We have had some really unpredictable weather in Georgia this month. It seems like it goes from 85 degrees one day to 50's the next. On the day that I planned soup, it was a cool, rainy Sunday afternoon and soup just sounded like a perfect Fall meal for a dreary day. Two days later when I was scheduled to make the soup, it was a sunny day in the mid 80's - not really soup weather. I decided to go ahead with my plan for soup since I had already bought all of the ingredients, knowing it was less than ideal soup weather. Soupe au Pistou For the Pistou 4 cups fresh basil 1 cup Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 cloves garlic 1 plum tomato Process all ingredients in a food processor. For the soupe 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 ounce pancetta, minced 5 cloves garlic, chopped 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 2 celery ribs, sliced 1 yellow onion, chopped 1/2 medium zucchini, chopped 1/4 head savoy cabbage, thinly shredded 8 cups chicken stock 7 whole tomatoes canned, chopped 1/3 cup broken spaghetti 15ounce can cannelini beans Heat oil in saucepan. Add pancetta and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, celery and onions. Cook covered 12-15 minutes.
This soup was a hit. The pistou really gives it nice depth and flavor. When the weather turn cold, curl up with a warm bowl of Soupe au Pistou. It's delicious.
Ciao!
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My parents were in town last weekend so we took advantage of the beautiful day and headed up to Ellijay to pick apples. (along with much of Atlanta I might add) Ben's parents were able to join us as well - we had a fabulous time. We stopped for a picnic lunch and then headed to our favorite apple orchard. (BJ Reese Apple House) We were quite surprised at how much it had grown since last Fall. Grandma and the kids took turns shooting the apple cannon before we left the orchard. Good times. I love apple season and all of the yummy recipes that go along with it. I have big plans for the bushel of apples that we brought home from the orchard last weekend. I made a cider glazed pork tenderloin last week just to get us all in the mood for apple picking. The recipe doesn't use fresh apples but it does use apple cider and apple butter to infuse the pork with apple flavor. Cider Glazed Pork Tenderloin 3 pound pork tenderloin ½ cup apple butter 2 Tablespoons oil 1 bay leaf 6 small shallots 1 sprig fresh thyme 2 cups apple cider or juice 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Pour glaze over pork after 25 minutes and cook for another 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Whisk vinegar into pan sauce and serve with pork. I wish that you could have smelled this pork while it was cooking. The apples and spices filled the house with the most tantalizing aroma - it was incredible. On our way home from the apple orchard, we made a quick stop at the corn maze. We decided to divide up into teams of two and conquer the maze in pairs. Of course it turned into a heated competition over which team could complete the maze in the shortest amount of time. (Just in case you were curious, Ben and I totally rocked the maze.) This weekend we managed to fit a whole lot of activities into two and a half super jam packed, fun- filled days. Among our Saturday activities was a trip to the pumpkin patch. Even though it was nearly dark when we arrived, we were determined to find "the great pumpkin." After much searching we came home with two beautiful pumpkins. I can hardly wait to carve them. I have another great pumpkin recipe for you today. Jumbo Pumpkin Pecan Muffins from the Taste of Home Fall Baking magazine. Pumpkin Pecan Muffins 2 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup chopped pecans Topping 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup cold butter
These muffins were really tasty. We ate some warm out of the oven and then again for breakfast on Saturday morning. They were super moist but not at all greasy. With all the pumpkin we've been eating lately, we are loaded up on vitamins A and C. Before we made it to the pumpkin patch yesterday we had been to Eggotberfest and to my daughter's soccer game. I always find the best recipes when I'm browsing through magazines in the waiting room at the doctor's office. I picked up the current issue of Ladies Home Journal this week when I was in the doctor's office with Ben. There was an advertisement for McCormick spices with a recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes that looked absolutely delicious. (I used Ben's iPhone to take a picture of the recipe so I didn't have to ask if I could take the magazine home.) When I got home, I whipped up a batch of these cupcakes and sent them to school with my daughter. They were REALLY easy and super scrumptious. They weren't greasy or oily - just super moist and delicious. Pumpkin Cupcakes 1 package yellow cake mix Spiced Cream Cheese 4 serving size vanilla instant pudding 16 ounces cream cheese 1 cup canned pumpkin 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup water 1/4 teaspoon cloves 3 eggs 4 cups powdered sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and cloves until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Frost cupcakes and decorate with candy corn. I love the whole experience of choosing pumpkins, bringing them home, carving out faces and roasting the seeds. Taking the kids to the pumpkin patch to choose pumpkins was on my list of things to accomplish on our Fall stay-cation last week. Unfortunately, we never made it to the pumpkin farm - we just got too busy with other activities. I don't think my kids get nearly as excited about choosing pumpkins as I do but they're good sports about going to the pumpkin farm anyway. I'm hoping that we'll have some time to pick out pumpkins this weekend.
Ciao! You know it's Fall when the Pumpkin Spice Lattes start to appear in coffee shops all over the country. I recently had my first pumpkin spice latte of the season (decaf of course) and I must say that it hit the spot. I don't know what it is about the pumpkin flavor that makes these lattes so much better than regular lattes but for some reason they're irresistible. I don't drink lattes at any other time of year. I thoroughly enjoyed my pumpkin spice latte and I'm sure it won't be my last one of the season.
Oatmeal Surprise Cookies 1 cup butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 2 3/4 cups oats 1 1/2 cups chocolate covered raisins
Drop by scoops onto a silicone baking sheet. Bake 13 minutes at 350. |
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