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Author Archives: daniellethompson

Quick and Easy Vegetable Soup

25 Jun

(Original source: AllRecipes.com)

If you are new to cooking, this soup offers an ideal way to develop your culinary skills and confidence. I made this soup in June 2011 for my boyfriend at the time who had never boiled water before and I was determined to teach him how to cook. As I told him, “Food does not get simpler than this. Chop some vegetables. Dump them in a pot with water, chicken broth, and vegetable juice and boil until tender.” The result: tasty, nutritious soup to last you for the week! That’s all there is to it!

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
  • 1 (11.5 ounce) can tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (I use V-8 juice)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped fresh green beans
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Creole seasoning to taste

Instructions:

  • In a large stock pot, combine broth, tomato juice, water, potatoes, carrots, celery, undrained chopped tomatoes, green beans, and corn.
  • Season with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
 
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Posted by on June 25, 2011 in Soups

 

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

25 Jun

(Original source: About.com “Southern Food” Recipes)

One of my culinary goals this summer is to expand my repertoire of pie recipes. You might think that with all the family recipes on this website I would have easy access to a recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie, but not so! After much Google-searching, I finally found the one you see below. I almost tried a recipe from Martha Stewart’s catalog, but did not feel like spending 6 hours preparing a pie. This recipe is quick, simple, and the orange zest adds a pleasant tangy flavor. I suggest making strawberry rhubarb pie in early summer when rhubarb is ripe and available in many major supermarkets.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

  • Pastry for a 2-crust 9-inch pie *
  • 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Dash ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups 1/2 inch pieces fresh rhubarb
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange rind/zest (optional) *
  • 1 tablespoon butter

* You may make your own crust or buy a prepared one. You also have the option of creating a lattice-style crust.

Instructions:

  • In a large bowl mix together the sugar, tapioca, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  • Add the rhubarb, strawberries, and orange rind and stir until the mixture coats the spoon.
  • Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
  • Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry; spoon in the strawberry rhubarb mixture.
  • Dot the top of the strawberry rhubarb mixture with the butter.
  • Cover the pie with rolled out pastry; crimp edges.
  • Bake in a preheated 400° oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until crust is browned.
  • Serve pie warm with with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Chef’s Tip:
If the pie comes out runny, pop it in the refrigerator overnight to allow the ingredients to solidify.

 
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Posted by on June 25, 2011 in Desserts, Pies, Southern Pies, Summer Pies

 

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Beef Chili

19 May

Aunt Gail

This chili recipe is originally from my paternal grandmother, Inez who died long before I was born. Although I never had the opportunity to meet her, I have enjoyed many of Inez’s recipes through Aunt Gail’s cookbook, No Matter What, Just Keep On Cooking!

Below, is the story behind this recipe as told by Aunt Gail: 

“[My mother] made the best chili I have ever eaten and when years later I gave the recipe to my friend, Joe Sluder, he won a Chili Cooking Contest in Atlanta, GA! This also used to be my ‘just in case’ meal. That meant just in case my kids brought home two or three unexpected friends for dinner (which often happened), I could pop this on the stove in a hurry and be sure they would be happy!”

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves 6-8
Freeze any leftovers. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs lean ground chuck (ground beef)
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 2 regular size cans dark red kidney beans (drain juice from one of the cans)
  • 2 (14.5 oz. cans whole tomatoes with their juice
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 to 3 lbs. chili powder (add more if you are brave enough, but taste first)!
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. cumin (add more to taste in last 15 minutes of cooking if desired- Aunt Gail usually needs to do this)
  • 2 tsp. sugar

Instructions:

  • In a large Dutch oven (this is a large pot), brown the ground chuck with the onions, stirring constantly until the meat is no longer pink.
  • Drain all of the fat from the mixture.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients, squeezing the juice from each whole tomato and breaking the tomatoes up in your hands before adding them to the pot. (Be sure your hands are clean)!
  • Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low or medium low, depending on how your stove cooks and cook for 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  • Mixture is done when it has become rather thick. You don’t want runny chili.
  • Taste for seasonings and add more salt, chili, or cumin if needed. Some people can take it hotter than others.

Serving Suggestion:
Aunt Gail suggests serving with corn bread and turnip greens if you like “soul food.” Be sure to cook your turnip greens with a little fatback!

 
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Posted by on May 19, 2011 in Beef, Entrees

 

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Chocolate Chess Pie

19 May

Aunt Gail 

Chocolate Chess is another Southern pie. This recipe is originally from my paternal grandmother Inez who died long before I was born. Although I never had the opportunity to meet her, I have enjoyed many of Inez’s recipes through Aunt Gail’s cookbook, No Matter What, Just Keep On Cooking!

Below, is the story behind this pie as told by Aunt Gail:

“When I was in high school, living on the Franklin Turnpike in Danville, VA, my mother made us this after-school treat every day. And every day, Tommy, Pam, and I devoured a whole pie…before dinner!* I can still remember anticipating it as we came home on the school bus. Pam wasn’t old enough for school yet, but we, out of the graciousness of our hearts, included her in this marvelous concoction! And my kids enjoyed it just as much when I carried on the tradition. (However, I didn’t make it every day)!” 

*Dad insists he and his sisters did not eat pie every day, but regardless of whose memory is correct, the story is sweet!

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  • 3 Tbsp. cocoa
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  • 1cup sugar
  • Dash of salt
  • ½ stick margarine or butter, melted
  • 1 (8 inch) pastry shell, unbaked

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Combine sugar, flour, and eggs; beat well.
  • Melt the margarine and add the cocoa, salt, and flavoring.
  • Combine the egg mixture with the cocoa mixture.
  • Pour filling into the unbaked pastry shell and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Bake for the first 15 minutes at 400 degrees and then at 350 degrees for the remainder of the time.

Chef’s Tips:

  • Aunt Gail says “most of the time, Mother never made a topping for the pie;” however, you may cover with meringue if you wish.
  • Use an aluminum pie pan for an 8 inch pie.

 
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Posted by on May 19, 2011 in Desserts, Pies, Southern Pies

 

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Sautéed Spinach

16 May

Mom

Mom was an improvisational cook, so the below measurements are just suggestions since she never put exactly the same amount of ingredients in each time. Because I never asked her for the recipe, these were the best estimates Dad and I could come up with.

Ingredients:

  • Abundant supply of freshly washed spinach
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Small amount of diced purple onions
  • 2 Tbsp. sun dried tomatoes
  • 4 black olives, sliced once in half
  • 1 Tbsp. capers
  • 2Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 tsp. dried cranberries (optional- Mom didn’t use these, but it’s a nice addition)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Pour olive oil into pan. Be careful to not overdo the olive oil, as it can make the spinach soggy.
  • Add garlic, then salt, pepper, onions, sun dried tomatoes, black olives, capers, and dried cranberries if you choose to use them.
  • Cook on medium to low heat for 3 mins., slowly stirring ingredients occasionally, moving them towards center of pan.
  • Add spinach and stir towards center of pan as before, but this time, do so briskly. Cook down to desired texture. If you need to add more spinach and it starts to get dry, add more olive oil, but only after spinach has cooked down all the way and it is certain that more oil is needed.
  • Take off heat and add feta cheese, allowing it to melt on top of spinach mixture and then stir in.
 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes

 

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Simple Green Beans

16 May

Aunt Anni

(Based on a recipe from Julia Child’s cookbook)

Aunt Anni gave me this recipe for Thanksgiving 2010 when I suddenly found myself in charge of holiday food preparations while I was in the middle of studying for finals and writing papers during my first semester of graduate school. Since I was short on time, I started calling all of my aunts asking for quick, easy recipes and these green beans fit the bill.

Ingredients:

  • Green beans
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Butter and seasonings to taste

Instructions:

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil
  • Add a good amount of salt (~ 2-3 tsp. for a medium saucepan full of water)*
  • While the water is boiling, wash and trim the beans (Aunt Anni just chops about a quarter inch off both ends by the handful)!
  • Once the water is boiling, toss in the beans, bring water back to a boil, and cook the beans until they start to turn bright green (about 3-5 minutes for haricot vert and 4-5 minutes for regular beans).
  • Drain beans in a colander. Immediately turn on cold water and add a large handful of ice to the beans in the colander. Mix the ice around so that all the beans are cooled.**
  • Once the ice has melted, return the drained beans to their saucepan.
  • When you are ready to eat, reheat the beans with butter and seasonings (but watch the salt, since the water was so salty!) You can do this up to an hour ahead of time.

*Make sure you use a pot that is large enough for the beans to “swim” a bit. You don’t want them to be too crowded or else they won’t cook evenly.

** The ice gives the beans a pretty bright color and seals in the flavor.

 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Holiday Side Dishes, Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes

 

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Garlic Tahini Greens

16 May

Auntie Jan

Ingredients:

  • Big bunch of washed and chopped collards or kale (I strip the kale from the stalk and chop it separately)
  • 5-6 (or more) cloves of minced garlic
  • ~ 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ~ 3-4 Tbsp. tahini
  • 1-2 Tbsp. honey
  • Dash of soy sauce
  • “A dash plus another dash or two” of sesame oil

Instructions:

  • Steam veggies until just right.
  • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté garlic in vegetable oil.
  • Stir in over low heat:
    • Tahini, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil.
      • If mixture is too thick add more oil; if too thin, add more tahini.
      • Mixture should coat but not get claggy.
  • Mix gently with steamed veggies.

To serve:
Add pine nuts or slivered almonds. Toasted sesame seeds are yummy on top as well. Dash of fresh lemon is tasty too


 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes

 

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Caesar Salad with Egg Dressing

16 May

Danielle and Aunt Jaymie

Aunt Jaymie and I have a tradition of getting Caesar salad at Panera every time I visit her in Richmond, so during one of my school breaks in college we decided to learn how to make our own! This recipe is very good and tastes similar to the salad at Panera. I don’t remember where we found it or else I would gladly acknowledge the source…either in a cookbook or online.

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time: N/A

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups croutons
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • ½ cup parmesan
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. dry mustard
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 6 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 2 eggs
  • 4-5 anchovy fillets

Instructions:

  • Mix first 8 ingredients.
  • Break 2 eggs and toss.
  • Add croutons and anchovy fillets.
 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Salads

 

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Danielle’s Special Salad

16 May

 This is an improvisational recipe that I created years ago when I first started living on my own. I simply blend all my favorite salad ingredients and live off of this for a few days. I love that this salad looks different every time I make it and allows ample room for creativity.


Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: N/A

Ingredients:

Salad

  • 1 head of fresh romaine lettuce or 1 bag of pre-washed romaine lettuce. *
  • 1 carrot (you may substitute for shredded carrots if short on time)
  • 1 red pepper
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 pack of cherry tomatoes
  • Feta cheese or mozzarella balls
  • Shaved parmasan cheese
  • Dried cranberries
  • Optional: cilantro, chickpeas, and/or tabouli

*You can use mixed greens if you like, but I always make sure there is some romaine.

Instructions:

  • Place lettuce in bottom of large bowl.
  • Add other ingredients. If preparing for company, I like to arrange the cucumbers, avocados, cherry tomatoes, and red peppers in fun designs on top of the lettuce. If you are going for a Christmas theme, use both red and green peppers.

Serving Suggestions:

  • Serve with a dinner entrée or add tuna fish/chicken salad/sardines or other type of lean protein for a deliciously healthy lunch.
  • You can serve with any type of dressing you like, but I usually eat this salad with olive oil which is especially good if you add sardines.

Chef’s Tips:

  • If stored dry (without dressing), this salad stays good in the refrigerator for a couple days.
  • Double the recipe if preparing for a large gathering.
Salad
 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Salads

 

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Grapenut Pudding with Fresh Whipped Cream

16 May

(Original source: Boston Examiner)

Grapenut pudding is my boyfriend Jason’s favorite dessert. I made this for him the first time he came over to my house for dinner. I also made him eggplant parmasan, his favorite meal. 🙂

Preparation Time:
Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

PUDDING:

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 3/4 cups grape-nuts cereal (not flakes)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Spray an 8″ X 8″ baking or casserole dish with vegetable spray. Do not use metal.
  • Warm milk almost to scalding. Remove from heat and stir in Grape-nuts. Let sit for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl with a whip attachment, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Whip until well mixed. Add milk and grape-nuts and mix on low only until blended.
  • Fill a 9″ X 13″ pan 1/3 with hot water. Place the prepared 8″ X 8″ dish into the pan with the hot water. Pour grapenut pudding into the smaller pan. Place the pans very carefully into the oven, and bake for 45-60 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
  • Serves 6-8. Can be doubled in a 9″ X 13″ pan.
  • Chill and serve with fresh whipped cream (recipe below).

WHIPPED CREAM:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Instructions:

  • In large mixing bowl, beat cream until it sets up. There’s no way to explain how long this will take. Every mixer is different. It should be light and fluffy and look like soft whipped cream. Do NOT let it get to the butter stage which can happen very quickly. If in doubt, under mix. You can always whip it a little more after the sugar is added.
  • Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy and stiff. Do not over beat.
 
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Posted by on May 16, 2011 in Desserts, Puddings

 

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