The Daring Cooks Make Steamy Kitchen’s Pho Ga

The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.

I was excited to see that Jaden would be our host for the October Daring Cooks challenge, especially since I finally got to meet her at BlogHer Food, but when I scrolled down and saw we would be making pho (pronounced “fuh?”) I almost got week in the knees. I’ve eaten pho at Vietnamese restaurants but have never made it at home, and none of my family had ever tasted it. I couldn’t wait to give them a taste of this soup that won my heart long ago. Read more

Irish Beef Stew

Beef stew is one of my favorite comfort foods, both for the wonderful flavor and the ease of preparation. I saw this recipe at Epicurious a couple years ago and then saw Elise’s notes on how they used some red wine and Guinness Stout in place of some of the beef stock, an idea that definitely appealed to me. For my own touches, I added a pound of beef soup bones for extra flavor, used Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russet, and of course used fresh thyme from our garden. Though it’s not strictly traditional, this recipe has become a St. Patrick’s Day tradition for our family, a stew we look forward to every year. Read more

Spicy Red Lentil and Tomato Soup

Lentils are one of my favorite comfort foods, and when I need a little warmth and comfort I’m very likely to walk into the kitchen and make a pot of mujaddarah, my favorite lentils and rice. Lentils are a powerhouse of nutrients, including protein, iron, fiber, folate, and thiamine, plus they are inexpensive, making them a great pantry staple. I keep bags of dried brown and red lentils on hand to take care of my cravings and I’m always on the lookout for another delicious way to enjoy them.

I spotted the original recipe for this soup (they call it chili) in Wegman’s Menu Magazine, a seasonal publication by my favorite grocery store, and I made a large batch of the soup on a cold, wintry day with a few changes to suit our palates. We used olive oil instead of butter, skipped the cornstarch, and came up with our own list of garnishes we like on top. I enjoyed the aromas and snuck a nibble here and there while cooking, then I knew we had a winner when Michael said I could make this any time. We even got a thumbs up and request for a second helping from our six-year-old son. Read more

Carrot Ginger Soup and a Giveaway

While the boys played I whipped up this carrot ginger soup yesterday for dinner. Michael was late getting home, saw the pot sitting on the stove, peered in and looked very skeptical. He stuck a finger into the cold soup to taste it and still didn’t look convinced. After I warmed it up and swirled in the yogurt, he said it tasted great and polished off two bowls, as did our six-year-old. I really like how light it is. Use the freshest, juiciest carrots you can find because they will give the soup so much more flavor.

The recipe comes from Entertaining Simple by Matthew Mead. The book helps beginning hosts plan several basic types of parties (brunch, cocktail, summer barbecue, holiday open house, coffee house, etc.) and comes complete with menus, recipes, and serving and decorating suggestions. This ginger carrot soup recipe is part of the brunch party menu. A weekend brunch is one of my favorite types of parties to host because it is such a casual, relaxing time. Comfort foods rule the menu and it’s generally easy prep work.

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Squash Soup with Saffron and Ginger and Hugs for Barbara

I first found Barbara of Winos and Foodies through her Taste of Yellow event, a celebration of surviving cancer. Barbara really tugged at our hearts with her determination to beat cancer and for taking positive steps to raise cancer awareness, and many of us have participated in Taste of Yellow for the past two years.

Barbara is fighting again with a massive round of chemotherapy, and she’s got a long road ahead. Bron of Bron Marshall and Ilva of Lucullian Delights organized some virtual hugs for Barbara as a way for us to let her know we support her, even if we can’t be there in person. For my hug, I wanted to send Barbara some comfort food: a squash soup with saffron to lift her spirits and fresh ginger for her appetite. This vegan soup calls for light coconut milk though you can use soy milk if you prefer, and yes, the cilantro is optional.

Bron and Ilva are keeping track of all the hugs for Barbara, so please visit them for links to all the posts. And make sure you read Barbara’s touching post with her thanks.

More Squash Recipes

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Slow Cooker Squash Stew with Garbanzo Beans and Red Lentils

Our kitchen counter is covered with five different types of squash, a few steps up from our normal routine of acorn and butternut squash. On my last squash run, I came home with sweet dumpling, delicata, buttercup, acorn, and butternut and plans for all of them, mostly revolving around roasting and soups. And of course I wanted some photos of the squash pile.

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