Green beans are probably one of my favorite vegetables. They're cheap and delicious and easy to prepare. When they're in season, I can go to Horrocks and buy them for as little as about fifty cents a pound. I used to serve them all the time throughout the summer and early fall. Steam them, toast some almonds, melt some butter, mix it all together...mmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Now that it's winter my new favorite thing to do is roast. I love to roast red potatoes with EVOO, kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme. Then I came across this recipe for roasted green beans. I thought it would go one of two ways - it would either be incredible or terrible.
Turns out it was incredible. :)
Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
* 2 lbs green beans
* 1-2 tablespoon olive oil (or just enough to lightly coat beans)
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste, may substitute with Mrs. Dash if desired)
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or to taste, omit if using Mrs. Dash)
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.Wash, dry well, and trim green beans.
3.Put green beans on a jelly roll pan.
4.Drizzle with olive oil.
5.Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. *Mrs. Dash may be substituted for salt and pepper as desired.
6.Use your hands to be sure all the beans are evenly coated and spread them out into 1 layer.
7.Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until beans are fairly brown in spots and somewhat shriveled.
8.Serve hot or at room temperature.
Roasting green beans is surprisingly delicious - they become soft and tender but not mushy, which is a danger sometimes when you steam or boil them. They have a lot of flavor, but the ingredients are quite simple. I love to serve these alongside mashed potatoes and grilled pork loin. It's a really warm, comforting, homey dinner.
2/4/10
2/2/10
Apple Roast Pork and Vegetables
When I moved out of my parents' house, they gave me a crock pot. I used it maybe twice. Crock pottery was just not my thing. It involved planning ahead - not my forte.
When I moved in with Aric, we discovered that we had the same crock pot. The only difference was that mine has a glass lid, while his has a plastic lid. Otherwise, they are identical.
For Christmas this year, both of our mothers got us crock pots, having heard us bemoan the terrible Cheesey Poop Sauce Spill in the Brand New Vehicle incident of 2009. Please don't ask. Only recently has the beef-n-cheese smell left my vehicle.
Aric's mom got us a lovely crock pot with a "little dipper" - a small quart crock pot that's very useful for melting chocolate for bonbons.
My mother got us the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go crock pot, with the lids that click on to the top and keep the lid in place. You can carry your crock pot (slow cooker, I guess, since it isn't Crock Pot brand) upside-down, if you so desire.
Long story short: we went from a two crock pot house to a FIVE crock pot house. I guess it's time to get better at this crock pot thing.
Aunt Janet and her endless recipe book to the rescue!
Apple Roast Pork and Vegetables
Ingredients
1 or 2 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast
1 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1.5 cups carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 inch wide pieces
1 cup celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
6 oz. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions
1) Trim fat from the roast. If necessary, cut roast to fit into slow cooker. Brown roast in a large skillet on all sides in hot oil.
2) Meanwhile, place parsnips, carrots, green pepper, and celery into slow cooker. Sprinkle with tapioca. Combine apple juice concentrate, wine, beef bouillon, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and pour over vegetables. Place roast atop vegetables.
3) Cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
We cooked our roast for 10 hours and it was incredible. While the roast cooked the whole house smelled of warm, sweet and spicy apple cider. When we pulled the pork out, it literally fell apart. It was incredible. And while I had my doubts about the green peppers (I've never cooked them in a slow cooker before), they came out beautifully.
I highly, highly recommend this recipe. It's warm and homey and requires very little attention. Perfect for a cold winter night.
When I moved in with Aric, we discovered that we had the same crock pot. The only difference was that mine has a glass lid, while his has a plastic lid. Otherwise, they are identical.
For Christmas this year, both of our mothers got us crock pots, having heard us bemoan the terrible Cheesey Poop Sauce Spill in the Brand New Vehicle incident of 2009. Please don't ask. Only recently has the beef-n-cheese smell left my vehicle.
Aric's mom got us a lovely crock pot with a "little dipper" - a small quart crock pot that's very useful for melting chocolate for bonbons.
My mother got us the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go crock pot, with the lids that click on to the top and keep the lid in place. You can carry your crock pot (slow cooker, I guess, since it isn't Crock Pot brand) upside-down, if you so desire.
Long story short: we went from a two crock pot house to a FIVE crock pot house. I guess it's time to get better at this crock pot thing.
Aunt Janet and her endless recipe book to the rescue!
Apple Roast Pork and Vegetables
Ingredients
1 or 2 lb. boneless pork shoulder roast
1 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1.5 cups carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 inch wide pieces
1 cup celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
6 oz. frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp. beef bouillon granules
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions
1) Trim fat from the roast. If necessary, cut roast to fit into slow cooker. Brown roast in a large skillet on all sides in hot oil.
2) Meanwhile, place parsnips, carrots, green pepper, and celery into slow cooker. Sprinkle with tapioca. Combine apple juice concentrate, wine, beef bouillon, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and pour over vegetables. Place roast atop vegetables.
3) Cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
We cooked our roast for 10 hours and it was incredible. While the roast cooked the whole house smelled of warm, sweet and spicy apple cider. When we pulled the pork out, it literally fell apart. It was incredible. And while I had my doubts about the green peppers (I've never cooked them in a slow cooker before), they came out beautifully.
I highly, highly recommend this recipe. It's warm and homey and requires very little attention. Perfect for a cold winter night.
Cheeseburger Soup
My Aunt Janet calls me several times a month, just to catch up and see what's going on with my life. Our conversations usually revolve around two things: our wacky cats and our favorite recipes.
I enjoy trying out my aunt's recipes because she's very much a penny pincher. Her recipes are incredibly cheap to make. When a recipe calls for one pound of ground beef, she usually only uses half a pound. And it works! Aunt Janet is very much in favor of replacing meat with beans or other proteins.
When she mentioned cheeseburger soup, I was immediately curious. I'd never heard of it before. And I do love cheeseburgers, so I had to know. She emailed me the recipe and a few days later I gave it a try.
It was delicious, although it did remind me more of a creamy, slightly cheesey potato soup with a hint of ground beef. When I make it again, I think I will add more cheese, or perhaps try a sharp cheddar, instead of just plain cheddar.
Cheeseburger Soup
(via Aunt Janet)
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parlsey
4 tbsp. butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup flour
2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
1.5 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
1) In a large pot, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Cook and stir vegetables and beef until beef is brown.
2) Stir in basil and parlsye. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
3) Melt the remainder of the butter in a small pot. When melted, stir in the flour, then add the milk, stirring until smooth.
4) Gradually add the milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through - do not boil.
5) Serve and enjoy!
I think chopping up some green onion and sprinkling that on top would be a lovely addition to the soup, as well as adding some fun color.
I have also been told that this soup freezes and reheats well, although I have yet to test this for myself.
I enjoy trying out my aunt's recipes because she's very much a penny pincher. Her recipes are incredibly cheap to make. When a recipe calls for one pound of ground beef, she usually only uses half a pound. And it works! Aunt Janet is very much in favor of replacing meat with beans or other proteins.
When she mentioned cheeseburger soup, I was immediately curious. I'd never heard of it before. And I do love cheeseburgers, so I had to know. She emailed me the recipe and a few days later I gave it a try.
It was delicious, although it did remind me more of a creamy, slightly cheesey potato soup with a hint of ground beef. When I make it again, I think I will add more cheese, or perhaps try a sharp cheddar, instead of just plain cheddar.
Cheeseburger Soup
(via Aunt Janet)
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parlsey
4 tbsp. butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup flour
2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
1.5 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions
1) In a large pot, melt 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Cook and stir vegetables and beef until beef is brown.
2) Stir in basil and parlsye. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
3) Melt the remainder of the butter in a small pot. When melted, stir in the flour, then add the milk, stirring until smooth.
4) Gradually add the milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese. When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through - do not boil.
5) Serve and enjoy!
I think chopping up some green onion and sprinkling that on top would be a lovely addition to the soup, as well as adding some fun color.
I have also been told that this soup freezes and reheats well, although I have yet to test this for myself.
Balsamic Browned Butter Sauce
I am truly, deeply in love with balsamic vinegar, I think. Lately my favorite thing to do is make a spinach salad with baby spinach leaves, pine nuts, EVOO, balsamic, and a hearty grind of black pepper.
Balsamic just has such a lovely taste. It's bitter and oh-so-good.
When I ran across this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I had everything in my pantry save for the mushroom agnolotti. I did, however, have a package of tri-color gnocchi. I threw this dinner together in about ten minutes and paired it with the aforementioned spinach salad. It was, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, sinfully good.
Balsamic Browned Butter Sauce
(via the lovely Eat Real)
* 1 package (9 ounces) ravioli
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
* 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
* 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
2. While the ravioli are cooking, melt butter in a sauté pan large enough to accommodate the ravioli, over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the butter begins to turn golden brown, remove pan from heat and let sit for about 1 minute. Whisk in vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes.
3. Place ravioli in butter sauce in pan, turning gently to coat. Warm over low heat, then pour out onto serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
It is worth noting that this reicpe is enough to serve two people. Or, in my case, one very hungry lady. :)
Balsamic just has such a lovely taste. It's bitter and oh-so-good.
When I ran across this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I had everything in my pantry save for the mushroom agnolotti. I did, however, have a package of tri-color gnocchi. I threw this dinner together in about ten minutes and paired it with the aforementioned spinach salad. It was, at the risk of sounding ridiculous, sinfully good.
Balsamic Browned Butter Sauce
(via the lovely Eat Real)
* 1 package (9 ounces) ravioli
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
* 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
* 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
2. While the ravioli are cooking, melt butter in a sauté pan large enough to accommodate the ravioli, over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the butter begins to turn golden brown, remove pan from heat and let sit for about 1 minute. Whisk in vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes.
3. Place ravioli in butter sauce in pan, turning gently to coat. Warm over low heat, then pour out onto serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
It is worth noting that this reicpe is enough to serve two people. Or, in my case, one very hungry lady. :)
1/2/10
Moroccan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nut Couscous
My brother is visiting this weekend, so I should be cleaning the back bedroom right now. Should being the key word there. I cleaned up a bit, then came across a Rachael Ray magazine. August 2009, with page 85 distinctly marked. Moroccan Skillet chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous. Mmmmmmm.
This is one of my most favorite recipes ever. No really. It's incredible! It's the perfect recipe to make while you sip some red wine (St. Julian's Red Heron, if you're a classy lady like me). It's both exotic and accessable at the same time. What's even better is that it's quick to make, and it's probably good for you, too (if you don't over-indulge).
Moroccan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous
Every Day with Rachael Ray, August 2009, pg. 85
Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon sweet paprika (about a palmful)
* 2 teaspoons turmeric (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin (about 2/3 palmful)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 pounds skinless, boneless dark- or white-meat chicken, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1 large onion, thinly sliced
* 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
* Salt and pepper
* 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup pitted large green olives
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 1/2 cups couscous
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together the paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
2. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until rippling and beginning to smoke. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and sliced lemon; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken stock, the olives and lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and the butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the pine nuts. Top the chicken with the parsley. To serve, spoon the chicken and sauce over the couscous.
A few tips:
1) I never toast the pine nuts, and it tastes just fine.
2) The first time I made this with the olives and it was great. I forgot that Aric doesn't like green olives, so now when I make it, I omit the olives. It still tastes good, but I miss the salty bite.
3) When you slice up the lemons, be sure to get the seeds out before tossing them in the pan. The first time I tried this, I forgot about the seeds. When it came time to eat, I bit down on a lemon seed, thinking it was a pine nut. Not good.
4) Watch out for the turmeric. It stains everything it touches a crazy yellow-orange - including your nails.
This is one of my most favorite recipes ever. No really. It's incredible! It's the perfect recipe to make while you sip some red wine (St. Julian's Red Heron, if you're a classy lady like me). It's both exotic and accessable at the same time. What's even better is that it's quick to make, and it's probably good for you, too (if you don't over-indulge).
Moroccan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous
Every Day with Rachael Ray, August 2009, pg. 85
Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon sweet paprika (about a palmful)
* 2 teaspoons turmeric (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin (about 2/3 palmful)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 pounds skinless, boneless dark- or white-meat chicken, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1 large onion, thinly sliced
* 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
* Salt and pepper
* 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup pitted large green olives
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 1/2 cups couscous
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together the paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
2. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until rippling and beginning to smoke. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and sliced lemon; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken stock, the olives and lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and the butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the pine nuts. Top the chicken with the parsley. To serve, spoon the chicken and sauce over the couscous.
A few tips:
1) I never toast the pine nuts, and it tastes just fine.
2) The first time I made this with the olives and it was great. I forgot that Aric doesn't like green olives, so now when I make it, I omit the olives. It still tastes good, but I miss the salty bite.
3) When you slice up the lemons, be sure to get the seeds out before tossing them in the pan. The first time I tried this, I forgot about the seeds. When it came time to eat, I bit down on a lemon seed, thinking it was a pine nut. Not good.
4) Watch out for the turmeric. It stains everything it touches a crazy yellow-orange - including your nails.
Lemon Curd
Times are tough, money is tight, yadda yadda. We all know the drill. So instead of fabulously expensive gifts, I decided to go the homemade route. Cheaper, certainly, but also kinder.
For my parents (and also myself) I made lemon curd. If you've never had it, the best way to describe it is to call it lemon jelly. It's thicker, though, almost custard-like in its consistency. However you describe it, though, you have to include this word: delicious!
Lemon Curd
(from Every Day with Rachel Ray)
Ingredients:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
* 4 large eggs plus 4 large yolks, beaten
* 1/4 cup finely grated lemon peel (about 3 lemons)
* 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions:
1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl next to the stove. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks and lemon peel. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
If you are going to attempt this recipe, allow me to pass along some advice. When it comes to zesting lemons, a zester is probably the worst thing you could use. Try a microplane. It will make your life much easier. And that whole "zest three lemons"? That's crap - I had to zest every lemon that I squeezed.
Also, I had to simmer my lemon curd for a long time to get it up to the proper temperature. As tempting as it was to crank the heat, don't do it - you don't want to cook the eggs into a scramble.
The magazine has a list of suggestions for you to use this lemon curd. My particular favorite is to stir a dollop into some plain yogurt, and then toss in a bunch of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. This has been my breakfast for the past two days and I have to say, my stomach is really happy.
Bottom line? Labor intensive, but soooooo worth it.
For my parents (and also myself) I made lemon curd. If you've never had it, the best way to describe it is to call it lemon jelly. It's thicker, though, almost custard-like in its consistency. However you describe it, though, you have to include this word: delicious!
Lemon Curd
(from Every Day with Rachel Ray)
Ingredients:
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
* 4 large eggs plus 4 large yolks, beaten
* 1/4 cup finely grated lemon peel (about 3 lemons)
* 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions:
1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl next to the stove. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks and lemon peel. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens and registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl, then press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
If you are going to attempt this recipe, allow me to pass along some advice. When it comes to zesting lemons, a zester is probably the worst thing you could use. Try a microplane. It will make your life much easier. And that whole "zest three lemons"? That's crap - I had to zest every lemon that I squeezed.
Also, I had to simmer my lemon curd for a long time to get it up to the proper temperature. As tempting as it was to crank the heat, don't do it - you don't want to cook the eggs into a scramble.
The magazine has a list of suggestions for you to use this lemon curd. My particular favorite is to stir a dollop into some plain yogurt, and then toss in a bunch of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. This has been my breakfast for the past two days and I have to say, my stomach is really happy.
Bottom line? Labor intensive, but soooooo worth it.
12/22/09
Vegetable Power Soup
Let me just begin by saying that I love cook books with pictures. Odds are if the book has a piece of meat with pretty grill marks, really shallow depth of field, or a cute title, I'm going to pick it up and take a look.
And that's what happened a few days ago at Barnes and Noble. I ran across a book called Super Duper Soups by Michael van Straten. "Healing soups for the mind and body," it said, as well as the deal-maker: on sale for $3.99 (I'm a sucker for a good deal).
Super Duper Soups is all about how your diet affects your health, your appearance, and even your mood. Then it goes on to recommend different soups to help cure your various ailments, whether it's a bad mood, bad skin, or lack of, uh, libido, let's say.
Having had two colds in three weeks (yes, you read that correctly), I decided to check out the immunity boosting chapter. The soup that caught my eye is called Vegetable Power. It's features vegetables that have allinase which, according to the book, "help boost natural resistance, attack invading organisms, help lower cholestorol, reduce blood pressure, and prevent blood clots." (page 17 for those of you reading along with me)
Sounds good, right?
VEGETABLE POWER SOUP
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 tbsp flour
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
2 carrots, trimmed and peeled, cut into small dice
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 leek, finely sliced
1 small parsnip, peeled and cut into small dice
6 cups vegetable stock
4 tbsp tomato paste
1)Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently sautee the onion. After a couple of minutes, add the garlic and sautee until soft.
2) Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix well.
3) Add the rest of the vegetables, stock, tomato paste, and stir well.
4) Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.
I could not for the life of me find a zucchini, so I omitted that, but I think everything is going to be okay. The soup is delicious. A little on the tomato-ey side, but that's okay. If you don't like tomato so much, cut back on it or even leave it out all together, if you're feeling especially bold.
And can I just say how much fun it is to chop veggies and watch them simmer? That might have sounded sarcastic, but it's really not. There's snow on the ground, it's three days until Christmas, and the whole process of making soup was incredibly cozy. Even though I was at work in the morning and did a lot, I feel even more accomplished now that I've made soup. Delicious and healthy soup, no less.
And that's what happened a few days ago at Barnes and Noble. I ran across a book called Super Duper Soups by Michael van Straten. "Healing soups for the mind and body," it said, as well as the deal-maker: on sale for $3.99 (I'm a sucker for a good deal).
Super Duper Soups is all about how your diet affects your health, your appearance, and even your mood. Then it goes on to recommend different soups to help cure your various ailments, whether it's a bad mood, bad skin, or lack of, uh, libido, let's say.
Having had two colds in three weeks (yes, you read that correctly), I decided to check out the immunity boosting chapter. The soup that caught my eye is called Vegetable Power. It's features vegetables that have allinase which, according to the book, "help boost natural resistance, attack invading organisms, help lower cholestorol, reduce blood pressure, and prevent blood clots." (page 17 for those of you reading along with me)
Sounds good, right?
VEGETABLE POWER SOUP
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 tbsp flour
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
2 carrots, trimmed and peeled, cut into small dice
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 leek, finely sliced
1 small parsnip, peeled and cut into small dice
6 cups vegetable stock
4 tbsp tomato paste
1)Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently sautee the onion. After a couple of minutes, add the garlic and sautee until soft.
2) Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and mix well.
3) Add the rest of the vegetables, stock, tomato paste, and stir well.
4) Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.
I could not for the life of me find a zucchini, so I omitted that, but I think everything is going to be okay. The soup is delicious. A little on the tomato-ey side, but that's okay. If you don't like tomato so much, cut back on it or even leave it out all together, if you're feeling especially bold.
And can I just say how much fun it is to chop veggies and watch them simmer? That might have sounded sarcastic, but it's really not. There's snow on the ground, it's three days until Christmas, and the whole process of making soup was incredibly cozy. Even though I was at work in the morning and did a lot, I feel even more accomplished now that I've made soup. Delicious and healthy soup, no less.
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