Beer Cheese Soup

Extended Shelf Life: Onions and Carrots

That's Right! Extended Shelf Life!

That can only mean one thing!?!?!

We're back in the land of abundance and waste and we're hitting up the grocers dumpsters and proving that expiration dates and scarred food don't make food inedible...just in need of some immediate tender loving care.

So when our good friend Harris, who heard about our dumpster diving ways while we all lived and taught in South Korea made his way out west, it seemed only fitting that he a) go for a dive and b) eat the fruits of his labor.

And since we were all so fresh to the homeland, it seemed most fitting that this inauguration meal incorporate a tasty micro brew and creamy delicious cheese.

Ingredients/Directions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together 1 1/2 cups chopped Carrots, 1 1/2 cups chopped Onions and 2 minced cloves of Garlic. Add 1 Tbsp. Hot Pepper sauce, 1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper and salt and pepper to taste.

Add 3 cups of Broth and 2 cups of flat Beer, simmer til veggies are tender. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat 1/3 cup Butter in large soup pot over medium high heat. Stir in 1/3 cup flour with a whisk until flour is light brown. Gradually stir in 4 cups of Milk. Maintaining your whisking action, gradually add in 6 cups of shredded Cheddar Cheese, letting it melt and incorporate with each addition.

Stir the beer and veggie mixture into the cheese mixture. Season with 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard, 2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce and 1 tsp. Dry Mustard. Add additional Hot Pepper Sauce if desired, simmer 10 minutes and serve up on a chilly fall night with a set of good friends and perhaps some football on the tele if you're so inclined.

Overnight Oats with Spent Grains

If you spend any time at all on Pinterest, sure as anything, you have seen Overnight Oats in adorable Mason Jars being posted all-over the place, and for good reason!

In an attempt to keep up with eating hearty, healthy, filling breakfasts, I decided to jump on the train and am incredibly thankful I did because this is quite possibly one of the easiest breakfasts I've made yet.

Ingredients/Directions:

In a jar or small tuperware bowl, mix together 1/2 cup Rolled Oats, 2 Tbsp. Spent Grains, Sprinkle of Flaxseed, 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt and 2/3 cups milk. Let set overnight (or I've read a minimum of 30 minutes). In the morning serve with your choice of fruits, jams, spices, honey, peanut butter, etc. Make additional jars/bowls per mouth to feed. (Spent grains and flaxseed not required, most basic oats can be made with jut oats, yogurt and milk!)

Orange Creamsicle Rice Pudding

I've been really diggin' on Rice Pudding lately. It's just so warm and fluffy and comforting. And easy. And creamy.

There's been a few Pinterest posts of Orange Creamsicle inspired dishes, and that my dear friends, got me to thinking.

With some day old rice and a lone orange sitting on our counter tops I was quick to get out a sauce pan and start grating the orange peel. And I'm oh-so-glad I did!

Ingredients/Directions:

In a small pot combine 1 1/2 cups cooked Rice, 1 1/2 cups Milk, 1/3 cups Sugar (I used brown, most recipes call for white) and 1/4 tsp. Salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, 1 Egg, beaten and the zest of One Orange. Cook an additional minute. Before serving remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. Butter and 1/2 tsp. Vanilla. If you have some white chocolate, I think it'd be divine on top in shreds or small chunks. Or, if you want to up the sweetness factor, I think a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk would be heavenly. Even without those additions, this is a warm dessert that is sure to please!

Rice Pudding

I'm not sure why I waited so long to make a pot of rice pudding. I'm quite ashamed that I have made it to the ripe age of 26 without taking in the pleasure of this quick comforting treat on a more regular basis. Not to mention, rice pudding is just screaming to become the playground of numerous experiments and additions (I'm thinking Peanut Butter, Nutella, S'more Ingredients, etc.) I'm eager to play around with this basic recipe and to enjoy it at it's most simple and delicious.

Ingredients/Directions:

In a small pot combine 1 1/2 cups cooked Rice, 1 1/2 cups Milk, 1/3 cups Sugar (I used brown, most recipes call for white) and 1/4 tsp. Salt.  Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15-20 minutes. Stir in an additional 1/2 cup Milk, 1 Egg, beaten and 2/3 cups Raisins ...or Craisins or Nothing...Cook an additional minutes. Before serving remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. Butter and 1/2 tsp. Vanilla.

Eggnog 2012

Used the same recipe as last year.

Still not as thick as I expect...not sure why.

However, absolutely delicious!

Creamy Fresh Tomato Soup

I really wish I were better about posting recipes and such immediately...we're just going to add that goal to the News Years Resolution/30 Day Challenge what-not that I'm taking on for 2012.  Anyway, I was feeling quite sick throughout December and got hit with such an intense craving for Tomato Soup while I stayed at home with a high fever.  I didn't make it that day, because I felt shitty, but the craving hung on until I finally roasted some tomatoes (in the oven, about 30 minutes, helps to remove skins) and whipped up a pot of creamy tomato soup.

The problem that we have currently is...my Pinterest refuses to work on my home computer and I'm not sure which recipe I loosely based this on, nor the details of the recipe.  What I do know is that it includes fresh roasted tomatoes, sauteed onion and garlic, broth or cold chaser tea, milk, salt, sugar, and pepper.  And it's easy. Not as easy as a can, but easy enough. Cook the roasted tomatoes up in the broth with onions and garlic, a touch of spices until warm and fragrant, blend it up in a blender or using an immersion blender then add milk till you reach your preferred consistency and level of creaminess - can also add a mix of cornstarch and water/milk to thicken it up a bit if you so desire. Serve with toasted baguette or a grilled cheese and you'll enjoy yourself the perfect pick-up for the winter blues and cold!

Brownie Milkshake

Don't ask me how these things happen...why there would be two left over brownies sitting in our fridge for a little longer than necessary. Have no fear, there is always a way to use food items that are on their last leg! In this case, just throw two old (or not so old brownies) into a blender with some milk and ice cream and within minutes, you'll be downing a most supreme milkshake. Your welcome ^.^

Vanilla Pudding

Ingredient/Directions:
adapted from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

Combine 3/4 cups sugar,  1/3 tsp. salt, and 4 Tbsp. cornstarch in a saucepan. Whisk in 1 cup cream, 2 1/2 cups milk, and 3 egg yolks, cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 Tbsp. vanilla and 1 Tbsp. butter. Whisk until butter is melted. (Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Or don't, it's your personal call - I didn't and Mike still devoured it ^.^).

Cover with plastic wrap for storage. To prevent a skin or film from forming be sure to place plastic wrap up against the pudding, not just over the top of the bowl. Serve warm or cold. And, beware, this is addicting and will soon be gone if you're not careful...just so you know.