Friends of the Wood County Parks

President

Jim Mathews

Vice President

Renee Jayne

Secretary

Carmel Schmidt

Treasurer

George Winters

Laura Arnold

David Arnold

Gloria Box

Randy Box

HazeAnn Cunningham                   

Sue Frankforther

Bill Hale

Kelly Hale                      

Renee Jayne

Lucy Long

Jim Mathews

Lee Meserve

Ranaye McLaughlin

Judy Powell

Carmel Schmidt

George Winters

Jamie Richards

Chris Rehard

Terry Rehard

Jill O’Hara

Dorothea Barker

Marsha Broadwright

Walter Krueger Jr.

Martha Kudner

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

2 lb. cubed butternut squash

1 medium onion, halved and sliced into wedges

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. avocado oil, or another heat-safe oil

2 cups chicken broth or more, as needed

1 can (about 13 1/2 oz. size) coconut milk, or 1 c. heavy cream

Diced apple and crumbled, cooked bacon (optional)

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  2. Put squash cubes, onion, and garlic cloves on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and drizzle oil over top. Use your hands to toss everything around so it’s evenly coated.
  3. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes on a lower oven rack, tossing things around with a spatula a couple of times during cooking.
  4. Transfer roasted items to a medium to large soup pot. Add chicken broth and heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes and then blend it with an immersion blender (or in batches with a countertop blender) until smooth.
  5. Stir in the coconut milk or cream. Add a little more salt, if needed, before serving. Top with diced apple and crumbled, cooked bacon, if desired.

• Three other variations:
• Apple-Bacon:Omit the garlic cloves and add 1 large sliced tart apple to the roasting pan.  Replace the coconut milk with an extra cup or so of chicken broth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons (to taste) of apple cider vinegar at the end.
• Indian-Spiced:Stir in ½ teaspoon of garam masala and add the juice from a lime at the end.
• Chipotle-Lime: Stir in ¼ teaspoon of dried chipotle powder (or ½ chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce) and ½ teaspoon ground cumin when you add the chicken broth. Replace the coconut milk with an extra cup or so of chicken broth, and add the juice from 1 lime at the end.

Impossibly Easy Bacon Pie

PER SERVING: Calories 290; Total Fat 18g (Saturated Fat 8g); Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 15g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 17g

Prep Time: 20 Minutes  Start to Finish: 1 Hour 5 Minutes  Servings: 6

12 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 oz)

1 small onion, chopped (1⁄3 cup)

¾ cup Original Bisquick® mix

1½ cups milk

3 eggs

1⁄8 teaspoon pepper

Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

1) Heat oven to 400°F. Grease 9-inch glass pie plate with shortening or cooking spray. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion into pie plate.

2) In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients except parsley until blended; pour into pie plate.

3) Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

STORAGE

If you have leftovers, refrigerate them and then reheat in the microwave. To reheat 1 slice of pie, place on microwavable plate and cover with microwavable waxed paper. Microwave on Medium (50%) 2 to 3 minutes or until hot.

THIS PIE IS IMPOSSIBLY EASY BECAUSE THERE IS NO CRUST TO ROLL OUT.  THE CRUST FORMS AS THE PIE BAKES.

Holiday “Eggnog” Squares

Ingredients

• 67 NILLA Wafers, divided
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, divided
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3 oz. white baking chocolate
• 2 cups cold milk
• 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3/4 tsp. rum extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1-1/2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Instructions

• CRUSH: 35 of the wafers; place in medium bowl. Melt 3 Tbsp. of the butter. Add to wafer crumbs along with the sugar; mix well. Spoon into 9-inch square pan; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Set aside.
• PLACE: chocolate and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter in small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 45 sec. to 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Drizzle over crust.
• POUR: milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes, extract and nutmeg. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread half of the pudding mixture over crust; top with 16 of the remaining wafers. Cover with remaining pudding mixture. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm. Cut into squares just before serving. Garnish with the remaining 16 wafers.

Cranberry-Brie Bites 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce (use homemade, recipe below – or store-bought cranberry sauce)
• 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed flat
• 1 brie triangle or round – 8oz, chilled and cut into small 1 inch pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Thaw puffy pastry sheet flat.  Cut puff pastry sheet into approximately 3-inch squares and place them into mini muffin tins, pressing them into the shape of the muffin hole.  Place a 1-inch slice of brie in the center of each puff pastry and then top it with approximately 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce.

At this point you could top with sliced almonds or dried fruit.

Bake 10 minutes or until puff pastry corners are toasted light brown.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Just before serving you could drizzle on hot honey, honey, or any preserve, Or just have on the side.

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Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 1 cup (250 mL) water
• 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
• Optional Pecans, orange zest, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice.

Method

1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

2 At this point you can add all number of optional ingredients. We typically mix in a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or without a few strips of orange zest. You can add a cup of raisins or currants. You can add up to a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added too.

3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup           

From Taste of Home

Prep: 25 min. Cook: 6 hours YIELD: 8 servings (3-1/4 quarts)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 Anaheim or poblano peppers, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 carton (48 ounces) chicken broth

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle hot pepper sauce, optional

1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

Optional toppings: Shredded cheddar cheese, cubed avocado, sour cream and crispy tortilla strips

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers and onion; cook and stir until tender, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer pepper mixture and chicken to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir in broth, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, tomato paste, seasonings and, if desired, pepper sauce. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender (a thermometer should read at least 165°).
2. Remove chicken from slow cooker. Shred with 2 forks; return to slow cooker. Stir in cilantro. Serve with toppings as desired.

Ingredients

1 lg onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 lb. baby red potatoes (about 8)

1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 ½ to 3 lbs)

1 package (1oz) Old El Paso original taco seasoning mix

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp each salt AND pepper

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained

1 lg carrot cut in to slices

4 oz cream cheese (cut into chunks)

2 cups chicken or beef broth

Cornstarch for thickening

1 Extra packages of taco seasoning

Instructions:

Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Arrange onion, carrot, and potatoes in slow cooker. Place beef over veggies. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix, cumin, red pepper, and the salt and pepper. Pour tomatoes over the beef and vegetables.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8-9 hours or until beef is tender. Serve beef and vegetables with sauce.

NOTES: Check veggies and meat after 7 hours.  You DO NOT want to overcook veggies.  When meat is tender, remove and shred with forks a bit.

In small bowl combine ¼ cup hot broth with cream cheese and mix until blended and smooth. 

Add extra broth to pot, stir in cheese mixture and half package of extra taco seasoning. Stir and increase heat to high. When simmering mix 1 ½ tbls of cornstarch with 3 tbls of milk and slowly add to pot stirring and simmering until slightly thickened. Reduce heat. Serve when ready.