From the Kitchen: March 2011 Archives

I don't think I've ever eaten a parsnip. I thought they looked like a turnip or a rutabaga. I was surprised to find that they look like tan carrots.

Dear Husband was browsing through a soup cookbook that called to him, and found a recipe for roasted vegetable soup. I tried the recipe today, and it's very simple. I halved red tomatoes and seeded them. I halved a large onion, two carrots, and two parsnips. I seeded an orange bell pepper and cut it into strips, and peeled five cloves of garlic. (The recipe called for three, but we like garlic.) I roasted the veggies cut side down on a baking sheet that had been sprayed with Pam, until they began to brown, about 40 minutes

The recipe didn't give me any guidance, but I lifted off the charred skin of the peppers and tomatoes. Everything went into the blender in two batches, with some chicken broth to make it easier to puree. I added seasonings, and heated the soup on the stove to a boil. I used a little more chicken broth to de-glaze the pan, and I think that added a LOT of flavor. At that point, you cover the pan, and simmer the soup for fifteen minutes to let the flavors blend. This soup smells wonderful while it's cooking. Even my step-son was lured in to try it!

You could make this a bisque by adding sour cream or cream or half and half, but we wanted to try the recipe unaltered the first time around. It's good. I'll make it again, and add it to my list of soups. DH suggested that we could add small pasta shells next time. I get the feeling that HE wants to cook, but he wants ME to do the work! lol

Now I have to look for more parsnip recipes. We have a bag of them in the refrigerator. Too bad they don't sell them one at a time! *G*

Why is it that when you want to try a new recipe, it seems that you are always lacking just one ingredient?

I am a new subscriber to Cook's Country magazine. I've been a part of the America's Test Kitchen family for a long time, but I've used the cookbooks and the Cook's Illustrated magazine.

So, my first issue arrived and I sat down to browse through it. YUMMY recipes, a lot of comfort food, not especially oriented toward someone on a diet, but great older recipes updated. There were several recipes I wanted to make immediately!

No....I need smoked paprika for the paprika potatoes. Hmmmm, no half-and-half for the cheese sauce for the broccoli. Darn! I need HOT Italian sausage for the "Quick Sunday Gravy," Dutch-processed cocoa and milk chocolate chips for the chocolate pudding. Ooops...that's two ingredients. Oh nevermind, it calls for heavy cream, too. I don't think I have clam juice in the pantry to do the popcorn shrimp, and there are no Granny Smith apples for the apple fritters!

I've been told that if the local grocery store runs out of anything, they could call on me, but I can see that I'm falling down on my motto of "Be Prepared!" I don't mind having to wait on most of this, but the potatoes and fritters are really talking to me! *G* Maybe it's a good thing I don't have all the ingredients.

The Girl Scouts have Dear Husband's number!

Our household ordered seventeen, that's right SEVENTEEN, boxes of Girl Scout cookies this year. Of course, it's for a good cause, and they are freezeable. (Thank God!)

Our oldest granddaughter is a Daisy. I don't even know what a Daisy is, but it's part of the GS system. She was introduced to her first sales experience with the cookies this year. Grampa, not to be outdone by other members of the family, bought ten boxes from her.

We have always purchased cookies from the daughter of a member of my quilting bee. (I know....too confusing. Just keeep reading! lol) This year, DH bought seven boxes from her, still a major purchase.

Dear Husband was wise and put most of the cookies in the freezer right away. For me, out of sight, out of mind, is the way my craving operates. Better to have the cookies tucked away, where I am unlikely to be browsing for a snack. I'm happy to say that I've had about a box and a half in just about a month, a record for me!

I was shopping yesterday for our weekly groceries. I had gone shopping without a list, which is a first for me. I'm always prepared with a list that is generated by the meal plan for the week. DH had six things on the list at the refrigerator, and mentioned that he'd really like some ice cream, too. He'd read the list to me the day before, and I could remember all of it.

I knew I needed fresh fruits and vegetables, lunchmeat, quart-sized storage bags, and the ice cream. As I passed the bakery, I was SO tempted to browse, but I am on a kick to use up what we have in the house. I was actually thinking about the two boxes of lemon bar mix in the pantry. It never occured to me to think about the GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!!

I'll be prepared for desserts and snacks for months to come!