Roasted Carrot Soup with Carrot Top Pesto - Serving 4 - 6

Adapted From: America's Heartland


Difficulty: 2

INGREDIENTS

• Soup Ingredients:
• 5 large carrots, peal and the cut into 1" slices
• 1 sweet and tart apple (e.g., gala), cut into wedges
• 1 small onion (yellow), thick slices
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1" slices
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 2 kung pao peppers (or jalapeno/serrano)
• 2 tbs olive oil
• pinch chile powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• heavy cream (optional)

• Pesto Ingredients:
• 2 carrot top bunches, washed
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 garlic clove, pealed
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

• Prepare mise en place
• Soup Preparation:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Place carrots, apple, onion, celery, garlic, pepper, chile powder,and olive oil on a baking sheet. Season with the salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes or until veggies begin to brown.
• Place all ingredients plus the vegetable broth into food processor and puree. Place pureed contents into a stock pot to keep warm.
• Pesto Preparation:
• Place all ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth. 
• Presentation:
• Place a dollop of pesto on top in each bowl of soup, Lightly drizzle 

Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies - Makes 30

Difficulty: 2 (time consuming)

EQUIPMENT

• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 medium bowl
• 2 Air-bake OR 2 regular baking trays
• Parchment Paper (optional)
• Mixer (if you don't want to do it by hand)

INGREDIENTS

WET

• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/2 cup butter, room temp or melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 can (or about 1 cup) pumpkin puree or 100% pumpkin - NOT pumpkin pie filling

DRY

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour (if no wheat flour, use all-purpose)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup (half a 12 oz package) Chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients EXCEPT the chocolate chips. Whisk until well-combined. 
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars by mixing them together with a hand-held mixer or stand mixer until rather smooth and creamy.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix again (whipping the eggs provides air).  Add pumpkin puree and mix again.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet while using the electric mixer.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again.
5. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
6. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the lined baking sheets.  These cookies do not spread much.
   
   7A - REGULAR BAKE: Bake for 10 minutes, then check using a toothpick.  If still a little raw in the middle, bake for another 2 to 4 minutes.  If using AIRBAKE sheets, bake for 15 minutes, then check.
   7B - CONVECTION BAKE WITH AIRBAKE SHEETS: Bake for 15 minutes, then check using a toothpick.  May need another 5 minutes.

Optional: Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.