Curried Cauliflower Soup

When we were in Miami, we walked through the Lincoln Road Mall at least once a day. There are so many fun shops, restaurants, art galleries, etc. there.
I had to go in Williams-Sonoma one day, just to look around. Side note- did you know that Williams-Sonoma is now selling grains and lentils and stuff like that? I was so excited when I saw quinoa, red lentils and even black lentils in stock there.
Anyway, I started talking to the woman working there and she told me about this soup. She had made it the day before during a cooking demonstration and also at home, so I took the recipe card and decided to make it when I got home. We kept talking and talking and then I noticed my husband had left his spot outside the store where he was watching people, so I had to run out and try to find him!

Spring has officially arrived here in Georgia- we've got gorgeous weather, lots of pollen and my roses are blooming! Every once in awhile we still have a rainy day and I made this last week on a very rainy day. It was perfect.
Since I added the spices and herbs to the soup it isn't the most pleasant color to look at, but we tried to spiff it up with some of the yogurt and cilantro garnish.
I didn't follow the recipe exactly- I made few changes, like I usually do and they are noted below.

Have you ever been to the Lincoln Road Mall? Do you love Williams-Sonoma?

HERE is the recipe for Curried Cauliflower Soup

* I used less oil to start the soup and the extra veggies used for garnish, probably only 2 Tablespoons all together and used canola oil

* I just added the spices and herbs to the soup, no cheesecloth

* I didn't add as much oil as called for to the yogurt garnish

* I didn't completely puree the soup

Creamed Corn with Pancetta and Leeks

This is a recipe that I have been wanting to try for quite some time, but somehow it never fit into my menu. I never tried creamed corn until I moved to the South and it took some time for me to grow to like it.

I decided to make this for our Christmas dinner, since I did a southern dinner, and used grade A fresh frozen corn. I really wanted to make this with fresh corn, but it fit our Christmas dinner, so I went ahead and made it. I didn't use a cast iron pan and it still worked out great.

This was a little bit spicy (as in- onion spicy) from the leeks, but I think they gave a nice level of flavor. This recipe came together quickly and was really delicious.
I wish I could've gotten a beautiful picture, but it just didn't work out that way. Please look at the Cooking Light picture to have a feast for your eyes.
I'm excited to make this again during the summer with fresh cobs of corn.

Recipe for Creamed Corn with Bacon and Leeks
* I used some chopped pancetta instead of bacon
* I used fresh frozen corn instead of corn right off the cob

Blogiversary Giveaway- Creamy Parsnip Soup, Curried Carrot Soup with Grilled-Cheese Croutons, and Glazed Lemon Mini-Cakes

Since yesterday was my blogiversary, I decided to do a little giveaway. Now, I don't know if anyone out there loves cookbooks as much as I do. Maybe you do or maybe you don't. Whatever the case may be, I am going to give 1 lucky winner a copy of Everyday Food:Great Food Fast. This cookbook is really a great asset. It is similar to the magazine Everyday Food, which comes from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. What I particularly enjoy about this cookbook, is that it is arranged by the seasons of the years, featuring ingredients that are fresh and available during that particular season.
Here is an editorial review that was featured on Amazon.com- "If you are a fan of Everyday Food magazine (and you should be), you will be wowed by Great Food Fast, a gorgeous full-color cookbook filled to bursting with recipes for fresh, flavorful food that is easy to prepare. Organized by season, Great Food Fast features simple recipes for year-round cooking, including no-cook pasta sauces, main-course soups, one-dish meals, and more." --Daphne Durham
I decided to showcase a couple of the winter recipes (since it is still snowing and cold around here) from this book. I made the Creamy Parsnip Soup, Curried Carrot Soup, and Glazed Lemon Cakes. I added the super cute Grilled-Cheese Croutons that I saw in Family Fun Magazine to the Carrot soup, just for a fun topper.
Both of the soups were very good and easy.
The Parsnip soup was a little bit sweet, due to the apples and parsnips, but nice and thick also. I think I used too much of the leeks, which led to a green color soup, instead of the nice white color pictured in the book, but it still tasted great.
The Curried Carrot Soup was the definite favorite. Carrots and curry make a great combination. We loved the grilled cheese croutons on top. I didn't follow the recipe- I just used the same idea. I make grilled cheese sandwiches in my Foreman Grill, which eliminates the need for any butter. The next day we had the carrot soup for leftovers and stirred in some leftover, cooked brown rice.
The Glazed Lemon Cakes were amazing. I used buttermilk in them and that led to a very light, moist cake. I made them smaller than the recipe suggested, but that just meant there were more of us that were able to enjoy them.
So, now that you have a sample of the recipes, in order to win this cookbook, please leave me a comment telling me what your favorite season of the year is and why. I will randomly chose a winner on Tuesday @ midnight and contact you in order to get shipping information. If you don't have a blog, leave a comment with your email address, so if you are the winner I will be able to contact you. The winner will be announced in my post on Wednesday Feb. 25.
My favorite season is Summer. I love hot weather, fresh fruit and vegetables from the garden and lots of sun!
Good Luck Everybody!

Creamy Parsnip Soup from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
Prep: 20 minutes Total: 50 minutes
To prepare leeks: Trim and discard root ends and dark-green parts. Halve lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Wash in several changes of cold water until all grit is removed.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound prepared leeks, sliced (2 cups)
1 pound parsnips, trimmed, peeled, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium baking potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Leek garnish (see below) (I omitted this step)
Directions
Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add leeks (reserving 1/2 cup for garnish). Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.
Add parsnips, apples, potato, broth, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. Return it to pot; stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with Leek Garnish.
To make leek garnish, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Add reserved 1/2 cup leeks; cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Curried Carrot Soup adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
Prep: 20 minutes Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon curry powder
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large (4- to 5-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add broth, carrots, and 3 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth; transfer to a clean saucepan. Add more water to thin to desired consistency. Reheat, if necessary. Stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired.

Grilled-Cheese Croutons from Family Fun Magazine
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon thyme
6 thin slices of bread
3 ounces Cheddar, thinly sliced

Step 1 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine the butter and thyme. Spread one side of each bread slice with the butter mixture. Place 3 slices in the pan, buttered side down. Top with the cheese, then with the remaining 3 bread slices, buttered side up. Cook, turning once, until toasted on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Step 2 Remove the sandwiches from the pan. Let them cool slightly, then cut them into 1-inch squares. Makes about 60 croutons.

Glazed Lemon Cakes from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
Prep: 15 minutes Total: 50 minutes
Ingredients
Makes 6.
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for muffin tin
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for muffin tin
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk, or plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated, plus juice, plus 2 tablespoons more lemon juice for the glaze
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup jumbo muffin tin(I used a normal sized muffin tin). In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk mixture.
Divide evenly among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in tin, then cool completely on a rack.
Set rack over wax or parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir confectioners’ sugar with remaining lemon juice until smooth. Pour over cakes, spreading to edges with a knife.

Up Next- Tuesday's with Dorie- Caramel Crunch Bars and a Mixed Berry Cobbler Rewind

Barefoot Bloggers- Wild Mushroom Soup and Red Lentil and Portobello Wraps with Feta and Tomatillo Salsa

This week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Chelle of Brown-eyed Baker
Check out her blog for the recipe or click HERE for the original, creamy recipe.

I hate mushrooms. There, I said it. They are the one food that I do not like. I will eat them mixed in with other foods, but when they are the star of the show, hmmm, I seriously have a hard time.
But, I wanted to be a good sport, so I thought to myself, I will make this soup and surely someone will like it. I will pair it with something I know I will like on the side and it will be fine. I was shocked to find Portobello, Crimini, and Shitake mushrooms all at my grocery store. I had my half and half and milk ready to go.
But, when I saw the part about straining out the carrots, stems and onion, I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to waste those yummy vegetables.
So then I saw the stick of butter to cook the leeks in- nope, couldn't do it. If I am going to use a stick of butter and a cup of cream, I better be looking some sort of dessert in the face.
That is when this simply became Wild Mushroom soup- broth based. Maybe this one turned out to be a little more Mary Ann, and a little less Barefoot Contessa. Sorry, really I am.
Forgive me my fellow Barefoot bloggers, please. I ate a bowl of it, and it wasn't half bad. I got the mushrooms down and saved my calories for something later this week.

Now, on to the wraps. Absolutely fabulous. I love red lentils, so I was excited about these and they were wonderful. The salsa alone was great. That is how I like mushrooms, mixed into the filling, so you can't really tell. But, hey I attempted it and didn't just give up after seeing the title of the recipe. That has got to count for something!

Wild Mushroom Soup heavily aapted from the Barefoot Contessa
5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms

5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms

5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh oregano plus 1 teaspoon minced oregano leaves, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 leeks, white and light green parts, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
To make the stock, heat 1 Tbls olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat 1 Tbls olive oil and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown, adding water if necessary to keep from burning. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender.
Add the vegetable stock and transfer leek/mushroom mixture to the mushroom stock pot.
Bring back to a boil and then simmer until ready to serve. Serve with fresh oregano leaves

Red Lentil and Portobello Wraps with Feta and Tomatillo Salsa adapted from Fitness Magazine
Salsa:
1/4 habanero pepper, stemmed and minced
1/2 scallion, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 tomatillos, chopped
1 Tbls chopped fresh oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbls chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup cooked, cubed zucchini
1/2 cup toasted fresh corn
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Wraps:
1 Tbls olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced red potatoes
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red lentils
3 cups fresh spinach
2 Tbls chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup feta cheese, cubed
whole wheat or multigrain tortillas
cilantro and radishes, for garnish

Place first 8 salsa ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky. Add remaining salsa ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 Tbls oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Saute the onion for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes, adding a little bit of vegetable stock to keep from getting too brown. Add lentils and rest of vegetable stock. Cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in spinach, oregano, and chili powder. Add feta.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spoon 2-3 Tbls lentil mixture (you might have to do this with a slotted spoon, if too juicy) in the middle of a tortilla. Fold sides into middle and then other sides. Place seam down on a cooking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Spray wraps with cooking spray and cook for 20 minutes, until crispy. Serve with salsa. Garnish with cilantro and radishes.