Archives for category: soup

Broccoli, Potato, and Blue Cheese Soup…

March 27, 2012 //
0

O.K., so wedding planning has officially taken over my life. I have been so freaking busy that Mike and I have not been making anything really worth blogging about lately. Well, I take that back… we have been cooking for many people and actually making really good food but have not documenting anything as it adds an extra step and just another thing to our list. Silly and lazy, right?  This past month has been so hectic… I had my BFF Jeffy here for my birthday at the beginning of March, which was so amazing by the way… Mike had a great party for me (lets just say sloppy joe sliders, bacon wrapped mac ‘n cheese balls, and a serious dance party were involved). I have been traveling heavily for work, dog sitting, have been deciding on a dress, a caterer, the invitations, the photographer, finding accommodations for wedding guests, researching musicians and DJs, planning our honeymoon, had a fave high school friend in town, and the list goes on. There have been a couple of times where I just wished we would have eloped, but then I bring myself back to earth and remember that I am actually really excited to have everyone here in July. I mean, when is having everyone you love in the same room ever going to happen again in your lifetime? Let’s just say that I don’t think I am cut out for planning large events. Give me an intimate gathering and we are golden.  If you ever have the opportunity to hire a wedding planner, do it. The control freak in me always thought I would want to do everything myself. Let me tell you, this control freak has loosened up!

I made this on a rare free night that I spent with my boo and the doggie babies (Luna and Yuma, Luna’s BFF) before I started  a week of travel. When I travel, I like to leave Mikey with something easy to reheat when I am gone.  I worked with what we had in the fridge. Actually, the blue cheese used in this was left over from my birthday party:) This soup is “souper” easy and tasty all the same. Try it you’ll like it. Promise.

Broccoli, Potato, and Blue Cheese Soup…

  • 1 Tsp. olive oil
  • 1 extra large shallot (or two if they are small)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • dash red pepper flakes
  • 1 large head of broccoli cut into small florets
  • 2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • good blue cheese to your liking
  • 1/2 cup-1 cup half and half depending on thickness and creaminess of soup you desire
  • 5-6 large basil leaves chopped
  • salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil, add shallots, red pepper flakes, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Next add broccoli and potatoes. Cook until shallots are tender and vegetables begin to cook through, about 4 minutes. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Boil until vegetables are tender.

Once vegetables are tender, remove soup from heat. Puree in pot utilizing an immulsion blender. Once pureed, return to heat and add in cheese, basil, and half and half. Stir until cheese is melted. Run mixture again through immulsion blender. Season to taste and serve with good bread.

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories appetizer, cheese, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, potato, side dish, soup, vegetarian

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup…

February 6, 2012 //
1

I wasn’t feeling too well today at the office and fear I am fighting the flu. I went to TJs on my lunch break to pick up some tea and some soup and ended up buying a basket full of green stuff. I got home and unpacked broccoli, kale, arugula, and cauliflower. Funny how our bodies tell us what we need through cravings. I decided to roast the broccoli and cauliflower and turn it into soup. It was super easy and totes tasty. Hope Mike likes it as I made enough for an army!!!

Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup…

  • 1 large bunch broccoli, chopped into florets
  • 1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • handful fresh thyme, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 qt. chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • creme fraiche and chopped chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 425. Toss broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are browned and cooked through.

In a large pot, saute onion in 1 tsp. olive oil until translucent. Add in garlic, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and thyme. Cook for a minute and then add in roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and stock. Bring to a boil until vegetables are soft. Remove bay leaf and remove from heat. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return puree to heat and stir in cheese, half and half, and season to taste. If it is too thick, add more stock. Heat through and serve soup with a dollop of creme fraiche and chopped chives.

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories appetizer, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, side dish, soup, vegetarian

Pumpkin Soup with a Kick…

November 24, 2011 //
0

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays ever. The bad thing about it is that I can never zero in on just a couple of recipes to make so I always go overboard. Also, being in the retail world, I never get to go home and spend it with my family who I miss oh so much. Mike and I stayed up until around midnight last night making 6 different dishes. The time it takes to make 6 dishes = a whole lotta wine drinkin:) We are doing a super untraditional dinner with some of our BFFs here in LA  and decided against doing a bird. When planning the menu, 1. we were super wine fueled and 2. we decided that to us, Thanksgiving really is mostly about the amazing sides. So the main event will be grilled turkey sliders with various Thanksgiving inspired toppings accompanied by all of our favorite and traditional side dishes. It is gonna be delicious… I have advised all to wear their elastic waist pants! Pumpkin soup is the first thing we made last night. I used to make one all of the time but couldn’t find the recipe. I remembered the basics and decided to give it some kick by using lots of jalapenos and chili powder so it wasn’t too sweet. I love anything sweet and spicy. We thought it turned out great, I’ll let you know how the others feel after our feast today. They are a tough audience, I tell ya!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large jalapenos, (or 3 smaller ones) seeded and finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 Tb. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. coriander
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 (28-ounce) can pumpkin puree
  • handful of sage leaves, chopped
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 cup half n half
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, onion, jalapenos, and garlic. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender.

Add chili powder, coriander, cumin, and pumpkin pie spice and cook another minute. Add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and sage leave. Mix with the onion mixture.

Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a boil ensuring everything is well incorporated. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Season to taste. You may need to adjust the spices or brown sugar amounts to your liking.

Remove from heat and blend with an immulsion blender or blend in a food processor until smooth. Return to to heat and reduce to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

Tags , , ,
Categories appetizer, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, side dish, soup, vegetarian

Warm Yo Bones Minestrone…

November 21, 2011 //
0

The rain was pretty awesome this weekend as it caused us to pretty much have a PJ’s only couple of days. I honestly don’t think I got out of mine once and we even had people in an out all weekend! Sometimes you just need to do that and not feel guilty. I think I needed it really badly and in the end was so grateful for the crappy weather. Poor Luna seemed so depressed by it. It was so funny watching her attempt to go outside. I think she had only seen rain once before. Dogs are so weird. I sure love having her around.

Last night Mike’s old roomie came by, and I of course had to feed him! The gloomy weather called for a pot of hot soup so I sent Mike to the grocery store with this recipe from Food and Wine. The only thing I did differently from the original is that i used canned beans in lieu of soaking dried beans overnight. It turned out well… at least I hope both boys thought so as we sent Sammy home with a giant container of it! One thing to mention is that this can be made vegetarian or vegan by using vegetable stock and omitting the pancetta and the cheese. Mushrooms would be yummy to add in some flavor in place of meat.

Minestrone Soup:

  • 1 can white beans (preferably cannellini)
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 2 cups pasta of your choice cooked almost through (we used mini shells)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
  • 2 medium shallots, minced
  • 2 large celery ribs, finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 large carrot, finely diced
  • 1/2 fennel bulb, cored and diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • handful chopped fresh basil
  • grip of chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • One 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved
  • 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderate heat until crisp, 4 minutes. Add the shallots, celery, onion, carrot and fennel, and cook until softened. Add the garlic, crushed pepper and bay leaves and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes , oregano, basil, and broth; bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Add the pasta, beans, and enough cooking liquid to thin out the soup. Discard the bay leaves; season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, add in the arugula, parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve soup in bowls topped with grated parmesan cheese and accompanied by some crusty bread. We made garlic bread from a nice loaf of ciabatta. I ended up doubling this recipe and am so glad I did!!! Over the next few weeks, whenever our bones need warming, we have some soup waiting for us in the freezer.

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories appetizer, food and recipes, lunch, pasta, side dish, soup, vegan, vegetarian

Beef and Guinness Chili…

November 6, 2011 //
0

This weekend was a bust. It was so cold and rainy that it made us not really want to do anything! I did have a nice dinner with my pal Jessica at the Luggage Room in Pasadena which was perfect (I recommend that you check it out if you haven’t as its not easy to find good pizza in Los Angeles), but not much else to report. I wanted to have the stove on to keep the house warm today, so decided to put on a pot of chili. Mike is always raving about his brother’s chili that he makes with beer. I thought I would give her a try spicing up my usual recipe with Guinness and a few other surprise ingredients. It was the perfect thing for this chilly fall day… no pun intended:)

Beef and Guinness Chili:

  • 1 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 3/4 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 1/2 pounds ground lean sirloin
  • salt and pepper
  • garlic powder
  • couple of dashes of worcestershire sauce
  • couple of pinches of red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 small onions, diced
  • 2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 2 large jalapeño chiles with seeds, chopped
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes ( i used ones with chiles especially for making chili)
  • 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
  • 1 12-ounce bottle of Guinness (or any dark stout)
  • 1/2 cup cold coffee
  • Chopped green onions
  • Coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Toast cumin and coriander in skillet over medium heat until darker and beginning to smoke, about 4 minutes. Cool. Sauté beef in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and worcestershire sauce. Should brown in around 8 minutes. Chop peppers and onions.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, all bell peppers, and jalapeños. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.

Add mixture to pot with meat. Mix in toasted spices, chili powder, and chipotle chiles. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, coffee, and beer.

Bring chili to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. It will make your house smell so incredible. I couldn’t keep this one from sniffing around my feet the entire time I was putting this together…

Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with green onions, cheese, and oyster crackers. Yeah, thats right. I said oyster crackers.

Quick Tip:

Dish up all of your leftovers into individual serving bowls and pop into the freezer. I bought this set of 12 at Crate and Barrel for only like $20 and it was so worth it as I use these lil guys for everything. Then you can just take a serving out of the freezer and pop in the microwave at work for a quick and homemade lunch. Because it will take all day for it to thaw out, you don’t even need to keep it in the work fridge!

Tags , , , ,
Categories beef, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, side dish, soup

Spicy Bacon and Corn Chowder…

October 15, 2011 //
0

If you can’t tell, Mike and I love soup. When Jeffy and I lived together in Chicago, we used to eat at this neighborhood spot called the Soup Box on Broadway and they made the best corn chowder ever. It was so perfect as they served 12 different soups everyday and it was only open during the fall and winter. For those of you who have not experienced a Chicago winter, believe me when I tell you that soup is the perfect comfort food to get you through it. In the summer months, the Soup Box transformed into the Ice Box where they served a variety of Italian Ices. Genius! I think a soup place in Los Angeles would be a gold mine for all of the health nuts and carb conscious out here. Mike and I could eat soup everyday, so I am always thinking of new combos to simmer up. I was inspired by the Soup Box when putting this together. I kind of winged this, so you can adjust or substitute the ingredients to your liking, but this ended up being the perfect sweet and spicy combo. I wish I had made a larger batch to freeze in individual portions for our lunch, as I have a feeling this will be gone before the weekend!

Spicy Bacon and Corn Chowder:

  • 2 slices thick cut maple bacon
  • 1 large minced white onion
  • i stalk celery chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 jalapeño diced (if you like a mild, seed the jalapeno)
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 4 1/2 cups fresh corn (cut off the cob)
  • 1/8 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup good beer
  • 1 1/2 qt. vegetable or chicken stock
  • 3 medium yukon gold potatoes diced
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

  • lime wedges
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Diced red radishes and jalapenos
  • creme fraiche

In a large heavy-bottomed soup pot, render the bacon until crispy. Once done, drain bacon on a plate lined with a paper towel. Sweat the onion, celery, garlic, peppers, and cumin in the bacon fat until tender and translucent.

Turn up heat and deglaze pan with beer. Let some of the alcohol cook off. I was drinking this delicious amber ale, but whatever you have will do. I don’t think this step is necessary.

Add the corn, potatoes, and cilantro and continue cooking until tender. Add the stock. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the cream, crumbled bacon, and lime juice to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Partially puree with an emulsion blender to improve the texture. If you don’t, all of the corn kernels end up seeming kind of crunchy.

Garnish each cup or bowl of soup with a squeeze of lime juice, cilantro, corn kernels, diced radish, jalapeño, and a dollop of creme fraiche.

Tags , ,
Categories appetizer, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pork, side dish, soup

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Bisque…

October 8, 2011 //
1

Generally, I am not thrilled to have to travel to Philly often and this month I had to go on two separate week long occasions. I am surprised at what a nice time I had there last week and came back quite inspired. After our long flight with no lunch on Monday, my boss friend and I went to dinner at this lovely restaurant called Audrey Claire. We were starving, so of course, we ordered about half of the menu. The beauty of this place was that it was BYOB. We picked up a decent bottle of red at the wine store (because you can’t just get a bottle of wine at a liquor store in Philly, it has to be a wine store) and to feed our two hungry asses (and you know how we are) it was only around 70 bucks! Everything we had such as the seared brussel sprouts with shaved parmesan; crab, apple, and avocado terrine, wild boar sausage with asparagus and risotto, and shrimp skewers with a fresh fruit and corn salsa served with yam medallions were all delicious. The dish that I enjoyed the most was this mushroom and truffle bisque. I talked about it all week and could not wait to get home and recreate it for Mike. I do not work with mushrooms too often, so I searched the internet and came across this delicious Wild Mushroom Bisque on Oprah’s website. This recipe did not include truffles, so I  easily altered it using some truffle oil that our pal brought us back from his travels. I also used beef stock and topped it with a bit of creme fraiche like they did at the restaurant. Quick note: This would be a really hearty vegetarian dish if you wanted to used vegetable stock. At any rate, it was the bomb and I know Mike enjoyed it based on the orgasmic noises he was making while slurping it down. Can’t wait to take this for lunch on Monday!

Wild Mushroom and Truffle Bisque…

  • 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms , such as cremini, button and shiitake
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 4 shallots , thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 stalk celery , thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup Marsala or Madeira wine
  • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato , peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup beef broth (chicken or vegetable stock could work as well)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or tarragon leaves , chopped
  • 1 cup milk or cream
  • 2 tablespoons good truffle oil
  • creme fraiche for garnish

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Place porcini mushrooms in a large glass bowl or measuring cup. Pour boiling water over mushrooms and set aside. Wash and trim fresh mushrooms; cut into quarters and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a 4-quart stockpot over medium heat. Add shallots, pinch salt and pepper and rosemary. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots begin to brown, about 7 minutes. Add celery and continue to cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and generously season with salt and pepper, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, until mushrooms lose approximately half their volume.

Using a slotted spoon, remove porcini mushrooms from water and add them to stockpot. Increase heat to medium high and add Marsala. Cook 1 minute.

Slowly pour porcini liquid into stockpot, leaving any sediment behind. Add potato and beef broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let soup cool slightly (about 8 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Using a standard or immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. If using a standard blender, puree in small batches to prevent spillage. Transfer to a clean pot or storage container. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

When ready to serve, reheat soup and add thyme and milk; stir well. Use additional milk or beef broth if soup is too thick. Simmer 5 minutes and adjust seasoning to taste. Turn off heat, add truffle oil, stir well and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and some good bread.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories appetizer, beef, dinner, food and recipes, side dish, soup, vegetarian

White Bean, Ham, and Swiss Chard Soup…

September 26, 2011 //
0

The weather has been a bit gloomy and it has made me want some bone warming soup. Whenever fall would hit in the midwest, my step mom would always make a big ol’ pot of ham and beans and serve it on top of corn bread. I crave it all of the time, but don’t have the patience to soak the beans, cook down a ham hock, etc. so, I came up with this recipe. It turned out so flavorful and instead of using dry beans like I should have, I used canned beans. We also love greens, so I added some Swiss chard for some extra nutrients. Not only was I able to make a giant pot of soup after work in like an hour, the flavor was not at all compromised from taking a short cut. Here is what you need…

White Bean, Ham, and Swiss Chard Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 ribs of celery chopped with leaves included
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups baby gold potatoes cut in half
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked ham diced
  • 3 cans white beans (liquid included)
  • 2 cups Swiss chard, stem removed and chopped
  • 5 thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • salt and pepper

Heat oil in pan. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook down until onions are soft.

Add potatoes, ham, beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for around 20 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Add Swiss chard and continue to simmer until it cooks down (about 10 minutes). Its important that you remove the woody stems from the middle of the chard as it won’t cook down like the leaves do and they can be unpleasant.

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let stand for about 10 minutes off of the heat. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with cornbread.

I hope Mike likes it as I made enough to feed an army! If you find a soup recipe that you really love, its good to double the recipe and freeze it in individual serving bowls. We do this quite often. This way you can just pull the bowl out of the freezer and take it for lunch. I have often found that after freezing and reheating, the soup can taste even better!

Tags , , , , ,
Categories appetizer, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pork, side dish, soup
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 27 other followers