Archive for the ‘Soup’ Category

Thai Squash and Kale Soup

Saturday, March 20th, 2010

I am a huge fan of all things thai so when I came across this soup I was instantly intrigued.  I loved the combination of coconut milk, curry paste and butternut squash.

There were a few changes and substitutions I made but overall kept with the theme of the soup.  I am not a huge fan of cooked spinach so I decided so substitute my favourite green leafy vegetable, kale.  I also left out the chicken since we had already had so many chicken dishes this week.  Finally, I used fresh butternut squash instead of puree.

The end result was a sweet thick soup that went well with crusty bread.  If you don’t wan’t it as sweet I would cut down on the amount of brown sugar you use because the coconut milk is already a little sweet.

The best part is that I had it for lunch a couple days later and it was still just a good.  The kale really stood up well being in the soup for a few days and kept a bit of it’s crunch.

Thai Squash and Kale Soup

Adapted from This Week for Dinner

2 cups chunked fresh butternut squash

14 ounce can coconut milk

1/2 cup water

2 cups chopped kale

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon thai red curry paste (depending on level of spiciness)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Put all the ingredient in a pot besides kale and cook until squash is tender.  Use immersion blender to puree the squash until soup is smooth.  Add chopped kale and cook for 5 minutes until slightly tender.

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Posted in Soup, Thai |

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

As a kid Broccoli Cheddar soup was always the one I picked if for some reason my mom was buying us canned soup, which wasn’t very often.  I just loved the cheesy thick soup with the chunks of broccoli.

Broccoli is definitely a vegetable that I have loved for as long as I can remember.  I don’t think I was ever one of those kids that hated all things green.  I was the kid that loved brussel sprouts, broccoli and peas and to this day I am a huge fan vegetables.

This soup is similar to other recipes that I have made recently where I thought to myself that making it homemade is so much better than the store bought version.  When a dish is this easy it just doesn’t make sense to buy the can of soup, plus it just tastes that much fresher.

So here is my take on a childhood favourite that was better than I ever remembered it to be.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Adapted from the Urban Spork

1 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 medium chopped onion

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 pound fresh broccoli

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Saute the onion in the butter and set aside.  Cook the melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes – stir constantly and then add the milk or heavy cream.  Add the chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and onions to the soup and cook over low heat for an additional 20-25 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the cheese and nutmeg.

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Rustic Potato Soup

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

This will be my last time guest blogging for Kimberly while she is on vacation.  They will be back on Monday and I know she will be so excited to start cooking again in the next week.

Every week my husband and I pick meals we want to eat for the following week, this way we can do all the grocery shopping we need to during the weekend and not have to stop at the grocery store on the way home from work throughout the week.  This last week my husband searched my cookbooks to find some new things.  The Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps were one of the recipes, but he also picked out a Rustic Potato Soup.  Given the time of the year, I love to eat soup, when there are potatoes in it, it makes me so happy!  I am a carb lover.  This recipe did not disappoint.  The leeks and the kale made it so filling and added wonderful flavor to the soup.  It is very much like a family favorite Zuppa Toscana, like Olive Gardens.  I will definitely be making this again, especially since it is so fast and easy.

soup

Rustic Potato Soup

courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen Fast & Fresh Recipe Card Collection

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound kielbasa, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced thin crosswise

1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips (about 4 packed cups)

Pepper

1. Bring broth, potatoes, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Discard bay leaf.  Using potato masher, coarsely break up potatoes, leaving some large chunks.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook kielbasa, stirring frequently, until lightly browned in spots, about 4 minutes.  Add leeks and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

3. Add potato mixture and kale to Dutch oven and simmer until kale is tender, about 5 minutes.  Season with pepper and serve.

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Posted in Sausage, Soup |

Memories of Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Monte Cristo sandwiches will forever be in my mind as a wonderful memory of a special time with my aunt.  When I was 6 years old my aunt started a tradition with my two sisters and I, but I was the lucky one who got to go first.  Every year on our birthday she would take us out to lunch and then go shopping with us for our birthday present.  This was always a trip I looked forward to, especially after that first year.

For any of you from the Seattle area you will probably remember a department store called Frederick & Nelson’s.  The only thing I remember about Frederick & Nelson’s, partly because it closed when I was only 10 years old, was the cafe in the department store.  It is here at the cafe that I had my first monte cristo sandwich and  a frango milkshake.

It was a sad day when the department store closed, because I knew that when my aunt and I went shopping that year I was going to have to find somewhere else to have my lunch.  Over the years we all got busy and some of us moved away but whenever I came across a monte cristo sandwich I would smile and think back to those days when I was just a little girl being spoiled by my aunt with a sandwich and  milkshake.

Here I am almost 20 years later having my first monte cristo sandwich.  It was everything I remember it to be with the melted cheese, warm ham, and the sweetness of powdered sugar on the outside.  I find it amazing that food can transport you back to a different time, bringing forward all these memories you hadn’t thought of in years.

Here is my version of the Frederick & Nelson’s Monte Cristo Sandwich and some home made tomato soup.  If only I had some frango’s to make a milkshake with.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

bread

swiss cheese

deli sliced ham

eggs

splash of milk

powdered sugar

Assemble the cheese and ham on the sandwich (I prefer 2 pieces of cheese and 4 pieces of ham).  Whip the eggs and a little milk in a bowl.  Dip the sandwich in the egg and flip over, making sure to coat the entire sandwich.   Place in a warm pan and fry until golden on each side.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Tomato Soup

Adapted from Sinlessly Delicious’s recipe

3 ribs of celery

2 can of diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)

4 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

Sauté the celery and garlic in a medium non-stick saucepan. When the celery begins to soften, add the tomatoes, broth, oregano, rosemary, and cayenne. Simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender puree the soup until it is the consistency you prefer. Add cream and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend

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Posted in Sandwiches, Soup |

Dijon Potato Soup

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Dijon Potato Soup

It was one of those nights that completely justified having a warm soup for dinner.  Plus it is really that time of year when you could have soup every night and never get tired of it.  Soup is such a comforting thing food, and I figure why not take a recipe of a soup that I absolutely love and change it up a bit.  No reason to have the same soup again when you can try something new.

This soup is a remake of my Kale Potato Soup with the new addition of some dijon mustard.  I really do like the original recipe but I thought it might be nice with the spiciness of dijon mustard in the broth.  It was a nice subtle hint of mustard that complimented the potatoes, sausage and kale.

With a great piece of crusty bread this soup was complete and just what the cold and raining evening called for.

Dijon Potato Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 pounds cubed potatoes

4 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1 cup half and half

1/4 cup dijon mustard (to taste)

4 ounces Romano cheese

6 ounces hot italian sausage

2 cups chopped kale

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add 1 1/2 cups onion, saute 4 minutes stirring frequently.  Stir in potatoes, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper, saute 2 minutes.  Add broth and mustard and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining 1/2 cup onion; saute for 6 minutes stirring frequently.  Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt and sausage; cook 8 minutes or until browned.

Add half and half and kale to soup and cook for 4 minutes or until kale is softened.  Stir in sausage and heat soup thoroughly.

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Kale Potato Soup

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Sausage Potato Soup

On a cold and rainy night there is really nothing better than a warm bowl of soup.  And sometimes a warm bowl of soup just sounds good so who cares if it isn’t cold and rainy.

This recipe came about from being a bit lazy and not wanting to do all the steps the cooking light recipe called for.  What should have been a creamy potato soup with a kale oil on top became a hearty potato and kale soup.  I have to say the end result was quite yummy.

Kale has become a favorite ingredient for me, it just adds something to the dishes you put it in.  I credit my friend Rachel for introducing me to this wonderful ingredient.  I remember I was in her kitchen while she was visiting for Christmas last year and she was making me dinner.  Rachel is a wonderful cook and so I knew it was going to be a great vegetarian meal, little did I know she was going to introduce me to this amazing ingredient.

I have to take a minute and explain to you the friendship Rachel and I have had over the last 5 years.  Rachel described our friendship perfectly this morning in an email “I am so glad that the universe saw fit to bring us together with our matching backpacks to spend a year in Egypt where we could build a life long friendship.”

While living in Egypt Rachel was my cook, you see we had this sort of agreement, I would provide ingredients and she would make them into a meal.  It worked very well for us because I was not a fan of anything that had to do with the kitchen and she enjoyed creating things, especially some truly amazing cinnamon rolls.

Over the years she has seen me slowly change my opinions on cooking and has been there to support me as I grow in my skills.  So thank you to Rachel for showing me how amazing kale is and being such a great friend.

Kale Potato Soup

Adapted from Cooking Light

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 pounds cubed peeled potatoes

4 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1 cup half and half

4 ounces Romano cheese

6 ounces hot italian sausage

2 cups chopped kale

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add 1 1/2 cups onion, saute 4 minutes stirring frequently.  Stir in peppers, 1/8 teaspoon salt and potato, saute 2 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining 1/2 cup onion; saute for 6 minutes stirring frequently.  Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt and sausage; cook 8 minutes or until browned.

Add half and half and kale to soup and cook for 4 minutes or until kale is softened.  Stir in sausage and heat soup thoroughly.

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Posted in Sausage, Soup |