One of my recent kitchen purchases was a new tea kettle. I loved my old kettle, a stainless steel model made by Kitchenaid that I received as a wedding present ten years ago. Husband & I used it daily and I frequently thought about what a good and functional gift it was. Then one day not too long ago, Husband decided to try his hand at multi-tasking (I shudder at the thought). Apparently he put water on to boil then got busy doing something in the garage. Unfortunately, he didn’t hear the annoying whistle of the kettle since he wasn’t in the house. At some point Husband came back into the house to find the kettle dry. I was out at the time but came home to find my nice stainless steel kettle looking blackish and not so attractive anymore. Well, accidents happen so I didn’t dwell on it.

I did, however, jump into action and start my research on a new tea kettle since the old kettle was beyond restoration. Husband put in his two cents about his wish for a kettle that had a nice “train whistle” sound instead of the high-pitched break-your-eardrums screech of most kettles (he had seen the “train whistle” kind before and liked it). I did a quick search for “train whistle” tea kettles online and found that Chantal makes a line of kettles with a two-tone Hohner® harmonica whistle. Before long I had my very own Chantal kettle sitting on my stove.  I couldn’t wait to try it out to see what this “train whistle” business was all about. Basically, when the water gets hot enough in the kettle, the whistle does its thing and it actually sounds like someone playing the harmonica. Now I’m not talking about a rockin’ blues harmonica solo. It’s simply one pleasant note, then a few moments later the second note chimes in. I quite like my spanky new kettle and how it melodically calls to me to fetch it from the stove. Good call, Husband, on the “train whistle”.

Tags: Cookware, tea kettle

Soup really is good food just like the Campbell’s jingle says. Yes, soup out of a can is fine sometimes but who needs a canned soup when we’ve got really easy recipes like this Tomato Bisque. It’s quick and taste soooo much better! I was looking for a tomato soup that didn’t require fresh tomatoes for two reasons: 1) because most grocery store tomatoes are just down right sad and tasteless, and 2) because canned tomatoes speed up the preparation process. I decided to try this recipe because it had the added bonus of the cheese toasts. Cheese & toast? Sign me up!

This recipe took very little prep…just dicing an onion, mincing some garlic and opening a can each of crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Okay, so I also had to walk out to my garden to get a few sprigs of fresh thyme but I don’t really count that as work since it was a beautiful Autumn day and I was happy to get a little fresh air. I was skeptical about the use of honey in the soup so I started out with just about a tablespoon. I mixed it in then added another tablespoon; mixed it in then added the last tablespoon. I wasn’t using measuring spoons…just squeezing the bottle and approximating tablespoons. The point is to start out with a little and add until you’re happy with the taste. I thought the honey softened the acidity of the tomatoes. This is an easy soup to double or triple, and you can make it vegetarian by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Now on to the cheese toasts. One word…YUMM! For the bread I chose a freshly-baked sourdough baguette that I cut into diagonal slices. The slight amount of tangy Dijon mustard on the toasted bread mixed with the sharpness of the cheeses was delicious! I had to make myself stop eating them and share some with Husband (he loved them, too). This recipe for tomato soup and cheese toasts only serves two but it could easily be doubled or tripled to make a larger quantity.

Tomato Bisque & Cheese Toasts
Recipe courtesy Abigail Johnson Dodge – Fine Cooking magazine
Serves two.

For the bisque:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 hearty sprigs fresh thyme
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes in purée
1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt; more to taste
1/4 tsp. finely ground black pepper; more to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

For the toasts:
4 slices country bread, about 1/2 inch thick
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
4 to 6 slices Gruyère
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan

In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 7 min. Add the garlic and thyme; stir until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the tomatoes, broth, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by a quarter and thickened, about 15 min. Using a stand or immersion blender, purée about half the soup; it will be still be chunky and thick. Return it to the pot and stir in the cream. Heat gently and adjust the seasonings. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley if using, and serve immediately.

Arrange an oven rack to the highest rung and heat the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Put the bread on the foil and toast each side until golden brown. Spread the mustard evenly on one side of each toast, cover with the Gruyère, and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Slide the toasts back under the broiler and cook until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 2 min. Cut each toast in half and serve immediately with the soup.

Tags: cheese toast, Soup/Stew, tomato

Since we’re well into Autumn, I decided to try a new pumpkin bread recipe that I found on finecooking.com, one of my fave cooking websites. The recipe gives you the option of making four mini loaves, one large loaf or one bundt cake (and the baking times that each one takes). I chose to make the mini loaves because they’re cute and I wanted to share the love with a few other people. The quick bread turned out moist with a mild pumpkin and spice flavor and a tender crumb. Changes to the recipe: I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and omitted the finely ground black pepper. Next time I’ll try throwing in some chopped pecans. I will definitely be making this quick bread again.

Pumpkin Spice Bread
Yields four mini loaves, one 9×5-inch loaf, or one 12-cup Bundt cake.

6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter softened; more for the pans
11-3/4 oz. (2-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1-3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin (from a 15-oz. can of pure pumpkin)
1/2 cup buttermilk
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour four mini loaf pans, one 12-cup Bundt pan, or one 9×5-inch metal loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, black pepper, salt, and cloves.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on low speed with the stand mixer’s paddle attachment or on medium-low speed with a hand mixer until the butter is smooth. Add the sugar gradually and continue mixing on the same speed, stopping and scraping the bowl and beater as needed, until lighter in color and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until smooth after each addition, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin and mix until it’s evenly incorporated into the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until well blended.

Stop the mixer and add half the flour mixture. On low speed (for either mixer), mix until the flour is almost completely blended and then add half the buttermilk and mix until smooth. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until smooth. The batter will be thick.

If using mini loaf pans, divide the batter evenly among the four pans (the pans should be about two-thirds full). If using a Bundt or full-size loaf pan, spread the batter in the pan (again, filling the pan no more than two-thirds full.) Smooth the top of the batter. Bake until the loaves are golden and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes for mini loaf pans (60 minutes for a Bundt pan and 60 to 70 minutes for a full-size loaf pan).

Let the loaves cool in the pans on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes to give them time to set and then turn them out onto a rack and flip right side up to cool completely.

Tags: buttermilk, pumpkin, sweet bread

I frequently make soups and stews throughout the Autumn and Winter months. I love a steaming bowl of hot soup when it’s cold outside. In fact, I think soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods! I found this recipe for Tortellini Soup with Carrots, Peas & Leeks in one of my Fine Cooking magazines. I made a few slight changes but nothing that altered the finished soup significantly. I decided to use a medium-size onion (chopped) instead of the leeks because that’s what I had on hand. I wanted more veggies in the soup so I chopped 2 whole carrots and 1 stalk of celery, and added a bit more butter for sauteeing because I added more veggies. I let the veggies simmer for about 10 minutes longer than the recipe stated before adding the tortellini because the garlic I used was too pungent and needed to cook a bit longer. The package of cheese tortellini I used was 10 ounces so I added a cup or so more broth to the pot so the soup wouldn’t get too thick. For a heartier version, it’s also really good with Italian sausage. Just brown the sausage in a pan and add it to the soup pot when you add the broth. It’s a perfect weeknight meal in minutes!

Tortellini Soup with Carrots, Peas & Leeks
by Joanne Smart – Fine Cooking magazine
Serves four.

2 medium leeks (12 oz. untrimmed)
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 1 Tbs.)
1/2 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced (2 Tbs.)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups low-salt canned chicken broth
8 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano

Trim the roots and dark green leaves from the leeks. Slice the white and light green part in half lengthwise and then slice the halves thinly crosswise. Rinse well and drain.

Melt the butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks, and carrot. Season with a couple pinches of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. (It’s fine if the vegetables brown lightly.) Stir in 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook for about 20 seconds, then add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the peas. Continue to simmer until the tortellini are cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Portion the soup into warm bowls, top each with some of the cheese, and serve.

Make Ahead Tips:
You can make most of the soup ahead, but don’t add the tortellini until you’re ready to eat or they’ll become mushy.

Tags: carrots, Soup/Stew, tortellini

Husband isn’t much into sweets (a personality flaw, if you ask me) but he does love a scone or some kind of breakfast bread with his morning cup of English Breakfast tea. Knowing this, I like to bake things from time to time that I know he’ll enjoy. This Pear-Nut Bread was right up his alley. In fact, Husband practically inhaled the whole loaf. I found the recipe in my Portland’s Palate cookbook. The aroma of pears and spice drifted throughout the house as it baked. Oh yes, it smelled wonderful! The bread, however, took longer to bake than the recipe states so don’t be alarmed if that happens to you, too. Do the toothpick check on the bread at 30 minutes then set the timer for longer if it’s not quite done. The bread is mildly spiced, not too sweet and a great way to use up a few pears.  I thought it was even better on the second day.  

Pear-Nut Bread
-Adapted from Portland’s Palate cookbook
Yield: 1 loaf

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 ripe pears, peeled and mashed, or 1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pears, drained and mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans), chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 8.5″x4.5″ loaf pan. In a large bowl or mixer, combine oil, sugar, eggs and mashed pears, mixing well after each addition. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add to sugar mixture and blend well. Add milk, vanilla, nuts and mix thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing.

Tags: pear, sweet bread

Carrots. We all know they’re orange, good for you and bunnies like ‘em. They’re also loaded with vitamins that help prevent cancer and promote good vision (especially night vision). I read on wikipedia.com that the world’s largest carrot was grown in Alaska in 1998; it weighed 19 pounds. Good grief…that’s quite a carrot!

Speaking of carrots, I discovered this recipe for Roasted Carrot Soup a few years ago when I was researching soup recipes. The color of the soup is a vibrant orange and makes quite a visual statement. Roasting the carrots is easy and it gives the soup a rich flavor. I usually omit the fresh ginger, although I’m sure it’s good with it. One time I accidentally left the carrots in the oven too long and they got a little burnt on the bottom. I remedied the situation by cutting the scorched part off each carrot and proceeded with the recipe (using a little less broth to account for a little less carrot being used).

It’s an easy recipe to double…just make sure that the carrots are in a single layer when roasting (and you may need to increase the roasting time a bit). You could easily make this a vegetarian soup by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.  If puréeing the soup when it’s hot, hold your blender lid down tightly with a kitchen towel like the recipe suggests. I sprayed myself and my kitchen once with hot carrot soup because I wasn’t holding the blender lid firmly enough. Yes, it was as exciting as it sounds. Letting the soup cool before blending or using a hand-held blender (immersion blender) makes this task easier.

Roasted Carrot Soup
by Ruth Lively – Fine Cooking Magazine
 
A tablespoon of ginger gives a nice, throat-warming heat to this soup, which tastes best if it sits in the fridge several hours or overnight.
Serves four. Yields about 1 quart.

1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch lengths
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, cut into medium dice (to yield about 3/4 cup)
1 large rib celery, cut into medium dice (to yield about 1/2  cup)
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger (from about 1/2-inch piece, peeled)
2 cups homemade or low-salt chicken broth
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
Chopped fresh chives or chervil for garnish (optional)

Heat the oven to 375°F. Put the carrots in a medium baking dish (11×7-inch is a good size, or any dish that will hold the carrots in a single layer without touching) and drizzle them with the olive oil. Toss them to coat well and roast, stirring once halfway through roasting, until they’re tender, blistered, and lightly browned in a few places, about 1 hour.

Melt the butter in a medium (at least 3-quart) heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s translucent and fragrant, 2 to 3 min. Stir in the celery and ginger and cook until the celery softens a bit and the onions start to brown, 4 to 5 min. Add the roasted carrots, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and cover. Cook at a lively simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 45 min. Turn off the heat and let the liquid cool somewhat (or completely).

Purée the soup in a blender in batches, never filling the blender more than a third full, and bearing down firmly on the towel-covered lid so the soup doesn’t come flying out. If serving immediately, return the soup to the pot and reheat; garnish with the chives or chervil if you like. Otherwise, refrigerate for up to five days; reheat gently and taste for salt before serving.

Tags: carrots, Soup/Stew

So here’s my story about Shoyu Chicken. I worked in a Japanese restaurant during summer vacation one year when I was in college. It was a fun job. Not only did I genuinely like the family that owned the restaurant (a mom and her adult sons), but I also loved the food. In fact, my family and I ate there frequently before I landed the job. One of my favorite dishes on the menu was Shoyu Chicken. The chicken was braised in a soy sauce mixture (shoyu is soy sauce in Japanese), and was always tender and delicious.

One day I asked one of the brothers for the recipe but he politely declined. Since it was the late 80′s and internet cooking sites didn’t exist yet, I decided to try my hand at recreating it at home. Now I was a pretty decent cook for a 19-year-old and fairly confident in the kitchen. At this point, though, I was just guessing as to what the chicken was braised in. I put some chicken in a pot, added soy sauce and chopped garlic. My memory is fuzzy on this part but I may have added some water or chicken broth to dilute the soy mixture. Then I let it simmer until I deemed it was finished cooking. I was so proud of myself for embarking on this little adventure, and fully expected the finished dish to be perfection. With great anticipation I took the first bite. Boy was I bummed…it was NASTY!!! I had no idea at the time that sugar was one of the main ingredients so, of course, my version was sans sugar. It was hideously salty. I felt terrible for ruining good chicken but that’s just the way it goes sometimes when you experiment.

I decided to move on with my life and so the pursuit of shoyu chicken faded into my past. Imagine my delight some 20 years later when I saw a recipe for shoyu chicken in the Oregonian FOODday. I now make shoyu chicken for dinner regularly. It’s quick, easy and my family loves it. I always serve it with steamed rice and veggies. Chop sticks are optional.

Shoyu Chicken
The Oregonian

¾ cup soy sauce (also called shoyu)
¾ cup granulated sugar or firmly packed brown sugar
1 ½ piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Hot cooked rice

Put soy sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic in a skillet, bring to a boil, add chicken. Cover and simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Serve with rice.

Tags: Asian, Chicken, Quick Cooking, shoyu, soy sauce

I decided to stop at the farm stand today on my way back home from the gym. I love living in a suburban area that has access to multiple farm stands and farmer’s markets. As you can see from the photo, I picked up a bounty of fruits and veggies. Corn, pickling cukes, lemon cukes, heirloom tomatoes, green beans, Italian plums, peaches, yellow squash, zucchini and Gala apples. All that for just $16. I love supporting my local farmers. I swing by this particular stand once or twice a week during the summer. It has the best tomatoes. I’m talking about REAL tomatoes– sweet and juicy. Not the sad, orangish-looking orbs labeled as tomatoes in most grocery stores.

I’m not sure what I’m going to make with my fresh farm stand produce but I plan to keep it fairly simple so we can taste the true flavor of the veggies. I’ll either steam them or saute them lightly in butter then finish each veggie with a sprinkling of kosher salt. Nothing fancy. Just good, honest vegetables simply prepared. And the fruit, well I won’t need to add anything to it because it’s good enough just as it is.

Tags: farm stand, fresh veggies