Tomato Rice Soup

Soup is a great way to use up rice when you are down to the end of a bag and it's not quite enough to make by itself.   It also makes your average soup a bit more filling.  This time we decided to do a tomato rice soup to have along side grilled cheese.  We used canned tomatoes to make it easier, and fresh oregano to give it a little depth.  I blended the soup slightly with an immersion blender to thicken it up, but that step is entirely optional.  It was perfect for dinner with our grilled cheese sandwiches!  We had it again for lunch the next day with some crumbled bacon on top...  so delicious!

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 large can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)

6 cups chicken broth

1 T fresh oregano leaves

1/2 -3/4 cup rice

salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large pot over medium, heat the olive oil and when hot, add the onion.  Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt in, and saute for about 5-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes longer until onions are soft and translucent.  

Pour in the tomatoes, chicken broth, and add the oregano.  Bring to a simmer. You could blend the soup here, before adding the rice if you don't want to see any chunks of tomato or onion in the final product.  

Add 1 teaspoon salt, and the rice.  Stir, and cover.  Let the soup simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.  Taste for more salt and pepper.  I blended the soup at this stage for about 10-15 seconds, until it thickened slightly.

Meanwhile, we made grilled cheese sandwiches using fresh brioche bread, and a combination of blue and cheddar cheeses.  We used mayo on the outside of the bread instead of butter because it is easier to spread, and turns golden brown quickly when cooked in a non-stick skillet. 

Enjoy your soup and sandwich!

Creamy Gorgonzola & Tomato Sauce

Gorgonzola cheese has such a strong flavor- it is a great way to pack some punch into a creamy pasta sauce.  We added some fresh tomatoes to the sauce to lighten it up a bit and add both sweetness and acidity.  This sauce would go great with any pasta, but we chose a pumpkin-filled ravioli because we knew it would be a great contrast to balance out the dish.  This recipe is so easy- great for a week night dinner with pasta and salad!

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil
2 T butter

2 T flour

2 cups milk - room temperature (we used whole milk but I'm sure any will do)

1 clove garlic, minced

2-3 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced

6 oz gorgonzola cheese

salt and pepper

fresh oregano to sprinkle on top

Directions:

Bring your milk out ahead of time to let it come to room temperature (or microwave it for a minute or two, which is what I did).  In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for about 1-2 minutes, but don't let it burn.  Add the tomatoes to the pan with 1 teaspoon salt and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the have released their liquid and are very soft.  

Meanwhile, in a separate sauce pan, melt the butter and add the 2 tablespoons flour.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes to get rid of the flour taste.  Pour in the milk and whisk to combine well.  Add 1 teaspoon salt.  Continue to whisk as the mixture thickens over medium-low heat.  

Once the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, add the tomato mixture and the gorgonzola cheese.  Whisk to combine and let it sit for a couple minutes to let the cheese melt into the sauce. 

Add some freshly cracked black pepper.  Serve over pasta and sprinkle the fresh oregano on top.  Enjoy!

Maryland Crab Soup

Since I was a child, Maryland crab soup has been one of my favorite soups to eat.   They would have it every so often at the local grocery store in the hot soup bar and I would check for it every time I was there.  The spicy seafood taste was like nothing else I'd ever had and I fell in love with it.  A couple years ago I was craving this soup- I couldn't find it anywhere the way I remembered it in my Maryland grocery store.  So, I decided to make it on my own and realized that it's really not that hard to do.  I don't know if it's really an "authentic" Maryland crab soup recipe, but that's what I'm calling it.  Last night I cooked up a large batch for a warm winter dinner.  It is delicious and healthy, great as a meal on it's own or along side a sandwich.  If you are serving it for dinner, I recommend cheddar biscuits as a side dish.

Ingredients: (Makes 8 large servings)

4 cups seafood stock

4 cups chicken or beef stock

2 cups water

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup hot sauce

2 t sugar

2 carrots, diced (about a cup)

1 large or two small onions, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1/3 lb green beans, sliced into 1 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen lima beans

2 T Old Bay seasoning

2 bay leaves

2 t salt

1 t black pepper

3 red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1 lb fresh crab meat

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped 

Directions:

Combine the stock, water, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and sugar in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.  Meanwhile, chop up all of your veggies.  Once they are all chopped, add them to the pot along with the can of tomatoes, corn, lima beans, bay leaves, and Old Bay seasoning. (excluding potatoes)

Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes.  Next, add the potatoes and bring back to a simmer.  Cover and let it cook for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Add the crab meat to the pot.

Cook for about 10-15 minutes longer.  By now, the smell will be amazing!  Taste for salt and pepper, or more hot sauce.  Garnish with the fresh parsley.  Serve hot with cheddar biscuits on the side.

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato, Olives, & Feta

After successfully conquering my first squash recipe with the acorn squash we got in our random produce crate, my next (& more difficult) task was to make the spaghetti squash.  My mom used to make it when I was growing up, but I have to be honest - I never once tried it.  I knew I didn't like squash so there was no point. (Yes, I still do have that belief about certain foods!)  Sean isn't a squash fan either so this spaghetti squash needed to be flavorful and delicious for him to eat it too.  I came up with something and we both ate it and enjoyed it, much to our surprise! 

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
olive oil, for roasting
1/2 large onion, diced
2-3 fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic
2 T fresh basil 
1 small can of sliced black olives
2 oz feta cheese

Directions:
Start by roasting the spaghetti squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut the squash in half, lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and pulp.  Drizzle it with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash face-side down on a baking sheet and roast it in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the inside of the squash is completely fork tender.  (It could be more or less time depending on the size of the squash) Here's what ours looked like after being roasted.

Let it cool off slightly before scraping the "noodles" out from the squash.  Meanwhile, begin the sauce.
Heat 1 T oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  When it is hot, add the onion and saute for several minutes until softened.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper in to bring out the flavor.  Then add garlic.  Cook for one more minute, and add tomatoes.  Continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, you can scrape out the flesh with a fork, careful not to break the strands so they appear like noodles. 

Place the squash in a large bowl.  Add the tomato-onion mixture, olives (drained from the can), and fresh chopped basil.  Stir to combine.  Top with crumbled feta and enjoy.

*As a note, if you've never eaten this squash before, the texture is a bit crunchier than actual noodles.  But it has a relatively mild flavor so don't be intimidated like I was for so many years!  It's also a very healthy way to avoid carbs.