Easy Peasy Split Pea Soup

I have a few things to discuss with you today: jury duty, TV shows, and the easiest soup ever. We’ll start with jury duty.


I had my first jury duty summons this week, and you guys… I loved it! Obviously it can be an inconvenience and burden to take the time off work, and blah blah blah… but man was it fun. I was on a panel, and got to spend a few hours in a court room for jury selection, with the judge, attorneys, and defendant. In the end I didn’t make it in the jury box, but it was so cool to see the process. I was a little bummed I wasn’t selected. Everyone else cheered when they were released. I was sad. I’m gonna go watch Runaway Jury now.


Ok, so… TV shows. Are you watching True Detective yet!? Holy moly. I seriously can’t handle Monday through Saturday, because I’m just dying for the next episode. I love everything about it. The acting is phenomenal (Matt McConahey and Woody Harrelson are amazing), the story line has me hooked, and the I love the look and feel of it. Also, House of Cards, Walking Dead, GIRLS: loving the latest of all three. Although, I must say, and I hate to admit this, but in the latest GIRLS, the beach house episode… Gah. I think I’m sort of a Marne when it comes to party planning and expectations and getting mad when extra people crash the party and I only have enough duck for four people. I get it. But it was pretty gross watching it… I’ll try to change, I will!


Ok, so now, on to this soup. All you have to do is add everything to a pot, boil it, simmer it, eat it. Seriously the easiest ever. Easy peasy… peas. Now, I enjoy the process of browning and caramelizing my base ingredients as much as the next gal, and if you have time and are so inclined, you can do that here. But, if you’re my fiancé (hehe, fiancé…gets me every time) and your night for cooking usually consists of the taco truck or a frozen pizza, this soup is a really good start. Evan is a mighty fine onion chopper, and that’s basically all the skill needed for this recipe.

Oh yeah, and it tastes really good, too.

Easy Peasy Split Pea Soup

Slightly adapted from my sister, who slightly adapted from my mom, who slightly adapted from the recipe on the bag of split peas

1 bag (about 2 cups) dried split peas, rinsed
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 carrots, diced
6 pieces of thick cut bacon, diced
1 bay leaf
2-3 sprigs thyme
8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper

Add all ingredients to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for an hour, or until peas are tender and mushy. Add more water if needed. Serve with parmesan cheese and bread or crackers.

Sick Day Chicken Noodle Soup

I'm here to tell you that you don't need a whole chicken carcass to make really good chicken noodle soup. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan and proponent of homemade chicken stock. But, the times I need chicken noodle soup the most, are typically also the times that I don't have the patience, energy, or time to deal with a whole chicken. Like when I'm sick. 

I make a pot of chicken noodle anytime Evan or I get even the slightest sniffle. It's so quick and easy, and maybe it's just because we're nostalgic for sick days home from school with mom's chicken noodle soup, but it always seems to do the trick. I came down with a nasty cold this week, and all I wanted was a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup. But I wanted it like, instantly… but also semi-homemade. 

I use store-bought broth or stock (honestly, Swanson's low sodium is my very favorite, I think it has the best flavor…but use whatever you prefer) and dried noodles. Trader Joe's egg pappardelle pasta is my favorite—when I use that, I'll just boil the noodles directly in the broth, because they make it a little creamy and thick. If I use other noodles, I'll boil them separately. Sometimes I dice up and sauté a chicken breast, sometimes I don't even add chicken. I love the addition of frozen peas and shredded cabbage, but I'll use whatever I have on hand, sometimes just carrots and onions. I always throw in a whole bunch of thyme (fresh or dried), and if I have fresh parsley on hand, I'll add that as well. Go ahead and get creative, or use what you have… it's that easy! And in addition to making me feel warm and cozy, it tastes delicious too!

PS. As you read this, I'm snuggled up on my couch with some cough drops, a glass of hot tea, and a cup of this chicken noodle. Work your magic, soup!  

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

1-2 chicken breasts, diced

1 clove garlic, minced 

salt & pepper

fresh thyme

8 cups chicken stock 

1-2 carrots, diced

8 oz package egg noodles

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup shredded cabbage

Handful fresh parsley, chopped

Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, and add a swirl or two of olive oil. Add the onion, and cook until translucent. Add the chicken, and cook through. Add garlic, salt & pepper, and thyme, and cook another minute or two, until garlic is fragrant but not burned. Add chicken broth, and turn up heat to bring soup to a boil. Add carrots and egg noodles, and boil until noodles are done. Lower heat to simmer, and add peas, cabbage, and parsley. Simmer until cabbage is cooked. Add salt & pepper to taste, as needed. 

Spicy Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Soup

Wanna hear something crazy? I’m going to be 28 next week! When my mom was 28 she had a seven year old and a five year old. That’s nuts. I still feel like a kid, I can’t imagine having one (or two) of my own. My furry cat child is a big enough handful.

It doesn’t feel like it’s almost my birthday. When I was a kid, my birthdays were always sunny and summery, and even though this will be the 10^th birthday I’ve spent Seattle, I’m still not used to June 4^th being blustery and cold. Hopefully we’ll get some sun again soon!

In the meantime, though, I’m happy to warm up with something homey and delicious. Like this soup. Creamy coconut milk with a bit of spice from sambal oelek (an amazing hot chili sauce, you should try it!), and a bit of depth from peanut butter. Add some heft and sweetness from sweet potatoes, some acidic freshness from tomatoes, and some extra feel-goodness from a big pile of dark leafy greens.

This soup is awesome this time of year, because it can play the warm comforting card in cold weather, but the bright Asian flavors also work when the temperature rises.

Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Soup with Swiss Chard & Sambal Oelek

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 onion, diced
1 small knob of ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed in bite-sized pieces
1.5 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon samba oelek (or more, depending on your taste)
salt & pepper
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed & leaves chopped or torn to bite size pieces
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (I used cherry)
1 can coconut milk

Serve with:
Sliced green onions
Cilantro 
Crushed peanuts
More sambal oelek

Heat coconut oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until just starting to brown. Add ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute or so. Add sweet potatoes, and cook for another minute. Stir in peanut butter and samba oelek, and salt and pepper to taste. Add broth, turn up heat, and bring to a boil. Let boil for a few minutes, then cover, lower the heat and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Add in swiss chard, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Turn heat back up until soup boils. Remove from head and serve with sliced green onions, cilantro, crushed peanuts, and more sambal. 

PS. It's even better the next day!

A Lil' Cabbage Bacon Love

Maybe it's because of my eastern-European roots that I love cabbage, and because of my Oklahoma blood (on my moms side) that I love bacon (my grandma Carol cooks everything in bacon grease…we even have a family recipe for salad smothered in warm bacon grease dressing, but that's for another day). 

Or, maybe it's just that these two things effing rock. Which they do. Especially together. And even more especially when you add little gems of mini cabbage heaven—Brussels sprouts—to the mix. And triple, no, quadruple that especially by throwing in some sour cream and lemon. You heard me. Cabbage, bacon, Brussels, sour cream, lemon. And the bacon is actually pancetta, fancy-town. Oh, and I'm talkin' about soup. I know! Life=complete. 

Cabbage and Potato Soup with Crispy Topping & Lemony Cream

Adapted from Bon Appétit 

1/2 cup sour cream

juice and zest from half a lemon

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped

1 large onion, diced

3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes 

1 bay leaf

6 cups (or more) chicken broth

1 sprig fresh thyme 

salt and pepper

1 cup thinly sliced brussels sprouts

2 1/4th inch thick slices of pancetta, diced small*

olive oil

salt and pepper

Whisk sour cream, lemon juice, and zest l in small bowl. Cover and chill. 

Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and onion, and sauté until just tender but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in potatoes, add bay leaf and thyme. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Spread brussels and pancetta on a sheet pan, and light drizzle with olive oil. sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until pancetta is crispy and brussels are slightly charred but not burnt. Keep an eye on it, it could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes (and you may want to give it a stir after a few minutes). Remove from one and set aside. 

Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig from soup. Using immersion blender (or regular blender, working in batches), puree until smooth. Simmer until heated through, adding more broth if soup is too thick. 

Top each serving with some of the crispy brussels and pancetta, and a hearty dollop of the lemony sour cream. 

*I get the 2 pieces of pancetta from the deli/meat counter. You can get exactly as much or little as you need, just thick enough, without paying a million dollars. 

Sausage, Kale, and Sweet Potato Soup

It’s been rainy, windy, stormy, and cold in Seattle! It’s most definitely fall, and I couldn’t be happier about it. While I am sad to see the sun go away (not that it really ever showed up this year), I’m stoked out of my mind for stews, baked goods, soups, pumpkins, apple cider, apple cider cake (I made it, yum!), soups, Halloween, boots and scarves, soups, Thanksgiving, mulled wine, and lots and lots of soup. Oh, did I mention soup?!

Guess what?!?! I love soup! I think it’s souper. Get it, soup…er? Ok, so maybe that was overkill, but I really do love soup of all kinds. Brothy soup, veggie soup, hot soup, cold soup, meaty soup, chunky soup, noodle soup, and extra hearty soup, like this one, with sausage, potatoes, and kale.

I wanted to add something leafy to my typical potato soup, but I knew Evan wouldn’t go for the green unless I countered it with something spicy and made of animal. So, in addition to russet potatoes, onions, and carrots, this soup is chock full of kale, spicy-smokey Andouille sausage, garlic, and sweet, buttery chunks of sweet potato (I just couldn’t pass it up at the grocery store!). It ended up being nothing like my normal potato soup (I also didn't add milk or cream), but it’s so good and hearty that it will definitely be on the soup rotation from here on out.

PS. Evan claims to hate kale, but ate every last leafy green bit in his bowl.

Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup

Olive oil

1 T butter

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, chopped

4 fully cooked smoked sausage links (like spicy Andouille), sliced

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (I used the orange variety, sometimes referred to as a yam)

Salt, pepper

Pinch of rosemary (fresh or dried)

Red pepper flakes (to taste, a used a hearty pinch)

1 bunch/head of kale, washed, ribs/stems removed, and chopped

8 cups of chicken broth

Add a few pours of olive oil and the butter to a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat on medium. Add onion, and cook until translucent. Add garlic and carrots, and cook until fragrant, but don’t let garlic burn or brown too much. Add salt, pepper, rosemary, and red pepper flakes to taste. Add sausage, and cook until slightly crisp on the edges—we want it to really meld with the flavor of the onions and garlic, and to release some of it’s fat into the pot. Next, add russet potatoes and cook for a minute or two, just long enough for the potatoes to start sticking to the bottom of the pot, but not enough to burn. Add broth, and bring to a boil, scraping cooked bits off the bottom of the pot. Boil for a few minutes, then add the sweet potatoes. Taste, and add more salt/pepper/flakes, if needed. Turn heat to medium/low, cover, and simmer. When potatoes are soft and starting to break apart (you’ll have to start checking after about 10 minutes), add kale. Cook for a few more minutes, until kale has reduced, and serve (with crusty French bread on a blustery fall night).

Not So Iron Stomach

I met Mario Batali! Well, sort of. He was holding a book signing right in front of my office…which just happens to be in the same building as his family’s amazing Chartrucerie shop, Salumi. So, by ‘met him’ I mean, I stalkerishly took pictures of him from around the corner, then finally got in line and bought a book, which he signed. I also bought a book for Amanda, and for my coworker’s daughter, Laura. I was a little flustered, and told Mario to make it out to “Laura…L-U-A-R-A.” He corrected me. Mario is clearly not only an Iron Chef, but also an Iron Speller.

I wanted to come up with something awesome to say to him, I also wanted to hop on here and immediately tell you all about it, maybe even come home and do some ‘Easy Italian Cooking’ out of his book I bought, Molto Gusto, so I could blog about it. But alas, something else was goin’ down that day, which is evident in my sickly palor in the picture of us together. My stomach wasn’t feeling too hot from the get-go that morning, and shortly after kickin’ it with Mario, I went home from work early... with stomach flu. Tuesday afternoon was definitely a blur, of which I’ll spare you the gory details. Wednesday I napped most of the day, ate a few bites of chicken noodle soup and a handful of crackers, followed by a few bites of Evan’s chicken katsu. By this evening...Thursday, I was ready to get some food in my belly, but there was only one food I could think of that didn’t make my stomach flip. Mel’s potato soup.

Growing up, this was THE soup we had in our family. We had it when we were sick. We had it when we weren’t. We had it all the time… and we never got tired of it. It was one of the first things Amanda and I made in our own kitchens after moving out, and we both still make it on the regular.

Unlike typical potato soups, Mel’s isn’t thick and creamy, it’s not full of herbs and spices, and doesn’t contain leeks (sorry Julia). It’s simple in preparation and flavor, delicious and comforting with a buttery, oniony, chicken broth base and bites of tender potatoes and carrots. It’s the one thing that will always comfort my weak stomach and my hungry soul.

Watch out stomach flu…you’ve just met your match.

Mel’s Potato Soup

5-6 russet potatoes- peeled, quartered, and cut in ‘thickish’ slices
1 small-medium yellow onion, diced
1-2 carrots- peeled and chopped or sliced
1 stick (8T) butter
S&P
4-6 cans (8-12 cups) chicken broth
1 can (about 2 cups) evaporated milk
Grated cheddar cheese for garnish
Warm French bread for dipping

Melt half stick (4T) butter in large pot over medium low heat and add potatoes, onions, and carrots. Cook (making sure it doesn't stick) until onions are translucent and potatoes are slightly tender. Add generous salt and pepper. Add in one can (or 2 cups) of broth, and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add remaining broth, bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Just before serving, add in remaining butter and evaporated milk, and stir until melted and incorporated. Serve with grated cheddar cheese, fresh cracked pepper, and warm French bread. Or, if you happen to find yourself whipping this up when you have stomach flu, serve with Saltine crackers.

Sinfully Delicious

Last weekend I went to LAS VEGAS BABY for my birthday! A group of 15 friends and I headed down to sin city for a crazy weekend of gambling, booze, sun, fun, and of course…good food! While most of what happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas, I’m going to broadcast the juiciest of our sin city indulgences to the world…the deadly sins of the stomach.

Lust
Two words. Bobby. Flay. After a few nearly fatal whispered death-threats and fists-fights between Amanda and Jessica, we finally came to the consensus that we can ALL have a little bit of the lusciously delicious Bobby Flay…at his restaurant Mesa! The group headed to Mesa for brunch to get a little taste of the Iron Chef himself… or at least of his legendary food. We knew we were in for a treat when the bloody marys and the bread baskets arrived! Spicy, cheesy little jalapeño biscuits, Bobby’s famous blue corn muffins, and the best spicy bloody mary I’ve ever ingested. And then the food came…and the inappropriate, lustful moanings of delight that followed each bite… Iron Chef, indeed!

I ordered the Grilled Asparagus Salad with toasted pecans, maytag blue cheese, wild roasted mushrooms, and red chile-mustard vinaigrette. Not only was it beautifully plated, but the flavor combinations were just right.

V ordered the lamb salad. Until I tried Bobby Flay’s lamb, I thought I wasn’t a lamb eater. I’ve been converted. It was tender, juicy, and flavorful-without being overly gamey. Bree and Jessica ordered the tartar plate. The presentation was amazing, and the steak and salmon tartar served on spicy but sweet plantain chips lived up to its looks. Tasha ordered an amazing egg-tostada-plate-of-delight. I don’t even know what was on it, but it looked like Mexico, tasted like molé, and made us all very happy.

I didn’t get a good look at everyone else’s plates once Evan’s meal was served… I was in love. After a few too many Vegas indulgences the previous night, Evan was taking it easy, and ordered only a bowl of soup. The soup that gods eat, I think. Green Pea and Green Chile Soup with crispy serrano ham and mint cumin crema, to be exact. Sinner that I am, I coveted Evan’s soup through the entire meal… stealing glances and spoon licks at every possible moment. Had Evan not been the one with the heavenly soup in his possession, I may have left him then and there for Bobby Flay.

Gluttony
After a weekend of over indulging ourselves, Robb, Amanda, Mat and I headed to the most excessive of Vegas excesses… the buffet. How could we possibly say no when Robb was prancing about giddy like a five year old girl on Christmas morning? For a mere $25, we were led into the jaws of delicious hell… rows upon rows of food, food, and more food! Orange chicken, peppery beef, fried rice, dim sum, sushi, crab legs with drawn butter, prawns with cocktail sauce, crispy bacon and potatoes, prime rib with fresh, raw spicy horseradish, pizza, salad with a thousand toppings, egg flour and miso soup, hot-out-of-the-fryer-donuts, pastries, pulled pork, muscles in a spicy tomato sauce… and the list goes on. Oh, by the way… that’s just the list of the food on my first plate! After three plates (and several sweet, delicious, buttery, FRESH crab legs too many), I retired my fork. Robb, however, went for about 6 plates, 3 bowls, and a pitcher of mimosas. I generally detest buffets, but my final verdict on the gluttonous Vegas buffet… EXCELLENT! The selection was amazing, the food fresh and delicious, and the refills unlimited… if only they let you take in a few to-go containers…

Sloth
As every Vegas visitor and Washington resident knows, In-N-Out is a must visit ‘restaurant’ whilst in the state of Nevada. The night of the Burlesque Hall of Fame show (we attended as patrons, not performers, of course), V, Tasha, and Bree decided to hoof it to In-N-Out, all the way at the other end of the strip, and across a freeway. However…being the sloths that we are, and classing it up Vegas style, the rest of took a limo. That’s right, we took a limo to a fast food joint. The most luxurious and classy way to eat an animal burger with cheese (the messiest burger around), is in a limo. Knowing this, the limo driver made us eat inside while he waited. Oh well, the greasy, saucy, melty animal style burger was well worth the minimal effort and extra cash we put in to getting there.

Envy
I was envious of others’ culinary delights several times through out the trip. In addition to my envious glances at Evan’s soup, across the table at Mesa, I experienced waves of jealousy at two other occasions during the Vegas trip. First: drinks at Rhumbar. I ordered a Pineapple Chipotle Margarita…clearly I’ve been on a chipotle kick. It was spicy and delicious…but compared to Bree’s drink…her drink was heaven. And I was envious. It was something orange, with muddled mandarins, mint leaves, and of course topped off with a tropical flower. My drink was topped off with a dried chipotle pepper that looked like... well, it looked like this:


I also experienced orderers-envy at BLT Burger, where I ordered a plain ol’ cheeseburger, and Amanda ordered THE BEST VEGGIE BURGER I’VE EVER TASTED. No joke. It was a falafel patty so full of spices and flavor that I instantly regretted my ordering decision. Damnit. However, I DID get to eat the deep fried pickles, which were everything I had hoped for… dilly, greasy, and tasting like deep fried…pickles.

While we surly committed the sins of wrath, pride, and most certainly greed during our culinary tour of Vegas, I’ll leave a little to the imagination… some things you have to just experience yourself…Viva Las Vegas!

An Offer he Couldn't Refuse

Evan’s been wanting Chipotle lately, and I promised I would go with him (he gets great joy out of watching me eat his favorite foods…which include Chipotle and McDonalds). He took my promise to heart, and wanted to go last night. Don’t get me wrong… I like the occasional burrito-the-size-of-a-two-year-old-child, but on this particular night, after a really good run earlier in the day, I was not jazzed up about getting a week’s worth of caloric intake in one meal. Up against a solid pinky-promise and Evan’s angry protests, I had to think fast to get out of this mess. I made him an offer he could not refuse.

If not Chipotle…then how about Chipotle Chicken Soup!? He bit, hook, line, and sinker! My chipotle soup has become one of Evan’s favorites, next to his mom’s Southwest Tortilla. However, before you go chalking this one up to simply another bowl of chicken tortilla soup, please note- this is no ordinary tortilla soup. My Chipotle Chicken Soup ain’t your mama’s tortilla soup… it’s actually my mama’s! Mel’s been cooking this one up for years, and I’ve never had anything like it. Unlike traditional tortilla soups, this isn’t tomato based, but is more like a spicy, south-of-the-border take on chicken noodle…sans noodles. The beauty of this soup is how simple the preparation is, and how bold the flavors are. A bowl of Chipotle Chicken Soup is the surest way to forget about the gloom of the rainiest Seattle day, and feel the warmth of sunny hot Mexico. We were instantly transported back to Cabo with the first bite! Now…where are 2-for-1 margaritas that we had in Cabo?

Mel’s Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sauté 1-2 cubed chicken breasts, set aside. Heat oil in large pot, enough to cover bottom. Add 1 chopped onion, 1 large chopped carrot, and 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic to the hot pot. Douse liberally with thyme and marjoram. Salt and pepper to taste. When carrots and onions are tender, add chicken, 1 can garbanzo beans, 1-2 tablespoons of sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo (and additional chopped chipotles from the can if you like it hot), and as much chicken broth as desired (adding rice is also optional). Bring to a boil and let simmer until deliciousness ensues. Garnish with tortilla strips (prepared in oven, I like to use both corn and flour), avocado, sour cream, lime wedges, cilantro, cheese (I used grated jack last night, but cojita would probably be fanstatic), and additional chopped chipotle peppers and sauce. Enjoy!