Souper Saturday

"I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond."
-Mae West

Happy Saturday! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Today's soup recipe is a bit unusual, but it is very tasty. I add crispy wonton noodles to the soup when I eat it instead of crackers for a different flavor. Enjoy!


Carrot & Ginger Soup
Servings: 17 cups

Ingredients:

* 3 Lbs. baby carrots
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp rosemary
* 1 tsp parsley
* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 medium onions, peeled, diced
* 2 Tbsp ginger root, chopped
* 64 oz vegetable stock
* 32 oz carrot juice
* 2 Tbsp sesame oil
* 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
* 1 Tbsp kosher salt

Equipment Needed:

* Baking sheet
* Stockpot
* Handheld blender

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Toss carrots with olive oil, rosemary & parsley in large bowl.
3.) Spread carrots in a single layer on baking sheet.
4.) Roast carrots on center rack of oven 30-45 min, until lightly browned and tender.
5.) Set aside.
6.) Pour olive oil into stockpot and heat on medium.
7.) Stir in onions; cook 10 minutes.
8.) Add ginger; cook, stirring, about 2 min.
9.) Add roasted carrots and vegetable stock to pot.
10.) Bring to a boil; simmer 10 min.
11.) Mix in carrot juice.
12.) Carefully puree soup with handheld blender until smooth.
13.) Add sesame oil, hoisin sauce, and salt.
14.) Stir well and simmer 5 min.
15.) Serve warm.

"There was an Old Person in gray,
Whose feelings were tinged with dismay;
She purchased two parrots,
and fed them with carrots,
Which pleased that Old Person in gray."
-Edward Lear


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Temptation Thursday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"For each petal on the shamrock... this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck, and happiness, for today and every day."
-Author Unknown

I am not a big corned beef and cabbage fan, so I decided NOT to share a recipe for that. Instead, I thought I would give you a recipe with a main ingredient that can be substituted with left over corned beef. Enjoy!

"Never iron a four-leaf clover, because you don't want to press your luck."
-Author Unknown


Brisket Hash

Ingredients:

* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
* 3 cups Idaho potatoes, peeled, very finely chopped
* 1/2 cup carrots, peeled, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup sweet onion, peeled, finely chopped
* 3 cups beef brisket cooked & finely chopped
* 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Your favorite toast

Equipment Needed:

* Large Ovenproof skillet

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Heat skillet on medium high.
3.) Add oil and swirl to coat.
4.) Stir in garlic and potatoes, cook 3 min, until lightly browned.
5.) Add carrots, celery, and onion, cook 3 min.
6.) Mix in brisket and tabasco; cook, without stirring 5 min.
7.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8.) Place skillet in oven and bake 10 min, until lightly browned.
9.) Serve with toast.

"May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night."
-Irish Blessing


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday

“If you are a dreamer,come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!”
-Shel Silverstein

Hello! I hope your week has started well, mine is progressing as usual. Today's recipe is super easy to make, is a no fail crowd pleaser and is good for you also! I also use it on sandwiches instead of mayo - it is quite tasty. Enjoy!


White Bean Hummus

Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

* 1 can cannellini beans, undrained
* 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 package pita bread, cut into pieces

Equipment Needed

* Food processor (blender will work also)

Directions

1.) Puree beans and lemon juice in food processor until smooth.
2.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3.) Transfer to serving bowl.
4.) Drizzle with olive oil.
5.) Serve with pita bread.

“Love is strange and mysterious.. Just like Jelly beans..”
-Unknown

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday

“An onion can make people cry but there's never been a vegetable that can make people laugh.”
-Will Rogers

Hello! I hope you are doing well - the sun is shining here, so I am fabulous! Today's recipe is an easy side dish, that can also serve as a main dish - you decide. I am not a cauliflower fan, but I really like this, hopefully you will also. Enjoy!

“A vegetable garden in the beginning looks so promising and then after all little by little it grows nothing but vegetables, nothing, nothing but vegetables.”
-Gertrude Stein


Cauliflower and Spinach Gratin

Ingredients:

* 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
* 10 oz fresh spinach, stemmed (large stems only), rinsed
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs, divided
* 1/4 cup parmesean cheese, grated
* 1 jar (13 oz) alfredo sauce
* 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
* 1 Tbsp olive oil
* non-stick pan spray

Equipment Needed:

* 13x9x2 baking dish
* Large mixing bowl
* Small mixing bowl

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Spray baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
3.) Add cauliflower and spinach to large mixing bowl.
4.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5.) Add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, alfredo sauce, and mozzarella.
6.) Mix well and set aside.
7.) Topping: Combine 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, cheese & olive oil in small bowl.
8.) Add vegetable-cheese mixture to baking dish.
9.) Bake 40 min, uncovered, stirring halfway through.
10.) Remove from oven; sprinkle with topping.
11.) Return to oven; bake 15 min, until topping is light golden brown.


"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."
-Jim Davis

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday

“Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... That's, that's about it.”
-Mykelti Williamson


Hello! Have a great day everyone! I hope you have time to prepare this tasty recipe I have for you today! They make a great hor's dourves! Enjoy!


Shrimp Balls:
Makes 18 balls

Ingredients:

* Non-stick pan spray
* 1 lb uncooked shrimp, thawed & peeled
* 1 egg white
* 1 tsp garlic Sauce
* 1 tsp chili sauce
* 1 tsp lemongrass
* 1 tsp ginger
* Zest of 1 lime
* 2 Tbsp shallots, peeled & minced
* 1/2 cup green onions, trimmed & thinly sliced
* 1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 3 Tbsp asian style bbq sauce

Equipment Needed:

1.) Food processor
2.) Citrus zester
3.) Sheet pan
4.) Aluminum foil
5.) Thermometer

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Line sheet pan with foil and spray w/ non-stick pan spray.
3.) Put shrimp in food processor, in batches.
4.) Process on medium until shrimp is pasty; transfer to large bowl.
5.) Add egg, garlic sauce, chili sauce, lemongrass, ginger, lime, shallots, green onions, cilantro, & salt into bowl with pureed shrimp.
6.) Mix until well-combined.
7.) Form mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
8.) Arrange in single layer on lined baking sheet.
9.) Dab each ball with BBQ sauce.
10.) Bake 10-12 min, until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
(check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of shrimp ball.)

Thought of the Day:

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
-Theodore Roosevelt


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

"Chowder breathes reassurance. It steams consolation."
-Clementine Paddleford

Hello! I am pressed for time today, but I wanted to share a great soup recipe. It makes a lot, so have some friends and family over and make it party! Enjoy!


Clam Chowder:
Servings: 15 cups

Ingredients:

* 4 oz pancetta, cubed
* 4 Tbsp butter
* 1/2 cup diced onions
* 1/2 cup diced celery
* 1 cup leeks, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup flour
* 32 oz. clam juice
* 4 cups heavy cream
* 2 lbs white potatoes, peeled & diced
* 16 oz clam meat
* 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
* 1 Tbsp chopped thyme
* 1 tsp cayenne pepper sauce
* Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment Needed:

* Stockpot

Directions:

1.) place pancetta & butter to stockpot on medium.
2.) Cook 2-3 min, until pancetta is crispy.
3.) Add onion, celery, leeks & garlic; stir well.
4.) Cook about 5 min, until soft but not browned.
5.) Add flour; stirring until completely blended.
6.) Cook, stirring & scraping bottom of pan every 30 seconds, about 2 min.
7.) Whisk in clam juice and cream.
8.) Add potatoes.
9.) Increase heat to medium-high.
10.) Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 min, until it comes to a boil.
11.) Reduce heat to medium-low.
12.) Simmer 10-15 min, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender.
13.) Add clam meat, herbs, & pepper sauce.
14.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15.) Stir until soup is warmed through, about 3 min.
16.) Ladle soup into warmed bowls.

Thought of the Day:

"Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped."
-African Proverb

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

"I went into a McDonald’s yesterday and said, ‘I’d like some fries.’ The girl at the counter said, ‘Would you like some fries with that?"
-Jay Leno

Hello! Today I want to share an "appetizer" recipe - although it can be used as an appetizer, we make it and keep it for snacking on a regular basis in our home. It is good for you and very flavorful, my husband and two sons love it with tortilla chips! Enjoy!

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."
-Harriet Van Horne


Mukimame Dip
Servings: 2 1/4 cups

Ingredients:
* 1 pkg Frozen soybeans (edamame), thawed
* 2 cup green salsa
* 1/2 tsp salt
* Tortilla Chips

Equipment Needed:
*Food processor or blender.

Directions:
1.) Puree soybeans about 3 minutes.
2.) Add salsa and puree until smooth.
3.) Transfer mixture to serving bowl.
4.) Serve with tortilla chips.

"Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly."
-F. K. Fisher

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

"The trouble with eating Italian food is that 5 or 6 days later you're hungry again."
-George Miller

Can you believe it?? The weekend is over! Where does the time go? I had a wonderful weekend, I hope you did also!

Every Sunday night we have Sunday dinner at my home. This ALWAYS includes my immediate family of 4, my parents, in-laws and we always seem to have a few more once we are ready to sit down. It is always a very enjoyable meal with great food, enjoyable wine and lively conversation! (you should join us sometime!) I like to make different meals, but Sunday dinner, would NOT be Sunday dinner without pasta of some sort - that is how I grew up!

Today I am going to share an easy recipe for marinara sauce. It is very tasty, but requires very few ingredients - as it should be! Enjoy!

"A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat."
-Old New York Proverb


Marinara Sauce
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients:

* 1 large clove garlic, peeled & crushed
* 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 dash red pepper flakes
* 2 cups tomato puree (see recipe below)
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
* 1/2 Lb. cappellini pasta, cooked al dente'
* Pecorino-Romano cheese, grated
* Fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1.) Pour oil, garlic & red pepper into a saute' pan on medium-low.
2.) Cook, stirring occasionally, 10-12 min, until garlic is golden brown.
3.) Remove pan from heat & add tomato puree.
4.) Return to heat; add salt and pepper.
5.) Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 min until it simmers.
6.) Serve over capellini.
7.) Top with grated cheese and fresh basil.



Tomato Puree

Ingredients:

* 1 lb roma tomatoes
* 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Equipment needed:

* Box grater

Directions:

1.) Cut tomatoes in half.
2.) Place box grater in large bowl.
3.) Gently press tomatoes along medium-grate, rub gently until all pulp is pressed through holes.
4.) Mix in olive oil.
5.) Can be used as a dip, bread topping or as a base for tomato sauce.


Silly Joke of the Day:

What do you get when you cross poison ivy with a 4-leaf clover?
.....A rash of good luck.

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Souper Saturday!

“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.”
-Laurie Colwin


Hello - Come on in!

I have a wonderful soup recipe to share today: Squash Soup. Even if you are not a fan of squash, you will love this soup! Squash is not one of my favorites, but I love the taste and texture of this soup. It is smooth, creamy and delightful! Enjoy!

“Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.”
-Louis P. De Gouy


Squash Soup

Servings: 5 cups

Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cleaned and diced
* 1 cup mirepoix (finely chopped carrots, celery and onions)
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 Loaf crusty french bread (sliced)

Equipment Needed:

* 2 quart microwave-safe dish
* Stockpot
* Blender

Directions:

1.) Place squash in 2-qt microwave-safe dish with 1 Tbsp water and cover.
2.) Microwave squash on high 10 min until soft.
3.) Set squash aside.
4.) Add mirepoix and olive oil to stockpot, heat to medium-low.
5.) Cook mirepoix, stirring, about 10 min, until soft but not browned.
6.) Add squash to stockpot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7.) Pour chicken stock into pot and simmer 10 min.
8.) Remove from heat and let cool 10 min.
9.) Ladle small batches into blender and puree until smooth.
10.) Return soup to pot and reheat on low.
11.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12.) Serve with french bread.

"There was a Young Lady of Poole,
Whose soup was excessively cool;
So she put it to boil,
By the aid of some oil,
That ingenious Young Lady of Poole."
-Edward Lear


Joke of the Day:
Why did God create men first? Because we learn from mistakes.


Enjoy your weekend remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

Hello! I hope you are having a wonderful day everyone! I have a great meal to share with you - it is one of my husband's favorites!

"This is every cook's opinion -
no savory dish without an onion,
but lest your kissing should be spoiled
your onions must be fully boiled."
-Jonathan Swift



Italian-Style Slow-Roasted Pork Roast
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

*3 small onions, peeled, and thinly sliced
*2 navel oranges, unpeeled, thinly sliced
*1 pork tenderloin (4-5 Lbs.)
*6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
*1 Tbsp. fennel seed
* Salt and fresh black pepper
*2 Tbsp. corn starch
*2 Tbsp. cold water
*1 1/2 cups gravy (your choice)

Equipment Needed:

* Roasting Pan
* Medium sauce pan
* Gravy Separator

Directions:

The day before serving:

1.) Combine onion and orange slices in roasting pan.
2.) Diagonally score fat-side (top) of pork about 1/2" deep in a diamond pattern.
3.) Rub garlic and fennel seeds into top of pork.
4.) Season well with salt and pepper.
5.) Place pork on top of onion and orange slices.
6.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The day of the meal:

1.) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2.) Remove plastic wrap from pork and bake uncovered, 2-3 hours.
3.) Remove pork from oven.
4.) Carefully place roast on clean platter and allow to rest.
5.) As roast rests, ladle hot juices in roasting pan into gravy separator.
6.) Pour de-fatted liquid (about 1.5 cups) into a medium sauce pan.
7.) Discard remaining liquid, onions, and oranges.
8.) Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.
9.) Add gravy to the juices in the sauce pan and bring to a simmer.
10.) Mix in corn starch mixture and cook, whisking well - about 2 min.
11.) Serve with pork.

"Politicians say they're beefing up our economy. Most don't know beef from pork."
-Harold Lowman


Cooked Rappi
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

*6 cups water
*3 Tbsp. lemon juice
*6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
*1 Tbsp. sea salt
*1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
*12 ounces fresh chopped rappi
*1/4 cup asiago cheese, grated

Equipment Needed:

*Large sauce-pan

Directions:

1.) Mix water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and oil in sauce-pan.
2.) Cook on high 2-3 minutes.
3.) Add rappi and bring to boil.
4.) Cover pan.
5.) Cook mixture 8-10 min. (rappi should be tender and has changed color)
6.) Place rappi on a serving dish.
7.) Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

"Vegetables are interesting but lack a sense of purpose when unaccompanied by a good cut of meat."
-Fran Lebowitz


Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

*1 1/2 Lbs. fingerling Potatoes, washed and cut in half
*3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
*1/2 tsp. rosemary
*1/2 tsp. thyme
*1/4 cup onion, finely diced
*3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
* Sea Salt
* Fresh cracked black pepper
* Nonstick cooking spray

Equipment Needed:

*Large baking sheet
* Aluminum Foil

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Line baking sheet with foil and coat with non stick spray.
3.) Toss potatoes and olive oil in large bowl.
4.) Mix in herbs, onions and garlic - coating potatoes.
5.) Arrange in single layer baking sheet.
6.) Roast 25-30 min on center rack, until potatoes are tender and light brown.

"Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart."
-Thomas Fuller

Have a great day and until tomorrow: Go Ahead & Indulge!