Gazpacho

gazpacho, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Have you ever tried gazpacho? It is a chilled tomato based soup with Spanish roots. If done correctly, it is amazing, refreshing and healthy. If done incorrectly....well like anything you wont want to keep putting it in your mouth.

I was spoiled a few years ago when I spent some time in Florida with a friend. We had a gazpacho that tasted of fresh vegetables, fruity olive oil, and I swear you could taste the sun.

Well maybe that part was because we were in Florida.

The recipes I had been trying call for tomato or V-8 juice. That is the problem. Neither taste like the sun! Once I moved away from those recipes, finding this one was a snap!

This was our Valentine's meal starter and the fabulous start to our tapas night. Fresh, fruity and a touch of heat, we may have transported to Florida (or better yet, Spain!)

This was good! I am in the market for more. If you have an authentic recipe from sunny Spain, I'd love to see it!


Spanish Gazpacho (Chef4all.com)

2 lb ripe field grown tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 shallots, chopped
1 tsp chopped cilantro
2 limes, juiced
2 Tbs EV olive oil
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup ice water
salt and pepper to taste.

Core the tomatoes and dip them in boiling water for 1 minute to blanch them, then transfer them in iced water, so the skin can be removed easily. Dice the tomatoes and put them in a food processor.

Set aside 1/3 of the peppers and cucumber. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Chop the peppers and cucumber and stir them in the soup. Serve the Gazpacho soup with fresh garlic-herb croutons on top.

Crab Bisque

bisque, originally uploaded by Kim De.

YEA! I was allowed to cook one meal at my moms. I wanted to make it special, tasty and FATTENING (it IS the holidays after all)! Well, I got two out of three...

I chose crab bisque. A treat. Treats are allowed to be nice and fattening, except this wasnt! I found a recipe from Cooking Light that looked amazing, but wouldnt completely be “heart attack in a bowl”. Pretty good deal!

Of course, the recipe you see below is “inspired” by the recipe I found. I found several places where I thought changes were in order. Judging from the ohhs and ahhs at the table, I was right. Always fun is when I cook for another cook, and tonight my brother in law was in attendance. He is a great cook. Oh, and he does the dishes. My sister is quite lucky! He loved it, and to a passionate cook, that is all I need!

Creamy, crabby – perfect for a cold and rainy night in Indiana!

Merry Christmas!

Crab Bisque

Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 4 large)
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
3 cups fat-free milk
1 cup clam juice
1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives


Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to pan; cook 10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in sherry; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Add salt, peppers, and crab meat.

Combine milk and clam juice in a large bowl. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Whisk flour into milk mixture; add to pan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.

Stir in cream; cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Top soup with chopped chives, more red peppers and Tabasco to taste.

TIP: Great with a crusty multi-grain bread, roasted asparagus and wine.

Southwest Shrimp and Corn Soup

PC160928, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I think we need a break from the sweets and treat, so I made a healthy soup, that turned out to be a fan favorite!

I found this recipe on the Cooking Light website. I have changed the name, since I have changed so much of the recipe. One big change is the word "chowder" to "soup" because I left out the potatoes. I am not a fan of potatoes or pastas in soup because I like to serve bread next to my soups. Also, I'm not a huge fan of the texture of these two carbs in broth, so I usually find a way to shake things up!

This soup was spicy, but can easily be milder by slicing out the ribs of the chiles, or using only half (or both). Bo LOVED this soup! He has already asked for it again! We both commented on how rich and creamy it was, while being low calorie. It would also be fun to change up the veggies - add chopped fresh spinach, more bell peppers, even some asparagus or green beans. You can even sub chicken for the shrimp, or leave the meat out altogether.

When looking for some relief from the heavy foods of December, I recommend you give this a try!

Southwest Shrimp and Corn Soup (Inspired by Cooking Light)

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped serrano chile (about 1 small)
1 chopped jalapeno (milder in heat then the serrano)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup 2% plain yogurt (1 1/2 c 2% milk can be subbed for the milk/yogurt combo)
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken or veggie broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 t fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 oz frozen corn
1 pound peeled and deveined small shrimp, or medium shrimp cut in half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and serrano and jalapeno chiles to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add flour to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Mix milk and yogurt with a whisk until well blended. Stir in milk and next 5 ingredients (through corn); bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in shrimp; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Spinach and Tomato Soup

tomato soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

First of all, please let me apologize for the picture quality of this and future blogs for who knows how long - a cup of coffee had a meeting with our camera this morning.

Luckily we are already in the market for a new camera, and we have a cheap back up (taking the poor quality photo you see). Anyway, it may be awhile before we purchase our new camera, so for a time I am stuck with this one.

Getting slowly back into the swing of things after vacation is difficult. I made tomato soup for its nutrition and ease. I must say I am disappointed with this first try. The soup was ok, but it lacked a depth of flavor - it was quite thin. Luckily there is nothing I like better then trying a new recipe! The hunt for a new tomato soup is on!

Bean, Spinach and Tomato Soup (Adapted from Rachael Ray)

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
32 oz vegetable broth
1/2 14.5 oz can navy beans
1/2 lb baby spinach
1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated or ground
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large dutch oven, saute garlic and onion in olive oil for 2 - 3 minutes over medium heat. Pour in the broth and bring liquid to a boil. add the beans to the broth and cook until they are softened, 5-10 minutes.

NOTE: If you wish the spinach to stay whole, you can blend the beans and broth now then add the rest of the ingredients.


Add in handfuls of the spinach, stirring until it wilts. Keep adding and
stirring until all of the spinach is in. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Add in tomatoes and stir until thoroughly heated for a couple minutes. Using an immersion blender, mix the beans, spinach and tomatoes until the consistency you desire. Heat for 5 minutes more. Serve each with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Black Bean Soup

P1010350, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I recently realized that I had Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook, and that I had badly neglected it. I took it with me to read on my trip last week (yes, I read cookbooks like they are novels) and came to the conclusion that is was time to use it with a vengeance.

The first recipe I decided to try was Black Bean Soup. I have had a go-to recipe for several years and really hadnt bothered to try a new one. I figured, why mess with ease and flavor? Well now I am glad I stepped out of the comfort zone. This soup really isnt any more difficult, and the flavor is AMAZING! It is even better the next day when it becomes thicker and more like a chili. If you love bean soups at all, I highly recommend you try this one today!

Oh and to go with it, Mesa Grill's famous Blue Corn Muffins. Dont worry. You will see those tomorrow...

Black Bean Soup (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup red wine
3 jalapenos, chilies roasted, peeled and seeded
1 poblano chile, chilie roasted, peeled and seeded

3 cans black beans
4 cups low sodium chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
kosher salt
pepper, freshly ground

Heat olive in in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.

Reduce heat to medium and add beans, chilies and broth. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Using a blender or food processor, puree half of the soup and return it to the pot. Bring back to a simmer before serving.

Top with garnishes such as finely chopped red onion, coarsely chopped avocado, diced tomatoes and sour cream.

Roasted Poblano and Corn Soup

corn soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Soup season is here! At least it is supposed to be here. It is the end of September according to my calendar. The humidity is still here, the air is still on, but my internal clock wants soup. So soup it is!

I have been looking for a good corn chowder for sometime. I try recipes, I tweak recipes, I combine recipes. The search, I think, is over. Today I believe I found the combination perfect for me. It is smoky, it is creamy, it has good flavor, and it is perfect for dipping a crusty bread.

Creamy Roasted Poblano and Corn Soup (Adapted from Whole Foods Market Cookbook)

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup skim milk, 1 cup heavy cream
2 medium poblano chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1 serrano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn
2 cups frozen langistino tails
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, green pepper, and onion, Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook over low heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes, being careful not to let the flour scorch. Turn the heat to high and slowly whisk in the stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

Add the milk. Bring the soup to a rolling simmer and then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the poblano chilies, bell and serrano peppers, langistino and corn. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the salt and cayenne pepper. Serve with a crusty bread for dipping!

All-American Chili

Chili, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Noon football game led us to our main meal being lunch. I have been wanting to make this recipe for quite some time and can I tell you, it was worth the wait!

This is what chili should be, to my taste buds. Full of flavor. A bit spicy but not too much. Not greasy, but a great mouth feel. A wonderful palate for add-ons, but strong enough to stand along. Most importantly - great with ice cold beer!

All-American Chili (Adapted from Cooking Light)

6 oz hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz ground sirloin
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
3 Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 cups Merlot
56 oz canned whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
2 oz shredded white cheddar cheese

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic, sauteing for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the sausage, red bell pepper, ground sirlion and jalapeño. Cook 6 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in wine and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

NOTE: My crockpot instructions: After browning, I took the beef mixture and moved it to the crockpot, then added the tomato paste and the rest of the ingredients. I cooked on high for about an hour, then moved to low until ready to serve (about another hour)

Preparing for the upcoming week

Italian soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Bo likes to take salad for lunch in the warm months. However when the weather begins to turn, I am in the mood to make soups, and I seek out those hearty enough for his midday meal.

This season I began with a variation of Pasta e Ceci by Giada DeLaurentiis in her book Everyday Pasta.

This soup came together very quickly. My changes included adding a few more veggies, and taking out the pasta. I did this for one simple reason: I love to eat crusty bread alongside soup, so taking the pasta out keeps my waistline happy. It is full of flavor and after a tiny taste, we both agree it is a winner. I will be anxious to try it for tomorrow's lunch, as soup always tastes better the next day!

Next is a perennial favorite of mine – Cinnamon Apple Cake from Cooking Light. It first appeared in the magazine in January 2000. I made it that year, and have made it every September since. I have tried other recipes. But I continue to come back to this one due to the moistness coupled with the balance of sweet and tart. It is one of my favorite cakes and I anxious await its arrival each fall.


Pasta e Ceci (adapted from Pasta Everyday)

1 T olive oil
1 T unsalted butter
1 c chopped onion
3 oz prosciutti
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
2 t dried thyme
2 t dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz) cans navy beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
½ bag frozen chopped spinach
½ t black pepper
Fresh grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion through bell pepper and sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the herbs and the rest of the ingredients through the black pepper. Cover and bring to a boil then decrease the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.

Transfer about 1 cup of the soup to the blender, being careful not to include the bay leaf. Blend until smooth then add back to the soup pot. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 8 more minutes.

Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.



Cinnamon-Apple Cake (Adapted from Cooking Light)

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup (6 ounces) block-style reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled Rome apple (about 2 large)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, and beat at low speed until blended.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl; stir apple mixture into batter. Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of pan. Cool cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife.

Finally, the garden has produced!

P1000757, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I saw something exciting out the window yesterday - a hint of red. Yes, my garden finally had produced tomatoes. How many you ask? You are looking at them...

Last night was soup night again. We wanted to try another cheddar ale soup to compare it with this one from last week. To make it purely scientific and unbiased, I pulled out a small amount of last weeks soup from the freezer and heated it up for comparison.

Our thoughts: The Butternut Squash and Ale Soup was a bit richer (possibly from the squash, but very likely from the cream). Last nights soup, Cheddar-Ale Soup, was a bit thinner, but had a great flavor, with less fat and calories as the creaminess comes from potatoes with a flour milk mixture. I would like to try making this recipe but adding the squash to see how they meld. There just arent enough days in the week for all the new recipes!

Cheddar-Ale Soup (adapted from Eating Well)

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into quarters and boiled until tender then peeled (about 15 minutes).
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 ½ cups nonfat or low-fat milk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided NOTE: I used an extra sharp white cheddar
Chopped chives

Quarter the potatoes and add to water in a pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Cool slightly and pull off the peel.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beer; bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, broth and water; cover and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash the potatoes with a potato masher to the desired consistency. NOTE: I used my hand blender for an almost totally creamy mixture

Whisk milk and flour in a bowl and add to the soup. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 1/4 cups Cheddar and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and chopped chives.

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

Another soup in the summer

tortilla soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

What can I say? I am craving soup! And since I dont see it ending anytime soon, there will be a weekly soup rotation!

Last night, it was Tortilla Soup. It has been years since I have made a tortilla soup, but as I remember, this one is far superior.

I wanted to try it in the crockpot, so the procedure as written was thrown out the window. Instead of precooking the onions in oil, I added all the ingredients to the crockpot. Instead of adding shredded, cooked chicken at the end, I added a bone-in chicken breast at the beginning of the cooking time. I had taken the skin and fat off, figuring there was enough fat left on the chicken to add a touch to the soup.

This recipe turned out great! It may come back, once I have made all the soups on my list!

Tortilla Soup (Adapted from Stop and Smell the Rosemary)

8 white corn tortillas, chopped (I used corn, and next time I think I would only use 4)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium onion, chopped
28 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs hot chili powder
3 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bone-in chicken breast, skinned
1 Tbs fresh lime juice

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high. Add tortillas, garlic, cilantro and onions. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and stir in cumin, chili powder, bay leaves and chicken stock. Bring back up to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in salt and cayenne - let simmer for about 30 minutes. When ready to serve, remove bay leaves and add in shredded chicken and lime juice. Let sit for a couple minutes for the chicken to warm through.


Comments: I made it in the crockpot, adding everything at the same time. I left out all oil and let the chicken breast, bone-in, cook with the soup. The chicken had been de-fatted and skinned. I cooked on high for 1 hour, then finished for 5 hours on low. After cooling the soup, I took the chicken out and cut the meat off the bone.

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.