Butter Nut Squash Whole Wheat Pancakes

I somehow ended up with WAY more cooked butternut squash than we could eat at one meal.  I started thinking how sweet it is and how it has the same consistency as pumpkin puree.  Next I'm going to try substituting the squash in a pumpkin bread recipe because these pancakes turned out SO yummy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup cooked butternut squash
1 cup plus 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons brown sugar


Directions
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix well.
- In a separate bowl combine squash, 1 cup buttermilk, eggs, oil and brown sugar.  Mix well.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the wet ingredients.  Fold until just combined.  Do not over stir.
- If mixture is too think use the extra 1/2 cup of buttermilk to thin out batter.
- Pour 4" pancakes onto a medium-hot griddle or pan and cook until bubbles begin to rise to the surface.  Turn and cook until golden-brown.

Hints
- To get the 1 cup of butternut squash split a whole butternut squash down the middle and roast in a 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until soft all the way through.  Scoop out cooked squash and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- White flour may be used if it's all you have.
- Dark brown sugar gives these pancakes a better flavor than light brown sugar but use whatever you have on hand.

Submitted by Amy

Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Ingredients
eggs
water

Directions
- Put eggs in cold water and bring to boil.
- After water comes to a boil start timer for 4.5 minutes.
- Take off heat
- Let eggs sit in the hot water for another 3 minutes
- Immediately drain and run under cold water.

Outcome
Eggcellent, non-green, fluffy yolks!

Submitted by AmyB

Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients 
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
15 oz can of pumpkin
16 oz box powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Nilla Wafers
Ginger Snaps
Graham Crackers

Directions
- Mix all ingredients.
- Serve with Nilla Wafers, Ginger Snaps and Graham Crackers.

Hints
- You could also add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of ground cloves if you like that flavor.

Submitted by Ann

Monkey Bread

There are many monkey bread recipes out there.  Here's the super easy one we use... it is loved SO much it's often referred to as Jesus In A Pan.

Ingredients
2 rolls refrigerated biscuit dough
1/3 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar (mixed to your taste)
1 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (for icing)
2-4 tablespoons milk (for icing)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Arrange biscuits in a grid on a cutting board
- Use a pizza roller to cut biscuits in quarters
- Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray
- Arrange half of cut biscuits in a single layer in casserole dish
- Use a pastry brush to coat biscuits with melted margarine
- Sprinkle 1/2 of cinnamon sugar mixture over biscuits
- Arrange remaining cut biscuits in a second layer in casserole dish
- Top with remaining butter and cinnamon sugar mixture
- Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes
- Serve warm with icing

To make icing
- Add vanilla to powdered sugar
- Add milk 1/2 tablespoon at a time until icing is of desired consistency

Hints
- You can use kitchen scissors to cut biscuits into quarters but using a pizza roller is fastest.
- After about 30 minutes check monkey bread every 2 minutes (turn on oven light, don't open oven door) and remove from oven when the top is golden brown.

Submitted by Amy
- Cook monkey bread in center of oven.  Too close to the top and it will brown but still be mushy in the middle.
- Do not use more than two layers of biscuit dough or it will not cook all the way through.  If you need more, make a second pan.

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
1 cup minced onion
1 cup minced carrot
1 cup minced celery
2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbs vegetable oil
10 cups chicken stock (or broth)
1 rotisserie chicken - meat removed and shredded
3 cups prepared fresh salsa
1 bag tortilla chips

Directions
- In a heavy bottom dutch oven or stock pot heat oil.
- Sauté onion, carrot and celery in hot oil until onions are translucent.
- Add garlic.
- Add 10 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer
- Add chicken meat and all the juices from the rotisserie pan.

To serve
- Spoon 1/2 cup fresh salsa into bottom of soup bowl.
- Ladle chicken soup over fresh salsa.
- Top with crumbled tortilla chips.
- Serve immediately.

Hints:
- Fresh Salsa can be found in the Deli section of your grocery store.  It is sometimes called pico de gallo.  It is mostly chopped tomatoes, peppers, chilies, onion and spices and is chunky, not saucy.
- Make sure to combine the salsa and soup right before serving or the tomatoes will get mushy,
- It is not important to have exactly one cup each of onion, celery and carrot.  It is more important that you have equal parts of each.

Submitted by Amy