MORE Soup!

I have a potato obsession. Okay, perhaps it's a carbohydrate obsession, seeing as I love potatoes and bread equally... but my love for potatoes is strong and passionate.

About 10 years ago I was in the habit of hosting a weekly "Dinner Night" at my apartment and would try to make things that were relatively simple, easy to adapt for large groups, and TASTY. This recipe has always been a hit with everyone I've ever served it to.

What could be better than potatoes and cheese? I did some googling of potato-cheese soup and came across this interesting recipe for Ecuadorian Potato Cheese Soup with Avocado. Not all of my friends love avocado as much as I do, so I usually just serve it as a garnish instead of including it in the bowl to begin with.

Ecuadorian Potato-Cheese Soup (with or without avocado...)




2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups cold water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 pounds) or other boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 cups light cream
2 cups corn kernels
1 cup crumbled queso blanco, crumbled farmer's cheese or grated Muenster cheese (about 1/4 pound)
2 medium-size ripe avocados
Snipped fresh chives or fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish



In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add the onion, paprika and turmeric and sauté until onion is softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.





Break up potatoes into smaller pieces with a fork or wooden spoon. Stir in the cream and corn and cook until heated through and corn is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cheese and heat until melted, about 1 minute.

Halve, peel and pit the avocados. Slice crosswise. Place avocado pieces in soup bowls, ladle soup over the avocado slices, garnish with snipped fresh chives or cilantro leaves, and serve.

*I often find that the soup needs more salt, but add to your own taste.

Makes 8 servings.

Variation: For a meat version, stir in 1 pound of shredded, cooked chicken



When I made this tonight I sliced a whole avocado into my bowl of soup - FANTASTIC.

Souuup!

One of my favorite restaurants in Portland, Oregon is Old Wives' Tales. I'm sure that part of my love for the place has to do with the wide variety of vegetarian options, but everything I've ever had there has always been delicious.

My VERY favorite thing on the menu is Hungarian Mushroom Soup. Growing up I was not much of a soup-eater, but this was the one exception and I've loved it ever since.

I don't know the origins of this particular recipe, and don't know how accurate it is in comparison to that made at Old Wives' Tales, but it works for me!


Hungarian Mushroom Soup
3/4 lbs fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dill weed (I use fresh when I can)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons tamari (I used light soy sauce tonight)
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons white flour
1 cup milk
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1/2 cup sour cream

In medium pot or large sauce-pan, saute mushrooms and onion in 2 tbs butter until onions start to turn clear and mushrooms are starting to soften.

Add water (or stock), dill, paprika & tamari. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Microwave milk in separate container for about a minute.

In a small pot, melt remaining butter and stir in flour. Cook over medium heat to slightly browned, whisk in milk, then add mixture to mushroom mixture.

Stir in sour cream just before serving.


I ate most of the pot by myself.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 1 10-ounce bag baby spinach
• 1 cup packed fresh basil
• 3/4 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained, squeezed dry and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbs SparkPlug 
• 2 or 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• Baked chips, for serving

Notes before we start: I used more Parmesan cheese than it called for, and I added a thicker layer of Pepper jack and mozzarella on top. I also substituted hot sauce for the cayenne pepper. Also... I saved a lot of time and trouble by just using frozen spinach. I served with "pita chips"... which I think would translate better than regular tortilla chips.  Enjoy this recipe... its unbelievable.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Stir the spinach and basil into the boiling water and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge in the ice water. Drain and squeeze dry, then roughly chop.

Puree the beans, cream cheese, garlic and chicken broth in a food processor until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Transfer to a medium bowl and fold in the spinach and basil, artichokes, parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Add the cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste.

Mist a deep 1-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread the dip mixture in the dish and top with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella. Bake until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with baked chips.

Per serving (1/4 cup): Calories 100; Fat 5 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 19 mg; Sodium 338 mg; Carbohydrate 7 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 6 g

Thanksgiving 2010

My Mom and Step-Dad-Equivalent came to visit for Thanksgiving, but airline prices being what they are, flew out ON Thanksgiving instead of Friday since it was more than $100 cheaper to do so. They live a vegan lifestyle most of the time so our menu was catered to them to a small extent.

Menu:
Quadruple Bypass Mashed Potatoes
Mushroom Wine Gravy
Tofu Croquettes
Sweet Potatoes with Onions and Peppers
Fresh Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes
Mixed Greek Olives
Jellied Cranberry Sauce & Whole Cranberry Sauce (Ocean Spray)
Green Bean Casserole
California Seedless Grapes

There is also a home-made pumpkin cheesecake, and key lime pie from the Boll Weevil restaurant, in addition to left over "Perfect Chocolate Cake" from Boll Weevil as well.

I modified a Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe I found online as I couldn't find the one I usually use, I used pre-made crusts and didn't make the topping. We'll be serving it with Whipped cream instead. (Although I may make the topping later if I make another one on Friday).

Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

We started with a recipe from Martha Stewart and changed it up a bit...

Olive oil, for baking sheet

2 slices white sandwich bread

1 slice wheat sandwich bread

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 a shallot, coarsely chopped

6oz soft goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup Sparkplug

Coarse salt

A large package large white button mushrooms (15-20), stems removed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.

In a food processor, pulse bread, garlic and shallots until fine crumbs form; set 1/2 cup aside.

To food processor, add goat cheese, parsley, and Sparkplug. Season with salt, and pulse filling until combined.

Spoon filling into each mushroom, and roll filled side in reserved breadcrumbs.

Place on prepared baking sheet; bake until mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Very quick and easy recipe and SO tasty!

Eggs of the Devil?!

I'm planning what I hope will be a yearly Tea Party. My menu includes a recipe for Deviled Eggs that I found on Martha Stewart's website.

Since today is the day after The Big Snow, I don't have several ingredients so I made some substitutions and it turned out pretty well.

6 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and halved lengthwise.
1/4 cup light mayonaise
1 shallow tbsp McMenamins Terminator Stout Stone-Ground Mustard
1 1/2 tbsp finely minced white onion
1 twist of ground black pepper
1 shake of paprika
1 tbsp Homeward Bound Sparkplug Hot Sauce
a sprinkling of kosher salt

Combine yolks with remainder of ingredients and spoon or pipe into the egg-white.



Nom.

Pineapple-Cheese Casserole

A very southern thing...

Layer in order:

Large can chunk pineapple, drained (save the juice)
3/4 cup sugar and 5 Tbsp. flour--mix well and sprinkle over pineapple
dash about 5 Tbsp. juice over sugar/flour mixture
add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1 tube crushed Ritz crackers
melt about 1/2 stick of butter and pour over crackers

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes