Yes, cheesy. I know. Get it...cheesy!! Hahaha.)

We had a wonderful time with the family and Eliana was in rare form entertaining the masses with her antics. For the first time ever she called down the stairs to Derrick in that "I'm a little girl who knows how to manipulate her Daddy" voice. She called "Daaaaadddddyyyy" like a little southern belle and melted my heart....well, and probably stopped Derrick's. She's gonna have no problem with him I think.

The good eats continued on Monday as Ellie and I made my Aunt Trudi's Bananaberry Bomb Muffins....from scratch. Eliana helped dump all the ingredients, stir the batter, and put the mix into muffin tins. So great!! She loves helping in the kitchen and I LOVE to cook. I think she and I might be able to make this work in our favor. I'm not sure that she liked the finished product as much as the process, but I'm sure I'll have eaten all the muffins myself before the week is out.

As promised previously, they are also healthy and low-fat. Derrick hasn't eaten ANY of them...but a girl can only do some much, you know? Here's the delicious recipe if you're interested.

Bananaberry Bombs
(from the Looneyspoons Cookbook by Janet & Greta Podleski)
ahhhh...I love a good Canadian cookbook

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup each all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas (ripe)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup reduced fat butter or margarine (but not fat-free)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine oats, flours, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder & soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together bananas, egg whits and melted butter until smooth. Add banana mixture to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spray large muffin tin with non-stick spray. Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes.