Monday, November 30, 2009

Hearty Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup


Its soup season and lentils are usually part of the daily diet at my house. I eat this soup almost everyday for lunch during the winter months and I haven't gotten sick of it yet. Yummy, healthy and easy to make many different variations, I often just use the lasts of whatever vegis I have in the fridge. This is a big pot full, you'll have plenty to freeze!

Hearty Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup

2 onions (roughly chopped)
1 red sweet pepper (roughly chopped)
1 green bell pepper (roughly chopped)
2 jalapeno peppers (finely chopped)
1 bulb garlic ( finely chopped)
5 tomatoes (roughly chopped) or 1 16 0z can
1 bunch celery (roughly chopped)
6 carrots (roughly chopped)
4 cups fresh spinach (roughly chopped) Frozen can be substituted
4 cups red lentils
12 -16 cups water (chicken stock can be substituted in whole or in part)
3 T olive oil
1 T sugar
4 bay leaves
3 T dried thyme
4 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
Salt to taste

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil on high, add onions, garlic, carrots, sugar & bay leaves allow to brown, resisting the urge to stir constantly (the browning adds the majority of the flavour). Once well browned, add peppers and celery, allow to brown, add tomatoes, and remaining spices, bring to a boil and add remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer 30-45 minutes and salt to taste. When you keep vegis covered while they cook, they retain more of their vitamins!

Serve with fresh warm bread & Munster cheese or whatever pleases you!

Friday, November 27, 2009

Reader Recipe (Arie's Potato Cheese Biscuits)

"I am a biscuit aficionado - I love & am in constant pursuit of the yummiest one. I threw these together today using leftovers from my fridge & they are so yummy I had to share :)"

- Arie

Arie's Potato Cheese Biscuits

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1 cup mashed potato
1/2 c cheese sauce (any firm cheese is fine, I used Gouda)
1/2 c (or so) buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients together, cut in butter & mashed potato. Add cheese sauce & enough buttermilk to create a soft dough. Do not overmix!!!!
Roll out to 1 inch thick, cut with a biscuit cutter & bake (on stoneware if you have it) @ 450 for 12-14 minutes.

Thanks Arie, I'll try these this weekend, they sound fantastic!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Quote of the day

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.

- Virginia Woolf

Monday, November 23, 2009

Refried Beans


Easy, Yummy & Healthy! What more could you want?

Refried Beans

1 lb pinto beans (soaked overnight)
8 cloves garlic
2 T cumin
1 T olive oil
Salt to taste

Boil beans until soft, strain (keep strained water to thin beans as needed), process beans, garlic and cumin in food processor, adding water as needed to reach smooth consistency. Heat oil on medium heat for 1 minute, return mixture to pan, add salt to taste and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Double batch and freeze too!

Sprinkle with cheese & serve with rice, Mole with chicken, Enchiladas, Tacos or whatever pleases you!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Quote of the day

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!

- Author Unknown

Friday, November 20, 2009

Flan


Whose ready for a warm & rich custard dessert? This simple & delicious recipe might certainly become as regular at your table as it is mine.

Flan

2 C whole milk
6 eggs
1 1/2 C sugar
1 T vanilla or dark rum
1 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F, melt 3/4 C sugar & cinnamon in a small sauce pan on med heat, stirring constantly until it has liquefied. Pour melted sugar into 12 ramekins (can be substituted for a bundt pan, or a muffin tin), place ramekins in a large baking dish and fill baking dish with 1" of water (more for a bundt pan). Blend remaining ingredients and pour equally into ramekins. Bake at 400 until tops have browned. Allow to cool slightly, turn them over onto individual plates and serve.

Great served with coffee,an after dinner drink or whatever pleases you!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Quote of the day

One should eat to live, not live to eat.

- Molière

Monday, November 16, 2009

Chipotle Mole


The types of mole are vast, but the this particular spicy chipotle mole is sure to make you a star at your house. Although often made for special occasions, this magnificent sauce is great anytime you need a belly warmer.

Chipotle Mole

3 T olive oil
2 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 T ground cumin
1 T ground cinnamon
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
2 C chicken broth (can be substituted for those vegis out there)
1/2 bottle dark Mexican beer, or any dark beer
3 T peanut butter
2 T sugar
1 t salt
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa


Sautee onion, peppers and garlic in oil until soft and slightly caramelized. Stir in cumin and cinnamon, cook on low for 2 minutes, add tomatoes, raisins, chipotle peppers, chicken broth, beer, peanut butter, sugar and salt, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, stirring often. Pour sauce into a blender or food processor and add chocolate, blend until smooth, return to pan and add more salt if desired.

Serve over enchiladas or stew with your favorite seasoned meat (most often served with chicken). Serve with beans & rice or whatever pleases you!

Sauce can also be frozen and served at a later date.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Quote of the day

Some people like to paint pictures, do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, wood carving, or music.

-Julia Child

Guacamole


The origin of the name "guacamole" lies in the Aztec word ahuacatl, which the Spanish conquistadors transliterated as aguacate/avocado, and in the word mole/sauce or mixture. There are many variations of guacamole but this spicy version is definitely my favorite.

Guacamole

3 Ripe avocados
1 Ripe tomato (finely chopped)
1 Lime
1 Jalapeno pepper (finely minced)
1/2 Red Onion (finely minced)
1 T Cumin
1 t Salt

Mash avocados with juice & pulp of lime, stir in remaining ingredients. Serve with chips, tostadas, tacos or whatever please you!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Quote of the day

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.

- Ernestine Ulmer

Rum Buttercream Frosting

What frosting do you suggest to a friend living in a city without any cream cheese you ask? A frosting that will make your taste-buds stand to attention, I say! This one is by far one of my favorites, shhh I think it might be the rum that makes it so special.

Rum Buttercream Frosting

4 T melted butter
1/4 C cream
1-2 t rum or vanilla
2-3 C powdered sugar

Mix butter, cream and rum or vanilla in a bowl and then slowly beat in sugar until thick and creamy.

Hope you enjoy it Kate!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Reader Recipes (Amy & Mike's Fennel-Leek soup)

Hey Larissa, we have a yummy soup recipe you may want to try. Very simple, very good.

Amy & Mike's Fennel-Leek Soup

3 leeks
2 fennel bulbs
4 C chicken stock
1/3 C sour cream.
parmesan cheese for top

Slice and sauteed leeks (caramelize some and save for the top!), saute fennel bulbs, blenderize with chicken stock, return to pan and add 1/3 cup sour cream. Top with leeks and parmesan cheese. YUM!

Thanks guys, this sounds fantastic!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Banana Nutmeg Cake

So many of us end up with extra bananas around the house and now they have finally found their proper destiny. This yummy, moist and quick cake is sure to be as big a hit at your house as it is mine! This is also a great recipe to double batch and freeze a loaf or two! (For auntie Christian)

Banana Nutmeg Cake

1/4 lb butter (room temp)
1 1/2 C sugar
3 bananas
2 eggs (room temp)
1 T vanilla
2 C flour (I use 1 C white & 1 C whole wheat)
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 T nutmeg
3/4 C yogurt, sour cream or sour milk
1/2 C walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven at 350 F, butter and flour, bundt cake pan or 2 bread loaf pans. In a large bowl mix butter and sugar until smooth, add eggs and mix until fluffy, mix in bananas and vanilla and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, fold dry mixture into wet mixture, once incorporated, fold in yogurt and spoon into pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve with chai tea, warm milk, vanilla bean ice cream or whatever pleases you!

Quote of the day

You can't beat the feeling of venturing outdoors and picking a few ingredients from the garden to cook with.

- Gordon Ramsay

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Quote of the day

I eat merely to put food out of my mind.

- N.F. Simpson

Jerk Chicken

Ok you spice lovers here is a fantastic belly warming Jerk recipe for you to try out this cold, cold winter. Its great on the BBQ but also fantastic in the oven. We had it last night and are having leftovers tonight, I can't wait!

Jerk Chicken

1 yellow onion
1 bunch green onions
2-4 habanero/scotch bonnet peppers
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C vegi oil
1/2 C brown sugar
1 handful dried thyme
1 T ground cloves
1 t ground black pepper
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground allspice
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 whole chicken

Cut chicken into 8-10 pieces, wash and remove skin. Process all remaining ingredients in a food processor until well blended and place in a container with chicken, seal container and shake until chicken is coated. Marinate in refrigerator for 24-48 hours. BBQ or Preheat oven to 500, oil large baking dishes and arrange chicken. Bake at 500 for 15 minutes and reduce to 300 for 20 minutes. Simmer remaining marinade and spoon over chicken if desired.

Great served with rice and beans, fried plantains or whatever pleases you!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Quote of the day

All I ask of food is that it doesn't harm me.

- Michael Palin

Reader Recipe (Angela's Blueberry Pancakes)

Hey Babe!

I love your blog! It is awesome. Here's my favorite pancake recipe.

Angela's Blueberry Pancakes

1 1/4 C all purpose white flour
2 t granulated sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 /1/2 t kosher salt
2 eggs
1 C buttermilk
1/2 C sour cream
1 t baking soda
1 T melted butter
1 C blueberries (optional)

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Whisk eggs in a medium sized bowl, add the buttermilk, sour cream and baking soda, whisk well. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in the melted butter.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or melt butter to coat the bottom. Ladle about 1/4 cup of batter per cake into the pan. Sprinkle cakes with blueberries once in the pan. Cook about 3 minutes per side.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Quote of the day

It is after you have lost your teeth that you can afford to buy steaks.

- Pierre August Renoir

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Quote of the day

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian, wine and tarragon make it French, sour cream makes it Russian, lemon and cinnamon make it Greek, soy sauce makes it Chinese, garlic makes it good.

~Alice May Brock

Roasted Garlic & Butternut Squash Soup

For those of us lucky enough to be smack dab in the middle of squash season, this is a hearty, easy and delicious soup that can be made in big batches, frozen and eaten the rest of the winter. Defiantly a favorite at my house.

Roasted Garlic & Butternut Squash Soup

2 Butternut squash
2 Bulbs garlic
2 C Water
1 T Salt
1 t Olive oil

Garnish (optional)

1 T Heavy cream per bowl
A few Toasted walnuts


Slice tops off garlic bulbs and drizzle with olive oil, seal them tightly in a aluminum foil pouch. Roast squash whole in 350˚ oven for 40 minutes or until it softens to touch, roast garlic the last 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice squash in half, spoon out seeds & hairs and remove skin. Remove garlic from its skin. Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Add more water if needed to reach a consistency slightly thicker than gravy. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a boil, add more salt if needed. Transfer to bowls and garnish if desired.

This soup is great for lunch with fresh bread and roasted garlic olive oil (roast a couple extra bulbs, add some olive oil and salt for an easy and fantastic spread) or served with a big meal for those special occasions. And no one has to know how easy it was!