Bloody Mary Tomato Soup

Did the daylight savings time change mess up your schedule? I was really hoping that it wouldn't mess up our napping and sleep schedule for Elena. Day 1 she was awesome, and she woke up at her usual time and had a typical happy go-lucky day. But for some odd reason by Day 2, she was out of whack and something happened. She started teething again, her top two teeth are cutting and she is not one happy baby. She has woken us up for those rare 3am, 4am, 5am crying sessions. Like full blown crying, "I'm in so much pain, screaming bloody murder tears of teething pain." It's definitely not something you can sleep through, and thankfully Eric and I have tag teamed in the night to check on her.

After a long and exhausting night, I'm like a walking zombie. I really try and take a nap when Elena sleeps but it's the only downtime I sometimes get for myself. And those are precious and rare moments that I really let myself indulge in. I have a stack of food magazines that I would love to read and bookmark recipes, or catch up on my DVR'd episodes - I'm still behind on How I Met Your Mother and The Office, and it's ideal time for me to cook/bake something in the kitchen. I had bookmarked a couple recipes in one of my latest cookbooks that I had been wanting to make and wanted something fast to prepare for lunch.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Crock Pot)

I will admit one of the meals that I'm most lazy to prepare is lunch. Most times I prepare myself a decent size breakfast and instead of lunch I snack on cheese and crackers, fruit or sometimes I'll prepare myself a grilled cheese. I really try to manage my time by preparing meals during Elena's naptime or playtime, but I usually reserve that time for making dinner or catching up on my trashy reality shows. Priorities right?

The best solution to my lunch and dinner woes is utilizing my crock pot or slow cooker. I always snicker when I hear the word crock pot, but a slow cooker isn't a term that is too familiar here on the West Coast. Rather than my crock pot collecting dust in the garage, I will be using it to prepare more meals.

This ahhhhh-mazing loaded baked potato soup was one of the first many meals that I have made using my crock pot. There is nothing as comforting as hot bowl of soup during these cold winter months. This loaded baked potato soup is exactly like having a baked potato but in soup form. Plus with the additional meat candy aka crispy bacon on top, it's absolutely perfect.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup (Crock Pot)
Adapted from Pink Parsley
ZipList Add Recipe
{Printable Recipe}
Ingredients:

Good Goes in...Soup with Panera Bread

Getting out and shopping during the holiday season is a little bit hectic right now. Maybe because there are 12 days left until Christmas! WOW! Luckily, I have chosen to avoid the evening crowds and shop a little earlier in the day besides I have been working on plenty of homemade edible gifts for my family and friends. But it's always nice to get out and do some retail shopping and peruse the stores with my favorite little helper. With all the window shopping that Elena and I had done, we made a pit stop to one of my favorite lunch spots, Panera Bread.

                           
The extra bonus to our lunch visit was due to the awesome opportunity to review Panera's new line of soups. I knew it would make for a nice mommy and Elena lunch outing instead of our typical lunch routine at home. Elena kept herself entertained with her new favorite MUM crackers and slowly munched away while I was able to enjoy my lunch.

One of my absolute favorite comfort meals is tomato soup and grilled cheese. So when I saw the sign for the Big Kid Grilled Cheese (with Gruyere, Vermont White Cheddar, organic sliced American cheese and Applewood-Smoked Bacon, grilled on All-Natural White Miche) - all of my favorite kinds of cheeses plus meat candy. Heck YES! I couldn't resist the Vegetarian Creamy Tomato soup to pair my sandwich. The delicious soup was filled with vine-ripened pear tomatoes pureed with fresh cream with hints of red pepper & oregano, topped with their crunchy Asiago croutons. I loved the salty bite that Asiago croutons gave when paired with the velvety indulgent tomato soup. Plus, the little kid in me had to dip my "Big Kid grilled cheese" in my tomato soup. What a perfect pair to enjoy for any meal.

Did you know that Panera Bread has partnered up with Feeding America? Panera Bread has been donating unsold bread and baked goods to local organizations for 25 years, and in 2010 they wanted to do more by opening Panera Cares community cafes that gave local communities the opportunity to share in the responsibility of of helping others out and raising awareness of food insecurity. How amazing is that? If you are interested in learning more or helping out you can easily make a donation at any of the Panera Cares Community Breadboxes by the registers the next time you visit. Your contribution might become the next hot meal of hot soup and a big helping hand to those in need.

The best way to end my meal was this spectacular red velvet crinkle cookie. I have only enjoyed red velvet cake or red velvet cupcake but never in the form of a cookie. It's a soft brownie-like cookie that is similar to the red velvet cake with a hint of chocolate and has cream cheese chips garnished with powdered sugar. Such an ahhh-mazing way to end your meal for only an additional 99 cents when you order a lunch combo!

What another fun and exciting day for Elena and me.

Disclaimer: As part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker Program, I received a gift card to Panera Bread to sample their soups. All photography and opinions are my own.

DailyBuzz Moms 9x9: Buffalo Chicken Soup

The weather in SoCal is like a rollercoaster. This past weekend was filled with grey clouds, ugly rain and cold weather storms. We had a nice downfall of constant rain for the past couple of days, and then for the rest of the week - it's up back to typical awesome sunny 80 degree SoCal days. Rain boots one day, and then flip flops the next day. That's sooooo "OMG" SoCal for ya.

However, there is nothing like a hearty bowl of soup to warm you up on those dreadful rainy days or perhaps bring a little extra warmth on those gorgeous bright days. This recipe is no stranger to my blog and an oldie recipe post that desperately needed to be updated. The big foodie rage right now are these tasty buffalo chicken tacos, but this buffalo chicken soup will make you think twice.

This comforting soup is simple to prepare and can be easily made in one large sauce pot or in a crock pot. It's filled with a variety of gooey cheeses, vegetables, and shredded chicken. This creamy and cheesy soup is almost like having buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing all mixed into one yummy bowl of delicious-ness without the sticky mess. It's definitely a soup favorite in our house and for many days to come. One bowl of this indulgent soup will cure any rainy day blues because it's hearty and nom-a-licious!

Buffalo Chicken Soup
Inspired from TJs
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, about 6 to 8 ounces, cooked and shredded, about 1 1/2 cups
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 celery stalks, about 1 cup, diced
1 large white onion, about 1 cup, diced
2 to 3 medium carrots, about 1 cup, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon hot sauce, Buffalo sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons of Italian parsley, chopped finely

Preparation:

Prepare chicken as you like.  I bake my chicken with a little bit of salt and pepper and seasoning, and bake for 20 minutes, until no longer pink. **You can opt to use store-bought rotisserie chicken, too.

In a large sauce pot or dutch pan, saute the carrots, celery and onions until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and cook for one more minute. Stir until combined.

Stir in broth, heavy cream, hot sauce and shredded chicken.

In a large bowl, toss all the cheeses and flour together. Mix well. Gradually stir into the soup.

Warm soup until thick and hot, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with additional hot sauce, crumbled blue cheese and garnish with freshly chopped Italian parsley.

You can serve this in a bread bowl, or pair it with soft pretzel bites.

Yield: about 8 to 10 servings

Review: Mmmmm, I absolutely love making this soup and I don't make it often enough. I had a small bowl last night because cookie was happily doing some baby zumba...so demanding with food. Afterwards, no more kicks or punches to the stomach, happy stomach = happy baby.

Behind the scenes: Here's a sneak peak of my photo set-up for my buffalo chicken soup. I really try to take most of my pictures with natural light (mainly in the mid-afternoons) which is right around 3 to 4pm. Normally the natural light comes from my front patio that hits perfectly onto my kitchen table (which is to the far left of this set-up) but since it was raining, it was quite darker than normal. My back-up plan - I had to set-up a small table right next to my front patio door to get the best natural light. I laid out a round cheese board as a secondary tabletop with a burlap fabric (used to be a rice bag that I turned inside out), a couple ingredients used in the dish, and a white foam board (with brackets superglued on) at the end of my table. White foam boards are inexpensive and one of the best ways to get more natural light reflected on your food.

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Hearty Tomato Soup

Happy Meatless Monday!

One of my pregnancy cravings lately has been soup. There has been nothing as comforting as a hot bowl of soup to me, plus a couple slices of bread. Or half the loaf because carbs are my friend, my best friend really. (I plan on hitting the gym hardcore after cookie makes his or her debut.) I got my clam chowder fix when I was at Boudin in San Francisco...and oh that was delicious. I made the biggest pot of tri-tip chili, and ate that for a week straight. I'm easy to please for dinner with a big bowl of soup. Currently, my latest craving has been tomato soup with grilled cheese or toasted sourdough slices. Mmm, it's heaven in a bowl.

If your garden was anywhere bountiful like mine, use fresh garden tomatoes for this batch of soup. If not, pick some up at the grocery store, it's okay - not everyone has a garden. Luckily, I had my last batch of tomatoes to use up and prepare this soup or use it for tomato sauce. I'm so happy that I picked tomato soup. This soup is easy to prepare and an inexpensive meal, you only need a couple of vegetables to make this tasty soup. This soup is very hearty as the title suggests, and is more like a chunky tomato vegetable soup. It was a perfect weekday lunch or dinner that kept me full until my snack time.

Simple and delicious!

Hearty Tomato Soup
Adapted from Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients:
For the soup:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can beans, drained and rinsed - white cannellini preferred but I used kidney beans
4 cups fresh tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Garnishment: slices of monterey cheese

Preparation:

In a medium Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, carrots and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, and the red pepper flakes. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Using a blender or an immersion hand blender, purée the soup. It will look slightly chunky.

Return soup to the pot and keep warm over low heat. Taste for seasonings, add salt and pepper.

Scoop a hefty serving of tomato soup in a oven safe bowl and add a couple thin slices of monterey cheese. Place under the broiler for a couple minutes until the cheese is slightly charred and completely melted.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Review: Hearty and delicious. I left out the whipped cream finish that Nikki used on her soup - stop by her blog if you want to see her original version. Thank you to my plentiful crop of tomatoes this season. My San Marzano tomatoes were perfect to eat by themselves, as well as the cherry tomatoes. Yet, my roma tomatoes were the little stubborn ones that were late bloomers. I didn't mind because I was able to make this wonderful batch of tomato soup with them.

Corn Chowder

Mmmmmm…the wonderful sounds of spring a.k.a summer is upon us in SoCal. I love it.

This is my second favorite season (fall is my first) and I love everything about it. The flowering citrus trees in my backyard, the hummingbirds chirping and busy bees doing their pollenating duties, and the bright bursts of colors everywhere. It’s certainly a happy time and I’m basking in the awesome flip-flop weather, too. I’m ready to say goodbye to winter blues, and say hello to spring/summertime heaven. However, if there is anything that I will miss about winter – it would be the simple comfort foods that bring warmth and bliss to my hungry stomach.

One of my favorite soups of all-time is corn chowder to enjoy in the cold wintery months. But I’m not going to lie, I would enjoy this wonderful soup all year long, too. I love the simplicity of this corn chowder, it’s rich and creamy and oozes with comfort. It’s yummy badness for your booty! If you're in a hungry mood, eat a giant bowl with some crusty sourdough bread and relish in the abundance of carbs to fool yourself back into wintery happiness. Enjoy!

Mimi’s Cafe Corn ChowderAdapted from Mimi’s Cafe
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
¼ cup butter, (½ stick)
6 tablespoons chopped onion
¾ cup diced celery
2½ cups water
2 cups cubed peeled red or russet potatoes, (½-inch)
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 can creamed corn (14 ounce)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 dash of white pepper
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups half and half cream (or use heavy cream, whole milk)

Preparation:

In a medium Dutch oven over medium hat, melt the butter.

Add in the flour and using a wire whisk - whisk until smooth until a roux forms.

Add the onions and celery and sauté for 5 minutes until soft but not browned.
Add water, potatoes, corn kernels, creamed corn, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add half and half and simmer uncovered until soup has thickened to a creamy consistency, about 15 minutes.

Season to taste with additional salt & pepper if needed.

Yield: 8 servings (about 1 ½ cups)
Nutritional Info: Calories: 319; Sugar: 8 g; Carbs: 36g; Fiber: 3g; Fat: 18g; Protein: 7g
Review: Mmmmm, perfect on a cold winter or spring day for lunch.

Turkey Chili

This perfect SoCal weather has been great these past couple of days with sunny skies and shorts and flip flop attire. I couldn't wait to enjoy the warm weather on our bikes before the cold wave came back. My head flu has almost went away, but then my husband got hit with the bug as well. Being homesick during these summer-ish January days is such an oxymoron, but it happens and I did the dutiful wife errands and helped tend to his sickly needs. I did manage to work outside in the garden and prune my lemon and orange trees and pull some weeds. I'm already looking forward to springtime vegetables to plant away.

Whenever I'm sick or taking care of my husband, I like to prepare a big bowl of soup to help ease away the ugly bug. I was tired of the typical chicken noodle soup and wanted something a little extra hearty. Jen from Beantown Baker had made an awesome turkey chili that I had saved in my google reader. This turkey chili can shake that bug away because the little bit of spice from the cayenne pepper goes a long way. You can easily substitute the ground turkey for a different protein. Enjoy!

Turkey Chili
Adapted from Beantown Baker
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 lbs ground turkey
2 medium onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
16 ounces, kidney, black or pinto beans (2 cans drained)
12 ounces beer (Sam Adams)
16 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bag frozen corn - no need to defrost
1 large bag frozen diced butternut squash - no need to defrost
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground mustard

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil. Cook the two pounds of turkey until no longer pink, drain any excess liquid.
Add all of the vegetables, beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes into the dutch oven over medium high heat. Add beer until you reach the consistency you desire, about 12 ounces of beer.

Mix in the garlic and spices. Simmer for 20 minutes, then reduce heat. The longer it cooks, the more the garlic taste will blend in with everything else.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish the soup with a tablespoon of sour cream and cheddar cheese.

This chili freezes well, and perfect for those cold, wintery nights at home.

Yield: 12 Servings (about 1 1/2 cups)
Nutritional Data: Calories: 189.3; Carbs: 25.5 g; Sugars: 3.9 g; Fiber: 7.0g; Fat: 4.2g

Review: YUMMY! Chili is always a great cure for the cold and easy enough to prepare. This would be perfect for a potluck or maybe over some hot dogs for your next football party. Superbowl is almost here and I can't wait to start planning out some tasty dishes for my friends.

Corn Chowder with Chiles

This dreary and very rainy weather in So.Cal is killing any desire for me to make anything in the kitchen. Rainy days make me want to pull up in my snuggie on the living room couch, watch some trashy reality TV and eat something warm and comforting. Yes, I watch too much trashy reality TV at times, but it's one of those things that I love to hate, hate to love all at the same time. So last night, when I needed something warm and comforting, nothing says comfort to me like a big bowl of soup.

I love having a big batch of soup already made for the week just in case I have one of these lazy kitchen days. (Luckily for me, I made this batch of soup on crazy errand Sunday to enjoy throughout the week). This is a great basic recipe that is easy to follow especially if you have never made chowder before. It is versatile enough if you want to add a few of your own ingredients to fancy it up a bit. Try adding diced carrots and celery and diced potatoes to make it more filling if you desire. Enjoy this corn chowder with some nice crusty sourdough bread or dinner rolls. It's such a comforting meal to have for these dreary rainy days. Delicious!

Corn Chowder with Chiles
Adapted from Pioneer Woman
Ingredients:
2 slices Bacon, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces (or Smaller)
2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
1-½ whole yellow Onion, Diced
5 ears Corn, Shucked (about 4 Cups) or use frozen corn
1 to 2 whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce, Finely Diced - remove the seeds
1 whole 4-ounce Can Diced Green Chilies
32 ounces, Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1-½ cup milk or (heavy whipping cream or half-n-half)
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt (more To Taste)
3 Tablespoons Corn Meal OR Masa
¼ cup Water
small handful of cilantro, chopped finely
Sour cream (optional)
Preparation:

Using a bundt pan, place a corn kernel in the hole and carefully slice the kernels off the cob. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter and add the bacon. Cook until it is nice and crispy. Add the diced onions and stir to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the butter and corn and stir to combine, and cook for a minute. Add the diced chiles and chipotle chiles and mix to combine.

Add the milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Taste for seasonings, add salt and pepper if needed. Reduce heat to a low simmer.

In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal with water. Mix well to combine and mix into the chowder. Cover and cook for 14 minutes over low heat. Dip a wooden spoon into the bowl, if the chowder is not thick like a gravy add another tablespoon of cornmeal mixed with water. Cook for additional ten minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve. Garnish with a little scoop of sour cream, chopped bacon bits and cilantro. Yum.

Review: This was a great corn chowder to enjoy on a rainy day and filled my tummy with ooey gooey warmth. If you are not a fan of the spice, add less or none of the chipotle peppers to the soup. It adds a hint of smokiness of spice to the creamy goodness, it may surprise you. You'll be chowing down the entire bowl before you know it!

Curried Orange Lentil Soup

I've been on Cat Cora cooking kick lately, and I have been cooking my way through her latest cookbook -Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist. Cat puts a new spin on some old favorites making each dish faster, fresher, and lighter. Each recipe beautifully illustrates her food motto: just because a dish is a classic doesn't mean it can't be improved upon. One of the recipes that I couldn't wait to try was Cat's curried lentil soup, and she had originally made this for an episode of Oprah. It was something "healthy," and part of her fresh and frugal meal planning. Healthy, cheap and fresh - that's a winner already in my book.

Soups are one of my favorite comfort foods and go-to meals whenever the weather starts getting a little bit colder. I had never tried lentils and this was easy to prepare without having to use the pressure cooker. I loved the aroma of exotic spices and the beautiful orange lentils cooked into a beautiful creamy Fall soup. You could easily add some cooked proteins like crispy bacon, tofu chunks, shrimp or sliced chicken into the curry soup and it would be a complete meal. Try this soup if you're looking for something a little more extraordinary than your bowl of chicken noodle soup. Enjoy!

Curried Orange Lentil Soup
Adapted from Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 large white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced finely
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound split orange lentils
2 cups chicken stock
6 to 8 cups water
kosher salt
1/2 cup nonfat Greek-style plain yogurt or light sour ream
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or 1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 large lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, add the olive oil and butter. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger and all the spices and stir well. Cook until the ingredients form a fragrant paste and stir around, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil and stir well. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook until the lentils have softened, about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure to stir occasionally and adding more water if the soup thickens.

Taste for seasonings, and add salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and garnish with cilantro or onions and crumbled queso fresco. Add a squeeze of lemon to finish the soup. Enjoy!

Review: For my first time eating lentils, I absolutely loved it. The texture is a little gummy because it cooks down to almost like an oatmeal texture, but the intense flavor from the curry and spices is so fragrant and earthy. It was like a little taste of India in my mouth. I really wished that I had a piece of garlic naan to dip into my soup because that would have been smack-tastic.

Minestrone Verde

I have been home sick with a stomach flu for the past couple of days and it hasn't been fun. I haven't been inclined to cook at all because doctors' orders include to drink lots of fluids and eat bland foods and to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and lots of rest. I've been eating lots of salads/soups and drinking lots of water and hoping for this yucky bug to go away. I finally got hit by the cooking bug and I wanted something super-hearty and delicious and found a great soup recipe from my ginormous recipe book collection.

Minestrone verde seemed something right up my alley because it had lots of "green" vegetables that I love and it could be easily made in one large pot. It almost seemed like a "dump" soup where you keep on adding whatever vegetables on hand to the soup, but everything came together rather well. Rainbow chard or swiss chard is in season and adds a hearty, almost meaty flavor and beautiful color to the soup. (You won't miss the bacon.) Be careful and cut off the center vein, where its very fibrous and not edible. The yukon potatoes are rich and tender with the soup. Overall, it's everything what the doctor ordered and I'm feeling better already, mmmmm....good.

This makes a large pot of about 8 to 10 servings.

Minestrone Verde
Adapted from Cat Cora's Classic with a Twist
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup of celery, diced
1 1/2 cup of onions, diced
7 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of zucchini, medium-diced
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, with juice reserved
1 15-ounce can white kidney beans, drained
1 cup of Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
3 packed cups Rainbow chard, chiffonade
Salt & pepper
1 cup uncooked medium pasta (such as corkscrews, gemelli, or elbow macaroni)
3/4 cup pesto
1 to 2 Parmigianno Reggiano Rinds

Preparation:

In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the mirepoix (carrots, celery and onions) and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes or so. Stir occasionally and season with salt and pepper.

Add the diced potatoes and pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 7 to 9 minutes.

Add the vegetables (zucchini, canned tomatoes, rainbow chard, kidney beans and parmigianno rind) and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the soup to a boil and stir in the uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste again.

Ladle soup into bowls and spoon a teaspoon or so of pesto over the soup. Enjoy!

Review: I loved this hearty and delicious soup, and it was just what the doctor ordered. A case of any stomach flu should be cured by this super-healthy soup. You could easily substitute other vegetables in the soup, but the "greener" the vegetable, the better it is for ya right? The pesto adds the perfect finishing touch as well.

Mexican Beans with Chorizo & Greens

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a month, and I've been wanting to make it since I randomly bought chorizo at the grocery store. For some odd reason, I bought chorizo for a recipe, and lost the recipe that I was supposed to use it for. Oh well, luckily this came up from in my google reader from Erin at Dinner and Dessert and I have been enjoying it all week for lunch. It's a nice change up on the recent soups that I have made, and I wanted to experiment and try a Rick Bayless recipe, too. It's hearty and thick soup, full of strong flavors, and rainbow chard was a new vegetable for me and everything complimented each other fairly well. I liked the simplicity of this dish because it's an easy weeknight dish to prepare.

Mexican Beans with Chorizo and Greens
Adapted from Dinner and Dessert
Source: Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
Ingredients:
8 to 12 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
10 ounces cleaned young spinach (about 10 cups) OR one 12-ounce bunch Swiss chard, thick lower stems cut off, leaves sliced crosswise into ½ inch strips (about 8 cups) (I used the Rainbow chard)
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Salt
½ cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese **I used goat cheese**
½ cup chopped green onions, for garnish
Preparation:
1. In a medium-large heavy pot (such as a Dutch oven), cook the chorizo over medium heat, stirring regularly and breaking up clumps, until lightly browned and thoroughly done, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. While the chorizo is cooking, place the Swiss chard in a microwaveable bowl, cover with plastic wrap, poke a few holes in the top and microwave on high until completely wilted, usually about 2 minutes for spinach, 3 minutes or so for Swiss chard. Uncover the bowl and set aside.
3. When the chorizo is ready, add the beans, chopped chipotles, and 1 ½ cups water. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon, depending on the saltiness of the chorizo and beans. Add the wilted greens and let the mixture return to a boil.
4. Ladle into bowls and serve, passing the cheese and onion for each person to add.

Review: Muy caliente!!! I'm a hardball on spice, and should have realized how spicy the chiptole chiles are but the soup is fantastic. The consistency is pretty thick so I was able to make black bean and cheese burritos, which made for another great lunch.

Buffalo Chicken Soup

I went grocery shopping at Trader Joe's to pick up a couple of items for the week. I like shopping here because they have a great inexpensive wine selection, and yummy cheeses to pair it with. I hate produce shopping here, because items like cilantro and green onions, and the apples are way cheaper at my other fave store, Henry's. I didn't really feel like driving 15 minutes away to grocery shop, and TJ's is way closer to my house, too. So here I am, perusing the cheeses - looking for Gruyere and asiago because I finally found the Parmesan dip recipe from Bottega...and then I start to get a whiff of the whatever the TJ's lady is making. I look over, and to my surprise - it was soup! I took my sample, and fell in love with it, and saw there was the recipe available. I looked it over, and had almost everything at home except for the blue cheese. I was standing right next to the cheeses, so I picked it up as well.

On a side note, I dislike the TJ's lady because she insulted me when I asked her what mirepoix was. She looked at me and said in her most snooty and annoying voice "Well, it seems that you don't watch cooking shows. It's right here, (pointing at a container of carrots, onions and celery). I told her "that's a shortcut of those items - and that I chop all my vegetables myself. Have you heard of sofrito? Same term as well." I really wanted to rip her a new one, and I thought to myself well, that's a french term that I'm not familiar with, and I do cook and watch cooking shows and I gave her a weak thank you, and my sideways eye and walked away.

Aside from the annoying comment from the TJ's lady, I still made the soup. I chopped my mirepoix and used fresh ingredients instead of the already packaged and pre-cut items that the original recipe suggested. Take that TJ's lady!


Buffalo Chicken Soup
Adapted from Trader Joe's
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (or mozzarella)
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons of Italian parsley, chopped finely

Preparation:
1. Cook chicken as you like. I did a quick marinade of salt, pepper, lemon zest, and the juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary and thyme. Baked it for 25 minutes.
2. Saute mirepoix (carrots, celery and onions) until tender.
3. Stir in broth, heavy cream and hot sauce.
4. In a bowl, toss all the cheeses together and flour. Mix well. Gradually add to soup.
5. Heat until thick and hot, serve with additional hot sauce and extra blue cheese.

Review: What an creamy and cheesy soup, almost like having buffalo wings and blue cheese dressing in a soup. I had served it with a rosemary sourdough dinner roll to dip any extra leftovers in my bowl. This soup was the perfect winter dinner for me.

Farmhouse Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is my favorite winter vegetable that I recently discovered, and I just love finding countless ways to cook with it. I've never used caraway before, but it's quite earthy and fragnant plus it pairs well with fresh thyme. Also, it was suggested to roast the butternut squash for a deeper and sweeter flavor. I love enjoying a nice warm bowl of soup during the winter weather months, this is perfect to enjoy with hot sourdough bread or just by itself. Enjoy!


Roasted Farmhouse Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from Epicurious
Ingredients:
4 bacon slices or Bacon Bits
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped, and roasted
1/2 pounds carrots, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:
1. Cook bacon in a 4-to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
2. Add garlic and caraway seeds to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add roasted squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, heavy cream, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves.
3. Purée the soup with a hand-blender, until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve topped with crumbled bacon/bacon bits & green onions.

Review: This is a great way to enjoy butternut squash - my favorite winter vegetable, it's light and simple. I pair it with a simple salad for lunch or enjoy this as my early dinner snack.

Zuppa Toscana

I actually love winter weather because my cooking menu changes for the weather. I'll make casseroles, roasted chickens, pot roasts, and my favorite meal starter...soups. Soup would be my perfect mini meal, because it fills you up after one bowl, and usually everything cooks in one pot. The one pot meal always means less dishes to wash, too! This recipe is a copycat version from Olive Garden, whereas it's not my favorite Italian restaurant, but the breadsticks would make you fall in love with the waiter. I don't know how many times during dinner, I would politely ask for "more bread" or "more soup" or "more salad." You can never get enough of it, but this soup is perfect for me. I love the spicy bite from the Italian sausage, and the delicate kale floats beautifully as the perfect green. Overall, I highly enjoy the heartiness and of this soup.


Zuppa Toscana
Adapted from Tuscan Recipes

Ingredients:
1 lb ground italian sausage, casings removed*I used Farmer John's breakfast links*
1½ teaspoon crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 slices of bacon, chopped
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb diced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
3 cups of kale, chopped
Kosher salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Parmigiano-reggiano, shredded
*Optional: Parmesan rind

Preparation:
1. Sauté italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, set aside while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add the parmesan rind into the pot, it adds that extra cheesy essence and creamy subtle depth that you're looking for.*
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the parmigiano-reggiano, sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Salt and pepper to taste, you might want to undersalt just a bit because the salt will break away from the rind and increase the salinity of your soup.

Review: Tastes just like the original, but better and easy to prepare at home. It was my perfect soup while I was nursing my strep throat. I love recreating meals like this at home, it makes me feel I've brought the restaurant to my kitchen. ;-)

California Tri-Tip Chili

This past week my husband's work held a chili-cook-off competition. My husband was eager to participate and determined to make the best chili possible. We've been researching recipes, and tasting ones that we love. Pinks Hotdogs has the best chili hot dog ever. We love the sweet and smooth velvety chili - it's heaven on top of a hot dog, it's worth waiting 2 hours in line to get that darn hot dog. Also our other top choice for chili is Ruby's Diner, they serve chili cheese fries at the Angel Stadium that are too die for. It's a meal in itself that contains a basket of golden crunchy fries with savory velvety chili topped with chunks of shredded tender beef, green onions and cheddar cheese. OMG, it's heaven. Using our heads, we tried our hardest to find a recipe similar to both of our top favorite chili's. It was quite impossible with the endless chili recipes out there, not even a copy-cat version is available for Pinks or Ruby's Diner.

However, we decided to make one of our favorite chef's ultimate chili, Tyler Florence's Ultimate Chili. But after looking at several of the reviews, and looking at the ingredients - I was leery about it. My husband had reviewed several recipes, and handpicked this one to make. But I did more research, and found a great one on Epicurious that might match our taste buds. I switched it up on him at the last minute and he wasn't aware of the new recipe until the night he prepared it. But I had to convince him that this recipe would be a winner. It's pretty hard to find a no-bean chili with tri-tip, and most chili's are made with sirloin or ground beef. We changed the main ingredient because the original asks for brisket. It's not a meat choice that we prefer, and tri-tip was the key ingredient found in our Ruby's Diner chili. This chili does take some serious time to make, and my husband did most of the work for this one. I just bought all the ingredients and prepped the butternut squash for him. If you have the time, please make this chili, it is sure worth eating!

*Disclaimer: Husband won the chili cook off competition, bragging rights to him were rewarded. I'm not taking credit for this recipe, but I'm proud of my husband. He's a great cook, too!


California Tri-Tip Chili
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:
Chili:
3 large dried ancho chiles
3 ounces bacon & pancetta, diced
3/4 pounds yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 to 3 lb tri-tip roast, cut into 2 1/2- to 3-inch cubes
Coarse kosher salt
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3/4 of 12-ounce bottle dark ale beer *We used Newcastle*
1 4-ounce can diced roasted green chiles
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
2 cups 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks seeded peeled butternut squash

Preparation:
1. Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon & pancetta in dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.
3. Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander, and 3/4teaspoons coarse salt; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick. Pour puree over tri-tip in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.
4. Bring chili to simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook until beef is almost tender, about 1 hour. Add squash; stir to coat. Roast uncovered until beef and squash are tender, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered, about 45 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Review: One of the best chili's that I have tasted, the addition of the butternut squash is so amazing. I'm so in love with this vegetable, roasting the butternut squash in the last hour gives the chili so much depth. We were questioning the addition of butternut squash with the chili if it would hold well, comparing it to potatoes - it does not have that bland taste or the mushiness of a sweet potato. The nuttiness and creaminess of butternut squash blends perfectly with the chili. We're already planning to make another batch of chili. YIPEE!

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

Oh fall, I love you. I love you because of the flavors, falling of the leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and the wonderful filling comfort food. Soup is one of those meals that I love during cold nights. However, in SoCal...that's in my sweet dreams. We are still pushing 90 degree days, and fall weather won't really happen till maybe later this month. One of my favorite soups to enjoy is tomato soup with a grilled cheese. I feel like a little kid whenever I have it, I like to dunk my grilled cheese in my soup...it's just heavenly. This soup from Ina Garten is a great way to use up those tomatoes from your garden, and basil, too. I love the simplicity of this soup and the flavors really come together. It's best paired with some crackers or my favorite grilled cheese with prosciutto.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup
Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, thyme chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
2. Add the cream to the soup and use a hand blender and mix until smooth. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves.

Review: This soup is excellent, rich, creamy and I loved it. Secret is make your own stock, it doesn't taste the same when you use store bought or those chicken broth. Thanks Ina!