Redo Two!

Okay, we’ve probably actually redone this particular recipe, the White Bean and Spinach Soup from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, seven or eight times.

However, I think this is only the second time I’ve posted about a replication. The first time, found here, is about the garnishes Katzen calls for (and how they were no good). This time, I want to discuss freezing the soup.

Basically, it doesn’t freeze well. Most of it does, but the greens do not. I’m not really sure why they don’t, since I expected it to freeze well. However, the freeze and reheat cycle leaves them disintegrating and not terribly palatable. I’m sure this isn’t a microwave issue, simply because reheating the following day is fine.

This makes a pretty sizable recipe, though, so I’ve been considering ways in which it could be changed to freeze better.… Continue reading →

[81] Vegetable Stock

the cover of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Okay, this is very easy and quick to write up. It’s so quick that I’m putting it all right here.

Also, I should tell you this: I didn’t follow this recipe on purpose. It’s just what I do to make stocks of all kinds, in general. However, when I went to got make turkey stock this year, I found I’d saved so many veggie bits in the freezer that I didn’t have room for the turkey carcass. So I made veggie stock and had another recipe. WOO!

h2. Ingredients

The cleaned skins and peels from veggies such as onions, carrots and potatoes. The tops and bottoms of these veggies too. Other veggies that are limp, but otherwise alright can go in there as well. Avoid strongly flavored stuff; cauliflower, broccoli, etc.… Continue reading →

[69] Arizona Pumpkin Soup

the cover of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

This pumpkin soup recipe is on the facing page to “The Pumpkin Tureen”:http://www.metacookbook.com/archives/115-60-The-Pumpkin-Tureen.html, which means that when I was flipping around looking for pumpkin recipes, I had to debate.

The Pumpkin Tureen had a lot more style & pizazz, so I didn’t debate terribly long. I did promise myself I’d make this one “at some point”, but I really needed to check out the soup baked & served in a pumpkin. However, when the rubber hit the road and the taste of that soup didn’t live up to the presentation, I found myself thinking about pumpkin soups again.

Now. I’m not going to lie to you. The idea of soup in a pumpkin tureen has not been utterly rejected by me. I think the idea is a good one, but it needs some work.… Continue reading →

[62] Broccoli & Tofu in Spicy Peanut Sauce

the cover of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

I could swear we’ve made more recipes from this book than the blog indicates, but I can’t think of what they are. Which is unfortunate, as it means I’m daydreaming cooking and recipes. Still, I suppose one could have worse daydreams than of cooking out of a generally good vegetarian cookbook.

This recipe, unsurprisingly, is the result of me poking around and trying to figure out how to best use up some CSA produce. We got broccoli for several weeks, without me having a good use for it, until we were suddenly overrun with broccoli. At that point, I didn’t want to just steam it up as a side, I wanted to make it the star of the show. And then it took another week (and another share with broccoli) for me to figure out how.… Continue reading →

[60] The Pumpkin Tureen

the cover of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

When I saw this recipe’s title, I was curious. When I read the recipe, I had to make it. It’s soup. BAKED IN A PUMPKIN!

Seriously, as I think regular readers of this blog will know, I have been itching to make this recipe since the moment I laid eyes on it. Admittedly, I haven’t gone on and on about it, but at least two posts (maybe even three) mention that I’m planning to make it “soon”. It took awhile, but I managed.

Part of why it took awhile was because I wanted to make it when we had at least one dinner guest. While Bill and I are totally worth a lot of effort “just because”, this seemed like a lot of food and a lot of effort.… Continue reading →