2021 A to Z Challenge and Feline Friday!! April 30, 2021

According to Wikipedia: The ocelot is a wild cat native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Margarita. A medium-sized cat, it is characterized by solid black spots and streaks on its coat, round ears, and white neck and undersides. 

Z is for Zesty Mexican Soup!

Here's the recipe! It's been super fun putting together 

this years A to Z challenge! Hope you enjoyed it too!

Zesty Mexican Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed cooked chicken 

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth

1 can (11.5 oz) vegetable juice cocktail

1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn, 

red and green peppers, undrained

1 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, mix all ingredients except cilantro. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat.

2.Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro.

Instead of crackers, you could serve this spicy soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream and corn tortilla chips.

This is a perfect soup for when you want to fix dinner quickly and it's tasty too! Enjoy!

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2021 A to Z Challenge ! and Thankful Thursday!!!! April 29, 2021

Thanks to Brian we have Thankful Thursday!

Everyday I am thankful for family and friends.

Today I am especially thankful as we have now had both 

Moderna vaccines with little reactions!

And here in the state of Washington the vaccines 

are available to all except those under age 16! 

Restaurants are open and everyone is being careful.

Things are more normal now than a few months ago.

I hope you are doing well too! As a treat tomorrow

 we will visit the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens!

Have a lovely day! And now to soup! 

Y is for Yam and Peanut Soup!

Yam and Peanut Soup  

There are many ways of making this hearty soup, inspired by African cuisine (although yams, tomatoes, and both sweet and hot peppers are all native to the New World). Many people will find the combinations of flavors in this soup novel and appealing. This is a good first course for fall and winter.

  Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

2 garlic cloves, pressed and allowed to sit for ten minutes

3 tablespoons peeled, finely grated fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 yams, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 cups vegetable broth or stock

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 large ripe tomato, chopped, or a third cup canned diced plum tomatoes

2 1/2 tablespoons natural smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

2 limes, quartered

Hot sauce, to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices, and sauté for 2 minutes more.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the yams and red pepper, and sauté until they start to just stick to the bottom of the pot, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add 3 cups of the stock, the orange juice, tomato, and peanut butter and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat so it is simmering. Cover and cook until the yams are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender and puree the soup until smooth. Thin the soup with more stock to reach your desired consistency, and reheat to serving temperature. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary.

Just before serving, garnish each bowl with peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serve with limes and hot sauce. 

(PS If you have nut allergies you could possibly substitute  sunflower seeds or cashews as they aren't in the nut family.)

Enjoy slurping! 

~~~~~

 

2021 A to Z Challenge and Wordless Wednesday! April 28, 2021

One of my favorite flowers! 

Have a lovely day and thanks Sandee!

~~~~

 Xcellent Green Soup  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 onion, diced

¼ cup broccoli florets, chopped small

2 zucchini, diced

1 teaspoon dried basil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ cup fresh mint, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

3 cups baby spinach

6 cups bone broth or vegetable broth

1 cup frozen peas

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat

2. Add the olive oil, salt, onion, broccoli, zucchini, basil, garlic, mint and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is tender, the broccoli is bright green and the onion is soft.

3. Add the spinach and broth and cook for 15-20 minutes, then add the frozen peas.

4. Cook for an additional 5 minutes and serve.

Tasty and sooooo good for you too!

~~~~~

2021 A to Z Challenge and Happy Tuesday! April 27, 2021

It's a Happy Tuesday and a Happy Birthday for my oldest son! Happy Birthday PJ!

This photo of Phillip and my Mom was taken

well over 50 years ago!  Phillip is now 58! 

The years have just flown by!

And now for today's soup.....

Wild Rice and Turkey Soup!

Save this recipe for Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds turkey, roasted and shredded

6 quarts brown turkey stock

2 onions, medium dice

2 carrots, medium dice

2 stalks celery, medium dice

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

2 tablespoons thyme

2/3 cups wild rice

2 cups water

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

In a medium sauce pot, bring the water to a boil, add the wild rice. Reduce heat and cover until wild rice is cooked, or about 45 minutes. Strain off excess water and set aside. 

In a large thick-bottomed soup pot, melt butter and sweat onions, carrots, and celery for about 3 minutes. Next add the garlic and then slowly sift in the flour until all the butter is absorbed by the flour. Cook for another 5 minutes until flour starts to turn brown. Add turkey stock gradually and stir mixture constantly with a whisk to get rid of the clumps of flour. Once all the turkey stock is in the soup, add the wild rice and shredded turkey. Bring mixture to a boil, being sure to stir occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Add fresh thyme to finish and season the soup to taste.

Slurp and savor!!!!

~~~~

2021 A to Z Challenge and Awww Monday! April 26, 2021

 Awww here's a week old baby donkey!

Thanks Sandee for Awww Monday!

Almost done with the "souper"  2021 A to Z Challenge!

V is for Vichyssoise

   6 to 8 servings

The soup is really easy to make, doesn't use a lot of ingredients, and lasts for days.

The trick is serving temperature. It's great hot, though it is designed to be a chilled soup. I found the best serving temperature is just below room temp. Too cold and and the flavor from the butter, potatoes, and salt just disappears.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter

4-5 cups sliced leeks, cleaned (see How to Clean Leeks)

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_clean_leeks/

 white and pale green parts only (from about 4 large leeks)

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced

2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

6 cups water (vegetarian option), or chicken stock

2 teaspoons Kosher salt (more to taste)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Directions:

Heat butter until it begins to brown

In a large (6-quart) pot, heat the butter on medium high heat until it melts and foams up. Continue to heat until the foam subsides a little and the butter just begins to brown.

Sauté leeks and onions

Immediately toss in the sliced leeks and onions. Stir to coat with the butter. Cook for several minutes, reducing the heat to medium if necessary, until the leeks and onions are translucent and wilted.

Add potatoes, water or stock, salt, bring to simmer

Add the chopped potatoes, salt, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked through. Remove from heat.

Purée until smooth

Purée using an immersion blender or working in batches, blend in a blender. (Careful! With hot liquids only fill the blender 1/3 of the way full, and hold the blender top on with your hand while blending.) Purée until completely smooth.

If you want an even smoother soup, you can take the extra step of pressing the purée through a sieve with a rubber spatula.

Cool and stir in sour cream and whipped cream

Allow to cool a bit before stirring in the sour cream and whipped cream. Allow to cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. The soup should be served just below room temperature (maybe 65°F or 18°C). If it is too cold, it won't taste as good.

Add more salt to taste. Serve garnished with chopped fresh chives. YUM.

~~~~~

2021 A to Z Challenge April 24, 2021

U is for Udon Noodle Soup!

Udon Noodle Soup 

Original recipe yields 4 servings

Ingredients: 

1 ½ (32 fluid ounce) containers chicken stock 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 large cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped 

1 head bok choy, chopped

¼ cup dried shiitake mushrooms

2 (7 ounce) packages dried udon noodles

½ cup mung bean sprouts

1 green onion, sliced diagonally

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 

Step 1:  Bring chicken stock, garlic, ginger, and chili powder to a boil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken, bok choy, and mushrooms; let  simmer lightly for 3 minutes. Add noodles and cook soup for 4 minutes more.

Step 2: Pour soup mixture evenly into 2 soup bowls. Place mung bean sprouts on top in the center of each bowl, with green onion placed neatly on top. Sprinkle dried onions and cilantro on top. Serve and enjoy!

2021 A to Z Challenge and Feline Friday!!!! April 23, 2021

Thanks to Sandee we have Feline Friday!

Our dear sweet Catalina cats !

Back in 2014 we spent several weeks in Zihuatenejo!

We had such a sweet time with their cats.

Have a lovely weekend!

And once again....here's today's soup!

Tortilla Soup

A traditional Mexican dish, tortilla soup is a spicy blend of tomatoes, vegetables, and crisp tortilla strips. This is an easy plant-powered version that you can whip it up in no time. Best of all, this dish relies on preserved goods, such as canned tomatoes, frozen corn, and canned beans, so you can make it year-round from your pantry. And it’s a great complement for a simple sandwich, burrito, or vegetable salad for lunch or dinner. 

Ingredients:

For the tortilla strips:

3 six-inch corn tortillas, 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 tsp chili powder

For the soup:

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

1 small jalapeño pepper, finely diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 cup frozen corn

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

4 cups water

1 tablespoon reduced sodium vegetable broth base

2 fourteen ounce cans diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 fifteen-ounce can black beans, with liquid or substitute cooked or canned white beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, or kidney beans for black beans, or use a combination.

2/3 cups plant-based cheese, optional

2/3 cups green onions, white and green parts, chopped

Directions:

For the tortilla strips:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the tortillas into thin strips. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, then sprinkle the chili powder on top. Bake for about 5 to 8 minutes, until brown and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn off the oven. 

For the soup:

Meanwhile, prepare the soup by heating the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño, zucchini, corn, crushed red pepper, and cumin and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.

Add the water, broth base, tomatoes, and black beans. Stir well and cover. Simmer over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Ladle about 1 cup of soup into soup bowls, and garnish with a few tortilla strips, 1 tablespoon of plant-based cheese, and 1 tablespoon green onions. Serve immediately.

Thanks everyone for all your lovely comments!

I will be responding to all of them by tomorrow!

I promise! xoxoxo

~~~~

2021 A to Z Challenge and Thankful Thursday April 22, 2021

Thanks to Brian for Thankful Thursday!

I am thankful for our family's continued good health! And I hope our world will soon recover from this horrible pandemic. May our world become a more peaceful place for everyone.

Today's soup is Spicy Black Bean Soup

This healthy black bean soup recipe is easy to make with canned beans. Thanks to some basic aromatics and Cuban spices, it’s incredibly flavorful and delicious. This soup is naturally vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. The recipe yields quite a bit of soup (6 to 8 servings)—it is easily halved, or you can freeze the leftovers.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

3 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use 1/4 teaspoon if you’re sensitive to spice)

4 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, to taste, or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Optional garnishes: diced avocado, extra cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, tortilla chips…

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, celery and carrot and a light sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetable are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the beans and broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until the broth is flavorful and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Transfer about 4 cups of the soup to a stand blender, securely fasten the lid, and blend until smooth (never fill your blender past the maximum fill line, and beware the steam that escapes from the top of the blender, it’s very hot). Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup. (That is what I would do!!)

Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir in the cilantro, vinegar/lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!. 

2021 A to Z Challenge and Wordless Wednesday!

A unique slide between the Redwoods!

Our good friends loved exploring the

The National Sequoia Park!

and now.....onto today's soup!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

A rich and intensely flavored Roasted Red Pepper Soup made with sweet, charred red peppers, garlic, sun dried tomatoes for an extra flavor kick and topped with  homemade basil pesto and a creme fraiche swirl. Warm, comforting and easy!

Ingredients:

▢6 red bell or pointed peppers (1.6 lbs/750g (around 6 peppers)

▢1 yellow onion

▢5 sun dried tomatoes jarred

▢4 garlic cloves peeled and whole

▢1 squeeze lemon juice (around ½ tbsp)

▢2.5 cups vegetable stock (600ml)

▢salt and pepper to season

▢1 tbsp olive oil

▢1-2 tbsp homemade pesto( or store bought)

▢creme fraiche for topping

Instructions: Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Roughly chop the red peppers and place in a large baking tray with peeled whole garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper then roast in the oven until slightly charred (around 40 minutes).

Finely chop a white (yellow) onion and saute in a large pot with a little olive oil until translucent and soft. Once soft, add the roasted peppers and garlic, sun dried tomatoes and vegetable stock.

Simmer for 10 minutes then turn off the heat and blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender. Taste for seasoning, I only add pepper because there's enough saltiness from the stock and sun dried tomatoes and pre seasoned peppers.

Add a small splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice, stir and serve with a drizzle of creme fraiche and homemade pesto. Grab a hunk of crusty bread and dive in.

Additional advice: Make sure you have a large enough baking tray so the peppers aren't too crowded. They tend to stew instead of roasting and charring if they aren't spread out evenly.

If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a normal stand blender, just pour or ladle it in from the pot.

You could add red pepper flakes to add a kick of spice

Once cooled you can store this soup in the fridge (minus the pesto and creme fraiche) for 1-2 days or freeze in suitable containers for up to 3 months.

Like most soups and stews this soup is even more delicious the next day. Enjoy your slurp....uh I mean soup!

2021 A to Z Challenge and Happy Tuesday! April 20, 2021

 Here are just three of my Great Nephews....

and I do mean GREAT! I am so proud of them!

Their parents are amazing!

Thanks Sandee for Happy Tuesday!

And now for the soup of the day!

Quick and Easy Borscht 

Ingredients:

1/2 head (1.5 #) cabbage, core removed and shredded

1 chopped carrot, 1.2 cup chopped onion

1/1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth

1 can (15 oz) Great Northern beans rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice, slightly pureed

1 can (8oz) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 oz) pickled beets coarsely chopped with juice

1/2 tsp salt, freshly ground pepper to taste

sour cream for topping

Directions: In a large soup pot over medium heat, combine all ingredients except the sour cream. Bring to a boli. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add more stock if soup is too thick. Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream.

Priyatnogo appetita !!!  

2021 A to Z Challenge and Awww Monday!

 One of our sweet friends having

fun with a little squirrel! 

Thanks Sandee for Awww Monday!

and now for today's soup!

P is for Pozole!

 Serves 10

Pozole, is a traditional soup or stew from Mexican cuisine. It is made from hominy with meat, and can be seasoned and garnished with shredded lettuce or cabbage, chile peppers, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa or limes. 

Region or state: Central Mexico

INGREDIENTS:

1 1⁄2 lbs pork shoulder

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, 

1 ⁄2 teaspoon cayenne, 2 tablespoons California chili powder

1 tablespoon salt, 1⁄4 teaspoon oregano

4 cups canned white hominy, drained and rinsed

3 -5 cups pork broth, from cooking pork shoulder

1 cup canned diced green chilis (optional), salt

2 whole fresh jalapenos, chopped (optional)

3 whole ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed (garnish) (optional)

Instructions

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium until shimmering. Add bacon pieces and cook until they begin to brown. Continue sauteing to your desired level of crispiness. Add the green onions and onions cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and let heat for a minute or two to release its flavors.

Add the lettuce and tomatoes. When the lettuce begins to turn bright green, sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well into the other ingredients. If the mixture is too dry or pasty, add a splash of the broth and mix to loosen.

Add the stock, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt. Turn heat to medium-high and bring soup to a gentle boil. Then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Turn heat to low.

Whisk the milk and 2 tablespoons of the creme fraiche in a small bowl. Add a ladle of soup into the dairy mixture and whisk until very smooth. Pour the tempered dairy mixture into the soup, blending well.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and swirl the remaining creme fraiche through the soup, topping with the crushed croutons and basil. Serve immediately. 

Buen Provecho!

   

2021 A to Z Challenge! O is for the Original BLT Soup!

 Original BLT Soup  Serves 4

This is a soup for bacon lovers who are fans of the classic sandwich. BLT Soup has all of the ingredients of a BLT, crafted into a hearty soup. Makes a delicious lunch!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 slices uncooked bacon, chopped

1 small onion diced

2 green onions chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 head Romaine lettuce cored and chopped or grated

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

14 ounces canned diced tomatoes

1 dash crushed red pepper

1 cup half-and-half

3-4 tablespoons creme fraiche or mayo (mayo, if you like it sweeter)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup packaged croutons, slightly crushed for garnish

1 tablespoon slivered fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium until shimmering. Add bacon pieces and cook until they begin to brown. Continue sauteeing to your desired level of crispiness. Add the green onions and onions cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and let heat for a minute or two to release its flavors.

Add the lettuce and tomatoes. When the lettuce begins to turn bright green, sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir well into the other ingredients. If the mixture is too dry or pasty, add a splash of the broth and mix to loosen.

Add the stock, crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt. Turn heat to medium-high and bring soup to a gentle boil. Then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Turn heat to low.

Whisk the milk and 2 tablespoons of the creme fraiche in a small bowl. Add a ladle of soup into the dairy mixture and whisk until very smooth. Pour the tempered dairy mixture into the soup, blending well.

Ladle the soup into bowls, and swirl the remaining creme fraiche through the soup, topping with the crushed croutons and basil. Serve immediately.

Do not forget to have a SOUPER weekend! Cheers! 

2021 A to Z Challenge and Feline Friday!

I am cat sitting for our friends while they are having a much needed vacation with their kids. So, I spend about an hour a day playing and petting this lovely cat! Soon they will be home and this sweetheart will be soooo happy!  

Now slurp, onto the soup!  

N is for New England Lobster and Corn Chowder! 

New England Lobster and Corn Chowder

Makes 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 10-ounce frozen uncooked lobster tails, thawed, or 1 pound freshly cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces

8 cups frozen yellow corn kernels (about 2 1/4 pounds), thawed

3 cups low-salt chicken broth

8 bacon slices, chopped

2 cups chopped onions

3/4 cup peeled finely diced carrots

2/3 cup finely diced celery

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups bottled clam juice

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

6 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

PREPARATION

If using thawed frozen lobster tails, cook in pot of boiling water until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain. Cool. Using kitchen shears, cut lobster shells open. Remove lobster meat; cut into bite-size pieces. Discard shells.

Purée 4 cups corn with 1 1/4 cups broth in processor until almost smooth.

Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pot. Add onions to pot; sauté until light golden, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 4 cups corn; sauté 3 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and cayenne; sauté until vegetables soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add clam juice and 1 3/4 cups broth; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in corn puré and whipping cream; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Lobster, bacon, and soup can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill lobster and bacon separately. Cool soup slightly; chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring bacon to room temperature and bring soup to simmer before continuing.) Remove soup from heat; stir in sour cream.

Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add lobster meat and sauté just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with lobster pieces, bacon, and chives and serve.

One of my all time favorites! Enjoy!

2021 A to Z Challenge and Thankful Thursday! M is for Mulligatawny Soup and Mixed Root Veggie Chips! April 14, 2021

                  I am thankful everyday for my wonderful husband! Today is our 31st! Anniversary. Everyday is Valentines Day living with this kind, clever, funny and caring man. Many thanks to Brian for Thankful Thursday! As a bonus I am tossing in this delicious Mixed Root Veggie Chip recipe! Have fun! 

Mixed Root Veggie Chips

Just a little segue from soup- but it looked to delish to pass up!

If you're a fan of root chips , you'll love this homemade version. You can use big carrots, beets, purple sweet potatoes, and parsnips to get a whole array of color on your plate. The best way to get these veggie chips super thin is by using a mandoline slicer, but be very careful of the sharp blade. 

Ingredients

6 medium assorted root veggies (carrots, golden beets, purple beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips), sliced paper-thin on a mandoline (4 cups total)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon ground cumin or turmeric

Himalayan pink salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a gallon-sized container, toss together the sliced veggies, olive oil, and cumin, rubbing the oil over all the surfaces to coat.

Arrange the veggies in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Bake until crispy, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before enjoying!!! Here now is the soup recipe!

Mulligatawny Soup  Serves 6

Ingredients

½ cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 carrot, diced

¼ cup butter

1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 ½ teaspoons curry powder

4 cups chicken broth 

½ apple, cored and chopped

¼ cup white rice

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half - cut into cubes 

salt to taste, ground black pepper to taste

1 pinch dried thyme

½ cup heavy cream, heated

Directions:

Step 1: Saute onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour.

Step 2: Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done.

Step 3: When serving, add hot cream

Enjoy and I will see you tomorrow!

2021 A to Z Challenge and Wordless Wednesday!!!

 L is for Lemon Pepper Noodle Soup!

         Lemon Pepper Chicken Noodle Soup          Serves at least 6 if not 10!!

Ingredients

12 cups Chicken Broth

4 Boneless Chicken Thighs

2.5 cups Wide Egg Noodle

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1.5 tablespoons Lemon Pepper, 1 tablespoon Parsley, Table Salt

Fresh-Ground Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Lightly cover chicken thighs with half of the olive oil and all of the lemon pepper. Place on shallow roasting pan and cook until internal temp 165º F (approx 15-20 mins depending on size). Once the chicken thighs have cooled enough to touch, dice into small portions and set aside.

Heat a large pot of lightly salted water until it begins to boil. Add noodles and remaining olive oil, and boil until tender (approx 6-10 mins). Drain the water and rinse the noodles in cold water and set aside.

In a large pot bring chicken broth and lemon juice to a boil. Add diced chicken, noodles, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve or refrigerate immediately.

2021 A to Z Challenge and Happy Tuesday! K is for Kale Soup from Tuscany! April 13, 2021

It's definitely a Happy Tuesday for me! With the assistance from the local Computer expert I now have my computer back up and running! It was my fault I got hacked as I did not pay attention to a fellow blogger's url. Instead of having their url begin with "https://" it began with "http://" which means it was not a secure blog. OUCH! I will not make that mistake again! Meanwhile here's today's soup! Enjoy and have a great day!

Kale Soup from Tuscany  4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like a little more heat)

1 15oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes (or regular if you can’t find fire-roasted)

4 cups vegetable broth (I use low-sodium and then adjust for salt)

2 cups water

3/4 cup orzo pasta

4 cups chopped kale

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add the onion, celery, carrots, salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened

Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, water and orzo and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until orzo is tender, about 12 minutes.

Stir in the kale until wilted, seasoning to taste if needed.

Stir in the lemon juice and serve. 

2021 A to Z Challenge and Awww Monday April 12, 2021

AWWWW Monday Frustration!!!

Argh, I am finally back online after being hacked by

someone who managed to hack into my computer.

I was remiss when I logged onto someone's blog that was

not secure. I did not notice that their url did not begin with

"https://" Their url began with "http://" !! Not having 

the "s" meant the blog was not secure. So folks, if your 

blog url is missing the "s" I won't be visiting you! 

I have learned a very expensive and frustrating lesson!

Meanwhile, here's today's soup! Enjoy!  

 

Just Peachy Yogurt Soup   serves 4

Here is a delicious recipe I found in the book "Desperation Dinners!".  This would be such a refreshing dish on a hot summer day!

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen sliced peaches

2 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 carton (16 ounces) vanilla-flavored low-fat yogurt

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1.  Pour half the peaches, the orange juice, and honey into the container of a blender.  Process on high, stopping to stir if necessary, until the peaches are a smooth puree.  Add the remaining peaches and blend on high, stopping frequently to stir, until all the peaches are smooth. 

2.  Add the yogurt and pulse until just blended.

3.  If using frozen blueberries, pour them into a colander and run cool water over them for 1 minute to defrost slightly.

4.  To serve, pour the soup into bowls and sprinkle 1/4 cup blueberries on top of each serving.

Souper Saturday!!! 2021 A to Z Challenge April 10, 2021 I is for Italian Roasted Garlic Soup!!

Italian Roasted Garlic Soup  Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

4 whole heads of garlic

1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 1⁄2 cups chicken stock or 3 1/2 cups broth

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans or (15 ounce) can white beans, drained, rinsed and drained again

1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil

3⁄4 teaspoon salt, fresh ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf

1⁄2 cup half-and-half (I used fat free 1/2 & 1/2) or 1/2 cup milk (I used fat free 1/2 & 1/2)

freshly grated parmesan cheese, for topping, plus chopped fresh parsley, also for topping

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350°.

Rub off some of the papery outer skins of the garlic heads but do not peel them or separate the cloves, leave the heads intact.

Slice 1/4" off the top of each garlic head.

Place the heads, cut side up, in a lightly sprayed or oiled baking dish.

Drizzle 1/2 teaspoons oil over each head.

Bake, uncovered, until golden, about 1 hour.

Cool slightly then press the whole head with your hand all at once to release the garlic pulp.

Place the pulp in a bowl and set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the remaining oil.

Add onion and celery and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add reserved garlic pulp, stock, beans, basil salt, pepper and bay leaf.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and discard.

In a food processor or blender (or better yet, an immersion blender, which is what I used), puree soup in batches.

Return to pot and stir in half-and-half.

Simmer until flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy!