Poitou-Style Pea Soup

As a child my Dad loved green pea soup, and ate it religiously. I thought he was completely crazy, and even the smell sent me running to my room. Granted he ate the canned kind so maybe he kind of was ;)

Now however I have seen the light and there is nothing I love more than a bowl of pea soup. There is something incredibly refreshing and light about it, it is honestly perfect at any time of the year. Oh, and the crostini, my new favorite snack in to have in the middle of the afternoon :)

Pea Soup (From Great soups, Empty Bowls):

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 5 cups frozen peas
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp savoury
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
  
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 cups butter lettuce chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Heat butter in soup pot. Add onions and cooked until softened, but not browned. Add peas, herbs, sugar and lettuce and toss until coated. Add broth, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Using blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Serve either hot or cold.

Over Sized crostini:

• 1/4 cup ricotta
• Sliced French bread
• 2 Tbsp walnuts chopped

Spread ricotta on bread, and sprinkle to with walnuts. Place in toaster over or normal oven until bread it crisp.

Serve with soup.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

This week, well this month, was supposed to be a quite month with little in the way of financial expenditures. That has gone completely out the window this week with three meals out scheduled! That darn social life that gets in the way sometimes ;)

Tuesday: Pea soup and dinner out for Hubby (I think he plans it deliberately when I make soup)
Wednesday: Dinner out for Me
Thursday: Pork quesadilla
Friday: Fried chicken, new recipe for this one as I am not overly impressed with the old one I have
Saturday: Both of us dinner out, double date with my baby sister
Sunday: Linguine with chicken ragu

Have a good week!

French Toast

While I admit during the work week I hardly stop for breakfast, on the weekend in our house it is a pretty big thing for a couple of reasons.

First I can guarantee that Lilly, who is still stuck in the incredibly picky stage, will actually eat a complete meal. Second. it is the one time that my Hubby will actually participate in cooking with me. He does the bacon and eggs, something I can't cook for the life of me, and I either waffles, pancakes or French toast. Third, well family time and it tastes good :)

French Toast:

• 5 -6 slices of bread of choice
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Dash of cinnamon
• Icing sugar
  
• Syrup
  

Heat griddle or fry pan on medium heat. Beat eggs, cream vanilla, honey and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, or pie plate. Place bread in mixture pressing down gently, then flip to coat other side. Place on hot fry pan and cook until that side is golden, flip and cook other side as well.

Serve hot with a sprinkle of icing sugar and syrup.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

I know you all missed me last week!

It was a really good week too foodwise, but I didn't take any photos of my creations to share with you all. It was just too busy! This week isn't any quieter unfortunatly, but due to the holiday this weekend, friends coming over for dinner in the middle of the week and a nail appointment I really am not doing much in the way of cooking.

We all need a 'break' every once and awhile ;)

Wednesday: Nail = pizza
Thursday: Friends over = pizza
Friday: Shrimp and chickpeas red curry
Saturday: Indian spiced salmon
Sunday: Easter = dinner out
Monday: Leftovers

Menu Planning

Just really quickly, because I need to have some sort of organization in this mass of chaos I am supposed to call my life ;)

Wednesday: Chicken with Acai red wine sauce...if I can find acai berries otherwise we get we will have to see
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: Orange Chipotle shrimp
Saturday: spaghetti con pomodoro e tonno (still trying to use up that canned tuna)
Sunday: Slow cooker beef Stroganoff

Should be a busy week. In case you didn't notice I am now cooking every night as Hubby's work schedule has changed and he will always be home for supper! Of course that means he will also get to inherit one of these nights to cook supper for me, have to spread the love ;)