Please don't egg my house

I'm having growing concerns that one day I'll wake up to find my 4-year old's bed empty, and in place of his sleeping body will be a ransom note that says:

"Give us more Foodie and the boy will be returned to you, unharmed."

I've been asked about a handful of times when I was going to start blogging again. I figured I better git off my lazy arse before people start resorting to drastic measures. I'll spare you all the blah details of my life and throw out a couple seasonal recipes that yielded fresh, flavorful, summery results. Ya better hurry, though, if you want to prepare these dishes cause autumn will be rearing its lovely head soon.

Sweet Corn and Summer Squash Soup

I love it when I see that a recipe only has a minimal amount of ingredients. And this soup is a perfect example of the fact that good quality recipes need not contain insane amounts of ingredients you can't pronounce. Sometimes simplicity produces the best results. I maintained the simplicity of the dish by serving it with rustic french rolls (from Trader Joe's, no less!) and tossed green salad. (Found in Cooking Light.)

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 7 ears)
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups chopped yellow squash
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add corn and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Place half of corn mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Strain corn mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. (I chose not to strain the soup...too much work, plus the soup tasted great without being strained.)Repeat procedure with remaining corn mixture. Serve immediately.

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Something magical happens to vegetables when they're grilled. It's as if their best flavor molecules are suddenly released and kick up good veggies to stellar veggies. I'm a total sucker for grilled veggies and in addition to eating them as a side dish with dinner, here are 2 other ways I love to utilize leftovers. First--all those magical properties of grilled veggies are the secret ingredient for an intensely flavorful omelet. Just chop up the leftovers and throw into your omelet while cooking it. Second, I love to add leftover grilled veggies to my typical lunch salad. Mmmm, I'm getting a little giddy just thinking about it. I have to admit that this recipe did involve quite a bit of prep work, but it was totally worth it in the end. This picture is shown before I added the goat cheese. (Also found in Cooking Light.)

Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed
• 2 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps (I used 6 oz. of sliced baby portobello mushrooms)
• 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
• Cooking spray (I chose to use brush all the veggies with olive oil, in place of the cooking spray)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 6 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco (I substituted crumbled goat cheese)

Prepare grill to medium-high heat. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.

To prepare salad, coat asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, onion, and bell pepper with cooking spray (or brush with olive oil). Place vegetables on grill rack; grill 4 minutes on each side or until slightly blackened. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Add vegetables, basil, chives, and parsley to vinaigrette; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

More Love For Legumes

I realize that my recipe posting has been quite light as of lately, almost nil. But between traveling during April and the perils of an extremely tight budget, I honestly haven't been trying many new recipes. And when I have cooked, it's been my faithful stand-by recipes, such as this one. But this past week, while attempting to make my weekly menu with little money to work with, I sought out the help of the Bush's Beans website. As I've posted about before, the benefits of beans are near limitless, especially for the health-conscious and frugally-minded. So here's two new recipes that delivered big time on flavor and nutrition, plus they were friendly to my wallet:

White Bean Soup: Recently, I've really come to enjoy white beans, AKA white kidney beans, great northern beans and cannelini beans. They're lovely with their creamy texture and mild taste. And this recipe possesses one of my favorite soup characteristics--being partially pureed. My hubby and son have issues with too much dairy (e.g. running to the bathroom), so I have to be creative in substituting taste and texture without too much dairy. Partially pureeing a soup is the perfect solution because it gives the soup a delightfully smooth texture without having to add any milk or cream. Also, I increased the quantities slightly, adding more carrots, beans and chicken stock. I served this soup simply with homemade garlic bread.

Black Bean & Mango Salsa: Just look at all that color!! And by the way, did you know that mangoes are the world's most commonly eaten fruit? Yup, above bananas and apples stand the delicious and diverse mango. You can use fresh mangoes in this recipe, but I used jarred mango from Trader Joe's. And I prepared it without jalapenos, mostly because my 4 year old probably wouldn't have touched it if it was spicy. It was so flavorful and I ate it plain, with tortilla chips and topped my green salads with it. But I can think of at least a handful more ways one could use this salsa.

Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit...

Well, you know how the rest of the rhyme goes! Over the past 7 years or so, my palate has been expanded in ways that I could have never imagined. I have been compiling a list in my head of all the foods or types of foods that I used to detest, but now really enjoy. And the food that would top that list, hands down, is beans. The word "detest" doesn't even begin to do justice in describing the way that I used to feel about beans. Words like horrified, disgusted, and vomitous would be slightly closer in describing just how much animosity I had towards the legume family. In the past, I developed quite a talent in being able to eat an entire bowl of chili without consuming a single bean. (My Mom can confirm this.) Why did I hate beans so much? I really don't know, but I came to a point in my life where I came to the decision that I was going to give beans a chance. My body was saying to me, "Sarah, we need iron! We need protein! Please, could you give us some fiber and potassium?" I started listening to this body that God has given me and now, some years later, I eat beans on a regular basis.

So how do you feel about these little goobers? Do you gag at the thought of beans? Or maybe you're just a little hesitant to eat them? Or perhaps you're eating beans for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Regardless, here are a two bean recipes that have universal appeal: they are quick, economical and choc-full of healthy goodness. (And remember: take Bean-o before, and there will be no gas!)

Black Bean Soup

This is my adaptation of a recipe I found on a saltine box 4 years ago. It quickly became one of those faithful stand-by recipes that every cook needs. The cornbread recipe from this post pairs extremely well with it!

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 T. ground cumin
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T. olive oil
• 3 (15 oz.) cans black beans, undrained
• 1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth (preferrably low-sodium, low-fat)
• 3 cups chunky salsa
• juice and zest of one lime
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper, to taste
• optional toppings: low-fat sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions or guacamole

In a 4-qt. saucepot, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, cumin and garlic in oil until onion is tender, about 4-5 minutes; remove from heat

Puree 2 cans of beans and their liquid in batches with the chicken broth in a blender; add to saucepot. Drain and rinse the remaining can of beans; add to saucepot. Stir in salsa, lime juice, zest, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Heat the mixture to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with desired toppings.

Yield: 5-6 servings

Caribbean Black Beans

I found a link to this recipe from one of my frequently-visited-blogs: Foodmomiac. It really lived up to the description she gave, as it was so incredibly simple to prepare, yet didn't lack in flavor one bit. For the recipe, click here.

Cincinnati Chili

It's definently chili weather here in the Midwest (heh--no pun intended). So I decided to break out a new chili recipe last week, this one from Cooking Light. If you're not familiar with Cincinnati-style chili, it's made unique by the use of cinnamon in it and it's traditionally served over spaghetti. The recipe I used is a slight variation from traditional Cincinnati chili, because in addition the cinnamon, it incorporates an Indian spice mix called "garam masala." You can purchase garam masala at most specialty-type grocery stores (I had purchased mine last year at Global Foods Market), but it might also be available at some mainstream grocery stores, too, probably in the Asian Foods section. And if you're feeling especially adventurous, check out this recipe on how to make your own garam masala...don't be scared, you can do it! Anyway, we enjoyed this chili, a nice change from the standard chili, hearty, tangy and not too spicy.

Cincinnati Style Chili

• 1-1/4 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 T. olive or canola oil
• 2 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 (5 oz.) can tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef about 6 minutes, or until no longer pink, stirring to crumble. Drain well and transfer to a small bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and add oil to the pan. Add onions and cook for about 4 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (to prevent burning). Add the 4 spices to the pan; cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add water, vinegar, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Add beef and beans to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

If desired, serve chili topped with diced onions, shredded cheese, or sour cream.

Yield: 8 servings

More Signs of the Season

I was driving down Mason Road the other day and was struck at the sheer beauty of a particular row of trees lining the street. The trees alternated--one red, one orange, one gold, one green (evergreen trees), and the combination of colors was just brilliant. My heart leaps with joy upon viewing such sights. The only thing that could possibly match such brilliance would be to come home and inhale the aroma of a seasonal soup, simmering on the stove.

Well-respected chefs and nutritionists often recommend taking advantage of the produce that's currently in season. Cooking Light's "Velvety Squash Soup" is a perfect display of the autumn harvest. I made it for the first time last week and it certainly lives up to its name--smooth and creamy--and warmed my family through and through.

Suggested Menu 1

Velvety Squash Soup

Rustic Italian or French Loaf

Green Salad

Suggested Menu 2

Velvety Squash Soup

Grilled Turkey 'n' Cheese Sandwiches

Velvety Squash Soup

• 1 (3 pound) butternut squash
• 1 (2 pound) acorn squash
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 5 cups chicken broth (preferably fat-free, lower sodium)
• 2/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 2 T. molasses
• 1 tsp. curry powder or turmeric
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
• 2/3 cup half-and-half

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut each squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place squash, cut sides down, on jelly-roll sheet (or large cookie sheet) coated with cooking spray.

Combine onion and oil, tossing to coat. Spread onion mixture onto pan around squash. Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes, or until squash and onion are tender. Cool slightly. Scoop out squash pulp from skins; discard skins.

Place onion and squash pulp in a Dutch oven. Stir in broth and the next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.

Place half of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half and half. Cook over medium-heat for 5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Yield: 10 servings

**Tip--I strongly suggest baking the squash earlier in the day, to give it ample time to cool. I however, did not do that. Instead, I had to try and handle near-piping hot squash while scooping the pulp from it. To quote a fellow blogger: "Be ye not so stupid."

**Second tip--Turmeric, one of the spices found in curry powder, will leave a bright yellow stain on anything it touches. Be careful what utensils you use when making this soup. Stay away from utensils such as white plastic or silicone and wooden spoons. If you spill any on formica countertops, wipe it up right away. Don't let my warnings discourage you from using turmeric, though. It's extremely flavorful and essential in creating the right flavors in many recipes. It can be found at most local grocery stores, in the spice aisle.

Mulliga-what??

So I did promise earlier that I would posting some healthier recipes soon, and I figure I better start living up to that promise. Thus far, my posted recipes, although tasty enough to send you straight to foodie heaven, have enough fat and calories to send you to an early grave!! All good things in moderation.

If you've never heard of mulligatawny before, it's an Indian soup made from pureed red lentils and coconut milk. It may vary some, depending on the Indian restaurant, but it's usually never "hot" spicy, just flavorful. The very first time I had mulligatawny was 12 years ago,when a good friend of mine decided it was about time that I be properly introduced to Indian food. At the time, I lived in Nebraska and the only logical place to go for Indian cuisine was "The Oven." My friend had prepared me for mulligatawny by telling me, "Most people either love it or hate it." For me, it was love at first bite.

I discovered this recipe a few years back in my beloved "Cooking Light" magazine. I had tried a few other mulligatawny recipes prior to this, but I think this one ranks supreme above the rest. To give you even more incentive to try it, you should know that it's quite simple to prepare and extremely healthy (loaded with fiber, protein, and iron).

Suggested Menu:

Mulligatawny

Brown Basmati Rice

Indian Naan Bread

Green Salad

Mulligatawny

• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferrably fat-free, lower sodium)
• 1 cup dried, small red lentils
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
• 3 T. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 T. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• Hot cooked basmati rice

Combine broth, lentils, and onion in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Remove pot from heat and let stand 5-10 minutes, or until it has cooled slighly. Pour lentil mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Return mixture to stockpot.

Place coconut milk, tomato paste, ginger, cumin and turmeric in the blender; process until smooth. Add coconut milk mixture to the lentil mixture in the stockpot and stir until combined. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, salt and pepper. To serve, place about 1/4 cup cooked basmati rice in each bowl and ladle soup over the rice.

**Tip -- You can get light coconut milk at any grocery store, but Trader Joe's has it for just 99 cents a can! Also, my family is quite fond of Trader Joe's Indian Naan Bread, found in frozen foods (only $2.29 for 4 large pieces of bread). If you don't have access to TJ's, naan bread can also be found at ethnic grocery stores.