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!

put an egg on it

Before the warm weather arrived, I made a delicious farro risotto - truthfully though, this lighter spin on my beloved risotto, makes it a great spring option too.

asparagus farro risotto with farm fresh egg - inspired by Mark Bittman
2 lbs. asparagus, peeled, trimmed and cut into one-inch-long pieces, tips reserved
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade or low-sodium)
2 tablespoons EVOO
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
½ medium onion, diced
1¼ cup semi-pearled farro
½ cup dry white wine
1 heaping teaspoon Kosher salt
¾ cup grated Parmesan
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
4 fresh eggs

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add half the asparagus stalks (not the tips) and cook until quite soft, at least five minutes. Rinse quickly under cold water or put in ice water. Put cooked asparagus in a blender or food processor and add ¼ cup water. Purée adding more water one tablespoon at a time if necessary. Set aside. Place stock in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add farro and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add white wine, stir, and let liquid bubble away. Add the salt. Add warmed stock, ½ cup or so at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time stock has just about evaporated, add more. After about 15 minutes, add remaining asparagus pieces and tips, continuing to add stock when necessary. After 5 minutes, begin tasting the risotto. You want the grains to be tender but with a bit of crunch; it could take as long as 30 minutes total to reach this stage. When the risotto is almost ready, bring a medium saucepan with 4 eggs in it to a light boil - boil eggs for about 4 minutes (start timer when boil begins). When risotto is ready, stir in ½ cup asparagus purée. Remove skillet from heat, add cheese, parsley and remaining butter, and stir briskly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve in a shallow bowl and gently crack an egg, scooping out the yolk for serving. Discard the egg whites and shell. Serve immediately.

When the egg is mixed into the risotto it helps create an even creamier delicious dish!

Enjoy!

sometimes you just have to do it

just post it. it has been so long since I have posted on the blog - and when that happens, I think a lot about what to post - and how to post - and when...but I realized I need to stop thinking and just post it!

Ina Garten does it again! Pomegranate cosmopolitans for my mom's birthday celebration!

Vodka Metropolitan

2 shots vodka

1 shot cranberry juice

large wedge of fresh lime, juiced

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass, garnish with 2 blackberries and a twist of lime.

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!

a warm winter salad

The holidays are over, but who says you still can't enjoy a delicious beef tenderloin for dinner? This dish, adapted from Country Living, is served with a warm salad that has a crisp pop of pomegranate.

beef tenderloin over cauliflower, kale & pom salad for two

1-1.5 pound filet of beef, trimmed & tied

1 bunch of kale, torn

1 pomegranate (seed from half the fruit)

1 head of cauliflower

2 shallots, quartered

5 tablespoons EVOO

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1/4 cup chicken stock (optional)

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Tie the beef in about three spots. Using about a tablespoon of EVOO, rub the beef down (woo!), salt and pepper well and assemble in the center of a flat pan (like a  lasagna dish). Toss chopped cauliflower heads, shallot quarters, about 3 tablespoons of EVOO with S&P. Assemble the vegetables around the roast. Test the beef after about 13-15 minutes - if it is at 120 degrees, remove to a plate and cover with foil. Allow vegetables to finish roasting (might take a bit longer depending on how big your florets are).

In a small saucepan, add about 3 tablespoons of EVOO, lemon juice, mustard and chicken stock - bring to a slight simmer. Remove the vegetables and add the torn kale to the the pot - stir to allow the kale to wilt. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well. Plate the warm cauliflower salad, pomegranate seeds and top with thinly sliced beef.

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!