Sunday, November 3, 2013

Israeli BBQ Chicken #SundaySupper

It's so great to be back contributing to #SundaySupper, and a what better way to jump right in than a Middle Eastern Cuisine theme!  Amanda from MarocMama is hosting, and I couldn't be prouder!  Not only was she my first "mentee" in Sunday Supper, but she's a fellow Wisconsinite! (that is, until she moved to Morocco)  She is a fabulous blogger, a wonderful mother and wife, and an inspiration to me.  You definitely need to check her blog out- such great stories and mouth-watering recipes!  You won't be disappointed!

Okay-- now let's get to the food!  Being Jewish myself, I love Middle Eastern foods.  The spices get me all excited, so when I heard about the theme, I thought I would plotz! (hey- if I can't use a little Yiddish during this week, when can I use it?)  I immediately thought of Israeli BBQ Chicken.  It's so simple to make, but it's a hit whenever I bring it to a potluck or make it for a gathering at my synagogue.  If you can roast chicken pieces, you can make this.  The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you probably own most of the ingredients right now.  And here's a little warning- if you haven't cooked Middle Eastern food before, don't let the quantity of spices scare you. I promise that you'll love this.  I even find myself using heaping spoonfuls for my measurements because I want mine extra tasty!

The chicken tastes best when its cooked on the barbeque, but seeing that I'm in Wisconsin, I can't do that when it's 20 degrees below zero. When it's crazy cold out, I'll make this in my oven.  It still tastes great, but you don't quite get the crispy skin that you would when you grill it.  For the pictures today, I used my oven.  I probably could have grilled, but hey-- I was feeling a bit lazy.  It happens.  My family didn't seem to mind that it wasn't grilled.  Even the dog loved it-- she doesn't often "photo bomb" pictures, but she couldn't help but stick her nose in this one. 


 
 
 
Ingredients
  • Juice of two lemons (use fresh lemons- not bottled juice!)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3 pounds of chicken pieces, skin on

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Mix until well combined.  Add the chicken and turn until the chicken is completely coated.  Cover, and place in refrigerator for at least an hour.  Can be left overnight.

When cooking, can either use a barbeque or can roast in the oven.  Make sure internal temperature gets to 165 degrees, and be careful not to overcook the chicken.  When done, serve with lemon wedges.







Won’t you join me and the other #SundaySupper bloggers today for some amazing dishes? We’d love to share our Middle Eastern hospitality with you! Here's what the team prepared:


Mezze {Appetizers}
Salata {Salads and Sides}
Main
Halwa {Desserts}

If you like what you see, make sure to join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 6:00 pm CT and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can find more information and sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement




                                             
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Sunday, October 13, 2013

Tasty Apple Cobbler

It's apple season in Wisconsin!  One of my favorite things to do this time of year it to discover new ways to serve apples.  My family loves apple pies, but I have a confession to make-- I hate making pie crusts.  There... I said it.  Does that make me a bad home cook?  I hope not. Please don't judge.  Some day I will learn to embrace the art of making pie crusts.  Until then, I'll continue to search for different ways to bake apples into desserts.

This cobbler is inspired by the basic apple pie recipe that we all know and love-- you know-- the one where you toss the apples in a bit of lemon juice and spices, top it with a crust, and bake it.  I didn't want to make an apple pie or cake, and I definitely didn't want to make an apple crumble with oats.  I wanted to really enjoy the sweet and tangy combo of the apples, lemon juice, and spice and then balance that off with a sweetened, buttery, biscuit-like layer on top.  I used a lot more butter than I'd normally use in a basic cake recipe-- but it paid off!  The entire thing was deliciously moist, perfectly flavored, and the walnuts added just the right amount of crunch so as not to distract from the simplicity of the flavors.  When it cooked, the moistness of the apples and the butter from the batter combined into the heavenly moist center layer.  Oh so yummy!

An interesting note:  I wasn't quite sure what to call this...  A crisp? A crumble? A cake? A non-pie? A cobbler?  I took to my Facebook page to ask my friends--- the consensus was Cobbler.  So, that's what it is!  They did come up with a few other fun names like "Apple Tasty", "Apple Thing", "Apple Surprise", "Apple Slump" and "Apple Event".   My friends and family are so funny!






Ingredients

For the apples:
  • 8-10 cups of apples, peeled and sliced
  • juice of 1 fresh lemon
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the batter:
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Wash, core, peel, and slice the apples.  Place in a large bowl and combine with the lemon juice, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Mix until well combined.  Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish and set aside while you prepare the batter.

In another large bowl, cream the butter, vanilla and remainder of the brown sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, until combined.  Slowly add the flour and mix until smooth.  Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Spoon large drop-fulls of the batter throughout the top of the prepared pan of apples.  Using a spoon or spatula, gently spread the batter lightly over the top of the apples.  Try to cover as much of the apples as you can, including the edges, but do not be concerned if there are a few tiny spots of apples that do not get covered.

Place the uncovered dish in the oven and bake approximately 40-45 minutes or until the batter is golden brown.  Serve warm, and if desired, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!  Store covered and reheat individual servings in the microwave on high for approximately 30 seconds.





                                                           
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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Homemade Granola

Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year!  This season, as I recover from surgery, I'm able to sit on the couch in our new house and look out our huge picture window.  It's given me a new perspective on the season.  Normally, I'd be out in nature and focusing on travel from place to place-- hiking through the woods and even harvesting some of the late season tree fruits and squashes.  This year?  No travel for me.  This temporary pause on major activity has allowed me to view things with a new perspective.  Instead of focusing on me in the nature, I'm focusing on the nature itself.  I'm watching the trees turn different shades of red, orange, and brown.  I'm observing animal behavior and how they are desperately leaving the area, building shelters, hiding food, and eating seeds like it's nobody's business!

But just because I'm not out in nature doesn't mean that the seasonal foods that I love this time of year have to stop, right?  Normally I would pack up a container of granola and be on my way outside.  So, why not still make the granola and lightly snack while looking out my window.  It helps me connect a bit with a sense of normalcy.



There are lots of different granola methods.  Cook high temp?  Cook low temp?  Use maple syrup or honey?  Plain or nuts/fruit?  The great thing about this recipe is that you can tailor it to you you'd like your granola to taste, and frankly, as long as you're attentive you can't really screw it up.  It's so good and so easy!  Another thing about making it, instead of buying it, is that it helps you to understand why granola is so high in calories!  I was shocked at how much sugar and oil it takes to make granola!  It's an energy food for activity.  This should not be consumed in large quantities as you're sitting on your couch and looking out the window.  So, when I made it this year, I'm didn't double the batch like I normally do.


Ingredients
  •  5 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil + more as needed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups of nuts (slivered almonds, pepitas, cashews, etc...)
Optional
  • 1 - 2 cups of dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, mango, pineapple, etc)

Directions

Pre-heat an oven to 250 degrees.  Line two large, lipped cookie trays with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray or lightly oil the foil.

In a large bowl, mix the syrup, brown sugar, honey, vegetable oil, and salt.  After those ingredients are mixed well, add the oats and nuts to the bowl.  Mix until very well combined and all the oats/nuts are coated.  If you feel the oats are not coated well enough, add a bit more vegetable oil until coated. Spread the mixture on to the prepared cookie trays.  The mixture should be in a thin layer.  If it's too thick, it may not cook well and/or it will take too long to cook.

Place the trays in the oven.  Heat until the oats/nuts are completely browned, stirring the mixture every 15-20 minutes.  This browning process takes at least 1 hour and 15 minutes-- maybe a bit longer.  Careful when stirring the mixture because it's hot and sticky! 

After the mixture is toasted, remove from the oven and cool, stirring occasionally.  When completely cooled, if desired, add in the dried fruits.  Store in an air-tight container.

Hint: if you have some in your family, as I do, that do not care for certain kinds of dried fruits, feel free to divide the granola and make customized flavors!  This whole recipe is very customizable to whatever tastes you have in your family.  Feel free to experiment with different nuts, seeds and fruits.










                                                         
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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Recovery Update-- Back to Blogging Soon!

This is a just a short post to let everyone know that blogging will resume this week!  I'm very excited to start back up after my medical hiatus. 

As some of you saw on the From Fast Food to Fresh Food Facebook Page, I ended up having major surgery this summer/autumn.  I'm finally feeling well enough to slowly start getting back into the groove of things.  It's been such a stressful summer! Between buying a house, selling a house (in process!) and having major surgery, this woman is exhausted!

But stay tuned-- I'm super excited to jump back into cooking again, and that means I get to share some fabulous recipes with all of you! 

From the bottom of my heart, thanks for sticking with me!
                                                                                        - Melanie


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Saturday, July 13, 2013

New House, New Kitchen, and Lots of Stress!

Wow-- has it really been almost a month and a half since I last posted here?  It feels like only days!  As I was writing my last entry, Mizeria, we were in the process of purchasing a new home!  We've lived in the same house for over a decade, and somehow my family managed to accumulate quite a bit of junk!  Plus, the kids are now grown and are in that awkward "transition" phase in their lives where they live in small places and don't want to take their junk with them.  What does that mean for us?   We end up stuck with everything!  Tell me that some of you can relate to that?

Well, over the last two months, we've been cleaning, purging, packing, moving, and re-cleaning, un-packing, re-purging, and making a pitiful attempt to get comfortable in our new house.  Overall, we love our new place, but we just can't get fully unpacked or find our feng shui quite yet.  We're almost there... it will be soon, I think.  And when that happens, I've got the itch to cook again!  I miss cooking so much, and my family does, too!

So, here is my mea culpa..... for dropping off the face of the earth.  This was, in my opinion, the most stressful event of my life!  I can't wait to put this all behind me and come back with a bang!  The new house is much more conducive for entertaining, and I plan to do a lot more experimenting in the kitchen!  It's going to be a lot of fun!  Also, I'm also excited to join back up with my fellow Sunday Supper contributors to come together around the family table for some good food and good conversation.  Hey-- I can do that now because we actually have our table assembled again!  Yeah... we were table-less for a few weeks. 

Again, thanks for hanging in there with me everyone!  If you've been through a move that felt like it wouldn't end, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section.  Hearing your stories always makes me feel better!

Have a great day, and see you soon!


Lucy, our terrier, enjoys the view from our new house! Looks like at least one creature is settled in!

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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad) #SundaySupper

It's Memorial Day Weekend!  For many, this means taking the time to honor those that have served us and died during active service, as well as observing the first true weekend of summertime.  Many choose to spend time with their family, and a picnic is a perfect way to do that.

This week, the #SundaySupper Contributors are bringing their favorite picnic foods!  It wouldn't be a picnic or a cookout in our house if I didn't make a huge bowl of Mizeria.  To my Polish in-laws, this is the best recipe out there!  There's nothing fancy about it, and I'm sure there are others on the internet that are identical to what I've done here.  This is a very simple dish that shouldn't be altered too much..... the tartness of the cider vinegar combined with the creaminess of the sour cream make a basic flavor that is truly delightful against the salted cucumbers!  Heaven in a bowl!

What I've done that's a bit different from other Mizeria recipes is that I've cut back on the sour cream and increased the cucumbers.  I find that others out there are too "wet".  This ratio, to my taste, is perfect.







Ingredients
  • 3 large cucumbers
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp dried dill

Directions

Wash and peel the cucumbers.  Slice very thin and place in a non-metal bowl.  Sprinkle the salt over the sliced cucumbers and toss with a spoon until the salt coats all of the slices. Place an inverted plate on top of the cucumbers and place something on the plate to lightly weight it down.  Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator, and drain the water from the bowl so that all is left in the bowl are the cucumbers.  (do not rinse!)  In another small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients well.  Pour over the cucumbers and lightly mix until all the cucumbers are coated.  Place back in the refrigerator until you serve. (minimum of 30 minutes for best flavor)  Best if made the same day as serving.




Salads and Slaws:
Sandwiches and Mains:
Desserts:
Drinks:


If you liked these, you should join us on Twitter!  We'll tweet throughout the day and share all of our picnic recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 6:00 pm CST. To join in, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.


                                                       
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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Salami and Asparagus Filled Crepes with an Easy Orange Hollandaise Sauce


Today is National Orange and Lemons Day!  For those that observe, it's also Easter.  That makes this the perfect post-- a delicious salami and asparagus filled crepe with a ridiculously easy orange hollandaise sauce. 

Hollandaise is one of those things that many home chefs fear.  It's really not that hard.  Patience (and low heat!) is the key, and this version is even easier than the traditional method of placing a bowl over a pan of simmering water.  If you prefer that method, feel free to do that and simply substitute orange juice in place of the lemon juice.

The reason why I choose orange for this hollandaise was to bring out the Bolzano Salami.  The orange in the sauce pairs nicely with the fennel seed and the salt of the salami.  Once again, I'm featuring Bolzano's Fin Oh Kee Oh Na Fennel Seed Salami.  (If you missed the first recipe, make sure to go back and check out my Salami, Brussel Sprout, and Parmesan Galette. YUM!)

It was such a pleasure to be part of Bolzano Artisan Meat's Blogger Project!  I had a lot of fun working with this high quality product, and I can't wait to try more of their items!





Ingredients
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ tsp vegetable oil
  • Approx 1 pound asparagus, steamed or roasted
  • 2-3 oz. Fin Oh Kee Oh Na Fennel Seed Salami, sliced
  • Hollandaise Sauce (see below)


For the Hollandaise Sauce
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp orange juice
  • Pinch of salt
  • Paprika to garnish


Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the 2 whole eggs, milk, flour, salt, and oil.  Using a mixer, blend on high until the batter is very smooth.  Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

After the batter has rested, heat an 8 inch frying pan on medium heat.  Lightly grease the pan with butter, and add ¼ cup of the batter to the pan.  Tilt the pan so that the batter evenly coats the entire surface.  Cook until the top is no longer liquid and you are able to turn the crepe over.  Once flipped, cook the crepe an additional 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from pan and repeat until the batter is gone. Do not worry about keeping the crepes warm as you will be reheating them later.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and begin assembling the crepes by placing 2 or 3 asparagus spears inside of each crepe.  Generously sprinkle some of the salami on the asparagus and roll up the crepe.  Repeat until crepes are gone.  Place rolled crepes in a baking dish, seam side down, and heat for approximately 10 minutes.

While the crepes are heating, make the Hollandaise Sauce.  In a medium sauce pan, whisk the egg yolks and water together. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-low or low heat, until the mixture has thickened.  You will know it is ready when it is thick enough to coat a spoon.  Be careful not to put the heat too high or the mixture will become lumpy.  Once the sauce has thickened, whisk in the melted butter, orange juice, and salt.   Remove from heat.

Pour the sauce over warm crepes and sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately. 





Disclaimer: For the purpose of recipe development, I received free product in exchange for writing this post.  All opinions expressed above are my own.

 
                                             
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Salami, Brussel Sprout, and Parmesan Galette

One of the most fun things about food blogging is the connection established with local foodies.  It's exactly this type of connection that brought me to today's post! 

I think I was "Twitter trolling" when I stumbled on Lori over at Burp!  She has an amazing site that features lots of great recipes, Milwaukee-area business owners, food bloggers, and foodies.  Additionally, she and her husband are co-founders of #MKEfoodies.  If you're in the Milwaukee area, you need to check this out!  I swear, they do all the "cool stuff" after I move.... Gah!

Anway, a few months went by, and Lori reached out to me and asked if I'd be interested in participating in a Blogger Project with Bolzano Artisan Meats.  Of course I was interested!  --But first, I wanted to make sure that I would be doing it justice, so I went to their website, searched to make sure that their product was available outside of the Milwaukee-Metro area (since I'm in the Northwoods, you know!) and sure enough, you can get their product in lots of places throughout the great state!  Check out their "Product Locator" to see where you can buy this amazing salami!  For those outside of Wisconsin, you can have it shipped to you.

For my creations, I was given the Fin Oh Kee Oh Na™ Fennel Seed Salami.  Their website describes it like this:
"Our mildest salami with a light touch of freshly ground fennel seed on the finish that brings out the natural sweetness of the pork. Handcrafted from top quality local Berkshire pork from hogs raised without hormones or antibiotics."
I opened up the package, tasted a bit of the salami, and the first thing I wanted to do (besides eat the whole thing!) was to pair it with something simple so that the taste of the salami was featured in whatever dish I cooked up.  The fennel, combined with the sweetness of the salami, would pair perfectly with parmesan and a dash of red wine vinegar. 






Ingredients
  • ½ pound fresh brussel sprouts, trimmed and washed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 3 to 4 oz Fin Oh Kee Oh Na Fennel Seed Salami

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the trimmed and washed brussel sprouts into strips.  Once sliced, toss the sprouts in a medium bowl with the oil.  In a large frying pan, cook the brussel sprouts over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the red wine vinegar and stir.  Continue heating until the sprouts just start to turn brown.   Remove from heat and place the mixture back into a medium bowl.  Add the parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

Unfold the puff pastry sheet onto parchment paper and place on a baking sheet.  Using a sharp knife, carefully score a 1 inch border square all the way around the pastry sheet being careful not to pierce all the way through the dough.  Then, using a fork, lightly prick the center section of the sheet with small holes.

Place the sprout mixture on the puff pastry making sure to avoid the edges.  Sprinkle a generous amount of sliced salami on top.  Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden.  Serve warm.
 
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure that you stop back later this week for my next creation with Bolzano's Fin Oh Kee Oh Na Salami.  In the meantime, check out the other bloggers that are also participating in this event!
  • Rebecca from CakeWalk: featuring Pamploma Runner Chorizo with smoked paprika
  • Molly from Peanut Butter & Pickles: featuring RauchZwiebel Salami with smoked sea salt and onion
  • Sue from Little French Bakery: featuring Old School Salami with cracked black pepper
  • Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food: featuring Fin Oh Kee Oh Na Salami with ground fennel seed
  • Anna from Tallgrass Kitchen: featuring Pig Red Salami made from heirloom Red Wattle pork


    • Disclaimer: I received free product in exchange for writing this post.  All opinions expressed above are my own.



                                      


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    Sunday, March 24, 2013

    Mock Gefilte Fish #SundaySupper

    This week's #SundaySupper event is one that I'm thrilled about!  We are featuring Easter and Passover recipes.  Of course, I'm doing a Passover (Pesach) one.  At each Seder that I've hosted, we always serve the traditional Gefilte Fish.  I've never made it homemade (culinary bucket list perhaps?)  so we've always eaten that jelly-esque junk from a jar.  Well-- my guests have eaten it.  I don't touch the stuff. 

    However, what I do eat is a Mock Gefilte Fish.  To be honest, there's no fish taste in it at all. Frankly, the only thing it has in common with gefilte is the shape and the fact that you can drown it in horseradish.   I love it, and my guests have loved it, too! 

    Since Passover doesn't start until later this week, I'm hoarding my precious "Kosher for Passover" supplies.  Also, it's really hard to find non-kosher for Passover Matzah Meal in my neck of the woods.  Instead of cooking this recipe today just for photos and then re-cooking it in a few days to actually serve and eat, I decided to use an old file photo from 2009.  I should have known that someday I would start a food blog because even back then I was obsessively taking photos of food.  I love Passover so much that I have so many photos from our meals.


    File Photo from 2009 Passover.  This was my first attempt at Mock Gefilte Fish, and they went over very well! 


    Ingredients
    • 3 large potatoes        
    • 2 medium onions, diced          
    • 1 large eggplant                  
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
    • kosher salt, to taste
    • black pepper, to taste
    • paprika, to taste
    • matzah meal, as needed
    • vegetable oil for frying and roasting

    Directions
     
    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare the potatoes by peeling and boiling them.  While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the eggplant by slicing it in half lengthwise, pricking the skin with a fork, lightly coating it in oil, and placing it on a baking sheet (flesh side down) and roasting for approximately 30 minutes or until the flesh is soft.  Once the eggplant has cooled enough to touch, scoop the flesh out of the skins, and set aside in a bowl.  Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
     
    Next, fry the onion in oil until they have turned golden.  Set aside.  Additionally, when the potatoes are soft, drain the water and set those aside as well.
     
    Once the potatoes, eggplant and onions are cooked, in a large bowl, mash the potatoes, onion, and eggplant until fully combined.  Add the garlic, parsley, and season with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Add matzah meal to the mixture so that the consistency is firm enough to shape.  Be careful not to add so much matzah that it's hard.
     
    Now, wet your hands and shape the mixture into patties.  Place the formed patties on an oiled baking sheet and brush a bit of oil on top of each patty.  Bake for 30 minutes or until they are golden brown.  May be served warm or cold. 


     

    Please make sure that you stop by the other #SundaySupper Contributor blogs to check out what they're having for their holiday feasts!

     
    Easter

    Breakfast, Breads, and Buns
    Appetizers and Sides
    Main Dishes
    Dessert


    Passover

    Dessert


    Wine Pairing Recommendations for #SundaySupper Religious Feasts from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog


    Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday, March 24 to talk all about Easter and Passover recipes! We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 6:00 pm CST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.


                                  
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    Sunday, March 17, 2013

    Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup #SundaySupper

    Signs you know it's Spring-

    You've eaten your fill of Corned Beef and Cabbage.  You can't possibly drink any more green beer.  You might have even kissed a Blarney Stone....  Now what?  If your household is anything like mine, you're probably serving reubens and trying to figure out what to do with all the leftover fresh cabbage.  Maybe I'm the only one with this problem?

    Nonetheless, I've got the perfect way to use up about 1/4 head of fresh cabbage.  Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup!  It's so tasty, and it's a nice change of pace now that we're moving into spring.  Plus, it's super easy to make.  If you like apple cider vinegar, you're going to love how this tastes!  It's tangy and filled with yummy veggies. 

    The prep takes less than 15 minutes, and then you only have to simmer it for about an hour and a half.  It's so easy!  I love making this the same day that I'm making my St. Patty's Day feast, and then I'll eat this soup for the next several days.  Maybe it just makes me feel better eating something healthy the week after gorging myself on cabbage and potatoes swimming in butter.....




    Ingredients
    • 2 carrots, sliced
    • 2 stalks of celery, diced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 1 small onion, diced
    • 1 Tbsp olive oil
    • 1/4 head green cabbage, chopped
    • 2 medium potatoes, diced
    • 1, 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
    • 1/2 cup honey
    • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1 1/2 quarts of water
    • 1 Tbsp Vegetable Base such as "Better Than Bouillon" (can use chicken base if vegetable base is unavailable)
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Directions
    In a large pot, heat the carrots, celery, garlic, and onion over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  When the vegetables are hot, add the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer on low for one and a half hours.  Serve.  (see- I told you it was easy!)


    If you like this, you should check out what the other Sunday Supper Contributors have planned for our Springtime feast! 


    Green and Spring Dishes Menu Includes:

    Breakfast:
    Apps, Bread, Salads, Soups and Dressings:
    Main and Sides:
    Desserts:
    Beverages:

    Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 6:00 p.m. Central Time for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite Springtime recipes!
    All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!  Can't wait to see you there!

                                       
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      Friday, March 15, 2013

      Chocolate Covered Toffee Matzah

      It's the last day of Matzah Week over at Samantha's place. Head on over to The Little Ferraro Kitchen to see my guest post on how to make Chocolate Covered Toffee Matzah.  It's so delicious, and if you've ever bought this stuff ready-made out of a package, you'll never do that again.  It's easy to make and much more frugal to do it yourself.



                                                 
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