Sunday, May 5, 2013

Cream of Bacon Soup


















Sorry but I have no recipe and can not claim that I made it.
SP made the recipe up as an amalgamation of ones he found out and about, so you can just dream up your own!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Zucchini zucchini zucchini :D

this looks like a fun way to use up the summer run on zucchini!

Pineapple Boats!




Creamy Roasted Tomato Balsamic Soup

This soup was amazing, fun, unique, loved, and a definite do it again! Thank you Tracey's Culinary adventures for another stellar recipe, pictured below with Smitten Kitchen's Cauliflower fritters. 


















Tracey's recipe can be found HERE, but it originated from Cooking Light.

Creamy Roasted Tomato-Balsamic Soup
from Cooking Light, October 2005

1 cup low-sodium beef broth, divided
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (28-oz) cans whole tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup half-and-half
heavy cream, basil and freshly ground black pepper (optional garnishes)

Preheat oven to 500 F. Spray a 13x9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray (I used a metal pan since I wasn't sure if Pyrex or other glass containers were safe to use at such high temperatures.)

In a measuring cup, whisk together 1/2 cup of the beef broth, the brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce. Add the onion, garlic and tomatoes to the prepared pan then pour the broth mixture over them. Roast for 45-50 minutes, or until the vegetables are lightly browned (the liquid will have reduced and should be thickened).

Transfer the mixture in the pan to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth and the half-and-half. Process until smooth. At this point, you can go in one of two directions - eat the soup as is, or strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids so the soup will have a smoother consistency. I strained it but it's up to you :) Garnish with a drizzle of cream, chopped basil and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Cauliflower Feta Fritters

Being back at work full time, I have found that many things have been neglected. Last summer I had a big birthday and got a new iPhone, I have only just now downloaded its photos on to my computer. I am painfully aware of the need for more spare time in my life. Blogging has probably been the one thing most neglected. It took me a few minutes to remember where this wonderful, yummy, and fun recipe came from.














The recipe is from the beloved Smitten Kitchen and can be found HERE.  The soup shown with it was an awesome chunky roast tomato soup. I will post that recipe next (if I can find it again).




"Cauliflower-Feta Fritters with Smoky Yogurt, Pomegranate

Makes 18 2-inch fritters

I prefer fritters with a lot of vegetable and just the faintest amount of batter, loosely tethering the vegetable chunks to each other. It will seem weird as you put the piles of batter in the pan — “these are going to fall apart!” — but gently nudge any loose pieces back on the pile and I promise, once they’re cooked, they will stay together and their flavor will be crisp and clear, uncluttered by an eggy, soft batter.

1 small head cauliflower (1 pound florets, i.e. stems and leaves removed), cut into generous 1 to 2 inch chunks
1 large egg
1 garlic clove, minced
Few gratings of fresh lemon zest
3 ounces crumbled feta (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes; less if using regular red pepper flakes, which are hotter
3/4 teaspoon table salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive oil for frying

To serve
3/4 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful pomegranate arils

Cook cauliflower in simmering salted water, uncovered, until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes, until firm but tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well. Spread on towels to dry as much as possible.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together egg, garlic and lemon zest. Add cauliflower florets and mash with a potato masher until they’re crushed into an average of pea-sized pieces (i.e. some will be bigger, some smaller, but most will be little nubs).

Sprinkle in feta and stir to combine egg mixture, cauliflower and feta. In a small dish, whisk flour, salt, pepper and baking powder until evenly combined. Sprinkle over cauliflower batter and stir just until combined.

Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a tray inside. On the stove, heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Once hot, add a good slick of oil, about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer briefly to paper towels to drain, then the tray in the oven to keep them warm until needed. Once all fritters are cooked, mix yogurt with cumin, salt and pepper.

Spread fritters on serving platter. Dollop each with cumin yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.

Do ahead: Fritters both freeze and reheat well. To warm and recrisp them, lay them on a tray and toast them at 400 degrees in the oven until crisp again."