Tag: Potatoes (Page 2 of 5)

Fabulous February Potato Soup

February 5, 2016 / Jenny / 24 Comments

Warm up with a steaming bowl of this deeply satisfying soup. Potatoes are so versatile that there are endless ways to give variety to the classic potato soup. This soup, with potatoes, corn, and barley, is lightly spiced with chili powder and cumin, and flavored with a touch of honey and Worcestershire sauce. Easy to make, not to mention easy on the budget, this soup is a great answer to the question, “what on earth am I going to make for dinner tonight?”

There are evenings when I ask myself that question, and since this soup is made from things that I usually have in my pantry and freezer, it can get me out of a tight spot sometimes. Just serve it with some good bread and/or a green salad, and you have a delicious, comforting winter meal (and probably leftovers for another quick meal–soup always tastes better the second day). And feel free to throw in some other ingredients too–leftover noodles or couscous also taste good in it!

I have been away from the blogging world for a couple of weeks, since my husband recently had knee surgery to repair an injury he got while playing soccer, and I have been taking care of him. He has been improving really well, but it is a long process. That’s why wholesome, comforting soups are so good for our family right now. When things are out of the ordinary, and everyone needs a little extra care, a good, warm bowl of soup can do wonders.

Or even when things are ordinary, very ordinary, and the February wind is blowing right through your coat, your driveway is a sheet of ice one day and slushy mud the next, a warm bowl of soup can do wonders.

With my husband being laid up for a couple weeks, I have been doing some of his usual jobs around the house. One of them is taking the dog out one last time before bed. Although I am bone-tired by then, I drag myself outside and look up, and if it is a clear night, I am amazed. All the beautiful stars. Somehow they seem even more beautiful in the winter, on a cold night. I am thankful to have to go out and look up. I hope you all have a great weekend.

A bunch of wonderful bloggers are gathering at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Lily @ Little Sweet Baker and Julianna @ Foodie on Board , and I look forward to joining them!

Fabulous February Potato Soup

Servings: 8
Time: about 30 minutes
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Ingredients:

8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
5-6 medium to large potatoes, diced
2 ribs of celery, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup of corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of cooked barley
2 tablespoons of flour
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups of milk (I use 2%–use whole or half and half for a creamier soup)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chili powder, depending on your taste
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cumin, depending on your taste
salt and pepper to taste
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
parsley for garnish

Directions:

In a small pot, cook the barley according to package directions. In a large pot, bring the 8 cups of broth to a boil. Wash and dice the potatoes. When the broth is boiling, add the potatoes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add the corn, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and the cooked barley, when the barley is done.

Meanwhile, wash and chop the celery and onions and mince the garlic. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the celery, onion, and garlic until celery is tender (it’s okay if the green onion gets a little browned). Add the chili powder, cumin, and flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine. Gradually add the milk, and stir until thickened. Add this mixture to the potato mixture in the soup pot. Simmer until the flavors have had a chance to intermingle. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with bread and/or a green salad. Enjoy!

Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Potatoes

November 5, 2015 / Jenny / 22 Comments

Fresh rosemary and parsley, plus minced garlic, give these potato wedges delicious flavor. Roasted with olive oil, they become tender on the inside, and slightly crispy on the outside. With only a few minutes of prep time, you can take potatoes to the next level and create a savory, aromatic side dish people will ask for again and again.

Rosemary is such a fascinating herb to me. Not only does it have an unforgettable and deeply lovely scent–it’s also hardy, easy to grow, and can live through the winter indoors in a pot placed in a sunny spot. Once the weather turns cold, I like to keep as many herbs as I can (or as many that will survive) in pots throughout the house. They smell good and are so nice to have close-by for cooking and baking. Rosemary is commonly known as the herb of remembrance. Apparently it has natural preservatives and enhances the brain’s memory function. Also, according to many sources, rosemary historically symbolizes remembrance–remembrance of friendship, of marriage vows, and of people we have lost. Sprigs of rosemary have been used as decorations at wedding ceremonies to encourage love and fidelity, and they have been placed at the gravesides of loved ones as tokens of loving memories.

The recipe I am sharing below is based on one I found in a very fun book: “China Bayles’ Book of Days: 365 Celebrations of The Mystery, Myth, and Magic of Herbs from the World of Pecan Springs,” by Susan Wittig Albert. I made a few minor changes, but I find that this recipe calls for just the right amount of herbs and spices for my and my family’s tastes, and the potatoes turn out great! I can’t wait to make them again!

This book also has lots of information about using herbs, including recipes, remedies, gardening tips, and the folklore behind many of the herbs we use today. I thoroughly enjoy continuously learning about the history and uses of herbs–the evolving knowledge brings new layers of meaning to cooking and gardening. Since my husband and I learned that rosemary symbolizes remembering marriage (we read this a few years ago in a different book), we have kept a rosemary plant growing either in or outside of our house as a symbol of tending to our marriage. Now that I have learned that rosemary also is a symbol of remembrance of those we have lost, I will use it as a way to cherish the memory of my dear father as well. As we try to make sense of our world and put our feelings into some kind of expression, herbs can help. As Shakespeare’s Ophelia says to Hamlet: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray you, love, remember….”

We are now a little over halfway between the beginning of fall and the beginning of winter. The colors outside are more muted, but no less beautiful. A lot of the leaves are on the ground now, and the ones left on the trees are mostly rust or a faded gold color. The stars and the moon seem extra-bright lately, though maybe that’s because it is dark more now. This is one of the best times of the year for cooking and baking, and I look forward to sharing some more recipes with you soon. I hope you all have a great weekend! I think I will take a tray of these tasty potatoes over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday ink-up, co-hosted this week by Jhuls@The Not So Creative Cook and Kaila@GF Life 24/7.

Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Servings: 4
Time: approximately 10 minutes preparation, about 35 minutes for baking
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Ingredients:

4-5 medium-sized red potatoes (or about 8 small ones), washed and cut into eighths
1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoon of parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and cut the potatoes into eighths. Wash and chop the herbs, and mince the garlic. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, rosemary, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss the potatoes wedges in the bowl with the olive oil-herb mixture. Make sure all the pieces are coated with oil–it will make it less likely that they will stick to the baking sheet. Place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in your 400-degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until just crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. About 20 minutes into the baking time, use a spatula to toss and flip the potatoes so they bake somewhat evenly. If they stick a little, just use the spatula to unstick them and move them around. If you don’t want to clean up a messy baking sheet, you can also coat the baking sheet with aluminum foil. Once they are done, you may add more salt and pepper, if you like. Enjoy!

Fall Harvest Soup

October 28, 2015 / Jenny / 6 Comments

I love it when food captures the color and feeling of a season. This fall harvest soup does just that. It is warm and nourishing, and its color is a beautiful combination of deep orange and gold, much like the leaves that are falling off of the trees. With butternut squash, potatoes, and carrots being the main ingredients, it if full of necessary vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients to help us stay strong as the weather turns cold and damp. Curry, ginger, and nutmeg give this soup a subtle flavor, along with a generous amount of ground peppercorns. Because it is pureed in the blender or food processor, the texture is smooth and creamy, and you can serve it either in bowls or little glasses. The garnish possibilities are endless, including chopped walnuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, shredded cheese, or sour cream.

Though I have made some changes, the recipe for this soup is based on one I found in one of my favorite cookbooks, simply called “Autumn,” by Susan Branch. My cousin gave me this cookbook a few years ago, and I have enjoyed many of the recipes in it, along with beautiful illustrations and quotes. This cousin is actually more like a sister to me, since she and I both grew up with three brothers and no sisters. We are so different, yet so alike in many ways. Food has the power to connect people, and every time I use a recipe from that cookbook she gave me, I think of her. We live far apart now (the Atlantic Ocean is between us), yet we are able to stay connected. She recently called me to wish me a happy birthday, and along with catching up about our families and our career accomplishments and aspirations, she told me about her latest favorite way to make butternut squash (which I want to try soon). The love of food is something we have shared for a long time, a love rooted in our shared past and our shared ancestors, and our shared favorite recipes.

No matter how much modern life seems to isolate us, or how much our busy schedules threaten to overtake our souls, food can bring us back to earth and connect us to those we love. A humble vegetable like squash can make us feel like we have crossed continents. Allowing time for washing, peeling, and chopping vegetables gives us time to think, to reminisce, or to talk with whomever is in the kitchen. Homemade soup cannot be rushed. Somehow soup that is not rushed tastes the best to me. This soup is delicious–in its taste, in its color, and with all the associations it brings. Wishing you all the beauty of fall.

Fall Harvest Soup

Servings: 8-10
Time: about
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Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium potatoes or 4-5 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
about 5 cups of butternut squash (one medium-sized squash or about 2 and 1/2 pounds), peeled and cubed, with seeds cut away
6 cups of chicken broth or stock (I like the Better than Bouillon brand)
1 teaspoon of curry
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
chopped walnuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, shredded cheese, or sour cream for garnish

Directions:

Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Over medium heat, saute the onion and carrot until soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and squash. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 40 minutes. Add the curry, nutmeg, and ginger. Let the soup cool for a few minutes. In a food processor or blender, puree the soup in batches. Return the soup to the pot and add salt and pepper to your taste. Adjust the other seasonings if you wish. Serve in bowls with spoons, or in little glasses to sip. Enjoy!