A beautifully green colored soup garnished with a touch of cream is perfect for these cold winter days.
A few years ago I was in England during a chilly spring. I hadn’t packed enough warm clothes and was freezing until I could purchase enough warm clothing to keep the chill away. I was staying in the Cotswolds and decided to take a drive to see Stonehenge. After looking around and wondering, “how did they do that and who they was” I realized that I was famished and pretty chilly. There was a rickety food truck outside in the Stonehenge parking lot that sold only one thing…Stonehenge Soup. I was so hungry and so cold that I purchased a big cardboard bowl of it and was given a flimsy plastic spoon and a paper napkin that was the size and consistency of what one would get at the ice cream parlor. I eagerly took a bite and quickly realized that this was the WORST soup I had ever had in my life. The vegetables looked like they were chopped with an arrowhead and the giant hunks of stew meat were tougher than shoe leather. The broth was pretty much just water. The funny thing is that the soup was so bad, but I was so hungry and cold that I ate every bit of it. I kept thinking to myself, “how can I be enjoying such a horrid soup?” I’ll never forget the Stonehenge Soup experience and sometimes think I may go back just to see if they’re still selling it.
This is the perfect soup for a winter meal. I like to make it on the weekend and either have it for lunch or a quick dinner before heading out to a movie.
Make sure to stir in the cheese and remove from the heat as soon as it melts to prevent curdling.
This economical and hearty dish is a great meal in itself when served with a salad and crusty bread. Perfect for w cold winter day. The recipe calls for soaking the beans overnight; so, you have to start this soup a day ahead of when you plan to serve it. You can make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of beef or chicken broth
Presidents’ Day Roasted Root Vegetables
We are in the thick of winter and many of us around the country are experiencing extreme winter weather. Why not roast up some delicious beets and carrots this Presidents’ Day. Candy cane beets are also known as Chioggia beets. I love this variety because they don’t stain like traditional red beets.
INGREDIENTS
8 Baby Yellow Beets
8 Baby Candy Cane Beets
10 Small Carrots With Greenery
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil (Divided)
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt (Divided)
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper (Divided)
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut tops from beets, leaving 1/2 inch stems if you like. Peel beets, and cut in half. Cut tops from carrots, leaving 1/2 inch of greenery on each. Toss yellow beets and carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large-size bowl. Place in a single layer on one side of a parchment paper lined 15×10 inch-baking sheet. Sprinkle vegetables in pan with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss candy cane beets with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium-size bowl. Arrange candy cane beets in a single layer on remaining side of baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining kosher salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Stir once and bake 15 minutes more until tender. Remove from oven and transfer to serving plate. Serves 6
© Victoria Hart Glavin
Mocha Java
As the days and nights get cooler it’s nice to have a good flavored coffee recipe.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Strong Hot Coffee
1/2 Cup Hot Cocoa Mix
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Half & Half
Whipped Cream For Garnish
Chocolate Shaving For Garnish (Optional)
Ground Cinnamon For Garnish (Optional)
Pour coffee into 2-quart saucepan. Add cocoa mix, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and stir until dissolved. Add half & half and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir occasionally until heated through. Top each serving with shipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate shaving and ground cinnamon. Makes 2 (1 1/4 Cup) Servings
Pork Tenderloin In Mustard Sauce
This pork tenderloin is a big hit in my house and a perfect weekend dish. These spring days are numbered so let’s get these comfort food meals in before summer gets here.
INGREDIENTS
2 Medium Size Pork Tenderloins
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 Cup Chopped Shallots
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Dijon Mustard
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
Preheat your oven to 425º F. Smear the pork tenderloins with the kosher salt and pepper. Place the tenderloins into a large size (lined with parchment paper) baking pan and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. In a large size skillet sauté the shallots, in the butter, for 2 minutes over a medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and the white wine. Turn the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in the Dijon mustard and cook for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and combine well. Cook for 3 more minutes. Remove the tenderloins from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes covered in a foil tent. Slice the pork into medallions and place onto a serving platter. Drizzle the medallions with the mustard sauce and serve. Serves 6
Greens, Beans, Rosemary & Thyme
The dark leafy greens are dense with nutrients and pair with beans very well. This is a healthy and satisfying dish. If you’re short on time then use one 16 ounce package of frozen dark leafy greens instead of the fresh ones.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Vegetable Broth
1 Cup Chopped Onion
4 Cloves Finely Chopped Garlic
1 Pound Dark Leafy Greens Like Collards, Kale or Mustard Greens (1 to 2 Bunches)
2 Cups Cooked White Beans Like Great Northern
1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Wash and remove the tough stems of the greens. Slice the leaves of the greens. In a large skillet bring the vegetable broth to a simmer over a medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally. Stir in the greens, beans, rosemary, thyme and crushed red pepper. Cover and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 6 minutes. Stir only once. Uncover and cook for another 3 minutes or until the greens are tender. Stir in the pepper and then transfer to a serving dish. Serve warm. Serves 4
LAMB WITH APRICOTS
“Easter Without Lamb Is A Thing That Cannot Be.” – Macedonia Proverb
INGREDIENTS
3 Teaspoons Olive Oil
3 Pounds Boneless Leg of Lamb
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
3 Sliced Onions
1 1/4 Cups Red Wine
1 1/2 Cups Beef Broth
1 Cup Sliced Dried Apricots
Heat the olive oil in a large size Dutch oven over a medium high heat. Sprinkle the lamb with the kosher salt and pepper. Add the lamb to the pot and cook for 10 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove the lamb from the pot and place onto a plate. Add the onions to the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the wine, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the onions for 15 minutes. Add the broth and then return the lamb to the pot. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add the sliced apricots and turn the lamb. Place the lid back on and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the Dutch oven and transfer the lamb to a platter. Cover and keep warm. Simmer the sauce until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or pepper if desired. Slice the lamb, pour the sauce over the lamb and serve. Serves 6
