eat at home

before

tonight's dinner is sponsored by what we already had in the fridge and a couple of items from trader joes.   making food at home is not only MUCH more affordable but you also get tasty leftovers (there's only 2 of us) for the next day's lunch.  first up:


3 Cheese Pear Onion Focaccia
1 package whole wheat pizza dough (trader joes)
1 apple, cut in thin slices
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
aprox 1 1/2 c. sharp cheese (you could use one, two, three...whatever floats your boat.)
         *i used a combo of sheep feta, drunken goat and aged english cheddar...leftover from superbowl
           sunday
3 T. olive oil
chili flakes to taste
3 in. sprig of fresh thyme (growing on my balcony)

-oil a large baking sheet with 1 T. of olive oil and spread around with hands until totally covered.
-with hands, work pizza dough into about a 12-in. circle
-saute onions with remaining olive oil until onions are caramelized and light brown
-arranged sliced apples on dough, add onions evenly, distribute cheese and top with chili flakes and thyme leaves
-bake in a pre-heated 450* oven for 20 min

after

 next up:

"Cream" of Broccoli Soup
this recipe has been floating around my house since i was a kid.  always a go-to winner and perfect for a fall/winter night when it's cold and broccoli is in season.  i've altered it a bit to make it a bit more waist friendly.  
1 lg head of organic broccoli, chopped into pieces
1/2 white onion
3 c. vegetable stock (i prefer to use better than bouillon if i don't have homemade)
1 t. curry powder
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
1/4 t. mustard powder
1/2 c. milk (whole, low-fat....just no non-fat)
1T. flour
1 T. butter
lemon wedges

-in a large saucepan, cook the broccoli, onion and vegetable stock until broccoli is fork tender.
-removed from heat and blend with a hand held blender (LOVE mine) or in your classic blender. *be careful since contents are hot.  do not over fill your blender as hot liquid will blow out)
-return contents to saucepan and add spices and butter.  bring back to a simmer
-in a small jar with a lid (or a bowl with a fork) mix the milk and flour well.
-add milk/flour mixture and cook on low for about another 5 min, stirring often.

wa-la!  serve with a squeeze of lemon and you have yourself a fine meal.

if your last name is stroup...

then you must like soup. well maybe this explains my obsession with it. it's been a long time since i've made french onion soup and today just seemed to be right. i read a couple recipes and created my own version. it turned out quite good if i do say so myself.

since i don't have the clay pots this soup is traditionally served in and i don't have a broiler in my gas oven, i decided to make baked cheese crostinis to use as floaters in the soup.


lola, my assistant


i threw a sprig of thyme in the onions which was a nice flavor kick.

trader joe's organic beef broth and some leftover wine from the wedding.

a leftover mountain of age pecorino from the wedding as well. this baby is going to be around for awhile.


no final product photos to show. so good we wolfed it down. believe me it looked and tasted good.

stroup's soup aka onion soup
2 lbs. thinly sliced white onions
3 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 t. sugar
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 c. red wine
2 boxes Trader Joes organic beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

cook onion in large pot on low (lid on) with olive oil and butter for 15 min.
add sprig of thyme and sugar. turn heat up to medium high. stir often for about 15 min.
add wine. cook for another 5. the wine will deglaze the bottom of the pot. make sure to scrape the bottom to get all of the tasty bits.
add beef broth and season with s&p. cook for another 15 min or until hot.

slice sourdough baguette on a diagonal. pile with grated pecorino or gruyere. cook in 360* oven for about 8 min or until the cheese is bubbly and bread is turning brown on top.

ladle soup in a bowl, top with 2 crostinis and add some more grated cheese. wa-la! dinner is served.
(this makes enough for 5 big bowls)

don't forget the wine!

the root down

one of the many things i love about my csa-beachgreens, is the recipes that come with my basket each week. i'm usually pretty handy at whipping something up using these fruits and veggies but sometimes my creative juices are lacking.

i came home after a long day yesterday and didn't want to have to think about what to make. i checked my email to see what beachgreens suggested i could make. this recipe looked tasty so i gave it a whirl. YUM. it tastes decadent for such few ingredients.

a soup/sauce secret of mine is better than bouillon's no chicken base. you can pick it up at your local whole foods. MOST bouillon's contain hydrogenated oil. a big yuck. although this one does

have corn syrup solids which i'm not fond of either, it's much better than the rest. take a look on grocery shelves and you'll see what i'm talking about. it's also SUPER tasty.

Roasted Parsnip Soup
Adapted from: http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/roasted-parsnip-soup-3556

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 1.5 hours

1 pound parsnips, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 spring onion stalks, white parts only, chopped (save green part for garnish, or another use)
1 bay leaf
3-4 cups vegetable broth

Heat the oven to 350˚F. Toss the parsnips with 1 Tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a single later on a baking sheet. Roast the parsnips, shaking the pan occasionally to turn them, until tender and easily pierced with a fork -- about 60 minutes. Trim away any burned areas and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook until translucent and softened -- about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsnips, bay leaf, and broth, and increase the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, partially cover the pot and simmer until the parsnips fall apart easily -- about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Puree the mixture in a blender, in 2-cup batches, until smooth. Return the soup to the pot over low heat and stir occasionally until warmed through (use milk or water if a thinner consistency is desired, adjust seasoning accordingly). Soup may be cooled and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

soup for the soul

my good friend is SICK, so i've decided to bring her some love- SOUP! since i still have a bunch of lemongrass and coconut milk on hand from last night's din (spicy curry fried rice with coconut milk and pineapple) this recipe fits the bill. i'm sure i'll tweak it a bit depending on what's in my pantry and fridge. pictures to come.

i'm also off to my fav local thrift store to pick up a cool handled basket and dish towels. my mom taught me this trick long ago. buy a cool, large basket at any thrift store (usually about $3.) line it with interesting dish towels or cloth napkins (usually about $2 for 4) to create a serving vessel for your special meal. along with the soup i'm giving, i'll include some crackers, tea, cough drops and a flower or two from my garden. everyone needs a pick-me-up when you're under the weather. that's what friends are for!

My score from the thrift store: basket-$1.95, check tablecloth- $1.95, 2 super cute soup mugs- $0.99/ea.

Coconut Lemongrass Chicken Soup Serves 4 to 6

This is a Thai-style soup, versatile and very easy to make. You can substitute shrimp for the chicken, or use a combination of chicken and shrimp. If you don't have Kaffir lime leaves or fish sauce, the soup will still be good. The broth can be made ahead (without the chicken and garnishes), and reheated at serving time. Add the chicken at the last minute so it stays moist and tender.

3 cups chicken stock

2 cans (28 ounces) light coconut milk

1/2 cup finely minced lemongrass (about 3 stalks)

1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger (3-inch piece)

1/2 serrrano or jalapeño pepper, sliced
(or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes)

1-1/2 teaspoons Asian chile sauce

4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

2 tablespoons fish sauce, optional

2 Kaffir lime leaves, sliced (optional)

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt, to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into strips (preferably Thai basil)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, pepper, chile sauce, garlic, fish sauce, and lime leaves, if using, in a medium-size pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes. Don't allow the mixture to boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the broth steep for 30 minutes.

Strain the liquid into a clean pan and discard the solids. At this point, the broth may be refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days.

Slice the chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch strips, then cut these in half lengthwise. You want all the strips to be about the same size so they cook evenly.

Reheat the broth over medium heat to the start of a simmer (don't boil). Add the chicken and gently poach the meat until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and season with salt, as needed. Divide the soup into warm bowls and garnish each serving with a sprinkling of basil and cilantro. Serve piping hot.

**ala Earthbound Organic Farms**

Sambazon Acai for smoothies, the soup, cilantro and basil for garnish, apple cider to heat and sip, Ak-Mak crackers, cough drops and Alka-Seltzer for cold/flu.


finished product. WA-LA!