Lentil Potpie

This is an older recipe of mine that I use so often that I thought I would share another version of it. I usually make these with leftovers, like chili, but this time I made a quick lentil soup instead. You can use pie crust or puff pastry whichever you have on hand; they are both yummy and quick.

I used chimichurri salsa to season my soup, but you can use fresh parsley if you have it.

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb lentils
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 4 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can diced toms
• 4 sliced of bacon, diced
• Fresh parley or 1tbls chimichurri salsa
• Fresh Sage leaves
• Salt/pepper
• ½ cup White wine
• 32 ozs of stock, chicken or veggie
• Puff pastry sheets

Directions:

• Sauté in large pot the bacon, onion, carrots and celery until the the onions are translucent.
• Add all the remaining ingredients and simmer until the lentils are tender and ½ or more of the liquid has reduced.
• Cool, spoon into individual bowls and top with puff pastry dough.
• Cut slits in the top to ventilate.
• Bake at 375 until the dough is golden brown and the soup bubbling.

Cheese Soufflé and Vampire's Morning Cocktail

It’s Barefoot Bloggers time. Barefoot Bloggers are a community of bloggers that get together twice monthly to make, eat and post about Ina Garten’s recipes. Today’s recipe was chosen by Summer of Sexy Apartment. She has Chosen Blue Cheese Soufflé, which can found in Barefoot in Paris. This was my first soufflé and it was not only easy but also beautiful and delicious. My only advice is to make sure you have ALL the ingredients before you get started. I was reading as I was going and half way in realized I was short one egg white. Thank you to our wonderful friends and neighbors for coming to the rescue.


Here is Ina’s recipe.
I did make a few changes, those will be in red.
Ingredients

· 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
· 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1 cup scalded milk
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
· Pinch cayenne pepper Extra pinches
· Thyme
· Pinch nutmeg
· 4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
· 3 ounces good Roquefort cheese, chopped 1C Bergenost
· 5 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
· 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar


Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Butter the inside of an 8-cup souffle dish (7 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches deep) and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the hot milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the cayenne, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, until smooth and thick.
Off the heat, while still hot, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the Roquefort and the 1/4 cup of Parmesan and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Put the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, on medium speed for 1 minute, then finally on high speed until they form firm, glossy peaks.
Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten and then fold in the rest. Pour into the souffle dish, then smooth the top. Draw a large circle on top with the spatula to help the souffle rise evenly, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (don't peek!) until puffed and brown. Serve immediately.


Vampire’s Morning Cocktail

Ingredients:

• Orange juice
• Pineapple Juice
• Cranberry juice (the straight stuff)
• Ginger Ale

Directions:

• Fill a highball glass half full with a 50/50 mix of orange juice and pineapple juice.
• Top the glass off with ginger ale.
• Drip the cranberry juice down into the glass. It’s good for it to drip a bit on the glass for a more bloody effect.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole and Ghost Pears

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

I received a cookbook in the mail from Carnation and thought I’d share one of the recipes with you all. My gang loved it. This casserole would be great to take to a football game or other fun gathering. And like all great casseroles, you can make it ahead and then even freeze it.

Recipe adapted from Carnation.

Ingredients:
8 Medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes. I used baby red potatoes so that I would not have to peel them.
1 C Evaporated Milk. We like our mashed potatoes creamy so I added more milk.
½ C Sour Cream
1 tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Black Pepper
2 C Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
6 Slices of Bacon
6 Green Onions, chopped


Directions:
Boil potatoes until tender.
Drain the water from the potatoes; add milk, sour cream, salt and pepper and mash.
Stir ½ the cheese, ½ the bacon and ½ the onions.
Spread into a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees or until heated through.
Top with the remaining cheese, bacon and onions and bake a few minutes more or until the cheese is melted.


Sweet Ghosts For Your Sweets
These take just a few minutes but they are always a big hit.


Ingredients:
6 pears
Craft Sticks or wood skewers cut in half
10-12 oz Almond Bark
Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Push the sticks into the top of the pears.
Melt almond bark in a glass-measuring cup.
Hold the pears by the stick and roll them in the melted almond bark.
Let cool slightly and place the chocolate chips on the coated pear for eyes.
Place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to set.

Baked Ricotta

It time for me to post my blogger find of the month. This find is actually one that I came across a few months ago and LOVE. It’s so simple and so yummy! I found this recipe at Taste With The Eyes, home of amazing chief, photographer and blogger Lori Lynn. Please go visit her, you’ll instantly want to stay for dinner.

I’m going to post the link to Lori’s site and to the recipe so you all can go check them out. Mine was yummy but not as beautiful as hers.

Taste With The Eyes Super Summer Soiree

Sunday Suppers at Lucques By Suzanne Goin's. Recipe excerpt at Amazon.

Zucchini Rice Casserole

When I was a kid my mom made only one casserole, which I still remember. She continues to make it and so do I. It’s always a hit and always yummy. There is a bit of prep work but with our modern kitchen conveniences it makes short work of it. This casserole is my go to meal whenever I want to bring a meal to someone, as we did this week for our sweet neighbor who had her second baby a few weeks ago. I make this because I can leave it unbaked and then the family can either bake it then or freeze it to eat later. The recipe comes from my mom’s 1974 Southern living Casseroles Cookbook. I’ll give my adapted version that is 35 years in the making. OH, and by the way I remember her telling us she was making this for the first time. She had a small mutiny on her hands…until we all tasted it.

Zucchini Rice Casserole

Adapted from Southern Livings Casseroles Cookbook.

Circa 1974

Ingredients:

This will make two casseroles. So if you don’t want to give or freeze one then cut the recipe in half.

• 3 C cooked rice
• 2 Lbs. Ground beef, I’ve used ground turkey and it tastes the same.
• 1 onion
• Lots of Oregano, I use fresh.
• Salt/Pepper
  
• 6 large zucchini, sliced
• 2 large tubs or large curd cottage cheese
• 4 Cans of cream of mushroom soup
• Breadcrumbs

Directions:

• Cook rice. I actually cook mine in the microwave so that I can reduce my amount of prep time.
• While the rice is cooking brown the beef with the onion and oregano and set-aside until the rice if done cooking.

• Wash, cut and cook the zucchini. Leave it a bit al dente as it will bake again and you don’t want it mushy. Again, I use the microwave to do this step.
• While the zucchini is cooking mix the beef and rice together. I just dump the rice into the cooling pan with the beef.

After the zucchini is cooked it's time to start layering the casserole.

Here is the order:

• ½ of the zucchini
• Rice/beef mixture
• Cottage cheese
• Zucchini
• Cream of mushroom soup
• Breadcrumbs
  

Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Time to eat! YUM!