Bread and Pickles

Being semi-employed is going to be good for this blog. Bad for me, good for the blog. Cause I've got a bad case of the seriously boredz.

Carrot Pickles with Dill & Shallots
Ginger Beet Pickles

The impossible bread quest has also begun anew...

More things I want to try - Risotto Pasta

From NYTimes - Mark Bittman

Things I want to try - Banana Cookies

This is from the NYTimes

grrrr... it isn't letting me copy or paste the URL....

Another Thanksgiving...

And we have so much to be thankful for....Little Soups....Big Soups...Doggie Soups....Old Soups...I'm especially thankful for Mr Soup. I'm awed by his ability to keep on moving, inspite of the challenges of the last few years.

Happy Five, Mr Soup!

Love,

Mrs Soup

Food & Wine - Celery Walnut Date Salad

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups walnuts
1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bunches celery (2 pounds), thinly sliced on the bias
3/4 cup dried pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise
3 ounces dry pecorino cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool completely, then coarsely chop.
In a small bowl, combine the shallot with the sherry vinegar. Whisk in both oils and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the toasted walnuts, celery, dates and pecorino. Add the dressing and toss. Serve at once.
Make Ahead
The salad and dressing can be refrigerated separately for up to 1 day. Store the walnuts in an airtight container and add to the salad just before serving.

Food & Wine Magazine - Focaccia, Red Onion and Fennel Stuffing

ACTIVE: 25 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 40 MIN
SERVINGS: 12

Ingredients
2 pounds plain or onion focaccia, cut into 1-inch dice (16 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium fennel bulbs—halved lengthwise, cored and sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
2 red onions, halved and sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the focaccia on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toast for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until dry and golden around the edges. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the olive oil. Add the fennel and onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape the fennel mixture into the bowl with the focaccia. Add the stock and toss until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt and pepper.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Scrape the stuffing into the baking dish and dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Cover with foil. Bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through. Remove the foil and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the top is golden and crisp. Serve hot.

Navy Bean Soup

I'm back after a brief hiatus. Things have been busy for the Soup's lately. We are in a new routine and hopefully, I can get back to writing on a regular basis again.

This is incredibly comforting - serve with a splash of Tabasco, and a grilled cheese sandwich.

1 lb. dry navy beans
1 ham bone with meat (my store had ham shanks - they were perfect for this)

Soak beans overnight in 3 quarts water. Drain. In a large soup pot put ham bone and beans. Add 2 quarts cold water and simmer for 2 hours.

Add:
4 c. mashed potatoes, minimum (more makes soup thicker)
3 med. onions, chopped
2 garlic buds, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Simmer all for 1 hour more.