Snowy Soup Sunday

Sundays in college were always spent studying all day in the undergraduate library. After hours upon hours of catching up on the week's school work (I didn't have the greatest college study habits), I would walk across campus for 7pm mass at the Newman Center. When church ended, I grabbed dinner with friends at Panera Bread. To this day, soup at Panera takes me back to those cold, winter Sundays in college.

Now, 3 years out of school and mere months away from starting another rigorous stint of classes , I find myself craving Panera soup. Luckily, this month's Food Network Magazine has a recipe very similar to the soup that I love.

I know that this is absolutely comfort food, but don't we all need that after such a snowy weekend?

Almost-Famous Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and ground pepper

4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)

1 large carrot, diced

2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of broccoli and carrot. Return to the pot.

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cheese.

Rah, Rah Carolina, -lina...

"We hail from NCU,
We have the team to win it, We have the spirit in it,
We wear the colors white and blue...
So it's fight, fight, fight for Carolina
As Davie did in days of old.
We will rally 'round the well and cheer the Tarheel team like hell for the glory of NCU!"

Arugula and Goat Cheese on Pasta
2 cups arugula
5 oz. goat cheese
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
8 oz. pasta
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta al dente. Saute tomato in garlic and olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Drain pasta, and mix with arugula, tomato mixture, goat cheese and salt/pepper.

Give Me Veges!

After cookies and creamy soup this weekend, my body was screaming for a run and a healthier dinner choice. Annie and I went on a running tour of 5 Points, and then I pulled out some of my fitness magazines for tonight's selection. Surprisingly, this was the best dinner I've had in my recent past!

Grilled Cheese with Pear

(Fitness Magazine, 2/10)

2 slices of thinly sliced bread

olive oil

grape jelly

Havarti cheese, thinly sliced

pear, thinly sliced

cooking spray

Brush one side of each slice of bread lightly with olive oil. Turn over slices and spread with jam. Top each with cheese and sliced pear.

Lightly coat a griddle or large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted, turning once to brown both sides.

(296 calories)

**Financial Cheese Note: Havarti is expensive (~$1/slice), so only get enough for your sandwich if you are trying to keep a small food budget**

Roasted Beets and Sauteed Swiss Chard

(Endurance Magazine 1/10), 4 servings

1 bunch fresh beets

1 bunch Swiss chard

2 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Thoroughly wash beets and separate them from their leaves. Sprinkle beets with olive oil and salt and put them into a 375 degree oven. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces them.

Remove beets from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, then peel the skins off with a knife and slice them.

Meanwhile, saute the onion and carrots in a large skillet for 5 minutes at medium to high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute; Add Swiss chard.
Keep tossing in the pan for about 2 minutes; add the apple cider vinegar. Continue to stir the vegetables in the pan and add the sliced beets, while lowering the heat to medium-low.

Toss the vegetable mixture until the beets are reheated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes, if desired.

(180 calories / 512% Vitamin A / 117% Vitamin C / 28% Calcium / 38% Iron)

Soup Sunday

This Soup Sunday was a fun one, because a main ingredient for this recipe was a bottle of my home brewed beer. That's right, after a month of brewing, bottling, and keeping the bottles warm enough for carbonation to occur, my beer is ready! I must say, it's quite a process to brew beer, but it's fun if you have a buddy with whom to join forces (mine is my Dad). Annie's Amber Ale turned out great and was a perfect way to begin my adventure in home brewing!

Cheddar-Horseradish Soup

2 leeks, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 1/2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne

3 Tbsp. flour

2 Tbsp. dry mustard

1 bottle of beer

1/4 cup horseradish

3 cups water

a dash of Worcestershire

2 cups half-and-half

1 1/2 cups cheddar

Sweat carrots and leeks in butter. Add cayenne, salt, flour, and dry mustard; cook for 2 minutes.

Add beer, horseradish, water, and worcestershire; simmer until thick. Whisk in half-and-half and cheddar.

A Beautiful Saturday with cookies

These cookies turned out pretty well. The one thing I would have done differently was to chop the ginger into smaller pieces.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl,add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Shoes, shoes, and more shoes

There are many aspects of AmeriCorps that make the year so worth it. The two main parts of the service year that I've enjoyed most are crossing paths with such interesting people and having the chance to participate in a wide variety of service projects.

I got into the office this morning, ready for a busy day. This week has been a crazy one between having wonderful family in town, battling a terrible cold, and helping out at a hectic office. Today was certainly no exception.

I sat down for my 8:30 appointment, wondering if I would be able to connect with my customer. The young man was about my age, and he looked like he had had quite a few disappointments in his recent past. He seemed aloof in his gray hoodie with the hood thrown over his head. Working together for an hour and half, I tried to lift his spirit with every part of the resume process. He had some charges on his criminal record, but his skills were strong and something to be proud of. By the end of the meeting, my customer was describing his childhood, growing up on a farm in Iowa with 5000 hogs. I have no doubt that I never would have crossed paths with him had I not participated in AmeriCorps today. I'm so glad that I did!

By 10:15, I was standing before a mountain of shoes. Giving the remainder of my day's hours to Shoes-4-Souls (https://www.myoldshoes.org/), I organized pairs upon pairs of shoes for Haiti with other AmeriCorps members. Although I feel like the mountain was still tremendous when we left the office, I'm glad that I gave a small part of my volunteer year to a country that is in such tragic condition.

There are downfalls to AmeriCorps; I don't deny that. Days like today, however, make me certain that I will always look back on this year of service fondly.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup rice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 lb. cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp
Hot pepper sauce (optional)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Cook onions, garlic, and bell pepper in olive oil for about 5 minutes in a pot over medium heat, until onions start to become translucent. Add broth, tomatoes, rice, and Cajun seasoning to the pot. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover and cook on low heat without opening the pot for 20 minutes. Add shrimp, stir, and serve.

What to do with Santa...

Every year, I get a chocolate Santa Claus in my stocking. I don't doubt that it's nice chocolate. In fact, I know it's nice chocolate because we, Konitzers, are chocolate snobs. I also understand the appeal of the chocolate Santa...festive, sweet, and bulky for the stalking. My chocolate Santa, however, almost always goes to waste. This year, I've decided to find a use for Mr. Santa.

Chocolate Santa Walnut Cookies
1 chocolate Santa Claus (or Easter bunny)
Graham Crackers, broken into smaller squares
Chopped walnuts

Melt chocolate pieces in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring in 20-second intervals, until smooth.

Dip squares of graham cracker in the chocolate and lay them to dry on wax paper or a baking mat. Before chocolate dries, sprinkle with walnuts. Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow chocolate to set.

Soup Sunday

Today, I awoke to a beautiful, balmy morning. I put on my church clothes and headed to Cathedral for 10:30 mass. There are certainly aspects of the church that I don't agree with, but I can't help but love the ritual and the act of gathering as a community to sing and say prayers that have been repeated weekly for centuries.

One of the readings today included the following:

"To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes."

When I heard this, I secretly hoped that the priest would focus on this during his homily. Instead, he took the easy route and talked about the gospel (Jesus turning water to wine, Jesus listening to the virgin mother's request...yada, yada, yada). I decided to use the mass to focus on the second reading instead.

My priest in college would repeat on a regular basis that it is our duty to understand our strengths and use those strengths to improve our community. Martin Luther King, Jr. might be the greatest example of this. He realized the strength of his rhetoric, and he used it whenever he could to empower the helpless and unify different communities.

We don't have to be great at everything. Some people can easily volunteer in shelters and connect with those around them. Others have more to give in writing to their political leaders about programs that need to be set in place for people with disabilities. Some enjoy working with rescue animals, and others would rather spend their time preparing envelopes for fundraisers. Whatever your skills, I encourage you on this week of Martin Luther King Day to do something. If you're busy, just run one quick errand and consider it a job well done!

Here are some ideas:

Drop canned food off at Raleigh Rescue Mission:
314 East Hargett Street
Raleigh, NC

Write a letter to a soldier:
A Million Thanks
Care of DoSomething.org
17853 Santiago Blvd., #107-355
Villa Park, CA 92861

Send a few bucks to Haiti:
https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake?source=earthquake&subsource=standwithhaiti

Donate women's clothes/children's clothes/accessories/handbags/belts to Interact:
1012 Oberlin Road
Raleigh, NC 27605

And for Soup Sunday...

Savory Bean and Kale Soup
3 14-oz. cans vegetable or chicken broth
1 15-oz. can tomato puree
1 15-oz. can small white beans
1 package of pre-cooked brown rice, cook according to package directions
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt (or less if you use regular sodium broth)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 cups coarsely chopped kale leaves
(optional) Shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, combine broth, tomato puree, beans, onion, basil salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook for at least 1 1/2 hours on medium to low heat.

Just before serving, stir in rice and kale and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

(150 calories per serving)

Read this, Eat that

While I'm not very picky about the food I eat, I'm extremely picky about the books I read. If I'm going to sit down and dedicate hours upon hours to a book, it's going to be something that sucks me in and consumes me. I love a good book that's well written enough but doesn't require the accompaniment of a dictionary. I want the words to wrap around me like a coat, and I enjoy the themes that make me question my opinions and beliefs.

One such book is The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls. I read it a few years ago, and I've thought about it thousands of times since then. The book is about a family whose parents choose to live an indigent life. At certain moments, the children had to rummage in trash cans and even eat dog food. Both parents were well educated and provided a wealth of knowledge but never were able to follow through with providing basic needs.

This week, Jeannette Walls graced Raleigh with her wit and inspiring perspective. I, of course, went to see her speak...I even asked a question! I took away quite a bit from her speech, but one thing that I wanted to share with you was her view of the economy. She said that a great many of us have never had to go hungry, and most of us have had more than our basic needs most of our lives. However, when you have to struggle or when something really unfortunate occurs in your life, you learn the boundless resilience that you have. You realize that you can bear so much more weight than you ever knew possible. "Anyone can ride a horse," Walls said, "the important part is falling off the horse and recovering." She also said that when things get tough, sometimes all you can do is "push and pray."

One other thing I noticed about Ms. Walls was that she was not bitter. In fact, her mother lives with her on her Virginia property. Walls understands that her parents were severely flawed in much of their parenting, but she is grateful for the importance that was placed on education and learning. She is able to see the best parts of her parents and the few good things about her childhood. I think we all can learn from that. We are all flawed individuals but rather than focusing on those flaws, why don't we emphasize and thank each other for the good characteristics we all have.

Anyway, I think I'm beginning to ramble. Read The Glass Castle and tell me what you think. Also, try this recipe!

Farm Stand Caponata
(this makes a ton, so 1/2 the recipe if you aren't cooking for an army)

2 med. sized eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 T coarse salt
5 T olive oil, divided
2 Diced red onions (1/4 inch dice)
2 T minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
salt, to taste
1 cup diced (1/4 inch) celery hearts and leaves
1/3 cup pitted green olives, halved lengthwise
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 T drained capers
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the diced eggplant in a colander with the salt. Let it rest for one hour. Blot eggplant and set aside.

Heat 2 T of the oil in a heavy pot over low heat. Add the onions, stirring occasionally, until softened, cook about 10 minutes. Add the garlic in the last 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and salt, stirring occasionally, simmer for 20 minutes. Add the celery and simmer 10 minutes longer.

Line the bottom of a bowl with paper towels. In another heavy pot heat the remaining 3 T oil over medium heat. Brown the eggplants in batches, then remove to the lined bowl to drain. Stir the eggplant into the tomato sauce along with the olives, vinegar, raisins, capers and pepper. Simmer (do not boil) 5 minutes, partially covered, over low heat for the flavors to blend. Uncover and simmer 5 mins. longer. Adjust the seasonings. Serve at room temperature as part of an antipasto or on top of little toasts.

The Beauty of Baking

There is a sense of calm that I feel when I'm baking. I love baking, because every measurement is exact. If you add the correct amount of flour, butter, and eggs, you can get sugar cookies. Switch up the ratio a bit, and you have bready, wonderful scones. You don't have to spend time over the stove wondering if the recipe tastes right or if you are missing that certain spice that can kick it up a notch. Nope, stick to the recipe when baking and you'll usually get beautiful results.

When baking, I always try to mimic Ina Garten's calmness in the kitchen. She just seems to be in a kind of active meditation that leads to the best looking meals. There are too many serious things in this world to stress out about cooking. When stress comes to the kitchen, it's time to get take-out. Of course, I may find even more relaxation in the kitchen if I could cook in the Hamptons as Ina does.

Oh well, I remain here in Raleigh for now, baking up a storm and sharing it with you, my friends!

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Scones
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (8-ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly grease a baking sheet; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, stir flour, salt, baking powder and mustard powder together. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the cheese, mixing well.
Combine the egg with 1/4 cup of the milk and stir into flour mixture to make a soft dough, adding more milk only if it is needed.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead several times and then pat dough out into an 8-inch circle onto the prepared baking sheet.

Cut into 8 wedges. Brush scones with milk.
Bake until tops are just starting to brown, about 9 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

A Special Soup Sunday

Last night, I babysat two adorable little girls. It was just where I wanted to spend my time, listening to the thoughts of Sutton (2) with plump baby May (4 months) in my arms. Toward the end of the evening, after dinner and baths, Sutton snuggled up next to me and said, "I missed you Mimi." Sutton isn't very talkative, so I cherished her words.

I came home very content after my evening of babysitting. As I pulled up to my place, I decided to check the mail, which usually consists of a NC pay stub and a few advertisements on Saturday. This time, one more very important envelope sat in mailbox 2223, my acceptance to Brody School of Medicine!

I immediately started crying, and then I sat on my front stoop for about 4 minutes re-reading the letter. Then I, of course, called my parents. It's been a long road...dozens of hours of required science courses, 3 MCAT tests (2 too many), 2 Kaplan courses, 3 years of applying, thousands of dollars in AMCAS submissions and secondary applications, 100's of volunteer hours, many disappointing moments...and here I am, with my metaphorical foot in the door and through the first hoop required to be a doctor. And I will be a doctor, but not just any kind of doctor. I'll be a compassionate one who will care about people in the community...and not just the ones who can afford the insurance.

Now for Soup Sunday: I had this one recipe that I was saving until I got into school, because it would be a splurge in both finances and calories. $10 Camembert cheese melted over a rosemary pasta, can you think of anything better? But I didn't plan for this recipe when I ate approximately a block of cheddar cheese in my Macaroni yesterday. So here I am, putting the Camembert cheese recipe to the side for another special occasion and turning to Split Pea Soup.

This recipe is for my Asheville loves, as I know I haven't been favoring them lately with all the animal ingredients. Enjoy!

Vegan Split Pea Soup
allrecipes.com

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dried split peas
1/2 cup barley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
7 1/2 cups water + more as soup cooks
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 potato, diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large pot over medium high heat, sauté the oil, onion, bay leaf and garlic for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Add the peas, barley, salt and 7.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water as soup begins to thicken.
Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley, basil, thyme and ground black pepper.

Simmer for another hour, or until the peas and vegetables are tender. (Continue to add water to reach desired thickness.)

Cheese, wonderful cheese

One of my childhood favorites was macaroni and cheese. Even now, I secretly get a little excited when I have to make a box of Kraft for the kids I babysit. Macaroni, for me, has to be creamy and smooth. Give a kid baked mac and cheese and watch his or her nose turn up at the texture and eggy consistency. Kids, I agree...give me the boxed kind any day over the fancy recipes.

Recently, I discovered a homemade recipe that comes very close to the boxed stuff that I love... but without all the mystery ingredients that go into powdered cheese.

One very important pointer:
I thought my mom was going to have a nervous breakdown as she saw me whisk the cream sauce the first I made it. You can't be girly about it. You have to whisk the hell out of the sauce, as if the consistency depends on it (because it does). As my mom scorned, "You don't want clumps!"

I was like a giddy little girl today when I discovered that my sauce was beginning to thicken exactly how I wanted it. Yum, yum, yummy. Make this, and thank your lucky stars that you decided not to worry too much about calories with the New Year!

Spinach-Bacon Mac-n-Cheese
Southern Living, December 2009

1/2 (16 oz.) package rotini pasta
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 (10 oz.) block 2% sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped cooked turkey bacon (about 6 slices)
1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Increase heat to medium and gradually whisk in flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and next 3 ingredients; cook, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.

Gradually stir in Cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Stir in hot cooked pasta, bacon, and baby spinach. Serve immediately.

My Cooking, My Sanity

Now that I'm back in full gear after the holidays, I feel like I'm being tossed around in a million directions with little tangible success. Today I almost lost it when the same middle aged lady who ALWAYS leaves her used tissue at a computer desk once again walked out without tossing it in the trashcan. It's probably a good thing that she didn't return for the day, because I was fuming and ready to speak my mind.

On top of the little annoyances, I wish that success came with a bit more speed. I feel like there are so many people who are giving their heart, soul, and energy into their job search process, and they still have nothing to show. It's nearly impossible to leave my work issues at the office when I'm continually flooded with stories from customers who don't know how they will pay bills, support their children, and make ends meet.

And then there is the separate issue of getting into medical school...I won't even bore you with that...

During times and feelings such as these, there are 2 things that best return me to sanity: running and cooking. And tonight I turned to cooking. When the world seems like its pushing against me, I know that I can retreat to my kitchen for an hour or two and rely on the recipes of great chefs to make my dinner the medicine I need for the evening. And I know that I have you, my friends, with whom to share my recipes.

Barefoot Contessa's Zucchini Pancakes
2 medium zucchini
2 Tbsp. grated red onion
2 eggs, beaten
6-8 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Grate zucchini into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater (or use the queen of food processors). Immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 Tbsp. of flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Add flour to reach pancake batter consistency.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 Tbsp. butter and 1/2 Tbsp. oil together in the pan.


Cook pancakes 2 minutes on each side until browned. Place on sheet pan and warm.

Serve over a grapefruit, arugula, and avocado salad...yum!

Soup Sunday

"This is a bag filled with dreams & recipes for soup & he's deciding right now which he's really hungry for. "
StoryPeople

Cider Onion Soup
Bread Rounds:
1 French Baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

Soup:
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
5 cups sliced yellow onion
4 cups hard cider (regular cider can also be used)
4 cups low-salt beef or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 cups sliced firm, smooth cheese, such as swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
To make bread rounds, brush both sides of bread slices with butter. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake about 25 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

To make soup, melt butter in a soup pot over low heat . Add onion. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes, or until soft and just starting to color.

Increase heat to medium; cook, uncovered, for another 25 minutes, or until onion is deep golden brown and almost caramelized.
Add cider and broth; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

To serve, bring soup to a boil. Preheat broiler.

Ladle soup over breads and place 3 bread rounds and sliced cheese over soup. Broil about 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown. Serve hot.

Snowy Weather, Close Friends, and Creme Brulee

This morning, I woke up to beautiful snow, dusting the yards and sidewalks of Asheville. With blustery weather outside, my food guru and I snuggled up on the couch and caught up on each other's lives. When friends move away, it always makes me realize the space in my life they used to fill on a daily basis. Bridgey was my running buddy, fellow dog lover, and best friend in Raleigh. It was so refreshing to laugh with her again today and see her in bliss with her lovely fiance.

When I got home from the journey to the mountains, I made creme brulee.

Dr. Joe's Creme Brulee with Grand Marnier
For Custard:
1 qt. heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1 piece of candied orange peel
3/4 cup sugar
8 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, plus a little more for finishing

For the top:
1/2 to 3/4 cup light brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and put the rack on the middle level. Boil a kettle of water.

Heat the heavy cream to just below the boiling point. Add vanilla bean and the orange peel; cover and keep warm. Stir the sugar, egg yolks, and orange liqueur together just until blended - stir, do not beat and cause bubbles. Gradually stir in the hot cream and mix well to dissolve the sugar - again, stir rather than beat. Ladle the custard through a fine-meshed sieve into oven proof oval molds or ramekins of about 1/2-cup capacity or greater.

Arrange the molds in a baking pan large enough to hold them all comfortably. Slide out the oven rack, and set the pan on it. Very carefully, pour enough boiling water around the molds to come halfway up the sides of them.

Bake about 2 hours, or until the custards are set. Test by poking the tip of the paring knife about 1 inch from the side of the mold into the custard. The knife should come out clean, but the custard should still tremble slightly. Remove the molds from the water bath and chill on a tray in the refrigerator. Will keep, covered, for several days. To re-warm, set back in a hot water bath in a 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Shortly before serving, sieve about 1 Tbsp. of brown sugar over the top of each custard, lightly tamp down, and carefully glaze tops with a propane torch held 2 inches from the custards, moving in circular motion.


Pour a Tbsp. of the orange liqueur over the hot glaze. Averting your face, light with a match and serve.

And there's a hand my trusty friend

...And give us a hand o' thine !
And we'll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Happy New Year, friends! My evening was pretty uneventful, and I have found that I love waking up to the New Year feeling fresh and re-invigorated. This year, I decided to live by a mantra rather than a New Year's Resolution. Honestly, I don't really care about losing an extra few pounds, exercising more, or picking up a new hobby. Also, I generally make a hobby out of breaking lenton promises and new years resolutions.

So here is my mantra:

"I will embrace the present by giving all of my effort to the people and challenges directly before me."

Write your own and put a post-it on your bathroom mirror. And for a delicious dessert:

Bananas Foster
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. banana liqueur
2 bananas, sliced lengthwise
Brandy
Vanilla ice cream

Melt butter with sugar in a skillet. Mix in liqueur. Add bananas.
Warm brandy and pour over bananas. Light with a match. Serve over vanilla ice cream.