Gingered Carrot Soup

   
     Pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash- it's hard to even see them without thinking of crisp chilly nights, crunchy leaves, flaming bonfires and steaming apple cider. Orange food just seems right for fall, doesn't it?
     A big bag of carrots in my vegetable bin inspired this colorful bowl of comfort for supper the other night. Carrots, sweet nuggets of goodness packed with beta-carotene and vitamin A, make this soup a fabulous choice for those chilly fall nights. (And it's not so shabby for lunch either!)

Carrot Ginger Soup
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped (the smaller you chop them, the quicker they cook)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon curry powder
a few sprigs of thyme
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoons minced or grated ginger (If you freeze your ginger root, then it's really easy to grate with a microplane grater.)
1 quart chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Gently saute onion and garlic in the butter and oil. Add carrots, thyme, ginger, curry powder, salt and chicken broth.
Simmer (covered) until carrots are tender. The length of time this takes varies, depending on your carrots and how large your carrot chunks are.
Remove sprigs of thyme and blend with an immersion or regular blender. (My immersion blender leaves the soup with a little more texture, and the regular blender makes it silky smooth. Be very careful with hot soup in a regular blender. Leave the vent lid open!)
Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

     Happy National Bundt Day! This Gingerbread Bundt Cake, made with stout beer and fresh ginger, is a great way to kick off your holiday baking season. The smell of molasses and ginger always makes me feel all warm and cozy, especially when the air is crisp and cool outside. Wouldn't this beautiful bundt would be a lovely addition to your Thanksgiving table? It's spicy, moist with the complex flavors of molasses and stout, and covered with a gingery glaze made with my favorite ginger ale of all time.

     Bottled in the Northern Neck since 1926,  Northern Neck Ginger Ale is a taste of home for me. I appreciate its crisp, peppery bite that sets it apart from others. It's only sold in cans and plastic bottles now, but I remember the signature green glass bottles with the bubbles on the front!

     And if a gingerbread bundt doesn't suit your fancy, head over to The Food Librarian. For the past three years, Mary has celebrated National Bundt Day by baking thirty bundts for each of the thirty days leading up to it! You can find her bevy of beautiful bundts here, and I bet you can find one that you'll want to bake. It's O.K. to celebrate the occasion a little late, especially if it involves eating  cake. :)


Stout Gingerbread Bundt Cake
from All-Time Best Holiday Recipes,  America's Test Kitchen
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz.) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
16 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 oz.) sugar
4 teaspoons grated or minced fresh ginger
3/4 cup robust or dark molasses
3/4 cup stout beer (I used Guinness)
Glaze
1 3/4 cups (7 oz.) confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons ginger ale
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cake Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan.
•  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in ground spices and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and fresh ginger in large bowl until light and frothy. Stir in melted butter mixture, molasses, and stout until incorporated. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until no lumps remain.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and gently tap pan on counter to release any air bubbles. Bake until skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack; let cool completely.
• Prepare glaze: Whisk all ingredients in bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake.
• Enjoy! 

Broccoli Ramen Salad

    
     Colorful and crunchy, with a tangy yet sweet dressing, this easy salad is great with anything from fried chicken to hot dogs. It's perfect for potlucks, tailgates, fall picnics or to accompany a quick sandwich at home for lunch. It's even still delicious the day after it's prepared, when all of the flavors have melded together and the dressing has soaked into the ramen noodles.

     The hardest (ha!) part of the preparation is chopping the onion and smashing the dry noodles into bits (fun!) which makes this ideal for those times when you need something in a hurry. And who doesn't need fast food now and then?

Broccoli Ramen Salad
1 bag Broccoli Slaw Mix (12 oz.) If you can't find this already bagged, it's just a mixture of julienne broccoli stems, julienne carrots and shredded red cabbage
1 pkg. Ramen Noodles (Beef, Chicken or Oriental flavor)
1/2-1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup oil (Canola or light flavored olive)
1/3 cup sugar (up to 1/2 cup if you prefer a sweeter taste)
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced

Break up the ramen noodles (in the bag) and place them in a large bowl with the broccoli slaw mix, almonds, cranberries and onion.
Mix together oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning packet (optional) from the ramen noodle soup. Pour over the slaw mixture and toss together. If you prefer not to use the seasoning packet, you may want to add some salt. Serve immediately (ultimate crunch!) or refrigerate to serve later.

Peach Confetti Salsa, and a Shake, Rattle and Roll!

     An earthquake? Seriously? C'mon now, we're on the east coast! Thankfully, there was not much damage here- some broken china and ceramic chickies- but it was kinda scary while it was happening. Earthquake veterans might be rolling their eyes about now, but I'm new to this. The last significant earthquake in Virginia was back in 1897, before my time, so I haven't had any experience with this sort of thing. I sure hope everyone else is okay!

     And this salsa? This salsa is definitely okay. It's made by my sister's recipe, with a rainbow of veggies and fruit from my brother's vegetable stand. The sweet peaches and spicy peppers blend together to make a mouthwatering combination, and make the perfect healthful dip for your chips. (This would also be wonderful on grilled chicken, or even on a hotdog!) I love a snack I can eat without feeling pangs of guilt and regret, don't you?

Peach Confetti Salsa- from my sister's recipe
2 sweet, ripe peaches, diced
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 medium sized Roma tomatoes, diced (I used one red and one yellow)
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (very small dice)
1/4 cup sweet pepper, diced (I used a mixture of red and banana pepper.)
1 Tablespoon of sweet onion, diced (I used a little more than this.)
1 teaspoon diced basil (or cilantro if you prefer) (I used a little more of this, too)
2 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste (I use less salt than most people would, so I hesitate to put an amount.)
Mix all ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl. Taste for seasoning. If you like your salsa hotter, add a little more jalapeno. (This is a mildly spicy salsa the way it is written.) If you like your salsa sweeter, add more sugar. I found that the addition of the sugar brought out the flavor of the peaches more. If you have really ripe, sweet peaches you might not need as much. Let the salsa sit for at least an hour before serving, to give the flavors a chance to mingle. Store leftovers (if there are any) in the refrigerator.

This post is linked to These Chicks Cooked link party ,

Heirloom Tomato Pie

 
     I have a love-hate relationship with tomatoes. I love a beautiful tomato, ripened on the vine. I love to grow it, to look at it, to hold it, even to smell it. I love all of the beautiful colors and shapes of tomatoes, especially the lovely heirlooms with fanciful names like Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter, Kellogg's Breakfast, or Aunt Ruby's German Green. But that's where the love affair takes a turn.

     There are those who would take a warm, ripe tomato and take a bite out of it, the juice running down their chins. Here's where I have to make my true confession: I am not one of those. I am not a raw tomato eater. Okay, I'll tolerate them in salsa, or on a sandwich, or sometimes even in a salad, but I really do not like crave tomatoes in their natural state. Cook those tomatoes, however, and I'm there. Stewed, sauced, roasted- I love them!

     I saw  this tomato pie on the cover of the latest Food Network magazine, and I knew right away that I had to make it. Beautiful (cooked) heirloom tomatoes of all colors and sizes adorn the top of this cheesy pie baked to perfection. It's full of caramelized onions nestled in a crust crunchy with cornmeal and shredded cheese, and it's a beautiful way to savor the quintessential summer fruit. Paired with a salad, a slice of it makes a lovely dinner, and I hope you have a chance to try it while tomatoes are at their very best!

     You can find Food Network's recipe for Heirloom Tomato Pie here. I followed the recipe as it was written, except I substituted globe basil for thyme and cut back on the salt in both the crust and the filling. I also spread about a Tablespoonful of Dijon mustard over the bottom of the baked pie shell before I added the fillings. The pie shell was a bit time consuming, so if you're in a pinch for time, try a regular one. If you can't find the Manchego cheese (I had to make a trip to Wegman's for it!) I suggest using Parmesan, Asiago or Romano. If you don't have heirloom tomatoes, any beautiful vine ripened tomatoes will do. Really, how can you go wrong with baked tomatoes and melty cheese?




 

Upland Cress- When You Just Need Something Green

   This weekend my mom mentioned to me that the lemons  in my previous post were very pretty, but she was a little tired of looking at them. I guess it has been a while since I last posted. Hopefully I'm over my late-winter slump and along with the promise of spring and warmer weather will come bounds of energy and inspiration. One inspiring thing that I did find this weekend were these gorgeous cresses.

     If you're from the south, you're probably no stranger to upland or field cress, sometimes known as "creasy greens."  A harbinger of spring, cress is usually one of the first things to appear in the garden. With rosettes of tender green leaves and a peppery flavor, I've always considered them a spring tonic. They are what first comes to mind when I'm craving something fresh and green this time of year! They're chock full of phytonutrients, have three times the vitamin C of oranges and twice as much vitamin A as broccoli!

    I cooked this "mess of greens" the good old southern way, which means I boiled them until tender with a ham hock in enough water to cover them, added a bit of salt and pepper, and served them with cornbread.  Since I had nearly a bushel of them, I also cooked some in an omelet, sauteed some with a little garlic and olive oil, and tossed some with some homemade pasta with a creamy ricotta sauce. The raw peppery leaves are also a great flavorful addition to a salad, as long as your cress is fresh and tender.

    I remember when I was young my dad would pick cresses in corn fields where they grew wild. With the advent of weed killers being used in corn fields though, wild cress has almost disappeared. Thankfully the seed is available and easily grown. I raided my brother's field for this beautiful basketful, but if you're not lucky enough to have a brother with a field of cress they will most likely be found in your early spring CSA box or at a local farmer's market. I hope you find some!

     This post is being shared with Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage.

Easy Lentil Soup

  Can you believe that the school year is half over? It seems to me that it just started, but our new semester began today. Last Friday was a work day for teachers, and also the day of our second annual Soup Swap/ Luncheon.  All morning you could smell  simmering goodness coming from crock-pots plugged in throughout the building. It made doing report cards just a little bit easier knowing that the aromas wafting through the halls were previews of what was to come once lunchtime rolled around! While we watched the snow coming down outside, we relaxed and enjoyed a wonderfully diverse assortment of delectable soups, breads and desserts.

 My contribution this year was a Hearty Lentil Soup. Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse, packing 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber in just one cup! There's less than one gram of fat per serving and absolutely no cholesterol in this heart healthy legume. What I really love about lentils is that they don't need to soak before cooking, which makes them a great choice for dinner when you haven't planned ahead of time. (Not that I'd know anything about that.) Most of your "hands on" time is just a bit of chopping, and then you can sit back and relax while the lentils simmer. Or you could use that time to make some homemade tortillas-a perfect accompaniment to this dish that's as easy on your heart as it is on your pocketbook. :)


Lentil Soup
recipe adapted slightly from Alton Brown
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil (I used 1 tablespoon)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used less than this.)
1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed-I used the regular brown lentils for this soup
1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes (I used 1 can of diced tomatoes.)
2 quarts broth, vegetable or chicken (I used low sodium)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground grains of paradise- I did not have this spice, but I substituted a mixture of black pepper, cardamom and ginger.
Directions

• Heat olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven, over medium heat. 
• Add onions, carrot, celery and salt and "sweat" until the onions are translucent, about 6-7 minutes.
• Add spices and cook one more minute, stirring
• Add lentils, tomatoes and broth and stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 35-40 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Use a stick blender and puree to desired consistency.

I'm sharing this post with:

Rustic Cabbage Soup and New Year's Intentions

  I've made many New Year's resolutions in my lifetime, all with good intentions. A few I've kept, but most I've unfortunately abandoned before the paint was dry on the brand new year.  So this year I've decided to make intentions rather than resolutions. I don't know if they'll stick any better but it certainly won't hurt to try.

  A New Year's Intention to use up food that I have in my freezer/ refrigerator/ pantry before I buy more led to this rustic soup. Another New Year's Intention- to eat more vegetables- fueled my search at 101 Cookbooks, a favorite website of one of my sons. I had cabbage that my brother had given me, curiously pink potatoes from the grocery store, and way too many cans of beans in the pantry.

 All of these made up into a hearty "peasant" soup loaded with veggies. I topped it with a drizzle of good olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (which you could leave off if you'd rather go the vegetarian route.) Some good crusty bread and a green salad rounded out a delectable (if not photogenic) supper for the two of us.

  Contrary to what it may look like here recently, I have not totally given up meat. I've just put it on the "back burner" for a while, so to speak. I definitely haven't given up on treats either- just trying to eat my veggies first like my mama always told me. :)

Rustic Cabbage Soup
slightly adapted from this recipe from 101 Cookbooks
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt (I used only a small pinch- feel free to use more if you aren't on a salt restricted diet.)
1/2 to 3/4 lb. potatoes, skins on, cut into 1/4 inch dice
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large sweet onion, sliced or chopped
4-5 cups stock (your favorite)
1 1/2 cups cooked white beans (or a can of white beans, drained and rinsed)
1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch ribbons
optional
2-3 dried red chili peppers
good quality olive oil for drizzling over top
grated Parmesan cheese
freshly grated black pepper to taste

Directions

• Heat 1 Tblsp. olive oil in a soup pot. Stir in pinch of salt and potatoes. Cook with the lid on until potatoes are beginning to get tender, about 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while to keep them from sticking.
•  Add onions and garlic. Cook another few minutes until onions are translucent.
• Add the stock and beans and bring to a simmer. (Add chili peppers if desired.)
• Add the cabbage and cook another few minutes until the cabbage is tender.
• Adjust the seasonings. Add salt and pepper if needed.
• Remove hot peppers and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and grated parmesan (if desired.)

This post has been added to the  Hearth 'n Soul Blog Hop at girlichef.

It's Hip to be Square (or Tomato Egg Salad with Basil Onion Dressing)

Can you see it? There's a surprise hiding inside the tomato. Here- I'll show you.

Here's a little item I picked up at a local thrift store. Too funny.

And it does this. Too cute.

So I did this. 

What would you have done with a cute square egg?

Tomato Egg Salad with Basil Onion Dressing

You'll need:

1 small/medium sized tomato and 1 hard-boiled egg for each serving

mixed salad greens

Onion Basil Dressing

Directions:

• Make Onion Basil Dressing (Recipe follows.)
• Wash tomatoes. 
• Slice each egg into uniform slices. (I used an egg slicer.)
• Make vertical slices in each tomato, matching the number of egg slices. Cuts should go almost but not all the way through to the bottom (stem end) of the tomato. Gently fan the slices of the tomato.
• Carefully place egg slices into openings in the tomato.
• Place on a bed of greens and top with dressing.

Onion Basil Dressing

Recipe from my friend Carolyn, who served this lovely dressing over a plate full of heirloom tomatoes.

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon chopped onion (to taste)

handful of fresh basil leaves

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Place all dressing ingredients into bowl of small food processor or blender. Blend until combined.

Easy Herb Baked Potatoes

 Whenever hubby grills steaks, it's my job to come up with something good to go with them. I had plenty of beautiful tomatoes and cucumbers for a nice salad, but these were gorgeous steaks and deserved some potato love. I do love potatoes with a good steak, and there's the dilemma. Baked potatoes just don't do much for me unless I use a bit of butter load them up with butter, and I'm trying to keep our butter consumption down to reasonable levels. (Everything in moderation, right?)  I bookmarked this potato recipe on Kayotic Kitchen ages ago but had never tried it.

 

 I knew I wanted potatoes, and I had plenty of lovely fresh basil just calling to me. And the recipe fit my requirements for the evening: #1:Tasty. #2: Lower fat than my normal baked potato. #3: Easy. And it turned out to be all three.

 

  The cheese added some extra fat, but not as much as cheese AND butter would have. And the potatoes were very tasty and went well with the steak. The basil added a lovely touch to the potatoes, and I'll definitely make this again- maybe with some rosemary or thyme to go with grilled chicken.

Herb Baked Potatoes

Recipe slightly adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

(This is really more of a method than a recipe)

Potatoes- However many your family will eat, or enough to fill your baking dish! I peeled mine, but this recipe would also work well with unpeeled potatoes.

Herbs- I used about 10 chopped Basil leaves in this dish, but Rosemary or Thyme would also be good.

Milk or fat free half and half- 1/4 to 1/2 cup

1 egg

Salt and Pepper to taste (but I recommend lots of pepper!)

A Sprinkle of Cheese- Parmesan, cheddar, pepper jack or whatever your favorite is

Directions:

Wash, peel (or don't peel) and slice potatoes- They don't need to be thin, about 1/4 inch is fine

Arrange potato slices in a buttered casserole dish. (I just had to get some butter in there somewhere, didn't I?) 

Sprinkle on the salt to taste, and plenty of pepper. Make sure some of the seasoning gets down between the potatoes.

Whisk together the milk and egg until well combined. Add chopped basil or other herbs as desired.

Pour over potatoes, making sure that the mixture gets in the nooks and crannies between the potatoes.

Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. Remove foil the last 10 minutes of baking to allow potatoes to brown.

Sprinkle cheese (as much as is desired) over the top and broil until browned and bubbly.

In a Pickle...

 

Today I had to wait until my hubby went to work before I cooked these beautiful beets. Alas, I am the only beet lover in my household. I just don't understand how anyone could resist those beautiful crimson orbs. It seems that there's no "middle of the road" for beets- either you love them or you hate them. But if you've only been exposed to the tired beets you find on restaurant salad bars, I can't say I blame you. Those look like the beets I grew up with, but bear no resemblance whatsoever in flavor.

My mom typically served (still does, for that matter) beets two ways. She'd either have them hot with a little bit of melted butter and sugar, or cold with vinegary spices. My favorite? Pickled beets. I like to make small batches of these and keep them in the refrigerator instead of processing them. Sometimes I include thinly sliced onions, and sometimes I don't. They're great with sandwiches or salads or just a cold snack right out of the refrigerator when you know you want something but just can't put your finger on it. And when the beets are gone, do yourself a favor and put some peeled hard-boiled eggs in the pickling liquid overnight for a pickled egg treat!

Spicy Pickled Beets ( I usually half this recipe unless I am canning the beets.)

recipe slightly adapted from the Ball Blue Book 

Ingredients:

4 pounds beets (1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter)

2 cup thinly sliced onions

2 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 teaspoon whole cloves

3 sticks cinnamon, broken

(Or you could use a couple of tablespoonfuls of pickling spice in place of the individual spices.)

Directions:

• Wash and drain beets. Leave about 2 inches of the stems on the beets. Cover with water and cook until fork tender. (This takes quite a while, and depends on the size of your beets.)
• When beets are done, remove peel and trim off the ends. Leave whole if they're small, or slice. (I usually slice mine about 1/4 inch thick.) Set aside.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepot.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add beets and cook until hot throughout. Remove cinnamon sticks.
• If you are canning these, pack hot beets and onions into prepared hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid over beets, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 30 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
• If you are not canning them, pack beets and onions into jars and cover with pickling liquid. Cover and refrigerate.
• Yield: about 4 pints

Support Your Local Farmers!

I could almost be a locavore in the summer. My brother's vegetable stand has...

 

Potatoes,

 

squash,

 

tomatoes,

 

green beans,

 

lovely eggplant,

 

sweet corn (my favorite),

 

watermelon, carrots, beets,

 

blackberries,

 

blueberries and peaches... and lots more!

 In addition to all of this bounty, my girls give me eggs. I can get beef, chicken and seafood locally. (I also have a freezer full of venison- can't get much more local than my back yard.)

Alas though, chocolate, coffee, and lemons would be a problem. And I'm not about to give them up. Locavore or not, please support your local farmers by buying fresh produce at local vegetable stands and farmers markets. Promote the connection of fresh local food and the local farms and farmers that supply it by voting for your favorite farmers market here-

Summer Wind Down...

Everybody has their favorite place for vegetables.

This one's the best. My brother grows the ones here.
I took these photos several weeks ago, before the fall vegetables
started to come in.

Tomatoes, eggplant, squash and peppers...

Heirloom and cherry tomatoes...banana peppers...watermelons...
They're all good.

Now things are looking more like fall. Apples, pumpkins, gourds, and more.
If I can ever figure out how to get the pictures off of my cell phone, I'll show you!