Post Tagged with: "Carrots"
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Serves: 8
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: EasyThe other day, my wife requested that I make Tomato Basil soup some time. Rather than just getting a can of it at the store, I decided it was high time to try my hand at a new recipe. So I sought out some recipes and found one that seemed like a good one (though let’s be honest, most every recipe was about the same). Well, I gave the recipe a go, and admittedly, it was a complete bust. I followed the recipe exactly, and the end result was bland and overly brothy. So I had to improvise and add in some last-minute magic. In the end, my off-the-cuff efforts were worth it, as the final product was one of the best Tomato Basil soups that my wife and I have ever had. If you’re in the mood for a good, flavorful, and healthy soup to warm you up, look no further. You’ll be glad you tried this recipe!
Pork Tenderloin Chop Suey
Tonight, my parents were in town visiting after they hosted us for Thanksgiving, and my mom and I teamed up to tackle a new recipe for my 50 in 15 Challenge. And after listening to my dad’s Thanksgiving sermon on Wednesday night, in which he reminisced about his late mother who would’ve been 98 years old this Thanksgiving, I was inspired to make one of her famous dishes — Chop Suey. But there was a catch: No one has the actual recipe. She had it in her head, and just made it from memory. So up front, I knew there was no way to replicate it to give my dad a completely accurate representation of one of his favorite childhood meals. But after some recipe searching and brainstorming with my mom, we came up with a recipe that was at least darn close to what they remember from grandma. The end result was a delicious, healthy, and comforting dish. And more importantly, it got a thumbs-up from my dad, who was delighted with our nod to his mother.
Individual Vegetable Pot Pies
Last night, I was in the mood for some good old fashioned comfort food, and figured I’d make a pot pie recipe. But rather than making one big pot pie, I decided to try my hand at individual pot pies, which admittedly aren’t vastly different than making one big pie. I joined together two recipes — a Healthified Pot Pie recipe (one of my favorite recipes) for the fillings, and a recipe for Individual Pot Pies from the Pillsbury website, which uses its Grands! Flaky Layers biscuits for the top/crust. Even though part of the recipe was from an existing recipe I’ve made before, making them individual and trying a new top/crust method seems to warrant a legitimate entry into my 50 in 15 Challenge.
The end result of this recipe was absolutely delicious. It’s healthy, warm, comforting, and topped with the deliciousness of flaky biscuits. You will definitely want to make these pies the next time you’re in the mood for some comfort food!
Fresh Homemade Marinara Sauce
For quite some time, one of my culinary goals has been to make my own homemade pasta and fresh homemade marinara sauce. The trouble is that most of the “homemade” recipes for marinara sauce call for canned tomatoes, which in my mind isn’t truly and authentically homemade. Luckily, I came across a great recipe for Homemade Tomato Sauce that I ended up using. It took time and patience to prep and make, most notably when peeling and seeding the tomatoes. But I think that the end result was worth it. It’s 100% homemade (no canned tomatoes), healthy, and delicious. And it’s not only another check off of my list of culinary goals, but is also another addition to my 50 in 15 Challenge.
One thing that I must admit is that my first go-round making this sauce ended up being a bit bland, most likely because I used the smaller amounts of onion, garlic, and herbs, as listed in the ingredients list. It wasn’t by any means bad, but did result in me needing to add in some flavor after-the-fact with additional dried herbs and garlic powder.
If you’re in the mood for some amazing marinara sauce and want to spend some quality time in the kitchen with a bunch of fresh tomatoes and herbs, you’ll definitely want to try this recipe.
Vegetarian Quinoa Black Bean Chili
After a few cooler days here in Michigan, with the feel of fall in the air, I was inspired to try a new chili recipe, both for a change of pace and also for another recipe to add to my 50 in 15 Challenge. I did a bit of poking around at various black bean chili recipes, and found a few that I liked. Rather than just picking one, I ended up making a recipe that was a combination of all of them. The end result was a phenomenal, hearty, and healthy chili that’s sure to please. Even though it’s vegetarian, the inclusion of quinoa and soy burger crumbles help make it more hearty. And dare I say that if you don’t tell anyone what kind of “meat” it includes, they won’t notice the difference.
If you’re looking for a new chili recipe, do yourself a favor and give this one a shot. It pairs swimmingly with some homemade Sweet Cornbread Muffins, and is a definite winner for football season and the chilly months to come!