Organic Tomato French Lentil Soup

Here is yet another of my soup recipes.  I made this after mistakenly buying French lentils instead of green lentils.  The taste is pretty much the same but, since the French lentils are smaller they cook much faster.  I used tomatoes in it to try a different texture and flavor from my usual lentil soups.  This is also a soup that can be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken.  I use all organic ingredients in this recipe but conventional are fine too.  The veggies can be bought at Whole Foods or BJs or Costco or your local farm stand.  The tomatoes I buy at Whole Foods.  The stock I buy at Costco or BJs, where they carry a box of 6 for a great price.  The thyme and Bay leaf are from my garden but Whole Foods sells them.  I buy the lentils at Whole Foods from the bulk bin. You can buy just what you need.  This recipe makes a lot of soup so you can feed a crowd or freeze it for later.

Yield: 5- 6 quarts

Ingredients:

1 TBS organic olive oil
2 carrots,organic,  diced
1 onion, organic, diced,
4 celery stalks, organic, diced
2 garlic cloves, organic, minced
2 Bay leaves,organic
3-4 thyme stalks,organic
2 28 oz. cans tomato puree, organic
64 oz. chicken stock (this is two boxes) organic and homemade preferred or water
2 cups French Lentils, organic, rinsed
2 smoked ham hocks
1 tsp Pepper

Cut up all your veggies.

Veggies cut up

 Heat a large soup pot on medium heat.  Add 1 TBS oil to the pot and let it heat for 2 minutes.

Add the celery, carrot and onion to the pot. 

Veggies just into the pot

Saute the veggies for 5-7 minutes until they start to soften and the onions get translucent. 

Veggies after 5 minutes

Add the garlic, bay leaves and thyme and saute for 1 minute.

Cooking for 1 minute brings out the flavor but doesn't burn the garlic

 Add the tomatoes, broth, lentils, hocks and pepper to the pot.

Lentils are rinsed and check to make sure there is nothing in them that doesn't belong.

Everything is in and cooking away

 Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 -45 minutes, until the lentils are plumped and soft.

Remove the bay leaves and stems from the thyme.

Remove the hocks. Take off any meat on the hocks and add it back into the pot.

If the lentils soak up too much liquid, you can add more chicken broth or if you like a looser soup, add more broth.

Serve and enjoy.   You can freeze this too!

Organizing My Utensil Drawer

I know that this post does not sound too fun or exciting.  However, this is something I have been unable to master in the seven years I have owned my house.  As you can see below, my kitchen drawers are very wide.  This may seem like a great thing for storing large amounts of utensils and it is.  But for keeping it organized, that is another story.

Embarrassing and inefficient

 You can see the drawer is a mess.  I try to keep things that are the same or similar together.  I bought a small green plastic basket (see it in the front left) to keep some of my baking things together like scoops and teaspoons.  But that little basket could not contain the mess.  Adding to the problem was that every time the draw was opened and closed, the items would shift forward and back and get out of the places I had put them. 

I tried to place frequently used things like spoons and tongs in the front and not used things like the turkey baster in the back.  But, you can see that my attempts were not working so well.

It all began by taking a trip to the Container Store to buy a large plastic utensil holder that expands for a drawer my size.

Next, I removed all the items and placed them on the counter.  Once I did that, I was able to see what I had in the drawer and get rid of things I never use and discard broken things.  I had 3 can openers but only one worked - so 2 went in the trash! 

After I pared down the items, I removed the things that really had no place in the drawer.  Sure I need a lighter for my kitchen but I do not need the contents of the Costco pack of four.  So, one stayed and the other 3 went by the grill. 

Finally, I sorted the items into "like" categories s that things that are the same or used together were put into piles together.

Then I placed the expandable holder in the drawer. It still left a place for the green plastic basket on the left.

Then I filled it up.  Here is how it looks now:

Organized and proud

 I put all the wooden spoons in one slot, tongs, spatulas and large plastic spoons in the next, can opens, graters, peels and garlic press in the next, lesser used items like the ice cream scoop, baster, potato scrubber next and the ladles and meat pounder in the last.  The upper left corner is used for oddly shaped things like the pizza cutter, bottle openers and meat thermometer.  The baking green basket in the front is now easy to see and contains the items nicely.

Since I am hoping to sell my house soon, little things like organized drawers, pantries and closets make the house look like there is a lot of storage and that you take care of the home.  I just wish I did this sooner.  The trick now is to get my husband to put the things in the proper slot!

This whole task took me about 10 minutes and it makes cooking so much easier.  Since everything is in the right place I can find what I am looking for without digging in a mess.  I hope you can find some inspiration from my mess.

Mushroom Barley Soup in the Slow Cooker

It seems to me that there are very few people who do not like soup. No matter how many different kinds I come up with, there is always someone who wants it.  I like to bring soup in to work to share with my friends there are they are always so appreciative.  This recipe, like many of my recipes, came from me looking in the fridge and pantry to see what I had that I could use to make a new recipe.  This recipe is easy and can be made vegetarian by substituting the beef stock for vegetable stock.  The soup is full of earthy flavors from the mushrooms and filling from all the root veggies and barley.   Using the slow cooker allows you to make the soup in the summer without heating up the kitchen!  The soup can be made on the stove in a large put by sauteing the veggies in a Tablespoon of olive oil for 5 minutes and then adding the remaining ingredients, bringing it all to a simmer and simmering for 20-30 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 cups pearl barley
4 cups water, boiled
8-10 oz, sliced mushrooms, white, baby bella or any of your favorites
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 parsnip, diced (optional if you don't have one)

2 garlic cloves, minced
3 fresh thyme stalks
1 large or 2 small Bay leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 cups beef stock, you can use chicken or vegetable if you prefer

Here's how:

Place the barley in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over it.  Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit while you cut the vegetables and prepare the soup.

Place the vegetables, seasonings, and stock into a large slow cooker.

Sliced mushrooms

Close up of veggies and herbs

You can see that I use a Reynolds Crock Pot liner for easy clean up

Drain the barley and pour the soaked barley into the slow cooker.

Everything is in.  The mushrooms float to the top.

Turn the cooker on and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-9 hours until the barley and vegetables are softened.

Turn off the cooker and remove the Bay leaf and the stalks from the thyme.

Serve now, refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

All done and packed into a soup container to give to friends

Beef Stock

I have made beef stock from leftover prime rib roast but that meal is a rare and special treat.  I decided that I needed an everyday kind of recipe - and a cheaper version too.  I went to my local Whole Foods and asked the butcher for beef bones.  They directed me to the freezer section where they had them.  Your local butcher should have them if you just ask.  The recipe starts with your basic kitchen staples - organic of course- and leads you to great tasting stock.  This makes a lot of stock.  If you want less just adjust the recipe accordingly.

Ingredients:

3 carrots, cut into 3 inch pieces
2 parsnips, cut into 3 inch pieces
5 celery stalks, cut into 3 inch pieces
3 onions, skins removed and cut into quarters
4.5 - 5 lbs beef bones
1 head garlic, cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 bunch parsley
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp kosher salt
water

Here's how:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the carrots, parsnips, celery, onion and beef bones in a large roasting pan.

Bones and veggies in the roasting pan

Roast in the oven for 45 minutes until everything is browned.  Turn the ingredients occasionally to ensure even browning.

After roasting

Remove the items from the pan and place into a large stockpot.

Pour two cups of water into the roasting pan and place the pan on the stove top.  Heat the pan until the water simmers.

Water into pan,  Brown bits from roasting on the bottom

 

  While this is happening stir constantly to release any stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Scraping bits from the pan. It is called fond.

 Once it is all released, the water should be turned brown. 

Pour this into the stock pot.  Place the garlic, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns and salt into the stockpot.

Contents of roasting pan and the flavored water

Pour water into the pot until everything is covered by at least two inches.

Covered with water

Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for 4-5 hours until all the flavor is extracted from the veggies and meat.  While it is simmering, skim off any foam that forms on top.

After 4-5 hours

After 4-5 hours, strain the mixture and discard the bones and veggies.

Discard this

Pour the stock into containers for storage.  Remove any fat that collects at the top as it cools.

Stock is done

Store for one week in the fridge or freeze for up to one year.

Easter Brunch Menu

                                                     
I like to make brunch for Easter instead of dinner.  Since it is a Sunday holiday, I like to have everyone over earlier so that we can enjoy the holiday and not be rushed to get home and ready for the week ahead.  Brunch is so easy because it is a meal that you can really make anything you like to eat - eggs, pancakes, bacon, shrimp, pasta, lamb etc - and best of all, you can have mimosas.  Add a beautiful Spring Flower Arrangement and your table will look great.  Here is what is on my menu.
  
Hot Foods:

Ham and Cheese Frittata

Lamb Loin Chops
Baked Ziti

Bacon

Breakfast Sausage

Cold Foods:

Shrimp Cocktail
Fruit Platter

Baked Goods:

Lemon Blueberry Scones
Orange Cranberry Walnut Scones

Martha's Herbed Biscuits

Bagels

Drinks:

Mimosas
Orange Juice
Cranberry Juice
Coffee

Desserts:

Macaroons
Rugelach

Organic Chicken Thighs with Israeli Couscous

I received a Dutch Oven for my birthday this year so I am trying to come up with some recipes to use it.  This recipe can be made in your favorite pot as well. I created  this recipe to use the ingredients from my Winter CSA and also to use up some ingredients in my fridge and pantry.  This recipe uses easy to find items, simple techniques and creates a complete dinner in one pot.  As always, I use organic ingredients but you can use conventional.  If you don't want the couscous, just leave it out.

Ingredients:

1 TBS organic olive oil
2.5 lbs bone in, skin on organic chicken thighs (8-10 thighs)


2 TBS kosher salt, divided into 1 TBS each
2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper, divided into 1 tsp each
1/2 white organic onion, diced
2 organic leeks, cleaned and sliced
8 oz organic mushrooms, sliced
5 cloves organic garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 tsp organic Italian seasoning
1 28 oz can organic tomato puree
1 organic Bay leaf
1 cup organic chicken stock
2 cups organic Israeli (pearl) couscous

Here's how:

In a dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil on medium heat.

Salt and pepper the meat with 1 TBS salt and 1 tsp pepper.

Once hot, add the thighs, skin side down and brown for 5 minutes per side. This may need to be done in 2 or 3 batches to avoiding steaming the meat and overcrowding the pan.  You want the meat browned not steamed.

Chicken into the pan, in the first batch

Cooking on the second side

Remove the chicken and set it aside.

Add the onion and leeks and saute for 1 minute.

Leeks and onions into the pot

Add the mushrooms and saute for 3-5 minutes until softened.

Mushrooms in

Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Garlic in

After one minute

Add the wine and use your spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot - this is where the flavors are.  Cook down the wine by one half - about 5 minutes. 

Scraping down the bottom and cooking down the wine

Wine is now reduced

 Add the remaining salt, remaining pepper, Italian seasoning, Bay leaf, tomatoes and chicken stock.

Ingredients going in

Everything in and stirred

 Nestle the chicken into the sauce, lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour.

Chicken in and covered with the sauce

Lid on and dinner is cooking

After one hour, add the couscous and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the couscous is cooked and soft.

After one hour.  You can stop here and eat it like this if you want

Couscous is added and ready to cook

Serve in a bowl and enjoy.

Ready to enjoy.  One pot meal

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

I was trying to create a recipe for my husband that is Paleo-friendly.  I had all of these ingredients in the fridge and came up with this soup.  If you don't like coconut milk or don't want the flavor of coconut, use regular milk, I use 2% as my usual milk, or more broth.  If you like it sweeter, you can also add 1 - 2 TBS of brown sugar to it.  This is a great fall soup but can be made all winter using stored root vegetables. You can double or triple this recipe based upon what your needs are.

Makes 1.5 to 2 quarts

Ingredients:

2 slices thick cut bacon, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 butternut squash, cleaned and diced
1 extra large sweet potato, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk, chicken broth or coconut milk, or more if you like a thinner soup
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Here's how:

Saute the bacon in a dutch oven until brown.

Dutch oven on medium heat

Thick cut bacon

Bacon cut up and browning

Remove the bacon and set aside on a plate covered in paper towel.

Brown bacon and set aside

Add the onion and carrots to the bacon drippings in the dutch oven and saute for 3 minutes.

Carrots and onions sauteing in the bacon drippings

Add the squash and sweet potato to the pot and saute 2 minutes.

Squash and potato in

Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan, stirring until all the bits are into the liquid.


Cover and bring the liquid to a boil, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until all the veggies are soft.

Everything is all softened

Add the milk, broth or coconut milk and stir in.

Use a food mill, blender or immersion blender to completely puree the soup.

Pureeing the soup

Almost there

Add the cinnamon and stir in completely.

Cinnamon stirred in

Serve in bowls and top with the reserved bacon bits.

Ready to eat