Roasted Tomato - Vegetable Soup

Sometimes I get an idea for a recipe and it meets or exceeds my expectations. This was one o.f those times ☺️ It's not an exact recipe though, more just a photo illustration.

I had to slow-roast everything since I could not figure out how to get the oven temperature higher or lower than 350° on this fancy oven where I'm currently staying, here in Arizona.

I lost track of the time it took to get everything roasted properly, but as usually the carrots are the last to soften, so they were my guide. At that temperature, I'd guess the process took around an hour and a half, give or take a bit.

First scrub everything, then cut it all into big or medium chunks. Toss it all together in a big soup pot with a generous amount of good quality -single source- EVOO, a bit of garlic salt, lots of black pepper and whatever seasoning or herb blend you choose. 

Pour that onto a big sheet pan and roast until the carrots cooperate. Cool all this slightly, peel the tomatoes if you can, then put everything into a blender jar.

Pulse until rough-chunky or all the way to baby-food-smooth, whatever your preference for this particular soup happens to be today. Mine here isn't chunky but also not smooth, somewhere -just right- in the middle.

Pour this into that same big pot again. Rinse the pan and blender jar and add this water to the pot. Heat it to a simmer, taste and make any corrections in texture, viscosity and seasonings. More of everything? More water? Chicken soup base? Want it dairy free -?- then serve it now. 

If you want it a bit softer, and appreciate dairy, add heavy cream or a big spoonful of sour cream, just a little at a time until you get it right. Stir gently to combine everything and heat it back to a simmer before serving.

I had this with a piece of Cloud Bread and a fresh green side salad. . .Mmmm. Remember. . .it's always soup season. . .Even here in Arizona with the outside temperature at 91° . . 🥰 . . Lin

Mexican Rice

1c long grain white rice

1c sour cream

1-2c grated sharp cheese

¼c chopped jalapeños

Cook the rice according to about ¾ done, according to package directions.  Put aside ½c of the grated cheese to sprinkle on top.  Mix the cooked rice with remaining ingredients.  Taste the rice, adding anything necessary to bring out the flavors.  I added a little black and cayenne pepper and a bit of salt.  Pour it into a 9"x 9" glass baking pan.  Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top and bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes.  Serve with enchiladas, meatloaf, tacos, chicken. . .anything that would pair well with some spicy rice!

This is as close as I can get to duplicating a recipe The Lunch Ladies used to make at Three Lakes School, in Three Lakes, Wisconsin, where I worked as the K-8 School Secretary, many years ago.  I think at one time I actually had the recipe, but it's been long since lost.  In spite of (or maybe because of??) the spiciness of this, all the children loved it! . . . Lin  

Creamy Six-Onion Soubise Soup

3 med.-large sweet onions

1 med. white onion

½ lg. purple onion

3 lg. purple shallots

3-4T butter

⅛t cayenne pepper

¼t finely ground black pepper

1t Alderwood-smoked sea salt
2T beef soup base

½c dry white wine

8 green onions

6 lg. cloves of garlic

6oz. coconut milk

8oz. sour cream 

Well, this is for sure my first attempt at 'Soubise' and I also think possibly my first at any sort of Onion Soup!  I have to say, I'm happy with the results and would make this recipe again.  

Halve, then quarter the larger onions, halve the shallots, slice and combine everything in a cast iron Dutch oven, along with the butter.  Cook and caramelize, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a golden brown.  (This will create a heartier soup, but today I omitted this step, opting for a more simple, onion flavor.)  I instead I added the seasonings, soup base, and wine*, and simmered to bring out all the flavors for about a half hour.  If you're caramelizing, *hold off on the wine until the next step.  Add the sliced green onions and minced garlic now (and the wine). 

Cover again and simmer another 20 minutes.   Pour in 16-24oz. water, stir and again bring to a simmer, cooking another 20 minutes covered.  Just before serving, stir in the coconut milk and sour cream, check the flavors, making any corrections necessary.  Also, use an immersion blender now if you'd like a smoother soup.


This would be perfect on a chilly day, with hot, crusty bread and a nice big tossed salad!  A big bowl of this and a salad is "what's for dinner" for me tonight 😋 . . . Lin

"Tired Vegetable" Casserole

This can be made with whatever almost questionable, vegetables you may have lurking in your refrigerator crisper.  My dad used to call these 'tired vegetables' :-)  Today, this is what I found:

2 lg. carrots

water to cover sliced carrots

1/2 med. head of green cabbage

1 bunch of broccoli

1/2 med. red onion

2-3T coconut oil

1-2T seasoning of the day

fresh ground garlic sea salt

   sour cream

   plain Greek yogurt

chopped nuts or seeds

Slice the carrots into a big pan - just one layer deep.  Barely cover them with water and simmer, covered about 5 minutes to give them a head start.  Carrots are very dense and take longer to cook than most vegetables.  Layer the vegetables as shown.  Chopped cabbage, broccoli florets broken into bite-sized pieces, sliced red onion, top with coconut oil and sprinkle with whatever seasoning strikes your fancy!  Chili Lime Seasoning was my choice today, but Curry Powder or Tandoori would also be wonderful.

Cover and simmer on low long enough to melt the coconut oil and steam the vegetables.  Maybe 10 minutes.  Uncover, stir gently, continue to cook on low, uncovered until all the water evaporates.  Stir in the sour cream and yogurt, cover and heat just until the sauce that's created warms, don't let it bubble.  (My broccoli was overdone today.  It should be bright green when served.  Next time I'll only steam-cook the florets 5 minutes or so.)  Serve topped with chopped pecans, almonds, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.  Yum! . . . Lin

Penny - my Food Hound, and Oliver - my laid-back Puggle!  As a footnote, when I'm preparing anything in the kitchen, my sweet dogs are always right there.  You have to be careful what you give them, chocolate, grapes and raisins for instance should absolutely NOT be given to dogs!  However, apples, carrots, lettuce cores, broccoli stems, cabbage leaves are given to mine regularly.  Keeps them healthy, and they love it!  Try it with your pups. . .Google "safe fruit and vegetables for dogs."

Vegetable Chowder

4 big ears of corn

(not skinny young ones)

1 bunch of beet greens

3 carrots - scrub and chop

1 Anaheim or Poblano pepper - seed and chop

1 onion - chopped

2T good, dark, gritty bacon fat

1/2-1t ground red and black pepper

1# fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes

3c strained corn water

2T chicken Better Than Bullion

2c half and half

(or - 1c plain Greek yogurt and 1c half and half)

1 sm. bunch parsley - chopped

Steam the corn in 4c water in a big covered pan.  Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Chop the beet greens and wash them well in a salad spinner.  When clean and dry, set aside until later.  Cut the corn off the cobs and strain the corn water into another container.  Next, chop the carrots, pepper and onion the way you like them.   Combine these with the corn in a 5 qt. pot with the bacon grease and pepper.  Simmer and stir until nicely brown.

Add finely chopped or grated potatoes, corn water and Better Than Bullion.  Stir and bring to a low simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and chill an hour or two.  Return to heat, simmer another 20 minutes.  Add beet greens and parsley, stir, cover and simmer on low 5-10 minutes.  Cool slightly, stir in half and half (or the combination of that and yogurt), heat to a simmer, check and correct seasonings and serve. . .Lin

Quail Stroganoff

1-1/2# 6 frozen quail
well seasoned flour
butter, bacon grease, oil
1/2 med. onion chopped
2-3 lg. cloves minced garlic

8oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lg. chopped tomato
1c sour cream
1/2c half and half
1-2T powdered chicken soup base
a little more black and red ground pepper

In a large, non-stick frying pan, melt the butter, etc. together and heat.  Rinse and dry the quail then roll in seasoned flour.  Seasoned with black and red pepper, seasoned salt and a little sea salt.  Put the whole floured quails in the hot oil with the onion and garlic.



Cover with a splatter screen and fry for about a half hour, turning often until everything is well browned.  Move the quail to a 2-3 qt. baking dish.  Drain and discard about half the oil left in the pan.  To the rest of the oil, and browned onion and garlic, add mushrooms.  Stir and saute' until browning a little.  Add the remaining ingredients, stir well then pour over the quail.


At this point you can cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight to bring out all the flavors.  Or you can bake it now.  Bake at 325° for an hour.  Serve over mashed potatoes, thick cut American fries or cooked pasta. . .Lin

Potato-Leek Soup

6 sm. yellow potatoes - cubed
1/4# very finely chopped bacon
1/2 red pepper - chopped
2 leeks - sliced
8 lg. cloves of garlic - minced
6c water
4 stalks celery - chopped

celery tops - finely chopped
1 carrot - finely chopped
1 big handful frozen French green beans
2T chicken soup base
1c half & half

In your favorite 5qt. pot, combine potatoes, bacon, red pepper and about half the chopped leeks and garlic.  Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and bring all this to a medium simmer, stirring often, for the next 20 minutes or so.

When everything is browning and beginning to stick to the pot, add water and continue to stir hard, scraping all the browned bits into the soup.  Simmer, covered on medium heat for about a half hour.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the half & half.

Continue to simmer, covered, for another 45 minutes.  Stir in the half & half, stir again and serve with some aged, dry, flavorful cheese grated on top.  Fresh Parmesan would be perfect.  This is another soup that tastes really great reheated, after being fully chilled. . .Lin

Popper Dip

2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese – softened

1c mayonnaise or ½c each mayo and sour cream

1½c shredded hot pepper cheese

1c shredded parmesan cheese

½c Panko bread crumbs

Mix together the first three ingredients. Check flavors and heat and make any necessary additions. Put in an ungreased 9” pie pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with crackers, Fritos or sliced fresh vegetables.

This was another recipe from our girl's group dinner a week ago. Sandy got this recipe from a friend and made several changes. It was great. Thank you Sandy!

Orange-Raisin Rice Pudding

¾c 20 minute rice
1½c water

1 orange - zest and juice

¾c golden raisins

½c sugar

2T butter

1½-2c milk

1t cinnamon

Combine rice and water in a 2qt. kettle. Cook until water is evaporated then add the juice of the orange, zest, raisins and butter. Mix these then stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer low, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed – 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a pretty glass bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Serve warm or cold. . .Lin

Vanilla Custard (no-crust) Pie

3 large eggs beaten with a whisk

1T good quality vanilla

1/3c sugar - brown & white

2T melted butter

1½c milk, half & half mix

1-1½T self-rising flour

½t each: cinnamon & nutmeg

Beat room temperature eggs (1 large and 1 jumbo - or 3 large) and vanilla with a whisk. Add sugar and butter, beating again while adding about ½ of the milk. Whisk in the flour and spices and continue to blend until well combined. Add rest of milk, continue to whisk until well blended. Pour into a buttered glass pie pan and rest on counter top 5 minutes. Preheat oven and bake at 350° 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted half way to center comes out clean.

*When baking is complete, sprinkle a little sugar all over the top and place under the broiler. Stay with it the whole time so it doesn't burn. When the sugar melts and browns, take it out of the oven. This step is *optional but creates an effect similar to crème' brule that has been sugared and torched.

The addition of self-rising flour creates the hint of a crust. Be sure your self-rising flour is fresh. Mine wasn't and the pie was flatter than it should have been. Allow to cool completely or until barely warm before serving. Garnish with vanilla or amaretto whipped cream, cut up fruit or shaved chocolate. . .Lin

Lemon Thyme Ranch Dressing - and A Big Fresh Summer Salad (with bleu cheese crumbles, garbanzos and hearts of palm)

Dressing:

2/3c half & half

2T Balsamic vinegar

2/3c Kraft Cracked Pepper Mayo

1T finely chopped Lemon-Thyme leaves

In a 3-4c measuring container, whisk half & half with the vinegar, creating buttermilk. Stir in the remaining ingredients, blending well. Add a little water if needed to make it pourable.

Store in a Good Seasons Salad Dressing carafe.

Salad:

Combine 2-3 big kale leaves, all the vegetables shown here - sliced-chopped - in a big bowl.

Voila' - a great, busy-day lunch break. . .

But then, while putting the dressing away, I saw the hearts of palm, bleu cheese and thought, oh, garbanzos would be nice!

It quickly evolved to this—>

Happy Monday everyone! . . . Lin

Coconut-Pineapple Ice Cream w/ Seedless Blackberry Jam

Oh my!  —  A Splurge!!!

I don't crave chocolate much anymore.
However, give me some ice cream
with good quality vanilla as the
base, and I might be in trouble.

~    -    ~    -    ~

I just discovered Edy's Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream.

Today I put a spoonful of Seedless Blackberry jam
in the bottom of the bowl, heated it just enough
to make it soupy, then added the ice cream.
Oh, it was good.  :-D

~    -    ~    -    ~

I'm thinking next time though,
I'll use some Citrus Marmalade I have.  Mmmmm. . .Lin

Spicy Garlic-Dill Dresiing

½c real mayonnaise

½c sour cream

1t hot sauce

1t Balsamic vinegar

1½t dark green dried dill

2 cloves fresh garlic-minced

(salt & pepper were not needed)

Stir all ingredients together in a little bowl.


This recipe makes a thicker, spoonable dressing. If you want it pourable, add water - a little at a time, to reach the consistency you like. . .Lin

A Hodag-Country-Fest Breakfast

Preheat oven to 325°. Butter a large glass pie pan. Chop and arrange the following ingredients in layers, covering the bottom evenly with each:

some chopped Lit'l Smokies* optional

separated broccoli florets

sliced pieces of red (yellow, orange, green or purple) sweet peppers

chopped tomato

chopped onion

vertically sliced pieces of kohlrabi for crunch

whisk together:

4 eggs

½c milk

1-2T self-rising flour

Pour this over the vegetables in the baking pan. Sprinkle with 2oz. shredded sharp cheddar or Swiss cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes, until quiche' is set and a knife inserted half way between edge and center, comes out clean. Serve with fruit and/or sliced vegetables. Shown are tomatoes and kohlrabi, cantaloupe craisins and prunes. (Fruit is best when sliced, combined and refrigerated the night before).  Serves 4-6. . .Lin

Southwest Corn Tortillas and Vegetables

1c     leftover cooked chicken* (optional) cut up very small

1      Vidalia onion - chopped

½      each: red & green pepper - chopped

1-2c  refried beans

Combine chicken*, onion and peppers in a non-stick pan with 1-2T butter or coconut oil. Quick stir-fry until the chicken browns a bit. While vegetables are still crisp tender, add beans. Stir and melt together. Meanwhile, dry toast-heat tortillas on a cast iron griddle, then transfer to a serving plate. Fill with the bean mixture, top with a dab of sour cream, shredded cheese then fold. Serve with tomatoes, avocado, cucumbers or whatever you happen to have in the fridge. . .Lin

Homemade Ricotta Cheese!!!

Well now.

Here's a good way to get around concern over food quality.

Make your own!

Again just to be clear (copyright infringements and all). . .

this is not an original recipe of mine.

http://www.relish.com/recipes/homemade-ricotta/

Yogurt-Fruit Smoothie

This is an option for breakfast or an after-work-out pick-me-up or a high energy meal-on-the-go sort of thing.  I'm not a fan of protein powders in smoothies.  If you read labels, you'll find some great plain Greek Yogurts with protein in the 20+ grams-per-cup range.  No need to add protein powder to that!

6oz     plain Greek Yogurt

1/2      banana

1c        frozen cranberries & blueberries

            (strawberries, dark cherries, etc.)

ice, a little cold water or club soda

*a drizzle of honey or real Maple syrup

Put all in a blender container and blend until smooth, adjusting consistency with the ice or cold water.  This is a great source of calcium, protein and antioxidants.  *optional - sweeten to taste, gradually eliminating this and just going with the natural flavors and sweetness of the fruits.

The actual breakdown on this recipe may be a bit surprising.  Using cranberries and blueberries, it comes out as follows:  Yield: 3 cups, containing: 228 calories with no sweetener added, 15g protein, 396mg potassium, 40g CARBS, 17g fiber.  The bad news is, the natural carb and sugar content is high - which could be a problem, however, the potassium and fiber is also high which is a good thing. . .Lin

Tomato Basil Soup

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
5 T good quality basil pesto
1 t real maple syrup or sugar
1/2 t ground rosemary or basil
a sprinkle of cayenne pepper
1/2 c sour cream
sunflower seeds or pine nuts




Combine all, stir and heat. This recipe goes from cans and jars to soup in 5-10 minutes. . .Lin