Vegetable Soup

(gross picture)

I know that no one really needs a vegetable soup recipe but this one turned out really good, so I have to share.

Ingredients:

2-3 T olive oil

1 small yellow or white onion

2-3 minced garlic cloves

6 c vegetable broth

2 c nappa cabbage chopped

2 c green beans cut into bite sized pieces

2 carrots sliced

2 T tomato paste

1/2 t oregano

fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Heat oil over med-high heat. Cook onions and carrots until onions are tender Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

delicious served with french bread

Thai Linguine

My picture really doesn't look appetizing, but it is delicious.

Nick and I went out to eat at California Pizza Kitchen last weekend because I found out that they started serving their pear and Gorgonzola pizza again!

Nick ordered a Thai Linguine dish (that looked much prettier than that picture) and I almost wished I had too.

I went home and found a knock off recipe online that is almost as good.

Give it a try, you'll like it!

(but you may want to wait til this whole peanut butter issue clears up)

Thai Linguine

12 oz linguine

4 T sesame oil

8 green onions, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 c honey

1/4 c soy sauce

3 T rice vinegar

1 1/2 T chili-garlic sauce

2 c mung bean sprouts

1 c shredded carrots

Cook pasta, transfer to large bowl and toss with 3 T sesame oil.

Heat remaining oil in large, heavy skillet over med-high heat. Add 6 onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute until onions begin to soften, about 2 min.

Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce. Whisk to blend.

Simmer for 1 minute and cool to room temperature.

Pour over pasta and toss to coat.

Add sprouts and carrots, transfer to a platter and sprinkle with remaining onions.

Scalloped Potatoes

I just made scalloped potatoes for the first time tonight. I was a little nervous about it, but it was surprisingly easy. slicing the potatoes took a bit, but after that it was a breeze. i topped part of it with grated cheese to test it. it was good with or without it so if you're feeling the cheese then go for it.

Ingredients:
3 T butter
3 T all purpose flour
2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 c. milk
6 c. of thinly sliced potatoes

Directions:
wash peel and slice the potatoes, then set aside.

In a large sauce pan melt the butter over medium low heat

stir in flour till smooth and bubbly. add salt and pepper

gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk till thick and bubbly.

add potatoes to sauce; cover and simmer for eight minutes

transfer mixture to a greased 12 x 8 in. baking dish.

bake uncovered at 375° F for 45 minutes, or untill potatoes are tender.

Artichoke Fritatta

I found this recipe in The New Vegetarian Epicure, one of my favorite cookbooks. Also shown in the picture is a lentil salad which I made to go with the frittata, but no one liked. I won't bother posting that one. The frittata was very good though and is also good left over for breakfast the next morning.

Ingredients:
2 med onions
1 lb. red potatoes
2 T olive oil
1 lg garlic clove, minced
1 tsp salt plus more to taste
1 1/2 c marinated artichoke hearts, well drained
10 eggs
1/4 c chopped flat leaf parsley
1/3 c grated Parmesan
black pepper to taste

Directions:
Peel, quarter and slice the onions. Scrub potatoes, quarter lengthwise, then slice. Heat 1 1/2 T olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook the onions, potatoes, and garlic in the oil with a little salt stirring often until tender.

Quarter the artichokes and add to the pan, stir together and remove from heat.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with 1/2 t of salt, chopped parsley, Parmesan and pepper. Add the cooked vegetables to the bowl and stir together.

Clean the skillet and wipe it dry, and heat remaining oil. Pour mixture back into the pan and cook over low heat with cover for 10-15 minutes or until the eggs at top are almost set.

Put the pan under a heated broiler for a few minutes to finish. It should be slightly golden brown on top. Loosen frittata gently with a knife and slide onto platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Grand Marnier Souffles

this was one of the last things i had on the cruise, and one of the most memorable.

if you don't drink, i am certain you could use something other then the two tablespoons of grand Marnier, and it would still be good.

personally, i don't think the two tablespoons would hurt you either.

so here is what i found on this dessert... so yummy.

i want to try this one day when i have about a million hours to kill....

ingredients for the souffle
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter plus additional for buttering ramekins
1 cup sugar plus additional for coating ramekins
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
7 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon orange oil ( i would probably try to favor oil i already had)
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
8 large egg whites

ingredients for the creme anglaise to pour over the top
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 2-inch piece vanilla bean, split
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
Preparation
Combine milk and cream in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to saucepan. Stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain sauce into bowl. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)

Preparation for the Souffle
Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter eight 1-cup (3 1/2 x 2-inch) ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar.
In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan melt 3/4 stick butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until mixture is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool 5 minutes. In a large bowl whisk together yolks, vanilla, oil, and a pinch salt, and whisk in milk mixture and Grand Marnier, whisking until smooth.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 1 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one fourth meringue into yolk mixture to lighten and with a rubber spatula fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly.
Spoon batter into ramekins, filling them just to rim, and arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to reach halfway up sides of ramekins and bake souffles in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until puffed and tops are golden.
Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to dessert plates. With 2 forks pull open center of each souffle and pour some creme anglaise into opening.
Serve souffles immediately.

Potato Chowder

This is my favorite potato soup. Perfect for colder weather. Also a perfect recipe for those times that I don't want to eat what I had planned on making. I always have these ingredients in my fridge and cupboard. Also a great way to use up last nights left over veggies.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 onion diced

about 4 lbs of potatoes peeled and cubed

salt and pepper to taste

whole milk

1-2 cups grated cheese

chopped cooked veggies (any kind you like) or you can boil them with the potatoes

Directions:

-saute onion in oil until soft

-add salt, pepper and the potatoes, and veggies if you are using raw

-add enough water to just cover potatoes and lightly boil just until potatoes are cooked (don't over boil)

-Pour off at least half of the water from pot

-add cheese and veggies (if not already in the pot)

-add milk to desired consistency

chile relleno tart

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup blue cornmeal* or yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons (about) ice water Filling
3 large fresh poblano** or New Mexico chilies
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
4 large eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup crumbled soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), room temperature
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup grated Colby cheese
*Blue cornmeal is available at natural foods stores and some specialty foods stores.
**A fresh green chili, often called a pasilla, available at Latin American markets and some supermarkets.
Preparation
For crust:Combine 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal and 1 teaspoon salt in processor. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in water by tablespoonfuls until mixture forms moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before using.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter 11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan; trim to fit, reserving scraps. Place pan on heavy baking sheet. Bake until crust is set and edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes. If crust cracks, gently press small bits of reserved dough into cracks. Transfer pan to rack and cool.
For filling:Char chilies over gas flame or under broiler until blackened on all sides. Seal in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and chop chilies.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle Gruyère and mozzarella over bottom of crust. Sprinkle chilies over cheese. Combine eggs, cream, goat cheese, butter, salt and pepper in processor; blend well. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with Colby cheese.
Bake tart until filling is golden brown and set, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool slightly. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Serve warm or at room temperature.