Kabocha Squash Soup

This recipe is actually from my friend, Shauna's, so I can't take the credit. She helped me make it today. It was so easy and so tasty. (It helps to have a good squash.)

You could make this with a different type of squash, or a pumpkin. I got a Kabocha squash in my farm box three weeks ago and used that. (Yes! 3 weeks ago! Gotta love squash!)

I was very excited when I realized this type of squash is what I used to eat often when I lived in Australia. There is it just called a pumpkin, or a Japanese pumpkin. All these years I've been searching for it here in the states and all this time it was called something else. (Terribly common, really). It is tasty just roasted with a bit of butter.

So, here's the simple soup recipe:

1 Kabocha Squash, cut in half, seeds removed
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4-5 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
cream to add rich flavor

1. Roast squash in a baking pan or jelly roll sheet, cut side down in a bit of water. (You want the water to not evaporate during roasting, so keep adding as necessary.) Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

2. In soup pot, saute onions and garlic in small amount of oil or butter until translucent, about 10 minutes.

3. Scoop roasted squash out of it's skin and add to onion and garlic. Cover with broth and bring to a gentle boil.

4. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

5. Puree soup using food processor, blender or hand blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Can add a touch of cream.

Serve hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Huli Huli BBQ Chicken

Now that it isn't really BBQ season anymore, I'm posting one of my favorites from the summer. I was originally drawn to this recipe because of it's name: Huli Huli is Hawaiian for something. Possibly Tasty Tasty. Really...it's that good.

I made a coconut-lime rice to go with this chicken dish, but I didn't find it fabulous enough to pass on. This recipe comes from Cuisine at Home, which happens to be my favorite recipe magazine that I subscribe to.

The original recipe calls for drumsticks, but I don't really like drumsticks, so I used boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. The recipe I'm posting is actually double the original.

Whisk together:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 TBS ketchup
4 TBS dark soy sauce
2 TBS garlic, minced
2 TBS fresh ginger, minced
2 TBS vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Marinate; Grill:
6-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Whisk all ingredients (except chicken) together in a bowl.

Marinate chicken in half the pineapple juice mixture in a large resealable baggie for at least 1 hour, refrigerated. Reduce remaining mixture in a saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened, 5 minutes; set aside for basting.

BBQ chicken on medium-high grill. Baste with reserve glaze while cooking, or save glaze and pour it over your chicken when it's served.