Quick Spinach Soup

Quick Spinach Soup

Ingredients
*1 10oz pkg of frozen chopped spinach
*2-3 onions coarsely chopped
*milk
*salt and pepper
*butter or oil

Instructions

1. Defrost the spinach
2. Saute the onions in the butter or oil until tender
3. combine the spinach, onions, salt, and pepper in a blender
4. add some milk
5. blend until the consistency you want, add milk as necessary.

Theory of the dish

This is easy it is just spinach onions and milk. Frozen spinach is better than fresh because fresh tends to be gritty. make sure to thoroughly cook the onions. raw onions are not a good flavor. Remember that spinach really soaks up the salt.

Making Do

Vegetable Soup with Dumplings

Vegetable Soup

• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 3 ribs celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• parsley
• chives
• water

Chop up the vegges and throw them in a pot with the spices and water.
While that is heating make the dumplings

Dumplings

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
  
• 3/4 -1 cup milk

Add enough milk to to make a batter that is not runny.
When the soup is simmering drop the batter in, in spoonfuls.
Cover and simmer for 10 min.
Serve immediately.

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Curried Cauliflower

• cauliflower
  
• cornmeal
• curry powder
• salt
• egg
• milk
• oil

Break the cauliflower into florets.
Mix the cornmeal, curry, salt, egg, and milk until it coats the spoon.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Coat the cauliflower with the batter
Fry until crispy and browning on the edges.
Serve immediately.
(Leftover batter makes great hush puppies.)

Leek Soup and Peanut Butter Muffins

Zahdé's Vichyssoise (Leek and Potato Soup)

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons butter or oil
• 2 onions
• 1 bunch leeks (usually 3 leeks)
• 3-4 potatoes
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp mace
• Water or broth to cover.

Instructions

1. Chop the onion.
2. Clean the leeks- trim off roots and any dead or wilted leaves, slice in half length ways and rinse out sand. Then slice thinly across the grain.
3. Saute the leeks and onions in the butter or oil in a 4 quart pot.
4. Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces. Add to the pot.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the mace (mace is a vital ingredient in this dish.)
7. Add enough water of broth to cover.
8. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
9. For a smoother soup process in a blender.
10. Serve warm or cold.
    

Theory of the dish.
Basically this is just leeks, onions, and potatoes, flavored with mace. Traditionally it also has cream in it but I don't think it needs it. The potatoes act as a thickener and make it creamy.

Most recipes for leeks specify "white part only" I have never understood the point of throwing away so much of the leek. The dark green parts add flavor, color, and texture. But make sure to slice them thin to avoid strings in the soup.

This dish can be vegan if you want.
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Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
  

• 1/2 cup your favorite Jam

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
3. In a microwave safe bowl combine the butter, peanut butter, and honey. heat in the microwave until the butter is melted. Mix thoroughly. Add the milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and stir until blended.
5. Spoon into buttered muffin cups, or cupcake cups.
6. Make an indentation in the center of each muffin and spoon in a 1/2 tsp of jam
7. Bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes. Cool before serving.

Should make about 1 doz muffins or 2 doz cupcakes.

Pasta e Fagioli

I recently tried this recipe from an old M*rtha St*wart magazine I grabbed from the library discard pile. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but winter food boredom was setting in and we needed something new. I have written out the recipe the way I did it and included the original instructions parenthetically where I made changes. Some modifications where practical – I used dried rosemary in a tea ball instead of a sprig of fresh rosemary because I can’t stand to pay $2 for a whole carton that I won’t use, and I went with navy beans because the fancy Italian ones are not available here. Other mods where made to taste – Mr. M was hesitant about the Swiss chard, so I limited it.

This is a surprisingly hearty soup, and the slight spiciness of the chili, rosemary and garlic adds extra warmth. May I suggest serving with a lovely rustic bread? Beware though: the amount of garlic in this soup may limit its usefulness in the “take to work leftover” category. At least if your job involves talking to people.

3 cups dried navy beans (risina beans)
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, cut into ¼ in. dice
1 celery stalk, cut into ¼ in. dice
4 garlic cloves (two minced, two crushed)
1 teaspoon chili flakes (1 small dried chili, crumbled)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, contained in tea seeping ball (1 spring fresh rosemary)
1 dry bay leaf (fresh bay leaf)
8 or 9 cups chicken stock, made at half strength (low sodium or homemade chicken stock)
¼ cup shredded peeled carrot
¼ cup fresh parsley (flat leaf)
1 cup Swiss Chard, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise (1/2 bunch or 3 cups)
1 cup small pasta shells (2 cups)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat until butter is melted. Add onion, celery, and crushed garlic; cook stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, chile, rosemary and bay leaf.
3. Gradually stir in 8 cups of stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer soup until beans are tender 1.5-2.5 hours.
4. Process carrot, minced garlic, parsley and remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a food processor until vegetables are herbs are finely chopped.
5.Stir the Swiss chard and pasta into the soup. Cook until pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. If the soup seems too thick, thin with remaining cup of stock to desired consistency. Discard bay leaf and rosemary. Season soup with salt and pepper. Stir in carrot mixture, garnish as desired.

Next time: I will reduce the amount of beans to 2 cups – I want more of a soup than a stew. I will then use the full amount of noodles and a bit more chard. Yummy.

Zuppa Tuscana and Banana Bread

Alex has been talking about this soup that he really likes. It turns out to be a specialty of the Olive Garden restaurants. But easy enough to make at home.

[Because I can't follow any recipe without making changes my version is slightly different from what you get at Olive Garden. Mostly mine has a lot more kale.]

Zuppa Tuscana

1 (16-ounce) package mild or spicy Italian sausage links
6 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 quart water
2 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
salt & pepper to taste
1 bunch shredded kale (cut out the stems and chop the leaves)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook sausage links over medium-high heat until done, about 12 to 15 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove from pan; bias-slice sausages into 1/2-inch slices; set aside. Drain fat.
2. In the same cooking pot, fry bacon until crisp; remove; drain on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from pot.
3. Add the onion to the same cooking pot and cook over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Add salt and pepper and taste.
5. Return the cooked sausage and crumbled bacon to the pot. Add the kale (and crushed red pepper, if using), and simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until heated through, without boiling. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
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I also made:

Easy One-Bowl Banana Bread

Pre-heat the oven to 350°
Butter and flour one bread pan

Blend, in the mixer, until creamy:

1/3 cup shortening (butter)
2/3 cup sugar (white or brown) (white gives more of the "candied" effect on the crust)

Add, and beat until homogeneous:

1 to 2 eggs
2-3 overripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla

Mix in until smooth (don't over mix, we aren't going for gluten here):

2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour (any kind, white or whole wheat. Let me know if you do it with gluten free.)

Optional Additions (fold in):

1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 cup chocolate chips

Scrape into greased loaf pan. The batter is stiff. I spread it out and make a depression in the middle.
Bake at 350° for one hour, until the crust is brown and the loaf has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.

The recipes always say "cool before slicing" I don't know why. It is really crumbly when it is hot but also really good.

Spinach Gnocchi, and Minestrone Soup

Spinach Gnocchi, and Minestrone Soup

I have an Italian friend, who lives in Bologna Italy, who sent me his mother's recipe for Gnocchi

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Gnocco Fritto Normale Ricetta
500 gr di farina
oglio extra vergine oliva 2/3 cuchiai
2 cuchiai aceto
sale quanto basta
impastare con un po di acqua gasata appena aperta 1
bicchiere.
e lievito di birra

queste dosi sono per circa 2/3 persone le dosi sono a
occhio perche mia madre non sa le dosi reali le le fa
a occhio......
impastare il tutto e titare la sfoglia tagliare i
pezzi in rombi e friggere in oglio da frigere molto
caldo messo in precedenza in una padella da friggere
con bordi alti ..........

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Here is my best Translation.

Regular Fried Gnocchi Recipe
500 gr of flour
2 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
Salt, a sufficient quantity
less than 1 cup water (enough to make a paste)
And a little bit of beer

This makes enough for roughly 2-3 people (my mother does not remember the the real numbers, so this is a rough estimate)

Make a paste.
Cut it into small pieces.
Fry it in hot oil in a frying pan with high sides.

[I have found that it is best to add the oil last. Otherwise it clumps up with the flour and doesn't mix in.]
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Wikipedia tells me that "spinach-and-ricotta-flavored gnocchi are called strozzapreti, or priest-stranglers. According to popular local legend, a priest choked and died after eating too quickly, because the gnocchi were so delicious."

I couldn't resist making my own
Priest-Stranglers
500 gr of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Salt
1 small tub (15oz) Ricotta cheese
1 (10oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach (defrosted)
less than 1 cup water (enough to make a paste)
2 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put on a large pot of salted water to boil.
Make a batter of the flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, spinach, water, and oil.
Use a teaspoon to drop small dollops of batter into the boiling water.
Cook until the gnocchi float (and a bit longer actually). Scoop them out and serve with onions sautéed in butter.
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Quick Minestrone Soup
1lb ground beef (or tortellini if you want to go vegetarian)
1 med onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans w/ liquid
2 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
oregano, basil, and 1 bay leaf

(If you have them handy you can add zucchini, sliced mushrooms, shredded carrots, celery, kidney beans, and parsley.)

Brown the ground beef.
Add the onions and cook until translucent
Then add the garlic, tomatoes, garbanzos, and frozen spinach (you can defrost the spinach in the microwave to speed things up)
Bring to a simmer, add more water as needed.

(Add the uncooked pasta and continue to simmer till the pasta is cooked.)

Serve hot with Parmesan cheese.

Simple Winter Food

Winter is a good time for soups. I made Beef and Barley soup last night. I also made mashed Rutabaga. Did you know Rutabaga is a cross between turnip and cabbage. (I didn't. Thanks Wikipedia!)

Mashed Rutabaga is easy. Just peal off the outer layer of the Rutabaga (and all that wax they dip it in). Chop it into chunks and simmer it in salt water until it is tender. Then throw it in the food processor with some butter, salt, and pepper (and a little milk if it doesn't move easily). It has the consistency of mashed potatoes but more flavor.

Beef and Barley Soup is an old stand by. I just brown a pound of beef in my heavy soup cauldron. Throw in one coarsely chopped onion, a few ribs of diced celery, one large carrot cut into rounds, one (15oz) can of diced tomatoes, and 1/2 cup pearl barley. 6 cans of water, salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer for a couple of hours.