Soup's On

Basic Lentil Soup
Olive Oil Cornbread with Red Pepper Flakes
Salad of Mixed Greens, Apple, Candied Pecans and Gorgonzola





Basic Lentil Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 leek, cut in half, diced
- 4 medium size stocks of celery, chopped
- 4 medium size carrots, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 5 cups water
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 cups dried French green lentils, rinsed
- fresh grated parmesan cheese (optional for garnish)


In a large stockpot heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and the leeks and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped celery and carrot and cook 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more. Add the vegetable stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the lentils. Cook the soup at a simmer with a lid for 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender. Taste for more salt and pepper. Serve warm and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, if desired.


Olive Oil Cornbread with Red Pepper Flakes

Serves 8

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup graded sharp, white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and milk, and pour into the center of the flour mixture. Whisk together until combined. Add the cheese and the red pepper flakes. Finally, add the olive oil and mix everything together until combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for approximately 26-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift up the parchment paper and cornbread and transfer to a wire rack. Slice and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This cornbread is best the day it is baked but will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Pumpkin and Spice and Everything Nice

Pumpkin Spice Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
The fragrance of pumpkin and spice baking in the oven was a pleasing premonition to the flavors of Thanksgiving soon to come. The aroma was in fact so pungent that my poor diabetic dog followed the cake around the kitchen with her noise high in the air. By mere smell both the dog and I could already tell how delicious this cake was going to be. Indeed our sense of smell did not lead us astray- the cake was moist and flavorful and paired wonderfully with orange scented cream cheese frosting.

Serves 12

Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 fifteen ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup sour cream
Frosting
- 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 14 ounces powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract





Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Place the butter and sugars in a medium size bowl fitted for an electric mixer. Cream together on medium/high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the pumpkin puree. Add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream; beating until combined after each addition.
Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans. Bake the cakes until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks and let cool for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife alongside the edges of the cake and the pan, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. Remove the parchment paper. Invert the cake back onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, cream together the cream cheese, butter, powder sugar, orange zest and vanilla on medium/high speed until smooth and creamy. Store the frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use. Take out of the fridge 5 minutes before frosting.
Place one layer of the cake on a large cake plate or pedestal. Place about 2/3 cup frosting on the cake and use an off set spatula to evenly distribute the frosting. Place the second cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. The cakes can be made 1 day ahead of time, and individual wrapped in plastic before frosting. This cake will keep cover in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Salad

Salad accompanies almost every meal and varies based on what else is being served. Sometimes I make a more complicated salad but most often I toss fresh greens with a bit of avocado, tomato and a simple vinaigrette dressing. Below is just one variation of salad dressings that I like to make. The shallots can be replaced with minced garlic or left out entirely. A bit of fresh grated parmesan cheese adds a buttery salty flavor to basic salads as well. Sometimes I make the dressing up a head of time, but mostly I drizzle fresh olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar (balsamic or red wine), salt and pepper right over the greens and toss everything together just before serving. Salad dressing is very easy to make and I see no reason one should ever buy bottled dressing.

Butter Leaf Lettuce with Tomato, Simple Vinaigrette and Graded Parmesan

Arugula and Butter Leaf Lettuce with Lemon, Olive Oil and Grated Parmesan

Romaine Lettuce with Simple Vinaigrette (substitute garlic for shallots), Shaved Parmesan and Toasted Croutons

Simple Vinaigrette

Dressing to serve 4 side portions

Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard (any type)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons best quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

To make the dressing combine the minced shallots, mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice. While whisking, slowly pour the olive oil into the rest of the ingredients. Let the dressing sit for at least 20. This dressing can be kept for a few days in the refrigerator, but the flavor of onion will become more pronounced. I prefer to use the dressing the day it is made.

A Healthy Meal

Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Green Beans with Toasted Almonds


Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Though this dish is certainly not authentic Moroccan cuisine (given that I know nothing on the subject), I was inspired to use flavors from the Moroccan kitchen, when creating this healthy dinner. The quinoa is scented with cumin and saffron and compliments the roasted vegetables in both flavor and texture. The quinoa is topped with cilantro and goat cheese to build another layer of flavors to completes the dish. Alongside, I served green beans tossed with nutty, toasted almonds, which goes nicely with the main dish.


Serves 6

Ingredients
- 1 large yam, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium (about 1 pound) butternut squash, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, cut into 1 pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- pinch saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss the diced butternut squash, yam, carrot, cauliflower and onion with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for approximately -55 minutes, or until caramelized.
Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve. In a medium saucepan heat the water and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cumin and saffron, cover and let steep 10 minutes. Bring the liquid back to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Season the quinoa with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter or bowl. Toss the hot roasted vegetables with the quinoa. Serve warm. Top each individual serving with the cilantro and some of the goat cheese.

Cookie Jar

A slight twist on a few classics.

Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
Brown Sugar Oatmeal Golden Raisin Cookies
Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Thumbprints


Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
I have made dozens of chocolate chip cookie recipes in search of the perfect one. To me perfection is: a soft and dense cookie (slightly undercooked) in the middle, and a bit chewy on the outer rim, rather than a flat, crisp cookie or a soft, cakey cookie. These chocolate chip cookies are not quite perfect, but are pretty darn close. A final condition for a perfect chocolate chip cookie is that it is loaded with chocolate chips. In this recipe I use milk chocolate chips, and top each cookie with a small pinch of sea salt, which really compliments the sweetness of the milk chocolate. However, this recipe is a great chocolate chip cookie base and certainly semi-sweet or dark chocolate can be substituted for some of the milk chocolate. I like to mix it up and use different types of chocolates, sometimes chunks and sometimes chips. Regardless, there is nothing better than a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven.


Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 17 ounces all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 21 ounces good quality milk chocolate chips or milk chocolate, chopped
- sea salt


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture, and combine together. Gently stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. At this point, the dough can be refrigerate for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Spoon out about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and form into a round ball. Place the ball of dough down onto an ungreased cookie sheet and slightly press the center of the cookie. Repeat this process, placing cookies 1 inch apart from one another. Top each cookie with a pinch of sea salt. Bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown. (I prefer cookies that are slightly under baked.) When the cookies are done baking the top should start to turn slightly golden, but the cookies should still seem soft and not quite cooked through in the center. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely (or eat warm). Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


Brown Sugar Oatmeal Golden Raisin Cookies
Crisp, chewy, buttery and loaded with oats. The subtle sweetness of plump golden raisins are really delicious in this cookie, and surprisingly taste very different from their purple cousins.


Make 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups old fashion oats
- 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 3/4 cups golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Gently stir in the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the oats and raisins.
Drop tablespoon size balls of cookie dough onto unlined baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 10-13 minutes or until the cookies are light golden brown on the edges. (I prefer to slightly under bake these cookies so they or soft. You can bake the cookies until golden for a crispier cookie.) Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 1 minute and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store the cool cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days. This dough will also keep wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.


Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Thumbprints
These cookies are similar to, yet better than, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They can also be quite addicting.


Make 40 cookies

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for coating
- 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup grape jelly


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place about 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and mix until combined. Stir in the peanut butter. Gently stir in the dry ingredients.
Use your hands to create a tablespoon size ball of dough. Drop the ball of dough into the bowl with the granulated sugar and coat completely. Place the sugared cookie dough onto unlined baking sheets, and repeat this process, placing the cookies approximately 2 inches apart. Gently press your finger in the center of each unbaked cookie to create a small well. Place approximately 1/3 teaspoon of the jelly in each well. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies are light golden brown on the edges. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 1 minute and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store the cool cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days. This dough will also keep wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking.