Soup's on

Came up with a new potato soup recipe this weekend!  Tis the season for soup.

On a related note, I am so excited to have signed up for the breadbaking class at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in a couple of weeks.  What is better on a cold winter night than a hot bowl of soup and fresh baked bread?

Potato Leek Soup
1.5 Tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts, washed and chopped
3 medium-large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups of chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3/4 cup of sharp cheddar
1/4 cup of plain yogurt
Salt and pepper
Freshly chopped scallions

Heat olive oil in a pot and add leeks, sauteing until soft, about 4-5 minutes.  Add chicken broth, potatoes, and bay leaves. Boil until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and puree using an immersion blender (or pour into regular blender!), adding more chicken stock to thin out the consistency, if desired. Add 3/4 cup sharp cheddar, stirring until melted.  Finally, stir in 1/4 cup plain yogurt, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with chopped scallions.

I love pizza

I've got a bit of a reputation for liking variety in my menu.  Rarely will I eat leftovers more than once.  I'm constantly looking for new recipes, reading food magazines and trying out new dishes.  Even if I really enjoy something, you can bet it will be weeks if not months before I make it again.

Except...pizza.  Pizza is special that way.  I am pretty sure I could eat pizza everyday for the rest of my life.  And love every minute of it. 

This week's pizzas:
pesto, corn and jalapeno
and
tomato sauce, sliced tomatoes, red onions, and fresh oregano

Already planning the next round!

Lazy (and freezing!) Sunday

Ccold winter days need a little bit of color to help brighten up the house, so I'm extra thankful these little purple flowers are still going strong. It's 20 degrees outside.  Which, I suppose, doesn't sound crazy cold, especially to those of us still used to Midwestern winters.  It's the "feels like" 7 degrees that hits home. SEVEN.  Dig out the hoodie sweatshirt and big blanket, I am staying inside today! The day has been filled with pancakes, cleaning up my studio, dreaming of being in Borneo, trying to find a frame for the print I got for Christmas (thanks Cindy!) and cuddling up under my quilt to do some reading.

I'm also trying to eat extra healthy to make amends for some recent decadence and radishes are my vegetable of choice today.  Have you ever tried toasted, buttered bread topped with thinly sliced radishes and a bit of salt and pepper? So tasty!  I am a firm believer that few things are as delicious as freshly toasted, buttered bread.  Still ahead, making braised collards for dinner and maybe venturing out of the house to go to yoga. Maaaaybe.

Stay warm out there kids!

The Grocer

Who knew finding a good grocery store in the Boston area would be an arduous process involving way too much time spent on Yelp.com?  There are many many grocery stores to choose from, but the quality of the produce and the overall experience varies greatly.  I still have yet to find a one-stop shop but I'm getting closer.  Many of you Bostonians have heard about the glory that is Russo's.  Their produce selection and quality is really great.  And the fresh baked cinnamon rugelachs??  Yowza. Last time I got a box of those, I almost had to follow it up with buying a pair of elastic waist pants.  Russo's is great, if only it was a little closer to my home.

Enter...Wilson's Farm in Lexington.  Lo and behold, it's just as great (if not better!) as Russo's but closer to home!  Hooray!  That's the great thing about Boston, there are SO MANY options for everything.  Thanks to John and Sophia for turning me onto Wilson's.

Wilson's Farm was founded by Irish immigrants and has been in operation at its current location since 1884, so they must be doing something right.  Like making the best apple cider donut I've ever tasted.  I happened to be at Wilson's with about 5,000 others on Halloween weekend, but the payoff of having to wait a few minutes in line for a fresh donut was that no more than two minutes passed between the doughnut coming out of the fryer and my consuming it.

Other goodies I got there were fresh raspberries and the ingredients for a delicious Arugula Pear Salad.  Simply toss fresh arugula leaves with a little bit of olive oil, salt & pepper, a chopped pear (apples are good too), some chopped nuts, and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Yum. That makes up for the donut(s) right??