Mandarin Sorbet

My darling husband got me a Vitamix for Christmas. He also got me the Dirty Dancing Limited Keepsake Edition so he’s obviously a keeper. He may not have felt the same about me though after hearing my initial reaction upon opening the Vitamix. You see, I opened the parcel and said…" we already have a blender." Yep, I sure did. And yep, I sure did feel like a total a@# when I did a little research on this freak of nature machine.

Now, scientific explanation is the furthest of my strong suits so I’ll explain it to you like this; this machine acts as a food processor, cooks AND blends soups at the same time right there in the container. On the other hand it blends AND freezes sorbet at the same time (some kind of freezing mechanism in the motor or something). You can knead bread in it and make your own flour. You can make your own dairy alternatives like almond or rice milk. There are some other things too but that’s all I can process at the moment. Anyway, to say the Vitamix is a remarkable machine is an understatement. Just don’t call it a blender.

The first thing I made with it is this delicious mandarin orange sorbet.

Recipe:

4 large mandarin oranges, peeled and halved

3 tablespoons sugar

4 cups ice cubes

tiny splash vanilla

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in the vitamix in order as listed. Secure lid.

2. Select variable 1. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to high.

3. Use the tamper to help push the ingredients into the blades.

4. In about 30-60 seconds the sound of the motor will change and four mounds should form.

5. Stop the machine. Don’t over mix or the sorbet will melt.

Serve immediately.

Beet Ravioli Stuffed with Ricotta and Goat Cheese

There are few flavour companions that I adore more than beets and goat cheese. The combination of the two makes me swoon. So when I came across Martha Stewart's recipe for this beet ravioli I was smitten from the start. First of all, that colour alone could make me cry tears of joy. We could easily stop right there but the happiness I experineced when I tasted this wonderful concoction is one I won't soon forget. By far one of my new favorites, this dish will be making a repeat performance on a regular basis in this house.


Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart:

For the Pasta:
2 medium beets
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the beets in foil and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast about 1 hour or until the beets are fork tender. Remove from oven and allow the beets to cool enough to handle. Remove the skins, place in a food processor and puree the beets (you should have 1/2 cup puree).
2. Add eggs to the food processor and pulse until combined. Add flour and salt and process until dough just comes together, about 20 seconds.
3. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic about 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is sticky. Cover and let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece to form a thin layer (about 1/8") of dough. Place 1 teaspoon of filling onto one sheet of dough 1/2" from the edge. Continue to place spoonfuls of filling along the dough 1" from each other.
5. Place one of the other pieces of rolled out dough on top of the piece with the filling on it. Pinch the dough around the filling to form the ravioli. Use a sharp knife to cut out the ravioli into individual squares. Pinch the edges of each ravioli with the tines of a fork. Set aside each ravioli in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
6. When you are ready to cook the ravioli, add them to boiling water. Stir until the water returns to a boil. When the ravioli float on their own, about 3-5 minutes, they are finished cooking. Place each portion on individual plates. Drizzle with the brown butter and extra parmesan cheese.

For the Filling:
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese, drained 30 minutes
3/4 cup fresh goat cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (for sauce, see below)

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine chopped parsley, mint, ricotta, goat cheese, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Brown Butter:
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a saute pan. Cook over medium heat until the butter becomes golden brown. Add lemon juice, remove from heat. Serve over pasta.

Serves 4.

Homemade Ravioli Stuffed With Ricotta and Spinach

I tried to make my own lasagna sheets a long time ago and forgot to let the dough rest resulting in me trying to roll out a dough that essentially felt like I was rolling out cement. I got extremely frustrated, threw a fit and threw that dough in the garbage. If I remember correctly we ended up eating cereal for dinner that night. It was more work and disappointment than participating in Army bootcamp for 6 weeks only to come out of it having gained 10 pounds. Needless to say I had all but given up on the prospect of making my own pasta. But then I read a post written by one of our community members over at my other stomping grounds, The Unreserved, on homemade pasta. It got me thinking about giving it another chance and thank goodness I did because after a little rest and relaxation, that dough was to die for.

Since giving homemade pasta a second chance I have made fettuccine and more ravioli than I can shake a stick at. These simple ricotta and spinach ravioli are so delicious making them so worth the little bit of effort. If you have some extra time on your hands I really encourage you to give these a try.

Recipe:

Dough:
2 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
pinch of salt

Directions For The Dough:
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with a fork until all of the ingredients come together into a loose ball. Lightly flour a counter space or large cutting board and turn out the dough onto the floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth. You may need to add a drop or two of water to ensure the dough isn’t crumbly. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

Filling:
1 pound fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 pound ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions For The Filling:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine chopped spinach, ricotta, egg, parmesan cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper. At this point bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil.

To assemble the ravioli:
1. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece to form a thin layer (about 1/8") of dough. Place 1 teaspoon of filling onto one sheet of dough 1/2" from the edge. Continue to place spoonfuls of filling along the dough 1" from each other.
2. Place one of the other pieces of rolled out dough on top of the piece with the filling on it. Pinch the dough around the filling to form the ravioli. Use a sharp knife to cut out the ravioli into individual squares. Pinch the edges of each ravioli with the tines of a fork. Set aside each ravioli in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.
3. When you are ready to cook the ravioli, add them to boiling water. Stir until the water returns to a boil. When the ravioli float on their own, about 3-5 minutes, they are finished cooking. Place each portion on individual plates with a ladle of sauce and extra parmesan cheese.

I like to serve these with my favorite 5 Minute Tomato Sauce recipe.

Serves 4.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Once upon a time there was an episode of my pretend boyfriend Jamie Oliver's "Jamie at Home" that featured zucchini blossoms. The show, as usual, had him foraging in his lush backyard garden picking his fresh zucchini blossoms and right when he was preparing to stuff them, a beautiful honey bee came buzzing out of the closed blossom. Jamie acted as if it were a surprise. Something that, after years of working in the film business, I knew was more staged than Madame Tussauds wax museum but this is Jamie we're talking about and as long as he flashes that smile and a little lisp action at the end of it, he can get away with any little stunt he wants. But beyond my schoolgirl crush on Mr. Oliver, I was intrigued by the blossoms.

So I searched and searched for pretty much 2 years for these elusive blossoms and nothing. I couldn't find them anywhere. And don't even get me started on my numerous attempts at trying to grow zucchinis. Not happening in my garden. But last week I hit the jackpot. There they were at my farmer's market. Finally, these beautiful blossoms staring me in the face. It was a no brainer what I was going to do with them. So it happened. I got to try Jamie's stuffed zucchini blossoms and they were as good as I had imagined. No honey bee action mind you, but delicious indeed.

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver:
6 ounces goat cheese (fresh ricotta is good too)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 small red thai chile, halved, seeded and very finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
pinch of ground nutmeg
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cold sparkling water
8 zucchini flowers, with zucchini still attached
oil for frying such as vegetable, grapeseed or peanut oil

Directions:
1. Mix the goat cheese in a bowl with the nutmeg, parmesan, lemon zest, parsley, mint and chiles. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Put the flour into a mixing bowl with pinch of salt. Pour in the sparkling water and gently stir to combine thoroughly.
3. Gently open the zucchini flowers keeping them attached to the zucchini, and pull off the pointed bottom parts that are inside the blossoms because they taste bitter.
4. Using a pastry piping bag or teaspoon, carefully fill each flower with the cheese mixture. Gently twist the blossom tops closed and set aside.
5. Preheat oil that is about 2 inches deep in a heavy bottomed skillet to 375 degrees. Once the oil is hot, place the stuffed blossoms in the batter. Coat the blossoms completely with the batter and shake off the excess batter. Carefully place the blossoms into the hot oil, working in batches if needed, making sure you don't crowd the pan. Cook on one side about 4 minutes, flip and cook on the other side about 4 minutes or just until the blossoms are a crisp golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towel and serve immediately with a fresh squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Even though the calendar says it's supposedly Summer you would be hard pressed to find someone around here who actually believes it. Up until today we have had zero sun and cold, cold temperatures. So when this bright yellow thing made an appearance today we had to get grilling. Not that we don't grill when the sun goes into hiding. My husband takes his grilling very seriously and some small factor like weather conditions will not stop him. But obviously it's much more enjoyable when the sun comes out to play.

The Farmer's Market had some corn this week and being that corn on the cob is one of very favorite things, I never pass up an opportunity to enjoy it. However if it's not quite corn season for you just yet, don't worry. This salad is super versatile and can be made with frozen or canned corn as well. After all, isn't that what Summer is all about? Easy livin'. Here's hoping the sun decides to make a few more guest appearances so I will finally be able to kick it back and soak it all in.

Recipe:
2 cups sweet corn, (*see below for cooking instructions)
1 cup cooked black beans
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup red pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 zest of one small lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. See below for corn cooking instructions. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or overnight if you have the time.

*Cooking instructions for corn:
-If using canned, drain and rinse.
-If using frozen, cook according to package directions and allow to cool.
-If grilling, remove the husk and grill on high heat for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
-If boiling, remove husk, bring a large pot of water to a boil, place the corn in the boiling water and boil for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.

For grilled or boiled corn on the cob, allow the corn to cool, place the cob, thickest part down on a cutting board and carefully, working from top to bottom cut the kernels away from the cob. Using a sharp chef's knife or sharp serrated knife is very helpful with this process.

Parsley and Walnut Pesto

I originally made this pesto for a pizza I was making last week and I would have posted about the pizza because it was really delicious but it looked like a weirdo. Seriously I called it "frankenpizza", it looked like a creep. I blame the amount of humidity we had that day making the dough rise too quickly. It's just a theory but the thing had a mind of its own. Anyway, one of the reasons the pizza was so good was because of this pesto. I know traditional pesto is made with basil but I didn't have any and I also know that it's usually made with pine nuts but I didn't have any of those either but I did have parsley, walnuts and zero interest in going to the store. So, I thought I would give it a whirl.

I figured there was really no way that this could have come out badly. The parsley has such bright flavour, accented by a little lemon. Fresh fruity extra virgin olive oil and pungent garlic all complimented by toasted walnuts and of course, parmesan cheese. Absolutely nothing could have turned out wrong with these beautiful ingredients. And it was as spectacular on the pizza as it was the next day with a simple serving of pasta.

Recipe:
1 bunch parsley, leaves and stems roughly chopped
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (see below for instructions)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place all of the ingredients except the olive oil and cheese in a blender or food processor. Pulse the processor while slowly streaming the olive oil into the mixture and pulse until all of the ingredients are smoothly blended. Remove from the processor and stir in the parmesan cheese. *Note: Pesto freezes very well with the exception of the cheese so if you plan on freezing, freeze the pesto in individual servings (ice cube trays work well) and when you plan on using it, thaw the pesto and add the cheese before serving.

Serve tossed with pasta, as a pizza sauce or simply as a spread for bread or crackers.

Makes about 2 cups

Toasted Walnut Instructions:
Roughly chop the walnuts and place them in a single layer in a skillet. Heat the pan to low and cook the walnuts, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes or just until the nuts become fragrant. Make sure not to leave the nuts unattended as they will burn quickly and easily. Remove from pan and allow to cool before using.

Daring Cooks February Challenge: Mezze

Probably one of my favorite challenges, hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums, this challenge is called Mezze which really means a whole bunch of side dishes with pita bread which is presented as a type of communal eating at one's leisure. Yes please. I love the idea of slowly eating a bunch of different items when you please. No pressure of people asking why you haven't finished your 8 ounce steak, mashed potatoes, garlic bread and broccoli. Well, ahem Mom, it's because I've been tasting these mashed potatoes for more time than I would like to consider, salting and whipping and buttering and mashing-tasting, tasting and re-tasting! Okay? Sorry. My friend Kassi put it perfectly at Thanksgiving when she saw my meager plate and called it the "cooks plate". Thanks Kassi for understanding :) She understood that as someone who cooks constantly you are also eating constantly. Trust me and just ask this extra 20 lbs I've grown to know. But that's not how we do things in North America. We are a people of large portions and don't get me wrong, I like to eat large portions. Just not all at one sitting.

But back to the challenge of the Mezze which is essentially a variety of snacks, where we were only required to make our own pita bread and hummus. Love it. Next, there was an option of any of our choices of side dishes and I chose a little ditty of baba ghanough and tzatziki.

While I loved this challenge for all of the reasons above, the pita bread was a total bust for me. The dough recipe itself was great but the cooking instructions proved to be less than favorable for me. The oven method that was recommended resulted in more of a pita chip than pita bread. I was looking for the bread so in a second attempt, rather than the oven method I used the stovetop with a cast iron skillet. This way you would follow all of the same instructions for the pita bread except after rolling the pita bread out into rounds, heat a skillet to medium high heat and place the rolled out pita onto the hot skillet. Fry in the dry skillet on one side about 30 seconds or until golden brown, flip the bread and fry another 20-30 seconds or again, until golden brown.
Click a href="http://www.veggienumnums.com/2008/07/mezze.html">here for the>original Pita Bread and Hummus Recipes from Veggie Num Nums

Another of my favorite dips are Baba Ghanoush and my favorite Tzatziki from Kalyn's Kitchen

Samosa with Cilantro Chutney

I promised you samosas so here we go. Samosas, which are basically stuffed pastries, are one of the best little snacks around. They can be made many different ways, either vegetarian with potatoes and peas or with ground beef or chicken. Either way, they are so satisfying and If you're new to Indian food I would suggest wetting your appetite with samosas. Although the recipe may seem a bit involved, they are fun to make (trust me) and you can adjust the seasonings from mild to spicy, spicy goodness. And then there's the cilantro chutney...I could eat this stuff all by itself. While I adore this chutney with samosas I can't help but wonder what else it would be good with. Any ideas?

Next we'll wrap up the dinner with lamb curry. Even if you think you don't like lamb, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. Or at the very least you can substitute beef, chicken, tofu or chickpeas. That's the beauty of Indian food, it's versatility.

I would recommend watching Manjula's video on samosa making. The video is about 13 minutes long but well worth the watch if you have time. Click here to watch:

Recipe from Manjula's Kitchen:

Dough:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon sooji (semolina flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup minus 2 tablespoon lukewarm water

1. Mix the flour, sooji, salt, oil and salt together to make a soft dough (add more water as needed). knead the dough for about 1 to 2 minutes to make the dough smooth and pliable.
2. Set the dough aside and cover it with damp cloth. Let the dough sit for at least 15 minutes.

Filling:
3 large boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped into very small cubes
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon amchur (mango powder) (can be found at Indian food stores, omit if can't find.)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup green peas (frozen)

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready.
2. Add cumin seeds green chilies and coriander powder and stir for few seconds.
3. Next add green peas and turn heat to medium and stir until tender.
4. Add the potatoes and stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Stir in garam masala and amchur. Add more salt or amchur according to taste.
5. Let the filling cool to room temperature.

To Make Samosa:
1. Take 2 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to make a paste and keep aside.
2. Knead the dough for a minute. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and make into balls.
3. Roll each ball into 6-inch diameter circles and cut each circle in half.
4. Spread the paste lightly all along the edge of one semicircle. Pick this semicircle up with both hands and fold it into a cone shape. Pinch the side of this cone so that it is completely sealed.
5. Fill the cone with 3 tablespoons of filling. Press this filling down with your fingers. Now close the top of this cone into a triangle shape, pinching the top edge so that it is completely sealed.
Continue filling the rest of the samosas.
6. Heat about 1 1/2" of the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. To check if oil is hot enough place a small piece of dough in oil and dough should sizzle and come to the surface slowly.
7. Place the samosas in the frying pan a few at a time.
8. After samosas are floating on top of the oil turn them slowly. Fry the samosas until the samosas turn a light golden-brown color on all sides. If you use a high heat, the samosa crust will be too soft and not crispy.

Cilantro Chutney:
1 big bunch of chopped Cilantro (green coriander)
1-3 green chopped chilies, start with one and adjust to taste
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 inch ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of asafetida (hing) (can be found at Indian food stores, omit if can't find.)

1. Blend all ingredients, except the cilantro, into a paste.
2. Add the cilantro, a little at a time, and blend. If needed, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. The water will help in blending.
3. Blend well and add more salt, green chilies, or lemon juice to taste.

Vegetable Pakora with Tamarind Chutney

In continuing the rundown of my Indian dinner, one of the appetizers I made were pakoras. If you're not familiar with pakoras, they are an Indian appetizer of vegetables such as cauliflower, onion, eggplant, potato, anything really, that are fried in a chickpea flour (besan) batter. They can also be made with chicken, fish or an Indian cheese called paneer. Basically the Indian version of a Japanese Tempura. AKA, deep fried deliciousness.

Pakoras are one of my favorite Indian dishes in particular onion and cauliflower but one of the best things about Indian food are the chutneys. There are many different varieties of chutney but my favorites are this tamarind chutney and cilantro chutney. I prefer the tamarind with pakoras and the cilantro with samosas. And you guessed it, look forward to samosas with cilantro chutney. But for today, go with the pakoras, you'll be happy you did.

Pakora recipe from Manjula's Kitchen:
1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
3 tablespoons rice flour
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
3/4 cup of water (Use water as needed)
Oil to fry
8 thin slices of cauliflower
1/2 of white onion, sliced into 1/2" pieces

1. Mix the dry ingredients together
2. Add the water slowly to make a smooth batter the consistency of pancake batter. You may need to add more or less water to achieve this.
3. Add the green chilies and cilantro. Mix well.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed deep skillet to medium heat or about 375 degrees. The skillet should have at least 11/2" of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in the hot oil. The batter should come up but not change color right away. If oil is too hot the pakoras will not be crispy or if oil is not hot enough pakoras will be greasy.
5. Dip the vegetable slices in the batter one at a time and carefully drop in the skillet.
6. Fry the pakoras in small batches, turning occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until they reach a nice golden brown.
7. Remove the pakoras from the oil, drain on paper towel and serve hot. Note that pakoras are best served right away but can be made ahead and reheated on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes.

Tamarind Chutney recipe from All Recipes:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder (can substitute onion powder)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups water
1/2-1 cup white sugar, start with less and adjust to taste
3 tablespoons tamarind paste

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan with the cumin seeds, ginger, cayenne pepper, fennel seeds, asafoetida powder, and garam masala. cook and stir over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes to release the flavors.
2. Stir the water into the pan with the spices along with the sugar and tamarind paste.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and simmer the mixture until it turns a deep chocolaty brown and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take 20 to 30 minutes. The sauce will be thin, but it will thicken upon cooling.

Makes 1 1/4 cups

Potato Latkes

I don't really know what to say about these except to tell you I love these Latkes. I've always really liked latkes and even have a recipe here for a beet and carrot variety but potato has always been my preferred latke choice. There are some bad recipes out there however, and I have been on the receiving end of them more than once. It's not pretty. If you don't squeeze that water out of the potatoes sufficiently it's game over. Or more so it's greasy, boiled potato mounds. See? Not pretty. These latkes though, are fantastic. Not too eggy and nice and crisp. Serve these babies with sour cream or applesauce and you'll be one happy camper.

Recipe adapted from All Recipes:
2 cups potatoes, peeled (russet or yukon golds work best)
2 tablespoons yellow onion, finely grated
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch nutmeg
1/2 cup oil, such as grapeseed or peanut or vegetable

1. place whole peeled potatoes in ice water for 1 hour.
2. remove the potatoes from the water and using a cheese grater, grate the potatoes (large grate.)
3. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth or clean tea towel and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
4. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg together.
5. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet heat the oil until around 350 degrees. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 inch thick patties. Fry on one side about 5 minutes or just until golden brown, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

*Keep the latkes warm in a 300 degree oven until you are ready to serve. Also, you can make a batch and freeze them by placing the cooked latkes in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once the latkes are frozen, store them in a freezer bag. Reheat the frozen latkes in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Daring Cooks September Challenge: Indian Dosas

I am crazy for the Daring Cooks challenges. Seriously, every one I have participated in has been fantastic and September's challenge was no exception. Indian Dosas from Debyi of The Healthy Vegan Kitchen were on the menu and let me tell you, they are so good that the first time I made them, I ate them for dinner two nights in a row and lunch three days in a row. I absolutely adore this recipe. Essentially a Dosa is much like a crepe with a curried chickpea filling.

This was my first experience with Dosas but I knew I would like them because I love chickpeas and I love Indian food but one of the best things about this recipe is the Coconut Curry Sauce. Good lord this sauce is delicious. From now on, anytime I make any kind of Indian food I'll be accompanying it with this sauce. In fact I made extra and have it in the freezer waiting for me. I suggest you do the same.

Thanks Debyi for another wonderful challenge!

Recipe:

Dosa Pancakes
1 cup spelt flour (or all-purpose, gluten free flour)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp curry powder
½ cup almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
¾ cup water
cooking spray, if needed

Dosa Filling
1 batch Curried Garbanzo Filling (see below), heated

Dosa Toppings
1 batch Coconut Curry Sauce (see below), heated
¼ cup grated coconut
¼ cucumber, sliced

Dosa Pancakes
1.Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, slowly adding the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.
2.Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.
3.Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes.

Curried Garbanzo Filling
This filling works great as a rice bowl topping or as a wrap too, so don't be afraid to make a full batch.

5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (red, yellow or orange are fine too)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced
2 TBSP cumin, ground
1 TBSP oregano
1 TBSP sea salt (coarse)
1 TBSP turmeric
4 cups cooked or canned chick peas (about 2 cans)
½ cup tomato paste

1.Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.
2.Mash the chickpeas by hand, or in a food processor. Add the chickpeas and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.

Coconut Curry Sauce
This makes a great sauce to just pour over rice as well. This does freeze well, but the texture will be a little different. The flavor is still the same though. It tastes great, but the texture is a little runnier, not quite as thick as it was before freezing.

1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp cumin, ground
¾ tsp sea salt (coarse)
3 TBSP curry powder
3 TBSP spelt flour (or all-purpose GF flour)
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced

1.Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, cooking for 5 minutes, or until soft.
2.Add the spices, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.
3.Gradually stir in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.
4.Let it simmer for half an hour.

Rustic Mushroom Tart

I came across some beautiful local mushrooms the other day and I couldn't resist, I bought a whole bunch. When I got home I realized that I had just bought a whole bunch and didn't exactly have a plan for them. And so the Mushroom Tart was born. I've seen many recipes for mushroom tarts that include goat cheese, spinach or asparagus, but I didn't have any of those on hand so with my stubborn nature refusing to go back to the store, I decided to experiment with what I did have and the results were fantastic. Here's what I love about cooking compared to baking; you can do your own thing, nothing has to be precise. While I do like to bake, I love to cook. It's so fun to be creative and make things up as you go along and gawd do I hate following rules. So have fun with this recipe. It's so versatile, you could use easily substitute goat cheese, use red wine or balsamic vinegar instead of white wine, leeks would be delicious as well. Also, you can make this tart even easier by using store bought puff pastry. I'd love to hear any of your suggestions!

Recipe:

Pate Brisee (or puff pastry)

Roll out the Pate Brisee into a rectangle about 9'' long (1/4' thick.) Place the dough on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until your filling is ready.

Filling:
3lb mushrooms (chantrelle, oyster, button, portabello), roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon thyme
1/4 cup white wine, such as a pinot grigio
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low-med heat. Saute onions until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for another 15 minutes. Add the wine to the mushrooms and increase heat to med-high. Allow the wine to cook down and be absorbed by the mushrooms, about 5-6 minutes. When the wine has been fully absorbed, remove the pan from heat. Stir in the thyme and sour cream. Remove your pastry from the fridge and spread the mushroom mixture over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1" edge on all sides. sprinkle the cheese over top of the mushrooms. Fold the 1" edge over the mushroom mixture, pinching the dough down as you work your way around the tart. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is nicely browned. Be sure to check on the tart while it's baking because with all of the butter in the Pate Brisee, it can burn easily. Remove from oven, allow to cool on a rack for about 5 minutes. Cut the tart into squares and serve.

Veggie Burger and Fries

I'm pretty candid about my love of meat therefore you may be surprised that I'm writing about veggie burgers. Now, don't be alarmed and think I don't like my beef, chicken, buffalo or turkey burgers anymore, I certainly do. But it's hard to deny something when it tastes this good, especially when it's also good for you. Up until this time where vegetarian burgers are concerned, I've been relying on my favorite Chickpea Burgers from 101 Cookbooks and I'll write about those later because they are sensational. However, I was up for some experimentation in the kitchen and have always wanted to try making lentil burgers.

I often make a lentil loaf when I want something lighter than a regular meatloaf. Every time I make it my boyfriend tells me of these veggie burgers he used to love to get from Burger King (I'm serious) and how the lentil loaf would make a great burger. I had some fresh home made buns straight from the oven the other night and thought this would be a great time to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. These veggie burgers are awesome. I think I like them better than the lentil loaf and they are definitely a great alternative to my other favorite Chickpea Burger.

I must also mention the fries pictured here. Two Emeril recipes in one month is an oddity around here, only because I haven't had very much experience with his recipes. Things just might have to change. I tried this oven baked french fry recipe with serious reservation. Baked fries, not on my watch! After trying these fantastic fries in which my boyfriend and I kept saying, "I can't believe how good these are and I can't believe they are oven baked," I'm willing to eat any stigma I had regarding things that are baked which should be fried.

Burger Recipe:
1 cup cooked green lentils, drained well
1/2 cup navy beans, rinsed and drained well (black beans or white kidney beans would also be good here)
1 small carrot, grated
2 TBSP yellow onion, minced
2 TBSP parsley, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP BBQ Sauce
1 TBSP Soy Sauce
1 TBSP tomato paste or ketchup
3/4-1 cups breadcrumbs (start with 3/4 cup, if your mixture seems too wet after refrigeration, add extra 1/4 cup)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 TBS creole seasoning (or a good dose of salt, pepper and a pinch each of garlic powder, cayenne and paprika.)
1/2 tsp hot sauce
Olive oil (or anything you like) for frying

Cook the lentils in simmering water for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain the lentils, rinse and drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix the lentils and navy beans. Using a potato masher or a fork, slightly mash them together. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate mixture for at least one hour. Heat a large skillet to medium heat, add olive oil. After refrigeration, form the mixture into patties. Carefully place the patties in the hot oil. Cook on one side for about 6 minutes. Using a spatula, gently flip the burgers, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 8- 10 minutes or so. Remove from the pan, drain the burgers on paper towel or a rack. It's best to allow the burgers to rest for about 8 minutes before serving.

*I like to serve these burgers with melted cheese, mayonnaise, mixed greens, sliced tomato, sliced avocado and red onion, on a toasted bun. Superb!

Makes 4 burgers

French Fries courtesy of Emeril Lagasse:
*bake on Parchment paper!
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed, about 1 1/2 pounds
1 large egg white
2 teaspoons creole seasoning

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment with vegetable oil. Pat the potatoes dry and slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Turn each slice flat and slice again lengthwise into even fries, 1/2-inch thick. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until very light and foamy. Add the potatoes and the Essence to the egg whites and toss to coat evenly.

Spread the coated potatoes on the prepared baking sheet, not touching. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy; halfway through the cooking time, with a spatula, scrape the potatoes from the baking sheet and turn. Carefully remove with a spatula to a large serving plate, or individual plates. Serve immediately.

Beet Chips and Dip

I know what you're thinking but just trust me on this one. I've never been shy about my love affair with beets. Beet latkes, borscht, beet juice, raw beets...okay, I'll stop. I'm always looking for new ways to cook with beets so you can imagine my delight when I came across a recipe for beet chips. I totally understand if you just cringed. I've been witness to more than a few recipes where the author tries to convince you that a take on something healthy is actually good, when really you never imagined that it could be possible. These beet chips and horseradish dip from Tofu For Two will restore your faith in that which is healthy. Don't get me wrong, I think regular chips and dip are some of the best things on earth. However, I am here to promise you that even if you are not a die hard beet fan, you'll probably still like, no love these beet chips.

RECIPE coutresy of Tofu For Two:

Chips:
2 medium-sized beets, peeled and thinly sliced
olive oil (from a spray bottle)
salt to taste

Peel the beets and slice them very thinly with a cheese-cutter. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray a thin layer of olive oil over the paper - you can also brush the paper with a little oil as well.

Arrange the beet slices on the baking sheet, snugly but not overlapping. Spray them with some more olive oil. Bake them in a preheated oven at 100 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes, flip the chips and bake for 40 minutes more. Check on them every 10 minutes or so just to make sure they aren't charring. After baking, salt the chips and let them cool on a rack for 15 minutes before digging in.

Horseradish Dip:
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon finely grated horseradish
chives for garnish

Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate the dip while the chips are in the oven. Sprinkle with the chives right before serving.

Cauliflower Gorgonzola Soup

There's nothing better than combining two of your favorite foods to make one exceptional dish. That's the case for me with this Cauliflower Gorgonzola Soup. I love gorgonzola and I love roasted cauliflower, therefore, I love, love this soup. I serve this soup whenever I make an elegant dinner. It's so delicate but rich at the same time. It's surprising given the simplicity of the recipe that's there's so much depth to the soup but I suppose that's the real secret behind the delicious dishes of say, Italy and Spain, for example.

If you've never had roasted cauliflower I really urge you to try it. It's unbelievable how the flavors change, it's unlike anything you've tasted before. So if you think you don't like cauliflower, give this a try. I can however, understand if you don't like gorgonzola and if that's the case for you, this soup is delicious without it too. Like I said though, I love them both and this soup is perfection in my eyes.

RECIPE (an adaptation from Married With Dinner:)
1/4 cup butter or olive oil
1 head cauliflower
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1/4 cup gorgonzola, crumbled
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Break cauliflower into large pieces and place in a roasting pan. Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place the cauliflower in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, flipping the cauliflower halfway through. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and saute until the onions are translucent, about 12 minutes. Add the stock. When the cauliflower is slightly browned and tender, remove from the oven, set aside 1/2 cup of the florets and add the remaining florets to the soup pot. Increase the heat and simmer the soup for about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove and allow the soup to cool. Once cooled, place the soup mixture in a blender and puree until smooth (you may have to puree in batches.) Once smooth, return the soup to the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the gorgonzola, remaining cauliflower florets and salt and pepper to taste. At this point you can adjust everything to your own taste; if too thick, add a little water, you can also add more cheese if you prefer. Allow the cheese to melt into the soup then ladle into bowls. A little drizzle of truffle oil is always a nice finish, should you have some laying around.

Potato Leek Soup

A couple of weeks ago for the second time this winter it snowed. When I say 'it snowed,' I mean it looked like a Disney fairytail outside, it looked fake. I had never heard silence like that in my life. Nobody was venturing out into the tundra, there was not a soul (or vehicle) in sight. Naturally this type of weather conjures feelings of warmth and drinking hot cocoa while sitting by the fire. The other craving I inevitably get is for soup. I don't mean a thin delicate brothy soup, I mean something thick, hearty and stick to your bones...I'm talking Potato Leek.

It just so happens that Potato Leek is my boyfriend's favorite soup so we have a win win situation every time I make it. I've been using this recipe from Simply Recipes for a couple of years now. I love it because it doesn't include milk or cream. I've never found a need for the addition of either because the potatoes make the soup luxuriously creamy all by themselves. I also like the spiciness of the tabasco, it really takes this soup to new level. The other great thing about this recipe is that it takes no time at all. So, while I'm sitting by the fire, warming myself up and enjoying the snow, this delicious soup pretty much makes itself.

RECIPE (courtesy of Simply Recipes):
3 large leeks, cut lengthwise, separate, clean. Use only the white and pale green parts, chop.
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
2 lbs potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
Salt & Pepper
Marjoram - dash
Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce

Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover pan, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Check often. Do not brown leeks! Browning will give leeks a burnt taste. Add water, broth, and potatoes. Cook for 20 minutes. Scoop about half of the soup mixture into a blender, puree and return to pan. Add dash of marjoram and chili sauce to taste - about 1/4 teaspoon.

Serves 4-6.

Vareniky Pyrohy (Perogies)

Perogies are equally adored by my boyfriend and myself. The major difference is that my boyfriend grew up on homemade and I on Cheemo. As I've said before, perogies were one of the first dishes I tried of Ome's and it was the first time I had tasted homemade, the difference is incomparable. Obviously a first choice from my wonderful new cookbook had to be perogies.

The texture of this dough is unbelievable. It is the most beautiful dough I have ever had in my hands, it's like silk. Given that the dough felt so delicate, I worried that it may not be able to hold up in the water. No need to worry, the crucial step is placing the perogies in the freezer for a couple of minutes after they are made. By doing so, it firms up the perogies and gives them a little backbone. The possibilities for fillings are only limited to your imagination. In this case, I opted for a trio of potato and cheddar (my personal favorite,) cottage cheese and sauerkraut and bacon. The perogies were amazing, and the best part was that my boyfriend said they were the second best he's ever had and in this case, you can't beat second place.

RECIPE (courtesy of Ann Kozak:)

Dough:
5 cups flour
1 3/4 cup warm milk
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup oil
2 tsp salt
1 egg

Sift flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and add all liquid ingredients. Mix together and knead dough until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/4 inch thick. Using a wide drinking glass or a round cookie cutter, cut dough into 2 inch rounds. Place a teaspoon of filling on each round, fold over and seal the edges by gently pinching with your fingers and then pressing lightly with the tines of a fork. Place pyrohy in a single layer a on a baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly floured and place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes (at this point you can freeze them completely on the baking sheet and once frozen, place in freezer bags.) Bring a large pot of water to a gently boil. Place pyrohy in the boiling water about 8 at a time. Stir with a wooden spoon. When they float to the top, cook 5 more minutes. Remove pyrohy, place in a bowl, pour melted butter over the pyrohy. Serve with bacon, sour cream and sauteed onions.

Fillings:
1. 2 egg yolks, 1 lb cottage cheese, 1/2 tsp salt.
2. 1 egg yolk, 1 lb cottage cheese, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, salt and pepper to taste.
3. mashed potatoes w/grated cheese.
4. 3 cups sauerkraut, 1 cup mashed potatoes, salt and pepper to taste.
5. 3 cups sauerkraut, 1/4 cup finely chopped cooked bacon.

Vegetable Pot Pie

Well, it looks like my obsession with baking has overtaken my usual cooking. I just can't seem to get enough, not only am I baking all day, now I'm looking for ways to continue baking right into the evening! I guess it doesn't help that it's been raining here for like 700 days straight now and I need comfort. When I was a kid, as I've mentioned before, we mostly ate British food and that consists of a few staples; baked beans, pickled beets and pickled onions, hp sauce, french fries or 'chips' and pies, lots and lots of pies. Therefore, a comfort meal for me is a pie with a side of beans, it is one of my favorite meals. My parents used to serve the beans right on top of the pie so you would eat them together, mmmmm.

I haven't had this meal in a long time and I rarely bake savoury pies but with my current inkling for all things baked and being that it's freezing over here, it was an obvious choice. The pastry crust recipe is one I found on Simply Recipes. It turned out flaky and tender and baked up beautifully. As for the filling, I just experimented and used up a bunch of vegetables I had in the fridge. The pie was perfect, it was exactly what I looking for. I think I'll put this on the regular roster, afterall, it satisfies so much more than my hungry belly.

RECIPE:

Pie Crust, Courtesy of Simply Recipes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced into 1/2-inch cubes (best to chill cubes in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before using)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled
3 to 4 Tbsp ice water
Egg Wash (1 egg whisked with 1 TBS water)

Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the chilled butter cubes and pulse 5 times to combine. And the shortening and pulse a few more times, until the dough resembles a coarse cornmeal, with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Slowly stream in ice water, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until the dough sticks together when you press some between your fingers. Empty the food processor, placing the dough on a clean surface. Use your hands to mold into a ball, then flatten the ball into a disk. Sprinkle with a little flour, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, before rolling. Prepare the crust. Roll out dough on a lightly flour surface to a little less than a quarter-inch thick. Cut dough in half and lay each half in the bottom of a mini aluminum pie plate. Trim off overhanging dough and apply a little egg wash. Add the filling to the top of the pie plate. Re roll the trimmed dough to the same thickness. Again, cut in half and lay the dough on each pie. Use the tines of a fork to press the edges of the dough together. Cut a 1 inch vent into each pie. Use a pastry brush to apply an egg wash to each pie. Line a baking sheet with foil, place the pies on the baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Filling:
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
1 small onion, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 potatoes
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped finely
2 TBS parsley, chopped finely
3-4 TBS heavy cream
s&p to taste

Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes or until tender, once tender, allow to cool until you can handle them and then chop into 1/2 inch cubes. Saute onion, carrots, celery and broccoli in the butter for about 10 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots are tender. Add the garlic and saute another 3-4 minutes. Add the flour to the vegetables and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 6-7 minutes or until sauce is gravy like consistency. Add the cream, potatoes, peas, corn and parsley, stir all together, cover and remove from heat.

Makes 2 individual pies.

Beet and Carrot Pancakes

If I had to pick just one vegetable as my favorite, I'd have to go with beets, perhaps for the color alone. Not only are beets beautiful, they are one of the most nutritious foods as well. I eat beets almost everyday so I'm always looking for different ways to prepare them.

I've been making these pancakes for years, I came across the recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine. These always make me happy, they are just so visually appealing that I feel like I'm satisfied before I even take a bite. As for the flavour, it may just rival the look. These pancakes are sweet and savoury with a bit of nuttiness thrown into the mix, they are simply outstanding. This is a perfect recipe for these days that seem a little too chilly and a tad too dark, they are sure to bring a smile to your face.

Recipe:
1 1/3 cups beets
1 cup carrots
3 tablespoons onions, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
oil for frying, such as grapeseed, peanut or vegetable

1. Peel the beets and carrots using a vegetable peeler or a pairing knife.
2. Using a cheese grater or the grater attachment on a food processor, grate the beets and carrots (large grate).
3. place the beets and carrots in cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
4. Combine beets, carrots, and onions in large bowl.
5. Mix in egg, salt and pepper and flour, mix well.
6. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place a baking sheet in oven.
7. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat (about 350 degrees).
8. Place about 3 tablespoons of the mixture in between your hands and form into a flat patty. Gently slide the pancake in the pan, flattening with a spatula to about 1/4" thickness.
9. Add as many pancakes into the pan without crowding too much and fry for about 4 minutes. Flip and fry on the other side for about 4-5 minutes or just until both sides are slightly golden brown.
10. drain the pancakes on paper towel.
11. Transfer pancakes to baking sheet in oven to keep warm.
12. Repeat with remaining beet mixture.

Serve with sour cream.

It All Began with this Carrot Ginger Soup

So I was thinking, Halloween, Autumn, must be about time for my Carrot Ginger Soup. If memory serves me correctly, this was the very first soup I ever made. Needless to say it holds a special place in my heart. I remember feeling so proud of myself after making this at the beginning of my cooking journey because for one, before I began this trip, mac n cheese from the box was all I made and secondly, I always thought soup was hard to make. Turns out, I've come to learn that soup is probably about the easiest thing to make, especially this one. Just because it's easy to make doesn't mean it lacks in flavour though. This soup packs quite a punch, it's so delicious and warming, not to mention so good for you. Who would of thought during all those years while I was perfecting the art of making Kraft Dinner that I'd be here with a food blog, not me that's for sure. These last few years have been truly delicious and it all started with this little soup. Happy Halloween!

RECIPE:
3 cups carrots, diced
1.5 cups onions, diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1-2 TBS fresh ginger, grated
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 TBS butter

In a saucepan over med-low heat, saute onions in the butter until onions are transluscent (about 8 minutes.) Add carrots and salt and saute another 5 minutes or so until carrots are slightly tender. Add ginger and saute for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add stock, thyme and black pepper and bring all ingredients to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool. (NOTE: Allowing the mixture to cool is the most important step in all soups before you place in the blender. Blending hot liquids will cause them to expand in the blender and explode hot liquid everywhere, I only made that mistake once!) When the mixture is cooled, place all ingredients into the blender and puree until the soup is very smooth. Once smooth, return the soup to the saucepan and reheat. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chives, green onions or fresh thyme.