Burmese specialty dish

April 20, 2008 | Posted by Lorena as Soup Recipe, Weight Watchers Recipe & Handy Info, Seafood Recipe, Vegetable Recipe at 11:05 am | Comments »

Burmese cuisine may not be top-of-mind in the culinary world, but some of its national specialties are true treasures. Try this authentic mohinga dish. It’s a healthy combination of fish broth and toppings that you can arrange in a platter. Guests can select what they like for a personalized (and very impressive) dish.

Lentil Stew

April 2, 2008 | Posted by Lorena as Soup Recipe, Recipe at 9:54 pm | Comments »

A hearty, healthy and comforting stew. Great when you’re down with the flu, and need something to warm your stomach.

Ingredients
7 medium potatoes, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Polish sausage, sliced
1 (16 ounce) package lentils
salt and pepper to taste

What’s Next
Place the potatoes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and sausage in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 15 minutes. Stir lentils into the pot. Add more water if necessary to just cover all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender.

Autumn Harvest Stew

November 27, 2007 | Posted by Lorena as Beef- It's What's For Dinner, Soup Recipe, Take It Slow- Crock Pot Recipes at 9:10 am | (1) Comment »

Here’s a healthy, hearty and comforting stew to serve on cold winter nights. It makes good use of the ingredients that are in season, but can also be modified to include your favorite vegetables.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds stewing beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
3 cups beef broth
2 carrots
2 medium potatoes
1/2 cup baby lima beans
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 jar (12 ounces) small white onions, drained, or about 1 dozen frozen, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cold water

What’s next
Brown the beef in a large saucepan (don’t overcrowd). When ready, toss in the onion and celery. After about 5 minutes, pour in the beef broth. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, lower heat, cover the pan, and leave to simmer for about one and a half hours.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the beef in the vegetable oil; add onion and celery and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes longer. Add beef broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Add the carrots, beans, potatoes and apple juice, then simmer until the vegetables are tender. Then add onions and corn, cooking for another 10 minutes. Add flour dissolved in a little water to thicken the stew. Season with salt and pepper. Now, chow down! Serve with cornmeal or hot biscuits.

Bouquet Garni

November 6, 2007 | Posted by Lorena as Soup Recipe, Tid Bits & News, Uncategorized at 9:28 am | Comments »

You may have heard of ’bouquet garni’ — herbs that transform a pot of chicken bones into the most delicious, yet delicate, broth. Here’s how to make one.

Ingredients

teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
1/4 teaspoon crumbled dry bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
5 peppercorns

You can change the proportion of herbs according to your preference

What’s next

Crush together the herbs and spices. Pace into a small bag made from several layers of cheesecloth. Tightly tie the bag shut with string.
Add the garni while simmering the ingredients for any soup. Take out before serving and discard. Makes 1 bouquet garni.

Last Soup of the Day: Sweet Potato Recipe

May 31, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Soup Recipe at 12:00 pm | (1) Comment »

I couldn’t resist giving you one last soup of the day before we part soupy ways this month. So here it is, the very last of the soups. Enjoy this Sweet Potato Soup Recipe on me!

Ingredients:

3 lbs. sweet potatoes, steamed, peeled and puréed
White pepper to taste
Curry to taste
Black pepper to taste
Soy milk to desired thickness
1/2 cup maple syrup or to taste
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of turmeric

Blend all ingredients with a whisk. Chill well. Serve cold. Garnish with toasted sunflower seeds or drizzle with soy sour cream. And that’s all!

Eat well & Laugh often!

Soup of the Day: Tuscan Bean Recipe

May 31, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Soup Recipe at 7:31 am | (3) Comments »

Well folks, today is the last day of May which means summer is basically here & soups of the day are basically a thing of the past. It’s been a nice journey & I hope you’re taken some great soup recipes as your own.

On the menu for today we have a goodie for you, a quick & easy soup recipe. This Tuscan Bean Soup Recipe works well for last minute guests who will keep asking for the recipe until you relent. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can kidney beans, drained
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup 10% cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped & fresh
2 tablespoons EVOO
S & P, to taste

What’s Next:

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the carrot and onion. Add the chicken stock and the beans and bring to a boil.

Add the cream, baby spinach and thyme, season to taste and serve. And that’s all folks!

Eat well & Laugh often!

Soup of the Day: Chicken & Sausage Gumbo Recipe

May 30, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Soup Recipe at 7:23 am | Comments »

It’s a short week this go-round & we’re already at Wednesday’s door. You know, one of my favorite things to is to make a large batch of soup & eat it up all throughout the work week so I don’t have to worry about what we’re having for dinner.

And that’s just what the plan is for today. On the menu we have a fantastic Chicken & Sausage Gumbo Recipe that has just the right amount of hearty & savory for any gumbo lover. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 T vegetable oil
3 T all-purpose flour
1 T Kitchen Bouquet
1 T dried parsley
2.5-3.5 lbs chicken breast (with skin and bone)
1 # smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 t Gumbo Filet
1 t salt (or more to taste)
1/4 t pepper
Pinch of red pepper (cayenne)
Dash of worcestershire sauce
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, halved
2 celery sticks, halved
3 green onion stalks, chop bottoms and save tops to slice and sprinkle over gumbo after cooking
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 bay leaf
1/2 t thyme
2 qts water
3 cups cooked rice (1.5 cups uncooked)

What’s Next:

In a large, deep pot brown chicken in oil (5-10 minutes on each side) and remove to cool.

Fry sausage in oil for 5 minutes or until browned and remove to drain/cool. Add flour to make a “roux” and cook over low to med-low fire stirring once every minute at least until it is golden brown. Do not burn! Keep an eye out on the roux, this is what makes your gumbo great.

Next, add onion, green onion bottoms, and garlic. Saute until transparent/soft. Then add water and all remaining ingredients EXCEPT green onion tops, gumbo filet, and parsley. Peel chicken off of bone into bite size chunks and add to pot. Bring to a boil over the highest fire uncovered. Leave uncovered and cook over med-high fire 35 minutes. Turn fire off and add sliced green onion tops, gumbo filet, and parsley. Remove green peppers, celery, and bay leaf.

Serve over rice & enjoy!

Eat well & Laugh often!

Soup of the Day: Apricot Recipe

May 29, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Soup Recipe at 9:15 am | Comments »

A hearty good morning going out to you all! I trust your Memorial Day was spent with care & good food.

Well, let’s get right to business. On the menu for today we have a very special treat, an Apricot Soup Recipe. Sounds fascinating, doesn’t it? With just the right amount of fruit taste with a dash of cumin, this soup recipe will tantalize!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 cups red lentils, rinsed
10 cups water
12 ounces dried apricots, chopped
Salt, to taste

What’s Next:

Heat the oil in your soup pot over medium heat, then stir in the onions and carrots. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and stir well.

Decrease the heat, cover, and let the vegetables sweat for ten minutes.

Add the lentils and pour in enough of the water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for twenty minutes, or until the lentils and carrots are tender. Add more of the water as needed as the lentils soften and expand.

Remove from the heat, stir in the apricots and any remaining water, and season with salt. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth; alternatively working in batches, puree in a regular blender until smooth.

Salt to your liking & enjoy!

Eat well & Laugh often!

Soup of the Day: Memorial Day Chili Recipe

May 25, 2007 | Posted by Allison as Soup Recipe at 7:27 am | (2) Comments »

Well, we’re finally here. Friday has snuck up on us & it’s time to get ready for Memorial Day.

On the menu for today I have an award winning Memorial Day Chili Recipe that’s sure to knock the socks off everyone you meet. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds lean ground beef
1 large chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried ground cumin or to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano or to taste
2 tablespoons chili powder or to taste (fresh chile peppers may be substituted)
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
3 to 4 cups tomato puree, tomato sauce, or fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or a combination of all three)
2 to 3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans beef broth
1 to 2 tablespoons molasses
2 cans black beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Chopped green onions

What’s Next:

In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute ground beef, onion, and garlic until the meat becomes gray in color. Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and beef broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, approximately 3 to 4 hours, stirring often. Note: Additional beef broth, water, or wine may be added as needed.

Add molasses to taste to cut down the acidity of the tomatoes. Add beans and continue to simmer another 30 minutes. NOTE: During the last 30 minutes of cooking, do a lot of tasting and adjust seasoning to taste.

For maximum flavor, cool chili and refrigerate overnight so flavors will mellow. When ready to serve, remove top layer of solidified fat, reheat chili over low heat, and serve in large individual bowls.

Set out garnishes for your chili - some chopped green onions, sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar cheese make great toppings

Eat well & Laugh often!