Went to the bank, deposited my hard-earned money and then went to the
grocery store to stock up on items I really needed, most of which I really
did need. My freezer and pantry had taken a beating lately.

I got some tilapia fillets and spinach and a small block of white cheddar
with which to attempt to duplicate the stuffed (rolled) fish fillets from
The Boat House. As I mentioned in a previous post, I don't want to ruin
good sole on a first attempt at duplicating a recipe. Still looking for a
good chardonnay sauce to top it with.

I didn't *need* those rock lobster tails. But they were on sale - $12.99
for four of them! Of course they were frozen; you don't haul lobster out of
the Mississippi River. Right back into the freezer they went. I know
exactly how to grill those suckers.

Got a bag of frozen bay scallops; I can picture a couple or three nice meals
with those, similar to what I had at Trattoria Tiramisu. Linguine sauteed
with onion, garlic, diced tomato and some bay scallops (rather than sea
scallops and sans the steamed clams or shrimp).

Also a 2-1/2 lb. pork tenderloin. Thanks a lot for setting off that
craving, DougK.

Bought fresh veggies, too. The cauliflower was on sale for $1.00 rather
than the usual $3.00/head so I got a good sized one of those. I see
cauliflower and cheese soup in the very near future. Also a couple of
butternut squashes and some fresh tarragon leaves, for - what else? My
roasted butternut squash soup! (recipe follows)

I may just split and roast one of them, though; they are sizeable enough and
I love a good roasted squash all by itself. Got a bag of small new potatoes
for roasting or grilling or just boiling with whatever. Fresh basil (some
of which will probably will go into the bay scallops/linguine dish); the
remainder I will bag and freeze.

Oh, and I couldn't believe they didn't have Fontina cheese in the cheese
section. I walked around that thing three times widdershens. Finally wound
up picking up some crumbled feta because I did buy spinach and I like
spinach/feta quiche. But what is this? No Fontina? Hmmm. And the Gruyere
blocks were too big.

To top it all off, I got a 6-pack of Killian's Red. I figure after all that
hunting for cheese, I deserve a couple of cold ones

I started really missing that Hy-Vee John and I visited in Bettendorf. We
wished we could transport it down South. They had *everything*. Even the
wine and spirits. Of course, that's illegal down here. Can't sell wine and
spirits in the grocery store in Tennessee. God forbid!

Oh well, I've got a lot of good stuff in the freezer. Except for the fresh
veggies, most of it will wait until I get back from my next trip. I figure
several more uses of the grill after October. Then I'll be content to stay
inside and cook on the stove or in the oven or even in the fireplace.

Jill's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2 large (about 4 lbs. total) butternut squashes, split and seeded
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 c. chicken stock or broth
2 c. water
1-1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. onion powder or 1 Tbs. dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp. dried tarragon leaves or 2 Tbs. chopped fresh
sour cream (garnish, optional)

Split the squashes down the middle lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a
spoon. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Place the squashes, cut side
down on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.

Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and place into a large
mixing bowl. In another mixing bowl, stir together water and stock. Puree
squash in a blender or food processor (in batches) adding the liquid as
needed until you have a smooth puree. Pour pureed squash into a deep pot
and bring to a low boil. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder or
dehydrated onion and tarragon. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook over very
low heat about 1 hour, stirring every so often (say every 15 minutes). When
serving, garnish each bowl with a small dollop of sour cream if desired.
Serves 8-10. This soup may be frozen (sans the sour cream).

Jill
--
I used to have a handle on life...but it broke off.