Split Pea Soup with Ham

You either love pea soup, or you hate it. If you love it, thanks for joining me! If you hate it and are still reading, good for you! This recipe contains some of the prettiest colors I've posted (excluding the Christmas sugar cookies, of course!) And imagine the vitamins in this stuff! If nothing else, it will make you glad you are past the diaper stage with your kids. (Not past that stage? Oops. Sorry.)

I love that Mr.4444 and I had bought a big ham we bought on sale, because while I was making soup, he was making this! (Yum, scalloped potatoes and ham! :) Here we go!

Gather your ingredients. You might notice the little note that says, "+Fresh Thyme." Mr.4444 (the sweetheart) was at the store for me when I started :) Allow me to interject to say that this is another one of Charrette's recipes! I've tried three now and have been very happy with each.

Ingredients for the grocery list:

1 lb dried split peas
3 tbls butter
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
2 tsps minced garlic
1 pound ham, chopped
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/3 tsp red pepper flakes
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 tsp fresh thyme

(For the record, I doubled this recipe this time, as you will notice, maybe from here on out.)

You have to plan ahead for pea soup, as the peas must be soaked overnight, covered with about two inches of water above the "pea line." (We got a little out-of-hand and soaked ours for about 16 hours, but they were fine.) Drain and set aside.Prep your ingredients while you wait for Hubby to come home with the herbs. See what I mean about the pretty colors? If you get hungry, do thisWhat?! There was way too much carrot in there for the recipe (see the cup measure on the counter?) I was just doing my part, by keeping carrots out of the landfill. Plus, I was starving!! (Yes, I cleaned the spatula. Or maybe I didn't. Do you really think boiling hot soup doesn't kill germs?!)

In a large stock pot, melt the onions, and cook (stirring) for 2 minutes.Add celery and carrot and cook, stirring, until they "color," or about 3 minutes longer.Add garlic and cook, stirring, another 30 seconds. Add ham and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown.Add drained peas and spices and cook another two minutes.At this point, Mr.4444 came home with the fresh thyme and pointed out something I (the novice pea soup maker) hadn't thought of; why not make a stock out of the ham bone, instead of just putting water in the soup? (This man can cook, I tell you, and I don't argue with success, so I agreed.) So, this is what he did...

Helped me divide up that huge ham into two bowls (2lbs ham each).(Leave it in big chunks; it's the right thing to do, seriously.) Then, throw some veggies into a pot with water and the ham bone, like this:
Bring it to a boil and then simmer for an hour or so. Drain it into a colander... Look at that!Add your beautiful stock to the pot (add water to get what the recipe calls for if you don't have enough stock)....along with the bay leaf and thyme, which you have so lovingly stripped from its branches, like skinning cat.Stop it! No, I have never skinned a cat; I was only kidding!

On a side note, when I was a kid, I used to eat the seeds off of a weed that looked kind of like that thyme (but wasn't) and grew in lawns everywhere. Am I the only one who did that?? What a nut!! I can remember the taste to this day; nothing mouth-watering or anything; I guess I was just stupid.

Let your beautiful soup cook until the peas are tender; about one hour. Remove the bay leaf and press it in a book (just kidding again; it's late, and I'm getting silly-tired. Throw the thing in the garbage.) Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.

I wonder why the recipe says to "serve immediately." Is that to prevent second thoughts?

We ate some "immediately," yes, and it was good, but isn't everything better the next day? And don't you want to freeze some? If nothing else, it looks pretty in there.
I have eaten this soup three times already from the freezer. The thing I love about it is that most people say, "Ewww. Pea soup?!" so that just means more for us healthy folks. I love me some pea soup! (Hope you do, too.)

A Tip for Us Cheapos

You know how your spices get all messed up in the cupboard and it takes you forever to find what you're looking for sometimes? I have a trick for that:I know somebody sells something to organize spices, but I buy so many different brands/sizes, and I'm all about simple, inexpensive solutions, so this is mine.

What's your kitchen tip?

White Chicken Chili

You know how you sometimes meet "strangers" on-line with whom you feel an immediate connection? That's how I felt when I met Charrette. She's just plain wonderful, and I feel blessed to easily refer to her now as a friend (no longer my "blogging friend.") I feel we are just kindred spirits, and when she sent me some of her family recipes for soups, I knew she was my long lost sister. Thanks, Charrette, for sharing your family treasures.

Mr.4444 and I went about cooking like maniacs last weekend. Seriously, we just didn't stop. In less than two days, we made pea soup, white chicken chili, and scalloped potatoes and ham. Pure craziness, and I am very glad we did, because we now have a freezer full of goodness. Here's the first of Charrette's gems...White Chicken Chili. I feel honored to call her friend, as she is incredibly talented writer, painter, mother, and friend. Make this soup, and you'll see why she is also a fabulous cook!

Ingredients:
2 tbls butter
2 tbls olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 tbls garlic, minced
10 oz pkg frozen corn
2 tbls flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbls chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 rotisserie chicken, meat only, diced
2 cans cannelini (white) beans, drained
1 can diced, mild, green chilis (4 oz) drained
salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro

This blog has helped me get my kitchen cleaned. It's the first thing I do before every post; clean. And now, in my new "Keepin' it Real" fashion, I will show you the view out of the kitchen as I began to cook. Clearly, I only clean the kitchen. There is a table somewhere under all of that crap. (And yes, the tree was still up on Sunday, January 4th.)

For you visual learners out there, here is a photo of the ingredients:

The blue containers hold the half-and-half, garlic, flour, and diced onion. And, because I can't lie, I'll confess that something in this photo is a fake! Mr.4444 had run to the store for me, because we were out of Tabasco. Here's the Tabasco body-double:

That's liquid smoke, which I did NOT put in this soup!

Okay, so heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven over med-low heat. This pan...I can't tell you how much we love it (because no one's paying me to do so.) ONLY KIDDING! It was a Christmas gift to Mr.4444 one year and was purchased at Kohl's. It's nice and heavy.


BTW, in case you don't know, here's how to mince garlic; lay your knife over it and press on it as though giving it the Heimlich Maneuver. Put your belly into it; that makes it better.
 
(See, that's why I don't exercise; how could I mince garlic without having a gut to add the "oomph" to my cooking? I just like to sacrifice like that.) When you squoosh the garlic out of it's skin like that, they separate nicely, and you can then chop up the garlic tiny-like:


Usually, Mr.4444 cuts my onions for me, but I relieved him of the task, because he was willing to go to the store for me. Plus, what I haven't told him is that ever since I got contacs, my eyes do not tear when I cut onions :)

Add the onions, garlic, and frozen corn and saute until tender.
   
Sprinkle flour over mixture, and stir well.

  (At this point, you might notice that your onions are a little big. Break out the scissors and cut them up if you like. :)
Cook for another "15" minutes. (Here's where I parted from Charette's instructions, because I simply do not have the patience to stir a pot for 15 minutes. I lasted seven, which is fine, because we like our veggies al dente anyway!) Slowly add chicken broth (canned this time, but your own would be very nice.)
 
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and add spices and remaining ingredients.

 
Remember, I like to grind my herbs, rather than buying them that way.
  

Simmer over low heat 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   Top with cilantro, grated cheese and sour cream.

At this point, you might notice that the soup is not very thick, in spite of the flour thing. Call your friend who gave you the recipe, and she will confess that she forgot to tell you to puree one of the cans of drained cannelini beans!

It's just not worth it to fly to her house and spank her. Besides, it tastes fantastic either way! :)

Thanks, Sis!

Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins

[Composed on Sunday, the day before going back to school after Christmas break.]I know, right? This muffin looks incredible! And yes, as a matter of fact, I did take this fabulous muffin photo! [Figured out how to change the exposure on my camera!!]

Looks good enough to eat, doesn't it? I don't often bake for breakfast, but to soften the blow of having to go back to school tomorrow, I thought I'd make these muffins. I got the recipe from my Everyday Food magazine (Martha Stewart, Terri!!) They are all gone as I type this...12 muffins inhaled in 20 minutes. (And yes, I did give Mr.4444 and the kids each one.)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (we used regular since they pound I bought the day before disappeared)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar (any shade will do, really)
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup reduced fat milk (I used skim)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup frozen blueberries

First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. (Never mind if it smells like something's burning; you can clean the oven later. It will not effect the taste of your delicious muffins! Just in case, though, keep a fire extinguisher handy!)

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk together the flours, wheat germ, baking soda, and salt. Because I am all about keeping it real, you're now going to see what I look like at 9am Sunday morning, before a shower and make-up (shield your eyes, please)...





I know; scary, right?!

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer until it looks like this:Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. It will look like this: [Here's where I have to offer you some important advice: While taking photos of your left hand adding the eggs, (no, I'm right-handed), do NOT keep the mixer running, because you might drop the egg into the revolving blade and mix a frajillion pieces of egg shells into your batter, forcing you to start all over. I'm just sayin...]

In another bowl, do this: You should have 3/4 cup, and since I'm pretty anal about measuring (insecure, I know), I have to always do the measuring. Perfect!Stir with milk and vanilla. (Thanks, Liz for catching my mistake on the milk!)With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture , beginning and ending with flour mixture.; mix just until combined.

Fold in blueberries. Here's how:Divide batter among muffin cups. Look who's here! Clyde was visiting us this weekend. Because I am not a pushover, he got nothin'.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through (oops. Just realized I didn't do that; horrors! I'll have to make some more!)Allow them to cool ten minutes in the pan on a counter. The move to cooling rack.And they were as good as they looked; no butter needed! Yummm........

Cutest Cookie Ever

Tell me this isn't the cutest homemade cookie you've ever seen, and I will call you a liar!My neighbor, Sandy, made these for Christmas/New Years, and I happily ate one New Year's Eve. (cellphone shot, sorry) I am not going to make them here, but I knew I had to pass this on.

*The base is an Oreo cookie dipped in white chocolate.
The "body" is made from a maraschino cherry dipped in chocolate; the "tail" is the cherry's stem.
*The "head" is made from a Hershey's Kiss.
*The ears are almond slivers
*The decoration cake decorating stuff, but I'm sure you could just put cookie decorations/sprinkles on the base to look just as cute, and use those tiny tubes you can buy to do the eyes/nose.

If I were you, I'd bookmark this for next year, because if you do, your dessert will be the hit of the party! :)

Simple Brownies

If you ask me, Brownies are one of the easiest things to make. But just in case, I'm putting a recipe here. These brownies are a hit at our family reunions. I'll put the frosting ingredients at the end, but I never make it, because we like them just fine without it.

Ingredients (I was forbidden to add nuts, but feel free...)2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour

4 eggs
2/3 cup melted butter
2 tsp vanilla

First, melt the butter and let it cool a little (you don't want it to cook the eggs when you mix them!)
Then mix the dry ingredients together.
Mix the liquid ingredients into the dry. Here is where I realized I did not need my KitchenAid mixer; brownies are easy to mix with a wooden spoon or a spatula. Mix just until blended.
Grease your pan with butter.
Spread the brownie batter evenly.
Bake 20-25 minutes (test with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, they're done.) Please pay no mind to the divot in my brownies. Pretend that I didn't drop a rubber pot holder into the pan on the first check. Sorry I don't have a final pic; they were gone before I had a chance to take one! :)

Frosting:
2 tbls melted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tbls milk
1 tbls cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla