Lima Bean Soup, or the Fastest Soup Ever

Isn't it pretty?  I'm a sucker for any spring green foods, especially in the middle of a particularly snowy winter.  This is a great soup for when you don't have time (or didn't think ahead enough) to have a soup on the stove all day long.  Creamy and filling, it's a wonderful winter soup.

- Dice a small onion and mince one clove garlic.
- Sautee in a pan with a little butter until translucent.
- Add salt, pepper, and about 1 cup baby frozen lima beans.
- When lima beans are tender, add 1 tbsp butter.
- When butter is melted, add 1 tbsp flour.  Stir well to incorporate butter with flour to make a roux.
- When the butter-flour is thick and slightly golden, add 1 cup chicken broth.  You could use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian, but beware store bought broths that are often very tomato-y.  Bring to a boil.
- Let cool slightly, then carefully transfer to a blender.
- Puree until smooth (or desired consistency).
- Optionally, add just a dash of cream for extra decadence.
- Serve hot with toasty bread for dipping.

If you wanted to be cute, you could served the bowls with a dollop of plain yogurt and a few sauteed lima beans in the center.

The Lost Recipes

I cook a lot.  Sometimes I use recipes, more often I improvise.  When I'm creating something new I try to document it.  I take pictures, I write down recipes....  but not always.  All too often I let myself think, "Oh, I'll remember.  It was so easy."  Or perhaps, "I'll write it down after dinner, or first thing tomorrow," and somehow it's five months later and the page is still blank....  ahem.  So, without further excuse, here are some of the lost recipes, may they rest in peace.

This risotto had cremini mushrooms, swiss chard (from my garden!) and...  some other stuff.

A delicious sunday brunch of bacon, pear and citrus fruit salad, and....  some kind of bread pudding.

 Lemony couscous with peppers... or tomatoes?  wilted arugula, and broiled jumbo shrimp.

This was really good.  Rice noodles with beef, onions, celery, and baby bok choy in plum sauce.  The red skin of the plums gave everything a pretty pink tinge.

 Barbeque chicken leg, homemade sauce and all, with broiled green beans.

Pizza topped with olive oil, sweet onions, garlic scapes(?), chick peas, and feta or goat cheese.

Broiled chicken(?) with kale chips and cucumber salad with yogurt dill dressing.

The moral of the story is to keep pen and paper handy when you're cooking...  or just be prepared to try to make everything all over again.  Oh, darn.

Currant Confections Cultivate Contentment

There I was at the farmers market, loading up on the usual additions to round out my CSA-- a few of the first squash, some blueberries, some scallions-- and then I saw them:  bright red jewels glinting in the sun, beckoning me to come scoop them up into my basket.  I was powerless against their lure.  Never mind the fact that I had never cooked with fresh currants (I'm not sure if I'd ever even really eaten them), that was a problem for another time, like when I got home.

Weeknight Meal: Creamy Couscous with Chicken

This is a really easy meal that can be thrown together on a weeknight after work, perfect for a mild summer night with a side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes.  Adding just a dash of cream to the couscous makes it almost seem like time-consuming risotto.

• Season a chicken breast with salt and pepper.
• Heat a pan on high, add just a little butter, and sear the chicken breast.
• Reduce heat and cook the chicken for a few minutes, turning over once.
• Add 1/2 c. pearl couscous to toast to a golden brown.
• Add the juice of one lemon and 3/4 c. vegetable or chicken broth.
• Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.
• Add about 2 tbsp cream and stir.
• Add 1/2 c. chopped green onion and 1 c. baby spinach.
• After plating the dish I like to toast the few remaining morsels of couscous in the pan until they are crispy for a garnish of contrasting texture.

Serves two.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal in the summer?  Why, yes indeed!

Try substituting half of the water with coconut milk.  If you're in the mood, add a dash of vanilla.  When it's done, add the tiniest sprinkle of brown sugar, some toasted almonds, and a handful of fresh blueberries. Brew some good coffee and you're set for a day of summer adventures.

Enjoy!