An OMG!!! meal

ale soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Sometimes recipes come along that makes you want to eat the entire thing in one setting - both of these recipes fit this profile!

First, the soup. This Butternut Squash and Ale Soup is originally from Food and Drink 2005, with changes made from my friends on the Cooking Light BB. The flavor in this soup is so incredibly intense that is was hard to stick to a proper serving. The nice thing is it isnt hard to make.

It calls for butternut squash, peeled and diced. I purchased some frozen pureed squash, just in case, but also wanted to try it with roasted squash. I bought a squash, sliced it open and roasted it for a hour, let it cool, then cubed it. What I discovered is by the time I added it to the other amazing flavors, the time involved in roasting was lost - so next time frozen stuff it is! I also added sliced carrots, simply because I wanted to boost the vegetable count for more of a one dish meal.

Now to the bread. This is one of the best breads to come out of my kitchen so far. The flavor is deep with the mixture of white, wheat and rye flavors melding together perfectly. The addition of a few caraway seeds reminds you this is a solid rye bread, with the tang from the sourdough pulling you in a different direction. Back and forth your taste buds go until you are in heaven! An amazing bread!

The bread recipe makes quite a lot of dough, so I made one boule and one traditional loaf.

I highly recommend both these recipes and they were given two thumbs and 5 stars by both of us!

Butternut Squash and Ale Soup (Adapted from Food & Drink)

1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup Spanish onions, finely diced
3 cups peeled, seeded, chopped butternut squash, -- pre roasted
3 carrots, sliced
4 cups chicken stock
2/3 cups half and half
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 bottle Ale (I used an IPA)
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes or until transparent. Add butternut squash and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Let simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until squash and carrots very tender.

2. Puree soup in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Add cream and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and then, while whisking, add cheddar cheese and whisk until melted. Add ale to taste. Stir together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Remove from heat and serve.

My Note: Next time use frozen pureed squash. Add green onions as a garnish.
My Note: Great with crusty rye bread and a few drops of tobascco.


Marilyn's Whole Wheat and Rye Sourdough Bread (A King Arthur recipe)

1 Tbs instant yeast
1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
2 cups sourdough starter
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1 Tbs caraway seeds
1 cup white rye flour
1 cup King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1. Combine the yeast, milk, the sourdough starter, sugar, salt, and seeds. Stir in the rye flour and beat until the batter is smooth. Add the whole wheat flour, then the unbleached all-purpose flour, a cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has formed a shaggy mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.

2. Knead the dough and add just as much flour as you need to keep the dough from sticking to the counter. The dough should be a little tacky, but not sticky. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise until it has doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

3. Gently deflate the dough and place it on a lightly floured counter. Shape as desired; you can make one huge loaf, three normal loaves, four mini loaves, or about 24 rolls. You can also reserve a small amount of dough and roll it into long, thin strips that can be snipped with scissors to form a stalk of wheat to decorate the top of each loaf.

4. Cover the loaves and let them rise for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until they're puffy. Bake them in a preheated 400°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until the bread is nicely browned and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Recipe Source: King Arthur

Soup and Bread Night

Broccoli Soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

What weather we are having - late September weather in July! High today was 74 with no humidity! The soup making was already planned prior to the weather surprise, but what a night to have it!!

This soup was very good! I used fresh broccoli and carrots, using a bit more of both then called for. After the veggies simmered in the broth, several cups were take out and pureed in the blender. I chose to do it this way to make it a bit thicker. The pureed soup was added back to its chunky counterpart. To it was added sharp cheddar and greek yogurt for tang and creaminess. (I didnt have sour cream, but always have yogurt!)

The taste was amazing! I would have liked for the cheese to melt into a creamy texture, but no such luck. However, despite the fact it didnt look thick and creamy, it tasted thick and creamy! And after all, thats all that matters.

To me, soup doesnt work unless it is served with a crusty bread. I found a recipe from Real Simple magazine that looked, well, real simple and seemed perfect for a Sunday night.

In trying to use mostly whole grains, and the fact that my tastebuds prefer the taste of grainy bread, I did some substituting in the flour department. I used 2 cups of white wheat and 1 1/4 cup of whole wheat in place of the white flour called for. A local IPA was used for the beer, rounded out with basil snipped from my garden. I mixed in my Kitchen Aid, then switched to the dough hook for a quick knead/basil mix. I quickly rounded the dough onto a floured peel and since I wasnt quite ready to bake it, I covered it and set it in a warm spot in case it felt like a rise.

The smell of this bread baking drove me crazy! I didnt wait the full 10 minutes to cool, as I was ready for dinner. It was hearty with deep flavor (which I am sure came from the beer) with the basil adding a nice dimension. I really could not taste the parmesan, possibly because of using whole grains, so next time I think I will leave it out. This bread would also be good with chopped green onions in place of the basil, and I am thinking a bit of grainy mustard would add a great flavor!

All in all, a thumbs up dinner!

Broccoli Chowder (Adapted from Eating Well)

1 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3/4 - 1 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups vegetable broth (I ended up added approx 3/4 c water also)
3/4 - 1 lb broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch pieces,
-- stems and florets separated
4 -5 oz grated sharp white cheddar chees

3/4 cup greek yogurt
salt to taste

1. In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, carrot, stirring often, until onion softens, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 2 minutes.

2. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add broth and broccoli stems and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in florets, cover and cook until until broccoli is tender, about 6-10 minutes more.

3. Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a food processor and puree. Carefully pour back to
the pan. Stir in cheddar and yogurt and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with salt.

Basil Beer Bread (Adapted from Real Simple)

2 cups White Wheat Flour

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 1/4-ounce package instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup(3 ounces) grated Parmesan
1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
Flour for the work surface

1 cup chopped or torn fresh basil

1. Heat oven to 400° F.

2. In the bowl of a standing mixer on low, or in a large bowl using a spoon, combine the flour, yeast, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Add the beer and mix just until the dough comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with the basil (or rosemary if subbing) and knead gently just until incorporated. Shape the dough into a round loaf and transfer to
the prepared sheet. Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Turn the loaf onto a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Chili Night

After a break in the action, I was back in the kitchen again yesterday. Our new tv arrived yesterday and some friends came over to help Bo unbox and lift it. We invited them to stay for dinner (in my book, any excuse to have company!) I felt like making soup and since this is BIRTHDAY WEEK for Bo, he got to decide what he wanted.

He settled on a Chicken White Bean Chili. There is always a difference in opinions/cultures in our house when chili is made: I feel cornbread is called for, he thinks it should be eaten with rice. The plan was to have both, but at the last minute he decided he could do without rice this one time.

The chili was a hit for most. I was only slightly enamored with it, but then again I'm not a huge fan of chicken chili. I followed the recipe exactly except for using fresh serranos in place of the canned chilies. My changes will be in ().

Next comes the cornbread. Not difficult, right? I have made cornbread hundreds of times... when I went to the storage fridge to get my cornmeal, I discovered it was a coarse grind. Since that is what I had, I figured I would try it. I made a cornbread from the book Cornbread Gospels which has received rave reviews on the CLBB. What it looked/tasted like was something eggy with some cornmeal added. I wanted to try again, so I tried to grind the cornmeal in the blender and use a different recipe (just in case). This time I tried one from Cooking Light. Same outcome. Cornbread #2 also in the trash. At this point I am becoming frustrated - I DIDNT want rice with my cornbread! :) I opened a book I have called Breads of the Southwest. I found a recipe for Blue Corn Bread and since I knew I had a fine grind blue cornmeal, I decided this must be the one "meant to be". Luckily this one turned out right (since I was now out of eggs). It browned nicely and had the right texture. My only change was to sub yogurt for the sour cream.

Ive had cornbread with more depth of flavor before, but with a touch of honey added to the slice, it was a good side for the chili.

My last recipe of the day was pulled from Culinary in the Desert, which was adapted from Cooking Light. I am a huge fan of broccoli slaw and am always looking for a new one to try and this one did not disappoint! I figured we were having "fall foods" so I would round out the menu with this fall inspired dish.


Broccoli slaw is tossed with dried cranberries then dressed with a vinegar based sauce. After sitting for a few hours, I decided to drain some of the liquid off and add a touch of mayonnaise - not enough to taste, just to help bind. Just prior to eating, sliced tart apples and toasted pecans were added. This got 5 thumbs up and will be made again!

With this being BIRTHDAY WEEK, dinners at home aren't as prevalent, and with today being the BIG DAY, we will be having dinner out tonight. The party with friends will be Saturday complete with yummy Indian food and a cake. In the meantime:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BO

White Bean and Chicken Chili (Adapted from All of You)


2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 whole bone-in chicken breasts (3 lb.)
Salt and pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 oz.) cans roasted green chilies, drained (I used 2 fresh chopped serranos)
1 tablespoon ground cumin

Place beans and broth in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, 2 hours.

Warm oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken skin side down in skillet; cook until brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate; remove and discard skin. Drain all but 2 Tbsp. fat from skillet. Add onions and garlic; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add onion mixture, chilies, 1 cup water and cumin to slow cooker. Stir; add chicken.

Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring twice. Remove 1 cup beans plus 1/2 cup liquid from slow cooker. Puree in a blender; return to slow cooker. Remove chicken, shred it and return to slow cooker. Spoon into individual bowls and serve

Yield: 6 Servings


Blue Corn Bread (Adapted from Breads of the Southwest)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup fine grind blue cornmeal
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 cups sour cream (I used yogurt)
1/4 c corn oil (I used canola)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9-in springform pan or pie plate.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and soda and salt. In another bowl whisk together the sour cream, oil and eggs. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. The batter will be very thick. Take care not to overmix. Spoon the batter into the pan.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden around the edges and the top is dry and springy to the touch. a cake tester will come out clean. Let stand in the pan 15 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.


Broccoli, Cranberry, and Apple Slaw (Adapted from CL)

5 cups broccoli slaw
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarse cracked black pepper
2 1/4 cups thinly sliced tart apples
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1. In a large bowl, toss together broccoli slaw and cranberries.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, white wine vinegar,
olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over broccoli mixture and toss gently to
coat. Cover and chill 2 hours. Mix in apple slices. Scatter the top with the
toasted pecans.