When Irish Eyes Are Smilin'...

I've heard it said that the Irish consume all that green beer during the day in order to partake in the corned beef & cabbage at supper time...

March 17 is traditionally a religious holiday on the Emerald Isle in honor of Saint Patrick, born in either Scotland or Wales, the son of Roman parents living in Britain...with all that heritage, it is appropriate that this holiday is celebrated across many cultures! He & his disciples are responsible for the Irish conversion to Christianity. The three leaves of the shamrock were a visual representation of the Christian Trinity.

It was not until the 1970's that the pubs in Ireland were open for business on March 17...part of a campaign to raise tourism & showcase Ireland to the rest of the world...& the rest of the world has been wearing green, chasing leprechauns & raising a pint of green beer to Ireland on St. Patrick's Day ever since.

Even as an Irish girl, I'm not a big fan of corned beef...& because the Great Potato Famine in 1845 fueled the Irish immigration to America...my family is going to have a big bowl of golden potato & leek soup to honor our Irish roots.

Pot O' Gold Potato & Leek Soup
Serves 8

4 leeks, trimmed & cut in 1/2" slices
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
6 medium or 8 small Yukon gold potatoes, quartered & sliced thin
8 cups organic chicken broth (I like to use Imagine)
*2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken (optional for a heartier protein rich soup)
3 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
3 Tbsp cold water
3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Trim the thick green ends & root away from the leeks. Cut in 1/2 lengthwise & then in 1/2" slices. Soak in water to wash away any dirt & then rinse & drain.

In a medium soup pot over medium heat, combine olive oil, bay leaf, salt, pepper, & leaks. Soften leaks for about a minute. Add potato slices & chicken broth. Cover the pot & bring to a boil then remove cover & reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove bay leaf. (*For a heartier meal, add about 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken at this stage.)

In a small bowl, combine arrowroot or cornstarch with cold water & mix well. Return the soup to a boil. Add this mixture to the soup pot & stir. Let cook for 5 more minutes. Reduce heat. Add more salt & pepper if necessary. Stir in parsley. Serve & Enjoy!

A toast to you my friends, in good ol' Irish fashion...Here's to cheating, stealing, fighting & drinking. If you should cheat, cheat death. If you steal, steal a woman's heart. If you fight, fight for a brother. And if you drink, drink with me!!

Slainte,

Cenee'

I Got You Babe...

We're halfway there! February 2nd...halfway between Winter Solstice & Spring Equinox!

More specifically...Groundhog Day!

And while the National Climatic Data Center (gotta be careful how you type that one...) admits that he has only predicted correctly 39% of the time...upwards of 30,000 people gather at Gobblers Knob for the ceremony in Punxsutawney, PA...to gaze upon Phil as he emerges from his hole & checks for his shadow.

Trusting that this year he has predicted correctly...we can look forward to warming up the kitchen with savory soups, cozy casseroles, & warm winter veggies for 6 more weeks!

I don't have a Groundhog Stew in my repertoire...but I do have a mighty tasty Turkey Sweet Potato Chili! I have yet to meet a man, woman, or child who has not loved this dish. I get frequent requests for the recipe & it cycles through our family menu on a regular basis. I hope that you add it to your list of favorites!

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
Serves 6-8

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1/2" dice
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 (8 oz) can organic diced tomatoes

2 cups organic chicken broth

1 (8 oz) can organic black beans, drained

Fine sea salt & black pepper

Brown the ground turkey, seasoning with salt & pepper. Remove from the pan & set aside. Saute onion, garlic, & sweet potatoes in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add turkey back to pan & stir in spices, tomatoes, & chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 20 minutes. Add beans & simmer for 5 more minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve with baked pita chips (Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips are great).

By the way, speaking of Groundhog Day...am I the ONLY ONE who can actually see Sonny's cheezy smile while Cher flips that long hair over her right shoulder, all the while belting out that silly little tune we all get stuck in our heads? "Babe!...I got you Babe!"

I didn't think so...

Cheers to Winter,

Cenee'

Same Kind of Different...

I just finished reading Same Kind of Different As Me yesterday afternoon & immediately following, I went to see the movie, The Blind Side (finally). I know this has absolutely nothing to do with food, cooking, or nutrition...but it has everything to do with pursuing your God-given passion & walking through life with your eyes wide open.

I am thankful to have identified a passion of mine & most especially, the chance to share that with you.

Mondays, are usually a "free day" for me in the kitchen...meaning I free myself from the kitchen. It happens that it is my family's busiest day of the week, so I try to have something from the weekend leftover to enjoy, or we treat ourselves to a very simple night out. But this was a holiday...Martin Luther King day...another reminder of a man who pursued his God-given passion with a vengeance. So today, I prepared a simple meal...thankful for the freedom to do so!

Rustic Lentil Soup
4-5 servings

1 1/4 cup organic green lentils, rinsed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups butternut squash (or sub carrots), 1/2" dice
1 (14.5 oz) can organic stewed tomatoes
1 cup organic chicken stock
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp smoky paprika
Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add lentils and cook for 20 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions & saute until onions are translucent Add squash, tomatoes, chicken stock & seasonings. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Drain the lentils & stir them in. Bring back up to a simmer for about 5 more minutes. Add more salt if needed. Sprinkle individual servings with parmesan cheese & enjoy!!

Lentils: excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, folic acid, & potassium; good source of iron & phosphorus; also contain some important minerals & B vitamins; excellent combined with brown rice as their amino acids are complimentary; a great alternative for a savory breakfast

Bon Appetit,

Cenee'

The Best Laid Plans...

Since that first post, I had my apartment recarpeted because of a flood resulting in the great pleasure of Spring cleaning just in time for Fall. Sadly, we also lost our pet sending us into an unexpected emotional swing and then, behold the Holidays were upon us.

During the "move", my kitchen was packed to the gills with stuff rendering it useless for a couple of days but also the realization that you can get allot of stuff into a tiny apartment kitchen. This led me down one of those funny "memory paths"...you know the kind that you come back from & think "how did get I get there?"...one of those...

My apartment kitchen is a one-butt kitchen. It can be a two butt-er in a pinch, but I'm really most comfortable alone in this particular kitchen...which is a shame, because I really do love preparing a meal with a friend (or more).

I have classified kitchens this way for a very long time. I suppose my love for cooking led me here...along with my love for cooking with friends. In the numerous times I have been on the hunt for a new kitchen (in a plethora of moves...but that's another story), I have evaluated the appeal based on how many butts could comfortably prepare a meal together in that kitchen.

My current kitchen is the smallest...no complaints though...it does open up to my family room making it quite pleasant. My largest was what I fondly refer to as the 12 butt-er. It was my favorite & holds many great memories (the sweetest being a baking day with Nana Ellen & Rachel). There was also a very special Valentine dinner prepared there with the Celestes, Parkinsons, Combests & the former "us"...8 butts cooking at once...& a beautiful meal it turned out to be :)

That's all for memory lane today...

I prepared a really scrumptious soup last night. It was a cool crisp evening so I had to pull together something warm & cozy. This is what I had on hand & the savory comfort it turned into:


Mushroom & Swiss Chard Soup

1/2 yellow onion, diced small
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups crimini or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
32 oz organic free-range chicken broth
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked chickpeas (or 1 can organic chickpeas, drained)
1 small bunch Swiss chard, stems cut away & greens roughly chopped (can sub kale)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp white pepper (depending on personal taste)

In a large Dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add mushrooms and saute until they are cooked down and very soft. Add broth, seasonings, and chard. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 20 minutes. Add chickpeas and prepared rice. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit,

Cenee'