Cream of Asparagus Soup

Asparagus has been on sale lately so I've been buying tons of it and sneaking it into every dish imaginable. Leftover steak, scrabbled eggs, and asparagus. Vegetarian stuffed peppers with lentils, rice, mushrooms, and.... asparagus. Roasted asparagus. Asparagus pizza.....

And now, asparagus soup. Most asparagus soup recipes require very little ingredients, so I wanted to stay true to that. I snipped a few chives over the top (also on sale at the store). I would say it's optional, but they did add a ton of flavor, so I highly recommend them. If you find the soup a little thick for your taste, just add some more chicken stock.

My toddler Mimi even helped make this soup. I can't believe how much she loves to cook with me in the kitchen. She pulls up a chair and stirs the soup, adds the ingredients, and stirs some more. She's very careful and when I say, "Ok, let it cook" she stops stirring, gets down, and we go into the living room and watch TV or play while it cooks. I've always seen people cooking with their tiny kids on TV, but I always thought it was a bunch of hooey. Seriously, I couldn't imagine my extremely active toddler carefully helping me make food. I couldn't even imagine it holding her attention that long. But one day she decided she wanted to help out. She went from running all over the place and not caring about food or cooking, to wanting to help every single time. And it's educational as well because she learns the names of everything and she even memorizes short recipes that we make often.

Baby Emmett is next, but he has to learn to sit up first. ;)

The asparagus

Stir into the onions and flour mixture

Add the broth and heavy cream, puree and serve

Cream of Asparagus Soup
Serving Size = 2 - 3

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, and chopped into small pieces (about 1 1/2 - 2 cups)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 onion, diced
• Salt/pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour

1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, saute the onions until they soften. Add the butter and flour, cook for about 5 - 10 minutes to remove the raw flour taste (it will start to smell toasty after a bit, then stop).
2. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream and asparagus. Cook until the asparagus is tender (doesn't take too long, maybe 15 minutes).
3. Pour the soup into a blender and  puree. Serve with chives snipped over the top.

Linking to: Whole Food Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday

French Onion Soup and Croutons

If you're pantry is empty, or if you want to save money.... OR if a newborn kept you awake all night and you want a very easy to make lunch, then here's your recipe.

It's so easy a caveman could do it.
hehehe
Couldn't resist.

Anyway, I made rye bread the other day to go with our steak dinner. Of course there were leftovers, so the next day I chopped up the extra bread and made croutons. This gave me the idea to make French onion soup because I could top it with croutons and cheese. I thought this would be more interesting than a salad. And I was right, much more interesting.... and tastier too. Plus, it's cold outside so it's perfect soup weather.

Rye croutons

Croutons
Serving Size = 4 cups
Original Recipe

• 4 cups of breads
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt (I just use garlic and salt)
• 1/4 cup of butter, melted or use EVOO

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Cut bread into 1 inch cubes. Toss with EVOO or melted butter until very lightly coated. Add seasoning and toss to coat (I just used garlic powder and salt).
3. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20-35 minutes, or until toasted and crispy.

Start cooking the onions

After a while they should start to caramelize

Add the broth, parsley, simmer and serve

French Onion Soup
Serving Size = 2

• 2 1/2 cups beef broth (you could also use chicken, vegetable or a combination)
• 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• Salt/Pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped
• Gruyere, Swiss cheese, or fontina
• Croutons or bread (handful for each bowl or 1 slice per bowl)

1. Place a stock pot on the stove and set the heat to medium. Add 1/4 stick of butter and let it melt.
2. Slice the onions thinly (I slice them like thin onion rings) and add to the stock pot. Stir well and add the bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Let the onions cook until they are golden brown and soft (about 25 or 30 mins). In the last few minutes, add the garlic and stir.
3. Once the onions finish, add 1/4 cup or so of beef broth to deglaze the pan. Stir well so that the brown bits come off the bottom. Once the liquid evaporates, add the flour and stir. Turn the heat down to medium low to keep the flour from burning and cook for about 10 mins to remove the raw flour taste.
4. Add the rest of the beef/chicken broth and the parsley. Adjust the heat to a simmer and let it cook for another 10 mins. Now it's ready to serve.
5. Place the croutons on top of the soup, add the cheese and place under a broiler until the cheese melts and browns a bit. You could also just slice some bread, place the cheese on top, broil and then place on top of the soup. Garnish with parsley.

Dear Santa,
Did you see the stunning bowl at the top? Even though I love and adore it, I'm not sure it's made for French onion soup. Could you please deliver me a set of red Technique Flame 2 cup soup bowls that are made for onion soup? You know, the ones with the cute little handles that can also be used on the stovetop, in the oven, broiler, freezer, anywhere, any time, any place, completely amazing.... you get the point. :)
Thanks so much,
P.S. I promise to post more cookie recipes.


Linking to: Mangia Mondays, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Tuesdays at the Table, Hearth and Soul

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

There's nothing better than hot soup on a cool fall day. Well, hot chocolate is probably better..... but other than that, nothing. ;) I've always been a potato soup fan. I remember my dad made this often when I was a kid. He had a different recipe though and didn't use cream cheese, but it was still delicious. Cream cheese is definitely a new spin on this old favorite. It adds great flavor and richness which bumps up this budget friendly meal and makes it seem a bit more fancy. I was worried it would lack flavor but I was surprised that it didn't.

Hubs loved it too and even went for seconds. He's never had potato soup. I'm pretty sure he was worried when I told him what we were having for dinner (he hadn't eaten all day because of work).

Our phone conversation went something like this:

Hubs: "What's for dinner?"
Me: "Potato soup"
Hubs: "What's potato soup?"
Me: "It's...... like..... runny mashed potatoes."
Hubs: "Oh...... What's in it?"
Me: "..... potatoes...."
Hubs: "........ *laughing*"

I could have been more detailed but after dealing with a toddler and an infant all day, it just wasn't there. haha! We had a great laugh over it though. By the way, making dinner while watching two kids and no hubs to help.... challenging! But I did it and I think it will get easier over time. I also did the dishes and laundry. I know! I even impressed myself! I'm getting the hang of this. :)

And check out my bowls! Love 'em! My husband and I celebrated 7 years of marriage and this was one of my anniversary gifts. He knows the way to my heart is through dishes. hehe The outside of the bowls have the same pattern but reversed; all dark blue with white flowers. I also included a few pics of our anniversary dinner. 

Some of the food from our anniversary dinner!

1. Pita bread and hummus, click here for recipe
2. Shrimp Cocktail
3. Texas Brisket, click here for recipe

Ok, onto the potato soup!

Cube the potatoes (quickly before infant wakes up)

Finely chop the onion and add to stockpot
(too late, he woke up, so finish soup while holding infant)

Serve (be fancy and add a parsley leaf)

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup (I've never had their soup, so I'm not sure how similar this is)
Serving Size = About 4
Original Recipe

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock (enough to cover the potatoes)
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• Some oil (EVOO)
• 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, cubed
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon or so of cayenne pepper
• 2 - 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the butter and a touch of oil, saute the onions until they start to turn clear and soft. 
2. Add the chicken stock and potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are covered with stock. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook until potatoes are tender ---- about halfway through I added the parsley.
3. Mash a few of the potatoes to release the starch and cook about 5 more minutes. Turn the heat down to low and add the cream cheese, stirring well. Once the cheese has melted, adjust seasoning and serve.

Linking to: Cast Party Wednesday, Mangia Mondays, Tuesdays at the Table, These Chicks Cooked, Foodie Friday, Frugal Friday, Friday Favorites

Panera Broccoli and Cheese Soup (with Chicken)

I've tried several broccoli/cheese soup recipes and this is the only one that has turned out very well. I am used to the Velveeta version, but since I want to avoid Velveeta (and have for some years now) it's been a struggle to find a soup that competes. In my opinion, this one competes and surpasses the Velveeta. I was afraid the amount of sharp cheddar would make the soup almost bitter, but it didn't at all.

I did add chicken to the soup, which is unusual. I woke up in the morning, pulled some chicken out of the fridge to thaw, went to work, and then decided I wanted soup. Soooo..... I figured I would just combine the two. My husband likes the soup better with the chicken but I prefer the soup without the chicken.

I served French bread with this soup.

And only 4 more weeks until baby Emmett arrives! I'm excited to see him but stressed about getting things done. I'm actually going to make some meals in advance and freeze them. My husband assured me that he can handle the cooking, and I'm 110% sure he can, but I think we will all be tired and it would be nice to have a few heat and eat meals.

Here's the frozen food plan so far:

1. Pancakes for breakfast
2. Sausage for pizza
3. Pizza crusts (personal sized, 6 or 10 inch)
4. Lasagna
5. Bread
6. Fried chicken tenders

That's all the ideas I've had so far. Any suggestions??

Cook the chicken

Cook the flour

Add the half and half and chicken stock

Add the veggies

Add the cheese

Panera Broccoli and Cheese Soup (Optional Chicken)
Serving Size = 4
Original Recipe

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
• Oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup melted butter (unsalted)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt/Pepper to taste

1. In a large stock pot (I used my favorite purple cast iron one) over medium heat add some oil, cook the chicken, and then remove. Add a touch of chicken stock to the pan just to deglaze it a bit, scraping the bottom as it evaporates. 
2. Add about 1 tablespoon of butter and a little more oil. Toss in the onions and saute. Remove the onions from the pot.
3. Add the 1/4 cup of butter to the stockpot and melt, then add the flour. Whisk constantly for 3 - 5 minutes, or until the flour cooks. Stir in the half-and-half. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes (I think I simmered for 10 or 15 minutes). I had to add about 1/2 cup more of the cream and 1/2 cup more of the broth.
4. Add the broccoli, carrots, onions, and chicken. Cook over medium low heat for 20 - 25 minutes or until the veggies are cooked. Add the nutmeg and salt/pepper to taste.
5. If you skipped the chicken then you can puree the soup but I prefer not to.
6. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and serve with bread.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday, This Week's Cravings

Oxtail Stew and a busy day

I am so thankful that I decided to make oxtail stew the other day. It's a meal that takes a few minutes in the beginning to start, then you place it on the stove and forget about it for 4 or 5 hours. Easy as that.

Here's what we did the other day that made me thankful for an easy dinner:

1. Carpeted the play room
2. Cleaned the play room
3. Moved all of Mimi's toys into the room (50 million Dora's and Pooh Bear's). Hubs and I giggled the entire time. We're so happy to have them out of the living room. By the way, now that the living room is toy free, I trip more often as I walk through. Can you believe it????
4. Cleaned up the mess Mimi already made on the carpet (she dumped her snack and stomped it into the carpet)
5. Trimmed the doors
6. Noticed a leak in the ceiling which was doing evil things to the drywall
7. Put together a huge/massive/nothing-on-Earth-could-destroy-this-thing shelf for the new pantry
8. Moved all of our canned goods and such into the pantry
9. Put together a screen door for the front of our house (took WAY longer than we thought it would)

Oh my gosh, I was tired by the end of the day. Completely exhausted.

But the stew was delicious (especially if you're not a fan of heavy spices). The oxtail was super tender and full of flavor (it does have a good amount of fat though). But the first, and most important step, is to make sure you have a cute yellow chicken dish to flour your oxtails in. :) If you don't have a cute chicken dish then go ahead and use a normal dish that you picked out since you're not a dork like me. :)

And one more note. I tend to dilute my broth with some water to save money. You could use all water or all broth.

Very important chicken dish

Brown the oxtails 

Remove the oxtails and cook the onions and garlic

Let the stew simmer gently for several hours

Oxtail Stew
Serving Size = 2 (I only used 2 oxtails, but add 1 more if you want and you could easily feed 3 people)

• Oxtails (I used 2, but you could use 3 and you can also trim off the excess fat if there is any)
• 1 cup of flour seasoned with salt
• Oil (extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 quart of beef broth
• Water to cover oxtails (or more broth)
• Salt/Pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 4 - 5 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 - 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of oregano
• Pinch of cayenne
• 4 - 5 small/medium tomatoes or 1 can of whole tomatoes
• Add some tomato paste if you want (optional, I skipped)

1. Place a stock pot on medium/medium high heat. Add oil to cover the bottom. Place the oxtails into the flour/salt mixture and shake off the excess. Place into the hot oil and brown all sides (a few minutes per side). Remove the oxtails and set aside.
2. Add the onion and celery to the stock pot and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste/or tomatoes if you're using them, then add the garlic, thyme, oregano, cayenne, salt/pepper, oxtails, broth and water (until the oxtails are covered). Turn the heat down to keep the soup at a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 3 hours.
3. Add the potatoes, carrots and parsley. Cook for another 40 minutes uncovered (until the potatoes and carrots are tender).
4. Eat up!

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Friday Potluck

Eggplant, Tomato and Basil Soup

This recipe comes from A Fresh Taste of Italy by Michele Scicolone, one of my favorite cookbooks. The reason I bought this book is because I purchased her other book Savoring Italy and loved it so much, I thought, why not buy the other one too. The recipes are simple, and even though some of them lack flavor, it's really easy to fix by increasing the herbs/spices, because again, they are simple. What I love THE MOST though is how inspired I feel when I flip through the recipes. She combines ingredients that I would never combine, but it works perfectly.

Anyway, this recipe is from her cookbook, BUT I made a mistake with my own additions and made it WAYYYYY too spicy. To fix the problem, I increased the chicken stock (which I will leave out of the recipe below, because it does take away some flavor), added vermicelli, 1 egg, and 1/2 lemon juiced (I also added 1 jalapeno in the beginning). Because it was so spicy, it reminded me of my harirra soup, so I went in that direction a bit, but still maintained the Italian flavors.

I'll note my additions below, so you can choose either one. But the end result was DELICIOUS. My favorite soup to date. And I think the original recipe would probably be delicious as well. Although she used water instead of chicken stock, which I disagree with. Always add flavor when you can.

PS: I didn't get a picture of the final product, oops! The picture I took didn't turn out at all.

Eggplant, Tomato, and Basil Soup (And Elsa's Spicy Additions)
Serving Size = 4
Original Recipe: A Fresh Taste of Italy, Michele Scicolone, '97 p 85

• 1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb)
• Salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used 3)
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped, or 2 cups chopped canned Italian tomatoes (I used fresh, probably smart to peel them, but I skipped it. I also skipped the seeding)
• 1 small dried chili pepper, crushed, or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (I used flakes)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I used at least 3)
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 slices of bread (skipped, not a fan of soggy bread)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino romano (I used Parmesan)
• 4 fresh basil leaves for garnish (garnish? I don't think so.... haha)
• 2 cups water, or more if needed (I used chicken stock, always add flavor!)

My Own Extra Additions

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (optional)
• A handful or so of broken vermicelli
• 1 egg
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley

1. Trim the stems from the eggplant and cut lengthwise in half. Place the halves in a large pot of cold water with a generous amount of salt. Bring to a simmer and cover, cook until tender (10 mins or so). They should be soft when poked with a fork. Drain and cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. I used my cast iron stockpot and set it over medium heat. Add the olive oil garlic (for 20 seconds) and then the tomatoes, chili, jalapeno, and chopped basil. Bring to simmer, then lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens a bit (maybe 15 mins).
3. Add the eggplant, salt and pepper. Add 2 cups chicken stock, bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. If the soup gets too thick, add more stock.
4. (At this point, the author recommends placing a piece of toast into each bowl, and serving the soup over it with a sprinkle of Parmesan and the basil garnish. I do not want soggy bread though, so I skipped it.)
5. Before I served it, in the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking I added the vermicelli. Then I added the raw egg and stirred it in very well (it will cook super fast). Once everything is cooked, I shut the heat off and add the lemon juice, and serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Could easily be made vegetarian by subbing the chicken stock with vegetable stock and leaving out the egg.

Linking to: Hearth and Soul

Dragon's Breath Chili and List Making

My morning goes something like this:

• Wake up
• Have coffee
• Check work email and respond to a student
• Hear "mama mama" and check on baby --- wide awake
• Change diaper
• Put on cartoons
• Finish coffee
• Get some breakfast, usually quick bread or yogurt
• Work on dishes
• Try to find something else for baby to do that doesn't involve the TV rotting her brain
• Idea! Attempt to teach baby French words ----- and fail
• Clean up baby toys
• Clean up baby toys again
• Give up and play with the baby toys
• Work on lunch
• Lunch is boring ---- that's why I only post dinner recipes ;)
• Check email and blog
• Wish cartoons were still playing because the baby is destroying the house
• Think about dinner, give up, think about dinner again
• Find a recipe and hunt for replacements since I'm missing half of the ingredients
• Give up and find a new recipe
• Tell baby to stop shredding the books and hear baby say "nononononono"
• Tell baby "No, don't touch, nononono"
• Figure out why she loves the word "no" so much

Every morning, every single day, is exactly like this and I absolutely love it. :)

The recipe that I went with is called "Dragon's Breath Chili." I went with this recipe because 1) I haven't had chili in forever, 2) I had peppers to use up and 3) It's cold outside, so chili is a must.

Did you notice I'm in a list mood today? haha I get that way sometimes. I start making grocery lists, to-do lists, work lists and then I never look at them again. Lists are an incredible waste of time for me. I think that's why I love making lists. Anyway here is the recipe. It was the best chili I've ever made, hands-down. I did change this recipe quite a bit though, so I will link back to the original, but what you see below is not the original recipe. I prefer more beans in my chili and less meat. I also decreased the heat for my toddler. It's more like "Baby dragon's breath chili."

I hope you try it and love it. Enjoy!

Saute the veggies.

Liquid level before cooking.

(Baby) Dragon's Breath Chili

Original Recipe: Guy Fieri

Serving Size = 4

• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (replace this with Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Grape Seed Oil)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, minced (I would use 2 next time)
• 1 poblano chile, roasted, peeled, chopped (Use 2)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 head of garlic, minced, about 1/8 cup
• 1 lb ground beef, lean
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 - 3 tablespoons chili powder (to taste)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 4 teaspoons cumin (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
• 3 - 4 cans of whole tomatoes with juice, squished
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 15-oz cans of pinto beans, 1 with juice and one drained (it depends how long you will cook it, I cooked mine for about 1 hour)
• 1 15-oz can kidney beans, with juice
• About 3 tablespoons of ketchup (optional)
• Shredded Cheese and Sour Cream

1. In a medium stockpot (I used my red Dutch oven of pure awesomeness) heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, poblano, jalapeno and onion. Saute until it starts to turn a little brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. 
2. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, roughly 10 minutes. 
3. Add all of the spices, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. 
4. Add the two cans of tomatoes and chicken stock, stir.
5. Add the three cans of beans. I left the liquid in two cans, and then drained one. The reason I did this is because it looked like too much liquid and I didn't plan to cook the chili for the entire 2 hours. So just figure out how much time you have, and how thick you want your chili. After an hour the liquid evaporated enough that it made a very thick chili. 
6. Add the ketchup and stir. Lower heat and let simmer for 2 hours.
7. Serve with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Note - How to Roast Peppers:

1. Grill: Place entire pepper on a grill and cook until the skin starts to blacken and peel away. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let steam until cool.
2. Broiler: Preheat broiler. Broil whole peppers 2 inches under the broiler, turning every 5 minutes until skin blackens and blisters. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and let steam until cool.
3. Before Using: Remove the skin, stems and seeds. Slice into bite size pieces.

Linking to: Hearth and Soul, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday

Carrot-Ginger Cream Soup and Pumpkin Tea

A very bad idea....

Making cookies the other day might not have been the wisest decision. For one, I cannot stop eating them. Therefore, I haven't really had much of an appetite for lunch or dinner. And the second reason is because I dumbly placed the plate of cookies in the middle of the dining room table. When I wasn't looking, my toddler climbed onto the table and started shoveling as many cookies into her mouth as quickly as possible. I would like to add that this happened right before nap time, so nap time didn't occur until many hours later after she finished running and screaming all over the house. Now that she's napping, I decided to relax, blog and have some Twining's Chai Pumpkin Spice Tea. Have you tried it yet? It's the best tea I've ever had..... in my life. And I drink a lot of tea. My mom brought it back from vacation and I've been drinking it ever since. 

The Cookbook....

Even though I didn't have much of an appetite today, I went ahead and made some soup. The cookbook I used today??

M-I-C-K-E-Y
M-O-U-S-E

Yep, I'm using a Disney Mickey Mouse cookbook. :) It's a collection of recipes from Disney's resorts and theme parks. I went with the Carrot-Ginger Cream Soup served at Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. It was very yummy and mild. If you don't care for strong flavors, this is the way to go. The recipe below is the full amount, but I cut this in half. Next time, I will increase the amount of ginger to a little under 1/4, or, if you are making the full amount a little under 1/2. Even though this seems like a goofy Mickey Mouse book, it actually contains a lot of very impressive recipes.

Here are a few examples of the main dishes: 

Coq au Vin du Beaujolais, Pollo a las Rajas, Honey Sesame Chicken, Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons, Bourbon Steak Marinade, Berbere Braised Lamb Shank and Lemon Grass Risotto....

Here are some of the desserts: 

Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Cookie Mousse and Chocolate Souffle....

That's right, this mouse can cook.

Chop up the veggies.

Saute and add chicken stock (or veggie stock).

Puree and serve!

Carrot-Ginger Cream Soup Recipe:

Brandon, P. (2004). Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs, p. 43.
Serving Size = 10 Servings (2 quarts)

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Pinch of dried basil, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley (Skipped because I'm out)
• 1/4 cup of diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 10 carrots, diced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup sliced ginger (I grated it and next time I might increase to a little under 1/2 cup)
• 2 quarts heavy cream
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat the butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat until smoking (I didn't wait until smoking). Add the basil, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are tender (mine took a little longer).
2. Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock. Add the ginger and bring back to a boil. Add the heavy cream and turn down to low, to create a simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring from time to time. The soup should thicken (do not boil).
3. Add salt and pepper, taste and then remove the bay leaf and pour the mixture into a blender and puree. Strain through a fine mesh strainer (I skipped) and serve.

Linking to: Cookbook Sundays, Potluck Sundays, Homemaker Monday.

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup

I love making soup. It's quick, usually foolproof, very cheap and comforting on cold days. Most leek and potato soup recipes that I find lack flavor. They normally contain cream, chicken stock, leeks and potatoes --- no herbs or spices. So, I decided to add what I thought would work well. Thyme and nutmeg go nicely with potatoes. Ginger and red pepper flakes give it a bit of heat. My foot is regretting the ginger addition though. The glass ginger bottle fell from the over-packed cabinet onto my foot. After rolling around on the floor, I recovered and continued to cook dinner standing on one foot. Of course, my daughter was hanging from my shirt saying, "mama mama mama." Making dinner on one foot while holding a toddler was a workout. Today, my husband and I agreed to install a spice rack. Woohoo!

Creamy Leek and Potato Soup Recipe
Serving Size = 2

• 1 leek, chopped into small pieces (I only had 1, but 2 would be better)
• 3 small potatoes, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• Oil

*Note: The red pepper flakes are noticeable in this dish. If you do not like heat, then leave them out.

1. In a medium stockpot, heat the butter and a touch of oil over medium heat. Add the leek and the potatoes, let them cook until they soften a bit. 
2. Add the chicken stock, salt/pepper, thyme, flakes, nutmeg and ginger and let everything cook together for about 20 minutes. 
3. Make sure the potatoes are cooked completely through, then transfer the soup to a blender and puree.
4. Pour back into the stockpot and add the cream, stir and let everything cook together for about 5 minutes.

Linking to: Real Food Deals

Borscht and Stuffed Olives

I have had such a busy weekend! On Friday, I visited Kate from Pink Pancakes. She was visiting from Austin, TX and brought me the most adorable Mexican dish. I'm working on a Mexican inspired kitchen, so it matches perfectly. I was able to meet her fiance and celebrate her son's birthday with several familiar faces! :) Did I mention that I am now the proud owner of an adorable Mexican dish?! As expected, I am using it for one of the recipes below. Also, on a serious note, Casondra from Mother of a Miracle Baby just underwent surgery so keep her in your thoughts!

Beautiful!

Now for some food! For some unknown reason, I wanted to put stuffed olives on my new dish. I found a recipe that called for goat cheese, basil and I cannot even remember what else. It sounded delicious, but I didn't have all of the ingredients. Instead, I went with my own version but next time I will add fresh basil. It tasted good, but I would rather have cooked olives. The recipe starts with roasting garlic...

Cut off the tops

Let cool and then squeeze garlic out of the skins

Roasted Garlic Recipe

• 1 large head of garlic, the tops trimmed off
• 1/8 cup of oil or less
• Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.


Place garlic in a bowl, pour on the oil. Go a little heavy with the oil, but not too much. Toss to coat, place garlic cut side up. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 1 hour. The garlic should be tender and easy to squeeze out of the skins.

Refrigerate until ready to serve

Roasted Garlic/Cream Cheese Stuffed Olives Recipe

• 1 can jumbo black olives
• 1/2 package of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
• 2 bulbs of roasted garlic
• Pepper

Place everything except the olives into a blender until just combined. Place mixture into a zip lock and cut off the tip. Using the bag, fill the olives with the cheese mixture.

I have tried several stuffed olive recipes, but I'm still searching for the perfect one. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know! :)

I also made borscht for the first time. Since I've never had it before I have no idea how it should taste. I tried to research several recipes, but they are all so different. I finally settled on a recipe that didn't look too complicated, but I made a few changes. The soup turned out very mild and I do like it, but I would prefer more flavor, so next time I will add meat.

Saute the veggies

Beautiful red color

Borscht Recipe

• 1 carton of beef broth (add veggie broth to make vegetarian)
• 1 large turnip, cubed
• 1 medium to small onion, diced
• 1 potato, cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 medium beets, cut into matchsticks
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1/2 head of cabbage or less, thinly sliced
• 1 can of whole tomatoes, crushed, or 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 1 small bay leaf
• S/P
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
• Butter/Oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Wash the beets and wrap them in aluminum foil and bake at 400F for an hour until tender. Remove, peel and cut into matchsticks. Saute the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter with a touch of oil for a few minutes, then add the turnip and carrots for another few minutes. Pour in the broth and add the rest of the ingredients except the lemon juice. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer for 10 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Just before serving, add the lemon juice and stir.

If anyone has a different borscht or stuffed olive recipe, let me know! 

Harira Soup

During Ramadan this soup is eaten daily. The most noticeable flavors are the cilantro, tomato and ginger. The turmeric makes the soup turn a pretty orange color but doesn't really add any flavor. When I first saw the ingredients required for this soup I was a bit intimidated. I've made this soup probably hundreds of time and it is a piece of cake. One odd ingredient is the cinnamon, but this spice is very common in Middle Eastern cuisine. Usually, more is added, but I don't care for strong cinnamon flavor in savory food. I add a pinch of cinnamon to add more depth to the meal, but not enough to pick out while eating it. Also, two important notes, do not cook it past the stated cooking time. Some soups improve if they are cooked throughout the day, but this soup isn't one of them (at least not with this recipe). As for the second note, just keep in mind that the ingredients are approximate. When I cook this soup I just pour in the ingredients, I don't actually measure each spice. 

Begin by adding oil, onion and celery. Let them cook for a couple of minutes, then add the meat, allow it to brown, then add the chopped tomatoes.

Now that the tomatoes have cooked down a bit, add all of the spices (not the cilantro and parsley). Notice that the turmeric turned the soup orange! :)

Add the water, bouillon and tomato paste (optional). With 20 minutes left, add the lentils. With 10-15 minutes left add the cilantro and parsley. With 5 minutes left, add the noodles and chick peas. At the end, add the egg and stir well until cooked. Shut off the heat, add the lemon juice and stir.

All done! By the way, do not put orange soup in an orange bowl, it doesn't look pretty. haha! oops!

Ingredients

• Beef for stew (maybe 1/2 lb)
• Approximately 1 tablespoon of oil 
• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped 
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (edit: 7/22/2012)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric 
• A pinch of cinnamon 
• Salt and Pepper to taste 
• A big handful of cilantro and parsley, combined 
• 1 can of whole tomatoes, or 4-5 fresh tomatoes 
• 2 teaspoons of tomato paste (optional) 
• 1/4 cup of lentils 
• 1/4 cup of vermicelli 
• 5 cups of water and bullion cubes, or beef broth and no water 
• 1 egg 
• 1/2 lemon 

Add the oil to a medium pot (enough to coat the bottom) and add the onion and celery. Let is cook for a few minutes, then add the beef, cook until browned (about 10 minutes). Add the tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes. Add all of the spices (not the cilantro and parsley). Let it cook for 5 more minutes and then add the water and bullion (usually 1 cube per cup) or beef broth and tomato paste. Let it cook for about an hour. Add the lentils and cook for about 10 minutes, then add the cilantro and parsley and let cook for 10 more minutes. Add the noodles and chick peas, cook for 5 minutes. Break an egg into a bowl and then add to the soup, stir well. The egg will cook through in a minute or less. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice. Stir and eat!

The cooking time should be about 2 hours, I wouldn't go over 2 1/2 or it will turn ucky.

Serves - 4-5 people

Note: If you want the soup to be authentic, you would add the cilantro and parsley in the beginning after the meat has browned. I did that for years and it worked just fine. However, the longer you cook herbs, the more flavor they lose. I steered away from the original recipe and started adding the cilantro and parsley towards the end. Both options work, but adding them at the end gives the soup more cilantro and parsley flavor.