Tag Archives: carrots

Tomato Soup

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I know, I’m terrible with keeping up on the posting. I still cook, I’m just too lazy to write most recipes down while cooking, then trying to take a decent picture, then typing it out… well, you get it.

I’m just going to start posting about food in general. This sounds more like fun and less like work, which is what this “blog posting” was starting to feel like!

Lately I’ve been into soups. Of the homemade variety of course. I was starting to get tired of the bland canned soups, though convenient, they were getting boring.

I’m more of a “creamy soup” person. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a nice chicken noodle soup or, one of my favorites, Italian Wedding Soup, but there’s something about a ” cream-of-something” soup that says comfort food.

About a month ago, I made my very first homemade tomato soup. It was delicious! Way better than canned stuff and lots cheaper than getting it from The Loop ( a little better tasting than The Loop, if I do say so myself). The only gripe I had about it was having to cook everything, then transfer it in batches to the food processor, then strain it back into the original pan I started with. Not only did it make a mess and dirty up more dishes than I thought necessary, it took waaaaaay too long. I work 8 hours a day in a refrigerated cutting room, the last thing my weary bones want to do is stand in the kitchen for an hour and a half making soup!

So I decided I needed an immersion/hand blender. Good thing hubby paid attention to my griping! I came home a few days ago to an early Christmas present! Not only did he get me my hand blender; he got me the “Mac-Daddy” hand blender that resembles something a mechanic would have in his garage for working on exotic cars.photo 4

  Let me tell you, this thing is awesome! Last night I decided to make tomato soup again, albeit a little on the chunky side since I really didn’t think straining it was necessary (what’s a chunk or two of tomato in tomato soup, I mean, really!?)  I also made some cod croquettes to go with it, but they ended up being cod/tuna croquettes since I didn’t buy enough cod to feed everybody (through no fault of my own). They still turned out good, I just wish there would have been more!

I did manage to take a picture of my dinner last night…photo 5

For the soup, I used a recipe from Food Network that I tweaked a bit: cooked onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil till soft, added 5 tablespoons flour, then a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes and their juices, a 32 oz carton plus one cup of chicken stock, parsley, thyme and 2 bay leaves and let it simmer half an hour. Then took out the bay leaves and blended up all the veggies in the pot with my new toy, then added a cup of cream. So much easier this time around! Now I have to figure out what other kinds of soup to make!

Well off to play with some cheesecakes! I bought these mini springform pans months ago and haven’t used them yet so I’m thinking it’s time to break them in!

Thai Spiced Tofu Lettuce Cups

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While wandering in Whole Foods one day, I came across this marinated, ready-to-cook tofu that looked delicious and I really wanted to try it in pad thai, but when I got home, I put it in the fridge, and it became lost in the cheese drawer and almost forgotten until just before it expired!

Wanting to make a quick, light meal, I decided to chop it up, cook it with some mushrooms and put it in some leftover lettuce I needed to use up. I also had some carrots and zucchini floating around in the fridge, as well as a half bottle peanut sauce, and a handful of dry roasted peanuts, and it turned out to be an instant dinner hit!

I would really try to seek out the marinated tofu for this, but if it isn’t available, drain a package of firm tofu, and marinade it for a few hours in peanut sauce.

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  • 1  8oz. package Thai-spiced tofu, chopped
  • 3.5 oz. oyster mushrooms, sliced
  • 3.5 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, finely diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
  • 3 green onions, 1/4 inch sliced
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp peanut sauce, plus extra for serving ( I use San-J Gluten Free)
  • 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
  • 1 head Bibb or butter lettuce

In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tbsp sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook and stir until slightly browned on all sides. Remove tofu from skillet and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to skillet and stir in zucchini and carrots. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir for 5 minutes more.

Return tofu back to skillet and stir in green onions. Add peanut sauce and stir to coat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

To serve, place a few heaping tablespoons into a leaf of lettuce and drizzle with extra peanut sauce, if desired.

Pad Thai With Tofu

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My son and I have found a food addiction at Mama Fu’s Asian House (and if you haven’t eaten there, you don’t know what you’re missing!). I had no idea how to even begin making this, so with help of Alton Brown and the recipe on the back of the box of rice noodles, I came up with this recipe that I was lucky to even get one serving of since my son devoured the entire plate, minus my portion! Next time, I think I’ll make this with a half a pound of shrimp, or marinaded chicken and serve with some spring rolls to see if I can stretch it a little further!

  • 8 oz super firm tofu, cubed
  • 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp five spice powder
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 8 oz package rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks or ribbons
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp sriracha
  • crushed peanuts
  • lime wedges
  • 5 green onions, sliced an inch long

Prepare the tofu: Drain liquid from the tofu. Place in a colander, cover with foil or parchment paper. Place two cans ( I used 2 19 oz soup cans) on top of the tofu and allow to drain for 15 minutes to press out excess liquid. While tofu is draining, in a small mixing bowl combine soy sauce, five spice powder, and sesame oil. Pat tofu with paper towels, and place in the marinade. Let stand in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

When tofu is done marinading, drain off marinade and set aside. Place rice noodles in a bowl of hot water, completely covering noodles and let stand for at least 10 minutes. While noodles soak, prepare the sauce. In another small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and sriracha, set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat. While wok is heating up, gather all ingredients, as well as a bowl to place cooked tofu in, and a serving plate for the finished Pad Thai, and have them within reach of the stove, as you will need to work quickly to keep your Pad Thai from burning!

Add oil to the wok. While hot, add tofu, and cook and stir until tofu is slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove tofu from the wok and set aside. Next, add green onion, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring continuously, about 5 minutes. Pour in eggs, and allow eggs to firm up before stirring, but don’t stir too soon, or you won’t have those nice chucks of scrambled egg in the Pad Thai. Then add sauce, rice noodles, and bean sprouts. Cook and stir about 2 minutes before returning tofu to the wok to reheat. Leave the Pad Thai on the stove just long enough to get the tofu stirred in, then remove to a serving dish. Serve with lime wedges, and top with sliced green onions and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!

Beef, Lentil, And Noodle Stew

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I had some celery, carrots, and mushrooms in the fridge I needed to use up, and had some stew beef in the freezer, so I came up with this tasty concoction. I was going to serve it over egg noodles, then decided I didn’t feel like dirtying up any more pots to wash, so I threw the egg noodles in with the stew and it came out great! This is one instance where laziness paid off! 😉

  • 1 lb beef tenderloin or top sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 oz cremini (baby Portobello) mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 4 tbsp butter, divided
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 15 oz can lentils
  • 1 cup Pinot Noir or Zinfandel
  • 1 15 oz can beef broth
  • 6 oz egg noodles
  • salt
  • pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large sauce pan or stock pot over medium-high heat, and sear beef, stirring constantly, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove beef from pan, and place in an oven safe bowl. Cover and keep warm in unheated oven.

Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining butter in the same pan. Add carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms, and cook about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, and cook until reduced by half. Stir in broth, thyme sprigs, rosemary, and oregano. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. ( I use grinders, so I used 3 turns of the salt, and 2 turns pepper.) Stir in lentils. Heat until mixture starts to bubble.

Return beef to the pot; cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs, and stir in egg noodles. Cook, covered 20 minutes more, until noodles are soft.

Enjoy!

Braised Beef Short Ribs

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I never cared for traditional “Pot Roast” , (my hubby loves it), but I’ve found I really like short ribs. This recipe combines pot roast ingredients, with a little something extra to suit my taste, so it keeps everyone in the house happy! It’s warming on a cold, rainy day, and smells wonderful as it cooks!

  • 2 lbs boneless beef short ribs
  • 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 lg onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 15 oz can beef broth
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 cup reserved cooking liquid

Place celery, carrots, onions, and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Melt butter in a medium size skillet over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs on all sides, about 1 minute per side, and place over veggies in the crock pot. Add thyme, bay leaves, beef stock, and wine, and cook on low for 8 hours.

After 8 hours has passed, remove veggies with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender, add tomato paste, and pulse until smooth. Pour mixture into a small sauce pan, and heat over medium-low heat. Add cooking liquid, a tablespoon at a time to veggie mixture while stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through. Serve short ribs over hot mashed potatoes with veggie sauce spooned on top. Enjoy!