http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpanishRecipesinpictures/~3/IRRPpL02P90/sobrassada-stuffed-squid.html

Sobrassada Stuffed Squid... the 3 S... like in Superb, Savory and Seasonal! Yes, it might look...

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Mushroom Barley Soup

I love soup  because it's so easy to make, doesn't really need fussing, measuring or gussying up - in other words, just the opposite of baking.  Especially when I've put all of my energy into making dessert and making it pretty, soup is just so easy!  And nothing is better on a cold winter evening, than a nice bowl of hearty soup.  My Dad, who loved to eat, didn't start cooking until later in life, after he and my mother both retired.  He, too was a great lover of soup.  This recipe is basically his with just a few minor changes and a fleshing out of the techniques.  He used equal portions of dried and fresh mushrooms, but I don't usually keep dried mushrooms around, and they can be hard to find.  I find that the cremini mushrooms are so tasty that the dried ones are not needed.  If you do decide to use some dried mushrooms, soak them in hot water, drain them reserving the liquid and then strain the liquid into the soup

Serves 6

1 tablespoon mild oil, divided
3/4 cup cremini mushrooms, washed, dried and chopped
1/4 Vidalia onion, skin removed, and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
4 cups low-sodium beef stock
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 cup non-fat half & half
salt and pepper to taste

Add the 2 teaspoons oil to a large stockpot.  Heat on high, and when the oil is hot, add the mushrooms, and saute until brown.

Reduce the heat, add the remaining oil, onions, celery and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown.  Add the stock and the barley.  Cover the pot and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.

You can leave the soup as it is, but I like to puree a few ladlefuls , which makes the texture more pleasant to me, and also thickens the soup.  I use a slotted spoon to transfer about a cup or two of veggies and barley to the processor, and then I process it until it is not quite smooth.  After it is ground up pretty well, you can add a little of the broth to help get it pureed.  Once it has the texture you like, scrape it back into the soup.  Stir in the half & half, bring back to a simmer, and serve.  Soup almost always thickens overnight.  If you want it more liquidy when you reheat it, add more half & half or puree some more of the veggies.

Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is hand's down, my favorite holiday of the year. I think I even like it better than my birthday, which is really saying something. So here's why:

1. There is nothing you have to do on Thanksgiving, other than share a meal. There are no religious ceremonies or gift giving. You can say a prayer before eating or watch a parade or play football if you want, but you can also take a nap! It's all good.

2. It's inclusive. Anyone who is in America (or outside of America for that matter) can celebrate this holiday if they want to. It's not about race or religion or nationality, in fact, it's about welcoming and helping those who are newcomers and celebrating the harvest.

3. It's about comfort food. I hear a lot of people complaining about traditional Thanksgiving food, they say turkey is boring, pumpkin pie is heavy and stodgy. To them I say, it's comfort food, not fine dining. Get over it. Besides, this holiday is about sharing a meal with friends and family, what you eat is secondary. Go out for Chinese food if you prefer, that is, if you can find a Chinese restaurant that's open.

4. It's two blessed days off. For most people anyway. That is reason enough to be thankful.

5. Leftovers!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A few favorite past Thanksgiving posts from the archives:

How Thanksgiving became a national holiday

Brussels sprouts with brown butter and hazelnuts recipe

Cranberry coffeecake recipe

Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe

Pilgrim onion marmalade recipe

Turkey drumsticks braised in cranberry sauce recipe

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

Favorite Foods of Hawaii

During the plantation era workers in Hawaii sat together at lunch and ate a bite of whatever their co-workers brought. It might have been adobo, fried rice or teriyaki. Call it potluck, Hawaii style. Trying new flavors has long been part of Hawaii's heritage and something you should do too when you visit. Trying local specialties and discovering new (and old under-the-radar) places in Hawaii is one of my favorite vacation activities.

Everyone has their 'must try' things to eat in Hawaii. Here are just a few of mine and where to find them on Oahu. Each one of these dishes tells you a little something about the culinary history of Hawaii.


Poke (pronouned po-kay)
Where to find:
Everywhere, but Alicia's Market has a big selection

This is perhaps one of the most 'authentic' dishes from Hawaii. It's primarily raw fish and it comes in many varieties such as wasabi, tobiko, and Maui onion, but traditionally it was just chunks of fish such as ahi, salt, seaweed and a bit of toasted kukui nut, all native ingredients.


Manapua
Where to find:
Royal Kitchen in Chinatown

These filled buns look like cha siu bao, but the version you find in Hawaii is larger and a little sweeter and much lighter. The dough seems a bit more Portuguese than traditional Chinese. You can also get it filled with Kalua pork which you definitely won't find outside of Hawaii.


While at Royal Kitchen don't miss the 'pork hash' Hawaii's version of siu mai. It's unique and succulent with less ingredients than siu mai, but it's very tasty all the same. Both the manapua and the pork hash are very inexpensive.


Taro Chips
Where to find:
Everywhere but for freshly made chips go the Hawaiian Chip Factory Outlet

You may or may not appreciate poi, but you are sure to enjoy taro chips. The Hawaiian Chip Company opened in 1999 and makes very popular vegetable chips served at restaurants, on Hawaiian Airlines and they are widely available in stores. But at the factory shop you can get a freshly made hot bag of chips and season them yourself. You can also get a snack, like the killer sliders they serve on Saturdays.


Malasadas
Where to find:
Leonard's Bakery

These Portuguese donuts are a must. The big neon sign at Leonard's letting you know when they are fresh will lure you in. I don't know anyone who doesn't love these hot, yeasty, moist-in-the-middle pillows of love, better than any Krispy Kreme, that's for sure.


Shave Ice
Where to find:
Many places, but I like Tats the best

Better than a snow cone, more like a snowball, the best shaved ice is super fluffy. Shave ice first appeared as a cooling treat on the plantations, and was brought to Hawaii by the Japanese. Get it flavored with something tropical like lilikoi. It's sweet and cooling which is the perfect combination when temperatures rise. Favorite spots are widely debated. It's often said the older the shave ice machine, the better the shave ice.

My thanks to the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau and especially local girl and Oahu writer Catherine Toth for introducing me to some (but not all) of the items featured here

DO NOT REPRINT WITHOUT PERMISSION! ©2011 Cooking with Amy. All rights reserved. This material may NOT be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If you are reading this post somewhere other than Cooking with Amy, the Oyster Local blog or Gather.com, then the site where you found this post is illegally publishing copyrighted material.

Grocery Shop, July 10

Bought at DeMille's Farm Market in Salmon Arm.

Corn, kale, leaf lettuce, 2 kinds of apples, blueberries, cherries, carrots, potatos.  Missing: loaf of cheese bread.

100 DIWALI SWEET RECIPES FROM INDUS LADIES- MOST AWAITED E-BOOK IS PUBLISHED

                                                            

 

I think i am the last one to write about this most eagerly awaited e-book from Indus ladies .U can download this e-book here . There are so many wonderful , unique recipes being published.I am elated that my BOONDHI LADOO recipe is also featured in this book :) Thanks a lot INDUS LADIES !!

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SpanishRecipesinpictures/~3/dbCweQncHxo/butter-cookies.html

These are some of the cookies I prepared during the Xmas Holidays. I wanted to try a new dessert...

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