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Red Lentil Soup

 Soups are something I am starting to appreciate so much more as I get somewhat 'older'.  A meal in a bowl is a magical thing.  I have made countless soup recipes from the internet and cookbooks and will start to share some of my favorites here. This recipe for Red Lentil Soup was found on NYT Cooking and it was simple and so flavorful.  The bright color and the delicate texture were very appealing.  Hope you love this one.  It is ready in less than an hour! NYT Red Lentil Soup Ingredients Yield: 4 servings 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon ground cumin Salt and black pepper Pinch of chili powder or ground cayenne, plus more to taste 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup red lentils 1 large carrot, peeled and diced Juice of ½ lemon, more to taste 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro   Preparation Step 1 In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high...
Recent posts

Classic Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

 With the cooler temperatures come the instinctual craving for comforting, warm food.  Scalloped potatoes with ham is something my mother made often while I was growing up but I bet I hadn't made it more than twice since I have been married (and that is a long time!).   There are many versions of this recipe, some with flour, some without, some with cheese and some just with milk or cream.  I did more of the classic version with cream, potatoes, ham and spices and only sprinkled cheese on top for the last step.  This is the perfect way to use leftover ham, so give it a try after your Holiday ham dinner.  This recipe can easily be doubled for a large group.  Simple and delicious!   Classic Scalloped Potatoes and Ham   Ingredients 3 lb Yukon Gold potatoes 1 medium yellow onion 2T evoo 3 C heavy cream or whole milk 1 1/2 t dried Thyme 1 t salt 1/2 t black pepper 1 1/2 C chopped or sliced ham 2 oz shredded cheese (swiss, cheddar, etc - optio...

The Best Instant Ramen

Hello Fellow Foodists.  It has been some time since my last blog post.  I am sorry to share the news that our middle child, Rachel, passed away this past Spring.  She had congenital heart defects and had lived a mostly asymptomatic life, but tragically, she died of a heart attack on May 29th, 2024 at the age of 31.  Needless to say, we have been grieving her loss each and every day, but keeping her memory alive is so important.  She was the best travel companion and a lover of great food and cooking. This recipe I found on NYT Cooking, as I do with many of my posts.  This simple and comforting ramen dish is made with only a few ingredients and takes about ten minutes to prepare from start to finish.  It is also soo delicious.  The author of the recipe, Korean-American Chef Roy Choi, referred to this dish as  “It’s our snack, it’s our peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it’s our bowl of cereal,” Mr. Choi said. “It’s something that has been a pa...

Black Bean Chili

 Chili is one of those dishes that everyone has their own unique version of.  There are wide differences in the level of heat, meat and meatless versions,  chunky with veggies or smooth.  No wonder there are so many chili contests around.  I don't envy the judges as there is no gold standard for chili, only personal choice. Ron loves chili and asks me to make it at least once per month.  I posted at least one other version in my blog.  The last time he asked for it, I did not have kidney beans or chili beans in the house but I did have black beans so I used then and wow, this was so dang good I needed to post so I would remember how to make it again.   Super simple, super yummy.  I hope you enjoy.  Adjust the spices to your personal preferences, of course! Black Bean Chili Ingredients: 1lb lean ground beef evoo 1/2 t onion powder 1/2 t garlic powder 1/2 t cayenne pepper 1/2 t chili powder 1/2 t salt 1/2 t pepper 1 15 oz can petite ...

Buon Natale! Two Traditional Holiday Treats

Not sure if the world is quite back to normal after COVID-19, but it does feel more so than it has for the last 2 years.  This year, I plan to have my annual Christmas Eve dinner after a two year hiatus, with all of the Italian specialties.  Ravioli, Italian Style Chicken, and of course the sweet treats.  Recall my blog post from way back in 2011 about our Christmas Eve traditions Christmas Eve 2010 . Torcetti are a traditional Italian sugar cookie, but actually not made with any sugar in the batter, the yeast dough is rolled into sugar prior o baking to give it sweetness.  These cookies are simple, rustic, flaky and delicious.  Torcetti are made every year at Christmas around our house, often times made by my sister, Cathy.  Biscotti is something I have only started making recently (meaning my Grandma didn't make it as I was growing up).  I have tried several recipes for this simple Italian, double baked biscuit, and I like the ease and outcome of thi...

Easy Chicken Tikka Masala

As you, my foodie followers know, I absolutely love Indian food.  I have been trying to perfect some of the recipes I have posted here previously since I always seem to modify them each time I make them, either by a changing the spices or varying the cooking technique etc.  It's good to mature and perfect, right? Chicken Tikka Masala is (I think I heard this fact) the most popular Indian dish (outside of India) in the world, and I make it quite a bit, at least once every 2 months.  I've tried several versions of this prolific meal,  but this one from Aarti Sequeira, a Food Network star  - contained in her cookbook Aarti Paarti - is a simple and amazing take.  Other recipes have almost a half page listing of spices, yet this one, only a few.  I must admit, I was very skeptical.  How could all of the flavors come out with only ginger, garlic, paprica and garam masala?  I went for it and prepared Aarti's version, almost to the letter,  and...

One Pot Spinach and Orzo with Feta

I recently bought a box of orzo and then searched for a recipe to make.  I found this fabulous dish in New York Times Cooking, one of my favorite sites.  It combines spinach, orzo, onion, lemon zest and feta to create a vegetarian main dish or a hearty side.  This is also very easy to make  - about 30 minutes all inclusive, and is all done in one pot.  I modified it ever so slightly, using a yellow onion vs scallions, and added 1 T evoo. I hope you are all doing well my fellow Foodies.  It has been a while.  Happy Labor Day 2022!  I'm  looking forward to a Fall filled with cooking. - Foodie Mama xxoo Spinach and Orzo with Feta Ingredients Yield: 4 servings 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 T evoo 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 2 large garlic cloves, minced 8 ounces baby spinach leaves (8 cups), coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1¾ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock 1 cup orzo, uncooked 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest...