Jan. 3 -- Soup's on (again)

In an effort to continue my monthly "theme" -- healthy foods that are good on cold nights -- I decided to share another favorite soup recipe. Yesterday's was a fantastic creamy, smooth soup. But this one is full of chunky vegetables, offering lots of texture. I also like how the meatballs are made in the oven; it's not only healthier, it's so much easier!

I've only made it a few times, but my family loves it. Here's hoping you will, too.

This recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa's cookbook "Back to Basics."

Italian Wedding Soup

For the meatballs:

3/4 lb. ground chicken
1/2 lb. chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tsp. minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3 tbsp. milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and fresh ground pepper

For the soup:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced carrots (about 3)
3/4 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
10 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta, such as tubetini or stars
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 oz. baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, cheeses, milk, egg, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1- to 1 1/4-inch meatballs on to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs; they don't need to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime: For the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large. heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots and celery; saute until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6 to 8.

Cook's notes: I add extra vegetables to the soup, and I chop them into larger pieces. To me, this improves the soup's texture. Tubetini and stars can be hard to find; orzo or ditalini are nice alternatives that are not too big. If you don't care for dill, basil would be a delicious substitute.
Imported Pecorino and Parmesan can be very expensive; some domestic brands are very good, and far less costly. I've substituted domestic Asiago for the Pecorino, and I liked it a lot. Just make sure it's freshly grated, and not the stuff in a can. It truly will make a world of difference!

My new year's challenge

I've been blogging for several months now, unfortunately more off than on. But I have a new goal: to post something every day. One simple way to do this is to share a recipe that I've tried and enjoyed. Be prepared for a wide array of treats -- many simple, some complicated, but all delicious.

I had an idea to do a theme each month, but I don't know how successful I'll be with that plan. I do pledge to offer healthy recipes as often as I can. And please send ideas along to me. I look forward to hearing them!

Today's recipe is a great one for January. It's healthy, and it's great on a cold night (my theme of the month). I've made this soup several times now, and it's one of my very favorites. Enjoy!

This recipe is from a 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Golden Winter Soup

2 tbsp. butter

5 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

2 cups cubed, peeled russet potato (about 12 oz.)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 cups sliced leek (about 2 medium)

4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

12 oz. baguette, cut into 16 slices

3/4 cup (3 oz.) shredded Gruyere cheese

3 tbsp. chopped chives

Preheat broiler. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash, potato, salt and pepper to pan; saute 3 minutes. Add leek; saute 1 minute. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Place half the potato mixture into a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape; secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid to avoid splatters. Blend until smooth; pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture. Stir in half-and-half. Cover and keep warm.

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; sprinkle with cheese. Broil bread slices 2 minutes or until golden. Ladle 1 cup of soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 1 tsp. chives. Serve 2 bread slices with each serving. Garnish with black pepper, if desired.

Serves 8.

Cook's notes: I usually make this soup with one onion rather than the leeks; it turns out delicious! I've also used fat-free half-and-half, and I was surprised how much I liked it. So feel free to experiment; evaporated milk might be another delicious way to make this soup creamy without adding too much extra fat and calories.

An awesome New Year's Eve tradition

New Year's Eve has never been my favorite day of the year. I don't drink, so the champagne-drenched revelry doesn't appeal to me. I've worked on more of them than I can count, so when I get the rare one off, I almost don't know what to do with myself.

However, we have one tradition that I cannot end the year without. We get out the fondue pot and make a huge batch of chocolate fondue. It's a tradition that Aaron's family started when ages ago, and he wanted to keep it going after we got married. And there's almost no dessert I look forward to more than that one. And it's now one of Emma's favorites, too.

To ring in 2010, we had a small party at our house. Some good friends joined us for a mellow last few hours of 2009. The two girls played, the adults got a chance to visit, and everyone had a good time with the Nintendo Wii. But to top it off, we had to get out the fondue pot. And the chocolate fondue inside it was a total hit.

Fondue is one of those great recipes that you can alter to make your own. We usually opt for a pretty straightforward one -- melted chocolate, with fruit and other sweets to dip. The flavor of the fondue can be altered with liqueurs, or even the type of chocolate you choose. One simple way -- and inexpensive way -- to put a twist on it would be to use a flavoring extract. Some good options include almond, hazelnut or mint.

We served our fondue with five dippers: strawberries, pineapple, bananas, angel food cake and marshmallows. We've used other goodies before, too: oranges are a great choice; homemade pound cake is another. This is a good opportunity to stretch your creative wings. My only suggestion is something solid to dip. If your sweet treats are too flimsy, they'll easily get lost in the chocolate.

I know it sounds unromantic, but we have an electric fondue pot. The ones with the candles certainly are better for setting the mood, but they do a terrible job of keeping the fondue smooth. Some companies make them with kerosene burners, but they seem less safe to me, especially if there are children sharing in the fun.

The recipe I made for New Year's Eve was a new one for me. I will certainly make it again next year. I used dark chocolate and loved it; Aaron says he wasn't as crazy about it. Oh well. I guess I have 364 more days to get it right for next year.

This recipe is from Cooking Light.

Chocolate fondue

2 cups fat-free milk

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. dark corn syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (about 1 cup)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour milk mixture over the chocolate, and stir until smooth. Transfer chocolate mixture to a fondue pot. Keep warm over a low flame.

A love-hate relationship

I got my first slow cooker when I was in college. I think my mom bought it for me at a garage sale for about $1. It was clearly from the 1970s, but it worked and I was happy to have it.

I learned quickly, though, that this new kitchen tool was not always my friend. It was great for making some dishes, such as beef stew, but others didn't turn out as well as they did for my mom. I also learned -- the hard way -- that they are not meant to be used on the stove.

When Aaron and I got married, we received a beautiful new one as a gift. I was determined to learn how to use it properly. And again, some of the old standby recipes served us well. But I wanted to break out of the rut.

After Emma was born, Aaron and I were determined to make even greater use of our slow cooker. He even bought an old 70s-era cookbook. But the recipes were largely a disappointment. Most dishes were soupy. And they were largely flavorless, too. We eventually sold that book back.

I started to hate this blasted machine. What was the point if I could only make one or two dishes? It was just taking up room in our space-limited house. But then I started to investigate. I turned to the America's Test Kitchens, which nearly always steers me in the right direction.

I also found a low-fat slow cooker cookbook. It's certainly not my favorite, but it does offer some interesting ideas that spark my creativity.

With Emma in school and two of us working, we're turning more and more to our slow cooker. It's good, but not great. But it does help us out when we find that time is at a premium. And that makes the slow cooker worth a spot in my small kitchen.

This recipe is from "The Best Slow and Easy Recipes" from the America's Test Kitchen series.

Slow-cooker Beef and Barley Soup

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 medium onions, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tbsp. fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried thyme

Salt

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup pearl barley

2 lb. blade steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Process the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until smooth, about 15 seconds, and set aside. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions, tomato paste, thyme and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the processed tomatoes, broths, carrots, soy sauce and barley until evenly combined. Season the meat with salt and pepper and nestle it into the slow cooker. Cover and cook, either on low or high heat, until the meat is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Let the cooking liquid settle for 5 minutes, then gently tilt the slow cooker and remove as much fat as possible from the surface using a large spoon. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Cook's notes: I usually use a bit more broth and a tablespoon or two of red wine vinegar in place of the red wine. I also double the amount of barley, as the recommended amount mostly disappears.

Best. Sandwich. Ever.

Like most people, we have sandwiches for lunch several days a week at our house. They're quick, easy, inexpensive, delicious -- and the options are endless.

Obviously.

We sometimes fall into a sandwich rut. We have lots of ham and turkey sandwiches, often with mustard, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce (if we have it) and some Miracle Whip. (Sorry, scoffers, it's just too delicious for me to give up!) Emma often requests salami, and rarely I'll venture off the traditional course and get some roast beef. But that's usually it. Again, they're good. But sometimes boring.

So the other day, Aaron and I got into a conversation about what is truly the best sandwich. He favors the day-after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich. He says there's nothing better. In fact, once or twice a year -- other than for the holidays -- we'll make a turkey mostly so we can make those sandwiches.

I agreed. They're great, especially with the leftover cranberry sauce. But for me, there's only one greatest sandwich. It has nothing to do with turkey. And they're only spectacular for a few short weeks a year. That's right -- the BLT.

Sure, you can make them year-round. But I honestly cannot remember the last time I went to the supermarket and was inspired by the tomatoes. Not even the organic once can get me in the mood for a BLT. The tomatoes must be fresh from the vine. And if they're heirloom, that's even better. I favor romaine or green-leaf lettuce for my BLTs. Iceberg is just OK, and many other kinds (such as arugula) are simply too flavorful for me. Of course, fresh from the farmers market lettuce is my favorite.

And the bacon. Mmmmm, bacon! I've discovered, however, that the tomatoes need to be the star of my sandwich. So I choose excellent bacon, but I only use a slice or two on my sandwich. Otherwise, the saltiness of the meat outshines the sweetness of the tomatoes -- that's a total no-go in my book.

I am picky about the bacon I buy. I've tried turkey bacon several times, but I just don't care for it. I do, however, have two favorites. The first is the Oscar Mayer smokehouse thick-sliced center cut bacon. It's delicious, and two slices are very filling. For when I really want to splurge, I get some Niman Ranch bacon. It's even better, but it's terribly bad for me. The Oscar Mayer, surprisingly, is less fatty and, therefore, better for me.

There's two last must-haves for my BLT: toasted bread and Miracle Whip. I find that untoasted bread gets too soggy from juicy tomatoes. And the Miracle Whip -- maybe it's just a childhood thing that I haven't outgrown. However, I prefer it to regular mayonnaise. And I don't need much -- just a tablespoon or two. Again, can't let anything get in the way of those summer beauties.

Mmmmm. BLTs. There's nothing like a summer splurge. And this is it!

Food for thought

The New York Times Magazine published Aug. 2 had a fascinating article by Michael Pollan. It was about the rise of cooking programs on television, and how it's not necessarily a good thing. While reading it, I thought, "Wow. He and I share a lot of opinions." Of course, his argument is much more eloquent than mine.


Yeah, it's sorta long. But it is a really good argument. In fact, it makes me sad that I've never seen any of Julia Child's first programs.


Read it here at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?ex=1264910400&en=253f036ffe8627de&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=NYT-E-I-NYT-E-AT-0805-L3. Then let me know what you think.


Bon appetit!

August 8: A great day for a birthday

Saturday was a big day for us. Our little Emma, who it seems we just brought home from the hospital, turned 5. Like most (if not all) children her age, she has been planning her birthday party for months. So like many parents, we indulged her in many of her whims.

But -- don't tell her this -- I rather enjoy the whole process. The treks to the party store, the grocery store, Target, wherever -- it really is fun because she and I do it together. We certainly have had our battles this year, but we still ended up with awesome party.

We opted for a party at the YMCA in Pleasant Hill. We couldn't have been happier with our choice. The party coordinator and her staff helped us with everything. They had a bounce house for the kids, and an awning with table and chairs outside so the guests could do an art project when they weren't bouncing. And they let us have water balloons -- probably everyone's favorite part on that hot afternoon.

I, of course, started worrying about what to serve. The party was from 3 to 5 p.m., an ideal time, but that got me to overthinking the situation. Do I get pizza for everyone? Is just cake and ice cream enough? How about sandwiches? Being on a budget ruled out several things -- for instance, no Baskin-Robbins cake this year. Plus, I had one additional twist I hadn't planned for: a party guest with an egg allergy. Hmm.

So, after hours of thought, I opted for snacks. Chips with guacamole and salsa. Pita chips with tzatziki and hummus. Vegetables with ranch dip. And a big tray full of fruit. Unfortunately, a sick child prevented me from making most of these dips. So off to Trader Joe's, where they offer delicious, low-cost and very convenient versions. I did, however, make my own tzatziki. It's too fast and too delicious to not take the five minutes.

I think the snack food was a good call. Everyone seemed to enjoy all the treats. And they certainly weren't too much on a hot afternoon.

For her cake, Emma wanted an ice cream cake. She's had them for the past few birthdays, and I love to serve them -- mostly because of the temperature in August. Who wants to get the oven going when it's 100 degrees? We found a delicious ice cream cake at Safeway, and at half the price of Baskin-Robbins. Another good choice.

As for the party guest with the allergy, I did a little online searching and found a great recipe. It's a Depression-era cake that eschews dairy products and eggs due to their high costs. Emma and I whipped the recipe up in about two minutes and had cupcakes half an hour later. We iced them using the recipe on the back of the C&H box (for the recipe, see the blog entry on cupcakes), which we doctored up a little. We added pink food coloring and a little raspberry extract. They were delicious! Unfortunately, our guest with the allergy was unable to make it to the party. However, a few others at the party opted for the cupcakes. And Emma and I have been enjoying the leftovers.

The party was an absolute blast -- lots of great friends, wonderful family, fun and games, gifts and, of course, yummy things to eat.

Yeah. It's good to be the birthday girl.

I've included two recipes that I served at the party. The first is for the tzatziki, a Greek cucumber dip that is one of my very favorites. The other is for the egg-free cupcakes.

This recipe is from the April 2004 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

Tzatziki

1 (32 oz.) container plain fat-free yogurt

1 1/2 cups shredded cucumber

3/4 tsp. salt, divided

2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Place a colander in a large bowl. Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth or paper towels, allowing excess to hang over edge of colander. Spoon yogurt into colander. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12 hours. Spoon drained yogurt into a clean bowl, and discard liquid from yogurt. Cover and refrigerate.

Place cucumber into colander. sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt. Toss well to combine. Drain 15 minutes. Place cucumbers on paper towels; squeeze until barely moist. Combined drained yogurt, cucumber, remaining salt, mint, pepper and garlic. Drizzle with oil.

This recipe is one I found years ago. According to my mom, my grandmother used to make this cake all the time. I just wish it was her specific recipe!

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into sifter. Sift into an ungreased 9-inch square pan. Make 3 wells in pan with your finger. Put vanilla in one, oil in another and vinegar in the third. Pour cold water over top. Mix with fork until dry ingredients disappear. Batter should be thin. Bake 30 minutes. Cool, then frost and serve from pan.