Just a quick plug for the new MPH book, Saving the Seasons:  It looks gorgeous, scrumptious, and full of new ideas!  If you're looking forward to learning how to put up food, I recommend a look into it!

87.  Lentil-Barley Stew, pg. 107

Another rainy day, another soup.

I doubled this recipe to serve a crowd of 9 (just to be on the safe side), and we had plenty of leftovers.  Pairs nicely with a salad, and I even pulled out Simply in Season to make Rhubarb Muffins (with rhubarb fresh from the garden!)

A quick few notes on what I did differently.  Towards the end of the saute time, I added three cloves of minced garlic.  Then, I added a few cubes of veggie bouillon with the water, and then didn't add either the salt or garlic salt.  I actually used less water than what it called for, as the pan looked like it would overflow if I used the full amount -- I probably used about 10 cups instead of 12.  Also, when I added the lentils, since I was using wheat berries instead of pearl barley, I went ahead and added the berries, since they take a little longer to cook.  Other than that, I made the recipe as written.  The smells that gradually filled the kitchen (alongside the cinnamony-muffins) were delightful!  The meal was heartily eaten, and the stew was a hit!

Overall: 4 out of 5  Great for larger groups, and a solid meal even on its own.

You may have been concerned, with this long silence, if I had, in fact, survived the cupcake making.  I did.  Proof:

Meanwhile, in my recovery, I've made a few dishes to update with.

79.  Carrot-Cheddar Casserole, pg. 227

A dairy-lovers dream.  Chock full of milk (I used some leftover cream from the cupcake adventure), super cheesy (used a little bit of cream cheese, also leftover from cupcakes, as well as some herbed cheddar), topped with Cheez-Its...And mix that all with some sweet, mashed carrots.  Pretty good stuff, though I'm not sure it could ever classify as "healthy", unless you're on an all-dairy diet. 

Overall:  3.3 out of 5  I would rate it higher, but felt guilty while eating it ...

80.  Cream of Carrot-Cheddar Soup, pg. 204

Mmmm another carrot and cheddar combo...I had extra carrots that needed to be used up :)  Apparently, I over-ordered a little bit for the cupcakes, but better safe than sorry, right?  Especially when it's for someone's wedding!

I'm a sucker for "cream of" whatever soups.  So, I was pretty excited about this one.  I had a few sweet potatoes on hand, so I decided to sub them for the regular white potatoes.  Shredded the carrots and and potatoes in a food processor (what a time saver!) and dumped everything together.  I had neither Tabasco or worcestershire on hand, so used a spicy steak sauce instead.  Since I was using sweet potatoes, I nixed the added sugar.  (And carrots are so sweet to begin with...not sure why it would need to be in there at all.)

After adding some Old Bay Cheddar (seasoned with Old Bay spices) and milk, the soup was ready.  It was a little disappointing.  Not as thick as I expected, or as creamy.  I'm thinking that it might be good pureed -- breaking up the veggies would make a thicker soup.  Spice-wise, it was okay, but I needed to add more of the hot sauce to be satisfied.

Overall: 3 out of 5  Average, as written, but could be improved upon.

81.  Three-Flour Bread, pg. 60

Nothing like realising at dinner time that there's no bread in the house for your husband's lunch for the next day.  Suddenly you have a choice:  save yourself the trouble and go to the grocery store and buy the most nutritious loaf you can find (while resolving not to feel guilty) or change your evening plans and whip up a batch.  I go back and forth between these options when I find myself in this situation (it's happened a couple times.)  Sometimes, when I'm too tired, I will just go to the store and buy a loaf and resolve to make the next bread.  This time, I decided I had it in me to do some aggressive kneading.  And to even branch out beyond oatmeal bread, no less!

So ingredients started getting dumped in my Kitchenaid.  I left out the dry milk and upped the soy and wheat germ, and added about a 1/4 c. of potato flour and 3 T. vital wheat gluten.  Otherwise, I mixed just as written.  I put the dough in the oven with the light on, hoping to slightly speed up the 2 hour rising time.  At about an hour and a half, I took the dough out and shaped the loaves.  They rose speedily, and after about a half hour, I was happy with their size so I slashed them down the middle and set them in the oven.  Now, I'm not sure I completely understand the 450 start temp, considering it takes my oven longer than 10 minutes to reach 450.  Anyways, it worked out, and I still turned the oven down to 350 after 10 minutes.  The bread looked really lovely, and baked high and light.  It tastes wonderful as toast, and it's definitely worthy of being made again!

Overall:  4.0 out of 5  Solidly tasty.

You may be wondering why I've not posted in a week (or maybe you don't care...), and let me assure you that I have not forgotten about my ambitions.  My time as of late has been very consumed with work and working on our kitchen.  In fact, we finally have put down our tile, and are waiting for the thinset to cure so that we can finish up with grout.  It's a process, and not one I want to do again anytime soon.  Aside from the fact that I've been tired from all the busyness, we've can't be in our kitchen, so I made only one recipe this week.

67.  Fresh Asparagus Soup, pg. 203

Growing up, I loathed the nights when asparagus was served.  Even the mandatory solo two-inch piece was a chore to choke down.  But, sometime since, I've grown to appreciate and even enjoy the veggie, and with spring on my mind, asparagus wasn't far behind.

Looking at the recipe, I was expecting more of a cream of asparagus soup, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed.  I felt like there was very little taste of asparagus ... the tang of the sour cream seemed to be the dominant feature.  I probably could have used more asparagus to help it along, but didn't think of it at the time.  I added some garlic with the sauté, which I think gave a nice warmth to the soup, but generally speaking, I think I could find a better recipe to complement the earthy asparagus notes.

Overall:  2 out of 5  Not great, but still edible.

I have just counted all the recipes in More With Less.  I only counted those which had their own row of bold dots, for a total of exactly 550 (I think.  I only counted once.)  And, according to my calculations, it will take me another 5 years to finish, at the rate I'm going...  So...hang on for a fast and exciting ride...HA! :)  No, what this really means is that I'd REALLY like it if we make this into a community project.  I know a lot of you have a few recipes you repeatedly return to in MWL, and I know I haven't written about all of thosel.  If ever you make something and want to write about it, please let me know!  Otherwise, you'll have to listen to me for a very long time.  And that would be boring.

65.  Onion Cheese Loaf, pg. 82

While it's been many years since I last visited one, this recipe vaguely reminded me of the cheese biscuits served at Red Lobster.  A very savory loaf, this one is, and not your typical slice o' dough.

For the dry ingredients, I didn't have ground dry mustard, so I just put in a teaspoon of mustard seed.  I was pretty happy with the subtlety that they provided, and recommend it if you don't have ground mustard.  You might also add a teaspoon of "real" mustard (the kind you put on sandwiches).  I used pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar, which was very nice.  I omitted the Parmesan, since I didn't have it.  A sharp cheese would be very dramatic on its own, so accommodate to what you've got and what you like.

The onions and paprika on top make a lovely display, and I wish I would have taken a picture of the loaf before we ate it all...My loaf didn't rise very much, but feel like it probably shouldn't have anyways with all the (yummy) fat that is in it.  Baking for 1 hour made for a crunchy crust, so just keep an eye on your bread from 45 minutes.

Overall: 4.3 out of 5  Dangerously good and satisfying!

66.  Corn and Bean Chowder, pg. 202

I served this chowder along side of the Onion Cheese Loaf, and they made a lovely pair.
 
A fairly straight-forward recipe that doesn't take too long to prepare if your beans are cooked.

I've noticed a couple recipes now that pair corn soups with nutmeg, and I really like the combination.  It is not something that I would have thought of on my own, but, again the subtlety of the spice changes the direction of the soup.

Because I didn't get my corn out of the freezer soon enough for it to thaw, I added all the corn to the pot and once it had cooked a bit, I took out about a cup and a half and sent it through the food processor.  I didn't think it thickened the soup very much, but could have taken out more and I'm sure it would have been quite thick.

Instead of dry milk solids, I used a can of coconut milk, which was delightful!  If you don't have milk powder, you could also put in regular milk instead, but, of course, the soup will be thinner.  I also subbed black beans for kidney.

Overall: 4 out of 5  Very yummy and warm.  Filling.

As The Man and I have been working on remodeling our kitchen, I have been more and more amazed at how little things can so dramatically change the feel of the whole room.  I'm no interior designer (and neither is Hubby) but our kitchen is slowly becoming both functional and attractive.  The new look and workability of the space also increases my interest in making more of a production out of meal...i.e. spending time in a space which keeps us sated.  The people who lived here before us (for over 40 years) had about 3 feet of counterspace...which was about enough for a stack of dirty dishes and a drying rack.  For the first year that we were here, the washing machine ended up being where I usually kept my cutting board.  It worked fine, of course, but the new workspace just feels so much more inviting! :)  All this to say that an adequate kitchen can help a chef cook better.  (And what would the analogy be for an outrageous kitchen?  Perhaps the owner is trying to make up for their lack of culinary skills?  I don't know. :P)

59. Lentil-Barley Stew, pg. 107

(First off, apologies on the low-quality pictures.  My camera is old and the lighting in our kitchen is fairly awful.  We'll work on it.)

I'm starting to feel a bit souped out.  Yes, the stuff is typically good, filling, and warm, but it is such a symbol of winter that it can be depressing when one eats it too often. 

That said, let's look at this recipe.  It's very easy with things you likely have on hand, if you're reading this blog. :)  I, like usual, skimped on the celery but added garlic to the sauté.  Used a brown/wild rice mix, and left out the garlic salt.  We didn't have carrots on hand, and I didn't have time to go get any, so we just put some cheese on top for looks.  The flavor of the soup is subtle and earthy, and went nicely with oatmeal-craisin-cinnamon muffins.

57.  Cornmeal Yeast Bread, pg. 61

I was looking for a bread recipe to accompany chili, but didn't want to make a standard cornbread.  (What can I say?  I like to live on the wild side... :))  So, here I ended up, keeping the corny component, but marrying it with our lovely friend, yeast.

I made several changes to this recipe, all being positive.  I used brown sugar instead of white, and would even take a step to make it healthier next time by using 1/3 c. honey or agave instead of sugar at all.  I also used unsweetened soy milk (for the lactose-sensitive among us).  Finally, I replaced the 1 c. white flour with whole wheat, and as usual, added about 2 T. of vital wheat gluten.

The end result was a sweet bread with lovely crunch from the cornmeal.  For less crunch, use finely ground cornmeal.  If you're making these into rolls, bake for only 20-25 minutes.  Will make 14 large rolls in two 8" cake pans.

Overall:  4 out of 5  Will do quite nicely with soups, and will probably fare better eaten as rolls rather than sandwich bread (but I may be proven wrong.)

58.  Minestrone Soup, pg. 210

Often, with an ingredient list this long, I overlook recipes because they seem overwhelming.  Not only that, but this one takes some serious planning, with cooking beans and then a long overall cooking time.

But, a healthy soup was called for, and time miraculously allowed.  And so it came to pass (in those days), that this soup was made.  And fear ye not, vegetarians/vegans/pork haters:  this recipe is and can be for you, too.

I had looked at this recipe before starting, and saw a few places where I was going to do my own thing to accommodate what I had on hand (I must have some disease that doesn't allow me to follow a recipe.)  Subbed cannellini beans for navy (not a huge deal -- just a slightly longer cooking time), dropped the pork completely, and jumped in straight to the veggies.  Double that onion, consider doubling the garlic as well, especially if you're not using meat.  The more flavor, the merrier!  I used only 4 cups of water (and had about 4 cups of bean juice), mainly because the pan I was using wouldn't have held any more.  Because I didn't use pork, I did still use 4 bouillon cubes, even though I added less water.  Instead of cabbage, I tossed in 2 c. of shredded zucchini from the freezer, which made the soup really pretty.  Lastly, I used a pint of stewed tomatoes (another reason to use less water).

Regardless of the fact that it says to simmer soup for 1 1/2 hours, just check it periodically until the carrots are mostly done.  (I can't imagine what simmering it for that long would do...would there be anything left to chew?)  Didn't add the peas or green beans at the end, and threw in a whole cup of whole wheat macaroni.  Again, you've got to be crazy to let macaroni cook for 20 minutes ... I let mine go for about 8 minutes before turning off the fire, because I knew the pasta would continue to cook.  I don't like obliterated pasta, and you shouldn't either. :)  In case you're wondering when to put the beans back in (because the recipe doesn't state it), I added mine just as the macaroni was reaching the perfect "al dente" state.  Because we weren't eating the soup immediately, we tried to cool it down a bit faster by sitting it outside in the cool.  This still gave the macaroni more time to cook, and so we did end up with nearly lifeless pasta, but I can't imagine how bad it could have been had we let it cook for 20 minutes (really! who cooks macaroni for 20 minutes?????)

Overall: 3.5 out of 5  Fairly colorful, fairly flavorful, and makes a ton.

'Tis yet another snowy day here in Lancaster County, and I think I've finally resigned myself to my current, tragic fate of living in a land with (what I consider to be) harsh winters.

And, while you may think that since we've been pounded with snow here in the last week and a half, I should have been posting like a madwoman, alas, some of our lives must go on...The bakery at which I occasionally help out at (Wendy Jo's Homemade) participated in a fundraiser for the organization called Love146, and I helped pull together over 370 dozen heart shaped-sugar cookies with each one being iced and then having "LOVE146" written on them.  It was a painstaking, three-day process, and as my dearest Husband would attest to the fact that I was exhausted and not in the greatest of spirits when I got home each night.

But, here I am again, and with a whopping four recipes to report on.

53.  French-style Lettuce Salad, pg. 248

I will admit that I laughed this recipe in the face when I first saw it.  "French-Style"?  I didn't realise the French held the trademark for a very simple oil and vinegar dressing...And, hey, they already have a dressing named after them!  Tell me -- when will the U.S. get a dressing named after them? :)

No, I am appreciative of French foods and have enjoyed my fair share of crepes with Nutella and other Frenchie delicacies ... but ... dressing?  Really.

I will give them the rub-your-bowl-with-garlic.  Sure.  That's fine.  The rest of it is a fairly Western/Universal attempt at making greens a bit more palatable.  We used olive oil, a mix of red and balsamic vinegars, and nixed the parsley.  Simple but delightful.

Overall:  4.5 out of 5 C'est trés bien, et je pense que vous l'aimerez. Bon appetit!

54.  Spicy Split Pea Soup, pg. 213

Be forewarned that this soup takes awhile to make -- so if you've got a day at home, this recipe will probably fit well into a dinner menu.  It doesn't take much attention, though, so needing to come and go isn't a problem.

After the initial boil, I let the split peas sit for several hours before moving on to the next steps.  The peas are forgiving and don't mind being left on the stove until closer to dinner time.

In the sauté mixture, I added an extra clove of garlic (we thought it could have even had a third), extra onion (maybe another 1/4 c.), and subbed 1/4 t. cayenne for the red peppers.  You do not want the onions and garlic to be browned -- sauté them only until they start to turn translucent.  When it came time to blend the soup, I probably only blended about half of the pot, which made a thick but semi-chewable stew.  Go for blending all of it, if you're wanting to stretch it by putting it on rice.  I think that the milk is semi-optional (sour cream could be put on the table), so this soup is easily dairy-free.

Overall:  4 out of 5  Great flavor, stretched to probably 8 servings.

55.  Pumpkin Custard, pg. 267

Nixing the labor of making a pie crust, this pumpkin custard is simple and can slide in the oven with just 10 minutes of prep and mixing.  It does taste very much like pumpkin pie filling (you could definitely use this recipe if you're making a pumpkin pie), though this one is just a hair less sweet.  (Is there a word that is the opposite of sweeter?  Sweetless? No...)

I used a pie dish, as it seemed like too much liquid to be baked in a deeper pot, and it baked out beautifully.  You can create a dark, attractive top by sprinkling the nutmeg on top (much like a standard custard pie) before baking.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5  Good. Standard.

56.  Vietnam Fried Rice, pg. 130

If you've been looking for a recipe which emulates the super-tasty, MSG-laden fried rice of yesteryear's (and/or today's) Chinese restaurants, look no further.  While starkly MSG-less, this recipe is a doll.  Especially during winter, I get cravings for fatty foods, and while take-out can be just downright greasy at times, this little gem probably won't cause you great digestive distress.  Probably.

Lacking leftover veggies, I just tossed about 4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, halved, and 2 small carrots, sliced, in with the onions and garlic.  Again, I added more garlic than it called for and this made for much happiness in the land.  Use what you've got, though, and don't hold back that adventourous spirit.

I didn't add any additional salt, nor did I add sugar.  Serve with soy sauce for those who want it to be saltier.  I used white sticky rice, but would like to use good ole brown rice in a future trial.

One helpful hint for the eggy time -- make a well in the rice and let the eggs cook in the center of the pan.  Otherwise, you may end up with soggy rice which never seems to "set". 

Overall:  5 out of 5  Leave the greasy Chinese food in the soggy (though waxed) leftover containers, and come home to this delectable treat.

Thanks for all the helpful hints on bean cooking!  I think I've figured out that my need to always make things differently sometimes comes into play at the wrong time...Some things are meant to always be cooked the same :)

We've reached 50!  Kinda exciting! :)

[[Another review from Mom!! Danke!]]

50.  Basic Corn Bread, pg. 78

I followed the recipe using a recommended substitution of some whole wheat flour.  I used 1/2 c. of white and 1/2 c. of whole wheat.  Since the dry milk powder was optional, I used only 1/2 c.  I'm not sure why I haven't used this recipe before but I'll definitely make it again.  It was great fresh from the oven and served alongside a bowl of ham and bean soup.  Dad ate 3 pieces of the corn bread although the last piece was "small".

51.  Pumpkin Soup, pg. 206

I was first truly introduced to pumpkin soup while staying with a friend in Germany ... and I haven't gotten enough since!

I'm really not much of an accurate measurer when it comes to soups, but with this recipe, it really doesn't matter.  All that goes into this soup is lovely, and when put together, there is little chance for failure. 

Slightly undercooking the onions turned out to be a beautiful idea -- they remained crunchy and pungent in the end product.  Instead of using milk, I always use coconut milk in pumpkin soups.  The rich, fatty flavor lends itself very well to the pumpkin, and the soup is delightfully creamy with it.  For the pumpkin, I had just baked down one small kabocha, and didn't puree it as called for.  While there was the occasional squash chunk, overall the squash was soft enough that it broke up well just by stirring.  Lastly, make sure to add about a teaspoon of ground ginger.  I would never eat this soup unaccompanied by ginger.  If you have fresh ginger on hand, then grate about a teaspoon and toss it in towards the end of the onion cooking.

I really enjoyed this soup, but also felt like it was missing a bit of a kick.  I typically like to add a hearty dash of orange juice to pumpkin soup, but decided to try this one without.  I would definitely recommend adding OJ if you have it, or taking the alternative route and adding cayenne or hot sauce.

Overall: 4 out of 5  Quite lovely, warm, and rich...but needs an extra kick

I've got a double batch of Pot-o-Gold Peanut Soup starting on the stove for a dinner party tonight, and I can't deny that I'm looking forward to it more than a person normally looks forward to a soup...but for more than just the soup! :)

I made a friend once in a land far away who was able to put words to what I intuitively already knew, but had never sat down to process:  eating together with groups of friends nearly always is a meaningful time.  The opportunity to sit around and do such a biological thing together (eat) creates a unique spiritual space which allows for deeper conversation.  So many of the festivities in the Bible are surrounded by feasting, and Jesus concludes his time with his community of disciples by...hiking? no...shopping? umm...Eating together.  Sure, moments of peace and love can happen when we eat alone or with one other person -- I'm not denying that.  But I find that I am often carried through a couple days on the good, meaty conversation and fine culinary delights that I share with friends and family.

[[A recipe review from my very own mother!  Hey, thanks, Mom! :)]]
48.  Fruit Crumble, pg. 272

This was a quick and easy recipe to make.  I used frozen sour cherries as the fruit and followed the recipe as written except for drizzling some honey over the cherries.  It is more of a cobbler than I was expecting from the title.  The dish could have used more sugar on the fruit but think if peaches would be used instead, nothing additional would be needed.  Definitely will make this again.  And the recipe could easily be doubled and put in a 9 x 13 pan.

49.  Black Bean Soup, pg. 209

I've never been good at judging when beans are done cooking (any hints?).  When I think they're soft, I stop them, but then when I add them to recipes, they almost always are still hard...I can't figure this out.

And it happened with this recipe.  I swear I cooked the beans for at least 2 hours (after doing the quick method) if not more, but the minute we sat down to eat, they weren't soft anymore.  We ate them anyways, and tried to enjoy the flavors anyway.  I used probably double both the onion and green pepper, and if making this again, I would sauté the onions and garlic (and peppers, if using fresh) before adding the beans and liquid.  Without doing this, there is no added fat, and I definitely found myself wanting just a hint.  I did not use a smoked ham bone (wouldn't even know what that is), and instead added a couple bouillon cubes to make up for some of the flavor.

A definite must is the vinegar at the end of the recipe.  I forgot to add it at first, and after a few bites of thinking "ehh....", remembered I hadn't put any in.  It gave the soup a much needed kick.  We didn't use any of the toppings, and ate it with bread instead of over rice.  A fairly basic way to cook beans, I'm sure with correctly cooked beans, this should be a foolproof recipe.

Overall: 3.6 out of 5  I would make it again, probably.

Soup...and More Soup

Searching through my freezer last night for strawberries, I came across a loaf of zucchini bread I had made over the summer and frozen, thinking it would be for sometime "when guests come".  Well, apparently, I decided to arrive last night, because I took that sucker out and put it on the table to thaw.  I've already had four pieces today (got up early to take Husband to work...definitely needed energy for that.  And then, breakfast came...), and in my gluttony, have been trying to pinpoint why exactly I was so ecstatic about my discovery.  Possibly the sugar/fat/carb combo...possibly the amount of chocolate chips I so wisely decided to dump in...possibly just the potential of having baked goods with summer vegetables in the winter.  (I like to think it's primarily the last one, but the jury is still out.)  Regardless, the investment of a freezer last summer has given us the ability to store a lot more of our summer reaping (from the CSA box) and in our moody winter nights, we are given a taste of warmer days and happier times.  And I need those memories, as we're barely cresting the month of January...and winter continues for another dreary couple months...

46.  German Potato Soup, pg. 200

At first I wasn't sure why the recipe had to include the identifier "German", but once I ate it, I knew why:  they wanted to provide us someone to blame.

The recipe alone looks bland, the soup ends up boring, and I inevitably deemed this meal a waste of good potatoes that could have been used for mashing.  Perhaps part of the problem was that I actually stuck with the recipe this time -- I made it exactly as it was written.  (I did end up adding cheese, but that really didn't help much.)  It wasn't "bad", per se, but it's definitely not the kind of soup you want to eat as a main dish.  I can imagine it's tastelessness might be hidden if you had some sausage or veg. seiten on the side to distract you.

Sure, the Husband and a guest who happened by gave it 3s, but Husbands have to say these things, and guests often lie when asked about their food.

Overall: 2 out of 5  Leave it be, unless you're trying to embrace "tradition".

47.  Chicken Potpie, pg. 182

Sorry to all you vegets. out there, I went AWOL for this one.

Also found in my freezer was a half of a chicken breast (and no stewing hen), so I tried substituting that for the first part of this recipe.  I found the broth to be quite lacking in flavor, though, once the breast was done, so added some bouillon to "beef" it up (ahem...)  I did halve the water but kept the same amount of vegetables, substituting a carrot and parsnip for the celery and adding a clove of garlic.  Use what you have on hand, and just adjust the vegetable's chopped size according to how quickly it cooks.  Make sure the veggies are covered with water, adding a little extra if needed.

For the noodle dough, though I again halved it, I found I needed all the water it called for in the original recipe.  (I used egg replacer, so was able to use "half" an egg.)  It took a long time to get enough moisture to get it to form into a ball, so if you do decide to halve the recipe, I would recommend keeping the whole egg, and then adding extra water if necessary.  Be sure to roll the dough as thinly as you can, as it states, unless you like a gummy piece of cooked dough (which I do like...just a forewarning if you don't.)

Being more used to ham potpie from my growing up years, I found this soup to be less salty than what I had anticipated.  I'm sure if you make this recipe often enough, you can learn how much and which seasonings to use, but be prepared in the early days to experiment.

Overall:  3 out of 5  Tastes okay, glad I made it, but if you have a recipe from Grandma that you like, stick with that one.

Warning: Dangerous Pun Ahead!

Just when you think that life is returning to normal after struggling through a kitchen remodel, your brand-spanking-new oven suddenly quits on you.  And, of course, it has the audacity to stop working in the middle of bread baking.  I'm left wondering if the Cosmos is telling me that I should just give up trying to eat thoughtfully and resort to fast food for the rest of my life...I mean, hey, that kind of food gives you more (calories) with less (nutrition...), too! :)  Fortunately, the burners are still all functioning properly, and as Maya Angelou would say, "but still I rise" (only my bread won't).

44.  Quick Corn Soup, pg. 200

This is absolutely a darling little soup!  I grabbed a pint of corn out of the freezer midday, and with about 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, this soup was on by evening.  I love sauteed onions so much that I took about 1/4 c. chopped onions and let them hop around in 1 T. olive oil just until translucent.  Then, I added the 2 c. milk and salt and pepper, leaving out the seasoned salts.  Dumped the pureed corn and milk in, and (here, Emerill might say BAM!) the soup was done.  Amazing.  As long as your corn is tasty, there is no way to mess this soup up.

Overall: 4.5 out of 5  Yum. Yum. Yum.

45.  Middle Eastern Lentil Soup, pg. 213

If you've ever had the lentil salad in Extending the Table, just think of this recipe as the hot version of it.  Seriously.

When you look at the recipe, it may seem like it's going to be boring with basically just lentils, onions, garlic, and a dusting of cumin...and then you see "lemon juice" at the end and you cock your head to the side because you're not sure you agree with the idea.  But I promise you that if you put it in, you'll understand in the first bite.  We also added a good 1/2 t. of cayenne, which really packed a punch.  There's really not much to say about this soup, other than it's good.  Because it was a bit hot the first day, the second time we had it, Husband added a dollop of sour cream which reminded me a bit of stroganoff.  We also ate it over potatoes the second day because it had gotten pretty thick after it cooled.

Overall:  4 out of 5  Tasty and not too demanding of your time or money. 

The joys of a well-stocked kitchen...

It's always a lovely treat to be in someone else's kitchen, especially when I know where everything is, and everything is (more or less) neat and tidy.  Cooking seems to come more easily (helpful), and the cook is happier (vital!)

41.  Sweet-Sour Beets, pg. 223

Akin to a dish known in some places as Harvard Beets, Sweet-Sour Beets is a lightly dressed-up version of cooked beets.  With a vinegar/sugar sauce, these beets make a nice side dish with enough personality to be recognized in its own right.

I peeled and grated about 2 1/2 c. of gold and chiogga beets (because 1 or 2 beets is a bit vague) and cooked them in the butter for about 20 minutes.  If I make these in the future, I would probably simply cook the beets whole, then peel them, and either slice, grate or chop them.  Grating the beets raw, while providing a nice presentation, does take a bit of time, and having to peel before cooking is a royal pain.

Overall:  3 out of 5  A nice, traditional dish.  Works its beet-y magic, but probably won't wow at a dinner party.

On a side note:  I just remade Cream of Cauliflower Soup, and found that by using just a cup more stock in addition to what I used for steaming the cauli. (and tonight, turnips and jerusalem artichokes) but using all the milk really makes a smooth, creamy soup.  I used a hand blender to blend the entire soup, and the result was beautiful!

31.  Barley-Cabbage Soup, pg. 205

Ahhh, October:  The days of cabbage.  Such a lovely crop to watch grow, but the minute it hits the kitchen countertop, each head seems to double in size.  It's understandable that fermented cabbage dishes such as sauerkraut and kim chi are made in vat (or vast...) quantities.  Unfortunately, I don't have the patience for fermentation (beyond a day or two).

Aside from borscht, I've rarely had cabbage in soup.  I'm such a fan of pearl barley though, that I was pretty sure this would be a fairly successful dish up.

This recipe could use a few changes.  First, the barley really only needs to cook for about an hour, instead of the 2 written.  Check it starting at 45 minutes for doneness, and take off heat when the grains are done.  Next, for the veggies, do sauté the onions until they lightly brown before adding the cabbage.  I sautéed them with the cabbage for the same amount of time (and just until they were soft), and in the final product, I found the onions to be a bit too strong.  Cooking them longer will mellow them out a bit.  Lastly, for the white sauce, I used butter for fuller flavor.  Oil could definitely be used, and I think olive oil would even be fine.  Tweak to your needs or preference.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5  Surprisingly flavorful and hearty.

29.  Cream of Cauliflower Soup, pg. 205

As I read through some of my recent posts, I'm re-reminded that fast and easy doesn't always fill a Kitchen Creator's need for making culinary delights.  I do like finding dishes which can be pulled together with what most people stock in their pantry, but trying something completely new and a bit more complicated can, at times, feel more rewarding in the end.

This recipe is not so complicated, though, and stays within the fairly simple and less-than-an-hour prep that my dishes have been lately.  It is nice to find recipes full of veggies, but aren't complex.

I modified this recipe here and there to try to create a slightly different, less-predictable end product.  First, when cooking the cauliflower, I added some turnips -- maybe a half cup or so -- in place of a small chunk of cauliflower.  After they were all done cooking, I fished out the turnips and processed them in the blender until they were smooth, hoping that they would add a little thickness to the soup.  Next, I split the sautée fat between butter and olive oil, and used about 1/2 c. (versus 1/4 c.) of diced onions.  When adding the liquids, I went light on the stock, as you're supposed to add the cauliflower water, and I was afraid if I added all the stock, the soup would be too thin.  I highly recommend adding some ground black pepper (or white if you have it on hand) towards the end of the cooking, and season with salt if needed.  I didn't have worcestershire sauce, and instead put a touch of some steak sauce and a dash of soy sauce.  To top it off when serving, add color by sprinkling grated cheddar (or other yellow) cheese on top with a pinch of parsley.

The end result was very middle-of-the-road-consistency: neither thin nor thick.  If you like a thicker soup, use a tablespoon or two more of flour, definitely blend some of the cauliflower, reduce the amount of veg/meat stock, and possibly use a higher fat milk (I used soy milk). If you like a thinner soup, follow the recipe as written.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5  Room to personalize, but its "basicness" can be pleasing to most.  Serve with salad or green veggie for a more complete color palatte.

24. Pot of Gold Peanut Soup, pg.217

Wow. That's all I'm saying. After two nights of this soup, I'm still not tired of it. I'm still wanting more even after I'm full. I've been my happiest in the last two days when I was eating it. Amazing. (I should stop slobbering on my keyboard now...)

To the recipe! I used about 5 oz. fresh, sautéed mushrooms (could have put in more). I had sautéed first them in about 2 T. butter, 1/2 t. cayenne pepper, and 1 1/2 t. lime juice. I nearly ate half the pan while I waited to put them in the soup. Instead of pearl barley (lost my last bag to a pack of rodents, it seems), I used wheat berries. Give these guys a little extra time to cook if you try them -- mine cooked for just over an hour before they were done. Lastly, because I didn't have broccoli on hand, I used some pre-baked delicata squash cubes for more veggieness. I tossed them in with the mushrooms for about a minute at the end of the cooking time, just to give them some kick as well. Lastly, if you're going the dried hot pepper route, if you want your soup to be spicy, cut open the peppers into halves (so they can still be removed before consumption). I neglected to do this until pretty late in the cooking game, and missed the spicy-ness I was expecting. Though lacking in color (which the broccoli would have added), I couldn't care less as I was simply overwhelmed by the tastiness factor!

Overall: 5 out of 5 Tester Husband declared this one of the best soups he's ever had. If you like peanut butter like I do (i.e. can eat tablespoon after tablespoon of it out of the jar), you're going to LOVE this recipe!

Hold on tight!

Though I may have been neglecting to write this week, that does not mean I haven't been cooking from MWL. Life was a bit busy this week with extra work, and a lot of the free time I had ended up being directed towards my 14-day free trial of Cooks Illustrated and all the AMAZING information, recipes, and videos they have. It might just be worth the 15 bucks to keep the membership. I really do recommend trying the trial, if you are interested in cooking and the way food works.

So, now, hold on tight as I try to run through the dishes I've made this week.

19. Stir-fried Broccoli, pg. 224

Having made this recipe before, I knew generally that it is a simple dish, an easy meal with rice, and fairly fast to whip together with no super-special ingredients.

I didn't measure my broccoli -- but I used one medium-sized head, with part of the stalk. I think I should have increased the amount of sauce, as not all the broccoli got some to soak up. So, perhaps, if you're guesstimating, a small head of broccoli including stalk is probably about a pound. Also, make sure to cut the stems small enough so that they fry fast and evenly, without cooking them to a mush.

For a meal, I recommend either adding cashews or peanuts at the very end of the cooking time or sautéing a bit of extra firm tofu in after the onion is done and before the broccoli.

Overall: 4 out of 5

20. Whole Wheat Rolls , pg. 64

Straight from the MCC Dining Hall, these rolls have likely pleased many taste buds. A standard, low-frills recipe that is predictable and predictably yummy.

This recipe is easy to halve, and can be whipped up in about 20 minutes, including kneading time. I think I said this before, but I tend to shy away from bread recipes that have non-fat dry milk powder and eggs in them. I like to keep my bread dairy free and I typically don't like the taste that eggs make in the dough. However, for these dinner rolls, I decided to let them be, and just go with it.

By halving the recipe, I got two nearly over-full 8" round pans full of rolls. I would probably suggest two 9" round pans. One pan, after shaping them into rolls, rolled them in cinnamon-sugar (as "easy" cinnamon rolls). The other pan, just before baking, I brushed them with an egg wash and sprinkled sesame seeds on top for a more sandwich roll approach.

Overall: 3.8 out of 5 Super tasty when fresh and eaten with a meal, but goodness wanes after the first day

21. Chunky Granola, pg. 92

Another day, another granola! Not to be confused with "Crunchy Granola" across the page, chunky granola was my latest attempt at finding the perfect granola ratios.

I don't know what it was with people in 70's and 80's, but this gol-dern powered milk is EVERYWHERE. It simply seems wrong to make milk into powder just to increase the protein in everything. I don't know. What do you all think?

Anyways, what a simple, straight-forward recipe! I liked the pre-toasting of the oats. Seems like a really good idea to let them retain their own flavor before dumping sweeteners and oils on top. I had run out of wheat germ, and so used coarsely ground whole wheat flour instead, with no ill-effects. I decreased the amount of honey to about a half cup, thinking that 2/3 c. seemed a bit much (though, looking at Crunchy Granola over there with 1 c. seems even worse...), and Tester Husband still (independently) commented on how sweet it still was. We liked the hint of vanilla.

With a short baking time, this recipe is great for an after-dinner bake without worrying about having to stay up late to stir it every so often.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 Fairly frill-less, fast and easy to make, but just a little too sweet

22. Vegetable Chowder, pg. 200

If you're looking to make a standard veggie soup/chowder and have lots of random veggies to use up, this might just be your recipe.

I strayed for this recipe, basically just following their guidelines to create a recipe that suited what we already had. You'll want to use a longer-cooking rice (no white rice!) as it cooks for 45 minutes. I used a red rice which gave a great, nutty flavor. Veggie stock easily replaces chicken. I used a red onion, a pint of corn, and about a cup of cubed sweet potatoes as my veggies. Unless you're using salt-free bouillon, don't add the extra salt. Once everything was cooked, I added a little less than a cup of soy milk, and stirred in some cheese.

Overall: 4.3 out of 5 Very easy, very tasty, versatile, and a perfect Fall meal!

My mother won't believe this...

5. Green bean soup, pg. 201

I vividly remember meals growing up where I was forced to eat green beans, much against my will. I hated those suckers more than any other vegetable (although beets may have been a close runner-up), but of course, was required to take a small spoonful of them to get my serving of vegetable for that meal...

Fortunately, our tastes buds change, and what was once torture can be turned into appreciation or even enjoyment. Sadly, I can only appreciate green beans these days, quite short of enjoying them. (Beets, however, I do enjoy now.)

The trick, I think, is to season them so they're perceived as potentially palatable. This recipe, with its happy fat factor (use cream!), achieves this. I used purple potatoes (mainly because they were on hand), and they add such a lovely colour! In the absence of any other protein source in the meal, the hard-boiled egg does fine as a garnish, though I found it a little strange, as the textures didn't seem to mesh well.

Overall: 3.4 out of 5 (Slightly better than standard, but still somewhat dull.)

6. Rollkuchen, pg. 83

If you've ever met a Russian Mennonite eating watermelon on a summer day, you may have noticed a stack of fried dough. You taste one, and your mouth rejoices in -- once again -- a happy fat factor. Who knew egg, cream, flour, salt, and sugar deep fried (I did mine in soybean oil) could be so delicious? Well...I guess we could all guess that...but still! I made half 'salty' by sprinkling just a teeny bit of salt on afterwards, and half 'sweet' by dusting them with powdered sugar. Though I liked both, the ones with powdered sugar were a little too salty (simply from what was in the dough) to be dessert-like.

Overall: 4.1 out of 5

Mealwise, these two can go well together -- just watch out for the salt (mainly if you use stock in the soup)! I'm still thirsty...