I Say Chips, You Say.....

DIP!  If you said salsa well then, shame on you! That just doesn't rhyme.  :)  Anyways I take a break from soups to give you this.

So with it being mid January, and with the fact that the super bowl is ALMOST here, I think it is time I share my most prized go to dip which I make up for every special occasion and most times for a “just because”  reason.  That reason is usually because I am craving it.    And thank goodness it is easy enough to make at any time the craving sneaks up on you.  You want to know what it is?  Of course, silly question. ………..It’s Hummus! 

I want you to forget all other hummuses you may have had in the past, or even made before and replace it with this one.  The most important thing you must know about hummus is, if it’s made with tahini paste it’s all wrong!  I mean, seriously, who goes out and buys a relatively expensive sauce that is rarely used in other recipes, just to make a simple bean dip?  If that’s your thing, than stop reading now. 

For my Easy PEAsy hummus you will need the following:

1 can chick peas (aka garbanzos beans)

4 table spoons olive oil

2 table spoons lemon juice (please don’t go out and buy lemons unless you have them, just use that amazing all ready squeezed stuff in the bottle)

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper to taste, and make sure you tasete often while blending!

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy.  Now here’s the only thing you have to think about while making it.  How tangy do you like dips?  I personally like mine with more lemon juice and less salt.  My sister likes a little tang, but she likes more salt which can draw out the flavor of the lemon juice.  If you plan on kissing your significant other at any time during the day/night, go lighter on the garlic.  If you want to ward of Edward and all things Twilight related, then go ahead and don’t be afraid to add more garlic.  (Ok so that was a bad attempt at a knock on Twilight, sorry to offend team Edward fans)  You really can’t mess up this dip unless at any point in time you have the top to the salt shaker fall off and end up with a half cup of salt in it.  Yes, I had that happen.) Be creative and experiment to find what tastes you like.



testing out my new Magic Bullet I got for Christmas!
(Notice the amount of liquid.)




Because you can’t have dip without something to dip into it, may I suggest the best thing ever.  Pita bread.  Nothing fancy and no presentation required.  I just take the bread, tear it into pieces and dip away.  If you want, buy toasted pita chips.  If you want something fresh and light I would do the celery and carrots thing.  Any veggie works.  OOOH and radishes are really good.  Sorry, Lays potato chips just don’t work. I’ve tried.  Too thin.  L 



YUM!



Splitting Peas

Ok, Ok, so YOU don't actually have to split peas. Luckily, they already come dried and split in a bag just waiting to be turned into.....you guessed it, SOUP!

Now if you think the last soup I posted was easy enough this is just as easy if not easier. And allow me to let you all in on a little secret, it's great to make for a crowd of any size.   I grew up eating this soup so I KNOW it's good for all occasions, but if you make it just for yourself you will have lots of leftovers with this recipe.

You will need the following:

1 bag split peas
1/2 a large red onion, or a whole small one,

*OR white onion if that's what you have in the fridge.  Red is truly just MY preference cause it is a bit stronger and I only like them when they are cooked down.*

1 small clove of garlic

1 small ham hock

*Another option is using uncooked bacon, about 3 or 4 slices cut up.*

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

dollop of sour cream for garnish (optional, but really adds to the soup)

This makes about 6 big servings

First, you want to rinse the peas in a colander and pick out any small pebbles or "bad looking" brown peas.  I happen to be very picky when it comes to this, and as a result many peas don't make it to the pot whether they were soup worthy or not.

Toss these into the pot and add your liquid.  They sink and don't float so don't panic.

Next, cut up the onion into bits of thirds.  I do a rough chop meaning they aren't all the same perfect size, but they are all close to the same size.  Shoot for 3 inch pieces. Remember, they cook down into next to nothing so it really doesn't matter how big they are.  Chop your garlic up at the same time.  If you are using bacon, chop that up now as well.



leave this size or cut even smaller



Add onion and garlic and bit of ham hock or  your bacon to the pot.  Add salt and pepper.  It should look like this now



The peas ARE there!



Turn on the heat to high, let come to a boil, stir occasionally the first 20 minutes or so to keep the peas from burning.  Then put a lid on it, turn the heat to medium low and let simmer for a good hour and a half.  Check at the halfway point and and stir.  Then you be the judge of how much longer you think it should cook down.

The more liquid this soup has (you can make it with 6 cups of liquid if you so desire) the less it will thicken up.  I have this soup every which way. From pretty paste like, (NOT a complaint)  to very runny (how I best like it), so you be the judge.

At this point you might be wondering about that ham hock.  Well, leave it in.  It cooks. You can take it out if you want, but I like the meat that falls off it.  Technically it is just for flavor. 

Now, just get out your bowls, ladle it up, and add a drop of sour cream to the top. I think that not only does it add more flavor, but it adds a creamy like texture. And the contrast between a really hot soup with a bit of cold cream is MMMM MMM Good!

ready to serve!

I hope you all enjoy!  And I hope your guests ask for more.

*As for the leftovers, well if there are leftovers, you can easily freeze this soup.  Or stick it in the fridge for the next day.  Let me warn you however that the longer this soup stays in the fridge the more it tends to thicken up. So if you make a batch that is thick to begin with, you might have to add a touch of water to the soup before you warm it up.  Stove top or Microwave. 

It's Winter...You Know What That Means

It's time to make lots and lots of different soups! I love making soup because not only is it super easy, but it also doesn't take a whole lot of effort.  Just some creativity.  You can make your soups as healthy as you would like (and filling), or you can "junk them up."  No matter which way you go, soups are yummy and very comforting to have on a cold winter's night or day.  Oh, and did I mention that it IS possible to make soup for just one person?  Well, one person and maybe a date, or to have enough for seconds. 

Here is a quick, easy, CHEAP, and very satisfying soup I have adapted for just me.

CREAMY POTATO SOUP

You will need the following:

2 or 4 medium sized russet potatoes (4 if you want more thickness)

1 leek (pale green stalk only)

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

What you need to do is:

Cut up potato into one inch chunks

Chop up leeks and set in a bowl of cold water. Swirl them around with you hands a bit. This gets rid of the dirt and it sinks to the bottom of the bowl

Add the chicken stock and water to the pot,

Add the potatoes and leeks

Salt and pepper to taste.

** Important!  Potatoes absorb salt like a sponge soaks up water so add more salt than you normally would and be sure to start with small amounts.  Taste as you add! You can always add more but can not subtract.  Also, you can cook it with just a little and then add salt to the finished product if you would like.**

Brink pot to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and place a lid on the pot.

Let simmer for an hour.  Stir on occasion to keep the potatoes from burning.

Now you can get as creative as you want with your soup.  Potato is an excellent base for all kinds of flavors.  You can add a dash or two of hot sauce.  You can add bits of bacon.  My personal favorite is adding about two teaspoons of curry powder.  (You will soon come to realize that curry is just about my #1 go to spice for many dishes)  I leave it up to you to "play" around with this soup and discover what you like.  Just don't add sugar. That would be a big no no.