Roasted Veggie Soup

or a creamy and flavorful bowl of garden goodness.

A Summer home with my baby girl should have resulted in more cooking on my part, but I failed to take into account healing.  Seems that healing is very important after childbirth.  Well I learned my lesson after a few failed attempts at things like weeding the garden and going for long walks early on, sometimes the extra pain is just not worth it.  So this season was spent on easier meals (i.e. semi-homemade) and tried and true recipes.  One chance I did take to experiment was with some left over veggies from the farmers' market and my rather bare garden this year.  I had always thought about trying my hand at roasted red pepper soup but I didn't have just red peppers wasting away on the counter so I thought "ah what the heck, let's just toss it all in and see what happens."

I absolutely love roasted garlic soup so using that as a base was a must for me.  But since I undertook this endeavor during our several month long heat wave, I made it a bit less creamy than the exclusively garlic version.  This turned out great and really didn't need a whole lot of seasoning with all the vegetables involved, but if you want a bit more flavor I would toss in some Italian spices since they would get along nicely with the flavors already there.  This does take a little bit of "at home" time to prepare so you may want to do it on a day when you'll be hanging around the house for a bit.  Don't let that deter you though, the extra care is definitely worth it.  Check it out:

red bell pepper - 2 (or one red and one orange)
garlic - 2 heads
leek - 1 medium
chicken stock - 4 cups 
heavy cream - ¾ cup
Parmesan cheese - ¼ cup 
olive oil
salt & pepper

Hardware: cookie sheet, medium pot, immersion blender or food processor.


1. Prepare the peppers.  Turn the oven to broil.  On a cookie sheet, place the peppers and brush lightly with olive.  Broil the peppers, turning periodically, until blackened on all sides.  Remove and allow to cool.  Place in a paper bag and shake to help remove the blackened skins.  Once the skins are removed, cut the peppers taking care to remove the seeds and dice up then set aside.

2. Prepare the leeks.  Cut the tops and bottoms off the leeks, keeping only the white & light green areas, and slice in half lengthwise.  Wash the leeks well and then cut them down into small "moons" and set aside.  Add the leeks to the cookie sheet after the peppers are removed and brush with olive oil.  Broil a couple minutes, watching so they don't burn, until they start to caramelize.  Remove and set aside.

2. Prepare the garlic.  Cut the tops off the garlic heads just to expose the tops of all of the bulbs. Place in a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle tops with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Close the foil around them in a sort of packet, leaving some space between the tops and the foil, and place in the oven at 350 degrees F.  Roast until soft and fragrant, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove, allow to cool, and squeeze out the garlic into a bowl.

3. Heat the chicken stock to a simmer, stir in all the veggies and cook for 15 min.  Remove from heat and blend until smooth with either the immersion blender or food processor.  Strain to remove any stubborn bits.

4. Return to medium  heat and add the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until heated through.  Serve with garlic Parmesan croutons.

Parmesan croutons (this is one of my favorite quick recipes, I have been known to make a big pan of these and just chow down on them solo):
Day old bread, hamburger buns, or hot dog buns
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

1. Cut or tear the bread product up into bite sized pieces and toss in olive oil to coat.

2. Cook over medium high heat, flipping pretty regularly, until starting to toast.

3. Sprinkle Parmesan over top while the bread gets crispy.  Allow it to sit on the side that is touching the pan for a couple seconds so it will adhere to the bread better.  (if you are having problems getting it to stick, press down with the flat side of the spatula similar to how you might while making grilled cheese)  Once it is golden brown, toss in soup and serve!

Build Me Up Brown Sugar Zucchini Bread

or the breakfast bread of garden champions.

I like a challenge.  So this week I took on a food that my hubby is not very fond of in an attempt to change his mind - zucchini bread.  He was persuaded to try it by the aroma that filled the house when he got home and the taste test certainly did not disappoint.  I win!  *resounding applause fills the house*

Now, I was never a fan of zucchini bread growing up but it was more on principle since it was threaded with unnerving flecks of green that I did not believe had any place in bread.  I have since made my peace with the presence of the offending vegetable and decided that it was time to convince others to do the same.  This recipe has a nice hint of the earthiness of zucchini without it being overwhelming, if you really want the zucchini flavor you may want to increase the volume in this recipe but I haven't tested the bake times and texture with that adjustment so you do so at your own risk...  The brown sugar really provides a nice richness to the bread and a hint of molasses undertone that really adds to the aromatic appeal while it is baking.  You can add any number or type of mix-ins to the base recipe if you like nuts or other type of flavored "chips" aside from semi sweet chocolate, just try not to make it too crowded or the ingredients will start to battle each other (and nobody wants to be a part of an ingredient throw down, everyone loses in the end and the kitchen is just a disaster).  This is excellent as either breakfast or dessert, I highly recommend warming it a bit when enjoyed after it has cooled and been stored as it restores it to its fresh out of the oven glory nicely.  Check it out:

Flour - 3 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Baking Powder - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 2 tsp
Nutmeg - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla - 3 tsp
Egg Beaters - 3/4 cup
Vegetable Oil - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/4 Cups
Brown Sugar - 1 cup
Zucchini - 2 cups grated (about 2 medium sized)

Optional per loaf, to "build it up":
Mini Chocolate Chips - 1/3 cup
Dried Cherries - 1/2 cup

Hardware: 2 loaf pans, greased and floured
Preheat oven to 325 F

1. Mix in a large bowl: flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg.

2. Make a well in the center and beat the following together within that well: egg beaters, vanilla, vegetable oil, sugar, brown sugar.

3. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl together until well blended.  Stir in the grated zucchini.  I like to separate the batter at this point and make two different variations.  I pour half the batter into the first pan and then add the optional cherries and chocolate chips into the remaining batter before pouring it into the second pan.

4. Bake for 50-60 min, until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Place on cooling rack for 20 min to set.  Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks (if it isn't devoured sooner).

Slow and Comforting Vegetable Soup

or how I survived the loss of our fridge, a freezer and pantry based soup

So, balancing our new little angel and our temporary financial constraints of me being off work for FMLA to care for her has been challenging.  Add into that the time it took me to heal, the time it took to develop a new routine, and a few unexpected events and you have a recipe for a seriously delayed return to my beloved cooking blog.  Fortunately I have been cooking, so once things sort themselves out a bit more I do actually have recipes to share.  Today's recipe comes to you straight from our most recent unexpected event - the untimely demise of our fridge's control panel.  We have been without our full size fridge and freezer for five days now and let me tell you, it has certainly made me creative in using up what we have on hand.

This recipe quite honestly surprised me, I had my doubts up until I had a bowlful in front of me.  It started with a turkey I made yesterday that had been residing in our freezer before the catastrophic event.  Said turkey yielded a tasty stock overnight in the slow cooker.  The 101 F day outside today kept me away from the stove, so it made perfect sense to carry on in the slow cooker for dinner tonight as well.  I raided the remaining freezer vegetables we had in our small back up freezer outside (I had to clear out more room for breast milk storage for our little one), then I raided the pantry.  What I came up with is not really a standard vegetable soup mix, but it definitely did the trick.  And nothing perks up a frustrating day like an easy comfort food dinner.  The key to the broth balance in this soup is the starch from the cannelloni beans and tortellini, it adds a nice touch to the light tomato base that is started by the stock and crushed tomatoes.  You can of course mix up the vegetables based on what you like or have on hand, but I suggest sticking with the starch providers for optimal results.  Check it out:

13 oz (1/2 of a large can) crushed tomatoes
2 quarts turkey, chicken, or vegetable stock
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 bag frozen green beans
1/2 can drained cannelloni beans
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp Italian Spice Blend
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp chicken seasoning
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 1/4 cups dried four cheese tortellini
Parmesan cheese

Hardware: slow cooker (crockpot)

1. Pour the first five ingredients into the slow cooker and stir well to combine.

2. Add in all of the seasonings and onion then stir again.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. When there is an hour left in the cook time, stir in the tortellini.  Cover and cook for the remaining hour.

4. Stir well and serve topped with a bit of shredded or shaved parmesan cheese.

Get back..

Get back to where you once belonged...

Well, here I am!  Applause is not necessary, but much appreciated.  It has been a while, I know, but hopefully I am back on track.  A little over a month ago our little "bun in the oven" arrived and changed our lives forever. Now that things are finding their place in our new "norm" I hope to be a bit more present in the blogging world again and to have a few new recipes to share with you all.  As soon as the adorable little benevolent dictator permits, I will be happy to be experimenting once more and sharing the successes with you all.  Until then, take care of you and yours, you will be hearing from me again soon!

Garden Pasta Salad

or a base to build on, a pasta salad for daily use.

I apologize for the short post today, but it turns out that these last 5-6 weeks of pregnancy do a number on me both physically and mentally.  I thought I would at least take a moment to share one of my favorite vegetarian lunches of recent weeks - a base for pasta salad.  This one is kind of nice because it doesn't make an over abundance of food like you would need for a party, it makes enough for dinner and maybe a lunch or two depending on how many you are serving and if it is a side or main dish.

The ingredients here are what I have used most recently, but the great thing about this is that it can work with just about any veggies you have in the fridge (though you may need to steam or blanch them first).  That is why I call this a "garden" pasta salad, that and because I really like the flavors of the multicolored garden rotini with it since it brings its own base flavor to the party.  I personally like the salt factor of the green olives but if that turns you off just switch to black olives or omit it entirely.  Check it out, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

4 servings

Pasta - 1 cup (garden rotini)
Mayonnaise, reduced fat or olive oil - 1/2 cup
Sour Cream, reduced fat - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Cider Vinegar - 2 tbsp
Green Olives - 1/4 cup
Paprika - ½ tsp
mustard - stone ground - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Pepper - to taste
cherry tomatoes - halved - 1 cup
cucumbers - diced - 1 cup

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cheese and pasta, folding in carefully until the salad is evenly covered with the dressing.

3. Store in refrigerator or cooler until served.

Simply Pressured Corned Beef Brisket

or Americanized Irish Food is a breeze

I don't get all rowdy in celebration of St Patrick's Day, but I do enjoy making a good Irish-American meal as my mom did when we were growing up.  In the past I have sought out Irish bacon to make a form of this dish that is truer to its origins but unfortunately this year I seem to lack both the time and the energy to complete the task.  So I am returning to the tried and true corned beef and cabbage that I grew up enjoying, the benefits of the nostalgia factor are incredible even if the authenticity of the dish is not.

I believe that part of the reason some people are turned off by corned beef is that it takes an endless amount of time to cook and the results are something that is more foreign than familiar in flavor and texture.  Part of this can be resolved by changing the cooking method.  I am not a huge fan of the boiled or slow cooker methods, while it does soften it up some it doesn't quite infuse the flavor enough and I just don't like waiting that long, so I take the pressure cooker approach.  It is fast, easy, and delicious!  There's no need to save this for once a year when it can easily become a standard weekend meal.  I can devour an entire 2 lb brisket myself so I usually opt for the slightly larger size even though it takes a little longer.  Check it out:

Corned Beef Brisket (2-5 lbs)
Seasoning packet (comes with the brisket)*
Water

Hardware: Pressure cooker

1.  Remove the brisket from the package and set aside the spice pack.  Rinse the brisket under running water to reduce the salt factor.

2. Place the brisket in the pot of the pressure cooker and sprinkle the spices over top.  Add enough water to cover the brisket.

3. Secure the lid and bring to pressure according to manufacturer guidelines.  Cook for 40-50 min for 2-3 lbs brisket, 60-70 min for 4-5 lb brisket.

4. Turn the heat off and allow to release pressure naturally per manufacturer guidelines, the kitchen will smell delicious at this point, hang in there the wait is worth it.

5. Remove the brisket from the pot and trim off the top layer of fat.  I like to reserve the liquid from the pot (after skimming the fat off and filtering out the spices) to make reuben soup with the corned beef stock that results.  Slice across the grain and serve alongside boiled potatoes and steamed cabbage.

* if there is no spice packet, alternative suggestions for seasoning include: pickling spice blends or a combination of mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, bay leaf, and peppercorns.  You can also supplement the packet with some of these spices if desired.

Baked Oatmeal Cups

or how I contaminated a previously healthy breakfast

A good, easy breakfast or mid morning snack can be hard to find.  It is easy to get lost in sea of pre-made options from the frozen foods section or burn yourself out on peanut butter toast.  And if you are in a state of pregnancy, such as myself, or just in the apparently rather healthy habit of eating 6 small meals a day in place of 3 large ones having something homemade that you can reach for at a whim is essential.  Now I am sucker for freezer meal options and cooking once to satisfy a multitude of meals so anything that results in a moderate bulk of food is right up my alley, so I went in search of breakfast options that reheat well and can last 3-4 days in the fridge before turning on you and attacking when you open the door.  There is a multitude of homemade breakfast sandwich options out there in freezer cooking world, but I haven't come to terms with the concept of freezing and reheating cooked eggs at home yet so those were out.  And there are a lot of bulk slow cooker breakfast casseroles out there, but they aren't all that great reheated in my opinion (sadly, I have tried).  So I went more towards a carb focused approach.

I found a fair amount of recipes out there for baked oatmeal and that seemed like something that was just crying out to be reheated since oatmeal is a pretty hearty substance to begin with so I thought that would be a great place to start.  Most of the recipes called for a single large baking dish method, not the best for my grab and go concept, so I continued to look around.  I found some single serving options on healthy eating blogs and settled on the one by Sugar Free Mom, diabetic friendly and focused on creating a healthier you.  That's all well and good, but since me and oatmeal are not long time friends I needed to sweeten up the deal.  I started by halving the recipe, then I added a bit more applesauce (I used homemade because I had it on hand), added a touch more milk, and infused it with refined sugar.  Frozen cherries were my filling of choice for a bit more sweetness, albeit natural this time.  The baking time is a bit longer, but that is probably from the extra liquids I used.  I was really happy with the texture at the end, though this is definitely  a spoon or fork dish and not one I would recommend picking up with your hands.

Here is my, much less healthy, take on the personal sized baked oatmeal recipe from Sugar Free Mom:

1 egg
1 cup applesauce
2 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ⅓ cups low fat milk (1-2%)
1 small banana smashed, or ½ of a large banana smashed
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup sugar (or 2 tbsp depending on preference, I like it sweet)
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
24-36 frozen cherries
salt
cinnamon sugar blend or dark chocolate chips for topping

Hardware: cupcake/muffin pan, cupcake liners
Makes 10-12 cupcake sized servings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In a medium bowl mix the egg, vanilla, applesauce, mashed banana and sugar until well blended.

2. Next add in the salt, baking powder, and cinnamon and mix well with wet ingredients.

3. Stir in the oats until well blended and then pour in milk and combine.

4. Place 10-12 cupcake liners in the muffin pan.

5. Pour some of the mixture into the liners, filling each a little less then half way. Add 2-3 frozen cherries per cup, pressing down so they are partly submerged, and then add more of the mixture to cover.

6. Sprinkle the tops with a cinnamon sugar blend or dark chocolate chips (because it was just a little too close to looking healthy, and it is a nice touch of flavor).

7. Bake 35-40 minutes or until they look set. Cool and enjoy, refrigerate, or freeze individuality and then combine them in gallon freezer bags.

I like them reheated as is, just remove the cupcake liners first. But if you mash up the muffins and add a couple tablespoons of cream or milk you can have a thick oatmeal texture for some variety.

Ready for reheating at work:

(not the best photo, but it gives you the idea)