Andouille and Red Wine Soup

We've all had those small moments in our lives when we are so proud of ourselves that we can't help but jump up and down and give ourselves a high five. And when these priceless moments happen to us, all we really want to do is share that joy, that pride, that excitement with someone...anyone who will listen.

My moment came last Thursday evening when I decided that I wanted soup for dinner. I didn't have any sort of plan or recipe, I just knew I wanted soup.

So......

When I found one, lonely, red potato, I decided to put him out of his misery and chop him up in little pieces and saute' him in a puddle of olive oil. Then I chopped up 4 stalks of celery, smashed 4 cloves of garlic, and threw them in the puddle as well. I placed a lid on top and let them mingle.

When I opened my fridge again, I noticed a big ol' Granny Smith apple staring me in the face. My first thought was..."Nobody puts apples in soup....that's weird." But before I knew it, I was cutting the apple and adding her to the pot as well. "Weird is good." I thought to myself.

"What do I do for protein? I could use beans, but I don't like beans....unless they're the green, string bean variety." And then I remembered that I had just purchased Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Sausage links, so beans were out and meat was in. Protein....CHECK!

Drinking red wine while cooking is always recommended, and since I already had a bottle in my hand........OOPS......a half a cup of it fell into the pot. I didn't want to use the whole bottle in the soup, so I poured in some beef broth.

I added some thyme for additional flavor, some diced tomatoes for color, and in a moment of mature, grown-up behavior I opened a can of White Northern beans and allowed a few fifty beans to drop into the soup. It felt good and bad all at the same time. It was hard to do, but I've got to learn to like beans....I've GOT TO!

When I couldn't find or think of anything else to add to my "souped up" soup, I placed the lid on top, turned the heat to low, and walked away for a couple of hours.

Tick...tock...tick...tock...

I returned to the kitchen at 8:53 PM wearing a proud smile on my face as the delightful aroma tickled my nose. I had a good feeling about this! I removed the lid, stirred the pot, grabbed a ladle, scooped it up, filled my bowl, found a spoon, loaded it up, took a whiff, took a taste, and....

Shazam!

MY moment.

.....that tiny little moment of accomplishment, of a job WELL done, of beautiful magic performed.

It. Was. Amazing! And even though no one was there to high-five me, I did a little dance, sang a little song, and laughed to myself over my apparent brilliantness. (Yes, it's a word)


Now, as we all know, most soups taste better the second day, but what I'll tell you about this little number is that on the night of it's conception, there were so many flavors bouncing around on the palate that it was like happy food fireworks. I could taste the wine, I could taste the apple, I could taste the Andouille, and I could even taste the beans - the wine-soaked beans, that is. Turns out, I kind of like drunken beans. Who knew?

The next morning, I decided to relive the experience of the night before and heat up the soup for breakfast. Only now, the soup had a different flavor. It was still very good, but as with most soups, all the flavors merged into one and the "wild party" from the evening before had simmered, the pandemonium had subsided, and even though I was enjoying the same flavors, somewhere in the magic of the overnight hours, they had become one brand new flavor.

I recommend eating the soup the night you make it and eating it again the next day and have yourself two different parties....you won't be disappointed!

(Thanks for letting me share this moment with you!)


Andouille and Red Wine Soup

6 Ounces Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Sausage
Olive Oil
One Medium Red Potato, finely chopped
4 Stalk Celery, finely chopped
4 Large Garlic Cloves, smashed
One Granny Smith Apple, finely chopped
14 Ounces Diced Tomatoes
7.5 Ounces White Northern Beans
One Teaspoon Thyme
1/2 Cup Red Wine ( not dry )
2 Cups Beef Broth

In a good size skillet or pot, saute' potato, celery, garlic, and apple. Add thyme, sausage, tomatoes, and red wine. Cook for a little while longer. Then add broth and beans. Let simmer on stovetop for at least 2 hours.

Shazam!

Sugar Snap Pea & Mushroom Salad

Let me just say I LOVE THIS SALAD!!!!
This recipe makes a lot (it serves 12!), which is a good thing, because you're going to need it! Light and refreshing, especially on a hot day, this salad is always a hit at any get-together. Crisp sugar snap peas, tasty mushrooms, and fresh herbs marinated in olive oil and vinegar?

Yes, please!

It goes together in a snap, and then just marinates until you're ready to go. How easy is that?

And let's face it, folks...everyone can always use another veggie dish! How many cookouts, potlucks, and family get-togethers have you been to where the food table is overwhelmed by sweets? I know I've seen more than my share. Give this a try, I know you'll like it!

Sugar Snap Pea & Mushroom Salad

3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
9 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
8 c. sugar snap peas (1 lb.)
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

Begin by marinating the mushrooms: whisk the olive oil, vinegar, and salt & pepper together in a medium sized bowl. Add the mushrooms, toss to coat, and marinate for at least 45 minutes or up to overnight, stirring occasionally.

Cook the snap peas: fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water and 1 tbsp salt to a boil. Add snap peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain peas and immediately submerge in the ice water. Let sit until chilled, approximately 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Drain the mushrooms and discard all but 1 tbsp. of the marinade. Toss the mushrooms, snap peas, reserved marinade and thyme and serve immediately.

Marinated Green Beans & Roasted Red Peppers

Have you been reaping the benefits of having a garden? Whether you have a garden, or have been frequenting your local farmer's market, there is no doubt about the variety of wonderful fruits and veggies that are available this time of year. It seems silly not to take advantage, doesn't it? This recipe is one of my favorite summertime recipes, especially when the green beans are in full swing. The combination of garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar is so addictive and refreshing on a hot day! I really hope you'll give it a try...it might be just the thing to liven up a Labor Day cookout!

Marinated Green Beans & Roasted Red Peppers

3 large red bell peppers
2 lbs. slender green beans
3/4 c. olive oil
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves
lettuce leaves, for garnishing

Char peppers over a gas flame or broiler until blackened on all sides. Don't be afraid to let those peppers get black! That's what makes the skin come off, peeps! Enclose the peppers in a paper bag and let stand for 10 minutes. Peel and seed the peppers and cut into 1/2" wide strips. Don't be intimidated by this step...the skins practically fall off! Transfer to a large bowl.

Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, no more than 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well, and add to the bowl of peppers.

Whisk oil, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour over vegetables and toss. Season to your taste with salt & pepper. Cover and chill up to 6 hours. Line a large bowl or platter with lettuce leaves if desired, and place the beans and peppers in the center.

Mmmmm Mmmmm Gooooood!!!

Swimming Cucumbers

Who loves cucumbers from the garden.....raise your hand?

All of YOU?!?! That's what I thought!

This recipe is the perfect way to add some"tang"to the ever-refreshing veggie. It is important however, that one likes the zippy sting of apple cider vinegar because it's what these cucumbers swim in.

This has been a family favorite among kids and adults for many years now, so....

GET PICKLING PEOPLE!

If I haven't sold you on this recipe, check out Jen's favorite way to eat them here.

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Swimming Cucumbers

One Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
One Cup Water
Two Cups Sugar
One Teaspoon Salt
One Teaspoon Whole Cloves
1-1/2 Teaspoons Celery Seeds
7 Cucumbers, sliced and cut
Two Sweet Onions, thinly sliced

In a saucepan over low heat, warm water, apple cider vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add cloves, salt, and celery seeds. Place cucumbers and onions in container and pour liquid over them. Store in fridge for a few hours to allow the flavors to mingle and for the cucumbers to soak up the 'tang'.

As with most marination, the second day is best. Also, once all the cucumbers have been eaten, simply cut up more cucumbers and soak them in the same "juice".....the deliciousness will live on! I think they call that...........recycling......

Let's Get Pickled!
Let's Get Pickled!
Let's Get Pickled!

Zucchini Patty Pancakes

Okay! I just found my new favorite zucchini recipe and I owe it all to a lovely lady named Phyllis! She was nice enough to share this gem with me a few weeks ago and then my friend Patty gave me zucchini from her garden last week, soooooo......here we are!

Had I known the flavor would make my heart smile the way it does, I would have been ON IT the very day she placed the sacred instructions in my hands. But, now I know how delicious they are and how little effort it takes to get them from zucchini to zucchini pancake.

You will love the flavor and lightness of this savory pancake as it comes off the griddle, and that love will double in intensity when you re-heat it the next day, because it is one of those special treats that tastes just as good, if not better, the next day.......

Jackpot!!!

Eat 'em with your hands, stack 'em up and cut 'em up with a knife, slather 'em with spaghetti sauce and call it dinner....whatever you want.....the sky is the limit with these perfect little patties!


Zucchini Patty Pancakes

1-1/2 Cups Grated Zucchini (Dry on paper towel)
2-3 Tablespoons Minced Onion
1/4 Cup Parmesan or Asiago, or Romano, or all of them!
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons Mayo
Salt & Pepper

Mix together and drop into hot skillet with olive oil. Cook until set and brown.


Take one more good look at your new favorite zucchini recipe.....

Golden Roasted Caulifower with Pecorino Romano

My kids are normally pretty good about eating vegetables. Seriously...peas are their favorite! No one ever believes me, but it's true. Peas get requested every single day around here, which is why I've been on the hunt to find some new ways to prepare veggies that don't get a lot of requests. One of those veggies is cauliflower.

Now, Sheri and I have no issues with cauliflower. We've mashed it into "fake" mashed potatoes, like the South Beach dieters do, we've made soup with it, we've thrown it into our Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas and our Oven Roasted Veggies. Cauliflower is just gooooood, man! But the kids? Yeah, they don't like it so much. So when I was perusing Once Upon A Chef and saw this recipe (along with the assurance that her kids gobbled it right up), I was game!

Let me just tell you that this could not be easier. Wash up your cauliflower, dry it off, cut it into florets, sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper, roast it, and sprinkle it with Pecorino Romano. It's just that easy. And super tasty, too!! Give it a shot...we promise you won't be disappointed!

Golden Roasted Cauliflower with Pecorino Romano
by Once Upon a Chef

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano cheese
a few sprigs of parsley, chopped

Set rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.

Roast cauliflower florets on a baking sheet, stirring a few times to promote even browning, until tender and golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; you want the florets to develop deep golden spots. If it looks like they're getting too dark, turn oven down to 425.)

Sprinkle with grated cheese, then taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with parsley.

Baked Rice with Butternut Squash

I drove my caboose out to Jen and Barry's house last weekend and Jen and I made a stellar dinner together with the help of a glass or two of wine. We happily cooked up some fabulous new recipes..this being one of them. I had cooked the squash earlier in the day, so when I showed up at the house I was able to whip up this very tasty rice dish in no time at all, while Jen was working her magic on a savory cauliflower number and a peppery and buttery marinade for the steaks Barry would later grill to perfection.

When the cooking and grilling was complete and wine glasses were refreshed, we all took our seats at the table. Ahh...everything smelled sooo good!

Now, Mr. Noah loves his steak but he took one look at my new rice dish and was adamant that he didn't like it before he even tasted it, so we sold it to him as cheesy rice. Was it a lie? Well, there was some cheese in there - only 1/4 cup, but we used that 1/4 cup to convince him to try it. And guess what? He liked it...he really liked it!

We think you'll like it too!

Baked Rice with Butternut Squash
found at cookinglight.com

One Butternut Squash (about 1-1/2 pounds)
2-1/2 Cups Less-Sodium Chicken Broth
One Cup Water
One Tablespoon Chopped Fresh or One Teaspoon Dried Rubbed Sage
One Teaspoon Olive Oil
One Cup Diced Onion
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
One Cup Uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice
1/4 Cup Dry White Wine
1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh or 1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Touch of Oil
1/4 Cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan Cheese

Okay...you have two options:

Place squash in crockpot and add one cup water. Turn on high and let it roast for 3 hours. Remove from crockpot and peel off the skin. Remove seeds. Set squash aside.

OR

Place squash on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until tender; cool. Peel squash; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring broth, water, and sage to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 6 minutes. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in squash, broth mixture, wine, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place rice mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lightly coated with oil and cover. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Stir mixture gently. Sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Add liquid if too dry. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

Best when served immediately.

Creamy Cucumbers & Onions

Cucumbers & Onions...a perfect summer potluck dish! Every family has their own version of this summer favorite, but we have to tell you...this one right here is our favorite! My grandma and mom always made cucumbers and onions with milk, vinegar, and little bit of sugar...and I liked them, but this version really adds some creamy goodness to the cooling sensation of the cucumbers. We'll never go back to the old way, we promise you that! I make these several times per summer, because I have a huge issue with planting too many cucumbers. Every year, I decide to only plant two or three, but then the panic sets in.

"What if two of them die?"
"What if one plant only yields yucky yellow cucumbers?"
"What if I don't get enough to make cucumbers & onions????"

So then I go and plant an entire 12 foot row. And what I end up with is a huge wheelbarrow full of big green cucumbers. Oh sure, I could invite all the gals in my neighborhood over to sit around on the deck, sipping mimosas with cucumber slices on our eyes, eating cucumber sandwiches and listening to Harry Connick Jr., but ....hey! Wait a minute! THAT'S an idea!! The whole "wheelbarrow full of cucumbers" thing doesn't sound so miserable as before! I'll have to keep that idea in mind for next summer! Anybody want to join us?

HOWEVER, if you don't have enough cucumbers to have a Harry Connick Jr./cucumber party with your best girlfriends, feel free to try out this recipe. It will still knock your socks off!

Creamy Cucumbers & Onions

2 large cucumbers
1 large onion
3/4 c. sour cream
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
salt & pepper

Slice your cucumbers and onions and place them in a large bowl. You can leave the peels on the cucumbers if you like...we always do! In another bowl, mix the sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper together. Pour the sour cream mixture over the cucumbers and onions, cover and chill for 2 hours or so to let the flavors meld. We like to sprinkle them with freshly ground pepper just before serving...it adds a nice little kick!

Zucchini Slaw

We've made a lot of great dishes with zucchini on this blog, but this one is extra special because the zucchini in this recipe is completely raw, just the way the Man upstairs intended. We seriously doubt when He came up with the idea of zucchini, He was thinking to Himself, "Hey, they could also use this vegetable in a chocolate cake - that way Sheri and Jen could eat their rich dark chocolate cake with only half the guilt!"

But we choose to believe He does like us stretching our imagination, our minds, and our appetites to discover new and inventive ways to appreciate all the foods we grow, so we happily bake our beloved chocolate and green zucchini in the same cake - just not today.

Today, we're making this fabulous recipe! What we love most about this slaw is it's lightness, tang, and flexibility. The recipe calls for zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, carrots, and scallions, but the first time we ate it, our minds started racing as we imagined how fantastic cucumbers, leeks, radishes, red cabbage, and all the other colors in the pepper family would taste in this dish.

Make the marinade today and stash it in the fridge, so on any particular day when you're cutting up some veggies, you can douse a little magic marinade on them and create a wonderful vegetable side salad.

We could all use a little magic in our lives!


Zucchini Slaw

2 medium zucchini, ends removed and cut into 2-inch julienne
2 medium yellow summer squash, ends removed and cut into 2-inch julienne
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch julienne
4 scallions, julienned (white and green parts)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Sweet and Tart Slaw Dressing
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a jar. Put the lid on tightly and shake the jar until the sugar dissolves.

Combine zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, scallions, bell pepper if using, and parsley in a large bowl as you cut them. Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing, season with salt and pepper and toss. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container.

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Just a thought: Have you ever made a Cheesy Vegetable Sandwich? Two pieces of bread with a dab of mustard, dollop of mayo, one or two leaves of leafy lettuce, a fabulous mouth-watering cheese, and then some cucumbers and peppers. If you haven't gone to this heavenly place we speak of, then a little slice of paradise is somewhere in your future.
Anyway! Imagine if you will, how fabulous these marinated veggies would taste on that Cheesy Vegetable Sandwich! Oh, can't you just taste it?........

Veggies with a Touch of Orzo

Jen and I love pasta, but it's probably not something we should live on. Even though in a perfect world, Alfredo would be a life sustaining food. I think most of us know that a healthy meal usually involves a good protein with lots of vegetables. Only sometimes, depending on the protein - say a fish - the meal can feel a little too light, so I find myself rationalizing that carbs are energy and we can ALL use a little more energy, so sprinkling a bit of carbs into the mix will give the whole world more energy! When I lie to myself like this, I find myself reaching for the orzo, because in my make-believe world IT IS rice.

When I first dreamt up this dish, I envisioned it as a vegetable recipe, but I convinced myself that if a few little orzos were peaking out between the veggies, that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Psychologically, I would feel proud of myself for eating all the vegetables and emotionally, I would feel soothed by the tiny specks of pasta I had not been denied. And so I call this recipe, Veggies with a Touch of Orzo.

This dish can be created in the short time it takes to cook orzo, because by the time the veggers have been lightly sauted and you've added the few remaining ingredients, the orzo is cooked and ready to be mixed with the vegetables. It's quick, it's easy, it's colorful, and it tastes deeee-lightful.


Veggies with a Touch of Orzo

One Medium Zucchini
One Yellow Pepper
One Large Tomato
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Minced Red Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon of Dried Basil
3/4 Cup to One Cup Orzo Pasta
One Tablespoon of Salted Butter
2-3 Tablespoons of Light Cream
1/3 Cup of Asiago or Parmesan or Gouda or.......Cheese

Bring a pan of water to a boil. Pour orzo in the water and cook until al dente. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a wok or saute pan over medium heat. Cut zucchini and yellow pepper into pieces and add to the oil. Cover, but stir occasionally for a couple minutes. Add the garlic and onion and continue to cook until lightly softened. Keeping it covered will help keep the moisture in the pan and produce the necessary juices to make a simple, but savory sauce.

Meanwhile, cut the tomato and remove any pulp. Cut into pieces. Set aside.

When the vegetables have softened but are still firm, add the salt, pepper, and basil. Then add the tablespoon of butter and cream to create a light sauce. Remove from heat.

Add the drained orzo to the pan and mix together. Toss in the tomato. ( I choose to add the tomato after the cooking process because I think it makes it more refreshing and light compared to a cooked down tomato). Finely grate whatever cheese you've chosen and fold into the mix. Add a touch more cream and a dash of salt if necessary to create a smooth and tasty sauce - but don't go crazy! We just want enough to wet the ingredients, we don't want anything swimming or taking a bath in the sauce.

Serve with grated cheese on top because everybody loves cheese!

This dish tastes great when served immediately. It's fresh and flavorful and alive. Of course, as it sits and cools, it's still totally edible. Totally!

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I labeled this under "Winging It" because I really don't use a recipe for this. You could change up the vegetables, but using a moisture-rich vegetable like zucchini and onion helps create juice for your sauce, so less cream is needed. I add salt, pepper, and cheese as I taste necessary, to get a light but mild flavored dish. So, play around with the vegetables, spices, and cheese and create for yourself a new and exciting dish every time!

Just Have Fun Winging It!