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Swedish Meatball Stoup

I found out today I am a finalist in the Girl Scout Cookie recipe contest with my Chocolate Peanut Butter Tag-A-Dos Cheesecake!!! I am thrilled, but now I really need your help – the winner is determined by who gets the most votes, so I really need you to go here and cast your vote. Now for the fun part…so if I win, I get $250 (plus Girl Scout Cookies, for my team at work). I have never done a give-away on my blog before, so I am going to try something new. Please leave me a comment on the charity you think is most deserving of the money – and as a bonus, the wonderful company that I work for is going to match my donation, which means $500 to a deserving organization. The only rule is that it must have a valid 501 (c) (3) public charity status. My daughter will pick a random comment, and if I win – that charity will be given $500. So please send this blog post to your friends, ask them to vote, and leave a comment with a the charity of your choice – and better yet, post a link on your Facebook account or Twitter – this is a great cause!!

On a completely different topic – I have some milestones that I would like to acknowledge – I just posted my 300th recipe – can you believe it? I certainly can’t – but again, I do cook a lot. I love looking back to the first few posts, to see how much the blog has changed. In addition, I am one person away from having 500 subscribers – now that is even more amazing to me than the number of blog posts! When I started this blog, I never imagined that anyone would ever read it, outside of my family and friends. Then I discovered Foodgawker and Tastespotting, and now I have Pinterest to thank. It is amazing how these sites can get people to your blog – so thanks to all those sites that have helped me reach these milestones.

It must be my lucky day, because my blog friend Kirsty just posted her Banana Bread recipe contest, and my mother’s recipe came in a tie for second. I am thrilled, and so should you Mom!! She had a lot of great recipes, so I am honored to have come out almost on top. Thanks Kirsty!!

And, I almost forgot – Kristi from Necessary Indulgences awarded me a Liebster’ed Award – this is my first blog award! Thanks very much Kristi – I really appreciate it, and what a surprise that was!! Kristi has a lovely blog, so please check it out…

Now, I think I have used up my blogging time tonight…so I leave you with this recipe for Swedish Meatball Stoup, which I adapted from Rachael Ray. Normally, I am not a huge fan, but I must say – she makes some great dishes with meatballs. I made this for a crowd of people the other weekend, and it was a huge hit – for the kids and the grownups. It will take you longer than 30 minutes to make this, but it is worth it – and while you are waiting for it to cook – maybe you can vote for me again…

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (once around the pan)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 large carrot, cut into rounds
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock or broth
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1/3 pound ground veal
1/3 pound ground beef
1/3 pound ground pork
2 rounded teaspoonfuls Dijon mustard
1 egg, beaten
1/2 to 2/3 cup plain bread crumbs (about 3 generous handfuls)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1/2 pound medium or wide egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or fresh dill, your choice

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and butter and when the butter melts into the EVOO, add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, onions, and bay leaf. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the celery, carrots, and onions begin to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the flour. Cook for another minute. Whisk in the beef and chicken stock to combine. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.

While the soup comes to a boil, mix the meat with the mustard, egg, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Roll the meat into small balls, 1 inch in diameter, tops. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.

Remove the lid from the soup and add the balls. After 2 to 3 minutes, stir in the egg noodles and cook for 6 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir the sour cream into the stoup. Adjust the salt and pepper and fish out the bay leaf. Serve the stoup with a generous sprinkle of either chives or dill.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Swedish Meatball Stoup

Comments 24 Comments
Categories Dinner, Soup

Spinach and Lentil Soup with Cheese and Basil

22 Jan

If you have been following my blog for a while, you know that I love making lentil soup in the winter. It is one of the most delicious and healthiest soups I make. Unfortunately my kids have not always agreed with me. Every year I make it again, hoping that this will be the year they change their mind. My kids are really surprising me these days, they will try almost anything I make, and more and more often, they actually like it.

So, before I get more into this lentil soup, a slight diversion… A few times recently my girls have commented on how they think I am the best cook ever. Today we were talking about eating at other people’s homes, and my younger daughter told me that she much prefers to eat at our house – “Mommy, you are such a good cook, no one is as good as you.” I almost cried. But seriously, what does she want? There must be something…and please don’t be offended if we have been to your house for dinner recently, this is a new phase, one I haven’t quite figured out yet…

Back to this soup – I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and decided it was time to try again. While it was cooking, my younger one asked what I was making for dinner – when I told her lentil soup, instead of a face that she has made in the past – she said “Yum!!” Ok, who are you and what have you done with my daughter?? Well, they both ate it, and although they didn’t have seconds, they at least ate enough. The biscuits were a huge hit as well, and filled them up – but as long as they got some lentil soup in them, I was happy. Another milestone done – wow!!

On another completely unrelated note…Correen from the Food Lovers Website interviewed me, and she published it today. Thanks Correen, it was quite fun!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pancetta (about 1 ounce)
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dried brown lentils
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pancetta; cook 1 minute or until pancetta begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add lentils, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until lentils are tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf.

Place 2 cups lentil mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape), and secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters), and blend until smooth. Return pureed lentil mixture to pan. Add baby spinach, chopped basil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and black pepper; stir until spinach wilts. Serve immediately.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Spinach and Lentil Soup with Cheese and Basil

Comments 6 Comments
Categories Soup

Split Pea Soup

11 Jan

Sometimes I feel like I am swimming in a big bowl of split pea soup…everything is very thick and foggy, and it is my job to find a way out of it. There are days when I go to bed, still trying to find my way out – fortunately I have an abundance of flavorful food around me when I get hungry. When people at work find out I have a blog, they often wonder how I do it – and the secret is the food. It is what gets me through the day, what I think about when I need a break – and usually the main topic at the dinner table, after we learn about what happened at school.

I have been so proud of my kids lately – they are really eating so many different foods – including vegetables, it all has to do with how delicious it is. Over the holidays we smoked a ham – yes, we smoked a ham – for those of you who know me, this is not something we normally would do – but as circumstances were, we had one in the freezer, and what a better time? As I looked at this huge ham bone on the counter, with lots of meat still attached, there was only one thing I could think about – split pea soup. This smoked ham made the most delicious split pea soup I have ever made. The kids devoured it, yes, every last drop – and even had seconds. So – the next time I am swimming in split pea soup, I really hope it was made with a smoked ham. I might even stay linger a bit…it is really that good.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped peeled carrots
1 smoked pork hock
2 cups diced ham (if needed)
1 cup green split peas
6 cups water

Preparation

Pour olive oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrots. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add pork and marjoram; stir 1 minute. Add peas, then water, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot; simmer soup until pork and vegetables are tender peas are falling apart, stirring often, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Transfer hocks to bowl. Puree 5 cups soup in batches in blender. Return to pot. Cut pork off bones. Dice pork; return pork to soup. If needed, add more ham. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Rewarm before serving.) You can easily double or triple this recipe depending on how big your ham hock is.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Split Pea Soup

Comments 5 Comments
Categories Soup

Tortilla Meatball Soup

16 Nov

As I have mentioned before, my daughter is part of a book club, and therefore, I am also part of a book club. It is my first one, and I love it. It forces me to read what she reads, and broadens my reading horizons beyond food. So far, I have liked every single book we have read – I have to admit though, I do get some pretty interesting looks when I whip out my children’s book on the bus, but it makes for an interesting conversation if the someone actually gets the nerve up to break the silence and say a word.

When we started the book club, there were a few rules:

we take turns hosting each month
the host orders the pizza - enough for both the kids and the moms
everyone else signs up to bring the rest: drinks, fruit, appetizers, dessert, salad

So, for the past year and a half, we have been following the rules, and eating our pizza, one night a month. I have been noticing that it is the kids that love the pizza, and the moms eat the pizza – but prefer the appetizers and salad. This month things changed…and I was so glad they did. Instead of pizza, the host provided soup – and three kinds I might add! She did a spectacular job, and I guess her daughter made one all by herself – very impressive. I thought it was a novel idea, and one I hope we stick to – and maybe shake it up a bit? I could tell that the next host was feeling out the crowd a bit for the next one, and I was not the only one that like where this was headed.

So, I have already been thinking about when I host – fortunately it will still be winter time, so hopefully the soup theme will stick. I love making meatball soups, so when I saw this in Cooking Light, I figured I better start testing. The soup needs to be kid friendly yet hearty enough for a meal. This one definitely fits the bill – my kids loved it, and with the meatballs, it was definitely filling. So, as I said, hopefully this will stick – although kids really love pizza, and this is a bunch of really bright girls…I wouldn’t be surprised if they stage a rally soon – but until then, I will enjoy our new monthly dinner – and save the pizza for another night.

Ingredients

2 jalapeño peppers
1 red bell pepper
2 ears corn on the cob
4 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 pound ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed red potatoes
1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices carrot
3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Cut jalapeños and bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange corn on baking sheet with peppers. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until blackened, turning corn once. Place peppers in a paper bag; fold to seal. Let stand 15 minutes; peel. Mince jalapeños, and coarsely chop bell pepper. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Set aside.

Place tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 2 minutes. Set aside.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 garlic clove, panko, and the next 3 ingredients (through chipotle chile) in a large bowl, and gently mix until just combined. With moist hands, shape the meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each).

Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; sauté for 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, potatoes, and carrot to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 5 garlic cloves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add peppers, broth, and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender, stirring occasionally. Return meatballs to pan. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and corn; return to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes or until meatballs are done. Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 4 teaspoons Monterey Jack cheese, 2 teaspoons cheddar cheese, and 4 teaspoons cilantro. Top evenly with tortilla strips.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Tortilla Meatball Soup

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Soup

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

2 Mar

I love experimenting with ways to get my kids to eat their vegetables. Pizza is definitely a good way – but I have found that soup and smoothies is another one. One day we happen to be at Cost-Co when they were demoing the Vitamix blender. The man behind the counter was just about to make a “Princess and the Frog” smoothie. Of course the kids were intrigued. Anything that has the word princess in it gets their attention. So we decided to watch him – he threw in a banana, a whole orange (with just the orange skin removed), some grape juice, pineapple, and a ton of spinach. Yes, the smoothie was green. But, they both tried it and LOVED it. I seriously almost walked out that way with the Vitamix, but decided my Waring blender would work just fine – I just have to peel the orange though.

Then there is soup – both my kids love carrot soup, and even pumpkin soup – as long as there are no distinguishable vegetables in sight. So, I saw this recipe in Cook’s Illustrated, and I decided I must give it a try. The soup was delicious – both of my kids ate it – and although my younger one was not super crazy about it, she did manage to eat most of her bowl. What I liked most about the soup was how creamy it was without using any milk or cream. The cheese gave it a great flavor, and as the recipe mentioned, by cooking the broccoli to death, it really takes most of the bitterness out. I felt good that night when they went to sleep that they had gotten a well-balanced meal…without any grape juice.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds broccoli, florets roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick-slices
1 medium onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
pinch or cayenne pepper
table salt
3-4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 ounces baby spinach
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine, plus extra for serving

Preparation

Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add broccoli, onion, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and baking soad. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until broccoli is very soft, about 20 minutes, stirring once during cooking.

Add broth and 2 cups of water and increase heat to medium-high. When mixture begins to summer, stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer half of soup to blender, add cheddar and Parmesan, and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer soup to a medium bowl and repeat with remaining soup. Return soup to the Dutch oven, and place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Adjust consistency of the soup with up to 1 cup of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing extra Parmesan separately.

Serves 6.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Broccoli-Cheese Soup

Comments 11 Comments
Categories Soup

Lentil Stew with Potatoes and Warm Indian Spices

26 Jan

I don’t exactly remember the first time I had Indian Food, but it was not love at first sight. I remember going to an Indian Restaurant when I was in high school and thinking it was ok, but that I would rather be eating Chinese Food. Then years went by before I tried it again, and that’s when I fell head over heels. Everything I ate so was incredible, I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. I was hooked – all of those spices, and tender chunks of meat – delicious. I could go on and on…I was blown away.

A few years later, I met an Indian women at work – and we became good friends. One day she invited me over to her house for lunch – her house was very close to where we worked. I had no idea what to expect – but she served the most wonderful lentil dish that she had made the night before. While we were waiting for the Dahl to warm up, she took some dough out of the refrigerator. She took some, rolled it into a small ball, then started to roll it out with a rolling-pin. Very quickly, she flattened this ball into a perfect circle – just like a tortilla. She place it onto a hot fry pan and waited for it to puff up – home-made chapatis right before my eyes. We dipped the chapatis into the Dahl, with some chutney she placed on the table – and it was the most perfect lunch ever. I never wanted to leave.

My college roommate sent me this cookbook for my birthday – The Family Dinner by Laurie David - and as I was looking through it, this recipe caught my eye – it was the warm Indian spices that lured me. I then read the list of ingredients, and knew I had to make it. This is a delicious hearty stew that is perfect for a cold winter evening. The coconut milk was a wonderful addition, and made it slightly rich and deep in flavor. Ok, so I still haven’t been brave enough to make chapatis yet – but hopefully soon – they would have been perfect with this stew…

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon good quality garam masala
1 cup diced carrots
1 large potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or light coconut milk)
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until wilted and golden, then add the garlic, ginger, and spices and stir for a moment until they are fragrant. Be careful not to burn the spices, as this will make them bitter.

Take half of this mixture and set it aside for later. Add the carrots, potato, lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, and stock. Let the stew simmer, without a lid, for about 30 to 40 minutes until the potatoes and lentils are tender.

Fold in the remaining onion-and-spice mixture. Add the peas to the stew last to keep their brilliant color. Simmer for another few minutes until the stew is heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Lentil Stew with Potatoes and Warm Indian Spices

Comments 18 Comments
Categories Dinner, Soup

Fennel and Spinach Soup with Roasted Pepper Yogurt

15 Jan

Here we go again – I know, the first word is fennel, I cannot ever resist a recipe with the word fennel in the title. Who am I kidding, even when fennel is in the ingredient list and not in the title, I still have to try it. Trader Joes has started carrying fennel, and now every week I cross my fingers before going into the store, hoping that they will have it. The problem with Trader Joes is that you can’t get too used to anything. Just because they have it one week, there is no guarantee it will ever show up again. So, back to the fennel – not only do they carry it, you get two huge bulbs for $2.99. It is the bargain of the century. Run out to your nearest Trader Joes right now and buy it up – but please don’t blame me if they don’t have it – or maybe they just ran out because all my blog followers beat you to it. That is wishful thinking, isn’t it.

This soup from Cooking Light was excellent – and so ridiculously healthy. What made this soup really zing in my opinion was the roasted pepper yogurt on top. It was so good, I was eating it with a spoon afterwards, and yes, I just happened to use the leftovers on these a couple of days later – how versatile. It is soup season, and this one is a keeper.

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
2 large fennel bulbs with stalks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped leek (about 2 medium)
1 cup chopped shallots (about 2 large)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
3/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
4 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Dash of ground red pepper

Preparation

Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside.

Trim tough outer leaves from fennel. Mince feathery fronds to measure 2 tablespoons; set aside. Remove and discard stalks. Cut bulbs in half lengthwise; discard core. Chop bulbs to measure about 4 cups.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add fennel bulb, leek, and next 3 ingredients (through salt); cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, water, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in spinach and black pepper. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes at room temperature.

Pour half of fennel mixture into a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining fennel mixture. Return pureed soup to pan; heat over medium heat 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Season with salt.

Combine roasted bell peppers, yogurt, lemon rind, lemon juice, and ground red pepper in a food processor; process until smooth.

Ladle about 3/4 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt mixture. Garnish with fennel fronds.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Fennel and Spinach Soup with Roasted Pepper Yogurt

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Soup

Chilled Avocado Soup Shots with Spicy Breadcrumbs

26 Jun

Avocados are one of my favorite vegetable, or is it a fruit? Either way, I love their creamy texture, their subtle flavor – they are perfect in mexican food, on salads, to turn into a dip (guacamole) – I could go on and on…in fact, my favorite restaurant serves an Avocado Mousse for dessert. Although I have not been able to stray from the olive oil cake to try it – but that is another post.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit and I knew it would be on my short list to try. Every week when I order my fruit and vegetables from the CSA, if avocados are available, they are on my list. This soup was OUTSTANDING! First of all, I loved that it only took 2 avocados to make (mine were medium-sized), and what a wonderful flavor the soup had! The breadcrumbs on top were definitely amazing with the soup – and the whole thing was so easy to make. If you are trying to impress someone this summer, this is the perfect soup to make. I can picture eating this soup outside when it is sweltering out – even though when I served it, it was dumping down rain and in the 50s – and yes, it is June. No, really, I am not bitter at all.

Ingredients

Soup

1 large ripe avocado (11 to 12 ounces), halved, pitted, peeled, diced
1 1/2 cups (or more) vegetable broth or low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Generous pinch of coarse kosher salt

Breadcrumbs

1 4x4x1/2-inch slice soft white sandwich bread with crust
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation

Soup

Place diced avocado in blender. Add 1 1/2 cups broth, whipping cream, lime juice, and coarse salt. Puree until smooth. Transfer soup to 4-cup measuring cup; add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin soup, if desired. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD Soup can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Breadcrumbs

Finely grind bread in processor. Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs to skillet; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add paprika, coarse salt, and cayenne; stir until crumbs are crisp, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to small bowl and cool. DO AHEAD Breadcrumbs can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

Pour cold soup into eight 1/3-cup glasses or other small glasses. Sprinkle each serving lightly with breadcrumbs.

Makes 8 shots, or 4 small cups.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Chilled Avocado Soup Shots with Spicy Breadcrumbs

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Soup

Curried Zucchini Soup

9 May

My grandmother is great at cooking healthy foods. My grandfather was diabetic, so I think that had something to do with it. Desserts are a different story, but when it comes to pretty much everything else, there is not a lot of butter or cream in her cooking.

When I was growing up, they had a wonderful garden in their backyard. They had lots of fresh vegetables whenever I would come to stay with them – especially tomatoes and zucchini. I didn’t know it then, but in a location that gets very hot and sunny in the summer – these are two of the easiest vegetables to grow – and you get a lot of them. My grandmother would make this cold zucchini soup that I just loved – I am pretty sure it only had three ingredients – zucchini, onions and chicken stock. She would cook the zucchini and onions in the chicken stock until they were soft, and then put them in a blender. It was almost too easy.

I was looking at the 6 zucchini I had accumulated with my CSA market basket, and the potatoes and onions in the pantry – and decided it was time to make soup. Instead of making my grandmother’s recipe though, I decided on a recipe I saw in the Martha Stewart Cookbook – Good Food Fast. This recipe had a potato to make it creamy – and curry to give it a little kick. I adapted the recipe slightly below – and I loved it. The soup was silky with a nice mild curry flavor – when I warmed it up the next night, I actually added some additional chicken stock since it had thickened so much. Adding just a spoon of yogurt and chives on the top was the icing on the cake. For a healthy soup, this cannot be beat.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
coarse salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), sliced 1 inch thick
1 baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups chicken stock
yogurt for garnish
chives, chopped for garnish

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sprinkle with salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the zucchini, potato, and 4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, and simmer until all the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

In batches, puree the soup in a blender (do not fill more than halfway) until smooth; seanson with salt and pepper then serve immediately, or let cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container until chilled. Garnish with the yogurt and chives.

Serves 4

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Curried Zucchini Soup

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Soup

Moroccan Carrot Soup

16 Apr

From the day my older daughter started eating solid foods, she was hooked on carrots. She loved them so much, there was a time that she had an orange hue to her skin – I guess it is common for infants who eat a lot of orange vegetables. Even today, there are very few vegetables that she will eat, but I can always count on her to eat a pile of carrot sticks if I set them down in front of her.

A couple of weeks ago we were in one of our really nice local markets, and they were serving samples of their carrot soup – she took a sample, and immediately started asking me to make some at home. How can I resist my daughter begging me to make her healthy carrot soup? Ok, maybe not complete healthy because the carrot soup in the store must have had tons of butter and/or cream, as it sure tasted delicious. That week I was reading my Bon Appetit - and what did they have? A recipe for a Moroccan Carrot Soup – what a perfect coincidence. Unfortunately though – I decided to make this when some friends were coming over for dinner – I doubled the recipe (there were 6 adults) – and we devoured it. My daughter only got a very small bowl… This soup was amazing – beautiful flavor, wonderfully creamy – no one could believe there was no cream. The toasted cumin and yogurt on top went perfectly with the deep flavor of the soup. I see more carrot soup in our future.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped white onion
1 pound large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 2/3 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred to loosen

Preparation

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool. Finely grind in spice mill.

Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, and allspice. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Moroccan Carrot Soup

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