Team Kimball

This week Team Kimball rocked our soup night. Named team Kimball for the street they live on. The team consisted of Jeff, Holly, and Anand. However, they had special help from Andrew and Michelle. Andrew, because he is a helpful guy, and Michelle, because she can't stand not having her hands in soup night. Just kidding, she's the best, and they could not of done it without her.

Menu

Bruschetta

Spinach Soup with Rosemary Croutons and Parmesan Crisps

Cake Popsicles with Ice Cream

Bruschetta

Ingredients
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 cup roasted red pepper (about 2 peppers), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups prosciutto

Directions

Set the oven to broiler. Combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper, in a large bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Cut the baguette into slices. 

On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese and prosciutto if desired. Broil for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Spinach Soup with Rosemary Croutons and Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients
Croutons
2 cups sourdough bread, cut into cubes
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary

Parmesan crisps
coarsely grated parmesan cheese (use the large holes on a cheese grater)

Soup
1 tbs butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups diced peeled yellow potatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
6 cups fresh spinach, stems removed
diced ham for garnish

Directions
To prepare croutons: Preheat oven to 375°F.
Toss bread cubes, oil, garlic and rosemary in a large bowl until well combined. Lay out on a large baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes.

To prepare parmesan crisps: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Evenly space small piles of parmesan on a large nonstick cookie sheet. Spread out parmesan mounds so that they become 3 inch wide circles. Bake for five minutes or until the cheese is completely melted, bubbling and a light golden brown color. Overcooking cheese will lead to a bitter taste. Let the crisps cool, and transfer to a cooling rack, using a thin spatula.

To prepare soup:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 3 minutes.

Pour in broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.

Add spinach and continue to simmer until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender, leaving it a little chunky if desired.

Serve the soup garnished with ham, if desired, and topped with croutons and parmesan crisps.

Cake Popsicles with Ice Cream

Cake Ball Mix
What you need

1 batch Dark Chocolate Cake 
(*see recipe below)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

4 tbs butter

1 tbs milk (or more, if necessary)

Bake the cake* and let it cool completely on a rack. It's best to let it cool overnight. When it is completely cool, break the cake into a large bowl. Crumble it with your fingers until it is a fine crumb.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and milk together until smooth, using a hand blender. Pour the mixture into the cake crumbs and mix with a spoon. Then continue mixing with your fingers, kneading and mixing until fully distributed into the cake. Start forming it into balls, rolling small amounts of the mixture in your hands to form one inch balls. If it needs a little extra moisture, add milk a spoonful at a time. Insert popsicle stick into each ball.

To Decorate
Dark chocolate

White chocolate
Coconut

Using a double boiler, melt the dark or white chocolate. Holding the popsicle by the stick coat the cake in either dark or white chocolate. You can also roll the cake in coconut.

Serve with ice cream.

*Dark Chocolate Cake

makes two 9-inch round cakes or three 8-inch round cakes

Ingredients
2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixer bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes. Mix in boiling water, and stir. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack, then tap the cakes out of the pans.

Wine Served

Beer Served

Team Wonton

Soup night is back! Sorry about the lack of entries, I was on vacation. Now begins the last round of soup nights. Soon the weather will be too hot for soup. We have decided to group up for the last rotation. This week Andrew and I went, and we also had a special helper…

Introducing Michelle

She's my boo. She lives in New York, but she is moving to chicago! She has definite soup night potential.














Menu
Cucumber salad with Roasted Peanuts
Swirled Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper Soup
Shrimp Wontons
Grilled Pineapple with Ice Cream



Cucumber Salad

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tbs. soy sauce
1 1/2 tbs. sugar
1 large jalapeno chili, minced and seeded
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cucumbers, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tbs. chopped fresh mint
4 tbs. coarsely chopped roasted peanuts

Directions
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl, whisk. Place cucumbers, onion, and mint in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve. Serves 8.

Shrimp Wontons

Ingredients
Filling
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 large egg white
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
3 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. sesame oil
canola oil
30 wonton wrappers

Directions
Put the shrimp, egg white, onions, cilantro, salt, cayenne, and sesame oil in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped; do not puree.

Place a spoonful of the shrimp filling onto each wonton wrapper.

Using your finger, dampen the edges with water. Fold the wrapper over the filling, to form a triangle. Press down on the edges to seal.

Pour a generous amount of oil into a medium skillet. Heat the oil on high until hot. Do a water test. Sprinkle water into the oil, if the oil spits, it is ready. Reduce heat to medium, and add wontons. Fry the wontons in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Remove and drain on paper towels. Makes 30 wontons.

Swirled Roasted Red and Yellow Soup

Ingredients

For the Yellow Pepper Soup:
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic
6 medium-large yellow bell peppers, roasted, cleaned, seeded and chopped
6 cups vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

For the Red Pepper Soup:
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic
6 medium-large red bell peppers, roasted, cleaned, seeded and chopped
6 cups vegetable broth

For the Garnish:
fresh cilantro
avocado
green onions
sliced jalapenos
lime wedges

Directions
Roast peppers on the stove. Turn heat to high, and place peppers directly onto the flame. Blacken all sides. Place roasted peppers into a large bowl and cover. This will allow them to sweat, and the removal of the skin will be easier. Allow peppers to cool, and remove skin.

For the Yellow Pepper Soup: 
In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions, celery, and carrots, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Using a hand-held blender, puree the soup until smooth. Place back over the heat, and stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper.


For the Red Pepper Soup:
Repeat the same steps as the yellow pepper soup, replacing the yellow peppers with red peppers. Do not add cream to this soup.

To serve this soup, it may take teamwork. Ladle a spoonful of each soup simultaneously into the bowls. The soup should appear to be half red pepper and half yellow pepper.

Garnish each soup with cilantro, lime, avocado, jalapeno and green onion. Serves 10.

Grilled Pineapple with Ice Cream

Ingredients
vegetable oil
1 pineapple, peeled and cored, cut crosswise into 10 slices
honey
cayenne pepper
coconut ice cream
avocado ice cream
mint leaves, for garnish

Directions
Heat a grill pan to medium; lightly oil pan. Lay pineapple out on a baking sheet. Drizzle honey and sprinkle cayenne onto each slice. In batches, place pineapple onto grill. Grill until light-brown grill marks appear. Serve pineapple with coconut or avocado ice cream (I know avocado ice cream sounds strange, but it was so good); garnish with mint. Serves 10.

Wine Served

Beer Served

My Favorite Things

Here are some of my favorite things from Kaitlin's kitchen.  She's got great taste.

 This timer is magnetic.  You can put it right on the fridge, and the colors are great.

I've never seen measuring spoons like these.  They are so cool.

kaitlin's turn

Irish eyes are smiling and so are our bellies. This week Kaitlin dazzled us with an Irish feast. Enjoy the pictures, because what fills the eyes fills the heart.

Menu
Irish cabbage and potato slaw
Irish colcannon soup
Irish soda bread with butter and cheese
Bailey’s cream puffs, tea cookies, and ice cream

Irish Cabbage and Potato Slaw

Ingredients
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into slices
1 small Savoy cabbage, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
4 scallions, green part only, chopped
2 tbs. distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tbs. canola oil
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions
Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, and cover with cold water. Cook over medium-high heat. When the potatoes are almost cooked (they should have some resistance to a knife), drain them. Cut the potatoes into ½-inch slices and set aside.

Quarter the cabbage, cut out the core and shred into 1/2-inch strips. Place cabbage, carrots, and scallions in a large mixing bowl.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard powder, sugar, salt and pepper, mix until sugar dissolves. Mix in the oil. Pour dressing over vegetables. Using hands, mix to coat vegetables with dressing. Add potatoes and mix again. Cover slaw and set aside for 15 minutes to wilt cabbage. Pour in buttermilk and mix. Cover and refrigerate slaw until ready to serve.

Irish Colcannon Soup

Ingredients
2 tbs. butter
4 cups vegetable broth
4 medium potatoes
2 ribs celery, cut in pieces
4 parsley sprigs
1 cup light cream
1 medium onion, sliced
4 cups chopped cabbage
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh dill
1 tbs. chopped chives
1 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. pepper sauce

1/16 tsp. nutmeg
bacon for garnish

Directions
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, celery, parsley, and 2 potatoes, which have been pared and sliced. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, purée ingredients. Pare remaining 2 potatoes and dice. Add to pot along with remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Serves 6, garnish with bacon.

serve with Irish soda bread

Bailey’s cream puffs, tea cookies, and ice cream

beer and wine served

Oatmeal Stout from Revolution Brewing