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Old Fashion Split Pea Soup

November 27, 2020 //
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When I was a child, my thoughts about Split Pea Soup were not good. It was something my grandparents ate from a can. It didn’t look appealing at all because really what kid wants anything green? Then, when I was a young adult, I tried a fabulous lady’s Split Pea Soup because she was my mother-in-law and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Also, I knew she was an excellent cook. That’s when the skies opened up and I realized Split Pea Soup was a comfort-food delight if made from scratch.

It became a regular dinner after the holidays in our house that my kids ate not realizing it was something to turn their nose to. My oldest asks me to make Split Pea Soup when she comes to visit.

You can use the left-over ham bone from your holiday dinner to get every last bite. Not to mention, Split Pea Soup is packed with protein and fiber. If you leave out the ham and use vegetable broth, it is a perfect Vegan dish that is hearty and packed with flavor.

Old Fashion Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 TBSP Olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, chopped (enough for 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups chicken, turkey broth or vegetable broth (for Vegan recipe)

4 cups water

1 16 ounce bag of dried split peas, rinsed

2 bay leaves

fresh thyme (about 1 tsp) or dried (1/2 tsp)

salt and pepper to taste

ham bone (preferably with meat still on it. I finely chop an extra piece or two of ham that I save) or one pre-packed ham steak, diced. You can omit the ham altogether for a Vegan recipe.

Chopped parsley for garnish (always optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot on medium heat (again I use my Dutch oven for everything). Add the onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the broth and water. Add the split peas, bay leaves and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste (lightly if you’re adding the ham, which is naturally salty)
  3. Add the ham bone and extra cut ham to the soup pot (omit this step for a Vegan recipe). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peas are tender about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  4. Remove the ham bone from the soup mixture and let cool. Then, shave off any extra meat and add it back to the pot. Discard the ham bone.
  5. Season with salt and pepper (I’d taste it before this step because it may not need it) and top with parsley for garnish.

Eat with crusty bread or Saltines like my grandparents!

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #One Pot Dinner, #Vegan, Fall Dinner, Ham, Left-over Ham, Soup, Split Pea Soup, Sunday Dinner, Vegetables

Day (or two) After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup

November 26, 2020 //
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The American Thanksgiving tradition is a great day to spend with family and friends giving thanks for everything that makes life great. Many also enjoy Thanksgiving for the coveted left-overs!

Left-over turkey on your favorite bread with mayo, salt and pepper or cranberry sauce the next day (or later that night) is a great treat and childhood memory. Getting one more scoop of mashed potatoes with gravy or a piece of Pumpkin Pie the next day makes Thanksgiving memories and flavors last.

Throwing away the turkey carcass once the festivities are done and the food almost gone can be disappointing. One solution is a wonderful pot of Day (or two) After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup. You can even freeze it for a winter meal another day.

Day (or two) After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup

Ingredients for Turkey Stock:

1 turkey carcass

cold water

1 large onion quartered

2 carrots diced

1 celery stalk diced

small bunch of parsley, 2 tsp thyme, 3 bay leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Soup:

turkey stock

1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped

1 1/2 cups celery, chopped

1 onion chopped

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP olive oil

3 TBSP parsley chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

2 tsp sage, thyme or poultry seasoning

4 cups leftover shredded or cut turkey meat

salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces thick egg noodles (or pasta of your choice)

Directions:

  1. Put turkey carcass, vegetables, seasonings, salt and pepper in a large stock pot and completely cover with cold water (but only enough to cover the ingredients)
  2. Bring the ingredients for the stock to a boil on high heat then lower to a simmer for 3 1/2 hours partially uncovered. Periodically, skim off any foam from the surface.
  3. Strain the stock through a mesh sieve or strainer into a large bowl and set aside until needed. Discard the remaining vegetables. This makes about 3-4 quarts.
  4. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté carrots, onions and celery in butter and olive oil on medium high until onions are translucent and soft about 7 to 10 minutes.
  5. Add garlic, parsley, seasonings and turkey stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer for about 7-10 minutes.
  6. Add the left-over shredded turkey meat and pasta noodles. Cook according to the pasta noodle instructions; usually no more than 12 to 15 minutes.
  7. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Note: You can use 3-4 quarts of store bought chicken or vegetable stock if you want to forego the stock process. You’ll begin at #4 making this super easy!

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, Leftover Turkey, Soup, Sunday Dinner, Thanksgiving, Turkey, Turkey Soup

Minestrone Soup with Garlic Bread

November 18, 2020 //
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Let’s talk SOUP! What is better on a cold fall or winter day?

Soup is comfort food at it’s best. It warms you up, feeds the soul and even helps when you’re not feeling well. Granted it for me it was a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle that my mom heated up on the stove and served with Saltine’s but it was still a warm memory and it always helped.

Now, my young-adult children have their favorite soup recipes that I’m requested to make when they’re home. My oldest craves the old fashion favorites — Chicken Noodle, Butternut Squash or Split Pea. While my middle and youngest request Italian Sausage with Tortellini or New England Clam Chowder. My favorite was my mother-in-laws Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup) or her Lentil with Pasta. My spouse requests my Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese and then there is my sister’s husband who makes an incredible Lobster Bisque.

We can all agree that soup is a warm blanket and if its homemade it’s even better!

My Take on Minestrone (makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 TBSP olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 14-oz cans chicken broth (Swanson’s, Organics or your choice)

1 cup water

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes

1/4 lb. green beans, cut into 1″ pieces about 1 cup (I prefer fresh but you can use Del Monte’s Canned Green Beans)

15 ounce can of white cannellini beans (drained)

1/2 small head of cabbage (shredded)

1 cup small dried pasta (I use elbow or macaroni)

Directions:

In a large saucepan or stockpot over medium-high heat olive oil and sauté the onions, carrots and celery about 5 minutes until tender but not brown. Add the broth, water, potatoes, thyme and salt . Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer partially covered, 15 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, green beans, white cannellini beans, cabbage and pasta and cook 8-12 minutes longer. This will depend on the pasta cooking time according to the directions and when the vegetables are tender (you can test the potato with a fork and should be able to pierce it easily).

Serve in bowls and top with Parmesan. For a complete meal, add a small side salad and my garlicky bread recipe below.

Garlic Bread On the Side Please!

1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 large handful of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped

1 baguette (your choice — I love the Acme Long Italian Loaf)

Kosher salt

Finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat butter and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and parsley, stirring occasionally until the butter is completed melted.

Slice bread in half lengthwise, than place on a baking sheet and brush cut sides with mixture. Season with salt and pepper and top with the Parmesan.

Slice crosswise 1″ thick without cutting all the way through. You’ll want to do this before you cook it since it’s usually too hot once it’s baked.

Bake until golden, 10-15 minutes depending on your oven (check on it regularly…I’ve burned a lot of bread in my day at this temperature!)

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #Minestrone, #One Pot Dinner, #Recipe, Food, Italian, Soup, Vegetables

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast

November 17, 2020 //
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Pot Roast or Beef Stew? This is a fair question and one that I was recently asked since both are the perfect comfort food on a cold fall or winter evening. The similarities end there though since Pot Roast is made with a whole piece of meat and requires longer cook time. Beef Stew is made with smaller chunks of meat and takes less time to cook.

Tonight’s dinner is Pot Roast. The method of braising the meat in stock, wine or water while cooking it slowly for a few hours is really the essence of the one pot dish. My choice for this recipe is Boneless Chuck Roast but you can use Brisket, English Roast, Rump Roast or Bottom Round.

Since I make this from memory, I dug through my collection to find a fool-proof one pot dinner recipe that includes carrots, celery, potatoes and pearl onions (optional).

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients:

3-5 pounds Boneless Chuck Roast

salt and pepper to taste (or your favorite seasonings)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 TBSP Canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 large onion, diced or sliced

1 TBSP garlic

2 celery stalks, cut in chunks

4 carrots, cut in chunks

1 lb potatoes (Yukon, Russet or Red), cut into medium cubes

fresh thyme and rosemary

1 cup red wine

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

2 cups beef broth

Directions:

Salt & Pepper both sides of the meat (you can add any of your favorite seasonings as well)

Heat 2 TBSP oil in a Dutch Oven or large stock pot with a lid (that can go in the oven). Add the meat and sear all sides until golden brown. Remove meat to a platter.

Add the additional 2 TBSP oil to the pan and heat. Then, add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for about 7 minutes until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of flour onto the vegetables and mix completely about 4 minutes. You want to cook off the flour flavor but add starch to help create the gravy mixture that the meat will cook in.

Add the red wine, Worcestershire, broth and mix completely with the vegetables. Once combined, add the tomato paste until dissolved.

Return the meat to the pan with the vegetables including the potatoes. Add leaves from the thyme stems and chopped Rosemary.

Place in a 325 degree pre-heated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. I remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 3-5 minutes before slicing. You can cut in thick slices and top with vegetables and gravy on a plate. Or, cut the meat and add back into the pot with the vegetables. Either way, it’ll be delicious!

This can be served with a dinner salad and crusty bread.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Entertaining, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, #Recipe, Beef, Comfort Food, Fall Dinner, Sunday Dinner, Vegetables
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