Minestrone soup; Butternut squash and shitake soup with sherry; Vegetable Pot Pie with coconut milk; Eggplant Parmesan base; Raisin oatmeal cookies and caraway sour dough breads..Prep PHOTOS for tomorrow's deliveries

We had a bit of rain on Thursday..but nothing to really mention and have been promised more in the coming week, but we are now being advised to cut back on water consumption by 20% each household, so I might not be planting a lot of tender vegetables this year, we will just have to wait and see.
We did get some snow pack in the Sierra's with this last "storm" which is where some our water comes from.

The menu for delivery tomorrow:

2 great vegetable packed soups, a hearty Minestrone with broccoli 
and a Butternut squash with shitake mushrooms and sherry.
Some of my clients are trying to do a high protein diet but are not eating enough green vegetables so it is up to me to sneak them in wherever possible.

Butternut Squash and Shitake Soups

Previous 2 the Minestrone finished with olive oil

An eggplant Parmesan..but replacing the cheese with Monterey Jack & Cheddar so there is less salt

Eggplant baked not fried to cut down on fat

!/2 gallon tomato sauce simmering for the turkey and the eggplant dishes

A vegetable pot pie with new white potatoes, celery, carrots, garlic, onions, mushrooms in a coconut cream sauce and topped with puff pastry. Some clients have opted for this plus some cooked chicken.

The vegetable pot pie base..cooling

Alcatraz style chili ( the recipe is on my other blog www.chorleycakes.blogspot.com and I will post photos later) with pinto beans yams and yellow bell peppers steamed rice.

A tomato-turkey pasta sauce with whole wheat gnocchi  ( also will post on Chorleycakes tomorrow)


2 great stir steamed vegetables

Zucchini and cauliflower with garlic

Sweetcorn, broccoli and fava beans


oatmeal raisin cookies

Caraway wholewheat sourdough bread

Just made, sourdough bread dough is wetter than regular dough..to improve the rise

           (proving for the next 3 hours at room temp)

Carrot & Cream cheese soup with mint &Chili Black Bean Soup with Sour Cream RECIPES FOR SOUPER BOWLS OF DELICIOUSNESS

YOU CAN SHOW YOUR SUPPORT...or Be unbiased and make both..great soups to warm the hearts of all fans, in these cold and wintery times.
Mexican Inspired great soups..serve with grated cheese and tortilla chips.


Carrot and Cream Cheese soup with mint  ----Sopa de Zanahoria

serves 8-10

4 cups carrots rough chopped
2 cups water or Vegetable stock
1tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried mint OR 1/2 cup chipped fresh mint
1 cup minced onion
2tbsp butter
2tbsp all purpose flour
5 cups milk ( nut milk is fine)
8ozs cream cheese cubed
sea salt & pepper to taste
Hot sauce optional



Cook the carrots in the water with the sugar and dried mint until very tender ( 30 mins+).
Meanwhile  in a heavy bottomed pan, melt the butter and saute the onions.
about 4 mins, do not color.
Add the flour and mix to sandy texture, then slowly add the warmed milk, stirring to mix to a thin sauce.
Cook over medium high heat until it is smooth and bubbly.
Gradually add 1 cup of this milk mix to the cream cheese and mix well to "melt it".
Add the cheese mix to the milk in the pan, and mix well to incorporate.
Blend the carrots in their stock until smooth and then add them to the milk mix, return to low simmer and season to taste.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves, serve in warm bowls


Chili-Black Bean Soup with sour cream-----Sopa de Frijol Negro con crema

serves 10-12

1 pound cooked black beans (also known as turtle beans)
10 cups water or stock
2 cups chopped onion
1cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
4 cloves garlic smashed
2 cups chopped bell pepper
4 large tomatoes,( 2 cups) seeded and chopped
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
OR 
3 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup dry white wine/sherry/apple juice
3tbsp neutral oil
4tsp ground cumin


Lime or lemon wedges to be served on side

In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and add the onions and saute for 3 mins, add the garlic,celery, carrots, ground cumin and chili powder or flakes and saute for 4 mins..cooking through.
Add the white wine then, the stock and the bell peppers,herbs, tomatoes and cooked beans.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30-45mins.
Check seasonings, then blend half the mix, smooth and return to the pan.
heat through for 10-15 mins before serving in warm bowls topped with sour cream or yogurt.
Serve with bowls of lime wedges and tortilla chips
 

ROASTED CURRIED VEGETABLES WITH YOGURT AND MINT DIP RECIPE

Brighten up any roasted vegetables with this recipe Feeds 8-12

4 pounds mixed vegetables:
carrots, turnips. rutabagas, yams, winter squash, Yukon gold small potatoes, red skin waxy potatoes, sweet potatoes...any mix of your choosing   cut into, uniform bite sized pieces.

8 tbsp curry paste
 OR 
cook 8 tbsp curry powder in 3 tbsp neutral oil for 3 mins and add 4 cloves garlic smashed and hot sauce to taste.allow to cool before using.

Sea salt & ground black pepper

2 bunches chopped cilantro


1 x32ozs plain live yogurt
2 cup chopped peeled and seeded cucumber
1 bunch mint minced (1/2 cup)

PREHEAT OVEN 425F

COOK ALL THE VEGETABLES IN BOILING WATER FOR 4 MINS.
Drain well then put into a large bowl.
Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and using hands gently massage the curry paste into the vegetables...until all are well coated.

Spread vegetables onto a  greased cookie sheet and roast for 25-30 mins..until all are tender & evenly browned ( turn gently with a spatula as they roast).
Remove from oven and wait 10 mins before transferring to serving bowls.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with dip.


Yogurt-mint Dip

Peel, de-seed the cucumber and chop into small pieces, sprinkle with salt and place in a sieve or colander for 20 mins.
Then rinse in cold water and shake dry.
In a medium bowl mix the minced mint into the plain yogurt, then fold in the cucumber.
Do not add salt or pepper to this dip..it is to smooth out the spiciness from the vegetables.