Potato & Pear Soup

I own too many jackets. Coats. Outerwear. Whathaveyou. I need to lose a few.  I have donated so much clothing in the past month. Downsizing apartments and, therefore, closets will do that to a girl. But I can't cut back on jackets.

Is that weird? I mean I guess most people (ehemm.. ladies) own too many purses or shoes or something else at least multiseasonal. I own like maybe 6 winter coats.

I've noticed it's a problem recently, because they barely fit into the space I've been designated to stuff them. 

I've also noticed it's a problem, because as it gets chillier and I'm a working woman again, I don't really own a decent coat to wear to a real adult job in the fall. I don't really own too many clothes to wear to said real adult job either, but I'm working on that.

So like.. do I really need to buy another coat? Or can I tough it out until winter? Hmm.. First world problems.

Considering the weather is supposed to be 80 all next week and I don't get paid for a month, I'm going to go with the latter. The temptation is there though. Ugh. Not good things.

Potatoes. Pears. Soup. All good things.

This is a pretty simple soup in both taste and instruction. It's a good weeknight homemade meal. I've been really trying to focus on quick and easy lately. I'm trying to be seasonal and healthy as well. Try it with me! Gooo us!

Soundtrack: You won't make it through the whole thing, but that leaves plenty of time to dance later!




Potato and Pear Soup
Serves 3-4

1 tbsp EVOO
1 small onion, diced
1 c diced fennel
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 carton (32 oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 small sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1" cubes
6-7 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt & pepper
2 medium Anju pears, quartered
jalapeno oil  to finish (optional)

In a medium stock pot, heat 1 tbsp of EVOO over med-low heat. Add onion, fennel and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes, until onion begins to soften and is aromatic.

Add stock, both potatoes and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to med-high and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer. Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are almost soft enough to mush with a fork. Add pears and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until desired texture. (Alternatively, you could cool the soup, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree. Don't add boiling hot liquid to a food processor blender though, it could explode!)

Ladle into bowls and finish with jalapeno oil. 

Lemon & Arugula Potato Salad

My weekend.. in numbers!:

10: Time that my new favorite trashy tv show, My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding is on TV (light up dress this weekend!!)

9: Number of times I thought about going to the gym on Sunday... but didn't

8: Time that I woke up on Saturday AM. I know you're impressed.

7: Number of sports Adam was watching on Saturday... simultaneously

6: Number of corny jokes at which I laughed too hard

5: Amount of hours I spent editing a writing sample (GOOD GOD.. I know)

4: Times I ate ice cream (relax, I was a good sharer)

3: Number of foods I created on Saturday before 1 PM (Go me!!)

2: Trips I made to the grocery store (I was really ready for a third)

1: Times I made a list of my weekend in numbers

0: Number of rolls of toilet paper available in the bathroom at Morgan's Pier on Saturday night (I will forgive the place for being all around pretty awesome otherwise)

11: Rating on a scale from 1-10 of how excited I am about this potato salad. Yep. Potato salad makes me that excited. But here's the deal: I love potatoes. All kinds. And in salad form they are so much fun (yea I just called potatoes fun). Easy, breezy, and dressed up for summer. But this salad is so light and so unlike the mayo laden salads of old. It makes me feel as though I just ate a real vegetable... well 2 real vegetables. The tangy taste of the vinaigrette contrasts with the saltiness of kalamata olives and peppery arugula perfectly. It tastes even better outside, or alongside a turkey burger. It's easy to make and fun to share. 

And for those who hate mayo... promise them there is no mayo. Let them take a few bites before you tell them the secret ingredient is mayo. Let it eat at them for a minute before you tell them you're kidding.

Soundtrack: Ms. Patsy Cline


Lemon and Arugula Potato Salad
Inspired by Cooking Light's Lemon-Herb Potato Salad
Serves 5-6


1 lb red new potatoes
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey dijon mustard (I used Bookbinders. The key is a good dijon mustard, not a honey mustard dressing)

splash of kalamata olive juice (about 1/2 tsp)
3 oz arugula, chopped
1/4 c kalamata olives, finely chopped

1/2 tsp parsley (dried) or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped

1/2 tsp basil (dried) or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped

salt & pepper

Fill a 5 qt pot 3/4 of the way full with water. Place on the stove, cover, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Cover and simmer for ~10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. The potatoes are done when a fork can be very easily inserted into the potato. Once the potatoes are finished cooking, turn off the heat. Allow the water to cool.

Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool fully (I let mine cool a while on the counter, then in the refrigerator to finish).

Once the potatoes are cooled, whisk together the EVOO, zest, lemon juice, honey dijon, and the splash of olive juice. Set aside.

Move the potatoes to a cutting board and cut into small cubes, about 1/4 in. Move the cubed potatoes to a large bowl.

Add the arugula, olives, parsley and basil. Add the dressing, then toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to marry. Serve chilled.

Asparagus & Potato Soup

Today was... rainy, cold...ew. I'm sure everyone will agree, but I am just ready for summer. Sun. BBQ's. Flip flops. Music. Outdoors.. etc. etc. ETC! Ah well, in the meantime, I decided to make this soup to cheer myself up on this dreary day. There's nothing like a good soup to warm the soul. Unless you're my roomie, in which case it's not so much the temperature of the soup, but the spice that takes care of that. Right-o. :)

P.S. Get excited, because this post features a Sue and a guest photag! Oh yea, and a delicious soup!

P.P.S. I also got to use my immersion blender, the coolest kitchen tool this side of the Mississippi, which will brighten any day. (Ahmuuuricca)

Mmm! Don't you just want to curl your hands around it?

I love chicken noodle soup. I always find it somewhat lacking though, as far as the broth is concerned. "Hearty chicken noodle soup?" What a crock of BS. (Pun intended) I like a thicker broth, what can I say. I also LOOOVE me a good potato soup. Which seems natural since I love anything and everything that involves even a hint of potato. (I'm thinking about it right now and off the top of my head I really can't recall a potato that's ever done me wrong). So I combined the two and made some additions and substitutions. I liked the result. A lot. And that's the best part of cooking; combining good things to make even better things!

Soundtrack: 2562 - A la Adam (aka Sue). Apparently 2562 is this dude's name, and no, he's not in prison. He's Dutch!

One more note: I really dislike when soup recipes ask you to serve with "a piece of crusty bread." I don't want my food near a crusty anything. Bread + Soup = Match Made in Heaven. Add anything "Crusty" to that equation and you can count me out.

Recipe:

3 med chicken breast (amt can be adjusted; take it or leave it, really)

6 oz egg noodles

EVOO

2 cloves garlic; chopped

1 med onion; cut in quarters

32 oz (1 QT) stock (chicken or veg; have some extra handy)

1 lb asparagus; cut in thirds

3 med boiling potatoes; peeled and quartered

2 red bell peppers (or more); chopped

1/2 tbsp oregano

red pepper flakes (to taste)

1/4 c. milk

salt & pepper

To start, bring water to a boil for the noodles. Cook according to package directions.

Simultaneously, prep the chicken and the produce. Clean the fat off the chicken and cut into strips. Check out Sue performing this task below! Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters. Cut the ends off the asparagus and cut into thirds. Cut the onion into quarters and chop the garlic. This is where a good Sue really comes in handy; thanks Sue!

Ok, there's a bit of a glare here. I never claimed to have photo skills.
But here you can see Sue cutting that chicken! Go Sue, Go Sue, Go Sue!

 Next step is to throw some EVOO in a 6 Quart pot. Turn the heat on to med-low and add the garlic and onion. Cook until the onion is soft, being careful not to burn the garlic. Now, add the broth and stir in the potatoes and asparagus. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft enough that the can be pierced them with a fork, no sweat.


Meanwhile, drizzle a med frying pan with EVOO and add the chicken. Salt n Pepa to season. (You will have to return to this to flip/stir a few times. Just make sure it doesn't burn while you continue on with the soup!). Cook the chicken until there is no pink.


Once the potatoes are finished, turn off the heat. This is the BEST PART! Using an immersion blender (or really, if you don't have one, the annoying way to do this is to pour the soup into a blender or food processor. Or... my god, what did people do before these inventions? One wonders...) process the future-soup until it is totally pureed. You might need to add more broth (or water will work) at this point depending on the thickness and your preference. Add the oregano, red pepper, and pepper flakes; stir. Salt N Pepa to taste (Whatta man, whatta mannn). Add the chicken once it is cooked.


Bring the soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10-20 minutes. Stir in milk and noodles. Serve hot (it's soup, so I really don't mean to insult your intelligence here, I just had to wrap up somehow).

Prepping. Photo credit to Jeremy, <3
 the roomie whose soul is warmed by red pepper flakes!

Future soup, just starting to cook!

Mmm! Look at all that salmonella!

And the... Best Kitchen Appliance Ever Award goes toooo...

The immersion blender!

Our powers combine, and we. ARE. SOUUUUPPPP.

Here's to hoping this is the last hot soup I make until October!!