French Canadian Split Pea Soup

 

With Easter coming upon us, it's always nice to have a good split pea soup recipe on hand to make use of that left over Easter ham. This is a recipe shared with me by my sister Gina with a few changes. I've tried a number of different recipes over the years but this is my favorite. I think I especially like it because it isn't quite as thick as some I've tried in the past, and the flavor is delicious. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

1 pound dry green split peas

1 meaty ham bone

1 cup chopped onion

(optional) small bundle of fresh thyme

1 generous teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup sliced carrot

1 cup chopped celery 

2 slices of bacon

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Rinse peas. In kettle mix peas, ham bone, onion, Better Than Bouillon, salt, pepper, thyme bundle, and 8 cups of water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1&1/2 hours, stirring often. 

Remove ham bone and chop meat. Return meat to soup, add carrots and celery. Simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Cook bacon till crisp, drain and crumble. Stir bacon, cream, and butter into soup, heat through. Makes 8 servings.

New England Clam Chowder

This is a delicious soup I found on Epicurious. It is the best homemade clam chowder I've come across and is excellent as a cup of soup with a elegant meal or as a bowl of soup for a yummy lunch. They call for russet potatoes but I often use red potatoes instead. The russets do help to make the broth a bit thicker but I like the flavor of the red potatoes a bit more. If you like the broth a bit thicker but want the flavor of the red potatoes, simply add 1/3 cup flour instead of the 1/4 cup in the recipe.

 

 

Yield

Makes 8 (first-course) or 4 (main-course) servings

Ingredients

1. • 3 8-ounce bottles clam juice
   • 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
   • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
   • 3 slices bacon, finely chopped
   • 2 cups chopped onions
   • 1 1/4 cups chopped celery with leaves (about 2 large stalks)
   • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
   • 1 bay leaf
   • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
   • 6 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams, drained, juices reserved
   • 1 1/4 cups half and half
   • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Preparation

1. 1.  Bring bottled clam juice and potatoes to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
   2. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf and sauté until vegetables soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes (do not allow flour to brown). Gradually whisk in reserved juices from clams. Add potato mixture, clams, half and half and hot pepper sauce. Simmer chowder 5 minutes to blend flavors, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Chicken Soup

 

 One of the most comforting soup around is Chicken Soup. Whether served with noodles, rice, dumplings, or Matzo balls, it never fails to soothe. This is the closest I can get to writing out my recipe. I make it each time to taste and according to what I have on hand.

 Ingredients

 Left over rotisserie chicken or 2 baked large chicken breast, with bone in and skin on

2 to 3 tbls. olive oil 

1&1/2 cups diced onion

1&1/2 cups diced carrot

1&1/2 cups diced celery 

1&1/2 cups peas

8 oz. sliced mushrooms, optional

5 cloves of garlic, divided

16 cups water

12 tsp.(or to taste) Better Than Bouillon chicken flavor

2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage or 2 tsp. dried sage

1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Course ground pepper to taste

Egg noodles, rice, or package mix for matzo balls

 

Directions

Saute onions, celery, and carrots in olive oil for about 6 minutes in a large soup pot. (If using dried herbs, they should be added with the vegetables when they are sauteing.) Add 3 cloves of minced fresh garlic and saute for another minute. I place my precooked chicken, skin, bones and all,  in a large colander and put it in the pot with sauteed vegetables, making sure to have the vegetables to the side of the colander. I use the colander so I am able to remove the chicken from the vegetables without worrying that the chicken will fall apart when I remove it from the pot. If you don't have a large enough pot, you can just put the chicken in the pot and remove the chicken as best as you can without leaving pieces behind. I then pour the water over chicken and vegetables, bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour. Remove chicken and then remove all of the meat from bones and skin and return to the pot. Now is the time to add the Better Than Bouillon to the pot, along with the peas, fresh herbs, and sliced mushrooms if you are using them. I simmer for another 15 minutes and then season to taste with added fresh garlic, salt and pepper, and sometimes additional bouillon.

 

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast With Gravy

 

A favorite of mine to make in the cold month is Beef Pot Roast. I am finally taking the time to write out the recipe to share. I love how the meat is so tender when it is done that it falls apart and the gravy is full of flavor. Hope you enjoy!

 

Ingredients

 3lb. (about) beef boneless English roast or chuck roast

 2 tbls. olive oil

 1lb. to 1&1/2lbs. small potatoes, cut up into pieces

 1 bag of petite carrots

 1 medium onion, diced

 6 cloves of garlic, minced and divided

 1&1/2 cup frozen peas 

 8 oz. package of sliced mushrooms (optional)

 1 cup dry red wine (I use a red blend)

 1 bundle of fresh rosemary and thyme

 4 cups (about) of beef  Better Than Bouillon (enough to cover meat and vegetables)

 6 tbls. butter

 6 tbls. flour

 salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Salt and pepper roast and sear on all sides in olive oil before placing in slow cooker.  Mince 4 cloves of garlic on roast along with diced onion. Add all the other ingredients with the exception of the peas, mushrooms, butter and flour. Cook on low for 8 hours, add the peas and mushrooms about a half an hour before end of cooking time. Remove roast and shred. Melt butter in small sauce pan and then add butter to make a roux. Gradually add broth from slow cooker and simmer until you have a thick well blended gravy. Add gravy to remaining broth and vegetables and stir well. Add salt, pepper, and 2 cloves fresh garlic to taste. I also sometimes add a tablespoon or less of beef bouillon to gravy. I often take the potatoes out and make them into garlic mashed to eat with the gravy, beef, and vegetables.

 

 

 

Baby Shark Fruit and Jello Jiggler Treat

I came up with this appetizer treat for my grandson's Baby Shark birthday party. I started out by drawing a shark pattern to use so I could cut it out of the pan of blue jello jigglers,https://www.food.com/recipe/jello-jigglers-for-cookie-cutters-111982. I chose an extra firm recipe because I figured it would make cutting the shark out easier than the normal recipe. I used fruit dip for the shark's tummy https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/cream-cheese-fruit-dip/ ,oreo mini cookie opened up for the eye with decorator gel for the pupil, mint leaves, grapes, mandarin oranges, blue berries, and grapes. I laid the mint leaves on the pan before pouring the jigglers in the pan. When the jigglers were set, I used a knife to cut around my shark pattern and filled that all in with the blueberries and dip, and then added the other fruit on top of the jigglers, pressing them in slightly so they wouldn't roll around if I had to move the pan, and wallah! it's done!

Giant Molasses Cookies

I don't often bake but this recipe from my sister is worth it! They are easy to make and so tasty!

Ingredients

4 &1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs ginger
1 & 1/2 tsp baking soda
1&1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cloves
1&1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease large cookie sheet. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cloves in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Whisk together 1&1/4 cups sugar, oil, molasses and eggs in large bowl until smooth; stir in dry ingredients. Refrigerate dough 15 minutes.
3. Place remaining 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl. Using 2&1/4 inch ice-cream scoop or level 1/4 cup measure, form cookie dough into balls; roll balls in sugar. Place sugar-coated balls 3 inches apart on prepared sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until golden. Cool cookies on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 18 cookies.

Thyme Popovers

I rarely bake, but this recipe of Ina Garten's is so easy that even I like to make them! My older son loves filling them with butter and eggs. He loves that burst of  butter at the end of a bite. The beauty of them is that you can fill them with just about anything.

Ingredients

Softened butter for greasing pans, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature

Directions

 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously grease aluminum popover pans or custard cups with softened butter. You'll need enough pans to make 12 popovers. Place the pans in the oven for 2 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, thyme, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth. The batter will be thin. Fill the popover pans less than half full and bake for exactly 30 minutes. Do not peek.

Serve hot.