Soup-er Lizzie

One of my favorite lunch spots in Atlanta is Souper Jenny - Meghan always takes me there when I visit! Unfortunately we do not have an equivalent in Richmond - so I continued my Soup a week project and worked over time this week on two delicious concoctions...

1) Crockpot Tortilla Soup - I learned about it on pinterest (my cooking board is here..check it out!)

Source: jonandjenmiller.blogspot.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

This was super easy as most crock pot recipes are (another favorite here) - you just throw in all of the ingredients and leave it on high for 6-7 hours "set it...and forget it" - my steps below -

Chop - Dump, Open - Dump

Keep Dumping the Cans

Add the raw chicken 

7 hours later - mmmm tortilla soup

The chicken is so tender at the end I just forked it and it fell apart - super delicious - we have been eating it this week with Tostitos - yummmm

The most difficult part was stepping over my sous chef George....he likes to lounge on the kitchen rug when I'm cooking....always hoping a scrap may drop his way....

My extra credit soup this week was Butternut Squash - my favorite fall/winter comfort food! So rich and delicious - I always check the Costco cold section for precut/skinned....it makes this one an easy recipe...

I forgot to take an after picture - but this is a staple in our house so I'll be sure to update on a later post.

Home Sweet Hanna Butternut Squash Soup:
- 2 LBs Butternut Squash (peeled/chopped)
- 2 TBS Unsalted Butter (or olive oil)
- 1 Large Sweet Onion
- 1 Quart chicken Stock
- 2 TBS Cinnamon (more if you like)
- Cayenne Pepper (add a little at a time till you get to desired spiciness)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)

Brown the onion in your pot (I have been using my Le Creuset Dutch Oven) with butter or olive oil - add the squash, stock, and spices.  Bring the pot to a boil (you boil the squash similar to potatoes) - and cook till tender (about 15 minutes) uncovered...important because you need some of the liquid to evaporate.  Then comes the fun part - use my favorite kitchen tool (as mentioned here) the Immersion Blender to puree the squash mixture.  Let simmer on low for another 15 minutes - add spices to taste.....grab a spoon!

Next week - maybe Pumpkin Soup for Halloween?  Need to locate more pumpkin - the real stuff is hard to come by and I only have one can left in my pantry.  Will keep you posted!

Tomato Basil Soup

This week Home Sweet Hanna smelled like basil, garlic, onions, and roasted tomatoes - all elements of Ina Garten's delicious Tomato Basil Soup.  This recipe was easy and super delicious - my only modifications are I used my immersion blender and 3 onions (the market only had small ones this week) -

We got the plum tomatoes from Costco... aren't they gorgeous and they were very affordable...

4 Cups of Garlic - took the rest of my current plant...so I got a new one to add to my "herb garden"

All ingredients simmer for 45 minutes

Viola - I left it kind of thick - so yummy...Brian said it was better than Coppolas...

I served the soup with a grilled cheese - the perfect fall meal in my opinion!

Really.Delicious.Chicken.Chili

My goal this fall/winter is to make soup each week....

Top 5 Reasons for Soup-aloop: 
It's delicious
Affordable
Warms the tummy on cold days
Makes us eat veggies
With days getting shorter (dark by 6PM yikes) -quick/easy dinner

My first soup this fall/winter - Ina's Chicken Chili  was seriously delicious - click here for the recipe.  I would definitely recommend this to chili lovers and haters - you can really change the spiciness with the amount of cayenne/red pepper kick you add...my prep work below...

She did it again - love that Barefoot Contessa!  The chili was healthy, delicious and very fresh - it was a bit different from more traditional chilies (no beans or beef) - just bell peppers, tomatoes, chicken, onion, and herbs/spices.  I loved the fresh basil addition - took me back to Italy!  Another reason I was drawn to this recipe....I did not have to buy any new spices - the flavors could all be found in my spice rack (ugh cabinet) - chili powder, cumin, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper...."how easy is that"

Pretty sure this is going to be a regular around Home Sweet Hanna!

Killer Cupcakes

To celebrate Brian's 29 years of greatness - I broke out the food coloring (a whole tube of it) and made his favorite Red Velvet Cupcakes from scratch.  This was my first attempt - but they turned out bloody brilliant if I do say so myself.  Just glad no one walked in while I was baking; the batter (RED RUM...RED RUM) was all over my kitchen and would have frightened anyone who mistook the spatula in my hand for a weapon. See below....

Finished product - complete with windmills from Pier 1 Imports

The scene kind of reminds me of these Dexter ads - 

Anyways they were easy to make and delicious - will most definitely keep this recipe (Food Network) in the file for future bdays or Murder On The Dance Floor celebrations!

It's all GREEK to me!

"There are three things that every Greek woman must do in life: marry Greek boys, make Greek babies, and feed everyone."  My Big Fat GREEK Wedding 


I am not Greek - so the first two do not apply  - but the third one rings true with this dish....

Last night the Hanna House went GREEK!  No togas or ice luge were involved - instead we cooked a delicious/quick/easy cous cous dish topped with Greek yogurt....It was quick and easy to prepare (especially since my sous-chef is a master chopper) - we used frozen shrimp to keep the cost down which we sauted and then peeled prior to adding it to the cous cous mixture.  The recipe is a one pot supper for four servings  (we had asparagus as a side - but didn't really need it). It would make a lovely side dish for a potluck supper (as a side I'd eliminate the shrimp and add some feta for a delicious Mediterranean side salad that would feed an army).....we had two healthy servings last night for dinner and will be enjoying a large second helping this evening!

απολαύσει

(enjoy!)

Quick Greek Cous Cous with Shrimp in the September issue of Cooking Light.

Ingredients

·         1 1/2  cups  water

·         1 1/3  cups  uncooked couscous

·         1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided

·         1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

·         3  tablespoons  olive oil, divided

·         1 1/2  pounds  peeled and deveined medium shrimp

·         1  cup  grape tomatoes, halved

·         1/2  cup  thinly sliced green onions

·         1/3  cup  pitted kalamata olives, halved

·         1/4  cup  2% reduced-fat Greek-style plain yogurt 

Preparation

1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pan. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add shrimp to pan, and sauté for 3 minutes or until done. Add shrimp to couscous mixture.

3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, tomatoes, onions, and olives in a large bowl; toss. Add tomato mixture to couscous mixture; toss to combine. Serve with yogurt.

“I got the hummus”

Remember the Friends episode “The One Where No One is Ready” when Phoebe gets hummus on her dress right before Ross’s speech at the museum? So funny! At the time (1996) – I have no idea what Hummus was…I just assumed it was a zany Phoebe Buffay food that normal people would not even consider eating!

Fast foward 14 years and Hummus has become a staple in the Hanna House. We love the Trader Joes flavored varieties (mmmm kalamata olive) and often keep a stash of the supermarket Sabra brand on hand for veggie/pita dip.

Recently we conquered the fear of making our own hummus…it’s so easy and inexpensive….I owe it all to my sister-in-law Laura who gave me the most magical kitchen appliance ever – and my cooking fairy godmother Ina Garten ….the recipe is from her Back To Basics cook book – and can be found on Food Network online...

We have yet to modify the flavors because the lemon is just so clean and delicious – but I suspect we will venture into our own combinations soon!

Pics of our preperation:

Luscious Lemon Bars

I recently made Southern Living Luscious Lemon Bars (featured in the March 2010 issue) and let me tell you - they are worth the effort!  

This recipe is great because it is composed of ingredients you already have on hand (I only had to buy 3 lemons) - and the end results is a lemon drop meets shortbread miracle in your mouth! 

They make a lovely hostess gift and freeze beautifully.  Enough said....ladies.....start your ovens.....

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar



Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil or parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

2. Stir together 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together baking powder and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture. Pour mixture over hot baked crust.

5. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift from pan, using foil sides as handles. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Remove foil, and cut into bars; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

My Advice
They seem jiggly when you first take them out of the oven and I was worried the custard top would not set - that is where the "cool completely" instruction (difficult for an inpatient baker like myself!) comes in handy - be sure to cool them a few hours before trying to slice or you will end up with a runny yellow mess!   Happy Baking!

Mmmmm Mermaid Mary

 

Thinking of trying this bloody Mary recipe - via People Magazine - it's from the Mermaid Inn which is about a block from my former NYC apartment in the East Village.

Dosn't it sound really spicy and delicious....how can you go wrong with the Old Bay garnish?!?     I'm thinking of  making a batch for Blake's upcoming Bachlorette party at the beach - she is my martini/ bloodymary loving soul mate after all! 

Speaking of Bloodies - there is a restaurant/bar in the fan with a Bloody Mary bar on the weekends....Buddy's .  Kim, Brian, and I discovered the Bloody bar apres running the 10K - we ordered bloodies, but were given glasses of vodka with ice.....after mild humiliation upon suggesting the bar had forgotten the mix...we pushed our way through the crowd to the fill-up station....but what to our wondering eyes did appear....bloody mix, celery, olives, old bay, pickles, and horseradish to smear!  Pretty awesome concept!

Perhaps I need to make it a Sunday Bloody Sunday this weekend! YUM

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