soup, soup-a-doup, soup-a-doup-doup

le sigh. i made split-pea soup, a long time ago. i should have posted immediately, i didnt, now i dont remember my process. i have fun pictures and the recipe!!

Split Pea Soup
makes 4 bowls (or more)
adapted from here

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 slices of thick-cut, best-quality bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium/store bought)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups split peas

Preparation
1. In a large, heavy soup pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it begins to brown (about 5 minutes).
2. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and thyme to the bacon; stir and cook for several minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften (about 5 minutes).

3. Add wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the stock, water and peas; bring to a boil.
5. Cover, reduce heat and cook the soup over medium-low heat for an hour to an hour-and-a-half, until most of the split peas have broken down and the soup reaches your desired consistency.
6. enjoy this...it was so good. (i even threw a dollop of greek yogurt into the soup...delish!)
xo

NYE Dinner ... long over due

so, for new years, we wanted to do something nice and simple but not boring, so we had a few friends over for dinner and then went our separate ways (read: those kickin' parties we were all invited to...ha).

dinner was delightful and was full of laughs and great music. the after dinner bar adventure was, well, it was fun. however, i think as i get older i am learning that i do not like loud bars. i don't really even like drunk people. i know its hypocritical b.c. on numerous occasions i AM one of those drunk people...but when you're not plastered like the rest of the crowd, it, well, not fun. (am i boring?!?!)

anyway, food...matter at hand. we were going to have a lavish meal of risotto and many (veggie) sides but opted for veggie lasagna and salad and bread and wine, lots and lots of wine. my boss gave me this amazing cookbook by mark bittman, how to cook everything vegetarian for christmas. its lovely, you should get it too. i used that book and a recipe i borrowed from the pioneer woman for my sauce. i added a red pepper at the top, while the pan is getting hot, i sprinkle in some red pepper flakes until they get fragrant, then i follow the rest of the instructions. I also added 3 or 4 shakes of cayenne pepper. also, i'm finding that as i get older i am developing more of a desire to put more hottness into EVERYthing i am eating. maybe my taste buds are failing, maybe i'm copying my father or maybe i have a terrible sinus problem just like he does that eliminates flavors for you so you have to spice everything so that you can taste it. this would be a tragedy if accurate (sorry dad).

(recipes for all to follow.)

for dessert. oh dessert,you guys. it was sweet and syrupy - gooey, flakey and AWESOME with vanilla ice cream. apple dumplings ya'll. apple dumplings. this was again from the pioneer woman, gotta say, i love that ree drumond. she's crazy good in the kitchen, she's funny, she's quirky, she's crazy, she's interesting...i think if i actually knew her, we'd be friends. i mean, i hope we'd be friends. :) the only sort of loonie thing was the fact that dessert calls for a whole can of mountain dew. ew, right? wrong. amazing. i think the mountain dew gives it that gooey effect.

i'd suggest trying all of the food made for our new years...they are simple crowd pleasers.
SAUCE
Pastor Ryan’s Bolognese Sauce (sans the Bolognese part)
this recipe is adapted from here

Ingredients

• ½ cups Olive Oil
• 1-½ cup Grated Carrots
• 1 whole Large Red Onion, Diced
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil Flakes
• 1 can (6 Ounce) Tomato Paste
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup (to 2 Cups) Red Wine (i felt like 2 cups was too much, made it too wine-y)
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
• 2 cans (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
• 1 cup Milk
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese
• red pepper flakes (for the bold)
• cayenne pepper (for the daring)

Preparation Instructions
1. Heat the red pepper flakes in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat until pepper is fragrant, add oil, let heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and then throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don’t, it’s fine. Cook for a few minutes, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.
2. Make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.
3. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally, pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours—however long you need.

VEGETABLE LASAGNA
from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• Salt
• 12 dried lasagna noodles
• 2 Tablespoons softened butter or extra virgin olive oil
• Tomato Sauce (recipe above)
• 3 cups cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, plus more as needed
• 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan, plus more as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the noodles, 6 at a time, until they are tender but still undercooked (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes). Drain and then lay the noodles flat on a towel so they don't stick.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a rectangular baking dish with the butter or olive oil, add a large dollop of tomato sauce, and spread it around. Put a layer of noodles (use 4) in the dish, trimming any overhanging edges; top with a layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the spinach, and one-fourth of the ricotta and Parmesan. Sprinkle some salt and pepper between the layers of tomato sauce and spinach if needed.
3. Repeat the layers twice and top with the remaining noodles, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan; the top should be covered with cheese; add more ricotta and Parmesan as needed.
4. Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on the top, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving; cool completely, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days; or freeze.

APPLE DUMPLINGS
(sadly I have no pictures of these puppies)
this recipie was STOLEN from here

Ingredients

• 2 whole Granny Smith Apples
• 2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
• 2 sticks Butter
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• Cinnamon, To Taste
• 1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda

Preparation Instructions
1. Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
2. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

WARNING: Prepare this dish at your own risk. It is beyond imaginable.

and heeeeere we go...

2010 will be the year of getting things done. i'm about to embark on some goal setting for myself. 6 months at a time...and if thats too difficult, 3...or 1 or a week, whatever.

!

geeking out over shakespeare

my shakes co just recently held auditions for an all female version of Julius Caesar which we will mount in Feb. (the 18 - 28th to be exact!). i am thrilled to be working on this project. when going into the audition, i was unsure of what the outcome, i only knew i wanted to be in the show.

i realized i was geeking out over shakespeare the night before when i was preparing all the sides for the audition w. my lexicon out and two different versions of the text. i love shakespeare. he feels so much more powerful than a lot of the shows i see or read now. i dont know if its that the language is so much more elevated or the context and content seems so much more heavy then what we discuss today. i mean, people die in shakespeare, come on people. i've loved the classics since college. i took a restoration comedy class in college and it was one of my favorite courses, reading all those texts and learning all that history. i have always been blow away by the language and the precision with which the authors of the time wrote. the fact that the word "china" has multiple meanings depending on the context and the fact that you can skew the meaning by how you use it and where you use it is so fascinating. maybe i should've been a linguist instead of an actress.

i'm playing cassius amongst a cast of 7 other talented women and our director and a.d. are fabulous....i am excited for this challenge. i know its going to be a lot of hard work, but well worth it... !

happy holidays!

the artist is C. Carey Cloud

soup! soup! soup!

this may sound lame, but we just got a microwave at work and that warrants soup for the rest of the week. so, its exactly what i set out to do. i love soup. i don't make soup all too often but its something i seem to crave a lot, especially in the winter. perhaps thats just part of what winter does for all of us...nothing beats a warm bowl of soup with some really great crusty bread.

i found this recipe on sprouted kitchen, i really like the simplicity of the site, and their photos are AHmazing. what was exciting about making this soup was the development of the layers of flavors. i had no idea what was going to happen when i put the kale and lemon in, but it totally changed the texture and weight of the soup along with giving it a really fresh kick. i can imagine with the black lentils theres a totally different flavor, but i like what i came out with. its defiantly not as pretty, but, i its just as good! enjoy!

LENTIL SOUP WITH CHIPOTLE YOGURT
Serves 6 this was adapted from here

• 2 Cups Lentils (French or Black Beluga)...i used plain old lentils
  
• 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
• 1 Fennel Bulb, Diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Brown Rice, Cooked (any whole grain will work)
• 6 Cups Organic, Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1 Large Bunch of Kale, Chard or Combo of Leafy Greens
• Salt/ Pepper
• 1 Lemon

CHIPOTLE YOGURT

• 1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 Chipotle Chile in Adobo, Chopped (no more than 2 tsp.)
  
  

Preparation
1. Cook your rice or desired grain and set aside. Boil about four cups water, and boil the lentils for 20 minutes until cooked. Add water as needed. Drain.
2. In a large soup pot, saute the yellow onion and the fennel in the olive oil for about 8 minutes, or until just starting to turn light brown. Add the stock and cumin. Bring the heat back up to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and the brown rice and simmer about 10 minutes. While you are waiting, stem your greens and slice them into thin strips. Taste the soup for salt and pepper, add seasoning as desired.
4. Turn off the heat and add in the greens, stir. The greens will wilt in the hot soup, and avoid overcooking this way. Stir in the juice of half the lemon, add more to taste.
5. Mix the greek yogurt with the chipotle chile and stir. Serve the soup with the dollop of the chipotle yogurt. Warning, chipotles are pretty spicy, so start with a small amount of sauce and you can add if you like it hot. If too spicy, add more yogurt.

renegade thursday

disclaimer: no pictures....sorry.

my sister always says she tries a recipe first then experiments with it...not this girl...this girl does stuff! (lame, i know, but i couldnt resist). i was bored. its been one of those "off" days and i was avoiding writing down my goals for 2010 - which i have to do, b.c. if i dont, i may forever do nothing. i also wanted to eat something that felt somewhat healthy, so i decided to make stuffed peppers. i'd say i did a pretty good job, the green peppers were a little al dente, but still good. please also note, i didnt really follow quantity, i just played around, i encourage you to do the same. its liberating, especially when the meal comes out well.

Stuffed Peppers
adapted from here

Ingredients

• 3 green bell peppers, two w. tops removed and seeded, one diced and seeded (save for later)
• 3 red peppers, two w. tops removed and seeded, one diced and seeded (save for later)
• a glug or two of olive oil
• 1 half of a white onion, diced
• 1 generous handful sliced mushrooms
• as much freshly chopped garlic as you’d like
• some cayenne pepper
• a dash of red pepper flakes
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 cups cooked white (wild, may have been better – more texture) rice
• 1 (14-ounce can) tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 can drained black beans
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 handful (or a few, depends on how much you like) fresh spinach
• some (again, as much as you like) shredded cheddar cheese, to finish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Wrap the halved peppers in aluminum foil, and bake in the oven until tender, but not falling apart, about 15 minutes – I did mine for about 11 minutes and they were still hard, so I say at least 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, cayenne pepper and pepper flakes (the amount of hot peppers depends on your palette), and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add in the zucchini, rice, tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers and black beans and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir in the tomato paste. Remove from the heat and fold in the fresh spinach. 

4. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the cooled peppers. Transfer the peppers to a heat-proof serving dish and top with a generous helping of cheddar cheese. Bake until the peppers are heated through, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and serve.

Cook's Note: This can be served on a bed of fresh tomato sauce or on its own. Enjoy. I had a lot of leftover insides, which I will probably eat tomorrow... also, this is a lot of food. I’d say you could feel 8, if everyone just took on half of a pepper – or 4 with two halves.

ta da

i took my breather and now it is time to truly embark on this adventure. i'm going to keep this up. i realized today that i think about food all the time. i wake up and i wonder 'will i  just drink coffee this morning, or perhaps i'll make some oatmeal.' i get to work and then i start to daydream about lunch and sometimes even dinner! i wish we had a microwave at the office because then i would be able to bring leftovers, but we make due with what we have. i'm sure it doesn't help (this whole food brain thing) that i read food blogs for about 50% of my day.

i just can't help it. i'm not apologizing for it, its just crazy that it really consumes my brain...its like my tastebuds control what i think about. thats why i started this blog. blog. ha. i know they've been around forever and i am just now joining the band wagon. and maybe i missed it and everyone is doing the next cool thing, but this pace, its good for me. its whatever i make it and i like that. its a little more safe and secure.

i have realized that i have to get better at taking in process pictures. thats what i like most about the other blogs that i read are all the pictures of the process and the process itself, which is also why i love cooking. i'm a process person. i like taking steps, multiple if necessary, to achieve a goal. ! yay process.

okay. this is what i tried tonight!
Garlic Butter Noodles
This was adapted from here

• 7 oz dry thin spaghetti (or egg noodles)
  
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 cup of basil, chopped (or mint)
• a huge handful of spinach
  
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or Maggi Sauce) i just realized this said 1 teaspoon! i read it as tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Preparation

1. in a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook noodles according to the package instructions. drain noodles and wipe pot clean. return pot to medium-high heat and add the butter. once butter sizzles, add garlic. fry for about 1 minute or until fragrant. dont let the garlic burn! (this all happens very fast, so it might be easier to have all of your ingredients preset.)

2. add brown sugar, soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir well. add noodles and toss evenly with sauce. stir in the spinach until it begins to wilt.

3. remove from pan and plate in a large bowl and toss with fresh basil. (i do think this would have been better with mint!)

4. enjoy.