Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet Ranch mix (not buttermilk)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno

Mix all ingredients together in the blender.

Tzatziki Sauce

Courtesy of Epicurious

• 3 cups plain yogurt (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
• 1 English hothouse cucumber (about 16 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 large tomato, quartered, seeded, thinly sliced

Spinach Basil Pesto

Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• extra-virgin olive oil as needed

Blend the spinach, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and lemon zest in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Add 1 tsp of olive oil per serving, and water as needed until pesto is the desired consistency.

Notes:
-- Original recipe called for 1/2 cup of olive oil.
-- Original recipes suggests freezing the pesto in ice cube trays so you can use it for single servings later. I just put blobs on a cookie sheet, put the in the freezer until the were solid, and the moved them to a plastic bag.

Butternut Squash Soup

Original Recipe from AllRecipes.com
(changes marked in green)

Ingredients
* 6 tablespoons chopped onion
* 6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (about one squash)
* 3 cups water
* 4 cubes chicken bouillon
* 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
* 1 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

Directions
1a. Cut squash in half, remove goop, and bake cut-side down at 375 for 45 minutes.

OR

1b. Cut squash in half and microwave for 8-10 minutes.

OR

1c. Peel and cube the squash. (It's harder to peel uncooked.)

2. In a large saucepan, saute onions until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook until squash is tender (about 20 minutes if starting squash is raw).

3. Puree squash and cream cheese in a food processor in batches until smooth.

4. Put in fridge for later, or return to saucepan to heat for eating. Do not allow to boil.