two super soups

Two recent additions to my soup repertoire. Both are simple and inexpensive to prepare, healthy, and delicious!

Spiced Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
recipe courtesy of Healthy Shortcuts to Success by Lesley Waters

Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes
1 large sweet potato
2 tablespoons curry paste (I substituted curry powder)
1 onion, peeled and minced
2/3 cup split red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, plus more for garnish
freshly ground black pepper 


Directions: 
1. Peel the potatoes and sweet potato, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Heat the curry paste in a pan, stir in the onion, cover, and steam-fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the potatoes, sweet potato, lentils, and stock to the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Stir in the coconut milk and gently heat through. Season to taste with pepper, then stir in the chopped cilantro. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, top with cilantro sprigs, and serve.

Garden Vegetable Soup

recipe courtesy of Alton Brown 

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil 

2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (I substituted onions)

2 tablespoons finely minced garlic (omitted)

Kosher salt 

2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds 

2 cups peeled and diced potatoes 

2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces 

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth 

4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes 

2 ears corn, kernels removed (I omitted the corn and used spinach instead)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves 

1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

  

2. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

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never the same cookie twice!

Garbage (or "junk drawer") cookies are created with whatever odds and ends you have on hand, making them the perfect way to use up all of those half-empty bags of nuts, candies, and chocolate chips in the pantry. Just begin with the simple chocolate base, and mix in as many extras as you want.

Chocolate "Garbage" Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

Pinch of salt
1/2 cup of each of your favorite "add-ins" (marshmallows, chocolate chips, toffee pieces, nuts, coconut, M&Ms, raisins, etc.)






Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the milk and vanilla and beat well.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat into creamed mixture.

4. Stir in whatever "add-ins" you wish. (For this version I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanuts, walnuts, coconut, raisins, and mini Charleston Chew candies. Pretty good, but next time I'd omit the peanuts.)

5. Drop by tablespoonful (or larger, if you want) onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Yields about two dozen cookies.

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