And by a “lived in” smell, I definitely do not mean the aroma of a seventy-two pound black lab or a laundry basket of overflowing with dirty gym socks.

The lived in smell I’m talking about is the warm and welcoming aroma of something downright delicious simmering away on the stove – a delightful smell that immediately greets you when you trudge through the door at the end of a long day of school or work.

A smell that makes you happy you’ve got a momma who’s overly-consumed with her culinary addiction psychosis hobby.

For instance, a big ol’ pot of tortilla soup.  Tortilla soup after all, is fluent in the language of YUM.  And its favorite phrase is “Welcome home!”

We enjoyed this soup with my favorite roasted vegetable quesadillas.  Also, just thinking ahead to next weekend; this soup would be a great way to use up any extra scraps of Thanksgiving turkey!  Just a thought … always thinkin’!

TORTILLA SOUP WITH CHICKEN

Serves:  6-8

Source:  Recipezaar.com; Recipe #85800

• 3 T. vegetable oil*
• 8 corn tortillas, diced small
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• ½ c. chopped cilantro, divided
• 1 – 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (Red Gold brand is on sale this week)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 T. cumin
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups chicken broth* (Swanson’s canned broth is on sale this week)
• 1 t. salt
• ½ t. cayenne pepper
• 4 cooked chicken breast halves, shredded or chopped

GARNISHES:

• shredded cheese
• diced avocadoes
• sour cream
• 2 corn tortillas, sliced thin and fried crisp (optional)*

In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the tortillas, garlic, half of the cilantro, and onion, cook and stir for 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil.  Add the cumin, chili powder, bay leaf, and chicken broth, and return to a boil.  Reduce heat; add salt and cayenne and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and stir in the cooked chicken and remaining cilantro; continue to simmer until chicken is warmed through.

Ladle soup into heated serving bowls.  Garnish with shredded cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, and tortilla strips.

*NOTES:  The original recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of oil, but since I’m a health nut and all (laughs out loud, slaps knee), I cut this in half.  Feel free to use the full amount if you’re the indulgent type.  I’ll never judge.

*Also, if you’re going to make the soup earlier in the day, count on it thickening up a little bit, thanks to the starch in the corn tortillas.  I needed to add a bit more chicken broth at the end to thin it out for serving.

*And finally, while the fried tortilla strips are not at all difficult to make, you might not want to futz with them.  I’ve served this soup with a big handful of crunched up Tostitos and my family has been none the wiser!

When we were growing up, the ONLY kind of peanut butter my mom would buy was Skippy Super Chunk. There was always a jar of it in the cupboard, and we had it on our toast and in our cold lunch almost every day. I didn’t even realize that smooth peanut butter existed until the mid-70’s or so, when I had lunch over at a friend’s house! I came home from the playdate effusing with happiness over the exciting news: you could actually buy peanut butter where all the peanuts were perfectly smashed, and it was wonderfully delicious! We didn’t have to have those annoying crunchy chunks in our Peanut Butter & Wonder Bread sandwiches anymore, and wasn’t that super news?

My dad caught wind of my peanut butter recommendation and immediately had something to say about it. “Aww, YUCK, Leah!” he said. “Creamy peanut butter is boring and way too sweet! Chunky is the only way to go!”

Hmmff. And so it was and continued to be at our house.

But I remember the very first time I bought a jar of peanut butter when I was out on my own. In fact, I distinctly recall the glorious day I went to the Harris Teeter in Rock Hill, South Carolina (where I went to school) and was able to choose which kind of peanut butter I wanted – and hey Dad, guess what!?! Choosy college co-eds choose SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER!

That was the revelation. I hope you weren’t expecting anything deeper out of me.

These days, the only time I make an exception to my ‘smooth peanut butter only’ rule is when I make these amazing cookies. Chunky peanut butter was on sale last week, and this week the other key ingredient, roasted salted peanuts, are on special. If you’ve got Super Chunk fans at your house, these cookies will knock ‘em dead!

In fact, I can’t wait to have some waiting for my dad when he comes for Christmas.

Happy Monday!

BIG, SUPER-NUTTY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Makes Approximately 3 Dozen

Source: cooksillusrated.com

• 2 ½ c. flour
• ½ t. baking soda
• ½ t. baking powder
• ½ t. salt
• 2 sticks butter, salted
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. extra-crunchy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 1 c. roasted, salted peanuts, ground in the food processor to resemble coarse crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Place flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand), beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Add ground peanuts, stir gently until just incorporated.

Working with two tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into large balls, placing them two inches apart on the cookie sheets. Press each dough ball with the back of a dinner fork to create crosshatch marks. Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along edges, but not on top, 12 minutes (they will not look fully baked). Cool cookies on cookie sheet until set, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

*NOTE: sometimes I divide the dough in half and freeze it – this works great and is much better than having stale cookies hanging around!

Yesterday was one of those days… I just. Couldn’t. Do it.

Fried rice is my standard fall-back dinner on days like yesterday. The whole DamFam LOVES fried rice! If you keep a few staples hangin’ around your pantry, fridge, and freezer, you’ll be able to throw together a huge batch of fried rice any day of the week — without having to waste good lipstick and hairspray so that you look presentable at the store!

Now, brace yourselves for a bit of life changing information. I’m about to give you a few tips for perfect fried rice. Here we go!

First of all, it is highly important (and this really can’t be stressed enough) to start out with cooked rice that is both cold and dry. You can’t make good fried rice out of a batch freshly cooked, steaming hot rice. It just won’t work; trust me, I know these things. Hot rice will stick together in a big, yucky, starchy glob and will only lead to dinnertime disappointment and untold sorrow.

Luckily, a wee bit forethought will help you avoid such dreadful issues. I like to make my rice in the morning. Immediately after it’s finished cooking, I spread it on a cookie sheet to let the steam escape and cool it down quickly, then I put the cookie sheet in the fridge (uncovered) for the whole day.

My favorite types of rice are basmati or jasmati, although sometimes I use jasmine if I have it on hand. Definitely do not use converted rice (like Uncle Ben’s), and absolutely, positively do not use Minute Rice.

Repeat after me: Minute Rice is from the devil. It’s true.

Ideally you’ll need a wok, or at the very least a giant sauté pan. Have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking, because once you start the stir-fry process, things will happen very quickly — you won’t have time to stop and finish slicing and dicing! I like to have all of my ingredients organized in separate bowls on a cookie sheet. I’ve used this system for years. Makes me feel quite organized and efficient.

Lastly, maintain a screamingly hot pan throughout the entire cooking process. You might have to wait a minute in between cooking the various ingredients so that the pan comes back up to temperature before continuing. That’s okay.

And there you have it. Economical, delicious, and a great way to avoid driving to the store!

If I don’t have shrimp on hand, I also love to make this with diced ham steak. Actually, my kids prefer it with ham over the shrimp! If you choose to use ham, skip the cornstarch/salt step.

SHRIMP FRIED RICE

Serves: 5 Hungry Damrons, plus a little leftover for lunch the next day.

Source: ??

• 8 oz. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, cut into small pieces
• ½ t. cornstarch
• ¼ t. salt

• Neutral cooking oil

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 can diced water chestnuts, drained

• 3 eggs, beaten with a splash of dry sherry (about a teaspoon)

• 4 c. cold cooked rice

• 1 c. frozen peas and carrots, thawed
• Fresh bean sprouts, big handful (optional)
• 1 T. soy sauce (or more to taste)

Toss the shrimp with the cornstarch and salt and set aside for 10 minutes.

Place a wok or a very large sauté pan over high heat. The wok will be ready when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates almost immediately upon contact with the pan. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into the wok and swirl around to coat. Add the shrimp in one layer. Allow them to cook undisturbed for a minute or so. Flip them over (I like to use a pair of tongs) and allow them to cook undisturbed for another minute or so on the second side. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Pour an additional tablespoon of oil into the wok and swirl to coat. Pour in the beaten eggs, and scramble them very quickly until nearly done. Slide eggs out onto the plate with the shrimp. Cut the eggs into small pieces.

Pour another tablespoon of oil into the wok, and swirl to coat. Add the onion, scallions, and water chestnuts. Stir fry for three to four minutes, or until onion is softened. Remove vegetables to the plate with the eggs and the shrimp.

Add one more tablespoon of oil to the wok and swirl to coat (hey, I never said this was a low fat recipe). Add the rice to the wok. Spread it out so that as much rice as possible is touching the surface of the pan. Cook the rice undisturbed for two minutes or so (it should definitely be sizzling). Using a wooden paddle or spatula, flip the rice over and continue to cook on the other side for another minute or so. Add to the pan the shrimp, eggs, onions, peas and carrots, bean sprouts, and soy sauce. Toss everything together; cook for a few minutes so that everything is warmed through. Scoop in to bowls and serve, passing additional soy sauce at the table.

I nearly scrapped the whole thing, but earlier I had run into a friend (and loyal FFF reader) who asked (as she always does, ‘cause she’s really sweet), “What’s for dinner tonight??” When I told her about the curry, she said she couldn’t wait to read about it. I couldn’t let her down! Let’s just don’t breathe a word to the Hub. We don’t want him blowing a gasket over the high cost of shrimpies… although truthfully, he probably wouldn’t mind because he loves this dish as much as I do!

Sometimes I just get such a hankerin’ for this curry! When the craving gets to me, I can scarcely think of anything else. It’s an illness. I’m seeking help. Thank you for your concern.

With pungent red curry paste and salty fish sauce, it’s much more of a Thai inspired dish than an Indian one. Loaded with spinach, red bell peppers, and carrots, this dish will help you channel your inner Popeye, improve your eyesight, and feel more…worldly. In the best possible way. I hope I’m allowed to make those claims.

OH! I almost forgot. Before I run along, I want to remind you to stop in for the one-day meat and seafood sale TODAY! In an effort to redeem myself for the whole full-price-shrimp-debacle, I’m planning on stocking up on all kinds of bargains!

SHRIMP CURRY WITH SPINACH

Serves: 4

Source: epicurious.com

• 1 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk, chilled (find this on the bottom shelf of the ethnic aisle)
• 1 ½ – 2 t. Thai red curry paste (a few shelves above the coconut milk)
• 1 lb. medium shrimp (I used 1 ½ lbs.), peeled and deveined
• 2 T. naam pla (Thai fish sauce, also in the ethnic aisle)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin crosswise
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 bag baby spinach
• 3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 T. chopped fresh basil (optional, I had it on hand so I threw it in)
• Hot cooked basmati rice as an accompaniment

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the thick coconut cream from the top of the coconut milk, and in a large heavy skillet, cook the cream over moderate heat, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes, or until it is thickened slightly. Add the curry paste and cook the mixture, whisking, for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and sauté the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, for 1 – 2 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink. Add the coconut milk and the fish sauce and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute, or until the shrimp are just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

To the skillet add the carrots, onion, and bell pepper, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Add the spinach, stirring until it is wilted. Return the shrimp to the skillet and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Sprinkle the dish with the cilantro and basil, and serve it over the rice.

This creamy, luscious platter of yumminess was what I was planning on bringing to a friend’s house as an appetizer last night. Was. Planning on bringing…’til I became a walking billboard advertisement for migraine medication whilst perusing the salsas in the ethnic food aisle. The salsas began to swim, my peripheral vision began to blur, and made a beeline for the door… I had to get home to my meds before bad went to worse.

And it definitely got worse. I spent six and a half hours of the most gorgeous Saturday afternoon in my bed, sleeping off the mother of all migraines. Needless to say, we never did make it out for dinner with friends last evening!

But today I’m fine, and decided to go ahead whip up this terrific little dip to share with our neighbors as we watch the Packers this afternoon.

In the next few weeks I’m going to blog about some of my favorite appetizer recipes, just to get us all in that holiday entertaining frame of mind. This baked goat cheese is always a hit, and it’s so easy! If you have about 5 minutes to spend prepping, you’re golden.

Feel free to change it up; I was just thinking it would be great to use a good marinara instead of the salsa, and basil instead of the cilantro…in fact, I’m tryin’ that next time. I’ll let you know how it goes.

SALSA BAKED GOAT CHEESE

Serves: 6-8 as an appetizer

Source: Rick Bayless for epicurious.com

• 1 4oz. log of goat cheese, room temperature (Montchevre is on sale)
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional sprigs for garnish
• 1 c. salsa (whatever you like best, I prefer a smoky one; Mrs. Renfro’s is on sale)
• ¼ c. pine nuts (or chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts), toasted
• Your favorite toasts or crackers for serving

Preheat the oven to 350. In a small mixing bowl, mash the cheeses and the cilantro together to blend. Use a spoon to form the cheeses into a uniform ‘ball’ (it won’t be perfect, that’s okay). Place the cheese in the center of a pretty baking dish. Pour the salsa around the cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and hot throughout. Sprinkle the cheese with the toasted nuts and garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve with your crackers or toasts.

I’m practically falling all over myself to share this recipe with you today; not only is it extremely thrifty, but it’s the absolute epitome of fall comfort food: roasted butternut squash, tender pasta, earthy fresh sage, and a hefty helping of Parmesan cheese, wow. I’m in love!

I’ll tell you what, those DamKids were skeptical when they saw the sheet pan packed with cubes of gorgeous, golden squash. But as usual, my girls stepped up to the plate (so to speak) and gobbled up the finished product. Who could resist? The squash breaks down just slightly; its starches and the Parmesan thicken the sauce in a way that’s almost similar to a good mac n’ cheese.

No Thank You Boy ate around the squash and was not exactly doing cartwheels over this meal. A foregone conclusion, of course. I don’t even bother getting my knickers in a twist over his dining habits any more.

I’m of the opinion that this dish would make an outstanding first course at any autumn dinner party…it would also be lovely topped with toasted breadcrumbs, baked for a few minutes, and served as a side dish.

Or, you can eat it for breakfast like I did.

Happy Wednesday!

CAVATAPPI WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Serves: 4 as a main course

Adapted from epicurious.com

• 1 pound cavatappi pasta (DaVinci Shortcuts are on sale, look for the ‘twists’)
• 1 – 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into ½” pieces (on sale)
• 3 T. olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. chicken broth (plus additional to thin if necessary)
• 1 t. chopped fresh sage, plus additional for garnish if desired
• ½ t. salt
• 3 T. butter, cut into cubes (I didn’t bother using this)
• 1 c. finely grated Parmesan, plus additional for serving

Preheat the oven to 450. In a large bowl, toss the cubed squash with olive oil to coat (approximately 1 ½ tablespoons or so). Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Spread squash on a sheet pan with sides; roast squash for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and stir, continue to cook for another 5 -10 minutes or until squash is tender and beginning to brown in spots. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta cooking water. Drain pasta; rinse lightly, and drain again. Return the pasta to the pot.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic until pale golden, about a minute. Add the chicken broth, sage, roasted squash, and salt and simmer for five minutes or so. Add the cubed butter and stir until incorporated.

Add the squash mixture and the Parmesan cheese to the pasta; stir to combine season with salt and pepper to taste. If mixture seems dry, add the reserved pasta water (or additional chicken broth). Serve in shallow pasta bowls; pass additional cheese at the table.

Wait! Don’t run away. You have no idea what deliciousness you’ll be missing if you give up on this post based on the title. Please, hear me out – these are fantastic! I can nearly guarantee that by the end of this post, you’ll have these tacos on your brain for the rest of the afternoon.

Unless you don’t like mushrooms. Or peppers. Or tacos.

The DamFam ended a caloric-laden Halloween weekend with these veggie tacos last night. I should say rather, my husband and I ate them; I’ll not “candy coat” it (post Halloween pun, LOL) and tell you that my punks were exactly tickled pink over mushroom tacos. They had the regular out’ the box kind; that’s how they roll. I did bust the Pickle for snagging julienned red bell peppers out of the prepped veggie pile while my back was turned. I cut her some slack. She couldn’t resist, that kid never met a pepper she didn’t like.

Anyway, I found this recipe it in the current issue of Bon Appetit yesterday morning, while I was lazing around nursing a Snickers-Almond Joy-Peanut Butter Cup hangover. VEGGIES. They’re good for what ails ya’.

These unique little tacos come to together in a skinny minute, but their preparation is a bit unusual. After all of the veggies are sautéed, the tacos are built and finished in the same skillet, resulting in melty, gooey cheese, and crispy corn tortilla shells. Topped with cilantro, crumbled feta, and a little hot sauce, these tacos could possibly be my new favorite veggie main course! I’m even toying with using the same filling for vegetable enchiladas sometime.

Now, aren’t you glad you stayed?

BUENO! Happy Monday, everyone!

POBLANO & MUSHROOM TACOS

Serves: 4

Source: Bon Appetit Magazine, November 2009, p. 67. Also available on epicurious.com

• 2 T. vegetable oil, divided
• 2 fresh poblano chiles, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced into long strips

• ½ red onion, julienned
• ½ red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (I added this; it’s not in the original recipe)
• 1 container sliced cimini mushrooms (on sale this week)
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 4 corn tortillas (I had enough filling for 6)
• 4 thin slices of Monterey Jack cheese (I used shredded Mexican Blend because I had it on hand)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Crumbled feta or Cotija cheese

• Assorted toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes (both on sale this week), hot sauce, salsa

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add poblano chile, red onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms; sauté mixture until mushrooms are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in ground cumin. Season to taste with salt. Transfer vegetables to medium mixing bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same skillet over medium high heat. Add tortillas in single layer, draping up sides of skillet to fit. Divide mushroom mixture among tortilla, mounding only on one side. Place slice of Monterey Jack cheese atop filling in each tortilla. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling and press firmly. Cook until tortillas are brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer tacos to plates. Open tacos; sprinkle with chopped cilantro, crumbed feta or Cotija cheese, and toppings.

Believe you me, there was just no way I was going to disappoint a child who had chicken on the brain so early in the day!

On the way home I tossed around a few different recipes, but ended up settling on one I’ve been making for a couple of years now. It’s quite simple actually, but the roasting method gives it such a great flavor, it’s become a stand-by for me. And with whole chickens on sale for .99 / pound, this meal was a total bargain! Would you believe I got a four and a half pound chicken and a few extra legs for around $5.25! Crazy, right?

On top of that, the nice people at the meat counter will cut your chicken up however you like, which is so awesome, because I can’t stand cutting up raw chicken. Creeps…me…OUT!! I’d never make it as a chef.

You could easily throw this together on a busy work / school night; there’s not too terribly much prep work involved. Since the chicken is already cut, you’ll simply need to chop the vegetables of your choosing, and toss them together with a short list of seasonings.

Now, I must run along. I’m in a hurry to get this posted because the chickens are only on special through TONIGHT! Hop to it!

Oh, just one last thing – you’ll notice there are no vegetables in the picture. That’s because there were NONE LEFT for the photo shoot! Not a single one, can you believe that? Those DamKids gobbled them all up — I actually had to fight the little twits for my fair share of brussel sprouts. There must be something to this roasting method…it makes everything taste good. ENJOY!

ROAST CHICKEN DINNER

Serves: 4-6

Source: epicurious.com

• 1 (3½ – 4 lb.) chicken, cut up
• 2 – 3 T. olive oil (you’ll need to adjust this if you use the optional carrots and brussel sprouts)
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ½ t. salt
• 1 ½ t. ground black pepper
• ¾ t. Herbes de Provence
• 3 small to medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I used the russets that are on sale)
• 2 zucchini, trimmed, cut in to thirds, then quartered into small spears
• 1 medium onion, trimmed, halved lengthwise then sliced
• 3 carrots, trimmed, peeled and sliced about 1/3” thick (optional, I used them)
• 12 brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved (optional, I used them)
• ½ – ¾ c. chicken broth
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice

Place oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat the oven to 500.

Pat the chicken dry, then toss with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, minced garlic, 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and the Herbes de Provence in a very large bowl. (If chicken seems dry, you might need to drizzle on a bit more oil). Arrange the chicken, skin sides up, without pieces touching in a roasting pan (I had so much chicken that I had to use two pans) leaving a 2 inch boarder around the edges of the pan.

Toss potatoes, zucchini, onion, carrots, and brussel sprouts with remaining oil, remaining salt, and remaining pepper in the same bowl, then spread the vegetables in 1 layer around the chicken, arranging zucchini skin sides up. Stir together the broth and lemon juice and pour in to pan around chicken and vegetables (you may need to add more broth to be sure that all of the vegetables are sitting in it).

Roast uncovered until chicken is pale golden and cooked through, about 30 minutes; rotate pan(s) half way through cooking time to ensure even cooking. (Mine took an additional 10 minutes or so because again, I had so much chicken!)

Remove pan from oven and preheat broiler. Broil chicken and vegetables 3 inches from heat until chicken is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve chicken and vegetables with pan juices.

*Note: I made a simple gravy with the pan juices. Here’s how I did it: remove all of the chicken and vegetables to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter with 1 tablespoon of flour and set aside. Strain all of your pan juices, and return them to the pan. Place the pan over medium high heat and scrape up any remaining bit from the bottom of the pan. Add in the butter and flour mixture and whisk to incorporate. Continue to cook and stir until mixture comes to a gravy consistency. Transfer to a bowl and serve with the chicken and vegetables.

I couldn’t resist, even though I’m supposed to be off of my foot. But the beauty of this recipe is that it’s QUICK and EASY, and requires almost no prep work (ie, little time spent standing over a cutting board). Let’s just don’t tell my friend Dr. M. that I left the couch for a wee bit of time today. He’s not the sort you really want to tangle with. It’ll be our little secret!

You can’t possibly mess this up. Fiddle with it until it tastes the way you want it! Though the soup is easily doubled, it isn’t really freezer friendly. However, it gets better as it sits overnight, so if you have any left, you should send it with your husband for lunch tomorrow!

You’ll notice the potatoes aren’t actually baked. I’m sure the name must have come from all of the traditional potato toppings that really make the soup. My punks adore it; hope yours will, too!

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

Serves: 4

Source: ??

• 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and diced (this was about 6 of the sale russets)
• 3 c. chicken broth (plus additional to thin if necessary)
• 1 c. half & half (or so, adjust this to your taste)
• ½ c. sour cream (again, adjust this to your taste)
• ½ c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (there’s a medium cheddar on sale this week if you don’t mind grating it yourself!)
• 4 sliced scallions (green tops only)
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• ½ t. garlic salt
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Garnishes: Additional shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, sliced green onions

Combine potatoes and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Let cool slightly, then transfer potatoes and broth to a blender or food processor – or, if your blender is broken like mine, use a stick blender. (* SEE NOTE on blending hot liquids). Blend until fairly smooth with some small chunks of potatoes remaining.

Return mixture to saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in half & half, sour cream, cheese, green onions, bacon, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Adjust the thickness of the soup with additional chicken broth if necessary. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes more. Spoon into heated soup bowls and allow diners to top with garnishes as desired.

NOTE * BLENDING HOT LIQUIDS 101: If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve heard it before. Unless you enjoy cleaning soup off of yourself, your cabinets, and your ceiling, please, please, please do not 1). Fill your blender to the top with hot soup, and then 2). Put the lid on tightly, and then 3). Turn it on full blast. I’m telling you these things because 1). I like you, and 2). I don’t want your scalded self and your messed up kitchen on my conscience!

Instead, fill the blender about 2/3 full with the soup. Cover loosely with the lid, then hold the loose lid in place with a folded dish towel. Start the blender on low; allow the steam to escape, then gradually increase the speed. Safety first, my friends!

So, you know I’d be cooking if I could, but a dish from the archive will have to suffice. Hhhm, which meal to resurrect? Fiery Chicken Tikka…creamy Pasta with Tomatoes and Brie… crispy French bread pizzas? All of them sound good, but not as good as this one that I haven’t made in ages: Thai Style Beef Noodle Bowls. Protein, vegetables, and starch all in one dish – genius!

This recipe calls for cooking the steak and vegetables indoors on a grill pan. However, given the gorgeous 60 degrees we’re having today, were I to make this for dinner tonight, I would absolutely fire up the grill and cook the steak and vegetables outside. Fewer dishes to wash, right? Given my current condition, I’m all about keeping things easy.

For a Thai dish, I was thrilled (and slightly surprised) that my family gobbled up this dinner. I embellished the vegetables by adding a pound of asparagus, just to make it a little more substantial. I also added cilantro and basil because I had them on hand and of course, I adore them! Feel free offer your diners spicy Siracha sauce on the side (LOVE this stuff!). Based on the hit it was with my family, I would not hesitate to make it again, or recommend it to you, my ten faithful readers. Hope you all like it!

Thai Style Beef with Noodles

Serves: 4

Source: Gourmet Magazine, February ‘08; and also available on Epicurious.com

• 1 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. honey
• 2 T. Asian fish sauce, divided
• 1 lb. flank steak
• 3 T. vegetable oil, divided
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1 T. finely chopped peeled ginger
• 1 1/2 t. green curry paste
• 1 3/4 c. reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4″ strips
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 3″ pieces
• 3/4 lb. dried Asian egg noodles (I used Udon because egg noodles were unavailable)
• Cilantro and basil to taste, chopped
• Siracha to taste

Mix together soy, honey, 1 T. fish sauce, and 1/4 t. salt in a shallow baking dish, then add steak and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature 20 minutes. (I let mine go two hours or so.)

While steak marinates, heat 2 T. oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until browned well, about 8 minutes.

Add ginger and curry paste and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute, then add broth and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice, remaining tablespoon of fish sauce, and salt to taste and keep warm, covered.

Heat grill pan over medium high heat until hot, then lightly oil.

Grill steak, turning once, about 8 minutes total (for rare). (I broiled mine on high for three minutes a side.) Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss bell pepper, scallions, and asparagus (if using) with remaining tablespoon oil, then grill, turning frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes (again, I broiled them until they started to char a little). Transfer to large bowl.

While steak stands, cook noodles in a pasta pot of boiling unsalted water until al dente, 4-7 minutes. Drain well, then add to vegetables and toss well along with the cilantro and basil (if using). Divide the noodles among 4 deep bowls and top with broth. Cut steak in half lengthwise, then thinly slice across the grain and serve on top of the noodles.