[In a pinch] Moving Day

This weekend marked the beginning of a week-long transition from the two-bedroom apartment that my roommate and I share, to a three-bedroom in the same complex so that our friend could join us as a third roommate. It's been pretty chaotic living half in the old apartment and half in the new.

I found myself at the old apartment at dinnertime, and I needed to scrape together something to eat while I finished packing up the kitchen. Everything had been packed and moved except my cast iron skillet and the food in the fridge. and the end of a loaf of bread.

It's times like these, when you're in a pinch, that it's good to have some "shortcuts" around. Something quick and easy that doesn't require many pans or much fuss.

I threw my skillet on the stove at medium and grabbed a can of Wolfgang Puck's Organic Creamy Tomato soup. Yes, soup from a can. Hear me out: this soup is so, so good. I don't even like tomato soup for the most part. But this is a really delicious shortcut that doesn't have any terrifying chemicals like most canned products. They're 2 for $5 at my Publix, so I keep a couple on hand for when I don't have the capacity to cook. And yes, I heat it in the microwave. No apologies. also no pots to clean.

[Turns out the can opener had already been packed, too. But I was already committed.

So I used a knife. Desperate times, folks. Do not attempt this at home.]

Back to the skillet. I buttered up a couple slices of bread and grabbed some Havarti cheese from the fridge (if I eat it, then I don't have to pack it!) and made myself a grilled cheese. The Havarti is so creamy and melt-able, once you try it you won't be able to go back to boring old cheddar. Having nicer cheese on hand is another great shortcut to a delicious but easy meal. My favorite combo as of late is Havarti and Muenster (props to my roommate's mom for introducing me!) on thick-sliced bread.

Tomato soup and grilled cheese is a classic, and probably brings back childhood memories of the comfort-food combo. Keep some fancier cheese and a can of this creamy tomato soup on hand for when you're in a pinch but still want to eat well!

     

    

Monday, Shmonday. Make this soup!

This weekend we Atlantans had a nice reprieve from the rain and the late winter cold. Friday evening Laura and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather. It was just warm enough to eat outside and just cold enough for butternut squash soup- what a perfect end to the week. Did we mention beer? There was a little bit of beer. But just a little. Really. We sat outside and enjoyed each others' company, a superb warm meal and the cool breeze of one season turning into another...

Il était doux, non?

Well. That was Friday. Now it is Monday. Now it is cold and rainy again. Now, as I write this, I am soaking wet from standing outside in the rain while my new puppy finds the courage to do her business outside-yes, Mae- even when it's raining.

O mon dieu. D'accord...

What I wouldn't give for another bowl of butternut squash (or squatternut bosh if everything in your life is also a Friends reference) soup. It's quick, easy, full of flavor but impressive enough to serve any guest any time... as long as they don't know how quick and easy it really is...

 

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash 2-3lbs, peeled and roughly chopped (it's getting blended, so just make sure your chunks are uniform in size to make for quick, even cooking)

1 medium sized apple, peeled and chopped

1 small to medium sized onion, chopped

3-4 cups vegetable stock (or 3-4 cups water and 2 tsp Better Than Bouillon paste)

1-2 slices bacon, chopped (I love getting Broadbent bacon from the Farmer's Market)

1 small apple, diced (optional)

croutons

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)

You can do this entire soup in one pot. This is another reason I love this recipe.

Heat medium-low to medium (I wouldn't go above a 6 if you like to play the numbers game) a tablespoon or so of olive oil in an 8-quart or so pot.

Add your bacon and fry until almost crispy. Remove and set on a paper towel. And save for later. Do not drain the bacon grease. This will add loads of delicious flavor.

Add your butternut squash, apple and onion to the pot. Give 'em a good stir to make sure they're evenly coated with the olive oil/bacon grease. It should take about 10-15 minutes for these guys to get soft enough to blend. Just remember to stir often and adjust your heat (down) if they're getting too brown. These aren't supposed to get dark and they shouldn't stick to the pan. Keeping a lid on the pot will help them soften up, too.

Once the squash and apple are tender (can you cut through a piece of squash easily using a wooden spoon?), add your stock. Take the pot off the heat. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then take your immersion blender to it. You'll have to kind of mash some of the chunks as you puree, but you'll see it gets smooth quickly. This should take about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Add back on the heat if you need to, keeping your burner on low.

When you're ready to serve this, typically 2-3 ladels will do. Top with croutons (if you're making them fresh- cut up stale bread into 1/2 inch chunks, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes, watching to make sure they don't burn), bacon, jalapeno, and, if I'm feeling crazy, a little bit of fresh apple.

[almost naked soup...put some clothes on, soup!]

[fully dressed soup. perfection.]

Until next time...

DIY Buttermilk. Thank me later.

We 3 Happy Eaters kind of stumbled upon Breakfast Week. You might say it was fate, but whatever you call it, we all separately had our minds on the most important thing of the things you eat. Katie with French toast, Amanda with a fresh herb omelet, and me with pancakes.

While my fellow Happy Eaters ate their aforementioned breakfast foods at the appropriate time of day, I whipped mine up for a weekday dinner. Pancakes are great for when you're just too lazy to go to the store, because the ingredients are all things you normally have on hand anyway! It's like a free meal!

 

[Read on to find out how easy homemade whipped cream is! Really!]

I used this recipe for the pancakes. Obviously the key ingredient in buttermilk pancakes is the buttermilk. Let me stop you before you run to the store because I said the ingredients were all things you have on hand and I stand by that.

Buttermilk is expensive and you rarely need the entire half-gallon you're required to purchase when all you need is 1/4 cup (so the rest rots in your fridge). So allow me to change your life with this simple kitchen trick.

When recipes call for buttermilk, more specifically baking recipes, what they are really calling for is the chemical part of buttermilk (baking is a science, folks!). By adding regular vinegar to milk you've already got on hand, you can re-create this chemical state. It's really that easy! Never buy buttermilk again!

DIY Buttermilk

3/4 cup regular milk

1/4 cup vinegar

Before you start your recipe, combine the milk and vinegar and give it a little stir. You'll see that the milk is already becoming thick, like buttermilk. Let it sit while you're preparing the other ingredients, then add whatever amount the recipe calls for. I always make the above proportions even if the recipe calls for less than a cup.

I really like this pancake recipe because they have a slight crisp to them and they aren't too sweet. That means you can heap loads of sugary things on them without hesitation!

 

[An homage to Paris's Nutella-banan crêpes. Sigh.]

I layered mine with Nutella and sliced bananas and topped the stack with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. Speaking of awesome kitchen tricks, homemade whipped cream is so easy there's no excuse to buy the hydrogenated stuff ever again. And it tastes so much better. And your friends will be so impressed. I dare you to try it.

Easiest-ever Homemade Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tbs white granulated sugar (not powered!)

Beat the cream until it's a little bit frothy, so it'll hold the sugar without it all falling to the bottom of the bowl. While beating, slowly add the sugar. Then beat until peaks form that don't fall. (Don't over beat though.) Put. on. everything.