Monday, January 28, 2013

National Soup Swap Day January 21st


National Soup Swap Day was Jan. 21, but I'm celebrating all season long with Betty Crocker's very best bisques, chowders and stews. Last Sunday a group from Rogers Park was serving free vegan potato soup, at the Red Line Morse stop, it was so cold, the soup was so perfect. They served it along  with a spinach salad with a scope of avocado, and kiwi pie.
Cold winter days are no match to the warmth and comfort of these soups. They’re the perfect base for layering on additional flavors. Spiked with beer, loaded with beef, or decked out with baked potatoes and all the fixings, there’s no wrong way to make a classic cheesy soup.
 
Seafood, corn and potatoes are the basic building blocks for creating great chowders and bisques. But the list of ingredients doesn’t stop there. Add broccoli to the mix for Creamy Corn and Broccoli Chowder or experiment with tomatoes in our Fire Roasted Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque. There’s a wide world of soup out there, so don’t be afraid to try something new.

6 unpeeled medium red potatoes (1 1/2 lb), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 3 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton) 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 1 1/2 cups Green Giant® frozen corn 1/3 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper (from a jar), well drained 1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz) 1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® Greek Fat Free plain yogurt 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 4 medium green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup) 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled.

1 In 3-quart saucepan, place potatoes. Add water just to cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and boil gently (simmer) about 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain. Reserve 1 cup potatoes; return remaining potatoes to saucepan. In small bowl, mash reserved potatoes with fork.

2 Stir reserved mashed potatoes back into remaining potatoes in saucepan, along with broth, sugar, garlic salt, pepper, ground red pepper, corn and roasted red bell pepper. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 3 In small bowl, stir flour into milk with whisk until well mixed; stir into potato mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in cheese until melted. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt, cilantro and green onions. Serve topped with bacon and, if desired, additional green onion.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup
 
 
Reynolds™ Slow Cooker Liners
1  bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2  cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed
1     medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1     carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
1     cup water
3     tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1     cup milk
1     bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
1/4  cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
4     medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)                                           
  • 1 Place Reynolds™ Slow Cooker Liners inside a 5- to 6 1/2 -qt slow cooker bowl. Make sure that liner fits snugly against the bottom and sides of bowl and pull the top of the liner over rim of bowl.
  • 2 In lined slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.
  • 3 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
  • 4 In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired

Sunday, January 27, 2013

2012 In the Mirror Looking Back on Sunday Dinners in Berlin

 
Berlin

Renata and  Alan in Berlin

Sunday Dinner at Susanne’s in Gierbstratbe 

Host: Susanne
Guest: Peter, Nicola, Alan, Renee, Ingle, Alpha, Ferret,
Main Course Eggplant Lasagna
Stuff Avacado & Shrimp 
Green Salad (apples, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes)
Red Wine, White Wines
Coffee and ice-cream, mixed berries
 
Susanne’s son Frett came over and helped layer this dish, it was so good, to see mother and son working in the kitchen together, lovely. Frett is a filmmaker; he did a residency in Kenya for the German government after graduation. Susanne is very proud of her son who is making a documentary is on his German-Turkish heritage.  
Dinner conversation, It was so funny; I thought that Peter actually swam daily in his wetsuit, so I say, “Peter swims in a lake every morning in his wetsuit". Renee thought I was talking about a scuba diver’s suit, like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Susanne’s roommate ran and got a book that had the image everyone thought I was talking about it; it was so funny we all almost crocked from laughing so hard.
 


Stuff Avocados’ (Shrimp, Yogurt) Ingredients: Renee added shrimp and yogurt and we filled the avocado shells with the filling, this was served to quest as a pre-dinner snack.

 2 large Avocados (firm but ripe)
3 cloves of garlic (crushed and finely chopped)
1/2 large onion (finely chopped)
1/4 cup of fresh finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of Pimientos
2 tablespoons of bottled sweet red chili pepper sauce
1 green onion (finely chopped)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut each Avocado in half, remove the pits, and carefully remove the meat from the shell with a spoon into a bowl. Set the shell halves aside. Using a fork, mash the avocado meat and pour the lemon juice in, stirring well so that ingredient is well incorporated. Now add the sweet chili sauce, green onion, and parsley and stir. Set aside.
 
Using a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion, garlic, and pimientos until onion is softened and translucent. This usually takes about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow cooling.

Once cooled, add sautéed mixture to the avocado, and mix thoroughly. Add a couple pinches of salt and pepper and taste for correct seasoning.
 
With a spoon, return the avocado mixture to the shells, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour. Serve 1/2 avocado per person along with chips and a spoon. You may just want to use the spoon alone. This recipe is absolutely delicious and works great as an appetizer or snack for the Sunday ball games. I think I finally made my first Guacamole - or at least my version of it.

Summer Eggplant Lasagna (try with German Products)
Ingredients
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4-inch thick (8 slices)
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided plus more for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
2 cups  Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Brush on both sides using 3 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant until it is soft and golden. Turn slices halfway through, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the sliced mushrooms. Sauté until soft for about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes. Once the mushrooms are cooked remove and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl add the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, mushrooms, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix well. Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.
Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 slices on top followed by the ricotta mixture. Lay another 4 slices of eggplant and finish with marinara sauce. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes.
Marinara Sauce:
5 cloves garlic
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly picked oregano leaves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel 5 cloves of garlic and place them in a square of foil. Sprinkle the cloves with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Wrap up the foil and place it directly on the oven rack. (Be sure that the foil packet is secure so no oil will leak out.) Roast the garlic until it's brown and tender, about 25 minutes. Allow cooling enough to touch and squeeze the garlic from the skins. Set aside.
Sauté onions and carrots with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add tomato paste and stir well. This will cook off the tomato paste and give a nice orangey color. Cook for about 10 minutes. When vegetables are softened add the roasted garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and stir together until incorporated. Pour in the tomatoes. Fill the empty can with water and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, uncovered. Stir occasionally. Once the sauce is ready carefully pour it into the food processor and puree until smooth.






Saturday, January 26, 2013

Summer Salads Seriously So Good


Seriously these salads you have to try, then take them to  your next Sunday Dinner. I love figs, but to try them with melon, and blue cheese is the best thing ever. Yes, Martha Stewart I love her books, I grew up on Martha Stewart and her cookbooks, along with Betty Crocker. I would study these books for hours, studying the presentation, and how wonderful the table settings were.


Honeyed Fig and Melon with Blue Cheese and Almonds
Dark Figs, Cantaloupe, and honey


Ingredients
6 to 8 slices (1/4 inch thick) blue cheese
 pint fresh Black Mission or Brown Turkey figs, halved
 1 cantaloupe, cut into 1-inch wedges
 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
 Best-quality honey, for drizzlin
Directions
1. Arrange cheese slices on a serving platter, and top with figs and melon wedges. Sprinkle with almonds, and drizzle with honey.



2. Peach and Crab Salad with Menschen and herbs
If it is really hot make sure you keep the crab on ice, get there early so this can be eaten before the main course.
 

Ingredients
For the syrup
 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 oranges)
 1/2 cup sugar
 3 tablespoons coarsely ground coriander
 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 limes)

 For the salad

3 peaches, pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
 1 Thai red chile, seeded and thinly sliced
 1 shallot, minced
 1 teaspoon fresh mint, cut into strips, plus 1 tablespoon mint leaves
 1 cup fresh jumbo lump crabmeat (about 5 ounces)

 Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
 Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
 3 cups mesclun
 1/4 cup torn fresh Thai, purple, or regular basil
 1 baguette, sliced and toasted

 Directions
1. Make the syrup: Bring orange juice, sugar, and coriander to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and let cool, covered, for about 30 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and stir in lime juice.

 2. Make the salad: Combine peaches, chile, shallot, mint strips, and 1 cup orange-coriander syrup in a bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes.

 3. Drizzle crab with oil in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer peach mixture to bowl with crab using a slotted spoon; reserve syrup. Add mesclun, basil, and remaining tablespoon mint leaves, and gently toss. Drizzle 1/2 cup reserved syrup and some more oil over top of salad. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with baguette3. Mango and blackberry salad with mozzarella and Frisee red olives, cardamom and honey

 


 Ingredients
12 ounces green grapes
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup lemon thyme or regular thyme sprigs, coarsely chopped
1 green apple
3 kiwifruits, peeled and sliced

 4 to 5 cups honeydew melon balls (from 2 melons)

 Directions
1.
Freeze grapes on a rimmed baking sheet for 1 hour.
 2.
Meanwhile, make the syrup: Bring water and sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, and add lemon thyme. Let stand, covered, until cooled completely. Strain syrup through a fine sieve; discard solids.
3.
Thinly slice apple. Divide apple, kiwifruits, melon, and grapes among 8 bowls. Pour syrup over tops just before serving

 

Mango and Blackberry Salad with Mozzarella and Frisee

Ingredients  For the syrup

 1/2 cup Lillet Blanc
1/2 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon crushed cardamom pods

 

For the crouton

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
Coarse salt

For the salad
2 cups frisee
1 pound fresh salted mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup blackberries (2 ounces)

 Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

 Directions

 1.Make the syrup: Bring Lillet, vinegar, and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and add cardamom pods. Let stand, covered, until completely cooled. Strain syrup through a fine sieve; discard solids.

 2.
Meanwhile, make the croutons: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry bread, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes; transfer to paper-towel-lined plates using a slotted spoon. Let croutons drain. Sprinkle with salt.

 3.
Make the salad: Divide frisee evenly among 4 plates. Top with half the cheese, then half the mangoes. Repeat with remaining cheese and mango. Layer onion, blackberries, and then croutons on top.

 4.
Drizzle 1/4 cup cardamom syrup over tops, allowing it to pool at the bottom. Season with salt and pepper.