Divine Leek and Potato Soup and a New Cousin

I LOVE books. I inhale them. I love the stories and the new ideas that come out of each and every one. Also, I am a rather fidgety person that can't sit still so, I ravenously consume my literature via audiobook. I chose Audible to enable my addiction because I can get a subscription with two books a month for the cost of buying less than one audiobook. Recently, I purchased the 'Dirty Life' by Kristin Kimball that tells the charming tale of how she and her husband started an organic farm in northern New York. I highly recommend it if you like food, animals, funny anecdotes about castrating a bull or simply lovely writing. At the end of her book she gives just a few of her favorite recipes she has come up with from the vegetables from her farm. Because I listened to the book, I adapted her recipe from what I could remember from listening and made it into a portion I could manage.

Devine Leek and Potato Soup

Feeds:2 but can be multiplied
Skill level: Beginner

2 tbs butter or olive oil
2 small leeks
2 large golden potato or 5-6 small golden potatoes, cubed
1 small yellow or sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
2-3 c chicken stock
1/2 c dry white wine
salt and pepper
Sour cream or heat cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut all the vegetables. Cut the dark green part off the leek and discard it. Take the remaining white stock and cut it in half. Make sure to thoroughly wash the leek inside and out because sand can easily get trapped inside the layers. Slice the leek, roughly chop the onion, cube the potatoes and dump it all into a cast iron pot with a lid.

3. To the vegetables add the remainder of the ingredients. I made sure that there was enough sock in the pot to completely cover the vegetables. You may keep some liquid for after the roasting to make the soup is the right texture after blending.
4. Over and cook in the oven for 45 min to an hour until all the vegetables are tender.
5. Blend all the ingredients together and taste. You may want to add a bit more fluid, salt or pepper once it is done.
6. This soup is amazing and naturally very cream on its own but if you feel it is lacking, feel free to dollop in a tablespoon of sour cream in each bowl or a drizzle of heavy cream.

In other news I am proud to announce that Evanelle has a new cousin!!! My sister recently adopted a cat who has yet to be named. 

See the resemblance? 

I am sure we will get an update soon on her name!

Skillet Kale and Egg

I have been trying to find a way to incorporate more kale into my life and I think I have found a most excellent and delicious way! I had seen several recipes doing something very similar but I decided to try my own spin on it.

Feeds: 1 but can easily be multiplied to feed more
Skill Level: Beginner

1/2 yellow onion
2 c chopped kale
2 eggs
1-2 tbs sour cream or creme fraiche
olive oil or butter
salt and pepper
slices of toast (optional but a really delicious contrast if schemered with sweet jelly next to the savory eggs)

1. Slice the onion however you like, a dice would work too if you wanted. Add onion and 1tbs butter or olive oil to a non stick pan on medium-low heat and let the onions caramelize which may take awhile.
2. While the onions cook, you can prep the kale by taking out the rib and chiffonading it (here is a helpful site for working with kale).
3. When the onions are golden brown or you get too hungry to let them cook any further, add the kale to the skillet with 2 tbs of water and another tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Let the kale and onions cook until the kale is bright green and softer, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Stir in your tablespoon or two of sour cream or creme fraiche and salt and pepper to taste and let the cream thicken around the kale.
5. Crack and egg or two in the center of the kale and let it cook for as long as you like. I prefer mine a little runny so it did not take me long but if you prefer a more firm egg feel free to stick the pan under the broiler to get a more even cook on top.

6. Serve with or without toast. 

I am still working on getting everything settled from getting back to Nashville so I spent a good part of today ironing fabric in preparation for the many quilting projects I have in mind. 

Right now, these are a few of my favorite things: 

1. My new Primrose Bakery cupcake book! Everything looks amazing in it and I am very excited to start baking. 

2. I have been converted by the french press. This little beauty will make the perfect single cup of strong coffee for me in the morning. 

3. My new ENORMOUS, wide ironing board. For the past four years while quilting at school I have been working on the mini ironing board that one gets for a cramped college dorm. I can't express to you how tedious it is ironing sometimes up to 10 yards of fabric on an ironing board with a surface area of about two feet. This new beauty is the perfect height for me and even has a place to put my hot iron and spray bottle. It is a quilting miracle! 

4. The stuffed banana is not really my favorite thing though I am benefiting from it greatly. More than any other food in the world, Evanelle LOVES bananas. She can sniff one from across the house and pulls her best begging tricks when one is open. Clearly when I saw this toy at the pet shop I HAD to bring it home as an early birthday present. She adores it so much that it has not even shredded yet and we played several rousing games of fetch today. 

Aside from said rousing games of fetch it has been a terribly cold day and Evanelle did little besides stay warm in her bed, yelling at me occasionally for not snuggling her. 

Citrus Salmon Salad

I saw this salad in Martha Stewart's magazine that came out this month and it looked so delicious I just had to try it.

Feeds: 1 but can easily be multiplied for more people
Skill level: Beginner
Adapted from Martha Stewart

4-6 oz fresh salmon
1 cup spinach, arugula or other dark, leafy green
1 red grapefruit
1/2 small avocado
olive oil
rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place salmon in a glass casserole dish. Gently rub 1-2 tbs of olive oil into the fish and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the oven is warm, bake for 10-12 minutes.

3. With a very sharp, small knife cut the rind off of the grapefruit. Start at the top and cut around to the bottom exposing the flesh. Cut off the rind completely so the meat is exposed.

 I recommend cutting the slices out over a bowl so you can collect the juice. Run your knife alongside both sides of the membrane to get the slices out. Collect the juice and the slices in a bowl. 

I took what remained of the grapefruit- i.e. the skin and the center- and put it in a large pitcher and covered it with water overnight. You will have delicious flavored water in the morning. 

4. Slice half an avocado. 

5. Arrange the greens, avocado, and grapefruit on a large plate. 

6. Make salad dressing by pouring all ingredients into a jar or air tight container and shaking. Add what is left of the grapefruit juice, the same amount of olive oil as grapefruit juice, 1 tbs rice wine vinegar (or more to taste), salt and pepper and shake vigorously. You will have a good deal of dressing left over for salads in the future! 

7. Cut the cooked salmon into smaller pieces, spoon dressing over salad and enjoy! 

I am sorry I haven't made post in awhile! A combination of getting very sick, holiday adventures and moving my little sister to Chicago in January has kept me on my toes. I am happy to be back in Nashville and plan on doing quite of bit of cooking and quilting so stay tuned! 

Evanelle is doing exceptionally well and will be taking the next few weeks to work off some of the treats that her Grandest gave her while on vacation. This morning we tried going to the park to romp around but she was having none of the 27 degree weather and the snow and demanded to get back into the warm car for a snuggle. For now she is spooning me, snoring loudly and occasionally tooting to keep my company. 

I am sorry the pictures are so crummy this post. I was too hungry to charge the good camera so my phone had to suffice. Keep a look out for tonight's skillet kale and fried egg!

Apple Butternut Squash Soup and a Stubborn Stink

I just can't take it any more. I demand fall to be here and plan to force it upon Nashville with the help of this delicious and healthy soup. I love the subtle sweet flavors that come out in this soup and the face that it includes coconut milk instead of cream for a healthy and dairy free twist.

For an update on my little Evie, please see under the recipe.

Feeds:4
Skill level: Beginner

Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 large sweet or yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 large Granny Smith or other hard, tart apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1 can coconut milk
1 c chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp thyme

TIP: Microwave the squash for 2-3 minutes before you try and peel and cube it. Butternut squash is extremely hard and softening it up will make your life a whole lot easier.

1) Preheat oven to 375.
2) The hardest part of this peeling and chopping, which I dearly hope most people can manage. Because everything just gets blended up, even chopping is unnecessary. Cut the butternut squash, apples and onion in rough 1 inch cubes.
3) Use a large oven safe pot or roasting pan for the soup. I used my fabulous Dutch oven but any thick metal pot or pan will work. Add all the ingredients to the pot and cover.  If your pot or pan does not have a designated lid, feel free to use aluminum foil.
4) Stirring occasionally, cook the vegetables for an hour or until they are very soft and break apart with a fork. There should be enough liquid to cover over half the vegetables. If you feel that you need more liquid add more stock or water.
5) When everything is soft and the apples look like they have exploded a little, take the pot out of the oven and get your blender out. Ladle the veggies into the blender and, in batches, blend the vegetables until smooth. Pour the soup into a clean pot on the stove.
6) This is the point where you get to fix it and make it perfect. If the soup looks too runny to you, let it cook on medium heat until it thickens up to your likening. If it is too thick, add more chicken stock or water. Add salt and more spices to taste. Other spices that work well in this soup are: rosemary, oregano, more cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves. I recommend sticking to one flavor pallet (i.e oregano and cloves are probably not the best idea).
7) Serve it up in large bowls with a nice hunk of beer bread!


My poor little baby stink has been through some big changes in her little life in the past few weeks. She has moved from Florida to Nashville with me and is adjusting to living in a house with a friend, Patrick, to my apartment with just me.

This is not to say that Evie and Patrick were the best of friends but they did enjoy each other's company.

Like I said, her many changes include more time spent on walks because she can't just run around a yard whenever she wants. Those walks, that would help her get out some of that energy and maybe let me sleep past 6:00 AM, can be a little rough. I have tried just about everything I can think of but, sometimes, her suborn side wins and what would have been a nice walk turns into a lesson in patience and a bunch of standing.  I have attempted giving her plenty of time to wake up, eat her breakfast and smell my coffee before we go on our adventure but nothing seems to work. A few days ago on one of these walks we made it a whopping 6 blocks in an hour.  Yes, kind reader, that is three blocks out and three blocks back in an hour. She will walk about three yards, stop, smell a leaf, look at a passing car, smell another leaf, gaze meaningfully into the distance and then walk another three yards. Did I mention that she is suborn as an ox? It is so hard to get mad at her but she has made it very clear that it is her way or the highway. Maybe one day she will learn to walk in a strait line for at least one block. I can dream...

Doesn't she look the picture of walked innocents? Lies. She would not move and just wanted to watch the cars and leaves go by.

A Magical Morning

It has been a great morning. My little baby bunny let me sleep until 6:20!!!!  Guys, this is a HUGE deal. We woke up had some breakfast and then went on a lovely walk in the park that is near our apartment. I brought her favorite squeaky red football thinking we would ensconce ourselves in the enclosed tennis court and we would play a rousing game of fetch. Much like most of my expectations with Evie, that proved to be false. When we arrived the entire court was covered fat white caterpillars that liked to curl up in a ball when Evie prodded them with her nose. Squirming caterpillars are apparently far superior to whatever mindless game of fetch I could come up with. Not only was there something smaller than her that she could bat around, the school nearby was starting and students were swarming the park.

Is was obvious that the tennis court was not going to hold her interest, so we made it past all the caterpillars only to discover the moths hiding in the grass outside. See the picture above for the bunny like pouncing that ensued.  Next to the tennis court is a large field where local soccer team practice in the evenings. I never knew she could run that fast! I would take off in one direction and she would rocket next to me to catch up. She is already about 6 inches off the ground anyway, but when she runs she gets even closer down and skims that grass. I think she thinks it makes her more aerodynamic. We ran until she could barely walk. She was even too tired to make new friends on the way home. 

I think this is her plan for the rest of the day. 

I am looking forward to a quiet day full of cooking so keep an eye out for new posts! 

Creamy Fig Pasta

Every Summer I wait with baited breath for figs. Figs, in my humble opinion, are purple and pink orbs of sweet perfection that should really be found more readily.
I found this recipe in Southern Living's Fresh Garden Recipes magazine that came out this summer. I highly recommend this magazine, if you can still find it, as it has recipes with simple, healthy ingredients utilizing the best of each season's produce.
So back to this pasta. Let me just tell you that it might just be life changing; yes, I will be so bold. It is creamy, meaty, and rich but the fresh fig and basil really makes it balanced with sweet freshness. Aside from the terrible fact that you can really only find good figs for about a month in the entire year, this recipe is a keeper.

Time: under 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6 and gets better the next day for lunch
Skill Level: Beginner

Ingredients:
16 oz. bucatini pasta- a nice and thick spaghetti style pasta that holds the sauce well. Spaghetti works too if you are in a pinch
5 oz. pancetta chopped. I had to ask the deli to slice this for me and I asked for 1/4 lbs cut thickly.
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3/4 c heavy cream
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan. Don't you dare use that nasty stuff that is in a bottle.  Get a nice wedge and grate it yourself.
12 figs, quartered
1/3 c fresh basil leaves, chopped

Have all your ingredients chopped, grated and minced ready to go before you start. Have your SALTED water boiling and ready to go.

1. Cook pasta in boiling water according to the package directions. Drain the pasta when it is done and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
2. Heat a large frying pan on medium. Sauté the pancetta, shallots and garlic until the shallots are translucent and golden, about 6 minutes. The fat from the pancetta will be plenty so there is no need to add oil or butter.
3. Add cream and cheese and stir it together until the cheese is incorporated.
4. Add pasta and half the pasta water and stir. The starch from the pasta water will help the sauce adhere to the pasta and make it delicious.
5. Stir occasionally until the sauce is thick.
6. Serve the pasta in bowls and add the figs and basil on top.
Enjoy!

My little sous chef decided to help. 

Sweet Puppy Kisses

For graduation I received the most wonderful and stinky mess of a puppy who occupies most of my time these days. I named her Evanelle from character in a book called 'Garden Spells'. Evanelle was a batty southern old lady who knew what people needed and carried a huge bag of gifts around with her. I really loved naming my dog after a batty woman who gave presents so, that is just what I did.  Like I mentioned, she is a stinky mess but I love her dearly.

Since she occupies most of my time she will be a large presence on this blog and her adventures will just about be equal to mine.