Heading Home and the Weekly Menu

TGIF? I am torn as to how true that is today.  On one hand, I am leaving my brother and his family after a too short visit.  On the other hand, we are heading back north to San Francisco and on the way are stopping to have lunch with my friend, Cam, of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, whom I am very excited to meet in person.  We are also spending the afternoon at the Monterey Aquarium followed by dinner with my cousin at The Stinking Rose,  So this Friday is filled with lots of emotions and feelings.

Last night, Larry and Mary took us to The Range for our farewell dinner.  I have been wanting to go here each year since they opened but life always had other plans during my visits.  This time they made sure it happened and it was a lovely and fun experience.

Tomorrow, I get to see Frank again!  Woohoooo.....I really hate being apart from him.  Our flight is early, 6 am, and we have to drop off the rental car so that means we will be on the way to the airport around 3 am.  Ugh.

When we get home, life isn't returning to normal though.  Sunday morning, after Mass, we will be heading north to our friends, Bob and Cathy, to join them for another wine tasting dinner at Springbrook Inn.

I am getting ready right now to join my niece, Natasha for our final walk and talk of the trip, but wanted to jot down my Weekly Menu real quick before I'm off the computer for the day.

Life returns to normal on Tuesday.  Please stop by to learn about the remainder of this trip, the wine tasting dinner and the coming week.  See you soon.

Saturday
Dinner downtown after landing

Sunday
Wine tasting dinner

Monday
Dinner on the way home

Tuesday
Chicken Cacciatore over Pasta

Wednesday
Pork Tenderloin
Mashed Potatoes
Glazed Carrots

Thursday
Chicken Piccata
Lemon Basil Fettuccine
Steamed Green Beans

Friday
Poached Fish
Steamed Rice
Roasted Beet Salad

Poached Apple-Pears #CooktheBooks

This month's Cook the Books is brought to us by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.  Deb chose the autobiographical account of Jessica Fechtor's struggle back to normalcy after an aneurysm burst in her brain.  Jessica calls her story "Stir; My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home".

I read this story while en route to California to spend time with my brother and his family.  I am currently here, accompanied by my niece, Jen, her daughter, Lili and my niece, Danielle.  I was touched by this story of a strong, young woman who was, by all standards, very healthy.  Especially as I watched Lili and Danielle on this trip, both so young and vibrant and just starting their adult lives.  I watch them making plans for work and college, full of hope and promise....and I think how quickly life can change.  I think of Jessica, one minute running on a treadmill and the next minute being rushed to the hospital and being told how miraculous it is that she is still alive.

This story also resonated with me because Jessica writes of her journey back to health.  She writes of the support of her husband, family and friends and how she could not have become whole again without them.  She talks of finding solace and peace in the kitchen and in the enjoyment of food in general.  She talks of blogging about her food and how it allows her to just be her....sharing herself and her life without sharing her broken brain.

Many years ago, I too suffered from a "broken brain".  Mine was not a physical break like Jessica's but a mental break that left me just as weak, scared and vulnerable as Jessica portrayed in her story.  I, too found my solace in the kitchen.  The kitchen has always been my happy place...the place to which I run when the world overwhelms me.  I, too, could not have gotten through my experience without the constant love and support from my husband, family and friends.  I, too, found relief in blogging where you only share those parts of your life that you are ready to share and where you find healing in the written word.  

I loved Jessica's story.  I admired here strength and positivity.  I cheered her on during her struggles. I felt the warmth of her relationships with those who love her.  I was comforted by her memories and her recipes. I laughed with her, I cried with her and I celebrated with her.  I was reminded to never take life for granted because you never know what tomorrow....or the next 5 minutes...may bring.

I decided to make poached fruit for dessert last night when I made dinner for all of my California family.  My brother's sons and their families all live in the same little town on adjoining properties.  I express love by providing food...it is what I do....so whenever I am here I try to make at least one meal for us to all share together.  I found this baking pan in my sister in law's cupboard.  It was perfect for the dessert inspired by Jessica's book that was filled with Faith, Hope and Love.  It was perfect for a meal shared by family who provides me with Faith, Hope and Love.

This recipe is very loosely based on Jessica's recipe for Baked Apricots with Cardamom Pistachios. Apricots are not in season right now but while at the store I spied some Apple-Pears.  I was very excited.  As a child, we had an apple-pear tree in our yard.  I thought it was an anomaly.  I have never seen apple-pears anywhere else in my life.  I knew, for sure, that I was buying this fruit that contained so many childhood memories.  My sister in law did not have any cardamom or pistachios but she did have cinnamon and almonds which were perfect with the apple-pears.

She also had a bottle of Ancient  Peaks Roussanne in the refrigerator.  Ancient Peaks is a winery located right in their little town.  The grapes are grown on the Santa Margarita Ranch that surrounds the town.  Santa Margarita Ranch is a working ranch that not only grows grapes but also raises beef. They hold many events on the ranch and have ziplining tours that Jen, Lili, Danielle and I are going on tomorrow, weather permitting.  I can't wait.  

This is what Wikipedia has to say about Roussanne wine "Wines made from Roussanne are characterized by their intense aromatics which can include notes of herbal tea.^[1] In its youth it shows more floral, herbal and fruit notes, such as pear, which become more nutty as the wine ages."

I knew this would be a perfect wine in which to poach my pears using the oven baked technique given by Jessica in her recipe.  

In actuality, using that technique was the only part of the recipe I did use but I would have never made this lovely dessert without the inspiration of the recipe.  This was a perfect dessert to serve to my family, filled with memories and love.  I made 2 baking pans for 16 servings.  The recipe below is for one 9x13" baking pan equalling 8 servings.  You can use any size baking pan you would like for the amount you wish to make.  You can use any fruit that you and yours enjoy.  You can use any white wine that you have on hand, any nuts that you prefer or no nuts at all.  I used brown sugar for my sweetener, Jessica used vanilla sugar, you could easily use honey, agave or maple syrup. Jessica used cardamom, I used cinnamon, you can use any spice that would complement the fruit you choose. Have fun, be creative and lose yourself and your problems in the kitchen.  

Submissions for this session of Cook the Books are not due for another 20 days.  This book is a quick read and I think you will enjoy it.  Why not pick it up at your local library and share with us a recipe that it inspires in you?  You will find Deb's invitation right here that will explain exactly how to join in the fun.

This book is also my first Foodies Read of 2017.  I will be sharing this post over at Heather's blog Based on a True Story. You can see what others are reading this month here.

Poached Apple-Pears

inspired by Stir

4 Apple-Pears

1 c. white wine (I used Roussanne)

1/2 c. brown sugar

Sliced Almonds 

Cinnamon

Ice Cream for serving, if desired

Cut the Apple-Pears in half and remove the core and seeds.  Pour the wine into a 9x13" baking pan and place the fruit, peel side down into the wine.  Sprinkle the fruit with the brown sugar, desired amount of almond slices and a sprinkling of cinnamon.  Place in a preheated 350* oven for 50-60 minutes, until the fruit is easily pierced with a fork but still maintains it's shape.  Place each Apple-Pear onto a serving dish or bowl.  Top with Ice Cream, if desired.  Drizzle with the caramelized wine from the bottom of the pan.  Print Recipe

Brain Booster Pancakes for #BreadBakers

Our host, Pavani, of Cook's Hideout, invited all of the Bread Bakers to make a "healthy" bread.  She left it up to the individual baker to decide what constituted a healthy bread.

As you are reading this post, I am on vacation visiting my brother and his family in California. I almost didn't participate this month because between the holidays and getting ready for vacation I wasn't sure I could fit in a bread making day as well.  Last Thursday, I was taking care of my Little Angel Face and decided to give her breakfast for lunch.  Grampy cooked up some bacon and I found this recipe for Brain Booster Pancakes at SuperHealthyKids.com.  Score!!!  I love when I can kill two birds with one stone and I really love that pancakes are considered a bread recipe.

These were quick to put together.  They are not a fluffy pancake but they are creamy tasting....not moist and not dense but still tasting creamy...I don't know how else to describe them.  They were very good and very filling and Melody LOVED them.

And so did Grampy.

And so will you!!

Brain Booster Pancakes

slightly adapted from SuperHealthyKids.com

1 1/4 c. almond milk

1 3/4 c. old fashioned oats

1/4 c. ground flaxseed

1 banana

1 T. honey

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 1/2 t. baking powder

2 eggs

1 T. coconut oil

blueberries

Place almond milk, oats, flaxseed, banana, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, eggs and coconut oil in a heavy duty blender.  Blend until oats are ground and mixture is well combined.

Heat griddle over med high heat.  Pour 1/4 c. batter onto the griddle for each pancake.  Add desired amount of blueberries onto each pancake while the first side cooks.  Let cook until golden brown about 2-3 minutes,flip and cook other side 2-3 minutes more.  Print Recipe

• Amaranth Flatbread from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Beet Rye Bread from What Smells So Good?
• Blueberry Almond Bread from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Brain Booster Pancakes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Banana Flax Almond Meal Muffins from Spill the Spices
• Eggless Whole Wheat Brioche Buns from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Grain-free Nutty Carrot Flatbread from A Baker's House
• Healthier Applesauce Spice Bread from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Healthy Whole Grain Bread from The Bread She Bakes
• Honey Almond Brioche from Kidsandchic
• Honey Oatmeal Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Multigrain Pesto Swirl Bread from Herbivore Cucina
• Oatmeal Crispbread (Oatmeal Knäckebröd) from Baking Sense
• Organic Honey Whole Grain Bread from Hostess At Heart
• Quick Whole Wheat Bread from Ambrosia
• Spiced Besani Paratha from Sneha's Recipe
• Sprouted Wheat Bread from Palatable Pastime
• Sweet Potato Bread with Honey from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Sweet Potato Millet Bread from The Schizo Chef
• Ten Grain No Knead Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Whole Wheat Carrot Apple Walnut Quickbread from A Salad For All Seasons
• Whole Wheat White Bean Bread from Cooks Hideout

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

I could use a little SeaBreeze right now #FoodnFlix

Hi Friends....as you are reading this, I am actually getting a little Sea Breeze.  I am currently visiting my brother and his family in sunny California and, while he doesn't live on the coast, it is a short half hour drive away.

When I was writing this post, however, it was New Year's Day. While it was a balmy 38* F in Michigan, and I live close to the water, I was definitely yearning for some Sea Breezes.  Honestly though, it wasn't the weather that got me thinking about Sea Breezes but our movie selection for this month's Food n Flix.  Sea Breeze, the drink, that is.

Frank and I spent a quiet NYE at home this year, just enjoying each other's company.  We appreciated our time together more this year because the year prior we spent NYE apart taking care of our mothers, both of whom died early in 2016.  We spent time relaxing in the hot tub and visiting and watching the movie French Kiss starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. 

This movie came out in 1995 when romantic comedies were all the rage and the majority of them starred Meg Ryan.  Everyone loved Meg Ryan.  How could you help but love her?  While this is not one of my favorite romantic comedies starring her (that distinction goes to When Harry met Sally with Sleepless in Seattle a close second) it is still a fun and enjoyable movie.

I actually think we enjoyed the memories of life back in the early 90's as much as the movie itself. The electronics themselves are worth watching this movie.....we have come a long way in 20 years! If you are a youngster (under 40) reading this post and have never seen this movie, let me recap it for you. 

Meg Ryan plays a straight laced, girl next door, history teacher who is leaving an unhappy childhood in the USA to move to Canada where her fiance lives with his gracious and welcoming family.  Her fiance tries unsuccessfully convince Meg's character to go with him on a business trip to France.  She refuses, instead staying back to purchase her dream home so they can start their life and family. When she receives a Dear Joan phone call letting her know that he has fallen in love with another, she swallows her fear and boards a plane.  She is seated next to Kevin Kline, a small time French thief. (He doesn't steal French, he is French). 

Kevin Kline places a stolen necklace in Meg Ryan's carry on and then gets separated from her. Thence begins (is thence a word?) Meg's quest to track down her cheating fiance and Kevin's quest to track down his stolen necklace.  Comedy ensues and, of course, love wins in the end.  It is a fun, feel good movie, if a little bit boring and predictable.

Food n Flix is a fun little group led by Heather of All Roads Lead to the Kitchen.  We all get together each month and watch a film chosen by one of the members.  We then create a dish inspired by the movie and blog about it during the month.  At the end of the month, the member who is hosting (this month it is Heather), does a round-up of all our posts so that we can see what the others thought of the movie and what they were inspired to make.  It is fun and you should join us. Find out how right here.

This was not a "foodie" film, however there was plenty of inspiration for food.  After all, it takes place in France so how much more inspiration do you need.  I had on my list, cheese pizza, fresh veggies, coffee, pastries, ice cream, Canadian food, French food and......what finally won out....Sea Breeze cocktails.  

I took my inspiration from a scene in the movie in which Meg Ryan strides onto the beach, grabs a chaise lounge, orders up a Sea Breeze and confronts her fiance and his ("remember this was before I met you", says Meg Ryan as she takes a sip of her Sea Breeze)  "slutty bitch".

A Sea Breeze, like the movie, is a classic.  It is simply vodka, cranberry and grapefruit juice with a wheel of lime as a garnish.  When Frank was taking this above photo I admonished him to "watch out for Santa".  You see, our puppy had knocked our wine connoisseur Santa off the table and broken his leg.  Frank had glued Santa's leg back on and put him upside down in a glass for it to set.  While I was writing this post, Frank sent me this photo.....

He said Santa was feeling left out.  I cannot begin to tell you how much  I love this guy.....Frank, not Santa.....well I love Santa too but not like I love Frank.  Santa has never made me laugh until tears were running down my legs.

This was a pretty strong drink......Could you tell??

Sea Breeze

2 oz. vodka

5 oz. cranberry juice

1 1/2 oz. grapefruit juice

Lime for garnish

Fill a large glass with ice.  Add the vodka, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.  Stir to combine. Garnish with a slice of lime and serve.  Print Recipe

Filet Mignon Salad with Roasted Veggies #SundaySupper

Sarah from The Chef Next Door is hosting Sunday Supper this week with the topic "Lean Beef Recipes" .  We eat a lot of beef in this household.  I strive to make all my beef lean by buying it in bulk from my friends and local farmers, the Ruemenapps.  I love knowing that my beef was pasture raised, humanely, without any hormones or unnecessary antibiotics.  Being mainly grass fed, they are naturally lean and oh......so delicious.

However, for this weeks recipe I did not use my beef from the Ruemenapps.  Frank's sister and brother in law, gifted us some Filet Mignons from Omaha steaks as a (totally unnecessary) thank you gift.  They had also given us a bottle of Caymus wine as a housewarming gift when we first moved into the new home in October.  The first day of 2017 seemed like the perfect day for Frank and I to break out both of these wonderful gifts and start the New Year off with a quiet date night at home.

Filets are a naturally lean cut of beef that have a reputation for being tender and delicious.  Many lean cuts need to be braised to achieve tenderness but with a filet it only takes minutes to cook it properly and enjoy it's melt in your mouth goodness.

I seasoned the steaks simply with just kosher salt and freshly ground pepper then seared them up in a combination of butter and olive oil.  3 minutes on one side, flip them and sear 2-3 minutes on the other side and they are ready to be set aside to rest while you throw together your salad.

I roasted the veggies early in the day so that they would be ready and waiting when it came time to make dinner.  I roasted a ton of veggies and put what wasn't used in this salad in the refrigerator to be utilized during the week.  You can use any veggies you like.  I used mushrooms, parsnips, eggplant, butternut squash and red bell peppers.  I was planning on roasting onions too but forgot them.

While the steaks were resting, Frank poured the wine and I filled our plates with mixed greens and scattered the roasted veggies on the top. Then I sliced one steak for each of us and laid it upon each salad.  Mine got sprinkled with blue cheese because YUM...Frank's was sans cheese because he says YUCK to blue cheese.  Lastly I drizzled the entire plate with Italian Dressing.  You can use your favorite dressing, homemade or store bought.  The Italian was great.  I think a balsamic vinaigrette would have been wonderful, as well.

This was a perfect, healthy and scrumptious way to start off 2017.  I hope that yours has started off equally as well.

Filet Mignon Salad with Roasted Veggies

8 oz mushrooms, halved if large

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice (neck only)

1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 8 chunks

1 small eggplant, stemmed and cut into 1/2" chunks

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 (6-8 oz) filet mignon steaks

salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

6 c. mixed greens

Blue Cheese for topping, if desired

Dressing of choice

Place the mushrooms, squash, parsnip, bell pepper and eggplant on a rimmed baking sheet that has been covered with a piece of parchment paper.  Drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and place in a preheated 450* oven for approx. 30 minutes.  Roast until vegetables are fork tender and lightly browned.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Dry the steaks and season with salt and pepper.  Let come to room temperature.  (They can sit out while the veggies are roasting).  Heat the remaining 2 T. olive oil and the butter over med high heat in a cast iron or other skillet that is NOT non stick. When foam starts to subside, add the steaks and allow to sear for 3 minutes.  Steaks should sizzle loudly when placed in the pan.  After 3 minutes, flip the steak and sear the other side, occasionally ladling the butter and oil over the top of the steak. Cook for 2-3 minutes depending on the temperature you prefer your steak.  2 minutes should give you a perfectly med rare steak.  Remove from pan to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. 

Divide the mixed greens among 2 plates.  Scatter desired amount of roasted veggies over the mixed greens.  Slice the steaks into 1/4" thick slices and lay one steak on each of the salads.  Top with Blue Cheese, if desired.  Drizzle with desired amount of your favorite dressing.  Print Recipe

  Now let's take a look at what the others are bringing to the table today.

Appetizers, Soups, and Salads

• Baked Kibbeh with Yogurt Sauce by Food Lust People Love
• Italian Wedding Soup by Hardly A Goddess
• Lighter Tex-Mex Albondigas Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
• Spaghetti and Meatball Soup by Cricket’s Confections
• Steak Taco Salad Wonton Cups by Caroline’s Cooking
• Thai Steak Salad with Noodles by Positively Stacey
• Warm Steak Salad by Food Done Light

Lean Ground Beef Recipes

• Cheeseburger Stew by Our Good Life
• Cheesesteak Bruschetta by The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
• Clean Eating Sloppy Joes by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Old Fashioned Porcupine Meatballs by Turnips 2 Tangerines
• Shepherd’s Pie by Simple and Savory
• Smothered Hamburger Steaks by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Spaghetti Squash with Chili by Recipes Food and Cooking

Mains

• BBQ Filet Beef Tips by The Freshman Cook
• Beef Broccoli Pasta by Wholistic Woman
• Beef Ddukboki (Non-Spicy Sautéed Korean Rice Cakes) by kimchi MOM
• Beef Steak Fajitas by Asian In America
• Beef Vegetable Stir-Fry by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Black Pepper Beef with Broccoli and Noodles by Sunday Supper Movement
• Easy Sriracha Beef Cauliflower Rice Bowls by Family Foodie
• Skinny Beef Enchiladas with Creamy Avocado Sauce by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession

Sandwiches and Wraps

• Asian Steak Lettuce Wraps by The Chef Next Door
• My Big Lean Greek Beef Wrap by Go Epicurista
• Slow Cooker Tuscan French Dips by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Spicy Beef Lettuce Wraps by Pies and Plots
• Spicy Beef Tacos by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Steak and Eggs Wraps by Eat, Drink and be Tracy

Steaks

• Baked Chicken Fried Steak by Dizzy Busy and Hungry
• Chile Lime Flank Steak Tacos by The Redhead Baker
• Filet Mignon with Roasted Vegetable Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Flank Steak Roulades by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Flank Steak with Chimichurri by Monica’s Table
• Roasted Garlic Sirloin Steak with Rosemary by Cooking Chat
• Swiss Steak by Palatable Pastime

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

No Soak Bean Soup in the Crockpot for the final day of #SoupWeek

Welcome to the last day of #SoupWeek, hosted by Sue, of A Palatable Pastime.  Today I am sharing a wonderful bowl of soup made from the ham bone left from Christmas Dinner.  I love when we have ham just so that I can enjoy ham sandwiches during the following week and use the bone to make soup.  

Split Pea, Ham Vegetable Barley, 13 Bean and, of course, Navy Bean  have all been made and posted on this blog.  When I went to make this soup, I had originally planned on using canned beans but I didn't put "canned" on my list for Frank so ended up with dried.  We were going to be gone all day and I had intended on throwing together a quick dinner when we got home using the canned bean. Of course, I forgot about the change in plans and didn't soak my beans the night before.  We were leaving and I didn't have time to precook the beans and use the "fast" soak method.  Instead of scrapping my plans completely, I threw everything in the crockpot and walked out the door. 

When we came back home, about 7 hrs. later, the house smelled wonderful.  I removed the ham bone, cut off and returned the meat and tried a bean.  It was still a little al dente so I left it to cook for another 2 hrs and we had dinner an hour later than planned.  It was worth the wait and my days of soaking beans overnight are over.

No Soak Bean Soup

1 meaty ham bone

2 lbs dried navy beans, picked over

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 strips celery, chopped

8 c. chicken stock

1 sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low 8-10 hrs.  Remove bone, cut meat into bite size pieces and return to crock.  Cover and cook on low for another 2-4 hrs, until beans reach desired tenderness.  Taste, season with additional salt and pepper, if needed, remove bay leaf and thyme sprig before serving.  Print Recipe

Friday's Posts

• Mom's Clam Chowder from Palatable Pastime
• Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup from Cooking with Carlee
• Classic Skillet Chili from The Frugal Pantry
• No Soak Bean Soup in the Crock Pot from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Easy Wonton Soup from Caroline's Cooking
• Spinach Artichoke Soup from Can Cook, Will Travel

Kale and Squash Soup for Day 4 of #SoupWeek

I hope you have been enjoying all the wonderful soups we have been sharing all week.  If you haven't had a chance to see them yet you can follow along on FaceBook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram using the hashtag #SoupWeek. We also have a #SoupWeek Pinterest Board where you can see all of the offerings in one easy to access spot! What a great way to stay warm in cold weather!

Welcome to the #SoupWeek, hosted by Palatable Pastime.

Today I am sharing a brothy Italian soup that I adapted from one found at Food & Wine.  It was a wonderful first course for an Italian dinner that we shared with friends.  I wanted a light soup because it was being followed with Chicken Marsala Lasagna Roll-ups which were very rich and decadent. This soup was perfect.  It is filled with healthy vegetables and takes only minutes to put together.  It can be made ahead of time and reheated right before serving.

I adapted this recipe in several ways, in the ingredients used and in the preparation.  I did stick to the spirit of the soup and was absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out.

Kale and Squash Soup

adapted from Food&Wine

2 T. good olive oil

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" cubes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. dried Italian herbs

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped

8 c. chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. small pasta (I used stars)

1 (15 oz) can navy beans, drained and rinsed

Shaved Parmesan Cheese for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over med high heat.  Add the onion and squash.  Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and the squash is browned in spots.  Stir in the garlic and Italian herbs.  Add the kale and cook, stirring until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add the stock, navy beans and pasta, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until kale and squash are fork tender and pasta is cooked through.  Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese, if desired.  Print Recipe

Thursday's Soups

• Meatball Soup from Palatable Pastime
• K.C.'s Seafood Chowder from Cooking with Carlee
• Creamy Chicken Soup from The Frugal Pantry
• Kale and Squash Soup from A Day in the Life on the Farm