I'm doing my best refrigerator clean-out meal tonight. I purchased a large head of cauliflower last week for a salad and didn't use any of it. I also bought a large bunch of Swiss chard yesterday. I planned on making the chard today, but needed some creativity to enjoy it as a main dish. I make leafy greens as a side dish often, but tonight, it was the main course.
Botanically, Swiss chard belongs to the beet family. It can be cooked and prepared similar to spinach, kale and beet leaves or added to a salad. The chard I used had multi-colored stalks, or rainbow chard. Swiss chard is a "super food" and contains many phytonutrients, including anti-oxidant vitamin-C, vitamin-K for bone strength, omega-3 fatty acids, folates and thiamin (essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions). It's also a rich source of minerals like copper, sodium, potassium, calcium and iron. Usually, leafy greens need a little help with flavor.
I started by boiling the cauliflower. At the same time, I sauteed onions in olive oil and later added garlic and green peppers. When they were fully cooked, I added the Swiss chard. Don't be alarmed by the volume consumed by the chard. As it cooks, it wilts. In the meantime, I took the cauliflower out of the water with a slotted spoon and used the same water for the penne pasta.
When the pasta was al dente, I drained the water and mixed all the ingredients together in the [pasta] pot. I also added fresh chopped basil. As I mixed everything, I kept in the pot on the burner so everything was the same temperature. I dusted it with grated mozzarella to serve.
It was great.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 head cauliflower, cored and separated into very small flowerettes
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 pound penne
2 large cloves garlic (minced)
1 pound Swiss chard, rinsed and roughly chopped
Salt to taste
4 ounces mozzarella
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Root vegetable soup
Celeriac, sunchokes, purple top turnips, sweet scarlet turnips, red carrots and rutabagas are vegetables that I never imagined eating, let alone cooking myself. However, after my new found love for parsnips, I thought I would try all of them. And I did, in my most recent soup - root vegetable soup.
I stumbled across a bag of organically grown root vegetables at the Whole Earth Co-op in River Falls and thought it was a perfect choice on a day that seemed like it might be the end of fall. These vegetables embraced all the colors of fall, and I suspected the taste would send fall out in style. Christmas is just around the corner and the weather will be changing very quickly, so the excitement of fall could very well be gone. I tried to end it with a bang.
I sauteed an onion in olive oil before adding the aforementioned root vegetables with eight cloves of garlic. I cooked the vegetables for fifteen minutes until the were soft and fragrant, then added vegetable stock. I brought it to a boil and let it simmer before I pureed it with an immersion blender. When the soup was a nice, smooth consistency, I stirred in 3/4 cup of half-n-half.
The soup had a very strong, rooty scent. The taste was very hard to explain. I think it had a nutty flavor, but I'm not sure. The flavor of the rutabaga and turnips really came through. I really liked the taste when I sampled it over and over in the pot, but once I had it in my bowl and took heaping spoonfuls, I didn't really enjoy what was taking place inside of my mouth. Again, it was very difficult to describe, but I had a sensation in my mouth that was similar to when I eat radishes. It left quite the after taste, too. I'm still puzzled.
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic (minced)
1 bag root vegetable soup mix (three pounds)
6 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup half-n-half
Music: Weezer - I Want You To
Weather: 34-degrees
I stumbled across a bag of organically grown root vegetables at the Whole Earth Co-op in River Falls and thought it was a perfect choice on a day that seemed like it might be the end of fall. These vegetables embraced all the colors of fall, and I suspected the taste would send fall out in style. Christmas is just around the corner and the weather will be changing very quickly, so the excitement of fall could very well be gone. I tried to end it with a bang.
I sauteed an onion in olive oil before adding the aforementioned root vegetables with eight cloves of garlic. I cooked the vegetables for fifteen minutes until the were soft and fragrant, then added vegetable stock. I brought it to a boil and let it simmer before I pureed it with an immersion blender. When the soup was a nice, smooth consistency, I stirred in 3/4 cup of half-n-half.
The soup had a very strong, rooty scent. The taste was very hard to explain. I think it had a nutty flavor, but I'm not sure. The flavor of the rutabaga and turnips really came through. I really liked the taste when I sampled it over and over in the pot, but once I had it in my bowl and took heaping spoonfuls, I didn't really enjoy what was taking place inside of my mouth. Again, it was very difficult to describe, but I had a sensation in my mouth that was similar to when I eat radishes. It left quite the after taste, too. I'm still puzzled.
Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic (minced)
1 bag root vegetable soup mix (three pounds)
6 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup half-n-half
Music: Weezer - I Want You To
Weather: 34-degrees
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Thanksgiving Dinner
Happy Thanksgiving! I love this holiday because there is a lot of great American history attached to this day. It's also a day that features the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and an abundance of football. I planned on filling my day with football and my stomach with turkey and other traditional side dishes, but plans suddenly changed last night.
The original plan was to play flag football with the men from our church. It's a legendary day in the life of Five Oaks Church. Game time was at 9:00am. From there I was going to meet my family at my sister's house in Cottage Grove to watch the Packers-Lions game. Soon after that game, we'd be watching the Cowboys and then the late game. In the meantime, I was going to help myself to at least 6 plates full of food throughout the day. I had been excited for months to highlight premium dishes on Kevin Eats, but when my sister sent an e-mail asking to host Thanksgiving, I changed my focus to football and not cooking.
Well, a sudden change of plans found me cooking Thanksgiving dinner by myself, and it was great! I woke up this morning and rushed to the grocery store to find a fresh turkey (there was no time to thaw a frozen one) and all of the ingredients for other traditional side dishes, such as stuffing, potatoes, squash, green beans and cranberry sauce.
Now, I'm sitting on the sofa watching my Packers waiting for Liz to walk in the door from a holiday work day. She is going to be amazed. I'm not going to lie, I'm very proud of myself for pulling everything together this morning. It helped that Isaiah took two naps this morning and my mom stopped to see him on her way to my sister's house.
I'm very excited to eat this elaborate feast. I know we'll have plenty of food. Aren't the leftovers part of it, though?
The turkey
All we needed was a fresh cut of turkey breast (white meat = healthier). I was just over three pounds. I coated it with melted butter and sprinkled the essentials - rosemary, sage and thyme. Then, I squeezed a lemon over the top and added ground pepper and salt. There was a small cavity under the turkey breast, so I stuck half a lemon and a few carrots in it to cook. I don't even know how long it was in the oven cover with foil, probably over an hour, but I checked the internal temperature until it was just below 180-degrees.
Roasted baby red potatoes
I cut ten baby reds into bite size chunks and placed them in a baking pan. I drizzled olive oil over the top and tossed the potatoes until they were coated in oil. I added the essentials and covered with foil. Again, I'm unsure about how long I cooked them, but I put them next to the turkey in the oven. I was multi-tasking.
Butternut squash
I was lucky to find a squash that was already cut in half. I certainly didn't need a whole squash. I put a cup of water in a baking pan, added salt and pepper to the squash and set it face down in the pan. I baked it for almost an hour. When I took it out of the oven, I scrapped it into a bowl. I held the squash with an ovenmit and discarded the skin. I added a little butter and salt.
Green beans with toasted walnuts
I boiled a pot of water and added 12 ounces of fresh green beans (ends cut off). I cooked them for 5-6 minutes, or until the beans were crisp. I had toasted some walnuts and chopped them. I added some olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice to the beans and mixed-in the walnuts. They're very zesty!
Cranberry sauce
I actually made the cranberry sauce last night. Since I made cranberry sorbet a few weeks ago, I love cooking cranberries. I'm still so intrigued by how the "pop." I boiled one cup of sugar and one cup of orange juice and added 12 ounces of cranberries. It took around 15 minutes for all the cranberries to pop. The sauce thickened as it sat in the refrigerator overnight.
Mmmm, the stuffing
When I was at the grocery store, I bought a box of Stove Top stuffing in case I couldn't find the ambition to make my own stuffing. I'm so happy that I found the strength to make my own. The stuffing was the most fun and tastes the best of everything I made. I sauteed one onion and two stalks of celery in two tablespoons of butter. At the same time, I cut half a loaf of wheat bread, fresh from the bakery, into cubes. When the vegetables were cooked, I added them to the bread cubes. I also added the essential seasonings and 3/4 cup of warm chicken stock. I mixed everything together and placed in a casserole dish that had a glass cover. I drizzled 1/4 cup of warm chicken stock over the top and baked alongside the potatoes and chicken at 375-degrees for 25 minutes. Before I took it out of the oven, I took the top off the pan so the top of the stuffing became crispy. Delicious!
The original plan was to play flag football with the men from our church. It's a legendary day in the life of Five Oaks Church. Game time was at 9:00am. From there I was going to meet my family at my sister's house in Cottage Grove to watch the Packers-Lions game. Soon after that game, we'd be watching the Cowboys and then the late game. In the meantime, I was going to help myself to at least 6 plates full of food throughout the day. I had been excited for months to highlight premium dishes on Kevin Eats, but when my sister sent an e-mail asking to host Thanksgiving, I changed my focus to football and not cooking.
Well, a sudden change of plans found me cooking Thanksgiving dinner by myself, and it was great! I woke up this morning and rushed to the grocery store to find a fresh turkey (there was no time to thaw a frozen one) and all of the ingredients for other traditional side dishes, such as stuffing, potatoes, squash, green beans and cranberry sauce.
Now, I'm sitting on the sofa watching my Packers waiting for Liz to walk in the door from a holiday work day. She is going to be amazed. I'm not going to lie, I'm very proud of myself for pulling everything together this morning. It helped that Isaiah took two naps this morning and my mom stopped to see him on her way to my sister's house.
I'm very excited to eat this elaborate feast. I know we'll have plenty of food. Aren't the leftovers part of it, though?
The turkey
All we needed was a fresh cut of turkey breast (white meat = healthier). I was just over three pounds. I coated it with melted butter and sprinkled the essentials - rosemary, sage and thyme. Then, I squeezed a lemon over the top and added ground pepper and salt. There was a small cavity under the turkey breast, so I stuck half a lemon and a few carrots in it to cook. I don't even know how long it was in the oven cover with foil, probably over an hour, but I checked the internal temperature until it was just below 180-degrees.
Roasted baby red potatoes
I cut ten baby reds into bite size chunks and placed them in a baking pan. I drizzled olive oil over the top and tossed the potatoes until they were coated in oil. I added the essentials and covered with foil. Again, I'm unsure about how long I cooked them, but I put them next to the turkey in the oven. I was multi-tasking.
Butternut squash
I was lucky to find a squash that was already cut in half. I certainly didn't need a whole squash. I put a cup of water in a baking pan, added salt and pepper to the squash and set it face down in the pan. I baked it for almost an hour. When I took it out of the oven, I scrapped it into a bowl. I held the squash with an ovenmit and discarded the skin. I added a little butter and salt.
Green beans with toasted walnuts
I boiled a pot of water and added 12 ounces of fresh green beans (ends cut off). I cooked them for 5-6 minutes, or until the beans were crisp. I had toasted some walnuts and chopped them. I added some olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice to the beans and mixed-in the walnuts. They're very zesty!
Cranberry sauce
I actually made the cranberry sauce last night. Since I made cranberry sorbet a few weeks ago, I love cooking cranberries. I'm still so intrigued by how the "pop." I boiled one cup of sugar and one cup of orange juice and added 12 ounces of cranberries. It took around 15 minutes for all the cranberries to pop. The sauce thickened as it sat in the refrigerator overnight.
Mmmm, the stuffing
When I was at the grocery store, I bought a box of Stove Top stuffing in case I couldn't find the ambition to make my own stuffing. I'm so happy that I found the strength to make my own. The stuffing was the most fun and tastes the best of everything I made. I sauteed one onion and two stalks of celery in two tablespoons of butter. At the same time, I cut half a loaf of wheat bread, fresh from the bakery, into cubes. When the vegetables were cooked, I added them to the bread cubes. I also added the essential seasonings and 3/4 cup of warm chicken stock. I mixed everything together and placed in a casserole dish that had a glass cover. I drizzled 1/4 cup of warm chicken stock over the top and baked alongside the potatoes and chicken at 375-degrees for 25 minutes. Before I took it out of the oven, I took the top off the pan so the top of the stuffing became crispy. Delicious!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Restaurant review: Tucci Benucch
Today I spent the afternoon relaxing at the Mall of America with my family. We went in hopes of getting a jump start on the Christmas season. We didn't have any pressure to find presents for anyone and, since it was a Tuesday, we didn't have to fight any crowds. We also made the trip to Mall to eat lunch at our favorite MOA restaurant, Tucci Benucch.
Tucci Benucch is a little Italian restaurant on the first floor between Nordstrom's and Macy's. It's nothing like the other popular restaurants in the Mall, full of energy with a lot of noise and bustle. Tucci Benucch is quiet, cozy and has the feel of a family-owned restaurant. The ambiance is extremely easy to embrace as if you were escaping into the Tuscan countryside.
The restaurant offers a menu with a great variety of antipasti, pasta, pizzas and other traditional Italian dishes. They have a large wine menu, as well. I enjoyed a lovely plate of sweet potato ravioli with an apple cider cream sauce. It was exceptionally sweet and enormously rich. It was fabulous.
Tucci Benucch in the Mall of America never disappoints. With a great atmosphere and quality food, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Tucci Benucch is a little Italian restaurant on the first floor between Nordstrom's and Macy's. It's nothing like the other popular restaurants in the Mall, full of energy with a lot of noise and bustle. Tucci Benucch is quiet, cozy and has the feel of a family-owned restaurant. The ambiance is extremely easy to embrace as if you were escaping into the Tuscan countryside.
The restaurant offers a menu with a great variety of antipasti, pasta, pizzas and other traditional Italian dishes. They have a large wine menu, as well. I enjoyed a lovely plate of sweet potato ravioli with an apple cider cream sauce. It was exceptionally sweet and enormously rich. It was fabulous.
Tucci Benucch in the Mall of America never disappoints. With a great atmosphere and quality food, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ginger snappy bar
I was browsing the aisles at the Whole Earth Co-op in River Falls and saw a package of Sturdiwheat Ginger Snappy Bars. I was very familiar with the Sturdiwheat brand as I have made their pancakes, but hadn't seen their dessert mixes. I love how easy their products are to prepare, but even more, I love how great they taste.
Start to finish, it took me 6 minutes to get the bars in the oven. After pulling the baking dish from the cupboard, I softened the butter in the microwave and preheated the oven to 325. As their slogan states, just add water! In a mixing bowl, I stirred all the ingredients until it had a sticky consistency. As is said on the back of the package, I pressed the batter into the dish and put it in the oven for 35 minutes.
Really, I can't say enough about the Sturdiwheat brand. It's a local company (Red Wing, MN) and I really love supporting local businesses. Plus, they don't add preservatives and their products taste extremely good and of high quality. If you ever need to make a quick treat for a party or to bring to work, look in the baking aisle for Sturdiwheat products. You'll receive praise for your baking abilities and the consumers will be very happy. You both win. I wonder if Sturdiwheat needs a national spokesperson...I'm willing.
Ingredients:
1 package Sturdiwheat Ginger Snappy Bar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup water
Music: Benny Goodman - Sing, Sing, Sing
Weather: 53-degrees, rainy
Breaking news: Joe Mauer is named American League Most Valuable Player
Start to finish, it took me 6 minutes to get the bars in the oven. After pulling the baking dish from the cupboard, I softened the butter in the microwave and preheated the oven to 325. As their slogan states, just add water! In a mixing bowl, I stirred all the ingredients until it had a sticky consistency. As is said on the back of the package, I pressed the batter into the dish and put it in the oven for 35 minutes.
Really, I can't say enough about the Sturdiwheat brand. It's a local company (Red Wing, MN) and I really love supporting local businesses. Plus, they don't add preservatives and their products taste extremely good and of high quality. If you ever need to make a quick treat for a party or to bring to work, look in the baking aisle for Sturdiwheat products. You'll receive praise for your baking abilities and the consumers will be very happy. You both win. I wonder if Sturdiwheat needs a national spokesperson...I'm willing.
Ingredients:
1 package Sturdiwheat Ginger Snappy Bar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup water
Music: Benny Goodman - Sing, Sing, Sing
Weather: 53-degrees, rainy
Breaking news: Joe Mauer is named American League Most Valuable Player
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Creamy chesnut soup with candied walnuts
It's getting close to Thanksgiving, but it's also been uncharacteristically warm outside. I dread the cold weather every November, so I'm not complaining, but I'm having a hard time looking forward to Christmas music when it's so warm. I love Christmas music. Who doesn't?
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" is a holiday tradition I've never partaken in, but that didn't stop me from tackling the creamy chestnut soup with candied walnuts recipe from the December/January issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray.
The recipe called for canned chestnuts and pureed chestnuts, but I had difficulty finding them at the grocery store. I asked two separate store employees and eventually the manager, but they couldn't offer any assistance. I settled for water chestnuts from the Asian/Oriental section and pureed them myself.
The first step was to make the candied walnuts. I baked them at 400 degrees covered in a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, egg whites and a pinch of salt. They roasted in the oven for 10 minutes. I took them out and set them aside so they could cool before I chopped them to top the soup. The walnuts, by themselves, were amazing. I will definitely be making candied walnuts very soon.
I melted the butter in my cast-iron Dutch oven and added the onions. Next to freshly cut grass, my favorite smell is onions cooking in butter. It's intoxicating and wonderful. I added the chicken stock and port wine and cooked for five minutes before adding the chestnuts.
I added four cans of water chestnuts, drained. Five minutes later I added two more cans. This time, I pureed the chestnuts (with the water) in a blender and added it to the soup. I cooked everything for 10 minutes and pureed it in the pot using an immersion blender.
To serve, I added a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream (in a "swirl") and topped with the walnuts and chopped parsley. It had an extremely rich flavor. I thought of clam chowder as I was eating it. Chestnuts are very distinct in taste. It felt like fall. Even if the cold weather doesn't arrive, the Christmas music will.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg white
1 - 48 ounce container chicken stock
1/4 cup port wine
4 cans 8 ounce chestnuts packed in water (drained to 5 oz.)
2 cans 8 ounce chestnuts pureed
10 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Music: BarlowGirl - Carol of the Bells/Sing We Now of Christmas
Weather: 54-degrees
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" is a holiday tradition I've never partaken in, but that didn't stop me from tackling the creamy chestnut soup with candied walnuts recipe from the December/January issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray.
The recipe called for canned chestnuts and pureed chestnuts, but I had difficulty finding them at the grocery store. I asked two separate store employees and eventually the manager, but they couldn't offer any assistance. I settled for water chestnuts from the Asian/Oriental section and pureed them myself.
The first step was to make the candied walnuts. I baked them at 400 degrees covered in a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, egg whites and a pinch of salt. They roasted in the oven for 10 minutes. I took them out and set them aside so they could cool before I chopped them to top the soup. The walnuts, by themselves, were amazing. I will definitely be making candied walnuts very soon.
I melted the butter in my cast-iron Dutch oven and added the onions. Next to freshly cut grass, my favorite smell is onions cooking in butter. It's intoxicating and wonderful. I added the chicken stock and port wine and cooked for five minutes before adding the chestnuts.
I added four cans of water chestnuts, drained. Five minutes later I added two more cans. This time, I pureed the chestnuts (with the water) in a blender and added it to the soup. I cooked everything for 10 minutes and pureed it in the pot using an immersion blender.
To serve, I added a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream (in a "swirl") and topped with the walnuts and chopped parsley. It had an extremely rich flavor. I thought of clam chowder as I was eating it. Chestnuts are very distinct in taste. It felt like fall. Even if the cold weather doesn't arrive, the Christmas music will.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg white
1 - 48 ounce container chicken stock
1/4 cup port wine
4 cans 8 ounce chestnuts packed in water (drained to 5 oz.)
2 cans 8 ounce chestnuts pureed
10 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper
Music: BarlowGirl - Carol of the Bells/Sing We Now of Christmas
Weather: 54-degrees
Friday, November 20, 2009
Quesadillas and guacamole
Greetings from Colorado Springs, Colorado. No, this isn’t Kevin; instead, it’s time for the second guest blogger to offer his or her “expertise.” It’s with good reason I put quotes around expertise, because compared to Kevin’s cooking abilities, I’m not sure I measure up. And I’ve had Liz’s cookies many times, and I know how I rate in comparison to her. I guess that doesn’t matter, right?
I might offer a different spin on this blog as a single guy, as I tend to cook for myself and no one else. Periodically I’ll invite our neighbors or other friends over, but that’s not the norm. Don’t worry married readers – this quesadilla is great for a family or party. Not a Packers party, though, but that’s best saved for another date.
I had a three-pronged attack tonight – quesadillas, guacamole, and a smoothie.
The preparation for tonight’s meal started last night, as I got a head start on the quacamole. I cut diced the tomatoes, squeezed in the citrus, added the seasoning, and put it in the fridge overnight. I knew that it would be nice to have a little more free time to make the quesadillas.
Tonight I added the avocados to the aforementioned ingredients. Once I finished the guac, I took a few tortilla chips to sample the creation. Let me tell you, the addition of the orange made this the guac the best batch I have ever made. My taste-testers agreed, therefore, I highly suggest adding it to your guac.
Next up for the quesadillas, I seasoned and cooked the chicken breasts in some olive oil in a skillet. While this was going on, I drained the corn and rinsed the black beans. I’m not a fan of black bean juice, but you might me, so feel free to not rinse them if you wish. The last bit of preparation for the quesadilla was to cut up the sweet potatoes into slivers about as big as french fries. I used my newly-purchased quesadilla maker to finish this dish off.
The smoothie is a staple in my diet. Until very recently, I used peach yogurt and frozen strawberries. I changed it up last week, though, because I now use unflavored yogurt and frozen peaches and strawberries. This should be a little healthier for me, and it surprisingly tastes just as good. In order, I put apple juice, yogurt, and then frozen fruit into the blender, as this allows for the frozen fruit to be blended the best.
The quesadillas turned out great, especially when dipped in the guac. I made four of them, so after dinner, I have one to bring to work for lunch tomorrow. All the better.
Quesadilla (for each 9” quesadilla)
2 tortillas
½ chicken breast
¾ c. Mexican cheese
¼ c. black beans
¼ c. corn
¼ c. sweet potatoes
Guacamole
4 avocados
3 roma tomatoes
1 lime (squeezed)
¾ orange (squeezed)
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ Lawry’s season salt
Dash of salt
Strawberry & Peach Smoothie
6 oz apple juice
2 oz yogurt
2 oz frozen strawberries
2 oz peaches
I might offer a different spin on this blog as a single guy, as I tend to cook for myself and no one else. Periodically I’ll invite our neighbors or other friends over, but that’s not the norm. Don’t worry married readers – this quesadilla is great for a family or party. Not a Packers party, though, but that’s best saved for another date.
I had a three-pronged attack tonight – quesadillas, guacamole, and a smoothie.
The preparation for tonight’s meal started last night, as I got a head start on the quacamole. I cut diced the tomatoes, squeezed in the citrus, added the seasoning, and put it in the fridge overnight. I knew that it would be nice to have a little more free time to make the quesadillas.
Tonight I added the avocados to the aforementioned ingredients. Once I finished the guac, I took a few tortilla chips to sample the creation. Let me tell you, the addition of the orange made this the guac the best batch I have ever made. My taste-testers agreed, therefore, I highly suggest adding it to your guac.
Next up for the quesadillas, I seasoned and cooked the chicken breasts in some olive oil in a skillet. While this was going on, I drained the corn and rinsed the black beans. I’m not a fan of black bean juice, but you might me, so feel free to not rinse them if you wish. The last bit of preparation for the quesadilla was to cut up the sweet potatoes into slivers about as big as french fries. I used my newly-purchased quesadilla maker to finish this dish off.
The smoothie is a staple in my diet. Until very recently, I used peach yogurt and frozen strawberries. I changed it up last week, though, because I now use unflavored yogurt and frozen peaches and strawberries. This should be a little healthier for me, and it surprisingly tastes just as good. In order, I put apple juice, yogurt, and then frozen fruit into the blender, as this allows for the frozen fruit to be blended the best.
The quesadillas turned out great, especially when dipped in the guac. I made four of them, so after dinner, I have one to bring to work for lunch tomorrow. All the better.
Quesadilla (for each 9” quesadilla)
2 tortillas
½ chicken breast
¾ c. Mexican cheese
¼ c. black beans
¼ c. corn
¼ c. sweet potatoes
Guacamole
4 avocados
3 roma tomatoes
1 lime (squeezed)
¾ orange (squeezed)
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ Lawry’s season salt
Dash of salt
Strawberry & Peach Smoothie
6 oz apple juice
2 oz yogurt
2 oz frozen strawberries
2 oz peaches
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Silver dollar pancakes
One of my fondest memories growing up is sitting with my family for breakfast devouring as many pancakes as humanly possible. My mom always made pancakes from scratch and we loved them. Every time they were on the morning menu, it became an invitation to attempt setting "the record." I hold the individual record for consumption after eating 17 pancakes one morning in high school. One batch of batter typically makes 20 pancakes.
To prepare the batter, mix 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of milk, 1 tablespoon of baking powder and a dash of vanilla and salt. Spray the griddle with non-stick cooking spray and pour batter until it's approximately the same circumference as a pop/soda can. When the batter starts to bubble, flip each pancake. They cook quickly at 300-degrees.
This is an extremely easy recipe. Aside from the simplistic taste, many emotions are attached to these pancakes for me. They always bring back favorite memories of growing up. I plan on making them a part of my children's life, too.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
dash vanilla
dash salt
To prepare the batter, mix 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of milk, 1 tablespoon of baking powder and a dash of vanilla and salt. Spray the griddle with non-stick cooking spray and pour batter until it's approximately the same circumference as a pop/soda can. When the batter starts to bubble, flip each pancake. They cook quickly at 300-degrees.
This is an extremely easy recipe. Aside from the simplistic taste, many emotions are attached to these pancakes for me. They always bring back favorite memories of growing up. I plan on making them a part of my children's life, too.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
dash vanilla
dash salt
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Bison Burgers
Bison (Buffalo) meat is similar to beef, but it has less fat and more flavor. Bison are handled as little as possible and they spend their lives on grass, as they do in nature. You can find Bison in the specialty meat category in your supermarket or grocery store. At Econo Foods in River Falls, a special freezer is dedicated to Bison meat.
I purchased 16 ounces of ground Bison to make the burgers. When I make hamburgers, I put a lot of extra ingredients into the meat - egg, onions, garlic, BBQ sauce, teriyaki, seasonings, etc. This is my "signature" when I make hamburgers in the summer. They're full of flavor and extremely juicy. However, with Bison, I wanted to be sure that the flavor of the meat came through.
I added an egg, a splash of teriyaki and some garlic and pepper seasoning. The rest of the flavor was 100% pure, wholesome, tasty Bison nutrition.
Since Bison is leaner than beef, I used the egg to hold the meat together. It also needs to be cooked at a lower temperature. Fat acts as an insulator causing most meats to take longer to cook. This lack of fat also accounts for the deep red color of the meat. Since I stayed inside, forgoing the grill, I cooked the burgers on the griddle, but only at 300-degrees.
The burgers were fantastic. Bison burgers have so much flavor and are very good for you. They were both big 1/2 pound patties and very satisfying. I added a fresh slice of tomato (cut with my new slicer--oh yeah), lettuce and Swiss cheese. I swear I thought I was eating a burger from Dotty's Dumpling Dowry in Madison, except this one was much healthier.
Ingredients:
16 ounces ground Bison meat
1 egg
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
garlic and pepper seasoning to taste
Music: Glee Cast - Lean on Me
Weather: 43-degrees (it was actually sunny today)
I purchased 16 ounces of ground Bison to make the burgers. When I make hamburgers, I put a lot of extra ingredients into the meat - egg, onions, garlic, BBQ sauce, teriyaki, seasonings, etc. This is my "signature" when I make hamburgers in the summer. They're full of flavor and extremely juicy. However, with Bison, I wanted to be sure that the flavor of the meat came through.
I added an egg, a splash of teriyaki and some garlic and pepper seasoning. The rest of the flavor was 100% pure, wholesome, tasty Bison nutrition.
Since Bison is leaner than beef, I used the egg to hold the meat together. It also needs to be cooked at a lower temperature. Fat acts as an insulator causing most meats to take longer to cook. This lack of fat also accounts for the deep red color of the meat. Since I stayed inside, forgoing the grill, I cooked the burgers on the griddle, but only at 300-degrees.
The burgers were fantastic. Bison burgers have so much flavor and are very good for you. They were both big 1/2 pound patties and very satisfying. I added a fresh slice of tomato (cut with my new slicer--oh yeah), lettuce and Swiss cheese. I swear I thought I was eating a burger from Dotty's Dumpling Dowry in Madison, except this one was much healthier.
Ingredients:
16 ounces ground Bison meat
1 egg
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
garlic and pepper seasoning to taste
Music: Glee Cast - Lean on Me
Weather: 43-degrees (it was actually sunny today)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Baja Sol - Fresh Mexican
The CityPages restaurant reviewers say, "A cheapskate's hall of famer, the Baja Sol is that rare place where you can consume fresh, vibrant, lively food and walk out the door having spent less than $6." The food is fabulous and they have a very large menu, but it is slightly expensive. Along the lines of Chipotle and Qdoba, it's a Fresh Mexican restaurant, so don't expect "authentic" Mexican food. However, as far as fast food is concerned, it is the closest to authentic of any of the new fresh-Mex places.
I had a chicken enchilada. The menu describes it as two corn tortillas smothered in Roja Enchilada sauce & melted cheese with lettuce, sour cream & pico de gallo. Served with Baja rice and black beans. Includes Baja Sol’s Free Chips & Salsa Bar! That's right, a free chips and salsa bar. This is my favorite part of the dinning at Baja Sol. They have fresh, warm tortilla chips and nine fresh homemade salsas - all you can eat! I love their famous peach-mango salsa.
The enchilada was very good, but definitely tasted fast food-ish. The chicken was extremely tender, but the tortilla was a little tough. It still tasted very good, though. I enjoyed the Mexican flavored rice, but didn't care too much for the black beans.
When I got home, I researched the Baja Sol franchise and was excited to see that is locally owned (Inver Grove Heights, MN). There were a lot of fun features online, including online orders and Baja Radio - a mini media player with beach themed music. There are fifteen Baja Sol Restaurants in the Twin Cities, four in Wisconsin, three in Ohio and one Illinois. They have plans to open one in Chula Vista, CA in the near future (funny, since I was just there).
Baja Sol is definitely my favorite quick restaurant in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Allegedly, they offer award winning Baja Margaritas, too. Go just for all the award winning hot chips and salsa you can handle. Free! That's worth it.
Musics: Good Size - The Pineapple Song (Turn Around and Let Me See)
Weather: 35-degrees
I had a chicken enchilada. The menu describes it as two corn tortillas smothered in Roja Enchilada sauce & melted cheese with lettuce, sour cream & pico de gallo. Served with Baja rice and black beans. Includes Baja Sol’s Free Chips & Salsa Bar! That's right, a free chips and salsa bar. This is my favorite part of the dinning at Baja Sol. They have fresh, warm tortilla chips and nine fresh homemade salsas - all you can eat! I love their famous peach-mango salsa.
The enchilada was very good, but definitely tasted fast food-ish. The chicken was extremely tender, but the tortilla was a little tough. It still tasted very good, though. I enjoyed the Mexican flavored rice, but didn't care too much for the black beans.
When I got home, I researched the Baja Sol franchise and was excited to see that is locally owned (Inver Grove Heights, MN). There were a lot of fun features online, including online orders and Baja Radio - a mini media player with beach themed music. There are fifteen Baja Sol Restaurants in the Twin Cities, four in Wisconsin, three in Ohio and one Illinois. They have plans to open one in Chula Vista, CA in the near future (funny, since I was just there).
Baja Sol is definitely my favorite quick restaurant in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Allegedly, they offer award winning Baja Margaritas, too. Go just for all the award winning hot chips and salsa you can handle. Free! That's worth it.
Musics: Good Size - The Pineapple Song (Turn Around and Let Me See)
Weather: 35-degrees
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Sweet sweet potato
Another Sunday, another soup. I'm starting to feel a little repetitive making soup each weekend. Some of that feeling comes from making orange-colored soups so frequently. I've done few squash soups and now sweet potato. I had to do something that would make this one different and set it apart from the rest, so I went for an extra sweet flavor.
I sauteed the onions for five minutes before adding the leek, onion, pepper and parsnip. Parsnips are similar to carrots, but have a more complex, sweet, nutty flavor. They're great in soup stock and pack seven grams of fiber in one cup (double that of carrots). You also get 40 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K, a hard-to-get nutrient that researchers are realizing may improve bone health, which I need. Plus, I needed the extra sweetness, right?
I cooked all of the vegetables for five minutes then added the potatoes (both types). Soon after, I added brown sugar and maple syrup and let everything cook for another 20 minutes. I used a carton of Trader Joe's sweet potato bisque and some chicken broth (also Trader Joe's) for the stock and let simmer for 15 more minutes before serving.
The taste was sweeter than I had expected, but it still could have used even more sugary substances. The basil and parsnips gave it an earthy sweetness that couldn't have been replicated with sugar. The hint of maple was a fun twist, too. In the future, I may add more maple syrup. With the chunks of potatoes, it turned out to be a very hearty soup. Good stuff.
Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 pound potatoes
1 parsnip
1 leek
1 yellow onion
1 red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sweet basil
2 sprigs thyme (take out before adding stock)
32 ounces sweet potato bisque stock
20 ounces chicken broth
Music: David Crowder Band - How He Loves
Weather: 36-degrees - definitely getting colder...
I sauteed the onions for five minutes before adding the leek, onion, pepper and parsnip. Parsnips are similar to carrots, but have a more complex, sweet, nutty flavor. They're great in soup stock and pack seven grams of fiber in one cup (double that of carrots). You also get 40 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K, a hard-to-get nutrient that researchers are realizing may improve bone health, which I need. Plus, I needed the extra sweetness, right?
I cooked all of the vegetables for five minutes then added the potatoes (both types). Soon after, I added brown sugar and maple syrup and let everything cook for another 20 minutes. I used a carton of Trader Joe's sweet potato bisque and some chicken broth (also Trader Joe's) for the stock and let simmer for 15 more minutes before serving.
The taste was sweeter than I had expected, but it still could have used even more sugary substances. The basil and parsnips gave it an earthy sweetness that couldn't have been replicated with sugar. The hint of maple was a fun twist, too. In the future, I may add more maple syrup. With the chunks of potatoes, it turned out to be a very hearty soup. Good stuff.
Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 pound potatoes
1 parsnip
1 leek
1 yellow onion
1 red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sweet basil
2 sprigs thyme (take out before adding stock)
32 ounces sweet potato bisque stock
20 ounces chicken broth
Music: David Crowder Band - How He Loves
Weather: 36-degrees - definitely getting colder...
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
Liz Black, devoted and loving wife to Kevin, is the first guest author in the history of Kevin Eats. She offers us her world renown cookies for our Saturday dessert recipe.
Well, what can I say? I am utterly honored to be the first "guest blogger" of Kevin Eats. My first thoughts were, "How can I possibly live up to Kevin's eloquent and articulate style? What if people read this and think, 'wow, Kevin is definitely the writer of the family.' " I'm a little rusty at writing in general and especially creative writing. With that disclaimer and in my own style, here I go.
Today's Saturday dessert recipe is one that I bring out time and time again. It is quite simple and accessible (printed on the back of the craisins bag), though each time I make these cookies people are amazed by their uniqueness and deliciousness. They quickly assume it's a recipe from the latest Gourmet magazine. If I am ever in need of compliments, all I have to do is bring out the cookies and they start flowing freely. It's quite humorous how quickly a plate of 20 cookies disappears in the presence of only three or four people. They just slide down so easily... The greatest part is that they turn out exactly the same every single time!
There are a few tricks to keep in mind with these particular cookies, though, but otherwise they are almost completely foolproof.
Trick #1: Hershey white chocolate chips are a MUST. Unfortunately, the "heaping metropolis" of River Falls (Kevin's words), does not carry these. Only Nestle and a few other brands. I taste-tested the two brands (Hershey and Nestle) one time and was amazed at the difference. The Hershey brand was startlingly sweet and pure, like real white chocolate, but the Nestle brand tasted like sweetened candle wax. Very artificial and NO comparison. This is the biggest reason that the number of times I've made these cookies since we moved to River Falls has really dwindled. In fact, I almost wrote a letter to Hershey telling them how great their chips were in comparison to other brands, but never quite got around to it. To clarify, I have tried MANY other brands and they all taste artificial. Hershey is the only way to go.
Trick #2: Take them out of the oven before they appear completely done. This is crucial. They only maintain their softness and flavor when they are taken out early. They may then be left on the pan for a few minutes to continue to bake out of the oven. The outer edges can be slightly golden brown, but the tops should still appear slightly doughy.
Trick #3: Stir by hand, not with a mixer. This makes for much better textured cookies. Do not get lazy.
If these three tricks are followed, these cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will turn out perfect any time. Thanks again for allowing me to grace your blog space, Kevin. I love you.
Ingredients:
2/3 cups brown sugar
2/3 cups butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
2/3 cups white chocolate chips
1 - 6 ounce package craisins
Bake at 375 until done
Music: Wicked Soundtrack - Defying Gravity
Weather: High 48-degrees
Well, what can I say? I am utterly honored to be the first "guest blogger" of Kevin Eats. My first thoughts were, "How can I possibly live up to Kevin's eloquent and articulate style? What if people read this and think, 'wow, Kevin is definitely the writer of the family.' " I'm a little rusty at writing in general and especially creative writing. With that disclaimer and in my own style, here I go.
Today's Saturday dessert recipe is one that I bring out time and time again. It is quite simple and accessible (printed on the back of the craisins bag), though each time I make these cookies people are amazed by their uniqueness and deliciousness. They quickly assume it's a recipe from the latest Gourmet magazine. If I am ever in need of compliments, all I have to do is bring out the cookies and they start flowing freely. It's quite humorous how quickly a plate of 20 cookies disappears in the presence of only three or four people. They just slide down so easily... The greatest part is that they turn out exactly the same every single time!
There are a few tricks to keep in mind with these particular cookies, though, but otherwise they are almost completely foolproof.
Trick #1: Hershey white chocolate chips are a MUST. Unfortunately, the "heaping metropolis" of River Falls (Kevin's words), does not carry these. Only Nestle and a few other brands. I taste-tested the two brands (Hershey and Nestle) one time and was amazed at the difference. The Hershey brand was startlingly sweet and pure, like real white chocolate, but the Nestle brand tasted like sweetened candle wax. Very artificial and NO comparison. This is the biggest reason that the number of times I've made these cookies since we moved to River Falls has really dwindled. In fact, I almost wrote a letter to Hershey telling them how great their chips were in comparison to other brands, but never quite got around to it. To clarify, I have tried MANY other brands and they all taste artificial. Hershey is the only way to go.
Trick #2: Take them out of the oven before they appear completely done. This is crucial. They only maintain their softness and flavor when they are taken out early. They may then be left on the pan for a few minutes to continue to bake out of the oven. The outer edges can be slightly golden brown, but the tops should still appear slightly doughy.
Trick #3: Stir by hand, not with a mixer. This makes for much better textured cookies. Do not get lazy.
If these three tricks are followed, these cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will turn out perfect any time. Thanks again for allowing me to grace your blog space, Kevin. I love you.
Ingredients:
2/3 cups brown sugar
2/3 cups butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
2/3 cups white chocolate chips
1 - 6 ounce package craisins
Bake at 375 until done
Music: Wicked Soundtrack - Defying Gravity
Weather: High 48-degrees
Friday, November 13, 2009
Salmon with hoisin, orange and bok choy
I ate like a king for lunch today. I took roughly 20 minutes to prepare a healthy meal that tasted like the creation of a top-notch chef in a five-star restaurant. It was absolutely splendid. Since I started blogging my cooking experiences, I have never eaten so well as I have over the past month. I've had a lot of fun, too.
I found a recipe for salmon with hoisin, orange and bok choy in Bon Appetit. It was perfect because I haven't prepared fish for this blog yet and I'm currently obsessed with bok choy. The stalks of this Asian leafy green are crunchy and mild, and the leaves are cabbagelike. It's among the top cancer-fighting picks in the produce aisle, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants glucosinolate and indole, at least that's what Men's Health told me. I've also found it to be very versatile, and, if I'm being honest, I love saying "bok choy" in the checkout line when the cashier asks what it is. It makes me feel so cultured.
The fish that I used was a frozen fillet of sockeye salmon. I thawed it overnight and cut off the skin before cooking it. I formed a bed of bok choy in the center of two 12-inch square pieces of foil and placed the fish on top. I mixed orange juice, hoisin, ginger, green onions and orange peel in a small bowl and spread it over the fish with a spoon. I sprinkled it with ground coriander and chopped cilantro before folding the sides of the foil. I tightly sealed the foil above the fish, completely enclosing the contents, and placed it on a baking sheet. The fish baked at 425-degrees for almost 15 minutes. I transferred everything to plates and served with rice.
The fish had a very sweet flavor from the hoisin and orange, but the cilantro gave it a very "green" flavor, too. I couldn't believe how great it tasted considering how easy it was to prepare. It was a terrific lunch and would have impressed many guests at a fancy dinner, too. The combination of fish and bok choy was stellar. I'll definitely be repeating this one in the future.
Ingredients:
2 heads of baby bok choy, each cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
2 5- to 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Music: Britt Nicole - How the Lost Get Found
Weather: 48-degrees
I found a recipe for salmon with hoisin, orange and bok choy in Bon Appetit. It was perfect because I haven't prepared fish for this blog yet and I'm currently obsessed with bok choy. The stalks of this Asian leafy green are crunchy and mild, and the leaves are cabbagelike. It's among the top cancer-fighting picks in the produce aisle, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants glucosinolate and indole, at least that's what Men's Health told me. I've also found it to be very versatile, and, if I'm being honest, I love saying "bok choy" in the checkout line when the cashier asks what it is. It makes me feel so cultured.
The fish that I used was a frozen fillet of sockeye salmon. I thawed it overnight and cut off the skin before cooking it. I formed a bed of bok choy in the center of two 12-inch square pieces of foil and placed the fish on top. I mixed orange juice, hoisin, ginger, green onions and orange peel in a small bowl and spread it over the fish with a spoon. I sprinkled it with ground coriander and chopped cilantro before folding the sides of the foil. I tightly sealed the foil above the fish, completely enclosing the contents, and placed it on a baking sheet. The fish baked at 425-degrees for almost 15 minutes. I transferred everything to plates and served with rice.
The fish had a very sweet flavor from the hoisin and orange, but the cilantro gave it a very "green" flavor, too. I couldn't believe how great it tasted considering how easy it was to prepare. It was a terrific lunch and would have impressed many guests at a fancy dinner, too. The combination of fish and bok choy was stellar. I'll definitely be repeating this one in the future.
Ingredients:
2 heads of baby bok choy, each cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
2 5- to 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Music: Britt Nicole - How the Lost Get Found
Weather: 48-degrees
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Beef and vegetable barley soup
I wasn't planning on cooking anything tonight, but I ended up throwing together a quick beef and vegetable barley soup and it turned out pretty well.
I'm home alone for dinner tonight, so I was contemplating eating at Jimmy John's or Subway for a fast meal. But as I strolled around the kitchen, I saw a few items that needed to be used. Wasting food is never good. So, I threw them in a pot and voila! more soup. As if that's what I need in my refrigerator. I have leftovers from the last two batches that I've made, but there's something about freshly made soup--it's definitely good for your soul.
I had somewhat of a mopey day today, which seems to be a trend lately. At times I feel like a duck. Nice and smooth sailing above water, but under the water where no one can see, feet are fluttering and stirring a million miles per hour. Somehow, soup seems to calm things down for me, though, so I was pleased to enjoy a bowl before I headed off to practice.
My quote across the top of my blog page states, "It takes a pure heart to make a good soup." I'm not sure I always agree with quote, especially considering who is given credit for having said it (Beethoven was far from pure at heart...), but I do know that a good soup makes your heart feel better. That sounds about right, but I do still enjoy the quote and I do enjoy good soup.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chopped carrots, celery, onions
1 glove garlic
32 ounces beef broth
1/4 cup dry barley
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Music: Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Weather: 60-degrees
I'm home alone for dinner tonight, so I was contemplating eating at Jimmy John's or Subway for a fast meal. But as I strolled around the kitchen, I saw a few items that needed to be used. Wasting food is never good. So, I threw them in a pot and voila! more soup. As if that's what I need in my refrigerator. I have leftovers from the last two batches that I've made, but there's something about freshly made soup--it's definitely good for your soul.
I had somewhat of a mopey day today, which seems to be a trend lately. At times I feel like a duck. Nice and smooth sailing above water, but under the water where no one can see, feet are fluttering and stirring a million miles per hour. Somehow, soup seems to calm things down for me, though, so I was pleased to enjoy a bowl before I headed off to practice.
My quote across the top of my blog page states, "It takes a pure heart to make a good soup." I'm not sure I always agree with quote, especially considering who is given credit for having said it (Beethoven was far from pure at heart...), but I do know that a good soup makes your heart feel better. That sounds about right, but I do still enjoy the quote and I do enjoy good soup.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chopped carrots, celery, onions
1 glove garlic
32 ounces beef broth
1/4 cup dry barley
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Music: Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Weather: 60-degrees
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Food eating contest (spaghetti)
I spent the entire afternoon preparing spaghetti for the first annual Athletes In Action Food Eating Contest. I bought 14 pounds of dry pasta, which cooked out to be almost 25 pounds! It was more than enough for the event. In fact, we had a plethora of leftovers.
The event was unbelievable. 95 athletes showed up to eat and cheer on their teammates. One representative from each varsity team had 3 minutes to eat one pound of spaghetti. The champion from each round (intramural, women's varsity and men's varsity), moved into the final "eat-off" where they raced to be the first to finish 1/2 pound of ice cream. It was a lot of fun and will be an event that won't be forgotten on the campus of UW-River Falls.
I didn't hear one comment about the quality of the spaghetti. All of that work in the kitchen for nothing? No, it was well worth it. People left overjoyed.
The event was unbelievable. 95 athletes showed up to eat and cheer on their teammates. One representative from each varsity team had 3 minutes to eat one pound of spaghetti. The champion from each round (intramural, women's varsity and men's varsity), moved into the final "eat-off" where they raced to be the first to finish 1/2 pound of ice cream. It was a lot of fun and will be an event that won't be forgotten on the campus of UW-River Falls.
I didn't hear one comment about the quality of the spaghetti. All of that work in the kitchen for nothing? No, it was well worth it. People left overjoyed.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Smoky mango-squash soup
Today isn't "soup day," but it felt like the perfect day for the mango-squash soup from Everyday with Rachel Ray (page 82, but I did a little experimental cooking, too). It's uncharacteristically warm this late in the fall, so I thought I was justified in making soup with a little Mexican flair. This soup was amazing in texture, but smoking hot in flavor. In fact, it was almost too spicy for my taste, but it was so good I couldn't help torturing my taste buds.
Rachel Ray became a famous chef because her recipes are extremely practical and can be prepared by every amateur cook across the world, yet each of her recipes are classy and very flavorful. I even feel important saying "smoky mango-squash soup," but after tasting this delightful soup, I'd change "smoky" to "spicy." Yowzers, it was spicy!
The preparation was very straightforward. First, I sauteed onions in olive oil, then added the squash, pepper (in sauce) and chiles and let them cook for about 20 minutes; until the squash was soft. After this, I added the chicken stock and brought the contents and soup to a boil then let it simmer 15 minutes. I stirred in the mango, but didn't cook them. I placed all of the contents in a blender and pureed it. It was fabulous.
The texture of the soup was superb. It was very smooth, but as I said, it was very spicy. The adobo sauce was the main culprit, but it was also necessary to give it the sweet Mexican flavor. It complimented the mango very well. Unfortunately, I was a little weak for how spicy it was, but it surely was terrific.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1 can chipotle red peppers in adobo sauce
1 can diced chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 cups chicken stock
2 mangoes (cubed)
3/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper (to taste)
chives (for sprinkling)
Music: America - Ventura Highway
Weather: 63-degrees, super nice
Rachel Ray became a famous chef because her recipes are extremely practical and can be prepared by every amateur cook across the world, yet each of her recipes are classy and very flavorful. I even feel important saying "smoky mango-squash soup," but after tasting this delightful soup, I'd change "smoky" to "spicy." Yowzers, it was spicy!
The preparation was very straightforward. First, I sauteed onions in olive oil, then added the squash, pepper (in sauce) and chiles and let them cook for about 20 minutes; until the squash was soft. After this, I added the chicken stock and brought the contents and soup to a boil then let it simmer 15 minutes. I stirred in the mango, but didn't cook them. I placed all of the contents in a blender and pureed it. It was fabulous.
The texture of the soup was superb. It was very smooth, but as I said, it was very spicy. The adobo sauce was the main culprit, but it was also necessary to give it the sweet Mexican flavor. It complimented the mango very well. Unfortunately, I was a little weak for how spicy it was, but it surely was terrific.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1 can chipotle red peppers in adobo sauce
1 can diced chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 cups chicken stock
2 mangoes (cubed)
3/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper (to taste)
chives (for sprinkling)
Music: America - Ventura Highway
Weather: 63-degrees, super nice
Monday, November 9, 2009
Polenta
Sometimes simple is best. Tonight I had about 20 minutes to make dinner because I had to run to practice. I threw some fish in the oven, but needed a side dish. I saw a cooking program on the Food Network that showcased polenta. I had just picked up a package of organic polenta, so I started some experimental cooking.
Polenta is a fancy Italian word for what Americans in the South call grits, except it "yellower." I churched the dish up a bit and it ended up being a delicious addition to the fish.
The fish was Parmesan encrusted, so I needed to think along the lines of an Italian chef. With my Italian heritage and my self-proclaimed Italian creativity, that was easy. I put some olive oil in a frying pan, added a little garlic and basil and cooked it until it was golden brown. I also ground some additional Italian seasonings on top and stirred in Asiago, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
The texture was similar to Malt-o-Meal or grits - a little "gritty." It tasted a little more earthy, though. Possibly because of the herbs. I can't envision eating it for breakfast. With the cheese it was a little sticky, yet smooth. Cheese was definitely a clever decision. I had a lot of fun with each bite. It was an exciting and new experience. Polenta = fun.
Ingredients:
18 oz. package of organic polenta
2 tablespoons olive oil
garlic & basil seasoning (to taste)
Italian seasoning (to taste)
3 oz. Italian cheeses
Music: U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I've Been Looking For
Weather: 64-degrees, beautiful day
Polenta is a fancy Italian word for what Americans in the South call grits, except it "yellower." I churched the dish up a bit and it ended up being a delicious addition to the fish.
The fish was Parmesan encrusted, so I needed to think along the lines of an Italian chef. With my Italian heritage and my self-proclaimed Italian creativity, that was easy. I put some olive oil in a frying pan, added a little garlic and basil and cooked it until it was golden brown. I also ground some additional Italian seasonings on top and stirred in Asiago, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
The texture was similar to Malt-o-Meal or grits - a little "gritty." It tasted a little more earthy, though. Possibly because of the herbs. I can't envision eating it for breakfast. With the cheese it was a little sticky, yet smooth. Cheese was definitely a clever decision. I had a lot of fun with each bite. It was an exciting and new experience. Polenta = fun.
Ingredients:
18 oz. package of organic polenta
2 tablespoons olive oil
garlic & basil seasoning (to taste)
Italian seasoning (to taste)
3 oz. Italian cheeses
Music: U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I've Been Looking For
Weather: 64-degrees, beautiful day
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Soupe au Pistou
Soupe au Pistou is a french-style soup with white beans and herbs. It's topped with pesto sauce (pistou) before it's served. I read an article in the most recent Bon Appetit about cooking simple meals with white beans, so I thought I would dive into making a white bean soup.
Everything in this soup is made from scratch, including the stock and the soup. At times, I use canned or boxed stock (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc.). In my cast-iron pot, heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stirred in carrots, celery, fennel, garlic, onion and tomatoes. The vegetables cooked 20 minutes until they were soft, then I added 8 cups of water and brought everything to a boil. After lowering the heat, the stock simmered for another 30 minutes. Using a strainer and a large mixing bowl, I strained the vegetables (broth in the bowl). I pureed the vegetables in a blender, minus the bay leaves and thyme. Then I stirred the puree into the broth to complete the stock.
Meanwhile, in the same pot, I sauteed onion garlic, carrot, celery and herbs in olive oil then added the reserved broth, beans and tomatoes. I brought it to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes. To serve, I topped it with pesto sauce.
I had an audience while I was finishing the soup as we hosted a baby shower at our house. I also had a few others over to watch the game, so seven people tried the soup. No one raved about the taste despite the time it took to prepare. It was alright, though, I wasn't crazy about it either. I didn't add any salt and a few of them noticed. It had an abundance of flavor from all of the herbs--almost too much--but it was still a great afternoon lunch.
I'll continue making a variety of white bean soups, but may not repeat this exact recipe. I enjoyed preparing the stock, though. The smell throughout the house was worth the time and effort.
Ingredients:
Stock
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 head fennel, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, quartered
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Soup
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
1 1/2cups drained and chopped canned plum tomatoes
2 cans (15 ounces each) white cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
6 tsp prepared pesto or extra-virgin olive oil
Weather: 58-degrees, sunny
Everything in this soup is made from scratch, including the stock and the soup. At times, I use canned or boxed stock (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc.). In my cast-iron pot, heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stirred in carrots, celery, fennel, garlic, onion and tomatoes. The vegetables cooked 20 minutes until they were soft, then I added 8 cups of water and brought everything to a boil. After lowering the heat, the stock simmered for another 30 minutes. Using a strainer and a large mixing bowl, I strained the vegetables (broth in the bowl). I pureed the vegetables in a blender, minus the bay leaves and thyme. Then I stirred the puree into the broth to complete the stock.
Meanwhile, in the same pot, I sauteed onion garlic, carrot, celery and herbs in olive oil then added the reserved broth, beans and tomatoes. I brought it to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes. To serve, I topped it with pesto sauce.
I had an audience while I was finishing the soup as we hosted a baby shower at our house. I also had a few others over to watch the game, so seven people tried the soup. No one raved about the taste despite the time it took to prepare. It was alright, though, I wasn't crazy about it either. I didn't add any salt and a few of them noticed. It had an abundance of flavor from all of the herbs--almost too much--but it was still a great afternoon lunch.
I'll continue making a variety of white bean soups, but may not repeat this exact recipe. I enjoyed preparing the stock, though. The smell throughout the house was worth the time and effort.
Ingredients:
Stock
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 head fennel, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, quartered
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Soup
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
1 1/2cups drained and chopped canned plum tomatoes
2 cans (15 ounces each) white cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
6 tsp prepared pesto or extra-virgin olive oil
Weather: 58-degrees, sunny
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Cranberry-orange sorbet
Sorbet is a sweet dessert along the lines of ice cream. Instead of dairy-based, it's fruit-based. That means sweet and healthy, right? Kind of, but not really. This cranberry-orange sorbet is fairly healthy, but there's a ton of sugar in it.
Saturday is my dessert day and I had no idea what I wanted to make. I finally decided to open the Epicurious website and make the first dessert that I saw on screen. Alas, a picture of cranberry-vanilla sorbet popped up and I thought it was perfect. As we get closer to Thanksgiving, cranberries become more and more popular. The only problem was I had no idea how to manipulate a vanilla bean like the recipe called for, so I ad libbed and created my own recipe. One of my favorite soft drinks in high school was Ocean Spray cranberry-orange juice. I recalled the taste and went for cranberry-orange sorbet.
Here's what I did:
Boil the cranberries in 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. Cook almost 15 minutes until the cranberries "pop." Be patient, the berries actually do pop. If you haven't witnessed this before, it's a lot of fun. Puree the cranberry mixture in a blender until as smooth as possible.
Bring remaining 3 cups water and remaining 2 cups sugar to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and cool syrup 30 minutes.
Stir together cranberry puree, sugar syrup, and citrus juices and freeze. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, at least 2 hours.
If you're interested in my review of the recipe, check the comments below in the next few days. I will write my thoughts there.
Ingredients:
16 ounces cranberries (thawed if frozen or fresh)
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup 100% pure orange juice (not from concentrate)
1/2 lemon juice
1/2 lime juice
Music: Taylor Swift - Love Story
Weather: 62-degrees, sunny
Saturday is my dessert day and I had no idea what I wanted to make. I finally decided to open the Epicurious website and make the first dessert that I saw on screen. Alas, a picture of cranberry-vanilla sorbet popped up and I thought it was perfect. As we get closer to Thanksgiving, cranberries become more and more popular. The only problem was I had no idea how to manipulate a vanilla bean like the recipe called for, so I ad libbed and created my own recipe. One of my favorite soft drinks in high school was Ocean Spray cranberry-orange juice. I recalled the taste and went for cranberry-orange sorbet.
Here's what I did:
Boil the cranberries in 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. Cook almost 15 minutes until the cranberries "pop." Be patient, the berries actually do pop. If you haven't witnessed this before, it's a lot of fun. Puree the cranberry mixture in a blender until as smooth as possible.
Bring remaining 3 cups water and remaining 2 cups sugar to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and cool syrup 30 minutes.
Stir together cranberry puree, sugar syrup, and citrus juices and freeze. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, at least 2 hours.
If you're interested in my review of the recipe, check the comments below in the next few days. I will write my thoughts there.
Ingredients:
16 ounces cranberries (thawed if frozen or fresh)
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup 100% pure orange juice (not from concentrate)
1/2 lemon juice
1/2 lime juice
Music: Taylor Swift - Love Story
Weather: 62-degrees, sunny
Friday, November 6, 2009
Pad Thai with chicken
I was 20 years old when I experienced Thai food for the first time. I lived a fairly sheltered life in a small Midwestern town, so was not exposed to many ethnic flavors. When I left River Falls for Madison in the fall of 1998, I was excited to try food at many different restaurants. Sa Bai-Thong was the most popular establishment for Thai food in Madison and I was instantly became hooked on Pad Thai. In fact, I wouldn't go as far to say that I've eaten Thai food, only Pad Thai, but I've had it numerous times.
Last year, I stumbled across a jar of Peanut Satay Sauce at Trader Joe's. Next to the shelf of sauces is pasta. A homemade sign was attached to a package of rice noodles that indicated that they were noodle needed for "real" pad Thai. I was sold on their marketing campaign and bought the noodles and sauce and had my first experience making my own pad Thai. It was as easy as the meals I made in college - spaghetti with Ragu, etc. It was very good, too.
As I have progressed in my culinary creativity, I have been able to put more thought and effort into my pad Thai. I make it almost once a month. Tonight, my brother and his "guest" joined us for dinner, so I wanted to impress.
I was planning on making my own peanut sauce, but for time's sake, I went with the Peanut Satay Sauce from TJ's. It never misses. I had to use two jars, though.
First thing first, I boiled the rice noodles. They're tricky because the get very, very sticky. After I drained the water, I put a little olive oil on them to keep them from sticking together too badly. I also chopped a yellow onion, red pepper and baby corn along with garlic. In a large wok, I sauteed the vegetables in olive oil and Asian seasoning that included salt, cummin, chiles, ginger and red bell pepper. I was careful to not over-cook them because I was going to saute them again later.
In the same wok, I cooked the chicken. I chopped three breasts and cooked them in olive oil, garlic and red bell pepper seasoning. The chicken was extremely tasty by itself.
Finally, I put the chicken, vegetables, rice noodles and peanut sauce in the large wok and worked the sauce in. I added bean sprouts, pea pods and crushed peanuts and stirred everything together and served.
The portions were very large and full of flavor. This was the first time I used the extra seasonings and they gave it a little kick. I was very happy with how it turned out. The others raved about how good it was.
Ingredients:
1 package rice noodles (16 ounces)
3 chicken breasts
2 jars Peanut Satay Sauce from Trader Joe's
1 red pepper
1 yellow onion
3 gloves of garlic
1 cup baby corn
1 small bunch green onions
1 cup pea pods
1 cup bean sprouts
olive oil
Asian seasoning
Weather: 64-degrees
Last year, I stumbled across a jar of Peanut Satay Sauce at Trader Joe's. Next to the shelf of sauces is pasta. A homemade sign was attached to a package of rice noodles that indicated that they were noodle needed for "real" pad Thai. I was sold on their marketing campaign and bought the noodles and sauce and had my first experience making my own pad Thai. It was as easy as the meals I made in college - spaghetti with Ragu, etc. It was very good, too.
As I have progressed in my culinary creativity, I have been able to put more thought and effort into my pad Thai. I make it almost once a month. Tonight, my brother and his "guest" joined us for dinner, so I wanted to impress.
I was planning on making my own peanut sauce, but for time's sake, I went with the Peanut Satay Sauce from TJ's. It never misses. I had to use two jars, though.
First thing first, I boiled the rice noodles. They're tricky because the get very, very sticky. After I drained the water, I put a little olive oil on them to keep them from sticking together too badly. I also chopped a yellow onion, red pepper and baby corn along with garlic. In a large wok, I sauteed the vegetables in olive oil and Asian seasoning that included salt, cummin, chiles, ginger and red bell pepper. I was careful to not over-cook them because I was going to saute them again later.
In the same wok, I cooked the chicken. I chopped three breasts and cooked them in olive oil, garlic and red bell pepper seasoning. The chicken was extremely tasty by itself.
Finally, I put the chicken, vegetables, rice noodles and peanut sauce in the large wok and worked the sauce in. I added bean sprouts, pea pods and crushed peanuts and stirred everything together and served.
The portions were very large and full of flavor. This was the first time I used the extra seasonings and they gave it a little kick. I was very happy with how it turned out. The others raved about how good it was.
Ingredients:
1 package rice noodles (16 ounces)
3 chicken breasts
2 jars Peanut Satay Sauce from Trader Joe's
1 red pepper
1 yellow onion
3 gloves of garlic
1 cup baby corn
1 small bunch green onions
1 cup pea pods
1 cup bean sprouts
olive oil
Asian seasoning
Weather: 64-degrees
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Bok choy with yellow pepper
I'm a little upset that my video didn't upload today because I was very excited about my bok choy with yellow peppers. I know you would've been very impressed with the bright seasonal colors. I added a picture, but you're going to have to take my word for it, it was fabulous.I had never cooked bok choy as a separate dish before. I've used it in a few Asian dishes, but couldn't really taste it, so I didn't even know what it tasted like. I was in the grocery store and had a vision when I saw the bok choy in the produce isle, so I bought some.
I envisioned a bright green and white leafy-celery-looking vegetable doused with olive oil. For more color, I would add a yellow pepper and a few seasonings. That's it. Simple, but adventurous.
Honestly, I had no idea what to expect the bok choy to taste like. I thought it would be somewhere between kale and onions, but had no perception for what the flavor would be. I knew what to expect from the yellow onion, however, and somehow I knew they would be perfect together. I lightly sauteed the bok choy and pepper before adding a small amount of chicken stock and basil, oregano, pepper and sea salt. It was a ton of fun.
It complimented the meal so well, too. I had pan sauteed Burgundy lamb tips and quinoa with basil and garlic. The bok choy finished the meal in perfect fashion and splendid flavor. It was pleasurably crispy with a hint of sweetness from the pepper. I still can't comprehend the flavor of the bok choy, but I savored every bite.
Music: Micheal Buble - Crazy Love
Weather: 60-degrees (very nice)
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Fresh veggie pizza
Making my own pizza is something that I enjoy very much, but I hardly have the time to do it well. Today, however, I spent less than an hour preparing two very, very good pizzas.
I bought a two-pack of pizza crusts at the grocery store. This particular store carried only one brand of prepared crus, so I didn't have the opportunity to pick a specific brand or style. It resembled a hand tossed crust and cooked very well. It was thick and crispy when I took it out of the oven.
The toppings were fairly simple, too. I chopped two Roma tomatoes, half a zucchini and some mushrooms. I slathered them with olive oil, garlic and basil. I also added ground Italian seasoning (black pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel and basil). As I tossed the vegetables, they began to glycine and produced a beautiful garlicky aroma. I used half of the vegetables on the first pizza and saved the rest for the second pizza. To the second one, I added two links of chopped sweet Italian sausage and tossed them with the veggies and olive oil.
The sauce on the vegetable pizza was simply a can of (red) pizza sauce. Then, approximately four ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese and the seasoned vegetables went on. I shook some grated Parmesan cheese and more Italian seasoning over the top.
I skipped the red sauce on the sausage pizza. I drizzled olive oil over the crust and rubbed it into the dough. I also sprinkled basil and garlic over the top before adding the cheese, vegetables and sausage. Again, it was topped it with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Each pizza baked separately in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese was golden brown. The sausage also became blackened on top - a must with sausage pizza. I let them cool for a few minutes before cutting them and I was pleasantly surprised by how crispy and crunchy the crust was. It was perfect for these two types of pizza. It felt like I was eating a pizza in a restaurant on the streets of Rome. Delicious.
I love making pizza because it comes out of the oven tasting so fresh. The vegetables were extremely succulent and the sausage was so sweet and juicy. The basil and garlic gave it a high quality restaurant taste, but it was obvious that it was homemade. Delectable, palatable and anything -able are tremendous adjectives for this pizza. I'm even excited for the leftovers.
Ingredients:
2 prepared grocery store pizza crusts
2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 zucchini (chopped)
1/2 cup mushrooms (chopped)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Garlic and basil seasoning (to taste)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Music: Shawn McDonald - Confess
Weather: 42-degrees, balmy
I bought a two-pack of pizza crusts at the grocery store. This particular store carried only one brand of prepared crus, so I didn't have the opportunity to pick a specific brand or style. It resembled a hand tossed crust and cooked very well. It was thick and crispy when I took it out of the oven.
The toppings were fairly simple, too. I chopped two Roma tomatoes, half a zucchini and some mushrooms. I slathered them with olive oil, garlic and basil. I also added ground Italian seasoning (black pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel and basil). As I tossed the vegetables, they began to glycine and produced a beautiful garlicky aroma. I used half of the vegetables on the first pizza and saved the rest for the second pizza. To the second one, I added two links of chopped sweet Italian sausage and tossed them with the veggies and olive oil.
The sauce on the vegetable pizza was simply a can of (red) pizza sauce. Then, approximately four ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese and the seasoned vegetables went on. I shook some grated Parmesan cheese and more Italian seasoning over the top.
I skipped the red sauce on the sausage pizza. I drizzled olive oil over the crust and rubbed it into the dough. I also sprinkled basil and garlic over the top before adding the cheese, vegetables and sausage. Again, it was topped it with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
Each pizza baked separately in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese was golden brown. The sausage also became blackened on top - a must with sausage pizza. I let them cool for a few minutes before cutting them and I was pleasantly surprised by how crispy and crunchy the crust was. It was perfect for these two types of pizza. It felt like I was eating a pizza in a restaurant on the streets of Rome. Delicious.
I love making pizza because it comes out of the oven tasting so fresh. The vegetables were extremely succulent and the sausage was so sweet and juicy. The basil and garlic gave it a high quality restaurant taste, but it was obvious that it was homemade. Delectable, palatable and anything -able are tremendous adjectives for this pizza. I'm even excited for the leftovers.
Ingredients:
2 prepared grocery store pizza crusts
2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 zucchini (chopped)
1/2 cup mushrooms (chopped)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Garlic and basil seasoning (to taste)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Music: Shawn McDonald - Confess
Weather: 42-degrees, balmy
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Pumpkin Soup
Finally, I had the chance to make pumpkin soup. I can trace my affection for making soup back to a coconut curry pumpkin soup that I made in November, 2007. I work tremendously hard for almost three hours cutting a pumpkin and intricately putting together the ingredients. When I finally had the opportunity to taste my creation, I felt a new sense of gratification that I hadn't felt anywhere else. I was hooked on making homemade soup.
For this particular pumpkin soup, I used canned organic pumpkin. I also eliminated the curry flavoring for more of a Southwestern flavor because I just returned from the Southwest. I added black beans, corn and red peppers along with onions, shallots and garlic. I topped it off with cilantro and lime juice. The seasonings were very predictable as I used coriander, cumin, nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper and shrimp was a last minute addition in this soup. The base included vegetable stock, heavy whipping cream and coconut milk. It was an eclectic mix of produce and spices, but the end result was another remarkable homemade soup.
I started by chopping one red pepper, one yellow onion, one shallot and two cloves of garlic. I gently mixed them together in a bowl, simply for my aesthetic pleasure, and sauteed the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil. Once the vegetables were coated in e.v.o.o., I added a half stick of butter. The only reason for adding the butter after the vegetables were already cooking was the fact that I love the smell of garlic and onions cooking in olive oil. To me, the butter softens the aroma.
When the onions became translucent, I added the vegetable stock, heavy whipping cream and coconut milk and let everything come to a boil. Again, there was no rhyme or reason to the order. I was merely "shooting from the hip." It took almost ten minutes for the soup to boil. Then I added black beans, corn and shrimp. I stirred the contents briefly before putting in the coriander, cumin, nutmeg and pepper. I was also ambitious enough to add some cheddar cheese. It cooked another ten minutes and was ready to serve.
Fittingly enough, my first bite was bigger than I could handle and I burned my tongue and the roof of my mouth. Needless to say, that drastically affected my acuity of taste. It was still fabulous, though. It was faintly bland and could have used more salt, but it was still very smooth and rich. The lime gave it a hint of sweetness that led to a lustful curiosity by others.
Pumpkin soup captures my heart and senses like no other soup. The velvety texture and pleasent taste made my tummy happy. This recipe will likely do the same for you.
Ingredients:
3 cans (15 oz.) pure packed organic pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
2 cans (15 oz.) organic black beans
32 ounces organic vegetable stock (from Trader Joe's, of course)
1 can (8 oz.) organic coconut milk
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 cup sweet corn
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 shallot (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup brown sugar
10 oz. precooked shrimp
juice from 1/2 a lime
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons coriander
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt (to taste)
Music: Kate Nash - Pumpkin Soup
Weather: 47-degrees
For this particular pumpkin soup, I used canned organic pumpkin. I also eliminated the curry flavoring for more of a Southwestern flavor because I just returned from the Southwest. I added black beans, corn and red peppers along with onions, shallots and garlic. I topped it off with cilantro and lime juice. The seasonings were very predictable as I used coriander, cumin, nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper and shrimp was a last minute addition in this soup. The base included vegetable stock, heavy whipping cream and coconut milk. It was an eclectic mix of produce and spices, but the end result was another remarkable homemade soup.
I started by chopping one red pepper, one yellow onion, one shallot and two cloves of garlic. I gently mixed them together in a bowl, simply for my aesthetic pleasure, and sauteed the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil. Once the vegetables were coated in e.v.o.o., I added a half stick of butter. The only reason for adding the butter after the vegetables were already cooking was the fact that I love the smell of garlic and onions cooking in olive oil. To me, the butter softens the aroma.
When the onions became translucent, I added the vegetable stock, heavy whipping cream and coconut milk and let everything come to a boil. Again, there was no rhyme or reason to the order. I was merely "shooting from the hip." It took almost ten minutes for the soup to boil. Then I added black beans, corn and shrimp. I stirred the contents briefly before putting in the coriander, cumin, nutmeg and pepper. I was also ambitious enough to add some cheddar cheese. It cooked another ten minutes and was ready to serve.
Fittingly enough, my first bite was bigger than I could handle and I burned my tongue and the roof of my mouth. Needless to say, that drastically affected my acuity of taste. It was still fabulous, though. It was faintly bland and could have used more salt, but it was still very smooth and rich. The lime gave it a hint of sweetness that led to a lustful curiosity by others.
Pumpkin soup captures my heart and senses like no other soup. The velvety texture and pleasent taste made my tummy happy. This recipe will likely do the same for you.
Ingredients:
3 cans (15 oz.) pure packed organic pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
2 cans (15 oz.) organic black beans
32 ounces organic vegetable stock (from Trader Joe's, of course)
1 can (8 oz.) organic coconut milk
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 cup sweet corn
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 shallot (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup brown sugar
10 oz. precooked shrimp
juice from 1/2 a lime
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons coriander
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt (to taste)
Music: Kate Nash - Pumpkin Soup
Weather: 47-degrees
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