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The best soup on the planet. This soup is like getting a hug from your grandmother. It's like putting on an old pair of jeans and finding a $20 in the pocket. It's like having your teenager spontaneously say, "I love you, Mom."
I've been on Pinterest for several years now, and I've tried many recipes that were good, but not great and a few that were apparently pinned by people with no taste buds. Believe me when I say that this soup lives up to the hype. It was every bit as delicious as I hoped it would be. I made it with my daughter, who is learning to cook, so I didn't make any intentional changes to the recipe, but when we got down to the herb part, I didn't have any bay leaves on hand, nor have I ever had herbes de Provence in the spice cabinet. I may get some for next time, but this soup was fantastic without them. I wouldn't recommend omitting the gruyere at serving time, though.
I also didn't have any crusty artisan bread (as pictured) to go with it. Frankly, I'm not sure I'm equipped for that kind of bliss.
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recipes. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Recipes that make me feel merry
You may have heard that there's a snowstorm out East. Let me tell you, I have not seen this much snow since we lived in Big Sky Country. Our church cancelled Sunday services, and Baptists churches just don't cancel. So, since we were literally unable to get the car out of the garage, we went sledding this morning. The snow was up past my knees! It sounds like the roads are going to be iffy for at least one more day, and then it's going to start getting tense around here. I need to get to Wegman's so I can start cooking Christmas dinner! Here are the recipes for a couple of dishes that make it an official holiday meal in the Button Factory.
Susan's Texas Squash Casserole
10 yellow squash, sliced
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (I'm not a fan of green bell pepper, so I chop it really small. Or just leave it out entirely. Don't tell Susan.)
1 package jalapeno cornbread mix
8 oz. Cheese Whiz or Velveeta (or Mexican Velveeta if jalapeno cornbread mix is unavailable and you had to settle for plain cornbread mix.)
stick of butter, melted
1 egg
Boil the squash, onion and bell pepper until soft and drain it very, very well. (The squash won't hold its shape, but don't get upset.) Set aside. Melt the Velveeta and butter together and mix in the egg and cornbread mix, then combine all that with the squash mixture. Pour it into a greased 9x13" casserole dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees until browned and bubbly around the edges.
Will's Favorite "Orange Mashed Potatoes" (Sweet Potatoes, to the rest of the world)
5 or 6 yams or sweet potatoes (the ones with the orange flesh, whatever they're called where you live.)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
dash of salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
For the topping:
1 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup flour
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of pecan pieces.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into uniform chunks. Boil potatoes in plenty of water until a fork easily pierces them. Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl with sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and salt. Mash with a potato masher--NOT an electric mixer. Taste and if they're sweet enough for you, add the eggs. Pour into greased casserole dishes. Mix together the topping ingredients and spread over the top of the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
*This recipe comes from The Sweet Potato Queen's Book of Love, and I promise it will make a sweet potato lover out of you. It also freezes beautifully, which makes me love it all the more. If I'm going to freeze it, I either plan to thaw it completely before baking or bake it for an hour, frozen, and add the topping for the last 30 minutes.
And finally, the carb that steals the show, the dinner roll. I don't have a go-to holiday roll recipe, but we had these for Thanksgiving and they were delicious. They reminded me of the rolls you get at the Dixie Cafe in Little Rock. I highly recommend a squirt of honey on them, in addition to the requisite butter. Mmmm!
Dinner Rolls
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup rolled oats (My friend Tobie told me the oats give them sweetness.)
1/3 cup sugar (This could also give them sweetness.)
1 package active dry yeast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
Combine the butter and milk in a saucepan and heat to melt the butter, stirring occasionally. Let it cool to 120-130 degrees. Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, oats, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and one egg, stirring well. Add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, the whole wheat flour and salt, stirring until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump dough onto a well-floured surface and knead five minutes, adding another 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, if necessary, to keep dough from being sticky. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to oil the top. Allow to rise, covered loosely, warm place free from drafts, blah, blah, blah, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. After dough has risen, punch it down (doesn't seem fair, I know.) and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 3 or 4 times. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Arrange rolls in a greased 9-inch square pan, leaving 1 inch of space between rolls. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until rolls are lightly browned.
(modified from Sister Schubert's Herb Rolls.)
Susan's Texas Squash Casserole
10 yellow squash, sliced
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped (I'm not a fan of green bell pepper, so I chop it really small. Or just leave it out entirely. Don't tell Susan.)
1 package jalapeno cornbread mix
8 oz. Cheese Whiz or Velveeta (or Mexican Velveeta if jalapeno cornbread mix is unavailable and you had to settle for plain cornbread mix.)
stick of butter, melted
1 egg
Boil the squash, onion and bell pepper until soft and drain it very, very well. (The squash won't hold its shape, but don't get upset.) Set aside. Melt the Velveeta and butter together and mix in the egg and cornbread mix, then combine all that with the squash mixture. Pour it into a greased 9x13" casserole dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees until browned and bubbly around the edges.
Will's Favorite "Orange Mashed Potatoes" (Sweet Potatoes, to the rest of the world)
5 or 6 yams or sweet potatoes (the ones with the orange flesh, whatever they're called where you live.)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 stick of butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
dash of salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
For the topping:
1 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup flour
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of pecan pieces.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into uniform chunks. Boil potatoes in plenty of water until a fork easily pierces them. Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl with sugar, milk, butter, vanilla and salt. Mash with a potato masher--NOT an electric mixer. Taste and if they're sweet enough for you, add the eggs. Pour into greased casserole dishes. Mix together the topping ingredients and spread over the top of the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.
*This recipe comes from The Sweet Potato Queen's Book of Love, and I promise it will make a sweet potato lover out of you. It also freezes beautifully, which makes me love it all the more. If I'm going to freeze it, I either plan to thaw it completely before baking or bake it for an hour, frozen, and add the topping for the last 30 minutes.
And finally, the carb that steals the show, the dinner roll. I don't have a go-to holiday roll recipe, but we had these for Thanksgiving and they were delicious. They reminded me of the rolls you get at the Dixie Cafe in Little Rock. I highly recommend a squirt of honey on them, in addition to the requisite butter. Mmmm!
Dinner Rolls
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup rolled oats (My friend Tobie told me the oats give them sweetness.)
1/3 cup sugar (This could also give them sweetness.)
1 package active dry yeast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
Combine the butter and milk in a saucepan and heat to melt the butter, stirring occasionally. Let it cool to 120-130 degrees. Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, oats, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and one egg, stirring well. Add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, the whole wheat flour and salt, stirring until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Dump dough onto a well-floured surface and knead five minutes, adding another 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, if necessary, to keep dough from being sticky. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to oil the top. Allow to rise, covered loosely, warm place free from drafts, blah, blah, blah, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. After dough has risen, punch it down (doesn't seem fair, I know.) and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 3 or 4 times. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Arrange rolls in a greased 9-inch square pan, leaving 1 inch of space between rolls. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until rolls are lightly browned.
(modified from Sister Schubert's Herb Rolls.)
Monday, December 14, 2009
Cranberry Waldorf Salad (by special request)
This recipe comes from my mother-in-law, Sharon. It started out as a must-have holiday dish in Scott's family and once my family tasted it, it became a must-have for us, too. So, without further adieu, I present....
Cranberry Waldorf Salad
2 cups fresh cranberries
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups diced, peeled apples
1/2 cup seedless purple grapes*
1/2 cup broken walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
Chop cranberries and combine with marshmallows and sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (This is absolutely critical. I cannot overstate the importance of letting the cranberries "pickle" in the sugar. If you skip this step, abandon your plan to have Cranberry Waldorf Salad.) The next morning, add the apples, grapes, walnuts and salt. Whip the cream (The recipe doesn't call for the cream to be whipped with sugar and a splash of vanilla, but that's how I do it.) Fold the cream into the salad and chill.
* Normally I am a staunch supporter of green grapes. Cranberry Waldorf Salad is the only reason I ever buy purple grapes.
Cranberry Waldorf Salad, front and center
Cranberry Waldorf Salad
2 cups fresh cranberries
3 cups miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups diced, peeled apples
1/2 cup seedless purple grapes*
1/2 cup broken walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream
Chop cranberries and combine with marshmallows and sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (This is absolutely critical. I cannot overstate the importance of letting the cranberries "pickle" in the sugar. If you skip this step, abandon your plan to have Cranberry Waldorf Salad.) The next morning, add the apples, grapes, walnuts and salt. Whip the cream (The recipe doesn't call for the cream to be whipped with sugar and a splash of vanilla, but that's how I do it.) Fold the cream into the salad and chill.
* Normally I am a staunch supporter of green grapes. Cranberry Waldorf Salad is the only reason I ever buy purple grapes.
Cranberry Waldorf Salad, front and centerActually, now that I look at this plate of indescribable yumminess, I should probably share all these recipes. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Yummmmm!
Yesterday I made a soup that was so yummy I just have to tell you about it. My dad--who is not a big fan of green vegetables, to put it mildly--even said it was delicious! We ate every single drop of it and then cried because there was no more. I'm seriously considering making a special trip to our brand-spanking new Wegman's, which Scott calls the DisneyWorld of grocery stores. (I can't tell if he means it as a compliment or a criticism, though!)
So without further adieu, I give you Cream of Asparagus Soup!
First, you want to roast the asparagus. Put 1 T. of olive oil and 1 T. of butter in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cut the ends off 1 pound of asparagus, and cut the rest into 1-inch pieces. When the butter is melted into the olive oil, add the asparagus and cover with a lid. Let it roast and steam for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus) until it's nice and bright green. Then remove the lid, turn heat to high and cook another 5 to 7 minutes (again, use the longer time for thicker asparagus.) Season with salt and pepper. (*You can squeeze some lime juice over it and serve it as a regular ol' vegetable at this point.)
Next melt 4 T. of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of flour and stir until smooth. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (slowly). Return the saucepan to the heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Add 1/2 cup half-and-half (I bet I used more like 3/4 cup), salt and pepper, and the roasted asparagus. Stir it all together and hit it just a little with a stick blender--I wanted the soup part to be green, but still leave a lot of the asparagus whole. Heat it through and enjoy!
So without further adieu, I give you Cream of Asparagus Soup!
First, you want to roast the asparagus. Put 1 T. of olive oil and 1 T. of butter in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cut the ends off 1 pound of asparagus, and cut the rest into 1-inch pieces. When the butter is melted into the olive oil, add the asparagus and cover with a lid. Let it roast and steam for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus) until it's nice and bright green. Then remove the lid, turn heat to high and cook another 5 to 7 minutes (again, use the longer time for thicker asparagus.) Season with salt and pepper. (*You can squeeze some lime juice over it and serve it as a regular ol' vegetable at this point.)
Next melt 4 T. of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup of flour and stir until smooth. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (slowly). Return the saucepan to the heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Add 1/2 cup half-and-half (I bet I used more like 3/4 cup), salt and pepper, and the roasted asparagus. Stir it all together and hit it just a little with a stick blender--I wanted the soup part to be green, but still leave a lot of the asparagus whole. Heat it through and enjoy!
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