Creamy Tomato Soup

When the mercury drops soup and bisque make their way to the dinner table. With the winter storm keeping temperatures in the 30s for the last few days, I decided we needed thick creamy Tomato Bisque, the old family favorite. This soup never fails to provide comfort on a cold or rainy day. We all love the strong garlic flavor in the soup. Serve it with a savory scone or bread.

I was surprised to find that I did not have a tomato soup in the blog especially as this is one of our favorites. This soup has a rich creamy texture and a lovely orange color. I used to make it with canned plum tomatoes for their delicious citrus flavor until I found organic tomatoes that provide the same taste. The regular grocery store tomatoes taste very bland.

I used almond milk in my recipe. You can skip the milk and the soup will taste just as delicious.

You will need
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 pods garlic, minced
3 large Plum Tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tbsp. almond milk

Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Saute for a few minutes until they are cooked. Add the minced garlic and saute for a few minutes. In the meantime chop the tomatoes and them to the pan. Add the sugar, salt and paprika. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and thickened. Take off heat and blend to a puree. Return to the pan and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Turn down the heat and add the cream. Turn off the heat after another minute. Optionally garnish with cream.

Serve hot with bread or savory scones. Enjoy!

Apple Raisin Muffins

My daughter is home from school for winter break and all she wants are my tried and tested recipes. Between cooking those and work there is no time to try anything new. I am posting a recipe today that I made a while back. It was in my drafts and we like it a lot. I have a list of things to try while she is home. Hopefully I will get to it soon.

These muffins are made with whole wheat and have no added sugar. The apples and the raisins provide the sweet flavor. If you like muffins really sweet then you could add some sugar.

You will need
1 Fuji apple
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened toasted coconut flakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup All purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease muffin molds with olive oil on a muffin pan.
In a bowl mix the flour, cinnamon and baking soda. Whisk the eggs with the oil and vanilla extract in a separate bowl and add it to the dry ingredients. Mix them together. Peel and dice the apple. Add the diced apple, raisins and coconut to the flour mixture. Mix it well but do not knead. The resultant batter is very thick.

Scoop the batter into the greased muffin molds. You should get 12 muffins. Bake for about 20 minutes. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before storing.

Enjoy!

Copycat Chipotle Veggie Burrito/Bowl

Chipotle is a fast food restaurant with flavors close to the Mexican cuisine. A little of this and a little of that from their lined up stations adds up to a very flavorful bowl or burrito. My daughter is a big fan of Chipotle. She never gets tired of it. Chipotle is always her choice whether it is to celebrate the beginning of school holidays, the end of the holidays, on a trip or any other time. Several years back I tried to make a copycat Chipotle meal at home. Back then I was stumped with the black bean recipe. Since then I have managed to replicate the taste of everything we like from Chipotle. I especially love the tomatillo salsa. Though my daughter would rather go to Chipotle she has to agree this is close.

The veggie burrito/bowl we like consists of the following added in this order
Lime rice, Black Beans, Pico de galo, Tomatillo Salsa, Corn Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Grated Cheese and Lettuce.

To make the veggie bowl they are added into a bowl. To make the burrito they are added into a warmed tortilla. When it comes to rolls and wraps the Chipotle burrito is King.

Here all the fixings are wrapped in a tortilla as a burrito....

Alternately served in a bowl without a tortilla.

The following proportions should give you 6 servings

Lime Rice

You will need
1 1/2 cup brown rice
1 lime
a bunch cilantro, chopped

Add the rice to a pan with 4 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, lower heat and let the rice cook completely. Even after the rice has cooked there should be some water in the pan, drain this water and return the rice to the pan. This gives it the texture you see in the rice at Chipotle. Add the juice of one lime and the chopped cilantro. Mix well and keep aside.

Black Beans

You will need
2 cartons black beans (I used cartons from Whole Foods, you can use 2 cans instead)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste

Heat a pan with all the ingredients until heated through. Keep aside.

Pico de galo

You will need
2 tomatoes, diced finely
1/2 onion, diced finely
a bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped
salt to taste

In a bowl combine all the ingredients and keep aside.

Tomatillo Salsa

6 tiny tomatilloes
1 medium tomato
1/4 red onion
1 roasted red chili pepper
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and black pepper to taste

Stick a fork in a red chili pepper and roast it on the open flame of your stove. Chop and use it in the salsa to give it a lovely hot smoky flavor. Pulse everything in the food processor until the desired consistency is reached. Do not puree. If you like a lot of heat use more than one red chili pepper and add a dash of hot sauce.

Corn Salsa

You will need
8oz frozen corn (half a standard size bag)
1/2 onion, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
a bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, deseeded and chopped
salt to taste

Thaw the frozen corn, wash and drain. In a bowl combine all the ingredients and keep aside.

Guacamole

You will need
2 avocado
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 onion, diced
salt to taste

Cut the avocado in half mindful of the seed. Peel of the skin. If the avocado is ripe the skin should peel right off. Remove the seed. Cut the avocado into small pieces. In a bowl mix all the ingredients together. Mash lightly with a masher.  Do not overdo it. You want the guacamole to remain chunky and not turn to mushy paste.

The Final Garnishes

Wash the lettuce, let it dry and tear it to shreds. Whisk the sour cream and shred some cheddar cheese.

Tortilla for the burrito
The burrito is made using tortilla. You could use store bought tortilla or make your own. I use whole wheat poli/chapati. You could modify the recipe for the poli by adding a little all purpose flour. That makes the poli a little more supple and will aid the rolling. I skip the all purpose flour.

To put together the Veggie burrito
Heat the prepared poli. It strengthens it and prevents tearing. Place the poli/tortilla on a plate. Spread a spoonful of rice on it. Next add the black beans.

Now add the pico de galo, tomatillo salsa, corn salsa, sour cream, grated cheese, guacamole and lettuce.

Fold in the sides and roll into a burrito.

Alternate preparation Veggie bowl
Spread a little rice on the bottom of the bowl. Add the black beans, pico de galo, tomatillo salsa, corn salsa, sour cream, grated cheese, guacamole and lettuce.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal is part of our everyday breakfast. We usually buy the old fashioned Quaker oats from Costco. The other day after transferring the contents of the bags to my cereal bins I flattened the box of oatmeal and placed it on the kitchen table to be taken to the recycling bin in the garage. My daughter happened to see the box while she was setting the table for breakfast and noticed this oatmeal raisin recipe. She asked if we could make the cookies. I told my husband to leave the flattened box indoors so we could use the recipe. Then I forgot all about it.

I was looking for something sweet to end the year and remembered the cookies. I fished out the box and since we had all the ingredients at home I made them right away. The original recipe was for 48 cookies and used two eggs. I wanted to make 12 and could not really use half an egg so I substituted the egg with applesauce. The next time I try them I will make 24 and use an egg.

I see a lot of substitution for butter in cookies. Some amount of saturated fat is needed by the body and I don't make cookies often so I used the amount called for.

You will need
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon powder
a pinch salt
2 1/5 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. applesauce
a few drops vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup Quaker old fashioned oats
1/4 cup raisins

Preheat 350 F. Sift flour into a bowl and combine with the baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Keep aside. In a separate bowl cream the softened butter. Add the brown sugar and beat until smooth. Add the applesauce and vanilla extract and beat again. Fold in the flour mixture. Now add the oats and raisins and mix until just combined.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop a tablespoon of batter about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a couple minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Checkerboard Sugar Cookies

This year after a long break the ladies in my neighborhood decided to have a cookie exchange. Everyone was to bring 3 dozen cookies. I wanted to bake a cookie that looked special but I did not want to use frosting. My first thought was swirl sugar cookies rolled in sprinkles. Though the cookies look festive I was not sure I wanted to use food color. My next thought was chocolate dipped squares. But I rarely bake cookies and do not have a square cookie cutter. I had no time to go out to buy one so that was out. Then I thought of making these checkerboard sugar cookies and that worked just right. The checkerboard pattern made with cocoa powder and plain cookie dough was festive enough to not need any frosting or food coloring.

I had made swirl cookies for the fourth of July. I used the same basic recipe for these cookies. I divided the dough into two portions by weight and added a tablespoon of cocoa powder to one half to color it. I left the dough overnight in the refrigerator and baked the cookies early the next morning. The cookies were well appreciated and I had a great time at the cookie exchange.

I had cut out instructions from a magazine for the checkerboard pattern. It is very easy to put together. Do not be intimidated by it.

You will need (for about 36 cookies)
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. cocoa powder

In a bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Keep aside. In another bowl beat the butter. Add the sugar and beat again to mix well. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until well mixed. Add the vanilla extract and beat until frothy. Fold in the flour mixture and form a dough. Weigh the dough and divide into two. Flatten one half and sprinkle the cocoa powder. Fold in and mix until well distributed. Do not overwork it. Wrap both portions separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Roll out the dough separately into two rectangles. Slice along the length to form three long rectangles as in the picture below.

Switch the center portion of the plain rectangle with the color one. Sandwich the pieces together. You should have one rectangular block plain-colored-plain and the other colored-plain-colored. Place the plain-colored-plain block such that the plain side is facing up. Slice into three long rectangle. Repeat with the colored-plain-colored block, only this time with the colored side facing up. You will get a pattern as in the picture below.

Now switch the middle portion of one set of three rectangles with the middle portion of the other set. Stack them up and you will have a checkerboard pattern.

Wrap it in plastic wrap (you can reuse the wrap you used earlier) and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper lining. Transfer one rectangular roll from the refrigerator to your work surface. Slice every 1/4 inch with a sharp serrated knife. You can adjust the width as per your preference.

Transfer the sliced cookies to the baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottom is lightly colored. Repeat with the remaining dough. I baked three batches with 12 cookies in each. Let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack before storing them in an air tight container.

Enjoy!

Green bean casserole

Green bean casserole is another must have at our Thanksgiving table. My daughter absolutely loves it and insists I make it every year. This year she made it herself. It is a dish that I am not particularly fond of. If I had my way I would stop making it. Instead I always make it as a double batch so she can have leftovers.

When I first started gathering recipes for the Thanksgiving meal I picked this recipe as it was easy to put together. Over the years I have tried to talk my daughter into letting me make the mushroom soup instead of using a can but she won't hear of it. She is afraid I will ruin the taste of the casserole. Even though I never buy canned soup, this is my one exception.

You will need
10 ¾ ounces (1 can) cream of mushroom soup (I use Campbell)
½ cup milk
1 (16 ounces) bag frozen green beans, not thawed or cooked
1 1/3 cups French-fried onions, divided

Preheat oven to 350F. Do not thaw the beans before use. They will become soggy. Use directly from the freezer.

In a casserole dish mix soup, milk, pepper, green beans and 2/3 cup fried onions. Bake for 25 minutes  uncovered or until hot. Take it out of the oven and stir. Sprinkle with remaining onions and bake for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Creamy mashed potatoes with chives

Mashed potatoes with chives is one of our must have recipes at the Thanksgiving table. I got this recipe several years back when I started looking out for recipes for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. My daughter loves potatoes and mashed potatoes are her favorite. This is one of the original recipes that has not changed at all over the years. I have offered to make the cream from scratch using fresh chives but my daughter will not allow it. And so every year we go looking for the cream cheese with onions and chives before the stores run out. Luckily, we all like the recipe and it is also liked by the visiting extended family. Thanksgiving would not be complete without it.

These mashed potatoes taste best with Yukon gold potatoes. They are available in every supermarket before Thanksgiving. However, just before Thanksgiving they usually sell out. One year I forgot to stock up early and had to go looking for them the day before Thanksgiving. I had a very hard time finding them. I had to go from store to store until I found a few in one of the stores. Stock up early if you plan on making mashed potatoes using Yukon gold potatoes.

You will need
3 lbs. peeled Yukon gold potatoes
2/3 cup nonfat milk
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup light cream cheese with chives and onion

Wash and peel the potatoes.

Quarter the peeled potatoes.

Place the potatoes in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add the milk and salt. Mash the potato mixture with a potato masher to desired consistency. Add the cheese, and stir just until blended. Mashed potatoes are ready.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

I first made this Cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving back in 2007. It was the first time I had bought and used cranberries. I have made this sauce every year since then.

 I make it in small quantities and it adds a sweet and tart flavor to the meal.

Over the years I have changed it a little with organic ingredients, fresh squeezed juice and extended cook time. What I really like about this sauce is that it is tart and sweet at the same time. It can be used as a spread or substituted for jam if needed.

You will need
6 oz. fresh organic cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until berries pop. Mash gently with the back of a spoon or masher. Let the sauce simmer for about 3-5 minutes more.

Turn off heat. Chill until ready to serve. The sauce thickens as it cools.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Several years back we started celebrating Thanksgiving with a traditional meal. Stuffing was one of the recipes I wanted to make. Though the word stuffing suggests it is used to stuff something, stuffing is also eaten as a side. It was the side that I wanted to make. Having no idea where to begin I started asking around and searching online. I found prepackaged bags of bread cubes with spices. You were supposed to add the vegetables and bake it. It seemed simple enough so I bought a package and tried it. We did not enjoy it. Next year I bought a different brand but stuffing remained the least popular of the Thanksgiving dishes. Over the years I have refined all my thanksgiving recipes and a couple years ago I found this stuffing recipe made of a day old challah loaf.

I have not made any other recipe since then. This is my annual go to recipe. It has a mix of vegetables, fresh made vegetable stock and the very flavorful challah loaf. Challah is a rich flavorful bread and my daughter munches on the loaf all by itself. This year I had planned to bake the challah myself but things got rather hectic just before Thanksgiving so that did not happen. I have promised myself to make it next year. We shall see. In the meantime here is the recipe for stuffing.

Recipe adapted from here.

You will need (for one 13 x 17 baking pan)
1 loaf of day old challah (I got it from Whole Foods)
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups onion, diced
2 cups carrots, diced
8-10 sprigs thyme, use leaves, discard stem
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 cups vegetable stock
2 oz. butter for cooking
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Cut the challah into small cubes. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet for at least a day up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Dice the onion, carrots and celery.

Heat 1 oz. butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the onions and sauté until transparent.

Add thyme, parsley, celery and carrots. Cook for about 10 minutes, do not cook them completely.

Prepare a 13x9 baking dish by rubbing some of the remaining butter on the bottom. Melt the rest to combine with the stuffing mixture. In a large bowl, combine the bread, partially cooked vegetable mixture, vegetable broth and the melted butter. Season it with salt and black pepper.

Transfer the mixture to the baking dish.

Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes. Remove foil and let it brown for about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Enjoy!