Roasted Cauliflower & Baked Potato Soup

I love to experiment with foods. This recipe I’ve played around with until I’ve come up with the combination that I really like. That’s not to say I won’t change it up again the next time I make it. That’s what I love about cooking. I find it to be very creative. I encourage you to play around with recipes especially mine. 

Ingredients

Cauliflower – 2 heads
Chicken Broth – 3 cartons
Cooked bacon – 4-5 slices
White Onion – 1 ½ large 
Garlic cloves – 5 or 6 to roast, 3 or 4 to mince
Baked potato – 4-5 depending on size
Cream
Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
Butter 2-3 tablespoons
Salt & Pepper to taste

Video

Helpful Hints

When roasting your vegetables it might take longer than 45 minutes, just check on them to make sure they have a nice roasted color. Also don’t forget to flip them after 30 minutes. Peel the baked potatoes after they cool off (the peel comes off easier). It's helpful when blending the soup to fill your blender halfway and hold the lid down with a towel. You can garnish the soup with bacon to add a little something extra special as pictured above.

Until next time remember to always have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2014

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

I bought a fresh pumpkin while out with some friends and wondered what I could make with it. I never made anything with fresh pumpkin before. I decided to try to make pumpkin soup. I looked up some recipes, but since I don’t like to measure when I cook, I just gathered up the most popular ingredients from those recipes. Sounds like fun? It was. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it. 

Ingredients

Pumpkin (roasted with olive oil, salt & pepper)
Roasted garlic cloves - @ 6-8
Fresh garlic cloves – 2
Onions
Chicken stock
Cooked carrots
Cream
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese (my little addition)

Video

Helpful Hints

Make sure you allow your pumpkin to cool before removing the skin after you roast it. Just use enough chicken stock to cover the pumpkin. If you don’t want to use fresh carrots, then use a can of carrots. If you use canned carrots be sure to rinse the carrots well. 

Use whatever seasonings you like. Experiment.

No matter how you cook it, remember to have fun in the kitchen.

@Nadine Zawacki 2012

Split Pea Soup

Whenever I cook a ham, my family knows split pea soup will follow. It’s a great use of the leftover ham bone.  It’s one of my favorite soups and so easy to make.

Ingredients

Split peas
Onions
Garlic cloves
Salt & pepper
Ham bone
Water

Video

Helpful Hints

Add as much or as little onions as you like. I like a lot but you can add much less to the soup. The longer you cook it, the smoother it gets. You can substitute chicken stock for water if you like or try other combinations of seasonings. If you don’t have a crock pot you can always slow cook it on the stove but you’ll need to keep an eye on it and stir often.

Until next time, have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2012