Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup

Don't have a picture for this one gang because I made most of it at my house then finished it off at my daughter's house so it would be nice and hot and I didn't bring my camera there. But boy, it came out GOOD! Since this recipe calls for a butternut squash that needs to be peeled, cored, and chopped into 1-inch chunks, and since I observed in a cooking class how cumbersome and time-consuming it was to do that, I decided to buy the squash already packaged in 1-inch chunks at my local Trader Joe's. Most supermarkets will have them but some will be flavored with cinnamon and other spices. Buying it already packaged cut way back on the preparation time. I'm basically lazy!
BTW. This recipe comes from CLEAN EATING Magazine, October 2011 issue.

Serves 6. Hands-on time:  10 minutes;    Total time:  35 minutes


INGREDIENTS:
*  2 firm pears, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch chunks.
*  1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch chunks.
*  3 tsp olive oil, divided.
*  1 small yellow onion, finely diced.
*  Pinch each of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
*  3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
*  1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt for garnish, optional.
*  1 tbsp pumpkin seeds for garnish, optional.
*  Pinch fresh grated or ground nutmeg for garnish, optional.

INSTRUCTIONS:
ONE:  Preheat oven to 400F. In a roasting pan, combine pears and squash. Drizzle with 11/2 tsp oil, toss to coat, then spread out to cover bottom of pan, allowing for some overlap. Roast in oven, uncovered, until squash begins to brown and soften, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

TWO: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat remaining 11/2 tsp oil on medium. Add onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until onion is softened and golden in color, 3-4 minutes. Add pear-squash mixture and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

THREE: Using a hand blender or upright blender, puree mixture until smooth, about 45-60 seconds. (NOTE: If using an upright blender, work in small, cooled batches to avoid scalding. Then return to saucepan on low until reheated.) Garnish each serving with yogurt, pumpkin seeds and nutmeg, if desired.

That's it!

Southwest Meatballs with Warm Corn-Black Bean Salsa

Another recipe from Clean Eating Magazine, October 2011. This one is quick guys - 20 minutes total time - and easy. That great southwest aroma hits your nose as soon as you add all the fixins in the skillet. There are several quick skillet meals in this issue. It's the first time I cooked with "round" beef. After making the turkey meatballs I placed them in the skillet and the recipe said to make them golden brown on all sides. I thought, what? Round meatballs don't have sides!! You can see I'm challenged in many ways. Enjoy. This is a good one.

Serves 4

* 1 lb ground turkey breast. (I used ground turkey rather than ground turkey breast because it's not as lean and easier to mold into meatballs).
* 2 large egg whites
* 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
* 1/4 tsp sea salt
* 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 cup frozen yellow or white corn
* 1  15-oz BPA-free can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed well
* 2 cups diced vine-ripened tomatoes
* 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or stock).
* 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

ONE: In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg whites, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and mix well. Shape into 16 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball.

TWO: In a large skillet, heat oil on medium high. Add meatballs and cook for 3-5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned on all sides. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, broth, lime juice, and cumin and mix well. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in cilantro and serve.