Pork and Mushroom Stew Filed under ( main dishes, mushrooms, pork, Potatoes, Soup, stew )

I'm in the best mood right now, wanna know why? Because as I sit here and type, two angels from heaven, I mean, maintenance men are fixing my oven!!! Sure, I have to sit and listen to a certain cheating wife, and a son that refuses to potty train, but hey, they could talk about world domination for all I care, at least I'll have an oven! Now my head is reeeeling with all of the delicious baked possibilities. No doubt I'll be leaving the grocery store today with a cart full of flour and sugar. It's a good day indeed!


Now onto something just as fantastic, this stew is another one of those dishes that goes straight into the top ten list of things I've ever made. When you think of a hearty stew with pork and mushrooms, the last adjective you'd probably think to describe it would be sexy, but let me tell you, this is one sexy stew! It's rich, earthy, full of soul and enticement. It's velvety on the tongue and will warm your whole body. Oh yes, this is a stew that will seduce you, and hopefully again and again.

Serve this over mashed potatoes, put on some Marvin Gaye, and thank me later.


Pork and Mushroom Stew
By Cuisine at Home October 2010

Ingredients

1 TB olive oil
1 TB unsalted butter
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
1/2 sliced leeks or shallots
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 TB all purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine
3/4 cup apple cider or juice
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 TB minced fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
diced Granny Smith Apple

Directions

1. Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high. Add pork and saute until brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove pork to a plate; set aside.

2. Sweat mushrooms, leeks and carrot in same pan over medium heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

3. Deglaze pan with sherry, scraping up any bits on bottom of pan, and reduce until evaporated. Stir in cider and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pork with residual juices and 1 TB thyme. Simmer stew until thickened, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve over mashed potatoes, garnish with diced apples and a sprig of thyme.

French Dip Sandwiches Filed under ( beef, cheese, crockpot recipes, main dishes, quick and easy, sandwiches, Soup )

By now most of my friends know that when you have a converation with me, inevitably it's going to be about food. I don't mean for it to happen, it just does, and it makes me so happy! So while having a food conversation with my adorable friend Angela, she mentioned having a homemade French Dip recipe. My husband and I LOVE French dip, but I admit that I've only ever done it with packaged au jus and not from scratch. So when I got the recipe, I was thrilled to discover that I had EVERY single ingredient to put this together. Hallelujah, don't you love that!

This literally takes about five minutes, if that, to throw together in your crockpot, and then you get to smell it brewing all day. I was so excited to eat it that night. I used hamburger buns because it's what I had and, but normally I would probably make this on a hoagie or kaiser roll. I toasted the buns with some really sharp provolone, which was the perfect compliment to the savory meat. My kids also really loved it, which doesn't happen all the time. They thought it was so fun to dip their sandwiches in the "soup" and at once point my daughter wanted to just drink it! Angela suggests adding an onion soup mix to the mix, which I will definitely do next time I make this! I could really go on and on about this sandwich, so you're just going to have to try it for yourselves!

French Dip Sandwiches
Thanks Angela!

Ingredients

1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast (Mine is often smaller than this, 2-3 pounds works fine too. And I usually cut it into a few pieces so it will cook faster/better.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I used minced garlic)
2-3 cups beef stock or water
package of onion soup mix (optional)
French Bread or Rolls for sandwiches

Directions

Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place trimmed roast in a slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, bouillon, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast, and add enough water (i used beef stock) to almost cover roast. Cover, and cook on Low heat for 10 to 12 hours, or until meat is very tender (mine completely fell apart after sitting on high for seven house, mmmm).

Remove meat from broth, reserving broth. Shred meat with a fork, and distribute on bread for sandwiches. Used reserved broth for dipping.
(Sometimes I'll make up some beef broth & mix it with the remaining broth if I want more dipping sauce.)

Crockpot Spicy Bean Soup Filed under ( crockpot recipes, main dishes, meat, Soup )

This is one of those recipes invented in the midst of scarcity. My pantry is always stocked with a variety of beans, broths and all types of tomato (sauces, diced, pureed) which always come in handy, especially when I'm low on ideas and food! So when I had a thawed 1/2 pound of beef in my fridge, behold this soup! My whole family loved it and it didn't take long before it was completely devoured. It's packed with flavor, and very healthy.

Ingredients

1/2lb-1lb ground beef or turkey

1 minced onion

4-5 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups diced carrots

2 15-oz cans chili beans, pinto beans or kidney beans (whatever you like really), drained and rinsed

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (if you don't like spicy foods, just use regular diced tomatoes)

2 cups beef, chicken or veggie broth (mine was a combination of all of them, because it's what I had in my fridge!)

1 TB garlic salt

1 TB parsley

1 TB dried oregano

1 TB cumin

1 tsp black pepper

1-2 TB chili powder

Directions

1. Brown beef or turkey and onions in a large nonstick skillet over med heat. Add carrots and celery and cook until just wilted. Place in a slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine.

3. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

4. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers and shredded cheddar cheese.

Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl Filed under ( bread, main dishes, seafood, Soup )

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? We had a wonderful time with friends this year, lots of food, and I'm still full! Now it's Monday and back to the grind, but luckily not for too long.

A few weeks ago Sara, Alissa and I got together again for another bloggy friend lunch. It's such a great way to explore new recipes and try new things, and of course, the company's not bad either! For our appetizer, Sara made these wonderful lettuce wraps that taste very similar to those of PF Chang's, delicious, keep your eye out for those!

And for the main course I made clam chowder. I made clam chowder for two reasons, one, I love it, and don't eat it often since it's not exactly diet friendly. Two, my husband does not like it, so I needed to take advantage of the opportunity to make it without hearing an hour's worth of belly-achin, hee hee! The recipe I found on food network is absolutely fool proof and SOO delicious. It only takes about a half hour to make too. I served the chowder in bread bowls. If you're going to serve soup in bread bowls, I strongly suggest that you serve a very thick chowder or chili, otherwise you'll probably have a very messy problem on your hands. The bread bowls were also very quick and easy to make. The only problem I had was getting the bottoms to brown completely, and eventually I just flipped them over to get the bottoms crispy and stable. When hollowing out the bowl, just take care not to take out too much center, otherwise it won't be able to hold up to the soup. But oh my gosh, it's so good. I loved scraping the bowl as I ate the soup to get a bit of both in every bite, it's the most filling thing you'll ever eat. Give this a try, you'll be surprised how easy it really is to make!

Clam Chowder
By Union Oyster House

Ingredients (I halved this for three people and still had a LOT leftover)

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
4 pounds fresh or frozen clams, shelled and diced (I used canned clams, it was delish)
1/4 pound salt pork, diced (I used bacon...oh yeah)
2 small onions, diced
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
10 cups clam juice
2 pints half-and-half
Salt and pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce

Directions

Bring the potatoes and the clam juice to the boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the clams and any of their liquid. Cook about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Add the pork to a saute pan and cook over low heat until rendered. Add the onions and cook until transparent. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the flour and cook until slightly colored. Add a bit more flour if necessary if the mixture is too soft. Bring the clams, juice and potatoes back to the boil. Gradually stir in the cooked roux. Bring to a rolling boil to thicken. Stir continuously while cooking. Beat the half and half and add to the soup. It may not be necessary to use all the half-and-half; the soup should be thick. Adjust the seasoning and add a dash of hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce before serving

Bread Bowl
Found in Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115
degrees)
1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
Cornmeal

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, sugar, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

2. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into eight pieces; shape each into a ball. Grease two baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place four balls 3 in. apart on each prepared pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

3. For bread bowls, cut a thin slice off the top of bread. Hollow out bottom half, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Fill with chili, chowder or stew.

For dessert Alissa made her family's favorite chocolate meringue pie and chess pie. Be on the lookout for those, they were delicious, and the perfect way to finish off our lunch>

White Chicken (or Turkey) Chili Filed under ( Beans, chicken, main dishes, quick and easy, Soup, turkey )

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Ours was lovely. There really isn't anything like waking up, putting on the apron, some Christmas tunes, and cooking all day. I know that you can appreciate how fun that really is! And of course sitting down to eat it all is just the cherry on top.

As I'm sure you all do, we have a fridge chuck full of leftovers, and I can't stand to see a shred of it go to waste. Sometimes nothing is more satisfying then turning one delicious food into another, which is why I'm loving all of these great leftover ideas you guys are producing.

Our church put on a chili cook off for Halloween a month ago. My friend Calli had made a white chicken chili which I heard nothing but rave reviews about. Since I never got a chance to try it at the party, I asked her for the recipe, which I promptly made and DEVOURED. I like chili, but I LOVED this white chili, so creamy, so flavorful and I could not wait to eat the leftovers, which isn't typical for me. This would be a great way to use up that huge Tupperware full of turkey, trust me, your whole family is going to love this!



White Chicken or Turkey Chili
Adapted from Calli's fabulous recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes, cooked chopped turkey would work well too
1 med. onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can 14 oz chicken broth
2 cans 4 oz chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup whipping cream, I used fat-free half and half
1 cup sour cream

Directions

In large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic salt in oil until chicken is no longer pink, if using cooked chicken or turkey, just add when onions are soft. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 30 min. Remove from heat, stir in cream and sour cream. Serve immediately!

Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup Filed under ( beef, light recipes, main dishes, Soup, veggies )

This is it, the final day before the biggest dinner of the year! Is everyone ready? Are we? NOOO! Fortunately our dinner is being split amongst three families, so at least I'm not procrastinating the entire dinner! Truth be told, we were about to head to Costco for some last minute shopping, but my poor little girl is suffering from a pretty bad stomach ache. I'm hoping she feels better soon, especially for tomorrow!

This is a recipe I found on Pam's site, For the Love of Cooking. I know you've been to her page, it's fantastic! I pretty much want to make every recipe she posts. This soup was a real crowd pleaser and definitely something that I'll be making often. It's hearty and healthy, with fantastic flavor. The recipe instructs you to cook it in the oven, but I cooked it on the stove top for quite a few hours and it was fantastic. Give it a try!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving friends! I'll be looking forward to hearing how your holiday was!

Teresa

Zuppa Toscana Filed under ( bacon, main dishes, Potatoes, sausage, Soup )

Whenever I go to Olive Garden for lunch, I'm always sure to get a bowl of this tasty stuff. Zuppa Toscana, with it's hearty kale and delicious sausage, you really can't go wrong. The only thing better then eating it at a restaurant, is eating it at home donning pajamas and warm fuzzy socks, whilst watching your favorite show. I also love making things like this myself because I can lighten it up without lightening flavor, like using turkey sausage, and fat free half and half. Mmmmm, delicious.

Zuppa Toscana
Adapted From Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
flakes
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
6 potato, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 bunch fresh kale, tough stems
removed

Directions

1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and kale, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through.

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup Filed under ( light recipes, main dishes, pumpkin, quick and easy, Soup )

Usually I'm not super excited about eating leftovers. Even if I enjoy it for dinner, I'm ready to move on. So when I tell you that I've eaten this soup three other times after making it, you know that it's good!

My friend introduced me to this soup as a bit of an experiment shortly after doing our pumpkin food group. Always being one for an adventure, I dove right in. I don't know what it is about this soup, but it is so good that even thinking about it makes me want some now. The pumpkin is flavored so well, it's warm, filling and just so dang comforting. And the best part is that it's SO healthy. There's very little fat in it and pumpkin is chock full of fiber, potassium and all sorts of vitamins. My advice is to make Dinner in a Pumpkin and then use the pumpkin for this soup, killing two birds with one...pumpkin!


Pumpkin Chipotle Soup

Ingredients

1 t. cumin
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 1/2 c. diced onion
2 t. minced, seeded serrano or jalapeno pepper (I used jalapeno)
5 c. chicken stock or canned, low sodium chicken broth
5 c. diced (1/2") fresh pumpkin such as Sugar Pie or Cinderella, or butternut squash
1/2 T. chipotle pepper puree (I actually didn't use this, yes I realize it's what gives the pumpkin soup it's name, but I liked it just as much without it)
1/4 c. chopped scallion
Salt
any type of cheese for garnish, I loved Parmesan
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine oil and butter in skillet, cook over medium heat until butter melts. Add onion and cook until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Add chili pepper (jalapenos) and ground cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute; set aside.

2. Bring stock to boil in large sauce pan or soup pot. Add onion mixture and pumpkin/squash, cover, and cook until pumpkin/squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes (since I already roasted the pumpkin I don't cook for very long). Stir in chipotle puree, scallion, and 2 t. salt. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish each with heaping tablespoon of cheese and cilantro leaves.

Chicken Noodle Soup Filed under ( main dishes, Soup )

Is there anything more healing and comforting then homemade chicken noodle soup? For me, even making it is a therapeutic process that continues to give aid every year when the weather gets cool. I make a huge pot of it, then live off of it for about a week, I never get sick of it! A lot of people out there have their traditional ways of making it, but for those of you who haven't ventured to make homemade chicken noodle soup, this is how I make mine. Remember, the measurements of the ingredients are rough, so don't be afraid to put in more or less of whatever you want.

Ingredients

1 med sized whole chicken, giblets removed

1 box chicken broth

1-2 onions chopped

6-7 carrots peeled and chopped

6-7 stalks of celery chopped

1 bag of frozen egg noodles (if you can't find frozen, use dried egg noodles, or make your own)

1/2 jar of Better then Bouillon, or any chicken bullion base.

(This stuff is so much better for your soup then the grains, or squares of bouillon. It's not hard to find either.)

1-2 tsp black pepper

1-2 TB dried or fresh parsley

Directions

Place whole chicken in large soup pan and cover entirely with water. Boil chicken in pan for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is completely cooked through. Remove chicken from water and let cool. Reserve water.

If you would like a less fattening soup, let water sit and cool, even overnight if you'd like, and skim off top layer of fat. If you want the fat from the chicken (does make a much more flavorful soup), you can use the water right away.

After chicken has cooled, remove all meat from the bones and cut into bite sized pieces.

Strain water with cheesecloth to remove any chicken bits and place on med heat. Add chicken broth until pan is a little over halfway full (remember, I use the largest pan I have, and I don't always use the entire box of broth). Add carrots, onions and celery. Let simmer until veggies are softened. Add noodles and bouillon. Add bouillon in small amounts and wait a minute or two before adding more, tasting in between. Add enough to your satisfaction. Once noodles are softened, add chicken, parsley and black pepper. Serve hot with a piece of crusty french bread and a Diet Coke (at least, that's how I would enjoy it!)

Baked Potato Soup Filed under ( bacon, cheese, light recipes, main dishes, Potatoes, Soup, veggies )

Sometimes I don't think that the potato gets the credit it deserves. Sure, it's a homely root that grows all over the country, but they're also delicious, velvety and filling. i love their versatility, and I'm convinced that, if needed, we could feel the world with potatoes. I remember growing up we had "potato bars" which was basically a baked potato drowning in as many sides as possible, chili, cheese, beef, sour cream, broccoli, chives, onions, and if mom was in a good mood, Fritos. Insanely satisfying, great for kids and very inexpensive. Ah, the great potato.





When I found this recipe I realized how long it had been since I'd cooked with a tater and quickly got busy. I love this recipe because, since the potato is already dense with a lovely texture, you really don't need to add much to the soup for it to be rich. We piled this with bacon, cheese, and chives and ate like kings, for cheap!



Baked Potato Soup

From Skinnytaste



Ingredients



2 russet potatoes, washed and dried

1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets

1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth

1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk

salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 cup light sour cream

10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese

6 tbsp chopped chives, divided

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)



Directions



Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.



Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.

Superfast Chicken Posole Filed under ( chicken, light recipes, main dishes, quick and easy, Soup )

My husband does not care for soup. He things it's watery and unfilling, which is a problem because I happen to love soup. It can be warm, creamy and comforting, or crisp, light and refreshing. It's great all year round, which is why I still make it despite the protests of my dear hubby.

So you can imagine my surprise when I told Glenn I was making Posole, hoping he wouldn't know what that actually was, and heard him exclaim, "I love Posole!" Whaaaa...?

Turns out he'd been served Posole quite a bit by some friends he had growing up. And even though it is indeed a soup, it's so chunky and flavorful, he gets full, and happy when he eats it.

Well thank goodness. (Says I, without the slightest tone of sarcasm).

Glenn was right though, this is a killer soup, with fun ingredients I don't normally cook with. Hominy and canned tomatillos make up the majority of the soup, and then it's seasoned perfectly. I was unable to find canned tomatillos, so I just bought fresh ones and roasted them by quartering them and roasting them at 400 until soft and slightly browned. It was great, especially garnished with radishes, avocado and cilantro.

I'm happy to report that not only did my hubs enjoy this for dinner, he also took it to school for lunch. Thank you Posole, you've renewed my faith in soup!

Check out the great lowfat recipe here from Cooking Light!

Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Filed under ( Healthy, Restaurant Review, Soup, Vegan, Vegetables, vegetarian )

TGIF for sure! Work was a little crazy this week and I am READY for the weekend. How about you? One thing that did make my week a little better? I met my friend Mandi for a working breakfast at my favorite place (Charleston’s Cafe!!) on Thursday. We both enjoyed their fantastic parfaits. I got the blueberry & banana (I know, I’m such a creature of habit):

And Mandi got the apple & craisin parfait:

If you’re ever in the Charleston area and need a brunch friend…I’m always available ;)

The second thing that made my week better? A vegan creamy butternut squash soup! I saw Krista make this soup this week and knew I must have it! Luckily, I had a small butternut squash in the fridge just screaming to be used up. I made a few minor, minor adjustments to her recipe, so feel free to prepare it as below or use Krista’s original version:

Vegan (or not) Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ¼ cup onion, chopped finely
• 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (optional, I like a little heat with my sweets)
• 14 oz cooked butternut squash ( cut in half, remove seeds, bake at 400 until VERY soft~1.5 hours) or you can use a 15-oz can of butternut squash puree

Before:

After:

 

Just the “meat”:

• 1.5 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup milk, cream or half and half (I used original almond breeze)

  Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a medium size pot. Add onion & garlic and cook until onion is translucent.
• Add spices, butternut squash and broth. Bring to a boil.
• Lower heat to medium low, add milk and let simmer 10-15 minutes.
• Puree with immersion or regular blender.
• Serves 2

 

Fantastic! Thank you Krista! If you don’t read Krista’s blog, you should totally check it out. She is the ultimate super mama!

Weekend plans?? I’m teaching (Step Friday AM, Step & Pump launch Saturday) and Josh’s parents are coming to visit! I cannot wait!!

If you haven’t done so yet, enter my cookie giveaway!!!

Vegetarian Carrot Soup Filed under ( Soup, Vegetables, vegetarian )

Welcome to the weekend! You just have to love a four day work/school week! What are you up to this weekend? I honestly have pretty much no plans…and I am excited about it :)

As Fall is creeping closer, I am CRAVING soup. I have seen various takes on cream of carrot soup in so many magazines lately, I decided to try my hand at my own version.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 16 oz carrots & parsnips, chopped (the parsnip flavor comes out pretty strong, so I suggest starting with only a little parsnip if you’re unsure about the flavor or use all carrots)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 28 oz vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 cup skim or low fat milk
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• Toppings: jalapenos, Greek yogurt, cheese, etc!

Directions:

• Heat olive oil or butter in a soup pan.
• Add chopped carrots, parsnips & onion, cook until vegetables are tender.

  

• Add broth, chili powder & red pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add milk, cover, and simmer for ~15 minutes (stir on occasion).
• Remove from heat and blend using an emulsion blender (alternatively you could use a regular blender, but be careful with the heat!!).
• Add cooked rice, place in bowls & top

We tried the soup both totally pureed and partially. We preferred it partially pureed with some chunks of carrots and parsnips remaining:

I want to try making a vegan version with cashew cream!

What is your favorite kind of soup?? I love cream of asparagus as well as black bean and vegetarian chili.

Black Bean Soup with Chicken Quesadillas Filed under ( Beans, cheese, light recipes, main dishes, Soup )

It seems like just in the last few years I have discovered and fallen in love with beans. I keep my pantry stocked with all sorts of beans, and I cook with them constantly. They are so healthy, filling, flavorful and inexpensive. They are also great because there are never ending ways to make them. I fell in love with this soup instantly. It was actually the first time I had ever cooked with a dried bean before, usually I just used the canned ones. I really can't tell you if there is a difference, but it is nice to know that you are using beans that haven't already been pumped full of sodium. If anyone does try this soup with canned beans though, let me know how it worked out. I also used this soup to make an incredible rice and beans dish which I will add shortly.

The chicken quesadillas were a last minute decision to go with the soup. I wish I could give you a mind blowing recipe for them, but in all honesty they are pretty much chicken, cheese and tortilla. HOWEVER, I added a freshly bought salsa verde, and chopped cilantro in mine, and it was heaven. I know that there are all sorts of delicious, and much fresher salsa verdes out there, but Pace has a new one that is really really good. I eat it with my chips now instead of red salsa.


Okay, enough talking, more cooking!

Black Bean Soup
Found in Cooking Light March 2009

Ingredients

1 pound dried black beans
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup water
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 bay leaves
1 serrano chile, finely chopped (jalapeno worked just fine)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Directions

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand for 8 hours, drain.

2. Combine beans, broth, and next 5 ingredients (through chile) in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours. Discard bay leaves. Stir in juice and salt. Serve with sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Serves 6: 1 serving 1-1/2 cups soup and 1-1/2 teaspoon sour cream

Per serving: 288 cal, 2.3g fat, 18.5g fiber, 2.9mg chol, 4.6mg iron, 581mg sodium

Points per Serving: 5

TJs Opening!!! & Summer Turkey Chili Filed under ( Soup, Turkey )

AH! Our Trader Joe's opened today!! And we were there when the doors opened! I wanted to share some pictures from the opening:

 

Me & Josh’s Mom:

Yup…the Mayor was definitely there:

Be still my heart:

And we’ve got wine, beer and liquor!

Checking out:

The stash:

Pop Chips, veggie burgers, edammmus, chocolate covered sunflower seeds, Hawaiian coffee, dark chocolate/caramel wedges, bars, pizza dough, almond and sunflower butter, refried black beans, ginger chews, pineapple salsa and crab cakes!

Moving on, I love chili year round! Its just such a comforting meal! On Tuesday night, we had Josh’s Mom over for dinner and I knew I wanted to make up a batch of summer chili. I had made a similar recipe previously in the crock pot….but couldn’t find the exact recipe. I went off memory and made it on the stove top.

Summer Chili:

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil (~2 tablespoons)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
• 1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
• 12 oz crushed or strained tomatoes
• 12 oz crushed pineapple, drained
• 12 oz can kidney beans or white beans, drained and rinsed
• 12 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2/3 cup corn (if frozen, defrosted)
• 2/3 cup peas (if frozen, defrosted)

Directions:

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Cook until fragrant (~ 5 minutes). Add ground turkey and cook through. Add remaining ingredients, turn heat to low/medium low and cook/simmer for at least 20 minutes (preferably an hour or two). Serve with your favorite toppings.

I used Pomi tomatoes in this chili. I’ve heard so many bloggers RAVE about this product that I had to give it a go! Totally delicious!

Toppers (Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese & jalapenos):

Sides (bread & butter and melon-straight from our garden!):

I only wish I had taken pictures of our completed bowls!

What are you up to this weekend? I’m hoping to fit in a couple easy workouts and good meals. Then…baby time???