Roasted Butternut & Yellow Split Peas Soup

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Its getting cooler by the day,  we had our first snow last weekend. This icycold weather is making me crave for steaming hot soups or very spicy food. Ihave cooked pumpkin curry many times and its one of my favorite curry to have withrice. Making soups with pumpkin  is arelatively new experience. I have tried this soup few times and has been a hitin our small nest.

I roasted butternut chunks with garlicand rosemary. Herbs and garlic slowly infuses aroma to otherwise blandbutternut. Aroma infused Butternut along with split peas is a healthycombination. I also added roasted cumin and coriander powder to add a finishingnote of spice to this golden bowl beauty.

Before and After roasting butternut chunks

Print recipe hereServes 2-3Ingredients
For roasting2 tbsp canola oil750g butternut roughly chopped4-6 garlic cloves2-3 sprigs of rosemary and thyme
To make the soup50g yellow split peas1 celery stalk dicedpinch of turmeric1tbsp canola oil1 onion diced1 soup cube 1/2 tsp coriander powder1/2 tsp cumin powder
MethodIn a baking tray add choppedbutternut, herbs and garlic cloves. Add oil and toss butternut chunks till oilis nicely coated. Roast in oven at 200celcius for 20-25 mins till chunks aresoft.
Seperately wash yellow split peas andadd it to pressure cooker along with diced celery and pinch of turmeric. Addwater to cover the split peas. Cook for 2-3 whistles, turn off heat and let itcompletely cool down. Let the pressure settle before opening the lid.
Add roasted butternut, garlic, 1/2 asoup bowl cold water into a blender and blend into smooth consistency.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan sauteonion and soup cube for 2-3 minutes till onions are translucent. Add blended butternutpuree, cooked split peas, coriander and cumin powder. Add add 1 bowl cold water stir well, cover the lidand cook till soup starts to boil. Add salt to taste.
Turn off heat, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle roasted pumpkin seeds and serve steaming hot alongwith bread.
Notes :You can cook split peas in aheavy bottom sauce pan, may be for 30-40 minutes till they are soft. Soaking splitpeas ahead of time helps to cook faster.
You can also use canned lentilsalternatively.
Sprinkle some chili flakes if youprefer it to be more spicy.
Links for other pumpkin recipes1. Pumpkin chunks in garlic spiced coconut cream2. Nigella's Pumpkin & chickpeas soup3. Pumpkin Soup4. Tomyam Pumpkin Soup

Rosemary plant in my Balcony

Thyme this gorgeous tiny leaves are filled with flavor

Pasta with Goat Cheese, Spinach & Peas

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Pasta with Goat Cheese, Spinach & Peas
Here is a simple recipe for a quick pasta dish. My friend Sunshine made a version of this (with roasted zucchini) when I visited her in Duluth several years ago. She only had one child then...and now she has her beautiful daughter, B and twin sons O & S. What makes this dish so easy is that you don't need to make a sauce...just melt some goat cheese with the pasta water!

For this dish, simply boil pasta. In the last minute of cooking, I threw in some fresh baby spinach. Pull out a cup of the pasta water and set aside. While it is cooking, nuke some frozen peas until hot (or throw them into the pasta water).

In a large bowl, whisk together the goat cheese (I used 2 1/2 ounces, but you can add the whole 5 ounce package depending on your taste preference) and about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the drained pasta and spinach, and throw in the hot peas. Toss to combine and add more pasta water if needed.

This is adapted from Everyday Food's Pasta with Goat Cheese and Roasted Asparagus.
To those affected by Sandy, my thoughts are with you, your family and community. The photos are heartbreaking. I hope everyone donates to the Red Cross or assistance organization. - mary 

Chocolate Ice Cream

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Not that I haven't been making ice cream year round since I got an ice cream maker, but now that summer is here I'll be making it at least once a week. Developing ice cream recipes is such a lot of fun. Even if I don't get it exactly right the first time, how bad can a "bad" batch of ice cream be?! Homemade chocolate ice cream is my favorite form of chocolate, and this one is fabulous! 

If you want something with no fat whatsoever, make my chocolate frozen yogurt. But if you don't mind a little fat, try my chocolate ice cream. If you don't want to use Kahlua, dissolve a half teaspoon or so of espresso powder in a little hot water and use that instead. That little dash of coffee really kicks up the chocolate flavor.

Unlike many, or even most, homemade ice creams, this one is scoopable right out of the freezer. And it has the superb flavor and mouthfeel of a super-premium store-bought ice cream. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? 

Chocolate Ice Cream

(Makes about 5 cups)

1 1/2 cups organic milk (I use 2%)
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
3 large organic egg yolks
2 tablespoons Kahlua, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 In heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan, heat milk just to a simmer.

2 While milk is heating, in 1.5-quart bowl whisk together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in 3/4 cup of the cream and the yolks until mixture is smooth.

3 Whisk hot milk into egg mixture, then pour mixture into the saucepan. Over medium heat, stir constantly and cook until the mixture thickens and registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes; do not boil.

4 Strain into 2-quart bowl (I use a 2-quart glass measure to make pouring into the machine easier). Do not reuse the bowl that held the raw eggs. Whisk in Kahlua, vanilla extract and remaining 3/4 cup cream. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.

5 Assemble the Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream-Sorbert Maker; turn it on. While it is running, pour the chilled mixture through the spout. Let mix until thickened, about 20 minutes. Or follow the directions for whichever brand ice cream maker you have. If you have a KitchenAid, you can use their KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker Attachment.

6 Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe airtight container, and place in freezer for at least 4 hours. Even after days in the freezer, this ice cream was very scoopable and did not need to be left out for 15 minutes before serving.

Disclosure: If pertinent to the post, I will sometimes mention a favorite piece of equipment or other product, with a link to that item on Amazon.com or other affiliate. If you purchase something from an affiliate through one of my product links, I receive a small commission that does not cost you.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes - The Perfect Accompaniment to, Well, Everything!

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It is no exaggeration to say that I love mashed potatoes (aah ... fluffy, buttery comfort food) and could happily eat them every day. I can't tell you how many meals I've been served where I've said to myself, "This would be sooo much better with mashed potatoes" than whatever side dish the chef had chosen. But you might be saying ...

"Mashed potatoes? Who needs to read a blog post about, or get a recipe for, mashed potatoes? You just make them, right?" Well, judging by all the bad ones I've eaten in my life, No! Though, truth be told, I even rather like some of the bad ones. But plain old mashed potatoes--not a fancy, enhanced version--can be stellar.

If you grew up with really good mashed potatoes, as I did, you know what I'm talking about. My mother made them so well that when I had them away from home I was stunned to discover mashed potatoes could be bad in any number of ways: bland, watery, lumpy, gummy, gluey, gooey, runny.

Of course, there's nothing difficult or even tricky about making mashed potatoes. It's just a matter of making them with care. I learned that from my mother, who had a way of making everything taste better than anyone else's version, even something with identical ingredients. Just taking an extra few seconds to dry out the boiled potatoes, an extra few strokes of the masher to get out those last lumps, another moment to taste and adjust the seasoning--a little care makes all the difference.

Apologies to many of you, I'm sure, but why put garlic in mashed potatoes? I'm sure there's garlic in the main dish. A meal should have a variety of flavors. If one dish has garlic, the others need not. I've been disappointed by many an expensive meal where everything--bread, main dish, side dishes and salad--was loaded with garlic. C'mon ... there are other flavors! 

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

3 pounds russet potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk, perhaps a little more
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 Peel, rinse and quarter the potatoes (cut large potatoes into 6 pieces). Put them in a 3-quart saucepan and add 1 teaspoon salt and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer, loosely covered, about 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

2 During the last 5 minutes, heat the butter and 1/3 cup of milk until the butter is melted. You may need to add up to another few tablespoons of milk at the last to get the proper consistency, but don't heat it with the butter as you might not need it.

3 Drain the potatoes and return them to low heat to dry the moisture out of the potatoes. Remove from the heat. Put the potatoes through a ricer or food mill, as I used to do when I was really fussy, or use a potato masher to mash them thoroughly. With wooden spoon, beat in the heated milk and butter and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and coarsely ground black pepper (maybe start with 1/4 teaspoon). You may need to add a little more milk to get the consistency you like. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: A few things that go beautifully with mashed potatoes: Chicken Fried Steak, Boeuf Bourguignon, Braised Brisket, London Broil, Pan-Seared Ribeye Steaks, Pork Chops and Gravy, Short Ribs Braised in Wine.

Sausage Pinwheels - A Delightful Savory for Cocktails or Teatime

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 As you know, one of the most delightful repasts for me is a traditional British-style afternoon tea. A beautiful table laden with sandwiches, savories, scones, pastries and a big pot of properly made black tea is truly comfort food to those of us who have developed the habit. I made these for an afternoon tea party last week, and they were a hit! These savory spirals are also a perfect little cocktail bite to go with your preprandial beverage of choice. Made with frozen puff pastry (homemade or storebought), they're quick and easy to put together. I wasn't able to find any sausage that day that met my requirements (ethically, humanely, sustainably produced pastured pork), but I found pork shoulder that did. So I bought a pound of it and made my own sausage. Made it a little spicy since each pinwheel has just a couple teaspoons of sausage.

If you're using a sausage you haven't tried before, be sure to cook up a bite of it to see how it tastes. Then season it to suit yourself before proceeding with the recipe. What kind of sausage do you like? Mild or spicy? In casings or not? Pork, poultry, game?   Sausage Pinwheels (Makes 24) 1/2 pound bulk sausage, cooked and cooled1 sheet (1/2 package) frozen puff pastry1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan1 large egg1 tablespoon water 1 In small skillet cook sausage, breaking it into small pieces, until browned. Drain any excess fat on paper towels. Set aside to cool. While sausage is cooling, thaw pastry at room temperature for 40 minutes. 2 On very lightly floured 12x12-inch square of foil, roll out the 10x10-inch square of pastry to 10x12-inch square. With long side toward you, sprinkle Parmesan evenly over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border on the long edge farthest from you. Repeat with the cooled sausage. 3 Roll evenly toward the clean edge, wet that edge lightly with water and seal the roll. Wrap it in the square of foil. Place in freezer for 45 minutes before slicing. If you're as persnickety as I am and want to ensure perfectly round slices, split an empty paper towel roll and place your wrapped pastry roll in it, holding it closed with a couple of rubber bands or pieces of kitchen string. 4 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet (I use an 18x13x1-inch heavy-duty half-sheet pan) with parchment paper. Whisk together egg and water. Cut the partially frozen roll into 24 1/2-inch slices. Place slices about an inch apart on prepared baking sheet; brush with egg mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Can be reheated at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes just before serving.

Note: Another cocktail or teatime savory made with puff pastry is this Tomato Tart. 

Swiss Steak - Rocky Mountain Organic Meats Giveaway

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Technically, Swiss steak is round steak that has been put through a meat tenderizing machine or pounded with a tenderizer mallet and then braised in a tomato sauce. So I guess you could say, technically, my Swiss steak is not really Swiss steak at all because I don't tenderize the round steak and there's very little tomato in my recipe. But this is what we called Swiss steak in my family, so I have to go with it. 

Though the words "comfort food" often conjure up a picture of less-than-healthful eating, I'm pretty careful about what I eat, avoiding foods produced inhumanely, unsustainably, unethically, or with GMOs (genetically modified organisms), hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or any other "-cides." I look for non-CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation), pastured or grass-fed and grass-finished meats; and if they are also certified organic, that's even better. 

This recipe always tasted good, but never better than this batch, made with 6 eye of round steaks kindly sent to me by Rocky Mountain Organic Meats, a great company you've read about here before, one that meets and even exceeds my requirements. And they are going to ship 6 eye of round steaks to one of my readers! See bottom of the post for giveaway details.

Swiss Steak

(Serves 8)

4 pounds round steak, cut into 24 pieces
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped onion
3 cups water, divided
1/2 cup catsup 
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons marjoram
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup each diced green and red bell pepper

1 Cut beef into serving pieces; pat dry with paper towels. Using up to 4 tablespoons of the flour, lightly flour one side only. If you have a 12-inch slope-sided skillet, brown the meat in 3 batches. If you have a 12-inch straight-sided skillet, brown the meat in 2 batches. In large skillet, heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add first batch of the meat to the pan, floured side down first, season with salt and pepper and brown very well on both sides. Put browned meat in Dutch oven. Repeat once or twice, depending on pan size. It's important not to put too much meat in the pan at once; crowding prevents proper browning. 

2 Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and sauté onion about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Add 2 1/2 cups water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, marjoram and crushed red pepper flakes to skillet; heat to boiling and pour over beef in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover Dutch oven with lid and place in oven to cook for 2 1/2 hours at 300 degrees. 

3 Move Dutch oven to stovetop. In jar, shake 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup water until smooth. Stir flour mixture into gravy, cooking for about 5 minutes until thickened. Can be made ahead up to this point. If serving next day, let it cool, and refrigerate until 2 hours before serving time; stir in diced bell pepper and reheat slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. For same-day serving, stir in diced bell pepper and continue cooking in oven at 300 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Note: Naturally, you'll want to serve this with Perfect Mashed Potatoes!

Another Note: You could also make out-of-this-world Chicken Fried Steak with these beautiful steaks!
 Rocky Mountain Organic Meats Giveaway
One winner will receive 6 grass-fed organic beef eye of round steaks from Rocky Mountain Organic Meats. (Though the steaks are labeled as 8 ounces, which would total 3 pounds, they actually totaled nearly 4 pounds!) All continental US residents who leave a comment (one entry per person - and please include your email address in the body of your comment) on this post before 11:59 pm Eastern time Wednesday November 7 will be put into a random drawing. Winner will be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday November 8. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by 11:59 am Eastern time Sunday November 11, another drawing will be held and a new winner selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: Product was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so. And, in case you don't know me, there is no amount of money or free product that can induce me to say something I don't mean!

King's Hawaiian Behind-the-Scenes Factory Tour

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King's Hawaiian Behind-the-Scenes Factory Tour and Lunch
King's Hawaiian Bread has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the South Bay of Los Angeles, where founder Robert Taira set up his factory on the mainland. My auntie and uncle live within a mile of that factory, and I have fond memories of driving by and smelling the King's bread baking...always wondering what was going on inside. My mother even remembers friends bringing back King's round bread from Hawaii as omiyage (gifts & souvenirs) in the 1960-1970s.

My mother immigrated from Okinawa, Japan in the 60's. Every single time we eat King's Hawaiian bread or visit the restaurant, she says, "You know, the family that founded King's - Taira? They're Okinawan." Every. Single. Time. (If my mom tweeted, she could hashtag #okinawanpride!)

Yes, King's is the bread for my family. Even now, my mom's Thanksgiving shopping list includes three 24-roll packages...for about 8 people - that's 9 rolls per person!

So, when King's Hawaiian invited me for a special behind-the-scenes factory tour and lunch?! The entire west coast heard me scream with delight.

Mark Taira, son of founder Robert Taira spoke about his dad founding the bakery in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1950's. Mr. Taira's neighbor would bake a Portuguese round sweet bread that only lasted one day. Mr. Taira perfected the recipe to last much longer and an industry was born. After setting up in Honolulu in 1963, on King Street, his bread became known throughout the state. Then, in 1977 they opened the factory in Torrance, California. We visited the second factory in the South Bay. What was even more exciting? It was the very first time non-family and friends of the founders were allowed to tour the facility!

Nothing like seeing thousands of fresh hot dog buns whirling along conveyor belts...from rolling out, proofing, baking and packaging. We saw the new hot dog buns being produced as well as the delicious honey wheat rolls. At the end of the tour, they lifted a few boxes off the belt and served them up with butter. Literally, hot from the oven!

After the tour, we were treated to a wonderful lunch. King's brought in the best food trucks to make special meals on King's Hawaiian bread. Lobsta Truck rolls with butter on the new hot dog bun? OMG....so delicious! The Buttermilk Truck made french toast sticks with King's bread for a sweet treat. The Ludo Truck makes crispy, perfectly seasoned chicken, and the Kogi Truck short rib sliders on King's rolls were amazing. In addition, the King's family made delicious tail-gate treats - great ideas for the upcoming football season!

Three generations of Taira's work at the King's Factory and Restaurants including the founder's brother (not pictured) who rises everyday and works in the bakery. With so much of our food made by large multi-national conglomerates, it was special to see a successful, Southern California family business. And, as my mom would say, "Okinawan too!"

The dessert buffet was outstanding...including two types of bread pudding made with King's Hawaiian bread. Have you been to the King's Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery in Torrance? Another reason to visit the cool ocean breezes in the South Bay of Los Angeles. I love the Paradise cake, and blogged about it here and here.

I went home and opened the largest swag box ever. It contained every one of King's products, an apron, Hawaiian coffee & candies - oh my! I made a simple dessert with mascarpone fruit toasts - find the recipe in the next post.

Thanks King's Hawaiian and the Taira family for a great day!

With nationwide distribution, you can find King's in a grocery store near you. This Labor Day holiday, you should try the new hot dog buns! More information here.

FCC Disclosure: I was invited for the tour & lunch and received a gift basket from King's Hawaiian. I did not receive compensation. Opinions are my own...I'm seriously this crazy about King's Hawaiian bread.