Potato Soup

As I do every new year, I cut out the carbs for a few weeks then go back to eating properly. So my first treat to myself this February was a simple potato cheese soup. I've never even made potato soup before but figured, how hard could it be? Answer... simple simple, quick, and yummy to boot.  Here's the recipe:

Simple Potato Cheese Soup
will feed 3 or 4

4 slices of turkey bacon- I would have used real bacon, but the turkey was half the price
1 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion diced
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 Russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 can 14.5 oz chicken broth - I use the no fat, low sodium
1 can 14.5 oz water
8 oz low fat Velveeta cheese chopped in 1/2 inch pieces- I think any other cheese of your choice would work, I just love the meltability of Velveeta
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
Toasted bread

This is so simple, so get ready to cook and eat shortly afterwards. Really, it's that fast. Brown bacon in fry pan until crisp. Chop into bite size pieces.

With whatever fat is left in the pan, saute onions and Old Bay. I must say, I was disappointed in how little fat my bacon gave off and had to add a bit of canola.

Now it's time to cook the potatoes. In small to medium pot simmer potatoes for about 15 minutes. They should be cut small enough so they don't need a lot of cooking time.

Drain potatoes (I didn't even rinse mine), set aside and get ready to make the soup. In large to medium soup pot add stock, water and onions. Now add potatoes and bring to simmer. Add cheese, half the chopped bacon, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and soup is hot. Dinner's ready. Serve with toasted bread and remaining bacon. Yummmm. This was so quick and satisfying. I think you'll enjoy.

Re-mix- Add a small can of evaporated milk to soup for an even creamier texture. And I'm even thinking a can of corn would be a nice addition.

Umm-Umm Good

In all my years of cooking, I have never attempted to make split pea soup. I love it out of a can, but really, how much extra salt does a body need? My mom used to make it and it seemed like it took forever. The rinsing and soaking, and whatever other rituals she used to go through kind of turned me off to preparing it from scratch. Well yesterday I was in the market doing my weekly dash down the aisles and I picked up a bag of split peas, got home, chopped some veggies and within the hour had a steaming, delectable pot of soup that I'll certainly make again, and again, and again. It was just so easy.

Turkey Bacon and Split Pea Soup

Serves 4

2 tsp canola oil

2 carrots diced

2 ribs of celery diced

1 cup onions diced

3 slices turkey bacon diced

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

6 oz dried split peas

1 14.5 oz can low sodium, fat free chicken broth

4-1/2 cups water

In a colander, rinse peas under running water and check for any stones or debris that may be hidden. I didn't find anything, but it's good to check. Set aside.

Heat oil in large pot over medium to low heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and bacon. Add salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables and bacon soften but do not brown (about 10 minutes). Add chicken stock, water and split peas and bring to boil. Cover pot, lower heat to simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with croutons for garnish.

Re-mix: Since this was my first time making this soup, I took the simple route and didn't add any exotic seasonings. Next time I will add a 1/2 teaspoon of cumin for a bit more warmth, and a dash of ground cayenne pepper for some heat. Tonight I reheated the soup and enjoyed it with a grilled brie and pepper jelly flat bread sandwich. Umm-umm good.

'Tis the Season to be Nibblin'

I don't go to many cocktail parties these days, but if you're a reader of this blog you know I love little bites and appetizers more than a big, sit-down meal. Here's a recipe I treated myself to last night that is perfect when friends come over for cocktails or as an accompaniment to a nicely dressed green salad or a simple butternut squash soup (recipe for soup to follow). I can't decide if this nibble is a bread or an egg dish, but I can tell you it's yummy and certainly not on my diet.

Turkey Bacon, Egg and Cheese Nibbles

1 stick unsalted butter
4 eggs
1 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup AP flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 slices turkey bacon cooked and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
6 oz shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese blend (I like Sargento)

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and cool. Pour cooled butter into a large bowl, add eggs and egg substitute and beat well. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. Pour into 8 x 8 inch pan prepared with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350 and bake 30 minutes more. Let cool ten minutes and slice into 16 servings. Serve warm or at room temperature. Doesn't this look tasty?


It's always nice when your friends are gardeners and you're a willing candidate to accept any produce they give you. Earlier in the week I confronted 2 baby butternut squash on my countertop and decided the time was right to make a soup. I perused the internet and found about 10 different recipes that looked enticing, but I ended up using my instincts and came up with a tasty soup that can be prepared in under 30 minutes.

Quick Butternut Squash Soup

2 baby butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 T butter
1 medium onion diced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 cans (14.5 each) low sodium, fat free chicken stock
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Cut squash into 1 inch chunks and set aside. In large pot melt butter, add onions and cook on low until translucent (8 minutes). Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender (15-20 minutes). Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove from heat, take a potato masher and squash the squash. You can also put the mixture in a blender to puree. Serve hot with Bacon, Egg and Cheese Nibbles.

After the Storm

The day after I got my electricity back I went to the market to replace some of the food I had thrown away. I didn't buy too much since the threat of another storm seems imminent. You might think I picked up a steak or something decadent, but I bought some turkey bacon and fresh vegetables. I was in the mood for comfort food and decided on Turkey Bacon and Cannelini Bean and Vegetable Soup, my adaptation of a recipe I discovered in Southern Cooking. This is a quick fix, no fuss recipe for whatever has gotten you down. The beans are creamy, the broth is flavorful, the bacon is smokey and the vegetables and simple spices make this a go-to recipe when you've had a tough week.

Turkey Bacon and Cannelini Bean and Vegetable Soup

8 strips turkey bacon cooked and chopped, one inch pieces
1-1/2 cups chopped onion -I used frozen
1 large carrot diced
2 small celery stalks diced
5 cloves garlic minced- this sounds like a lot, but it's really very mellow
2 T canola oil and any leftover bacon fat
Salt
lemon pepper
3 dried bay leaves
2 cans (14.5 oz each) low sodium, fat free chicken broth
2 cans (15.5 oz each) cannelini beans rinsed and drained
2 T hot sauce
3 oz baby spinach chiffonade
Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Croutons for garnish (optional)

Cook bacon and set aside. In large pot, add oil and bacon fat and warm over medium/low heat. Add carrots, celery and onion and stir. Cook about five minutes, add garlic and 1/2 tsp salt and lemon pepper. Cover pot and sweat vegetables another 5 or 7 minutes. Add turkey bacon.



Cook another minute or two and add bay leaves, broth and beans. Cook 20 minutes covered. Add spinach and hot sauce and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and re-season if necessary.

I wanted to jazz this dish up a bit so while the soup was simmering I made Anne Burrell's croutons, shredded some Parmesan cheese and made this a very special meal. This recipe will serve four people, but it's so good that I ate two portions in one sitting. I'll double it next time.

Garden Fresh

I was lucky again this weekend to get more vegetables from Fran's garden and her tomatoes are out of this world FRESH. I decided to incorporate them into an old fashioned salad that back in the day was a staple at every steakhouse in the country- The Iceberg Wedge. I used to make this type of salad many years ago before we had the availability of all the lettuces we have now. Anyway, this is a blast from the past for me and I decided a blue cheese dressing jazzed up with turkey bacon chunks might put this salad right where I wanted it- over the top.

Iceberg Wedge Salad (serves two)

1/2 Iceberg lettuce cut in half
2 medium garden fresh tomatoes sliced
2 hard boiled eggs sliced

Blue Cheese Dressing
4 slices turkey bacon
1/2 cup Lite Mayonnaise- I like Hellmann's
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic- optional
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

To make the dressing: Cook the turkey bacon. I bake mine in a 385 degree oven until crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, chop into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Combine all ingredients except cheese and bacon in a medium-large bowl and whisk until combined. Fold in cheese and bacon and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors meld.

To prepare the salad: Place lettuce wedge, tomato slices and sliced egg (plus any other vegetables you might like- scallions and carrot slices are nice) on serving dish. Spoon blue cheese dressing liberally over vegetables and dig in and enjoy the crunch.

Re-mix: My mom used to make this salad with a homemade Russian dressing and it's equally as good. She'd mix mayo, ketchup, chopped egg and sweet relish. I don't remember the proportions exactly but will be happy to figure them out if anyone is interested.

Southern Comfort

Last week I bought a cookbook- a purchase these days that seems almost unnecessary with the internet now being so handy. Anyway, this was an impulse buy at Marshall's. On sale. In clearance. Six dollars. With over 850 recipes from Southern Living magazine.



I don't know anything about southern living or southern cooking except what I've seen of Paula Deen on TV. I adore Paula and love her recipes. I've taken many of her decadent, over-the-top dishes and brought them down to earth, cut much of the fat and calories, and ended up with recipes that suit my style of cooking and eating. That was my thought when I bought this book. But after checking out the recipes, many of the dishes don't seem to be overly fatty or calorie laden. They just seem like good recipes.

The other evening I wanted a hot meal and didn't want to stop at the market after work (snow again) so I decided to shop at home in my pantry. Usually that means something with beans or rice or pasta. While thumbing through my bargain book, I came across a recipe called White Beans and Rice. It seemed to fit the bill. I had all the ingredients and then some, so I decided I'd give it a try. First my thoughts... then the recipe.




I couldn't figure out if this was a main dish or a side. It could be either. A side if served with a roast, ribs or chicken. A meal if served with a crisp green salad. I made it my meal and at the last minute eliminated the rice since it cooks separately anyway. One of the things I noticed in many of the recipes I viewed, was that the seasonings consisted of simply salt and pepper, unless you were in the Cajun section. I wanted something more so I added 2 bay leaves. The original dish called for smoked, fully cooked ham. I'm not sure what that is, and I certainly didn't have any on hand. But I did have turkey bacon. I also had a bag of baby spinach that I thought would be a welcome addition. Oh!! And my new discovery, which isn't really new at all...frozen, pre-chopped peppers and onions. I used to be a snob about using these kinds of products but I've seen the light. I'm no longer crying while chopping, nor am I tossing out limp onion and pepper halves that have sat too long in my fridge. I think they're a cost effective buy and so very convenient.




White Beans and Turkey Bacon
adapted from Southern Living
I made this to serve 3 or 4 people. Their recipe serves 6 to 8

3 cans great Northern beans

1 1/2 cups frozen chopped onion and green pepper

3 garlic cloves chopped (about 2 tsps)

2 tsp canola oil

8 strips turkey bacon cooked and sliced into 1 inch pieces- I bake mine in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes

1/2 cup chicken broth- I'm re-thinking this for the next time. I might try some bouillon granules and hot water because 1/2 cup of canned broth makes me not even want to open the can

2 dried bay leaves (my contribution)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lemon pepper (my contribution)

1 1/2 cups baby spinach, chiffonade (my contribution)

2 T hot sauce (my contribution)

Rinse and drain 2 cans of beans. Do not drain remaining can. In large skillet over medium heat, saute onion, peppers and garlic until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in all 3 cans of beans. Add bacon, broth, bay leaves, salt and lemon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The recipe did not say to cover the pan, but I did, because I didn't want to lose the little liquid that I had. After 30 minutes add the spinach if using and the hot sauce. Cook until spinach wilts. If you'd like rice with your beans, they suggest 1 cup uncooked jasmine or long grain rice, cooked according to package directions.

This was a yummy meal. It's creamy and flavorful and the smokey-saltiness of the bacon elevates the dish to what I imagine a southern comfort food is meant to be. I have a fair amount of leftovers which will soon be taking a whirl in my blender and become hummus for tomorrow's lunch.