spring soup & sammy night

zucchini garlic bisque
makes about 3 quarts - good for sharing or freezing!
4 tablespoons butter
2 small white onions, sliced
8 to 9 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
7-8 medium zucchini, about 3 pounds, half peeled and chopped
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot over medium heat. When it foams, add the sliced garlic and onions and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough that the garlic doesn't brown; you want everything to sweat. When the onions are soft, add the zucchini and cook until soft. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then blend with an immersion blender until creamy, or transfer to a standing blender to puree. Taste and season with ginger, salt and pepper. This soup will taste even better after a night's rest in the fridge.

What better to pair zucchini bisque with other than a delicious and colorful sandwich!

sandwich service for two

4 slices hearty bread (like oatmeal, whole grain, sourdough)

3-4 ounces goat cheese, softened

small handful of fresh herbs - I used basil and chives

bunch of fresh beets - mine where quite small and there were about 8 in a bunch

2 eggs

S&P to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Trim and clean the beets - reserve the greens for later. Toss with some EVOO and Kosher salt in a tin foil packet and place in the oven for about an hour. When the beets are done, allow to cool. Peel off any outer layer that is coming off and slice. Assemble sandwiches: toasted bread, about 2 ounces goat cheese, spread on one piece of toast, chopped herbs, beet slices, fried egg over medium and a little salt and pepper. Top with second piece of toast, slice, devour.

our april ham

We only have ham once a year - Easter. Well growing up, we always had a holiday dinner at our neighbor's house, the Wilson's - and we had ham then too. It was always so delicious!

Easter has become one of my favorite holidays because I don't have to cook a main dish - Honey Baked does that for me. This year, we were lucky enough to have Kayla and Peter join us for the holiday weekend!

We toured Yazoo Brewery - very fun.

spent an afternoon at Radnor Lake...

Peter was a crane.

In addition to lots of other good food and drink, we went to Hattie B's for hot chicken. And then Peter cried because his chicken was so hot - it was very funny for the rest of us.

After a great long weekend (and lots of leftover ham), I made a delicious split pea soup.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chopped medium onion

4 carrots, thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1 quart chicken stock, homemade is preferable

1 bag (16 ounces) green split peas, picked over and rinsed

ham bone plus 2 cups reserved ham cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large stock pot with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes. Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove and discard bone from soup. Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup (or carefully remove half to a blender). After it is the consistency you like, add ham cubes, and simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve topped with croutons. 

Top with some croutons, yum!

now that is good

Inspired by Ree Drummond and a sale on potatoes...potato bacon bisque - too good.

5 medium potatoes, scrubbed and peeled (I used Idaho...you da hoe? what?)

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

8 pieces of bacon

1/2 cup cream

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons flour

8 cups chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

dash (or two) of cayenne pepper - we like heat so I used about 1/4 teaspoon

2-3 heaping tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

ground pepper

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.  Over medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, paprika, thyme oregano and cayenne pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Chop up your delicious cooked bacon and set aside. Whisk together the flour and the milk in a cup and pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for about 5 more minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend until a consistency that you like. Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream, bacon and 2 tablespoons parsley. Taste for seasonings - may need more S&P. Garnish with additional parsley and other tasting toppings like a few reserved bacon pieces, grated Parmesan cheese or a dollop of sour cream. SO delicious!

You could leave the bacon out and use about 2 tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon EVOO to sauté vegetables in - delicious vegetarian option.

5 pounds is a lot

When I go to the store, I always just grab the two pound bag of carrots. Well between salads, pot roasts and soups - a two pound bag of carrots goes quickly. The last time I went shopping, I thought "you know what - go for it - get the 5 pound bag of carrots...you will use it!" Let me tell you - five pounds of carrots is a lot. Do not be fooled. But - if you do make the commitment to purchase lovely carrots in bulk then try out this spicy carrot soup!

spicy carrot soup
2-3 tablespoons EVOO

1 medium onion, chopped
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch knob ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
ground black pepper
sour cream for topping
Toss the sliced carrots and chopped onion in the EVOO, season well with S&P. Preheat the oven for 400 degrees. Assemble vegetables on a cookie sheet and roast for about 30 minute until tender. In a large stock pot, add a tablespoon of EVOO and saute the garlic clove until fragrant. Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a light simmer. When vegetables are done roasting, add to chicken stock. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add curry powder, cumin, ginger and cayenne. Cook for about another 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt - taste for seasonings. When serving, place soup in a shallow bowl and swirl a tablespoon of sour cream into it.
You could also stir in a little heavy cream - either will cut the heat a bit and provide a nice bit of creaminess. Enjoy!

dive right in!

soup of the month

A work inspired post - in more ways than one! Today is my first day back to the office in almost two weeks. Prepare yourself for an odd comment - it actually feels a little good to be back to work. There I said it - now never speak of this again. 

My colleague, Irisa, mentioned that a "soup of month" post would be a good idea, and I (as a soup lover) totally agree. Oddly enough, I brought a nice bowl of soup for lunch today. I find soup to be the finest of the packable lunch selections. Today's special is cauliflower, corn & chicken chowder. Yum.

1 medium head of cauliflower, roughly chopped

1/2 onion, diced

3 tablespoons EVOO

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup frozen corn 

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

1/3 cup chopped parsley

lots of S&P to taste

shredded chicken from a rotisserie bird or roughly 3-4 breasts cooked and shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cauliflower and onion in 2 tablespoons EVOO and season well with S&P. Assemble in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes until tender. Over medium heat, heat a tablespoon of EVOO and saute the bell pepper until just soft, remove to the side. In the same large pot, heat the chicken stock. Add cooked cauliflower and onion mixture - puree with an immersion blender (or remove to blender and puree in batches). Add in bell pepper, thyme, shredded chicken, corn and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and taste for seasoning. The cauliflower helps give this soup a creamy feel (yet with no cream - it is a cauliflower miracle).

Okay lunch break is over - happy Friday all!

a new duo

Cumin carrot and basil asparagus soup - nothing beats a warm bowl of soup on a rainy Sunday. Enjoy each soup solo or let them share the bowl for a delicious duo.

cumin carrot soup

1 pound carrots, peeled and quartered

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons EVOO

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 cup white wine

3 &1 /2 cups chicken stock

generous amount of salt and pepper

basil asparagus soup

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds

2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons EVOO

1/2 cup white wine

3  & 1/2 cups chicken stock

generous amount of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss the carrot, onion, EVOO and salt and pepper. Roast on a pan in the oven. Do the same with the asparagus, onion, EVOO and salt and pepper on another pan. Test after 30 minutes (toss occasionally) - the asparagus will be done but carrots will likely need another 15 minutes. To prepare each soup, add the roasted vegetable mixture to a stock pot with remaining ingredients - bring to a light simmer and then remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the soups until smooth.

Assemble in a bowl so it looks pretty and enjoy! 

The weather turned quite chilly last week which has me thinking of the holidays. For the Nashville locals - you may wish to check a new spot in Cool Springs (especially when you are taking a break from Christmas shopping!) called Salad Works. The store on Frazier Drive opened last week and they were kind of enough to treat me to a salad. I opted for a build your own salad with a delicious avocado vinaigrette, but then spied a great looking steak salad. Something to try next time!

what should this blog post be called?

new soup. new salad. new year - well kind of. Vance started his post-doc a few weeks ago which (hopefully) means a slightly more flexible schedule than the last 3 years have provided. Change has already begun (he is reading in bed right next to me - typically he would either be at work, prepping for cases or fast asleep). I love the post-doc years already!

New recipes - delicious.

panzanella salad with caramelized onions and mozzarella
4 large vine ripened tomatoes, cut into large cubes or wedges
loaf of stale bread (or cube fresh bread and lightly toast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes)
1 small white onion, sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup EVOO
1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed, washed and spun dry, turn into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Saute the onion slices in a little EVOO until soft - about 15 minutes, set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions and bread. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar and oil. Pour the dressing over the bread salad and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Add the basil and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

garlic zucchini bisque

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 white onion, sliced

8 to 9 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly 

4 medium zucchini, about 1 1/2 pounds

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

S&P to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium heat. When it foams, add the sliced garlic and onions and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough that the garlic doesn't brown; you want everything to sweat. When the onions are soft, add the zucchini and cook until soft. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then blend with an immersion blender until creamy, or transfer to a standing blender to puree. Be very careful if you use the latter; only fill the blender half full with each batch, and hold the lid down tightly with a towel. Taste and season with ginger, salt and pepper. Like most soups, this is significantly better after a night in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.

I topped our soup with dried roasted red pepper pieces (store bought), but a few croutons or a sprinkle of Parmesan would be nice toppers too.

it's getting hot, hot, hot.

The warm weather has arrived! As summer tries to takeover spring, we have been enjoying some lighter fair on the deck - and wine on the deck - and on Friday, we had raspberry mojitos on the deck. This weekend, I made a tasty chilled gazpacho with shrimp paired with herbed sour cream muffins. You may be seeing a theme - herbs. My potted herbs are really taking off and now I am getting herb-anxiety - I have mentioned this condition before. Basically, everything I cook or bake for the next 3 months will have some type of fresh herbs in it - not a bad problem to have!

Sunday Night Gazpacho via Ree Drummond

Herbed sour cream muffins via Bon Appetit - I altered the herbs a bit, using more dill, basil, lemon basil & chives and omitting the marjoram. Be sure to mist your cupcake liners prior to spooning in the batter. Also, a buttermilk note - I rarely buy buttermilk as you can make it at home. In a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar, top off with milk up to 1 cup. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then add to recipe. Less expensive than buying a quart of buttermilk unless you have a plan for the rest of it (or want to freeze it). 

golden & delicious

Curried Butternut Squash Soup via Ina Garten

The last wintery dish made with my beloved butternut squash. I doubled this recipe as I was having it for a ladies luncheon - it is so delicious. Give this a try before squash is gone until next fall.

pork. cilantro. lime. ginger.

1/4 pound linguine

1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 pork tenderloin (about 3/4 pound), cut into small strips*

6 scallions including green tops, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

2 tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 quart chicken stock

1/4 pound bean sprouts

2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime), plus lime wedges for serving

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut crosswise into thin slices

1 cup lightly packed mint, basil, or cilantro leaves, or a combination 

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the pork, scallions, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, fish sauce, salt, water, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pork is just done, about 10 minutes. Stir the cooked linguine, bean sprouts, and lime juice into the soup. Ladle into bowls, top each serving with some of the cucumber and herbs, and serve with the lime wedges. *I had about half of a leftover pork loin that I used for this recipe. It had been roasted so I cubed it up and stirred it in with tomatoes and broth. Great use for leftover pork.

This soup is fresh and delicious and was something different to try.

an american icon

Vance and I went to the Frist Center today to see a great Norman Rockwell exhibit. We grabbed drinks afterwards at 1808 Grill in the Hutton Hotel - a lovely day date! In addition to his well-known Post covers, the exhibit showed a large variety of his work.

One recipe for this post! Roasted red pepper & sweet potato bisque - creamy and great with grilled cheese.

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons EVOO

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 teaspoon dash crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

4 cups homemade broth or stock (I used turkey, but chicken or vegetable are great too)

sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine sweet potato, red pepper, onion, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and dried herbs. Toss to coat. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes (tossing every 15-20 minutes), until the vegetables are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally. Remove from the oven and let cool for several minutes. Working in batches, puree vegetables with broth in blender or food processor until smooth. (You can add up to a cup of water for a thinner consistency). Pour mixture into a large pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serve in cups with a dollop of sour cream to cut the heat a bit (optional).

auld lang syne

Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. - Wikipedia

Cheers to 2014 with a Champagne Cocktail!

Place a sugar cube in a flute, hit it with about 4-5 drops of Angostura bitters and top with Champagne. Garnish with a citrus twist. 

I made Ina Garten's sea bass with preserved lemon sauce last night for our New Year's Eve dinner. It was light and citrusy - along with Bobby Flay's sautéed kale - yum! We started with carrot, ginger & apple soup.

soup in Cynthia Rowley's Dirty Dishes

1 & 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped

1 & 1/2 apples, peeled and chopped (or two small apples)

1 & 12 inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups vegetable stock

2-3 tablespoons EVOO

S&P

pinch of nutmeg

Heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven or stock pot and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute. Add carrot and apple and continue to cook - pour in stock and bring to light boil. Reduce to simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from heat and add pinch of nutmeg. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.

Pork and sauerkraut for January 1! Enjoy New Year's and the start of 2014!

soup city

Once the weather gets cold, I (like so many others) crave a warm bowl of soup. My friend, Jill, had a fun Christmas exchange where we brought things we liked to cook or bake (instead of the traditional cookie swap). I made soup - perhaps not the best planning as then I had to pour the soup into tiny jars for the party guests - but it was quite tasty.

 Chicken & Winter Veg (before the jarring process)

About 2-3 tablespoons EVOO

2 small onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced 

4 tablespoons tomato paste
2 large sweet potatoes peeled, quartered lengthwise, and thinly sliced

2 cans diced tomatoes with juice

Quart & half chicken or turkey stock teaspoon
1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

coarse salt and ground pepper

1.5-2 pounds cooked chicken (mine was pulled rotisserie chicken)

12-16 ounces kale, chopped

In a large saucepan with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add sweet potato, tomatoes and their juice, broth, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover; cook until potato is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Stir in chicken, add kale in two batches, waiting for the first batch to wilt before adding the second. Cover, and simmer just until chicken is heated through. Season well with salt and pepper. This recipe made a lot so feel free to half it!

 I also made pesto chicken 'n orzo soup - needless to say, the freezer is stocked.

quart of chicken stock 

1 lb cooked chicken (I used baked skinless breasts) 

14.5 oz can of chopped tomatoes

 1/2 cup dried orzo pasta 

1 small onion, diced 

2 small zucchini, diced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 teaspoons dried oregano 

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

black pepper 

4 tablespoons basil pesto  

10 ounces baby spinach 

In Dutch oven, saute zucchini and diced onion in garlic with oregano with some S&P,

remove and set aside. Into the Dutch oven, add broth, chicken, undrained tomatoes, and

uncooked orzo. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 6 minutes. Add zucchini, onion,

lemon peel, and lemon juice. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer and stir in pesto and

fold in spinach in batches. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until orzo and zucchini are

tender. Season to taste with black pepper.