Vegetarian Chili

(adapted from Rachel Ray)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic minced ( I just used minced garlic in the can. It's a different amount though so look on the can).
1 cup vegetable (chicken) broth
1 can (32 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 to 1 ½ Tbsp cumin
1 to 1 ½ Tbsp chili powder
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt
1 cup spicy refried beans
Cheddar cheese
Chips

Heat oil over medium. Add onion and peppers, sauté 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth, reduce by half (2-3 minutes). Add tomatoes, beans, cumin, chili powder, Tabasco, and salt. Thicken with refried beans. Serve with cheese and chips. YUMMY!

Carrot Soup

I know! Another weird soup. But I really love this soup.

3 Tbs. olive oil
2 leeks, including tender green portions,
thinly sliced (or, if you are me, and you don't have leeks - just use one small onion, finely diced)
6 carrots, about 1 lb. total,
peeled and thinly sliced
1 red potato, about 1/2 lb., peeled and
coarsely diced (or a regular russet potatoe, if that's what you have in your pantry)
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper, to taste

You can add a little bit of orange juice or ginger to fancy this up, or not. It's up to you.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the leeks and sauté until just slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and potato and sauté until the vegetables are just softened, about 5 minutes more.

Add the stock, cover partially and simmer until the vegetables are completely softened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches, leaving some texture, and return the soup to the pan. Alternatively, process with a stick blender in the pan until the desired consistency is reached. Set the pan over medium heat and stir in the orange juice (if you are doing that) Season with salt and white pepper.

Serves 4 to 6.

Tuscan Tomato Soup

Alright, I'm throwing out another favorite soup recipe for you. This one is from The Chef's Table in Orem, UT.

This soup is seriously....so.good. trust me!

- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, Small dice
- 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes
- 2 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1.5 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Cup Basil Pesto (make your own - basil, EVOO, parmesan cheese, and pinenuts blended in a food processor) or buy some...
- Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a medium large soup pot. Add onions and cook over moderately low heat until completely translucent. Add tomatoes and allow to warm to a simmer. Add chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes to allow for interchange of flavors.

Add whipping cream. Add pesto.

Blend to desired consistency in a food processor or blender. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Soup Season

Anyone have a favorite soup recipe to share with me?

I love soup!

I found this recipe today and it just really made me in a mood for soup.
(Plus, I totally LOVE split pea soup)

Classic Split-Pea Soup
Adapted from Real Simple, best recipes

1 ham hock
2 32-ounce-containers chicken broth
1 pound green split peas
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Rinse the ham hock and place it in a large saucepan or Dutch oven along with the broth, split peas, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender, 3 to 3-1/2 hours. (I would probably just put it in the crockpot all day...)

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the ham hock to a plate and let sit until cool enough to handle, at least 10 minutes. Shred the meat (there won't be a lot) and stir it into the soup.

Serve warm with crusty bread.

Cranberry Relish

Blend in blender:

2 large oranges
1 package raw cranberries
1 cup sugar

Combine and refrigerate overnight.

Stir in just before serving:

1 cup chopped apples
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

I left out the nuts because my family doesn't like them. I also made it with Juliet and we split it in half to share. It's so yummy though. Especially on the leftover turkey sandwich.

Can we talk Thanksgiving?

For the first time EVER...I have a house, and hence, my family is coming to my house for Thanksgiving! This feels like serious pressure to cook the perfect meal. Most of the family are coming from out of town, so I can't really make "assignments" and farm out all the cooking.

So...talk to me all you wonderful women.

How do I pull it off? What are your favorite all time Thanksgiving recipes?

My current plan (feel free to dissect and comment on)

Turkey - simple. In a roasting pan (hence, freeing up the oven for other tasks)
Super Target has a special this week...if you buy the roasting pan and a butterball turkey (on sale at $.88/lb) you $15 gift card back. Also, I found a coupon for $2 off a butterball turkey.
so, I figure I can score both the roasting pan AND the turkey for about $22!
Cooking plan for the turkey? in a roasting bag, in the roaster, rub butter on the skin and salt and pepper, probably fill the "cavity" with onions, celery and sage.

Mashed Potatoes - enlist family to peel on the day of. Whip using my kitchenaid. Mix in some decadence with whipping cream, butter, and some fresh nutmeg


Stuffing - Mrs. Cubbisons. Turkey sausage. Onions, celery, Chicken Stock. Basic and easy. Make the day of.

Sweet Potatoes - I have a killer recipe for a sweet potato souffle. basically mashed sweet potatoes, sweet and condensed milk, butter, eggs, topped with a mix of pecans and coconut. YUM! Make the day before.

Corn Casserole - this is for my southern sister in law. Basically Jiffy corn muffin mix, sour cream, 1 can of creamed corn, 1 can of regular corn, melted butter and an egg. Baked. yummy and certainly not good for the waist! Make the day of, can cook with the stuffing.

Rolls - my brother is going to make (day of, in between the stuffing and corn casserole?)

Pies - my other brother is going to make (they will bring...not make in my tiny kitchen)

Am I missing something important? Do I need to serve a vegetable? What kind of cranberry sauce do you like? The canned kind? or fresh? What about salad? green or jello? or neither? Appetizers? Beverages?

Do tell....

Share your favorite Thanksgiving Recipes....

Thanks!

Julie

A Yummy Frittata

I made something new, easy, and yummy tonight. Maybe you all have made these before, but this was my first. Everyone ate it, and it was healthy! The recipe I used called for potatoes, green onions, spinach and garlic (death breath!!) but I just used whatever left over veggies I had in the fridge.

Veggie Frittata

cubed or sliced potatoes, about 1 cup (mine were already cooked, but they don't have to be)
2/3 cup chopped broccoli
1/3 c chopped onion
1 small tomato, diced
3 cooked strips of bacon, crumbled (okay, that part's not so healthy)
6 eggs
1/3 c milk
1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. If your potatoes are not cooked, place in skillet and cover for about 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Mix in onion, broccoli, or any other veggies you have around (zucchini, other squash or mushrooms would be good, too). Saute these together, season with salt and pepper or whatever you like (I used some seasoned salt, too). In medium bowl, Beat together eggs and milk, pour into skillet over vegetables; sprinkle with cheese. Reduce heat to low and cover, cook about 7 more minutes or until eggs are firm. That's what the instructions say, but mine were taking forever to get done. So I took about 1/3 cup of water and poured it on the side of the skillet so it would go underneath the frittata, covered it, and it was done within a minute or two. It's always exciting to find something new that you like to eat that involves plenty of vegetables. P.s., if you haven't already, visit my got2bcra-z blog and enter my penny pincher contest that ends on Nov 30th.