The Groundhog told the truth.

Sucker for some snow!

We woke up this morning to about 6 inches of snow!  Actually, we woke up to Owen saying, "The snow is here!"  Last night he was having some troubles settling down and falling asleep so I told him that the snow couldn't come until he fell asleep - it worked until midnight when he wandered into the room and snuggled in with us.  Who is the sucker really?

Owen loved this random puddle and was throwing everything from snow balls to himself in it.  He was SOAKING WET when he came back inside.

Owen and Jer had a great day playing in the snow.  In fact, when Daddy didn't get him up from his nap, Owen asked if Daddy was playing in the snow.  Yes, Daddy is playing int the snow by himself.  I love the way little minds work!

Sledding down the hill behind our house!

While the boys were out playing in the snow, I made the BEST minestrone!  My sister highly recommended Ina's new book ("Barefoot Contessa Foolproof"), specifically her Winter Minestrone with Garlic Bruschetta.  Holy moley, she was SO RIGHT!  It was DELISH.  It took some time to put together, but I think that is because I was manning the littlest Stephens while the big boys were outside sledding!

He loves his puffs - when he can get them in his mouth :)

Winter Minestrone & Garlic Bruschetta
~ Serves 6-8 ~ (So either these 6-8 people are having thirds or she meant to say 16-18 people.  It makes A LOT.)

{Ingredients}
Good Olive Oil
4 ounces pancetta, 1/2-inch-diced (Trader Joe's sells the exact amount but in 1/8-inch dice.  My sister used bacon and said it was a bit overpowering.  So if you use bacon, maybe drain the pan a bit before tossing in the veggies)
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots - I had to use 5, so Ina must have used enormous carrots)
2 cups (1/2-inc) diced celery (3 stalks - ditto from above)
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled butternut squash
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used 1 teaspoon dried)
26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini (or white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti (I used orzo.  For what it is worth, my sister said not to add the full amount, but only after I had already added it.  The orzo apparently never stops expanding and tends to take over the leftovers.)
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves (seems like a lot, but it wilts WAY down)
1/2 cup good dry white wine (don't skip this, it gave amazing depth)
2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
Garlic Bruschetta (recipe follows)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (oops, forgot this part but didn't miss it!)

I got crafty with this one and took it standing on top of my chair :)

{Instructions}
1)  Heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven.  (I don't know why you need this much olive oil when you are tossing in pancetta...next time I might cut it back a bit.)  Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

2)  Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

3)  Discard the bay leaf.  Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through.  The soup should be quite thick but if it's too thick, add more chicken stock.  Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad).  Cook just until the leaves are wilted.  Stir in the white wine and pesto.  Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste.  Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot.

Elliott enjoys eating much more than Owen EVER did.  Thankfully we are passed all that and Owie LOVED this soup!  He kept telling me, "Good soup Mommy!" and singing "soup, soup, soup, soup..."

Garlic Bruschetta
1 baguette
Good olive oil
1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices.  Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted.  Take the slices out of the oven and run the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.

Bon Appetit!

Christmas Edition!

My favorite Christmas present!  (Don't judge with the "fof," as Owen calls it.  It was late in the evening and it allowed us to stick around the party a little longer!)

Well, no Christmas recipes, just Christmas pictures!  Although I have a yummy Peppermint Oreo Truffle recipe that I need to post.  I just haven't taken the picture yet and I've been fighting off Jeremy as he wants to finish them.  I finally had to hide them in the freezer in the garage!

Owen LOVED opening presents!  LOVED.  Look at his excitement!  It was so cute!  Please also note his Lions t-shirt - I think they made it to the playoffs because of how cute he looked :)

One of the best Christmas surprises we received this year was our new nephew Hudson!  He was born on Christmas morning!  Owen and Grandma had some bonding time over Skype!

So, besides loving to open presents, Owen went nuts for Christmas lights!  And Grandpa was a sport and took him for several walks around the block to check out "Sansa" (O hasn't quite gotten the "t" into Santa, but any time you say Santa Owen responds with "ho, ho, ho") and the lights.  It was a bit cold so we layered him up!  But that didn't stop him from saying and signing, "mo, mo!"  Seriously, I am obsessed with this kid!!

The cold weather (actually, today it was in the 60s, but let's pretend it is actually winter in Kansas) inspired some delish tomato soup!  I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen - if you haven't checked out this website, why not??  She makes delightful food.  This tomato soup recipe is like french onion in that you get a deliciously soggy bite of toast with sharp cheddar with every bite.  Amazing!

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

Soup Ingredients

3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise  (I can never find plum tomatoes, so I normally use Roma)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Cheddar Lid Ingredients
4 1-inch slices from a large loaf of rye bread, whole wheat sourdough or bread of your choice (or 16 1-inch slices from a baguette), toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste

Soup Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (SK used 1 full teaspoon of Kosher salt). Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.


Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves. Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Cheddar Lid Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. (I have adorable soup bowls from Crate & Barrel - I just wish they were a teeny tiny bit bigger!)  Stir grated onion into the warm soup.  Float toast slice(s) in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. (If you’re using a wide bowl, you might find that you want more cheese to create a thick, broiled lid.) Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. If you’d like it even more bronzed on top, preheat your broiler and finish soups for a minute or two under it. Serve immediately.  (Be careful, the bowls are so hot and so is the soup!  So maybe not *immediately*.)

Monday Night Football

Just kidding.  Do you really think I watch football??  I come from a city with no football team, have only a sister, only girl cousins, went to a Division 2 school where the football stadium (at the time) was smaller than my high school football stadium, and have a father whose fave sport is baseball.  So no, I don't watch football.  The same cannot be said for my significant other.  Alas, he surrendered his rights to Monday Football and watched the season finale (from Netflix) of Dexter whilst feasting on Boeuf Bourguignon.

I could have spent hours upon hours making the "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" version, but that simply was not practical.  I have a toddler and do not have hours and hours to spare.  So I chose the Barefoot version which significantly reduces the time.  Since I've not tasted Julia's, I can't say which is better, but Ina's was DELISH.

Boeuf Bourguignon
Barefoot in Paris ~ serves 6 (enormous servings)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For Serving
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

2) Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.  (Refrain from sampling said bacon.)

3) Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.  (We got stew meat beef from our 1/8 of beef so I did 't have to chop anything.  However, I did pull some of the fat off - what a joke, this dish is LOADED with calories, a few more won't hurt!  The meat cooked much quicker because they were smaller than 1" cubes.) Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

There was a ton of prep work - I made good use of Owen's nap :)

4) Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. (I didn't stand back far enough and was quite startled by the flare up!  Be careful!)   Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

5) Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. (At my local grocery store, pearl onions only came in 12 oz. packages - so I had to buy two and measure out another 4 oz.  I thought it was a bit heavy on the onion and could swear Jeremy and I both smelled like onion the next day...)  Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

6) To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

Amazing!!  Bon Appetit!

Actually, this is how I was able to get my Boeuf Bourguignon done - Give him a Swiffer and a dog crate and he is fine.

Choppin' Broccoli

Do you guys remember that Dana Carvy "Choppin'Broccoli" skit? I've linked it if not; basically Dana sings about choppin' broccoli, and that is exactly what I was doing when I was making Broccoli Soup! Seriously, so easy and delish. And if you live in DC, you can store the leftovers on your balcony during Snowmageddon 2010...

This recipe is inexact, but I will give the list of ingredients anyhow. It comes down to taste really. We ate it with a loverly butternut squash sally - I will give the ingredients for the salad dressing as well!

Broccoli Soup

Serves a ton - from My Mom's Kitch (who I think got it from my Aunt Wink)

Ingredients: (Note, I always, always, always, double this recipe)

1 lb. broccoli or 2 10 oz. packages frozen broccoli (I've also used the precut bags from Trader Joe's - just be sure to cut off the bad bits)

3 cups chicken broth (2 cans) (Again, inexact, I basically poor in enough broth so that just the top layer is not submerged - then I cover and the steam will reduce the bulk of the broccoli. You can always add more broth later if you like a soupier soup!)

1/8 tsp pepper (I used freshly ground from my new mortar and pestle!)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp lemon bits or rind, or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

1/4 tsp Tabasco

Olive oil (for those who need an amount, I usually eye ball it, its for sauteing the onion...I'd do no more than a tablespoon)

1 onion, finely chopped

Milk (optional - I never add it) until creamy consistency

Yay, how fun is my new mortar and pestle?? I laaauuuuuvvvveeee it!

Instructions:

Saute onion with some olive oil (again, inexact). Add broccoli and broth (like I said earlier, add enough to leave the top layer of broccoli un-submerged - the picture above is after it has been cooking with the lid on and the broccoli and cooked down a bit.) Simmer until broccoli is soft. Add remainder of ingredients. Process with a hand held blender to desired consistency. Serve immediately because it is so good!!

Do you have a hand held blender? I also love this little kitchen gadget. Very handy for soups!

YUMMMMMMMMM!

Dinner is served! The salad is a butternut squash salad that I copied from my cousin Jamie - who adapted it from our girl Ina (Back to Basics)...It is a bed of arugula, bacon, roasted butternut squash, toasted pecans, and a dab of goat cheese! The dressing ingredients and instructions are as follows:

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice (I actually used white grape juice and couldn't even tell...)

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots (I just used onion because that was all I had)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine juice, vinegar and shallots in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Bon Appetit!

Noodle Soup Who?

As a kid, whenever we were sick, my mammy made Chicken Soup with Rice. Sometimes I would feel sorry for myself that we never got chicken noodle soup like all the other kids. But then I'd take one bite of this succulent, flavorful deliciousness and I felt sorry for the other kids! And now, I make it during the winter just because - no need to be sick to make this delectable heart-warming treat!

This recipe is adapted from "Thermador's Convection Micro-Thermal Cooking Guide" - not that I'm lucky enough to have a Thermador oven! My mom assisted in writing the recipes for this one. Someday I hope to be creative enough to write recipes too!!

Chicken Soup with Rice

Makes 4-6 servings (I always double it)

**This is one of those recipes where you can add more or less of anything. I will give you the measurements from the recipe, but I actually do a heaping cup of each veggie and about one extra cup of chicken broth - the rice sucks it up, and if you don't add more broth, your left overs will look more like a stew.**

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth (I boil the chicken breasts in a pot of water (just enough water to cover the breasts with about 1 extra inch of water) with the tops of celery, chunked up onions, salt, pepper, and sometimes fresh parsley. After the chicken is cooked, I strain the stock and use the left over liquid as part of the 6 cups of chicken broth directed above.)

2 cups diced, cooked chicken (about 3 breasts - see above for instructions on how to cook)

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/3 cup diced carrots

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup long grain rice

2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper (I use any color - whatever I have, and I always use a whole pepper)

2 sprigs parsley, minced

1 teaspoon salt (I recommend you use Kosher salt if you use your left-over stock which is already fairly salty)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 bay leaf

2-3 whole cloves

Instructions:

Throw it all together and cook until the rice is done. Usually about 20-25 minutes. Serve it up with some yummy crusty bread and enjoy! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

If there is one thing I could say that I like about snow, its the insatiable desire to cook yummy comfort food like Pumpkin Chili!! I know I posted a pumpkin recipe earlier this year - but this one is totally different despite the the common denominator of 100% solid pack pumpkin.

I will admit, I have become immune to the delights of regular old chili - I have been spoiled by this yummy, healthy, pumpkin filled option. My mom got this recipe from the people of Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin. She called the 1-800 number one day and asked what else she could use pumpkin in and the fine people of Libby's sent her a whole cookbook of delightful recipes. Stay tuned for more to come!

Ingredients

2 tbsp veggie oil (I use EVOO)

1/2 c chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (I always use one whole bell pepper)

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper (ditto - and sometimes I mix it up a bit and throw in an orange or yellow bell pepper)

1 pound ground turkey or lean ground beef

3 1/3 cups (2 14.5 oz cans) Recipe Ready diced tomatoes - undrained (I never use the same thing twice as far as the toms go - I've used Rotel to spice it up, or Italian recipe stewed toms, etc.)

1 3/4 cup (15 or 16 oz can) Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin (be careful you don't get the pumpkin pie mix!!)

1 3/4 cup (15 oz can ) Tomato Sauce

1 1/2 cup (15 1/4 oz can) kidney beans, drained

1/2 cup (4 oz can) diced green chiles

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn (I always use one can of sweet corn, drained)

1 tbsp chili powder

1tsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Toppings (totally optional - I never use any toppings - it is so amazing on its own!)

Instructions

HEAT oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and bell peppers; cook for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Add ground meat; cook until browned. Drain. (Note: if you are using turkey, entirely unlikely that you will have anything to drain...)

ADD tomatoes and juice, pumpkin, tomato sauce, kidney beans, chiles, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover; cook gently for 30 minutes. Serve garnished with toppings, if desired.

Me and Ina

First things first, this is a picture of me and my new best friend Ina. We go way back, all the way to November. She called me and said, "Meg, I'm going to be in town - let me sign your cookbook!" So I did. And she signed 3 more for me :)

It has been a crazy couple of months and I've sadly forsaken my foodie blog. So get ready for some serious blogging sista's!

I have two little gems for you tonight: one is an oldie but goodie and its never disappointed. The second is a newby - I made it out of my new Back to Basics cookbook my dear friend Ina penned.

Pumpkin Chicken Chowder

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic

1 cup each chopped onion and bell pepper (please do not be crazy specific on this one - go crazy)

8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

1 (15 oz) can solid pack pumpkin

1/4 cup long grain rice (I use brown rice - better for you but it takes a little bit longer to cook!)

1/2 frozen corn (or 1 can of corn)

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp salt and pepper

2 (14 oz) cans fat free chicken broth

Instructions

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in broth, pumpkin, corn, rice, & seasons. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally until rice is tender. Serve warm. SO GOOD. We ate it tonight and it was amazing!!

Bay Scallops Gratins

Ingredients

3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 medium shallot, minced

1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma, minced

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp Pernod (really?? What the heck is that? According to my trusty "Food Lover's Companion" Pernod [pehr-NOH] is "a yellowish, licorice-flavored liqueur similar to absinthe. Pernod is very popular in France and is usually mixed with water, which turns it whitish and cloudy." I know, doesn't sound so appetizing - but let me say, this was a divine dish and I wouldn't change a thing!)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp good olive oil

1/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

3 tbsp dry white wine

1 pound fresh bay scallops or bay scallops cut in quarters

Lemon, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425*. Place 3 (6-inch round) gratin dishes on a sheet pan.

2. To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the garlic, shallot, prosciutto, parsley, lemon juice, Pernod, salt, and pepper and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, add olive oil slowly, until combined. Fold in panko with rubber spatula and set aside.

3. Preheat the broiler, if it's separate from oven.

4. Place 1 tbsp of the wine in the bottom of each gratin dish. With a small sharp knife remove the white muscle and membrane from the side of each scallop and discard. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and distribute them among the 3 dishes. Spoon the garlic butter evenly over the top of the scallops. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the topping is golden and sizzling and the scallops are barely done. If you want the top crustier, place the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes, until browned. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty French bread.

For serious?! It is SO GOOD. And super easy. If you don't already have this cookbook, get on it. Target has it for $24 and Costco has it for $18. Well worth the dough!!!