knitorious

Soup's on!

I've made this a couple of times in recent weeks -- a little different each time, but basically Bella's Carrot, Orange and Fennel Soup from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery.

Carrot and Fennel Soup

2 T. coconut oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped fennel
Sea salt
3 lbs. carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 tsp. orange zest
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
4 c. organic vegetable broth
4 c. organic chicken broth
1 T. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. maple syrup

Heat the oil in a soup pot, then add the onion, fennel and a bit of salt. Sautee until golden. Stir in carrots, orange zest, spices, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Sautee for a few minutes, stirring until well combined. Add 1/2 cup of broth and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in the remaining broth, another dash of salt, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Puree with soup until very smooth. I've used both a hand-held blender, blending the soup right in the pot, and in small batches using a traditional blender, and they both worked fine.

Return the soup to the pot over low heat, stirring in the orange and lemon juice, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Taste and made adjustments as needed.

It's a lovely soup! Next time, I might add coconut milk to make the "creamy" variation.

* * * * * 

Random.org says it's Lucky #7! Dcalaneknits, look for an email with a request for your mailing address, and I'll get a copy of Keep Out!: Build Your Own Backyard Clubhouse: A Step-by-Step Guide in the mail to you! Thanks everyone, it was a blast to read all those comments and memories about clubhouses and forts.

 

What's working, what's not

Well, it's "the holidays" and, considering that it's the holidays, I think I'm doing okay. My weight has fluctuated a bit but given the added imbibing and indulgences, I am very okay with that; last Saturday I finally hit 30 pounds lost.

Thirty pounds! That translates to something like over 100 pounds of pressure taken off of my knees (and, I suppose), ankles, and toes.

My back is finally feeling better. I was beginning to wonder if I had a kidney stone. Oh! You want to know what my sweet daughter said? She told me that my sore back could have been my body adjusting to the weight loss -- Whoa!! Isn't that the sweetest thing?

So, what's working? I've been trying to use my Yummy - Paleo Pinterest board more, especially for things I find online. The stellar Bacon-Wrapped Smoky Chicken Thighs and Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potatoes that I made at Thanksgiving are both there. They both made encore appearances at Christmas and were devoured! I've recently pinned, made, and loved Balsamic-Glazed Drumsticks and Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Vinaigrette (once with added carrots) -- balsamic vinegar obviously being my new best friend! The brussels sprouts also were requested at the Christmas table, also, and I was happy to oblige.

And I've finally made cauliflower "rice." I'm SO happy that I found this video... OMG, so fast & easy! It takes longer to get the equipment out than it does to chop and "rice." (I have an old Osterizer commercial blender, so that's what I used and it worked great!)

(And isn't that funny? I have a Big Red Kitchen, too!)

I usually rice a whole head at a time. Sometimes I cook it all up (in batches) and store the leftovers that way, but I've also stored the extra uncooked. It's super fast to prepare, either by sauteeing or just throwing it in a pot with some butter. Most important of all, it was very well-liked by all -- including Rusty, never a huge fan of cauliflower and an almost daily consumer of real (brown) rice!

I've roasted cauliflower (and broccoli - sometimes together), too, and it is SO yum. I have been winning people over with the roasting, especially when I do it with my new best friend (balsamic vinegar), and even the previously detested brussels sprout has been declared "delicious."

I'm still motivated and eager to try new things.

What's not working? OMG, the sugar!! It's hard to avoid right now, and I've indulged, but waking in the middle of the night with horrible heartburn tells me how much I've OVER-indulged -- as do some other "systems" conditions. This all serves to remind me how far I've come and just how much better I feel overall! I won't have time for a Whole30 before leaving for Brazil, but a Whole15 is looking pretty good!!

Also not working are some overly involved "weeknight" meals I've prepared. One of the things I like best about "paleo" is rediscovering how delicious and satisfying a simply prepared meal can be -- season, roast, steam, saute, or bake, sometimes serve with a simple sauce or glaze. I enjoy putting together an elaborate meal occasionally, but definitely not the norm.

Just for the record, it was a mid-afternoon Christmas Day meal this year at my house:

• HoneyBaked Ham (Mom)
• Rolls (Mom)
• Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potatoes (minus dairy components)
• Steamed Green Beans
• Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Vinaigrette
• Cauliflower Rice
• Tortilla Wraps (Katie)
• Gluten-free Bread w/Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar (Ali)
• Apple Pie with Rice Flour Crust (Rusty)
• Everyday Paleo Pumpkin Pie w/fresh whipped cream

And before I even knew it, Annie had the kitchen all cleaned up! That works!!

 

Baked eggs

It's what's for dinner... yesterday... and lunch today! I've made them before, and here is the recipe I've been using.

At this point in the process, all of a sudden, I realized that the light wasn't too bad and I could take pictures! I'd already cooked the prosciutto and steeped it in half & half. I'd also realized that I didn't have any spinach, but found some left-over peas in the fridge. Hey, why not?

So there's a tiny bit of butter at the bottom of each dish, prosciutto, peas, a spoonful of half & half, an egg, another spoonful of half & half, a smidge of sea salt, and some pepper.

Last time, I'm sure I used a whole lotta butter and the heavy cream. Next time, I will probably cut the butter even further, perhaps just "greasing" the dish, or possibly using olive oil; I think I'll still use half & half, because I like the richness, but maybe only half... of the half & half.

I love a recipe I can play around with.

Last time, while not overcooked, they were cooked very well. This time, I baked them for just a little less time and they were perfect -- the whites thoroughly cooked, the yolk still soft.

I have to say that I love love love the Pampered Chef 1-cup Prep Bowl Set that I bought from my cousin's wife, Jane. I don't remember if my sister Karen was a one-time consultant, or just hosted now and then, but I've purchased a few PC items over the years. I have some favorites, and these bowls shot right up to the top -- not only are they are PERFECT for this recipe, they also have COVERS, so I've been using them for leftovers and for packing my lunch. Love.

Do I need to say that I'm not getting paid to say that? I'm not. Jane doesn't even know that I'm talking about/linking her!

Happy weekend, ever'body!

Yesterday = Yummy

Such a tasty, beautiful, colorful plate that I had to shoot it twice.

We were pretty into dessert, apparently: I made poppy seed cake, Kate came over and made lemon bars, Kevin made carrot cake, and Mom had a small cheesecake from the store.

Easter Bunny brought a small bag of jelly beans, some Andes mints, and "bunny ear" Kit-Kats.

I believe I consumed more sugar yesterday than I have in the past month. I'm amazed that I didn't wake up with terrible heartburn at 3 a.m. Must've been good quality sugar, or the little bit of cheese and the (only slightly exaggerated) half-gallon of milk I consumed in the evening hours helped to neutralize and/or dilute it.

Busy week. How 'bout you?

 

Mmmm, roasty!

It's no secret that I love stuff that's roasted.

I love Roast Beef Soup.

I love roasting the beef for Chili All Day.

I love roasting tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, herbs, etc., for Vicki's Roasted Tomato Sauce.

I love roasting veggies for Roasted Vegetable Soup.

I love making Smashed Roasted Potatoes.

New favorite: Ina Garten's Roasted Asparagus. (God, I love that woman!) I have done this several times already this spring! It could not be simpler... preheat the oven to 400F; wash and prep as for any other method; I dry the spears off a little bit and then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with just a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt; I shake and rattle the pan a little bit to distribute it evenly and so the spears are "coated" all around. Since it's often just two of us, I usually make only a pound at a time and decrease the cooking time a bit. But not too much, because OMG, the ROASTY YUM!! I just love how some of the smaller spears get kind of CRISPY -- and especially the tips -- and I even said to Rusty tonight, as I gobbled 'em up, that parts of them are almost like ASPARAGUS CHIPS!

Strange but true, and so delicious.

You're welcome.

Happy weekend, people!

 

Ten on Tuesday: Soup's on!

Ten on Tuesday: 10+ Favorite Soups

1. Potato -- including all variations, such as Potato-Leek. I don't make it often, but I sure do love it.

2. Split Pea Chowder. My mom makes this using a recipe in the Picture Cookbook from LIFE Magazine, circa the year I was born. This is an orange, oversized cookbook that is integral to my childhood and development, as is The Torch Is Passed and a gigantic Michelangelo art book that was so heavy we always looked at it two-at-a-time. This soup calls for a tablespoon or two of whole peppercorns and, though not always successful, I've been dodging peppercorns in my soup ever since I can remember and can't imagine it any other way!

3. Chicken -- also including all variations, such as what we throw together using leftovers after roasting one (some better than others), and Chicken Dumpling Soup from a local restaurant called Mary's.

4. Chili All Day. I have praised this soup year after year, sometimes numerous times a year. Delish!

5. Beef Stew. This is another recipe from the LIFE cookbook. Also, Carole's Roast Beef Soup -- I love the flavor! And, because of Carole's Roast Beef Soup, I have roasted beef in the oven (rather than browning on the stove) for other recipes -- such as Beef Stew and Chili All Day.

6. Vegetable with or without ham, always with lots of cabbage, carrots, and celery; often with potatoes; sometimes with rutabaga.

7. Bean With Bacon -- Campbell's.

8. Tomato -- also Campbell's, though I've made homemade Cream of Tomato Soup and it is divine. I like to make mine with milk and it is best served with a grilled cheese sandwich (made with white bread, butter, and sliced, but not ever individually wrapped, processed American cheese).

9. Cream of... almost anything. When we were kids Mom used Cream of Mushroom soup... as soup. Most people have an "Ew" reaction to that, as they've always only ever used it as an ingredient. When I met my husband, he used Cream of Celery soup as... soup... and I had an "Ew" reaction, having never used it in any way, shape or form EVER. Well, I ate it. And it was good! And now my kids have grown up eating Cream of Celery soup, too! (No one around here was ever a fan of the 'shroom as much as me.) I've also made Cream of Spinach (shown above) and Cream of Asparagus soup from scratch -- and I should like to do that again this spring when it's in season again.

10. Quick Minestrone.* I have a recipe at home that's almost nothing but opening cans of beans and tomatoes and chicken broth, adding some spinach (frozen or otherwise), and some orzo (or other small pasta) -- it was always a great stand-by recipe for busy weeknights!

11. Cioppino -- or any fish soup, stew, chowder, or boil. A whole bunch of my favorite worlds collide right there -- I love to make it, and to eat it.

12. Turkey. You might think, Isn't this the same as chicken? But no, it is not the same. There's a recipe in an old Holiday Cooking magazine that started us on a (somewhat lapsed but not forgotten) tradition of making it with homemade noodles -- good ones can be found at the grocery, but homemade... Mmm.

*I just found this recipe in a post from December of '09, so thought I'd share again. 

QUICK MINESTRONE SOUP

16-oz. can cannellini beans
16 oz. can red kidney beans
16 oz. can seasoned-for-pasta tomatoes
4 c. chicken broth
1 box frozen chopped spinach
1/2 c. orzo
season to taste

Combine beans and tomatoes in a large pot. Add chicken broth, spinach, and orzo. Bring to a boil, stirring to break up spinach. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until orzo is tender. Makes about 10 cups of soup.

See? Couldn't be easier. You've never tasted a more delicious "homemade" soup that came from so many cans.

Deemed even better the 2nd time

I made Roasted Potato Stacks again for our Christmas Eve dinner (photo recycled from Thanksgiving).

The first time I made them, I had help; the second time, I was on my own. There's a lot of slicing and layering of potatoes with brushing of garlic-infused olive oil and it's a perfect-for-teamwork recipe.

Not only was I working by myself at Christmas, I was also a little behind and needed to find a way to speed up the process. I needed to get the oil on the potatoes quickly. My first thought was to go the shake-and-bake route, but that works best when there's a dry component... not so much with only garlic and oil.

I ended up going old-school with a big bowl and a spoon (and no plastic waste) and just stirred it all up. I'm sure some potato slices were oiled up slicker than others, but in the end it worked out great. An empty platter and calls for more were testament to that. I sprinkled with sea salt, pepper and, this time, a little rosemary in place of thyme. Yum.

I need another 12-cup muffin pan!

 

Weighing in

I had a great track for a post going in my head while I was in the car this morning, but I lost it along the way and I haven't been able to find it again. So, I'm falling back on photos today... photos of food. It's a good thing the blog doesn't ever have to weigh in.

These are some I took last summer for Ali at the coffee shop. I don't think I've shown them before -- maybe a couple. If I did, think of it as going back for seconds.

Sandwiches and salads. That's not so bad. I think that's a Goud-Asparagus panini.

Coffee is good.

Coffee drinks are yum, especially frozen blended ones that include chocolate and a little fresh whip!

Mmmmuffins.

Remember, photos have no calories!

 

Squash Lasagna

My search for the Pumpkin Lasagna that I remember has been unsuccessful; even a request to the source didn't come up with exactly what I was looking for... the one that I remember. She sent a LOT of other great, savory squash recipes, though, and is one of the few people I know who is an actual Gourmet Cook, so it's entirely possible she just made it on the fly with whatever she had that day.

I made this: Butternut Squash Lasagna*

I used acorn squash instead, because that's what I had. I partially cooked it this afternoon, in the same manner that I'd cook a pumpkin (halved, cut-side-down in a pan w/1/4-inch of water at 350F) and then stored it in the 'fridge until I was ready to assemble. Lemme just say that acorn squash isn't really something you want to peel. I sliced one and then cut off the shell, but mostly I just scooped it out as slab-like as I could. There's that to keep in mind. I used two small and one large squash.

I used a combo of grated mozarrella and gruyere, and didn't use the Sage/Lemon Brown Butter, but otherwise followed the recipe and IT WAS SO GOOD! I had to share... and record what I did before I forgot.

The recipe in my mind did not use lasagna noodles, did not have meat of any kind, and the squash was not mashed, pureed or cubed -- it was sliced. It took a few intensive searches to finally find the recipe above, and I found it on Pinterest! Yay!!

*No photo... that time of year is here! It is my goal, before too long, to have a semi-permanent lighting set up that I can haul around to wherever in the house I'm working... sewing in the front room, knitting in the living room, cooking/dyeing in the kitchen (never at the same time), whatever, wherever!

 

Good enough to eat

Yes, I actually took it outside to photograph. When purchasing my next house, kitchen light will be a huge consideration!

For some reason, I bagged up and froze the entire first batch of tomato sauce. Today, I'm making the second and we'll be having it fresh over some pasta and probably with some CSA eggplant.

That's about 8 pounds of red tomatoes and one nice looking heirloom from the CSA some orange cherries that were in the 'fridge; some yellow cherries that I picked up this morning, along with some garlic and peppers (also in the pan), at the farmers' market; 3 enormous onions; 3 varieties of my own fresh basil; and some dried herbs, seasonings, and olive oil from the kitchen cupboard. As it was all tossed in above; and after a stir, below.

I thought for a sec this morning that my oven wasn't working, but all is well. It hasn't even been in for a half-hour and already smells AMAZING!

I can't wait for supper!

Groceries

CSA Week 3:

 
This is the full share -- two quarts of strawberries, about two quarts of sugar pea pods, two bunches of garlic scapes, a bunch of radishes, and a large head of romaine lettuce (somewhat obscured by the styling of the radishes). The strawberries were probably the last we'll receive this season -- they were really yum, too.

I made Strawberry & Feta Salad using some of the romaine and garlic scapes, and with strawberries that I had to buy at the store because the ones from the CSA box sort of disappeared. It was delicious! I used nearly a quart of strawberries in the salad (because I had them, and why not?), and would probably cut the oil at least in half next time.

 
We grilled some shrimp on skewers over the weekend and I cut up the left-overs to use in my standby summertime pasta salad (in place of the most-often-used tuna) -- I also used some scapes and some thinly sliced radish. There were more radishes in this week's box (below) and I'll be pickling a la Margene!

CSA Week 4:

 
This week there were two bags of spicy mixed greens (not shown because they were in the sink at photo time and I couldn't wait because the light was fading!), some swiss chard, two bunches of radishes, two bags of sugar snap peas, two pints of Michigan blueberries, FOUR more bunches of garlic scapes, a zucchini, and a patty-pan squash.

I think I'm going to try roasting some sugar snap peas... I love roasting stuff! I haven't quite decided about the squash -- I love squash, though, so it'll get eaten even if it's just steamed or sauteed... or roasted. In fact, we roasted some zucchini last night and I have some in my lunch today, along with some of those spicy mixed greens and blueberries.

 
Don't they look fabulous?

Speaking of blueberries, Katie made the most amazingly simple, delicious, not-too-sweet dessert the other day -- Scottish Blueberry Dessert with English Custard. I can't stop thinking about it -- how easy it was, how to play around with it, and how it is that my grandmother never made it. It seems so much like something Grandma would have made.

Goodness

 
This is my half (I'm splitting with Ali) of the Week 2 delivery from our CSA. I've packed my lunch with a little bit of everything today.

Is it lunch time yet?

 
I can't stop looking at it. I picked up eggs on the way home, too. Our CSA offers an egg share, but they were sold out by the time I signed up; they also offer additional shares in fruit, honey, maple syrup, bread, and late-season produce. We kept it fairly simple this year as first-timers, though we did each buy a late-season share in addition to the full share that we split.

I forgot to photograph the Week 1 delivery. Imagine... two types of popping corn, fresh rhubarb, fresh asparagus, and wee tender new garlic.

 
The eggs are from a hobby farmer named Matt that I play phone tag with a lot. Eventually, we connect and I usually pick up a few dozen eggs at a time. This week, they were mostly shades of soft, gorgeous green.

 
Heh. I can't stop looking at these, either.

That's one of my brand new, home-grown, heirloom tomatoes! It's just a baby, but it'll grow. Kate's are even bigger -- she's blogging, so you can see for yourself (and say "Hello!").

The buttons are all sewn on the baby sweater for Project Spectrum June=Green! I've the day off tomorrow -- sisters are coming into town -- and a busy weekend planned (including the photographing of a small garden wedding on Sunday) (but also Monday off); even so, I'd like to get it written up. I love how it turned out!

It's what's for dinner (with leftovers for lunch)

I had a very busy day on Saturday.  I wanted to make a good dinner, but didn't have the time or temperament for slicing, stirring, simmering, and such.

 

The cute little Nesco was a wedding gift from the Marshfield aunts and uncles.  The size is such that it doubles as a pretty good-sized slow cooker.  It's seen a fair bit more action than usual so far this year.

 

I had purchased two varieties of Howling Wolf BBQ Sauce to try, and "The Original" was howling "ribs" to me.  The other variety I have is Cranberry Orange and I think I'll be doing some of this in a few days with a little of that.

The ribs.  Country-style.  I rubbed half of them with Chicago Steak Seasoning from Penzey's that I had in the cupboard.  The other half were seasoned simply with salt and cracked pepper.

I roasted them in the regular oven, first, for 15 minutes on each side at 400F.

I popped them into the roaster.

Poured on the sauce and cooked 'em slowly for 5-6 hours ('til DH came home).  The meat was falling right off the bone!  In the end, it was impossible to determine which ribs were heavily or lightly seasoned -- they were all delicious!  The sauce was excellent -- rich and flavorful, with exactly the right combo of ingredients for the perfect kick.

It was so delicious and I was so hungry that I didn't even take pictures.  Those are leftovers that I had for lunch the next day.  Cold.  Nom.  So good!!

Let it be known!

I have ornamented the tree with things most dear to me.

I had cookies for brunch yesterday; peanut butter balls and homemade caramels today.  I did just have some minestrone soup... with cookies for dessert... and a peanut butter ball chaser.  Oy.  Soon it will be all gone.

Speaking of minestrone soup -- this is a great recipe and QUICK, just as the title would lead you to believe.  It's a delicious, warm, nourishing soup that provides a great meal even when you're pressed for time -- as we all are this week -- throw in some ham or turkey, if you've got it, or some other kinds of beans, it's easy to play around with, too.  I have no idea where it came from -- it's scratched on the back of one of the kids' old "Book It" forms (my note from 12/4/93 says, "GOOD!)).

QUICK MINESTRONE SOUP

16-oz. can cannellini beans
16 oz. can red kidney beans
16 oz. can seasoned-for-pasta tomatoes
4 c. chicken broth
1 box frozen chopped spinach
1/2 c. orzo
season to taste

Combine beans and tomatoes in a large pot.  Add chicken broth, spinach, and orzo.  Bring to a boil, stirring to break up spinach.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until orzo is tender.  Makes about 10 cups of soup.

See?  Couldn't be easier.  You've never tasted a more delicious "homemade" soup that came from so many cans.