Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
1-2 C. cream (optional but yummy)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Directions
1.Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. (It smells soooo good at this point!)Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.

2.Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Add cream, if desired.

Gingerbread Waffles

What can I say, you get to make a meal out of a dessert. It's truly dessert4dinner and my whole family loved these.

1/4 C. butter melted
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. light molasses
2 eggs
1 C. milk
2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together. Cook on hot waffle iron and top with sliced bananas and whipped cream.

This made about 8-9 small round waffles. For my family of 5, I'd probably make 50% more next time.

Creamy Chicken Artichoke Crimini Mushroom Soup

4 chicken breasts
2 small jars (or one big can) artichoke hearts, finely chopped
1 pound crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion
1 can chicken broth
chicken bouillon
pepper
butter/olive oil
2 C. cream
parmesan cheese


Saute chicken breasts, artichokes, and onion together in butter or olive oil until all are cooked through. De-glaze pan with chicken broth. Combine chicken mixture with broth in soup pot. Add more butter to saute pan, spread sliced mushrooms in a single layer, and saute until brown and delicious looking. Add them to soup pot along with a few cups water or milk... enough to make a soup-like consistency. Add a couple of tsp. bouillon-- to taste, as well as pepper. When it tastes good, add the cream and parmesan and it will become amazing!