House Oakheart: Root Beer Soup

“Beer's nice for being glad and dizzy, and sometimes for the mystery and stuff, but the happy that comes out of a beer can is not like the real happy you got to make in your heart.”

Tom Robbins, B is for Beer

Somehow, this is our second post about cooking with beer, and yet, there are no posts that involve cooking with wine.  I am, if you can believe it, not a huge beer drinker or even a beer lover (except for sour beers, those are wonderful).  Wine, on the other hand, I love.  Which makes me think that I should start making recipes that feature it.  But that will be another day.  This soup got its name due to the beer we put in it: Tennessee Brew Works Country Roots, a sweet potato stout.

What you need:

• 10 small-medium sized yukon gold potatoes, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cups lacinato kale, finely chopped
• 12 oz. beer of your choice (although we recommend the Country Roots, it was excellent)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp himalayan salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp garlic

First, heat your olive oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot and saute the onion, carrots, and garlic.  When the onions are slightly golden, add in the potatoes, about a half cup of broth, and salt.  Next, slowly stir in the beer.  We found it best to put about a quarter in, stir, add another quarter, stir, and so on.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let everything cook until the potatoes have softened, stirring occasionally. 

When your potatoes have softened, add in the kale, give everything a stir, and then add in the broth, bringing the whole mixture to a boil over high heat.  At this point, if you are satisfied with the consistency of your veggies, go ahead and remove it from heat and serve.  If not, reduce heat and keep cooking until you are happy with the veggies.

The North Remembers: Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew

This was after stew.  But then, so is everything.  When the first man crawled out of the slime and went to make his home on land, what he had for dinner was stew.

-William Goldman, The Princess Bride

This stew was the perfect dinner on a cold night.  It was full of flavor and incredibly satisfying.  Another plus?  It was incredibly easy to make!  We basically just there everything into a pot and let it turn into a thick, flavorful stew.

What you need:

• 1 1/2 cups lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 2 tomatoes, blended in food processor or vitamix
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups spinach

First, combine the lentils, broth, water, onion, and garlic in a large soup pot and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.  Once boiling, add salt, turmeric, black pepper, and ginger.  Stir, reduce heat, cover, and let everything simmer for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add all of the remaining ingredients except for the spinach, stir, bring the mixture back to a simmer, cover, and let simmer for another 30 minutes.  

Stir in the spinach in the last 5-7 minutes of cook time.  This will let it wilt without overcooking it.  Serve and enjoy!

The North: Potato Tarte Tatin

"Smeagol won't grub for roots and carrotses and - taters. What's taters,precious, eh, what's taters?" "Po-ta-toes!" said Sam. 

 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Stoney and I subscribe to the philosophy of "cheat days," where we don't eat quite as healthy as normal, 's this week, for our cheat day, I made a potato tarte tatin for our cheat meal.  I had made this dish once before, several years ago, and it was delicious, but I remembered the ending being kind of dicey - after baking, you have to flip the whole thing over so you have the puff pastry on the bottom and potatoes on the top.  The prospect of having to repeat that nightmare has kept me away from the dish since, but I figured this time, with two of us, it would probably be less awkward.

What you need:

• 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1lb. new potatoes (skin on)
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 5 oz. goat cheese
• 1 puff pastry sheet

 To begin, boil your potatoes for 25 minutes, drain, and let cool.  Slice into discs about 1" thick.  Set aside.

Saute the onion slices in the oil and some salt for 10 minutes or until the onions are slightly browned.

Grease the bottom of a 9" cake pan (we sprayed in some olive oil) and then place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom.  Next, cook the sugar and butter in a small pan on high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until you get a nice caramel color.  Pour this caramel into your cake pan and make sure it spreads over the entire piece of parchment paper. 

My parchment cutting skills are clearly not up to snuff, but the caramel came out good.

Scatter your Italian seasoning onto the caramel, and then press your potatoes into the pan, close together and forming concentric circles.  Gently press your tomatoes and onions into all of the gaps between the potatoes, and then place slices of goat cheese (or sprinkle crumbles of it, if you have crumbled goat cheese) over the potatoes.

Cut your puff pastry into a circle that is an inch larger than your cake tin in diameter.  Lay the pastry over the tart, and press the edges down around the outer potatoes.  At this point you can chill everything for up to 24 hours, but this time I chose to stick it straight into the oven.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees, baking for another 15 minutes (or until your pastry is completely cooked).  Once out of the oven, let it sit for 2 minutes, and then grab a plate that is bigger than your cake pan, hold it inverted over the top of the pan, and flip everything over (you want to move quick here).  Lift your pan off, slice, and serve.

We actually did a pretty good job with the flip!

Mhysa: Amy's Vegan Pizza

John: If he gets the wormhole tech, what will he use it for?

Harvey: Faster delivery of pizzas

Farscape

My favorite frozen pizza of all time is Amy's No Cheese Roasted Vegetable Pizza.  What I don't love is the fact that pizza dough is so calorie dense.  So, I set out to re-create my favorite frozen pizza, but with a cauliflower crust.  In the end, I think it turned out really well, and I would absolutely make it again, but I will definitely make more dough next time so that I can have the crust fill me entire baking sheet.  The final product was a 100% vegan, 100% delicious, healthy version of pizza.

What you need:

• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 1/4 cup corn flour
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or almond, or rice, whatever floats your boat)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 can artichoke hearts
• 1/2 jar roasted red pepper
• 1/4 red onion
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tomatoes, seeded
• 1 jar tomato paste
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Making the dough:

To begin, place your cauliflower in a food processor or a vitamix and blend until the cauliflower is crumbly and has the consistency of cooked rice.  Once you have reached your desired consistency, place cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 4 minutes.  After microwaving, drain the water from the cauliflower using a towel or cheesecloth.  Mix the corn flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and nutritional yeast in with the cauliflower.

Next, mix together the milk and flax meal and let it stand for about 10 minutes before mixing it in with the cauliflower mixture.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  On a greased baking sheet, press your dough into shape, making the crust approximately 1/4" thick.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.

Prepping the veggies:

Heat the oil and brown sugar in a skillet.  Cook the onion until it is nicely browned, throwing the mushrooms in for the last few minutes.

Drain the red peppers and artichokes, and slice the red peppers.

Making the sauce:

I actually ended up with sauce left over, but it was delicious, so I just put the extra in a jar and stuck it in the freezer.

Put the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a Vitamix or other blender and blend until smooth.

When the crust has cooked through, pile on your ingredients and return the pizza to the oven for 10-15 minutes.

A Feast for Crows: Black Bean Soup

A census taker once tried to test me.  I ate his liver with some lava beans and a nice chianti.

Hannibal Lector, Silence of the Lambs

Ok, so I will give you that this soup looks less than appetizing, mostly owing to it's brown, creamy texture, but don't let the looks deceive you, this soup was delicious!

What you need:

• 1 can Bush's Black Beans Seasoned Recipe
• 1/2 Onion
• 2 tbsp garlic
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1 cup corn
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• 1 sweet potato 
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 cups vegetable broth

To start, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, cut the sweet potato into about 1" chunks and slice the jalapeño, removing the seeds.  Next, grease a baking sheet and lay out the corn, onion, jalapeño, and sweet potato in a single layer.  

Roast for approximately 20 minutes or until everything looks slightly browned and delicious.

While everything is roasted, blend the vegetable broth, cilantro, carrots, celery, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic, and lime juice.  When everything is combined in the blender, add the black beans and give it a quick blend.  Once all but the roasted vegetables have been combined, spoon in your roasted veggies, leaving out about a third of the sweet potato and a fourth of the corn.  

Blend everything until smooth and creamy.  If you are using a Vitamix, blend for about 8 minutes on high so the mixture will be piping hot.  Stir in the reserved corn and sweet potato after blending and serve.  If you are using a regular blender, transfer the mixture to a sauce pan, add in the reserved corn and sweet potato, and heat.  

Green Men: Roasted Asparagus Soup

What about this: a tribe of asparagus children, but they're self conscious about the way their pee smells.

Elf.

After Christmas was over, I decided to go ahead and get myself another gift: a Vitamix!  I've been wanting one of these babies for quite some time now, and I finally pulled the trigger.  I couldn't be happier with my decision.  I think I am actually in love with an inanimate object.  This delicious roasted asparagus soup was my first vitamix recipe, and it was great.  In retrospect, I would probably leave a few spares of asparagus out of the blender, cut them up, and then stir them into the blended soup at the end, just to give it a little more texture.

What you need:

• 2 lbs. Asparagus
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp cashew butter
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• Salt, to taste

First, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Grease a pan and lay out all of your asparagus spears.  Once the oven heats up, throw the asparagus in for about 8 minutes.  Take the tray out, rotate your spears, and add onion and garlic to the baking tray.  Roast for another 6 minutes or until everything looks sufficiently roasted.

While everything is roasting, put the broth and cashew butter into the blender. When your veggies are done, toss those in the blender, too.  If your blender has a hot soup setting, you can use that, otherwise blend for about 8 minutes on high to make it hot.  If you don't have a vitamix or blendtec, worry not.  Just blend everything together, transfer to a sauce pan, and heat the mixture up.  

When the soup is nice and hot, place it in bowls, and pour (or squeeze) some of that lemon juice in.

The Old Gods and the New: Black Eyed Peas and Kale

There are only two mantras: yum and yuk.  Mine is yum.

Still Life With Woodpecker, Tom Robbins

We were a little late in our "New Year's Meal" prep, but better late than never, right?  I am a new englander, so I wasn't really aware of the southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas and collard greens for the new year.  However, once I found out about it, I decided to give it a go, but with kale instead of collards (love me some kale).  I was actually anticipating this not tasting very good, but it turned out to be absolutely fantastic and a great way to ring in day 3 or so of the New Year.

What you need:

• 1 bunch Kale, stems removed and torn into pieces
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 4 green onions, diced
• 2 cups black-eyed peas
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon (or equivalent amount of juice)

First, make sure to soak your black-eyed peas.   I did it the quick way, and covered them in boiling water, then let them sit for 1 hour.  Once they are ready, put in a sauce pan with water and bring to a boil, cooking for about 20 minutes.  Add the vinegar and half of the salt, and cook until the black-eyed peas are tender (approximately 15 minutes).

Next, you are going to boil your Kale in a large pot of water.  Boil until Kale is soft, and then drain.

While all of this is going on, cut up your tomatoes and toss them with 1/4 tsp salt in a colander.  Let them sit and shake them occasionally to get extra juices out.

Next, chop the green onions, and combine the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, Italian seasoning, parsley, and olive oil.  Once your peas are cooked, drain and add them and the tomatoes to the green onion mixture, stirring until combined.  Finally, stir in your kale.  Enjoy! 

 

Fire and Blood: Spicy Shrimp & Avocado Soup

"Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There’s shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That, that’s about it." 

Bubba, Forest Gump

This fiery soup will clear your sinuses right up, so if you love spicy, this is for you.  If you're not so keen on the hot hot heat, I've got a few suggestions on how to cut that down.

What you need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped carrot
• 1 can chipotle chile in abodo sauce*
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 15oz. can white hominy
• 1 15oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 12 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup tortilla chips
• 1 diced avocado
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves
• Plain greek yogurt**

*To cut down on spice, you can reduce the amount that you put in.  

**The yogurt also helps to cut the spice.  Stoney preferred the soup without.

Place oil in a large saucepan, add oil and heat over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery, carrot, Chipotle Chili, cumin, chili powder, and garlic.  Cook for 6 minutes.  Add the broth, hominy, lime juice, salt, and tomatoes, and bring everything to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly once boiling and cover, cooking for another 6 minutes (stir it a few times).  Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes (or until your shrimp are fully cooked).

To prep your bowls, place a few tortilla chips, avocado chunks, and (if desired) yogurt.  Pour your soup, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!  

Theon Greyjoy's Spinach Balls

These crescent-shaped nubs once had been gilded, and flecks of gold leaf still clung to them,

like spinach to teeth.

Tom Robbins, Skinny Legs and All

Growing up, I always loved these little balls of goodness.  My mom would make them once a year for her annual christmas party, and I always looked forward to this appetizer in particular.  Once I was out on my own, I made my mother give me the recipe, and I've made them several times since then.  They always put a smile on my face and are incredibly easy to make.  This year, I made a batch to bring to Christmas Eve, and as usual, they were a hit!

What you need:

• 2 packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.
• 2 1/2 cups pepperidge farm herbed stuffing mix
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together all of your ingredients except for the stuffing.  Once everything is blended together, add the stuffing and let stand for 20 minutes.  Grease a tray, form the mixture into balls, and then bake for 20 minutes.  

The mixture setting.

Wildling Rice with Chestnuts and Cranberries

There is probably a smell of roasted chestnuts and other good comfortable things all the time, for we are telling Winter Stories-- Ghost Stories, or more shame for us-- round the Christmas fire; and we have never stirred, except to draw a little nearer to it.

Charles Dickens

This paired wonderfully with the Orange Dijon Pork Roast, and we even put it in an omelet!  It is easy to make, and yields about a truck ton worth of side dish.  

What you need:

• 2 cups Wild Rice
• 1 1/4 cups celery, diced
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 8oz. jar of whole, roasted chestnuts
• 1/2 cup parsley flakes
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp dried sage
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter

To start, preheat your oven to 400, get your cranberries soaking in some hot water, and chop your veggies.  When the oven has heated, place chestnuts (arranged on a greased baking sheet) in the oven for 15 minutes, let cool, and cut into quarters.

Combine the rice, broth, water, and salt in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, then partially cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the rice is tender (stir it occasionally).  

While the rice is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet and then add the veggies and cook for 15 minutes (or until your veggies are tender).

Next, stir the herbs in with your veggies and remove from heat.  

Add your herb and veggie mix, cranberries, chestnuts, and pepper to the rice once it has cooked.  Stir.  Enjoy.