This recipe has become an almost weekly staple in our house, and I'm surprised that it has taken me this long to blog about it. Trader Joe's makes the most delicious potstickers, and my kids are wild for them. This recipe lets me use up all sorts of leftover vegetables into a really tasty and ridiculously fast dinner.
You need:
2 tbsp. oil (I use coconut oil for this)
16 frozen potstickers of your choice
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
3 medium carrots
2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow)
2 clove garlic
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 medium red onion
¼ medium green cabbage
3 oz. snow peas
Toasted sesame seeds
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potstickers and cook until lightly browned on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water to the skillet, cover, and cook until the water has evaporated and the potstickers are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and honey; set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, peppers, garlic, and ginger and cook, tossing occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the onion, cabbage, and snow peas and cook, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes more.
Divide the vegetables and potstickers among bowls and drizzle with the soy sauce mixture. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Cinnamon-spiced sweet potato soup with maple croutons
A month ago, my friend Leah had a mild surgery that required a friend to swoop in and make dinner and snuggle her babies. Ok, I might had added that second part just for me. Anyway, she's a vegetarian, so I decided that a warm cup of soup that makes a ridiculous amount of leftovers would be perfect for dinner that night and extras for lunch during the week. She has two wee ones at home with her, so she needs to eat, eat well, and eat easily. This was going to do just the trick. I easily doubled the recipe below so there was plenty to go around. If you can make this recipe with a friend and a great pint of a really good stout, it's even better (thanks, Dave.)
You need:
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 in. pieces
2 tbsp. vegetable bouillon base
2 dried bay leaves
2 slices leftover crusty bread, cut into 1 in. pieces
1 tbsp. maple syrup
Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to brown at the edges 8 to 10 minutes. Add the spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, bouillon base, bay leaves and 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from heat, drizzle the maple syrup over the top and toss to coat. Discard the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender (or standard blender in tow batches) puree the soup until smooth. Serve with the maple croutons.
You need:
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 in. pieces
2 tbsp. vegetable bouillon base
2 dried bay leaves
2 slices leftover crusty bread, cut into 1 in. pieces
1 tbsp. maple syrup
Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to brown at the edges 8 to 10 minutes. Add the spices and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, bouillon base, bay leaves and 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from heat, drizzle the maple syrup over the top and toss to coat. Discard the bay leaves. Using an immersion blender (or standard blender in tow batches) puree the soup until smooth. Serve with the maple croutons.
Duckfat's New England Clam Chowder
A few months ago, Good Housekeeping magazine featured the best local favorites from iconic restaurants in their home states. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am in love with all things seafood and all things New England. I want to retire to the North Shore of Boston and eat clam rolls until I meet my maker. Although we've spent some time in Maine (mostly in Bar Harbor), we've never spent any quality time in Portland. I decided to try out this recipe, which I admit is a little time consuming, made famous by Portland's Duckfat Restaurant.
It. was. amazing. My friend Dave echoed my sentiment when I brought some along for lunch. It is truly worth the effort.
You need:
1.5# fresh or frozen cooked clams, thawed and chopped (or a similar equivalent of canned, chopped clams)
12 oz. bacon, chopped
1/3 c. flour
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
1 med. carrot, finely chopped
1 lg. stalk celery, finely chopped
3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 c. bottled clam juice
1.5 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. fresh thyme
Set a fine mesh strainer over a 4 c. measuring cup. Place clams in the strainer. Reserve clams. To juice in measuring cup, add enough water to reach 2 cups. Set aside.
In a large 6 to 7 qt. saucepot, cook bacon on medium low for 15 minutes or until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate. Reserve pot with rendered fat.
Transfer 1/4 c. bacon fat to a skillet. Heat on medium. While whisking, add flower and cook 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Heat pot with remaining bacon fat on medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 12-14 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add potatoes, clam juice, reserved clam water, and 1 tbsp. salt. Heat to simmering on high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to maintain summer. Cook 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender. Into pot, add reserved flour and cook 3-5 minutes until chowder thickens. Stir in cream and heat to simmering. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and clams. Return to simmering. Stir in thyme and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Garnish with cooked bacon.
It. was. amazing. My friend Dave echoed my sentiment when I brought some along for lunch. It is truly worth the effort.
You need:
1.5# fresh or frozen cooked clams, thawed and chopped (or a similar equivalent of canned, chopped clams)
12 oz. bacon, chopped
1/3 c. flour
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
1 med. carrot, finely chopped
1 lg. stalk celery, finely chopped
3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 c. bottled clam juice
1.5 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. fresh thyme
Set a fine mesh strainer over a 4 c. measuring cup. Place clams in the strainer. Reserve clams. To juice in measuring cup, add enough water to reach 2 cups. Set aside.
In a large 6 to 7 qt. saucepot, cook bacon on medium low for 15 minutes or until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate. Reserve pot with rendered fat.
Transfer 1/4 c. bacon fat to a skillet. Heat on medium. While whisking, add flower and cook 8-10 minutes until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Heat pot with remaining bacon fat on medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 12-14 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add potatoes, clam juice, reserved clam water, and 1 tbsp. salt. Heat to simmering on high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to maintain summer. Cook 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender. Into pot, add reserved flour and cook 3-5 minutes until chowder thickens. Stir in cream and heat to simmering. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and clams. Return to simmering. Stir in thyme and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Garnish with cooked bacon.
Savory Pumpkin and Sage Soup
I made a terrible error the other day at the store, mostly due to my devastatingly pathetic skills in basic math. I decided to make this pumpkin, beef, and black bean chili for us and a couple of colleagues. It's just delicious. The recipe calls for six cups of pumpkin, cubed. Fortunately, Trader Joe's carries already cubed fresh pumpkin, which is significantly easier than buying pumpkins and cutting them up. You know what isn't the same as six cups? Six pounds. But I bought six pounds of cubed pumpkin.
Calling all back up pumpkin recipes!! Fortunately, this delicious savory pumpkin soup was in this month's Good Housekeeping magazine. It made a LOT of soup, enough for a couple of lunches, soup and grilled cheese night for dinner, and a quart to send to my friend Leah. I didn't make the accompanying sage and shiitake garnish, but try it out! Enjoy!!
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