There is a great restaurant located here in southern Illinois called Mary's. It has been well-known and loved for many years.  Even as a college student here at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, it was widely known as "The" place for a very special dinner.

     Although the original owner, Mary Licos retired and sold the restaurant many years ago, the new owner, David Hayes,  and his crew have done an amazing job ever since.

     Each fall and winter, they offer a wonderful Pumpkin Leek Soup.  I enjoyed it so much that I have come up with my own version. It is a bit different from Mary's, but it reminds me of the original!

     This soup reminds me of the holidays, and is perfect for an intro to a great meal.  I have made it with either carrots or pumpkin.  My guests love it, and I'm sure yours will as well.

Pumpkin (or Carrot) Leek Soup

6 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch rounds, (1 lb.)  or 1 can of pumpkin
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
3 ribs celery with leaves, cut into 1/2 inch segments
2 medium leeks, white part only, cut into 1/2 inch segments
4 c. water
4 c. chicken broth
2 T. fresh dill, chopped
4 t. sugar
1/2 t. white pepper
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 c. cream or half and half
1/2 c. butter
Sour cream and fresh dill for garnish

     Place vegetables in food processor bowl with 1 cup of the broth.  Pulse until coarsely chopped.  Transfer to soup pot. Stir in the rest of the broth and spices.  Cover and simmer until tender, 45 to 60 minutes.

     Use an emulsion blender to blend until smooth right in the pot.  Or, transfer the mixture in 3 batches to a blender to puree.  Make sure that you only fill the blender 1/2 full to allow for expansion.  Also, it's a good idea to put a kitchen towel over the lid prior to blending.

     Return all to soup pot.  Stir in the cream and butter.  Cover and heat through.  Do not boil.  Garnish with sour cream and fresh dill springs.  Serves 8. Enjoy!

Spur of the moment get together? No problem with these quick and delicious appetizers!

This happens to all of us. It's Friday afternoon, and your colleagues are talking about getting together for a drink after work. You volunteer to have everyone over, but have no thoughts for a few quick appetizers.

Not to worry! If you keep a few staples on hand, I have a couple of great ideas for quick and delicious appetizers your guests will love! No matter what the season, these appetizers work well.

I always have a jar of artichokes, on hand -- the main ingredient of this recipe. I have made it so many times, that I just keep all the ingredients around now because you never know when friends or family will drop in for a visit. Here we go:

Artichoke Cheese Bake

1 can or jar of artichokes (if you have them marinated, that's fine - it makes no difference)
1 cup grated cheese (Romano or Parmesan work well)
1 small can diced chilies
1 cup mayonnaise
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
(Optional - at the holidays, I like to add about 1/2 cup of crab meat. Fold it into the mixture after you have pulsed the previous ingredients in the food processor. I omit the chilies when using crab meat in order to not overpower the flavor of the crab.)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Butter or spray a 1 qt. casserole or baking dish. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until there are small chunks of artichokes visible, about the size of a pea.

Put into prepared baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a bit brown on top and bubbly.

This is a great dip with water crackers because they allow the flavors to really come through. I also like to use broccoli, cauliflower and red bell peppers to dip into it. Everyone always loves it, and are amazed that it's so simple to make. This one is an easy hit!

Pesto Bruschetta

1 French Bread Baguette, cut into 1/2" slices
1/3 cup pesto - any type
Roasted red peppers, thinly sliced, enough for 2 pieces on each slice of bread
1/2 cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese
Olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush one side of bread with a bit of oil. Put on baking sheet, oiled side up, and bake until top is barely brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cool until you can handle them.
Flip the bread slices over. Spread pesto on each slice. Top with roasted red pepper slices and cheese.

Return to the oven for another 6 minutes, or until cheese begins to melt. Serve warm.

This is a great flavor combination with traditional basil pesto, or, any other flavor you may choose. I've used a sun dried tomato based version in this recipe as well.

So, there are a couple of ideas to help you out in a pinch. Maybe you'll end up keeping these items on hand so that you can accommodate that last minute get together as well. They're homemade, quick and delicious. Your guests will love them.

These are just a couple of my "old reliables". Enjoy!

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