HERE'S ALL IT CALL FOR
Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) or 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained
• 5 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 stalk of lemon grass, outer layer removed, and white upper part, finely chopped
• 7 ounces coconut milk
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• parsley or basil for garnish

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, cook onion and celery in oil over medium heat for five minutes.

Add garbanzo beans, stock, and bottom part of lemon grass stalk and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a food processor or with a hand blender, purée soup mixture.  Return to saucepan.

Add curry powder and upper part of the lemon grass and simmer 10 minutes or more.

Add coconut milk and heat.  Do not let it boil.  Garnish with parsley or basil.

For those that like to keep count....
Per Serving:

Protein............... 12 grams
Fat...................... 22 grams
Carbohydrates... 37 grams
Calories.............. 258
Dietary Fiber.......7 grams

The other day, my good neighbor, Randy, handed my husband an unmarked, frozen bag of meat.

Randy said, "Tell Jill to make a pot of chili with this!"
Naturally, Charlie comes in relaying the message.  When I asked him what type of meat it was,

Charlie said, "Randy didn't say."

Okay then.

My only clue was from the packaging.  It was wrapped in the familiar one-pound bag you get from the local meat processor. Do you know these bags?  On the front, there are printed boxes the processor checks to identify the meat; buffulo, elk, antelope and moose.  None of the boxes were checked.

After I defrosted the mystery meat, I couldn't tell from its dark, rich color, nor from the clean aroma, what type of meat I had to work with.  I wasn't worried too much about it, though.  It was obviously fresh and lean, with the darkest crimson color.  I knew right away, it was going to be good.  I proceeded to cook it as if it were fresh, ground beef.

HERE'S WHAT I DID

• 1 pound LEAN ground mystery meat
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped

• 2 teaspoons dried garlic powder
• 1 (28 oz) can plum tomatoes, blending into a chunky sauce with a hand blender
• 2 cups chicken broth or water

• 2 cups cooked pinto beans
• grated cheese for topping

Use a large pot or dutch oven to brown the mystery meat with the oregano, salt and pepper, over medium heat.  When the meat is cooked and there's no pink, add in the chopped onion, bell pepper.  Cook until vegetables have softened, 7 to 10 minutes.

Next, add in the garlic powder, blended chunky tomato sauce, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then REDUCE heat to a low simmer and cook for a good 40 minutes.  If the chili looks too thick for your liking, then add a little extra broth or water.  Top each bowl with grated cheese and serve with home baked cornbread or good ol'saltine crackers.

_______________

BACK TO MY STORY

After letting my chili bowl cool down a little, I took a big spoonful into my mouth.  I was nervous all of a sudden.  Chewing, chewing, waiting for a gamey flavor, waiting for the texture to reveal itself.

Nothing.  Turns out, I'm not a meat connoisseur.  I did pick up that it had a minute grainy texture.  It wasn't distracting or weird, just mildly noticeable.

About that time, our good friends, Kim and Eli came over.  You know them right?  She's the one that's the Dietitian down at the hospital and my closest friend, and Eli is my son's bestest friend in the whole wide world.  If any body could solve the mystery meat riddle, Kim and Eli could surely do it.  They love exploring foods and will try ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING, at least once.

I watched their faces as they dove into their bowls.  Kim guessed it was venison.  Eli said it tasted like wild pig.

We devoured that chili after two meals, it was that good.  And I still don't know the source of the mystery meat.  I've been so incredibly busy, I haven't had the chance to walk over to Randy's to find out.
What do you guess we ate?

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Geekbearinggifts' Baked Potato Chowder

• 8 medium Baking Potatoes
• 1 cup Sweet Onions, chopped
• 1 cup Carrots, chopped (optional)
• 2/3 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 6 cups Chicken Broth (low-sodium preferred) or an equivalent amount of chicken base and water
• 12 oz can Evaporated Milk
• 2 tablespoons Dried Parsley
• 2-3 cloves Garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon Salt (eliminate if not using low-sodium broth, then season completed chowder to taste)
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground Pepper

TOPPINGS:

• 1½ cups or more Cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ cup or more Green Onions, sliced
• 8 slices or more Bacon, crumbled
• Hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Tapatio (optional)

Wash potatoes; prick several times with a fork. Bake at 400°F for 1 hour or until tender; let cool. Peel potatoes and cut into rustic chunks.

Meanwhile, slice bacon cross-wise into ½” slices, and cook in a large, heavy pot until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in pot. Crumble bacon a little more if desired, and set aside or freeze for garnish.

Cook onion and carrot in bacon drippings, stirring constantly, until onion is tender. Add flour, stirring well. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in potatoes, evaporated milk, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring often (do not boil.) Adjust seasonings if needed.

At this point chowder can be frozen If desired: cool and freeze in meal-size containers, leaving room for expansion. Attach zipper bags of shredded cheese and bacon to the cooled chowder containers. For frozen chowder, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently, stirring often.

Serve with shredded cheese, green onions, and bacon for topping. Season with hot sauce as desired.

About 12 servings

GEEK'S COOKING NOTES
I usually cook extra potatoes when baking them for another meal, or put the potatoes in while baking a casserole--saves energy, and they have plenty of time to cool before I get started with the chowder. I usually cook a whole package of bacon and save the rest for another use, discarding all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings before proceeding with the chowder. Turkey bacon is good in this. I sometimes add frozen corn or canned niblet corn to this for potato-corn chowder—add when you add the potatoes and seasonings.

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This Creamy Carrot Soup is a completely different experience from the Curried Carrot and Apple Soup I cooked up last week.  This Creamy Carrot Soup is satisfying much in the same way as the Homemade Creamy Tomato Soup I enjoy so much.  It's simple.  There's just enough potato in it to mellow that earthy carrot flavor that can be off putting at times.  Even though I love carrots, I have to admit that carrots are not always delicious cooked just any old way.  And because carrots come with different levels of sweetness and earthiness, they are often lumped into one "I don't care for carrots" category from those that are indifferent to eating them.  Some carrots are not all that great. And if you've purchased a bag that doesn't possess you favorite flavor, well then, what can you do?
Make this soup.

I genuinely like this soup. Period.  The first time I tasted it, before adding the cream, I knew I could have eaten it just like it was, anytime, anywhere.  With a crusty slice of buttered toast, maybe Parmesan toast or garlic toast, on the side.  It could be spiced up or left alone.  Yea, this one is a natural, comfort soup that could stand the test of time.

HERE'S ALL THERE'S TO IT

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 medium-large potato, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons crushed fresh ginger root
• 4 cups chicken stock, warmed
• 1 cup water, warmed
• 7 tablespoon whipping cream or whole milk (see my Cook's Notes)
• 1/8 teaspoon dried nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Chop the potatoes and carrots to be the same size so they will cook evenly.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a dutch oven, add onion and celery, then cook for 5 minutes until soften.

Stir in the potato, carrots, ginger, chicken stock, and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover with lid. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat.

Using either a blender, food processor or immersion blender, carefully puree mixture until smooth.  Return soup to the pan.  Stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in cream or milk.  Reheat gently, but do not allow the soup to boil or the cream will curdle. (not attractive)  Feeds 6 hungry folks with healthy 1 cup servings.

COOK'S NOTES

The ginger root adds a bright note to this soup, but if you don't have any on hand, don't sweat it.  This soup could please a crowd without it.

I planned to use this soup recipe for my make ahead lunches.  I figured the 7 tablespoons of whipping cream would not hold up to reheating and possible boiling in the microwave.  I didn't want to ruin the soup, SO... I divided it.  I measured out the soup and came up with roughly 6 cups.  Three cups received 3 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream - this half was the soup I would eat right away.  The remaining three cups of soup received 3 1/2 tablespoons whole milk- this half went into 1 cup portions and into the freezer for my made ahead lunches.  Milk can handle coming to a boil better than heavy cream.  I'll let you know later in the comment section how the soup held up through reheating.

This recipe was stirred from a new inspiring cookbook, Soups; Includes Delicious Recipes for Appetizers and Salads.

Support SDR and grab your copy from Amazon.

Soups; Includes Delicious Recipes for Appetizers and Salads

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

It sounds unusual and it's different from our normal soups, but Curried Carrot and Apple Soup is quite delicious.  After you know what to expect.

The First Bowl
Because it looks so much like butternut squash, it took six bites or spoonfuls before my brain accepted that I was eating carrots.  Once past the visual sensory, I tasted it with a picky eater's discriminating tongue.  Curry, salt and pepper are the only spices and that's enough. The aroma of curry and carrots go together well.  In all my time I would have never put them together, if I had not come across this recipe.  The texture is smooth, but not creamy.  My mouth wanted to chew but there was not enough there.  My husband thought shredded chicken would be good in this soup to satisfy the desire to chew.  I thought I would make sure all the carrots were cooked tender next time.  Then there's a slightly sweet note of the apple that shows up for just a moment before the curry makes it spicy finish.  My dear friend and taste tester, Kim, didn't pick up on the apple at all and enjoyed the soup all together.  The dollop of sour cream helps fill the mouth and mellow the heat of the curry.  I wouldn't serve this soup without it.  The original recipe from Soups; Includes Delicious Recipes for Appetizers and Salads called for plain yogurt, but I didn't have any on hand.

Two Days Later
The spices and texture are better after a night or two in the frig!  Maybe it was because I knew what to expect, I don't know.  I truly enjoyed this soup the second time around.  Enough to add it to SDR!  I don't waste my time photographing and writing undesirable recipes, there's no point.  The soup kept it's distinct flavors but joined together in savory sweet mouthfuls.  I had no hesitations now to share it with you.  As for being kid approved, my son has never cared for carrots and this soup didn't change his opinion.  My pickiest eater couldn't handle the spicy curry.  So there you have my full report.

Now, HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1 tablespoon korma curry powder
• 1 1/4 pound carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large cooking apple, chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• natural yogurt or sour cream to garnish

Heat the oil in a large soup pot or dutch-oven and gently cook the curry powder for 2-3 minutes.

Add the chopped carrots, onion and cooking apple, stir well until coated with the curry powder then cover the pan.  Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.  Spoon the vegetable mixture into a food processor or blender, add half the stock and process until smooth.

Return the mixture to the pan and pour in the remaining stock.  Bring soup to a boil, then taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream in each bowl.

Support SDR and grab your copy of this book from Amazon.

Soups; Includes Delicious Recipes for Appetizers and Salads

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Creamy, silky smooth and bursting with soul satisfying flavors, this simple butternut squash soup recipe will be your next favorite soup.  I guarantee!

From a new inspiring cookbook, Soups; Includes Delicious Recipes for Appetizers and Salads, I picked up this book for Christmas. "Wow!" This book is loaded with incredible meals. FULL of recipes from different cuisines.  There's no chance of us falling into the same old routine.
I haven't noticed any labor intensive recipes. For folks that enjoy taking the time to create fresh soups, there's nothing hard or laborious here. The book offers inspiration for combining flavors that might be out of the norm, but the results really hit the spot. Plenty of family friendly recipes as well as recipes for folks looking for a new twist.
My favorite part of this book, besides the recipes themselves, is the formatting. Step-by-step color photos and easy to read/follow instructions for every recipe. There's no guessing as to whether we're doing it right.
Yep, this one is a keeper for years to come.  You can be sure to see recipes from this book here on SDR.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES TO MAKE Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup potatoes, cubed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a dutch-oven or large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, until onions have softened.

Add the squash, chicken stock, potatoes and paprika.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft.

Using either a drink blender or an immersion stick blender, process until smooth.  Return soup to the pan and stir in the cream.  Season with salt and pepper.  Reheat gently.  Stir in chopped chives or allow folks to add them to their  own bowls.

COOK'S NOTES:
I used russet potatoes in this soup, but the recipe would work with a less starchy spud like a red potato.

I was shy on chicken stock and ended up using 3 cups chicken stocks with 2 cups water.  The soup still had a lot of flavor despite my shortage.  Just for the sake of making it a budget friendly recipe, I would prepare it that way again.

I just happen to have had whipping cream on hand, so I used it.  In future, I could use half-n-half or fresh whole milk and the recipe would still come out creamy and satisfying.

WARNING
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO CONSUME JUST ONE BOWL.  You'll have two. Also, I recommend skipping the bowl and spoon and pour this soup into a latte cup or coffee mug and just slurp it down.

It's a perfect soup to take to work; heat and eat at your desk. Not that I advocate you working through your lunch break, but let's be truthful.  We all have days when it's necessary.  Take this soup with you on those days and at least you'll have a happy tummy while you knock out your to-do list.

Support SDR and grab your copy of this book from Amazon.

Soups; Includes Delicious Recipes for Appetizers and Salads

This recipe is for friends and readers of SDR who asked for more soup recipes. Thank you.
Peter from Kalafagas, Greek Food & Beyond
Suzanne
Sarah B.
Heather S.
Cara A. from The Picky Apple
Theresa K.
Bob S.
Deby
Betty P.
Debbie F.
Mark B., Boscoe the Cookie Doctor
Cindy R.
Gregory P.
Barry W.
Claudene
Stacie H.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Oh the joy of discovering excellent recipes!  My heart is full with happiness and my stomach cannot wait to taste this nurturing soup again.  I wish I could claim full credit, but I cannot.  This is the fine work of Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen.  The original recipe is called Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup.

It serves 6 to 8, easy.  I enjoyed it twice in one day last weekend, it's so smooth and satisfying. It's called creamless AND creamy because the recipe does not call for heavy cream or half-n-half.  The creamy texture comes from using 3 slices of sandwich bread.  I kid you not, it's the secret ingredient to its success.  My family didn't have a clue; they didn't even ask.  They just slurped it down as they groaned over their bowls.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• Pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 large slices good-quality sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot. For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth in step.

The original recipe is called Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup, published September 1, 2008, from Cook's Illustrated.com.

MY COOKING NOTES:

• I wanted to use my very favorite canned tomatoes, San Marzano whole plum tomatoes.  They're sweet with the right level of acidity for soups and sauces.  They cost more than the average can of whole tomatoes, but they're worth it when I need a tomato sauce to stand alone.  I use the other brand tomatoes for chilis and salsas.  Taste them for yourself and you'll know where I'm coming from.
• I saved the pinch of red pepper flakes as the last seasoning before serving the grown ups.  I was afraid the heat would be noticeable to the kiddos.  I wanted them to love this soup and didn't need reasons for them not to like it.
• I skipped the brandy.  No one in my family has ever tasted it.  I don't keep it on hand.  So, I figured no one would know it was missing. Right?
• I didn't have onion chives, but I did have garlic chives from the herb garden.  They were perfect.
• I used my immersion blender to puree the tomato-bread mixture.  Then I passed it through a mesh strainer before adding the broth.  This removed the seeds and stray bits of tomato skins, along with taking the soup to the next smoothest texture.  It makes all the big difference in making the soup feel creamy in the mouth.  It's worth it when I take the extra 3 minutes to strain the soup.
• Next time, I'm doubling the recipe so I can freeze servings for make-ahead-lunches.  Since there's no dairy involved, this recipe is sure to hold up for future meals.

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A NEW WINNER WITH THE FAMILY, Sausage and Bean Stew got raving reviews!

Family demands it to be in our monthly rotations of family favorites. Use your favorite sausage for this stew, spicy or mild, either will work. Since I have young ones, I went with a mild pork sausage.

HERE'S ALL THERE'S TO IT

• 1 pound sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon oil or bacon dripping
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14 oz) or 2 cups kidney or pinto beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 can (14 oz) or 2 cups garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup salsa, medium or mild, you decide
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

In large pot or dutch-oven, brown sausage in oil over medium heat. You may have to cook half the amount at one time.  The less crowded the faster the meat will brown.  Remove the meat from the pan and set aside on a plate. Drain fat, leaving a tablespoons worth to soften the onion and garlic over medium low heat for 7 to 10 minutes.

Return sausage to pan.  Add rest of ingredients, cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, stir occasionally.  Cornbread makes a great side to this stew.

Serves 4 to 6 folks.

Per serving:  Protein - 27 g, Fat - 26 g, Carbohydrates - 44 g, Calories - 511, Dietary Fiber - 12 g.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

This simple soup recipe made for a nice addition to our weekly dinner menu.  The kiddos didn't like it, but four grown ups chowed down until they could eat no more.  So colorful, so fresh tasting, light on the calories, and loaded with filling ingredients.  I served this soup with a side of hot baked French bread and leftover Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained or rinsed or 2 cups homecooked
• 1 teaspoon dried sage

• 1/2 cup uncooked macaroni
• 1 cup blanched spinach, or frozen spinach thawed, then chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

In a large saucepan or dutch-oven, cook onion and garlic over medium low heat until onion is transparent.  Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes or so, until tomatoes start to break down.  Add broth, beans, sage.

Increase heat to medium high to bring broth to a boil.  Add macaroni then REDUCE HEAT to simmer 7 minutes.  Add spinach and simmer 5 more minutes, until spinach is heated through and pasta is cooked.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 5 to 6 folks.

COOK'S NOTES

• I pressure cooked a bag of garbanzo beans in 30 minutes, then used the extra bean broth for the vegetable broth. I was still left them 2 1/2 cups of garbanzo beans with broth for reserve.  I'm ready for another chickpea recipe.
• I keep frozen blanched spinach in 2 cup portions in the freezer for recipes like this.  So all I had to do was thaw the spinach and chop it up.
• Even though this was a light tasting soup, I wanted it to have a thicker tomato consistency. It's probably just a mood I'm in right now.  I'm thinking of pureeing the tomatoes, next time, before adding them to the pot.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.

Of all the simple lentil recipes I have tried, this one is fast becoming my favorite way to eat lentils.  My newest friend from Virginia, Cheryl B., brought this soup over last week for our lunch together.  The kids chowed down!

Cheryl was sweet enough to leave extra lentil chili behind for me to photograph and enjoy.  And I certainly did just that. ;D

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES

• 1 1/2 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon. minced garlic
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen carrots (I use about 4 cups of fresh sliced carrots)
• 1 (16 oz.) pkg. lentils (any color is fine but red looks the nicest)
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste (can substitute stewed, diced, or chopped tomatoes)
• 6 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups beef stock
• 1-2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt & pepper to taste
• grated cheese to top (mexican, cheddar, or just be creative)

Cook oil, garlic, onion, and carrots 10 minutes on med. high, until looking a bit brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and bring to a boil.  Then lower heat to simmer for 35-40 minutes, un-covered.  Add more seasonings to taste.  Serve with grated cheese on top.

Pick up the NEW book Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois from Amazon here.