Curried Squash & Red Lentil Soup
This soup introduced me to two things: Red Lentils & Cilantro Oil. I learned that red lentils are super deceptive. They don't really stay Red or keep their lentil shape when cooked. However, they do thicken up a soup and add extra fiber & texture. I like that. Cilantro Oil? It's my new favorite thing! It's a crucial component to this dish and it is INSANELY good when paired with my Killer Garlic Bread. Casey and I tested out a shameful amount of pieces with it! How could the garlic bread be anymore enticing??!! Cilantro oil! The best part is that it's easy to make and such a fancy little accompaniment. The soup instantly elevates to fancy status because of that special green oil. Who knew?
OK back to the soup. I'm usually skeptical of soups that have water as the base instead of chicken or vegetable stock. This soup shocked me. There was simply no need for stock because the curry and ginger packed the flavor punch it needed. The squeeze of lemon at the very end adds the slightest tang and beautifully balances the sweetness of the butternut squash. And let's talk about the butternut squash for a second. It's creamy! The way it squishes between your tongue and the roof of your mouth? Lovely! I spent a good 15 minutes sampling that feeling with each cube. Please try it and tell me I'm not weird. Ok umm I'm feeling self conscious now. Go make this soup!
Tracy’s KILLER Garlic Bread
While we're on the subject of soups, I thought it would be nice to share my SECRET recipe for the most KILLER Garlic Bread. What goes better with soups than garlic bread? Not much! My neighbor taught me to add dill in the garlic butter. It's what makes this garlic bread killer. That's the secret! I guarantee a loaf will be devoured faster than you can dish it out. I've learned that I must stash a few pieces in the kitchen when I make a batch because my company goes nuts for it and never leaves me any. Rude! But also totally understandable.
If you were to ask me what my death row meal would be, I'd immediately tell you a buffet full of this KILLER GARLIC BREAD. Go ahead, try some. You'll see what I mean.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I've made this soup twice in the past week. That should tell you something! This recipe comes from one of my favorite websites, 101 Cookbooks. There isn't a recipe on Heidi's site that I haven't drooled over. I should note that this soup is not your typical broccoli cheddar soup. It doesn't contain mushy overcooked broccoli or bright orange cheddar cheese. The two main flavor boosters are grainy mustard and aged cheddar. They both add such a wonderful tang & depth to the soup. I bet it would pair really well with a cold hoppy beer.
We also need to talk about the star of the soup. Mustard Croutons! The whole thing is genius. I could probably plow through the whole batch in one sitting, sans the soup... Unfortunately, I know better after this past weekend. My friend Whitney has made this soup several times and I totally see why she's been smitten. It's REAL good. She says that replacing the cheddar with feta is fantastic! Next time, I'm gonna try that. I also forgot to top my soup with some smoked paprika. There's always leftovers....
Continue reading→
Vegetable Lentil Soup
I'm declaring this week-- SOUP WEEK! It's like Shark week-- but with soup! After scarfing down too much food, all I want is something simple and hearty with lots of vegetables & fiber. Soup always comes to my rescue! Make it one night and you have a few days worth of leftovers. This time of the year is so jam-packed with activities, it's nice to just quickly warm up a bowl of soup and have lunch or dinner in an instant. Pair a bowl with a crusty hunk of bread and a nice green salad and you are feeling good about the holidays coming up. I know I am.
So yeah, let's kick off SOUP WEEK!
I'm really warming up to lentils these days. My mom made me a really great Ina Garten soup with lentils and kielbasa (will make & post sometime soon!) and I've been nuts for lentils ever since. This Vegetable Lentil Soup is pretty hearty and of course perfect with garlic croutons. There's lots of vegetables in the mix and it's a really good base if you want to experiment with different flavors. Add some cumin and you have some smokey depth! Add chunks of sweet potatoes and you're using a power food in addition to all this tasty goodness. I bet kale would be awesome in there too...I'll probably try that next time! I threw in some freshly grated Parmesan in one of my servings (NOM!) and in another bowl, I added freshly sliced avocado (TASTY!) Go ahead, make this and use it as a springboard for your new favorite soup. Or if you are just looking for something to put in a bowl that will warm up your freezing hands, this will do the trick, no doubt.
Continue reading→
Nut-Stuffed Delicata Squash
It smelled like Thanksgiving in my house this afternoon, thanks to this dish. Now I REALLY can't wait to dive into my Thanksgiving plate in a few days! If you are looking for something to serve at a Meatless Thanksgiving, look no further. I found you an incredible recipe! You couldn't possibly miss meat when you take a bite of this dish because the texture of the nuts combined with the sage & Parmesan almost replicates real sausage. So incredibly hearty...all nestled in a big sweet roasted Delicata Squash. Uh huh.
Now that I've tried this recipe, I can't wait to do some improv! I served mine with a drizzle of olive oil & fresh grated Parmesan but now I'm thinking of ---a creamy dose of Alfredo sauce on top! Would be totally decadent... but hey it's the holidays! Fantasizing about a few drizzles of aged balsamic glistening on the plate makes me salivate. How about a few fried sage leaves for garnish? I'm soo doing that next time WITH the balsamic. YES. Oh wait! White Truffle OIL! Omg. Noted.
Addictive Brussels Sprouts Salad
The second I laid eyes on this salad, Brussels sprouts jumped to the top of my grocery list. I had to have it. I'm not sure I've ever been this motivated to make a salad before! Toasted walnuts, crunchy brussels sprouts smothered with finely grated Parmesan cheese and lightly coated in a mustard dressing! HECK YES.
Apparently the recipe serves 8. In actuality, the whole bowl served ME. Like-- almost in one sitting. I'm getting the feeling that I'll be binging on this salad for the next few months. You'll see what I mean when you find yourself dipping your fork directly into the bowl of leftovers in the fridge. You can't say I didn't warn you!
Continue reading→
Black Beans with Kale & Roasted Squash
I only cook recipes for my blog a few days a week, when my schedule permits. The rest of the time I make stuff up in the kitchen (without photographic evidence) or rely heavily on quesadillas, frozen soups, toast & eggs or sometimes cereal for dinner. Two nights ago I made Molly's black beans for myself and added Kale to the mix. There I was, bouncing up and down at the dinner table! I was so delighted with my dish but had no one to share it with. Casey had a work dinner, which meant I ate a LOT of beans!
He was home for dinner last night, and despite having it two nights in a row I couldn't wait to make it for him. Even though it's kinda hippy/crunchy food, I knew he would enjoy the kick/depth of the black beans and the sweet & savory aspect of the roasted delicata squash & apples.
The light has been disappearing earlier in the evenings, so my cooking schedule is totally messed up as a result! I didn't feel like whipping out my camera flash, so my trusty cellphone will help tell the tale :)
Continue reading→
Kale with Golden Raisins & Pine nuts
I've been sitting on this recipe for awhile because I failed the first time I made it. It was totally my fault too! I dumped a heaping 1/4 cup of pine nuts in the pan and didn't bother tasting them for freshness. Turns out they weren't and my family & I had to suffer through it. Everyone kept reassuring me it was fine. IT WAS NOT. I sat at the dinner table beating myself up. How could I have put something out that didn't taste good?!? Why am I letting people suffer and eat this crap?
Why am I telling you this?
Because we all make mistakes in the kitchen!! I've made a lot in the past and continue to make them! If I threw in the towel, I wouldn't be able to keep posting on this here site. I don't give up because I love the feeling of accomplishing something tasty & wonderful. I keep trying and as a result I get better!
My mistake was NOT tasting my ingredients beforehand. I could have substituted slivered almonds or toasted walnuts in the recipe to replace the bunk pine nuts. God knows I have enough in my pantry! The next time I made this dish, I used fresh pine nuts with the suggested amount and LOVED it. All those feelings of disappointment were abolished. Crappy pine nuts? What crappy pine nuts? Nuts go bad! I gotta remember that. Apparently pistachios have a really short shelf life too. Watch out for that.
I love the balance between the bitterness of the kale & the juicy plump sweet golden raisins with the subtle crunch of the toasted pine nuts. I daydream of adding a poached egg up top or mixing it with some couscous & throwing a bunch of feta on top. How about taking some leftovers and sprinkling it on top of your pizza with fresh mozzarella and sharp Pecorino before you toss it in the oven?
Let's make that happen.
