Potato Leek Soup

This is another favorite in our house, however, have had to change it up a bit since we have a vegetarian.

You will need the following ingredients... (this will all vary depending on how big of a batch you want to make). This recipe will make about 8-10 servings.

6 large potatoes (use either Russet or Yukon Gold)

1-2 Leeks (you don't want to use the top greens...they are too tough, so use your judgement)

2 Quarts of Veggie broth (can use chicken also)

1 1/2 cups of half and half

4 tablespoons of butter

2 Tablespoons of Olive oil

2-3 cloves of garlic

Salt and Pepper

Onion powder

OPTIONAL

Shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

You will start with getting prepped. A large pot of cold water for the potatoes and a bowl of cold water to rinse the leeks in.

Cut the hairy bottom of the leeks off and then the rough green tops. Slice the leek lengthwise and then into half moon shapes. They don't have to be too fine, because you are going to use either a food processor or blender later on. These need to go into the bowl of water and you will need to massage them a little. You want to get the grit out of them. Leeks have ALOT of dirt in them, so this process is very important. Let them sit in the water while you are getting the potatoes ready...when the potatoes (next step in the blog) are in the water, you want to get some paper towels or a dish towel and take the leeks out of the water. Spread them out so that they can dry while the potatoes are cooking.

Next is the potatoes. You should already have the pot of cold water waiting for the potatoes, so all they need is to be sliced. You want to cut them as if you were making home fries....about the size of a quarter. Put them into the cold pot as you cut them. Then place them on the stove and turn them on high with a lid on the pot. Once they come to a boil, turn the burner off and let it cool. Fork test them every once in a while during the cooling process (pull one out and stick a fork into it...if it is a little firm yet releases from the fork easily, they are DONE). That is when you pour them into a strainer and let them wait for the next step.

Chop up your garlic (once again, don't really worry about the size, because these also will be in the food processor or blender).

Onto the leeks.... Put your butter and olive oil into the pot that you boiled your potatoes in. Let it melt a bit and then put in the leeks. These need to cook about 15-20 minutes....You can go higher with heat if you want, however I just go with MED. They need to be pliable, translucent, and a bit carmelized. It is all about flavor. Once the leeks start to get to that point, then add in your garlic and let it go about another 4-5 minutes. Don't let the garlic get too brown....it gets bitter. :(

While you are waiting on your leeks and garlic, go on and start heating up your veggie broth. Don't worry about the potatoes, they will be perfect for what you are about to make. I have used a boxed veggie stock, I also have a wonderful veggie paste that a great friend (Thanks Heather) gave me that I add to water, or just veggie bouillon! Use the above amount...More is better than less.

Here is where it can bit tricky. When the leek and garlic mixture is done, it needs to either go into a food processor or blender, along with about 1 cup of the stock. It is going to be hot, and so is your stock/broth. Only add enough to get the leek mixture blended. The fact that it is hot means that it will expand while processing.

If you are using a food processor, the lid needs to be tight, however hold a towel over the area that would normally push food down through...pulse until it isn't splashing everywhere and then let 'er rip. Using a blender??? Kinda the same thing. Put the lid on but keep the little top cap off and hold the towel over until it isn't going all over the place.

Once fully blended, add to the pot that you boiled the potatoes in and made the leek base in. Keep it on a low heat, because now we are moving on to the potatoes.

Blend these the same way as the leek base. Add half of the boiled potatoes with stock....blend, add to the leek base in the pot and then repeat with the rest of the potatoes and stock.

After getting everything blended and into the pot, you need to add the half and half. Stir quickly and bring up to a boil so that it can thicken and then pull it off the heat so that you can enjoy. You may have to add more stock or half and half. It's about feeling your food and the love that you are putting into it!

You can add whatever seasonings that you may want. You already have a great starting point. Taste to see if there is a need for salt, pepper, maybe cayenne....maybe cumin? This is basically a baked potato soup with endless possibilities.

We fix it up with some sour cream, chopped bacon, and cheddar cheese. Make it your own....that is what cooking is all about!

Holiday Biscuits (just for you Kyla)

This is a family tradition for us. We have these for any holiday or special occasion. These can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just as a snack. I usually make them in the morning of the special day. My hubby likes to drown them in maple syrup.

I use Bisquick for the batter. Use the recipe that is on the box for drop biscuits. EASY! I usually make the max serving.

While mixing the biscuits, also brown up some sausage. I use the tubes of Jimmy Dean sausage. Sometimes I use HOT, sometimes Maple, or sometimes Regular. It depends on your mood for that occasion! You will need 2 tubes if you are making the max serving of biscuits. Once that is browned, you may want to drain to get off the extra fat, however, the fat makes the biscuits extra moist.

Let the sausage cool. You will also need 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese. Buy it pre-shredded, or do it yourself. This is another place where you can mix it up. Experiment with different cheeses. If you are using hot sausage, try some monterey jack or maybe manchego. Mozarella is great too...makes them a little gooey inside! You can see the possibilities.

Once the sausage is cooled, add it to the biscuit batter, and add your cheese, then mix together. All you have to do at this point is drop the biscuits onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and bake according to the directions on the Bisquick box!

You could also think about adding extra spices to the biscuit mix. If any of you reading this like the biscuits at Red Lobster...just leave out the sausage, and sprinkle with garlic salt before baking! YUMMMM!

Enjoy! :)

Carnana Ice Cream

Shawn suggested the name for this one. We had blackened Swordfish again with jasmine rice and green beans. Shawn asked "So what kind of creative dessert are you gonna make for me now?"

In my mind, I was thinking "OH CRAP". I am not good at sweets. What the heck am I going to come up with? We didn't really have much to come up with....some baby banana's, sugar, vanilla ice cream....ummmmmm. Decided to make a caramel sauce, broiled banana's and ice cream!

I was so scared to make a caramel sauce....however, really easy.

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

5 tablespoons butter

Heat that in a pan...slowly (low-med heat) until it is all melted together. Then add 1 cup of milk. Do this very slowly....and stir constantly. Once it is combined, take off of the heat.

I made a crust also....in a quiche dish, I combined about 1 1/2 cups of reg. bread crumbs and about 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. I broiled it until brown. Pull it out of the oven once brown and then the next step begins.

I chopped up about 8 baby bananas (just enough to cover the crumbs) and covered the bananas and crumb mixture with the caramel.

The oven was still on broil and I placed the dish into the oven and kept my eye on it until it was brown and bubbly. Once it is there, bring it out of the oven to let it cool a bit.

Put some vanilla ice cream in a bowl and spoon some of the banana mixture on top! YUMMMM!

Infamous Salsa

I have gotten many requests for this, so now I have a way to post it. I made this for Sensei Tim and the crew that helped with putting in the new wood floor at the dojo this weekend. I make it for almost any kind of special occasion or whenever the mood hits me. It is always a hit and can be used is sooooo many different ways. I will give you the ingredients, however, this creation is something that comes out of my heart and needs to be tasted as you go along.

There is nothing quite like passion for your food when you are cooking. This is my first dish that I did and was TRULY proud of. A dish that so many people have eaten, enjoyed, and wanted the recipe! So now, I give this to you!

2 Large cans of Petite Diced Tomatoes (I prefer Del Monte, however have used store brand and it works well)

1 small can of diced green chilies

3-4 fresh green onions chopped finely

1 half of a white onion diced finely

1-2 cloves of fresh garlic minced finely (used pre-chopped if you want)

1 cup of freshly chopped cilantro (you need to use fresh....dried will not substitute)

Juice of 2-3 fresh limes

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 Tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

Add all of the ingredients together and taste. Remember that this should sit in the fridge to settle and the taste will change

If the salsa is too sweet after setting in the fridge, then you should try a little dash of salt and a little squeeze of lime. If it is too spicy...add more sugar. Not enough liquid, add more salt. It really is all about how YOU like the taste. Just make sure to give it time to set and let the flavors come together for at least 2-3 hours before you serve.

This can be used with chips, eggs, toast, just about anything. It is great on it's own, a side, or even mixed with queso.....ENJOY!

Comment if you have questions, this will be crowd pleaser!

Another great appetizer or movie night treat!

Who doesn't like cheese? So, I tried my own mozzarella sticks!

This does require either a deep fryer or a deep pan with peanut oil. It needs to be preheated to 375 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer (if you are using a pan) just drop in some of the egg wash (which I will explain soon) and if it bubbles and pops....the oil is ready.

You will need to put about 3/4 cup of regular flour onto a plate for dredging (this will vary depending on how many of the sticks you want to make).

Next, you want to make an egg wash. Just whisk up 1-2 eggs in a bowl...no need to add milk or water.

Next step is to pile a plate with crumbs. I have found that regular bread crumbs are usually what is used for mozzarella sticks, however I wanted mine to be a little more crunchy and light tasting. I used equal parts of panko crumbs and regular bread crumbs.

Breading recipe:

1 cup panko, 1 cup regular bread crumbs

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon oregano leaves (dried)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or powder)

This is the fun part...and easy! Use regular string cheese for this. No need to get fresh mozzarella or any fancy stuff. Just buy the regular string cheese and cut them in half.

Once your oil is ready, get your cheese and rub it in the flour, making sure to cover it thoroughly. Pat off the excess flour and then run the cheese through the egg wash. Cover it completely. Then into the bread crumb mixture. After covering the cheese with the crumb mixture, repeat with the egg wash again and crumb mixture again, then put into the oil.

It will not take long for them to fry. About 1-2 minutes per side. Keep your eye on them, they will need to be rolled around in the oil so they don't set on only one side and not brown on the other side.

Take them out and place on a plate lined with paper towels so that the excess oil can drain.

I bought just regular bottled spaghetti sauce for dipping. You can use it out of the bottle or heat it up. Of course, I would have loved to make my own sauce, however, I was coming home from kick boxing class with my family and my daughter wanted something fast.

I will go with the homemade sauce when I have the time! Ha Ha!

These are really easy and sooooo yummy. The panko crumbs make a huge difference in the lightness of the sticks and using the store bought string cheese sticks makes is user friendly.

Lentil Soup just for Margie

It's really very simple...you need a bag of lentils (pick them up from the regular grocery store)...a smoked ham hock, about 8-10 cups of stock (use chicken, beef, veggie...whatever is your preference). I used to used beef, now use veggie due to my daughter's choice to become a vegetarian. You can either get the cubes/sprinkles (granules) of bouillon, paste, or just boxed stock. Other ingredients include one sweet onion, bacon, garlic and regular white rice (you can use jasmine or brown rice if you want).

First step is to get the broth ready.

Chop up about 8-10 slices of bacon into thin strips. Let it crisp up and then take it out to a paper towel so it can drain off.

While the bacon is crisping, chop up your sweet onion (depending on who you are cooking for-more or less-use the whole onion if you want-I use half). Cut it the way that you want. I usually mince finely since I have little ones that don't really like onions, so they don't really know it is in there. Put a little olive oil into the pot and add the onions. Let them get nice and translucent...go the extra step and caramelize them, it will add a wonderful sweetness to the soup.

Once the onions are done, we go to the next step!

Onions are done! Now add the stock to the onions and put in the ham hock. If you decide to use bouillon, then make sure to have your water ready also. Add all of it at one time, and stir the bottom. You want to make sure to get all of the yummy bits off of the bottom of the pot that the bacon left! Let that come up to a boil.

Once the pot is boiling, throw in the rinsed lentils. Keep tasting throughout the whole process. Add flavor that you like. The lentils will take about 45 minutes to get fully done....that is why it is important for you to check on it every once in a while. The lentils should have a little resistance to the bite...not chewy, because they will cook more after you take them off of the heat. This is a dish that can be changed in many ways. Peppers, carrots, celery, cilantro, sooooo many variations. It is a base...and then as I do, I use rice to calm down the spice for my kids.

If you want to, you can brown up some sausage or ground beef and throw it in at the end.

As you read this, you might get ideas about extra spices that you might want to use. That's the only way I learned what works for me and my family!

Try it....you might need to add more stock, or more spice, however, it fills the belly and lasts a long time (great for left overs and stretching the dollar). You can also use other beans with the broth base and create your own menu. I have used white beans, pinto, and black beans.

I hope that you try this...not only with lentils, but other beans...or just to use the base broth for other things...let me know what you think!

Yummy Appetizer

On Monday morning (7/19) I decided to try something in the deep fryer. Fried Mashed Potato Balls....YUM!!!! The girls LOVED them.

Made a 6 serving batch of instant potatoes (fresh potatoes and me don't mix well-I can do roasted, but mashed...forget it!). I added 2 eggs after the potatoes cooled to thicken them up so that they could be formed into balls. I also added 1 cup of panko crumbs along with some seasonings...cayenne pepper, salt, and fresh pepper.

This was an experiment. As I look back, I could have carmelized some onions, or added fresh green onions. I was thinking about hush puppies with a twist.

Make sure to get your frying pot ready. I have a deep fryer (375 degrees), however, you could just fill a pot about half full of peanut oil and use that. If you don't have a thermometer that will give you the temperature, just put it on med/high and test the oil by dropping a little of the mixture in the pot. If it bubbles, then it is ready.

An extra added yummy thing....string cheese! I was going to use mozzarella, however could not find the fresh stuff at my local store, so my youngest daughter suggested string cheese! She is a young chef in training! Ha Ha!

Cut the cheese into little rounds or chunks that will be put into the middle of the potato balls. Make sure that they aren't too big. You don't want them to leak out of the ball and not be able to get yummy and gooey in the center of the potato ball.

Before you start to roll the balls...have a plate with panko crumbs in it and any other seasonings that you might want for the crust.

Use a little cornstarch or flour to keep the potato from sticking to your hands...grab a golf ball size of the potato, flatten it, put a piece of the cheese in the middle of the patty, and then fold over the edges and roll it to form a ball with the potato mixture.

This is where I think an egg wash might need to be used so that the crumbs would stick better. I thought that the crumbs would stick just fine with the moisture of the potatoes (they did stick, but might have been better??? I will try it again soon) :) I just rolled the balls in the crumbs and slowly submerged them in the oil.

Fry them until golden brown. It is very important to put them in slowly, leave them alone until the bottom side is brown and then roll them over. Let that side brown (it takes about 2-3 minutes per side) and then pull them out onto a paper towel to drain and dash a little salt and pepper on them right after they come out.

So yummy and so decadent. I am not a sweets person, so this is my treat...carbs, salt, spice....WOW!!! Try it, you could use a marinara sauce, cheese sauce, even a honey based sweet dipping sauce for these.

IMAGINE the possibilities!

Trying to catch up

It's been almost a month since my last post...still have been experimenting in the kitchen. I did Blackened Swordfish (this was a hit)...A great recipe that can be served hot or cold (sliced or crumbled on a salad).

Dry Rub:

3 teaspoons salt (try sea salt...it works great with fish)

3 Tablespoons of paprika (I just used regular paprika from the store...however, you can look for sweet or hot...depends on your taste)

1 1/2 Tablespoon of fresh Thyme

3 teaspoons of onion powder

3 teaspoons of cayenne powder (if you like more heat, use more...if not...use less)

4 Tablespoons of fresh cracked pepper (use powdered if you don't have a grinder)

1 1/2 Tablespoons oregano (I used dried, however I am sure that fresh would have been better)

3 teaspoons fresh minced garlic

You will rub this on to the fish before you cook it (you can use any meaty fish if you can't get swordfish). Either grill or saute.

Recipe for sauce to cover fish (if you want-the fish by itself is awesome). You could use this for a dressing on veggies or rice if you wanted.

1/4 cup of chopped capers (rinsed from brine)

1 teaspoon of corriander

1/4 cup chopped shallots

1 large (or 2 small) chopped garlic clove

1 cup white wine (I used Pino Grigio)

2 cups fish or veggie stock (you could also use chicken if you wanted)

Salt and Pepper to taste

You are going to combine these ingredients in a food processor or bowl. Whisk or process in olive oil slowly until it starts to thicken. Once it is thick enough to drip off the back of a regular soup spoon, it is good. If you want to serve the fish warm, drizzle onto the fish when you serve...if you want to do it cold on a salad, let it cool, and then serve like a salad dressing (cold).

The sides are up to you. I made a boxed rice pilaf, and broccoli. I concentrated on the main dish and then worked from there.

One more post, many more to come!

Dinner Tonight

My husband bought me a deep fryer today! Yippee...another way to cook fish (which he loves). I decided to do a beer battered fish fry. Also with potatoes and onions. And for my vegetarian daughter, some steamed green beans.

First off, prep your fresh green beans. Cut off the ends and put them into your steamer. I can't begin to explain how helpful my Tupperware steamer has and always will be. It is a wonderful 3 piece kitchen tool that makes life in a full time mother's dinner time easy! Just prep the veggies, throw them in the perforated part, throw some water into the bottom container (which you can also put herbs, broth, zest, or anything that might steam in some extra flavor), put the lid on and into the microwave for about 5 minutes and you have perfectly steamed veggies!

Beer batter turned out wonderful. 1 3/4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup of cornmeal, 1-2 bottles of beer (have to look for the right consistency-it should look like a pancake batter). I added about 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons of tabasco, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (I am watching my blood pressure) and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper.

Get your oven preheated to just be able to warm your fried potatoes/onion rings and prep a cookie sheet with some paper towels for draining.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then half moon shaped. In the deep fryer they go at 375 degrees. They took longer than the instructions for the deep fryer said (which was 7-10 minutes). I just cut them right before they were going to go into the oil and they took about 15 minutes. I suggest making sure that the oil (I used peanut oil) is completely up to temperature and wait until the potatoes are completely brown and starting to puff up a little. Take them out with a slotted spoon and onto the prepped cookie sheet. Immediately put your seasoning on. I chose some sea salt and ground pepper, however, garlic salt, lemon pepper, or just fresh parsley would work.

Once the potatoes were done, I had the onions (sweet Vidalia are the only way to go) cut. I used the beer batter to coat the onions and they took about 8 minutes per batch. The key is to make sure that when you put the onions into the oil, drop them in slowly, one at a time. Don't overcrowd the fryer. You can use a large pot with oil also, however, I would suggest if you do that, make sure that you have a thermometer so you can keep track of the temperature. Look for a nice golden brown color...not too brown, kind of like the color of caramel on an apple. When they are that color, take them out and just like the potatoes, give them some seasoning. And they should also go on the sheet pan to drain with the potatoes. Those continue going into the oven between batches to stay warm.

Now comes the garlic aioli. . 3 cloves of garlic (finely minced), the juice of 2 lemons, and olive oil are the main ingredients. I have the luxury of a food processor that has an emulsifying blade, however, you could just put the above ingredients in a bowl, along with whatever you might want for flavor (I used salt and pepper as well as a little Tabasco for zing) and then use a whisk and slowly stream in olive oil until it turns into a thick sauce (slightly less thick than mayonnaise). Place in the fridge to chill while you fry the fish.

I wanted to use Cod however it was not available so I used Halibut. When you go to the store, just get what you think you will use. Get a fish that is sturdy and meaty...not too thin. You should have your sides ready to go, so all you have to do is throw your fish into the batter and then slowly into the oil. Using the fryer for the first time, I learned that the fish (as well as potatoes and onions) need to go in one at a time, slowly, and stir it a bit...it will get stuck to the bottom of the strainer (if you are using a fryer) or pan. And now you just wait until you get that lovely caramel color again. Put it on a plate lined with paper towels so that the oil can drain off.

Now assemble a sandwich if you want or just eat the fish with a little lemon or malt vinegar. I used Ciabatta bread...slathered it with the garlic aioli, a layer of leaf lettuce, fried fish with a squirt of lemon juice and splash of malt vinegar, a few slices of tomato, and another layer of aioli on the top of the Ciabatta bread.

Turned out to be a learning experience with the fryer, and a wonderful cooking experience with my husband. Frying is not as hard as it may look and definitely not as scary as I thought it might be....just have to make sure to prep ahead and make sure to season as soon as your food comes out of the fryer (or pot)!

Hope that this dish turns out as fun of an adventure for you as it was for me!

First Post...

Just starting this...Had a wonderful dinner tonight and want to share my recipes with everyone. I look forward to posting things that full time workers and stay at home mothers can share with their families. Something easy, something simple, yet elegant and delightful.

I tried Talapia tonight.... I don't have a microplane(fine grater), so I did it myself...finely chopped the zest of 2 lemons and 2 oranges. I combined that zest with 2 teaspoons of finely minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of finely minced ginger, the juice of the 2 lemons and 2 oranges, as well as a quarter of a cup of fresh cilantro. You also need to add about 2 teaspoons of hot sauce (Tabasco is fine)... a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, about a 1/4 of a teaspoon of sea salt and the same of fresh pepper. It sounds like a lot of work, but it will pay off in the end. At this point put your fish into the marinade (I used a full filet that was about 1 1/2 pounds). Let it set in the fridge for about 45 minutes.

While this was setting, I made a box of rice pilaf (yes, already prepared, I did however have a little fresh garlic, ginger and cilantro to combine the flavors). I also made fresh broccoli steamed in water with lemon zest (I use a Tupperware steamer...cut up the fresh broccoli...5 minutes with the zest in the steaming water and it is ready). And some wonderful garlic rubbed french bread (fresh bread from your local store... just cut off the end of a large garlic clove, rub it on the sliced bread, place it on a foil lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non stick spray, sprinkle with a little of sea salt and pepper).

I toasted the rice pilaf mix with the garlic and ginger. Added the water and seasoning packet (per the directions) and got the bread into the oven for toasting at @ 350 degrees. The cilantro will be added at the end.

I started a grill pan for the Talapia on the stove at medium heat. Make sure to spray the pan with non stick spray before you start the heat. As soon as it heats up, put on the Talapia. Wait until it releases from the pan on it's own...don't force it... then when it is ready, flip it.
When it releases again, get it off the heat. you don't want it to be overdone. At this time, your bread should be ready as well as all the other dishes.

I juiced another lemon and orange to have a little bit of dressing sauce for the fish, and it could be turned into a vinagrette for a salad (combined with a little garlic and olive oil). Alot of options...hope to hear some feedback!