When you’re stuck in the house during a major snow storm, you definitely want to make sure that your kitchen is well stocked with ingredients for warm comfort foods! As I write now cuddled up in the house with nearly 20 inches (if not more) of snow on the ground outside, I’m enjoying all the snacks one would need on a snowy day – cookies, fruit, popcorn, hot tea, and warm soup.

Little did I know when I prepared a hearty beef stew last Saturday, during another snowy day inside, that I would be snowed in once again while writing this blog post. So for those of you who may be snowed in as well, perhaps you have some beef, broth and vegetables on hand to whip up this filling stew. Regardless, beef stew makes a deliciously warm and cozy meal for any winter day.

I hardly ever eat beef, but in preparing a meal for a meat-loving friend, I decided to try my hand at the classic beef stew and share FlavorDiva.com’s first beef dish with you. I started the stew with browning the pieces of beef in a little oil and then setting the meat aside to lay the foundation for the dish with a sauté of onions and garlic. Next, adding the meat back in along with beef broth, tomatoes, chopped vegetables, and spices, I lowered the heat and simmered all of the ingredients for one to two hours. This slow cooking gives beef stew a tender bite and allows the flavors to intensify and permeate throughout the pot.

Actually, becasue of the long simmering of the stew, this is a great dish to prepare and then leave the low heat to do it’s work while you relax and watch a movie or cozy up with a book. I hope this recipe gives you a little inspiration to prepare a warming stew for your next snowy (or simply cold) day inside. Enjoy!

Beef Stew1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
1-1/2 to 2 lbs. stew beef (chuck or other stew cut)
1 tablespoon flour (optional)
2-1/2 cups beef stock
1 28-oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes (keep juice)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
5 carrots, roughly chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (red or yukon suggested)
1 cup frozen green peas

Heat oil in a heavy soup pot or dutch oven. Season beef with salt and pepper and add to pot to brown on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside. Leaving only 3 tablespoons of oil, drain off the remaining oil from the pot and discard. In the 3 tablespoons of oil, sauté the onions and garlic for about 8 minutes. Then, add the meat back into the pot along with the tomatoes (chopped and with its juice), carrots, potatoes, broth and seasoning.

Bring the stew to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. After an hour, add the frozen peas and taste the stew for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper or other seasonings if desired. Simmer for another 45 – 50 minutes. Serve with a side of cornbread, rolls or over rice.

Staring in my cabinet at two cans of pumpkin puree that were left over from my holiday baking, I asked myself, “what can I do with this besides wait until next holiday season to bake with it, or cheat on my New Year’s resolution to cut back on sweets with an attempt at pumpkin cheesecake?” The answer: a warming and slightly spicy pumpkin soup.

Leaning on my love of coconut, cilantro and fragrant curry powder, I looked to those ingredients to add full-bodied flavor to this vegetarian and vegan friendly soup. A sauté of diced onions and garlic in coconut oil provide the foundation for the soup followed by the pumpkin puree, which is then made rich and smooth with coconut milk and vegetable broth. When creating this recipe I used full fat coconut milk that includes the thick cream, but light coconut milk will work perfectly fine as well.

I shared this pot of soup for lunch with my fellow classmates in my yoga teacher training program and it was a big hit! Not to mention, just what we needed on a cold January afternoon. I hope you enjoy it too!

Note: There’s a debate among health and nutrition circles as to whether or not coconut oil should be a part of a healthy diet. I tend to lean toward arguments for coconut oil’s health benefits, but here are some helpful links – one of which discusses the arguments against coconut oil – so that you can inform yourself.

• MSN Health & Fitness on Coconut Oil
• A New Look at Coconut Oil

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
Serves 8

3 teaspoons coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder (mild or hot)
2 15-oz. cans pumpkin puree
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
4 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Squeeze of  juice from 1/2 lime
3 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat, then add onions, garlic and curry powder and sauté stirring occasionally until onions are soft (about 8 minutes or so). Next, add pumpkin puree, then stir in coconut milk, vegetable broth and water followed by salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and add cilantro. Allow soup to simmer for about 25 minutes. Add lime juice and taste for additional seasoning. Serve and enjoy!

As soon as you walk into any supermarket right now, you’re sure to be met with a bold, colorful and varied display of winter squash. Acorn squash, banana squash, spaghetti squash, buttercup squash, butternut squash, and pumpkins. Have you ever wondered, “What in the world do people do with all this stuff?” I used to.

I can’t really recall anybody from my family cooking with winter squash. If that’s the case for you too, know that these colorful round and odd shaped vegetables can offer wonderful variety to your autumn meals. They’re great for roasting and mashing, and using in baked goods and soup.

I’ve only begun to learn different ways to prepare winter squash, but warm, herb seasoned soup is one of my favorite uses for it, particularly using butternut squash. Butternut squash has a deliciously mild sweet flavor that kind of reminds me of sweet potatoes and it’s one of the winter squash varieties that’s easier to peel than others.

Butternut squash soup can be prepared various ways to give it flavor. It may include chicken broth or vegetable broth, cream or milk, or sprinkles of parmesan cheese, and the choice of spices to use are endless. I’ve seen two recipes that feature curry in the soup. I’m really looking forward to trying the recipe Dr. Sunyatta Amen, one of my dance instructors, recently featured for a tasty looking butternut squash soup that includes Thai curry and coconut milk.

My recipe uses vegetable broth, apples, sage and thyme. The apples add another mild layer of sweetness to the soup that contribute to its seasonal taste. Also, I especially love seasoning butternut squash soup with sage. Just like winter squash, sage reminds me of fall due to the herb often being used in roasted turkeys and dressing (stuffing). Using vegetable broth gives the soup a light flavor, but you can easily interchange it for chicken broth, which will add more body to the soup. Either way, it will be delicious!

Do you have any other way you like to prepare winter squash or butternut squash soup?

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4 – 5

Adapted from Deborah Madison’s recipe in
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

2.5 – 3 pound butternut squash
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium apple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
1 quart vegetable broth (4 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice off the small top end of the squash, then with the squash standing upright, carefully cut it in half with a large chef’s knife (be careful). Scoop out the seeds of both halves of the squash and discard.

Drizzle and rub a little olive oil on the flesh side of both halves of squash including inside the cavities. Then, placing three cloves of garlic in each cavity, place the halves skin side down on a baking sheet and roast uncovered in the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes or until squash gives to pressure when touched.

Remove roasted squash from oven and allow to cool for about 10 – 15 minutes. Heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven or saucepan, and add onions, sage and thyme and cook stirring occasionally for about 5 – 8 minutes.

Scoop the flesh from the cooked squash into the pan (discard skin) and squeeze out the roasted garlic from their peels into the pan as well (discard peels). Stir together, add vegetable broth and apple cubes and bring to a boil briefly before lowering the heat to a simmer. Simmer soup for 20 minutes before pureeing in batches in a blender or with an immersion blender. Taste for additional seasoning and serve.

This past Sunday as I worked my part-time job as a market manager for the Dupont Circle farmers’ market in steamy 95 degree weather, the last thing on my mind was soup. However, just a few short weeks ago at the market, I was slipping in tastes of the guest chef’s papa al pomodoro – tomato and bread soup – in between handing out samples to eager market shoppers waiting to taste the seasonal flavors being featured that day.

That weekend’s heat was no match for this past Sunday, but it was warm none the less. One would think that warm soup is an odd offering during the summer, but the flavors of Sara Polon’s (Souper Girl, the guest chef) soup left many people delighted. I was one of them.

Papa al pomodoro is a traditional Italian soup that makes use of day old bread and the bright flavors of fresh summer tomatoes and basil. My adaptation of Sara’s recipe uses vegetable broth instead of water. You could also try chicken broth instead. In addition, my version adds parsley and rosemary for more layers of flavor.

Since it is summer, I wouldn’t serve this piping hot, but warm. It makes a great lunch and would also do well for dinner served with a salad or roasted chicken.

As Sara recommends, uses the freshest tomatoes you can find. At this time of year, that’s easy – get them out of your garden (in my case, I wish) or pick them up at your nearest farmers’ market! Buon Appetito!

Papa al Pomodoro (Italian Tomato and Bread Soup)
Adapted from recipe by Souper Girl, Sara Polon
Serves 5 – 8

6 large, fresh tomatoes (about 3 pounds)
1 medium onion, diced
4 gloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 sprigs rosemary
1 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped or chiffonade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/3 loaf of day old country bread (Italian or French)

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. With a large spoon, gently add unpeeled tomatoes to the water. After 30 seconds, remove tomatoes with spoon and plunge into a bowl of cold water. Tomatoes should now peel easily by hand. Coarsely chop peeled tomatoes (core them also) and set aside along with their juice.

Empty water from stockpot and wipe clean. Add olive oil to pot and set over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (stir occasionally), about 8 – 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 3 minutes (remember, never burn garlic or it will ruin the entire dish).

Add tomatoes, including their juice to the pot along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer (about 5 minutes). Add vegetable broth, parsley, rosemary sprigs and basil. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add a drizzle of olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon sugar, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut bread up into 1″ size cubes. Taste soup for flavor. Add another sprinkle of salt if necessary. Stir in bread being sure to submerge the bread. Remove pot from heat, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove rosemary sprigs and serve. Garnish with a little basil chiffonade (optional).

I love a variety of cuisines from around the world, and one of my favorites is definitely Latin cuisine. Whether it’s Mexican, Cuban, or some other Latin American fare, I enjoy many of the common flavors and textures of beans, rice, limes, cilantro, tomatoes and spicy chilies. As I try to think back to the first time I had tortilla soup, I can’t quite remember when and where I tried it, but all I know is that I loved it.

To help combat the winter weather (I still have chills from standing out on the National Mall for hours during Obama’s Inauguration ceremony) I looked through some of my cookbooks for inspiration on a good soup. Although, tortilla soup is usually made with chicken broth, I had no hesitation about trying Deborah Madison’s tortilla soup recipe in her cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I’ve tried several recipes from this cookbook, and I’ve enjoyed every one.

Madison’s tortilla soup recipe starts with her red stock vegetable broth made from scratch. I’ve been trying to provide my readers with recipes that are fairly easy and quick to make, so I made several adaptations to Madison’s recipe to come up with a tortilla soup that takes a little less time to make but is still very flavorful.

My version of the soup calls for a quality store-bought, organic vegetable broth and canned tomato sauce. When tomatoes aren’t in season, canned tomatoes or tomato sauces are your best bet for peak flavor. Roasted onions, jalapeño peppers and garlic are also key ingredients to the soup’s base, and the avocado, cilantro and lime garnish along with tortilla strips are the ingredients that truly make the soup for me.

I tried the soup with a garnish of crumbled store-bought tortilla chips, but it didn’t give me the flavor or texture that I love in a good tortilla soup. So, I took a shot at making my own tortilla chips, and now there’s no turning back! From here on out I think I’ll stick to frying my own tortilla chips. They were so good! I made thin strips for the soup, but then I also made some regular triangular tortilla chips and I loved the flavor.

So give this recipe a try along with frying your own tortilla chips. The chips may take you a couple of tries to make sure you have the temperature of the oil just right (I burned one batch of chips because my oil was too hot), but don’t get discouraged. Keep your eye on the chips as they fry. Once the oil is hot, it only takes about a minute to a minute and a half to have crunchy chips to go with a tasty soup.

Tortilla Soup
Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Serves 6

4 Garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 Jalapeño peppers
1-1/2 Large onion, peeled, halved and sliced
3 tablespoons Canola oil
2 cups Canned tomato sauce (two 8-oz cans or one 15-oz can)
6 cups Vegetable broth (1-1/2 quarts)
2 sprigs Fresh thyme, leaves removed and finely chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 tablespoon Fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano)
2 tablespoons Fresh cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 teaspoon Salt (salt to taste)

Garnish
Quick squeeze of lime juice per bowl (about 1 or 2 teaspoons each)
Queso fresco (or shredded Mexican cheese)
Tortilla strips (recipe follows)
1 Ripe avocado, sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place jalapeños, sliced onions and garlic cloves on a baking sheet pan and drizzle with 1 tablespoon canola oil. Roast in oven for 25 – 30 minutes turning the the jalapeños over once they begin to brown or blister on one side. Remove the garlic cloves from oven after 15 minutes (before the jalapeños and onions are roasted). Onions will be charred on the ends when done. Allow to cool for 5 – 10 minutes.

Cut off the stem-end of the jalapeños and cut in half length-wise. Scrape out the seeds and veins. Add the jalapeños, onions and peeled garlic cloves to a blender along with the tomato sauce and puree until smooth.

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in large sauce pan over medium heat. Add puree and bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, thyme, oregano and salt. Stir and increase heat to medium-high. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice, and simmer soup for another 5 minutes or so. Salt more to taste if necessary.

Serve soup in bowls garnished with 2 slices of avocado, a splash of lime juice, crumbled queso fresco or shredded cheese, a handful of crispy tortilla strips, and a pinch of finely chopped cilantro. 

Tortilla Strips/Chips

Corn Tortillas
1/2 to 1 cup Canola Oil

Cut corn tortillas into long thin strips, and then cut in half to give you strips about 2 inches long. If making chips, cut tortillas across two or three times (like pizza wedges) to make triangles.

Heat oil on medium-high in a large pot (oil should be about 2 inches deep). Drop a tiny piece of tortilla in the oil. If it begins to sizzle and fry quickly without immediately turning brown and burning, your oil is ready. If it barely sizzles at all, the oil is not hot enough.

Add strips or triangles to the hot oil. Do not over crowd the pot. Fry in batches if necessary. Oil will immediately bubble up as it begins to fry the tortillas. Move tortillas around gently with a wide slotted spoon or wire spider. After about a minute to a minute and a half, tortillas should be crispy and light golden brown. Remove tortillas from oil and drain over a couple sheets of paper towels. Immediately sprinkle salt over strips/chips. Serve.

 

Yes, the title of this post sounds extremely basic. It seems obvious that if you know how to read, then you should know how to read a recipe, right? Hmmm. Reading a recipe is basic; however, there are also some tips to remember when cooking with a recipe that can help ensure success as you try out a new dish. These are some tips that I’ve learned from a few sources (a, b) and have been using for a while. I find them helpful, so I thought I’d share them with you.

Before I get started with how to read a recipe, I’d like to touch on the benefits of even using a recipe in the first place, especially if you’re a new cook. I remember attending a party several months ago and overhearing two young women talk about how they like to cook but don’t like using recipes. Based on their conversation, I gathered that they were new cooks, so I found it interesting that they both said they didn’t like cooking from recipes.

Experimentation and creativity are good, but I just don’t see how one can turn out many great dishes as a new cook not using recipes. I mean, how do you know the right amount of a particular ingredient to add in order to have a balanced taste rather than an overpowering taste? How do you know what herbs or spices go best with a particular meat or vegetable? And how do you know how high or low to keep the temperature in order to achieve your desired effect? 

These are things you learn from trying out a variety of recipes and noticing the trends of how certain ingredients and techniques are used in a way that works. Once you’ve learned the fundamentals of cooking, then you’ll have more success with your original creations. At least that’s what I’ve been told, and that’s what my experience shows.

I’m sure a new cook can come up with some tasty dishes without using a recipe, but I would image that her number of successes don’t outweigh her number of duds or mediocre dishes. But anyway, I digress. For those of you who like testing out new dishes with a little guidance and want to do away with kitchen frustration, read on.

Read the recipe carefully - Thoroughly read the recipe all the way through before you do anything.

Pay attention to details - Take notice of the order of the ingredients (usually listed in the order used). Note specific measurements and ingredient details such as “rinsed and drained,” “minced” or “roughly chopped,” or “at room temperature”. Also pay close attention to direction details.

Gather everything in place – Mise en place - Mise en place is French for “put in place”, which means to have all of your ingredients and utensils prepped and ready to use in front of you before you actually begin cooking. This will prevent frustrations like letting the oil overheat or the butter burn while you look for the garlic press or the knife to dice your onions. 

Read the recipe carefully again - After you’ve read the recipe once and gathered everything you’ll need, read the recipe once more before you actually begin cooking just to be sure that no key ingredient is missing and to increase the chances that you won’t overlook a step.

Compare and Adjust - You can do this before testing a recipe for the first time or before the second time you try a recipe. I like to compare several recipes for the same dish in order to see the different approaches people take. Then, I choose the recipe that I like best or make adjustments based on two or more recipes.

Earlier this week as I brainstormed for this post, I tried out a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis for Tuscan White Bean Soup with Ciabatta Bread. It was delicious, creamy but not too heavy, and a perfect soup for cooler weather. You can try the “How to Read a Recipe” tips using this quick recipe. I highly recommend it.

Tuscan White Bean Soup – Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Note: If you want a vegetarian version of this recipe, just substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Also, the recipe doesn’t call for salt, but I recommend salting to taste. Also, immersion blenders work like a charm.

Click here to get the recipe.