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! 

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

One of my favorite flowers! 

Have a lovely day and thanks Sandee!

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 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!

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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!!!!

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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.

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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

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