Giuseppepaolo

\ When it's cold and rainy (a rare occasion here in Los Angeles) you have to take advantage of it and make yourself a good pot of soup! Some of my most favorite soups can be found in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking Cookbooks, both volumes one and two. I haven't made one I didn't love.  True to Julia's style, there are a few steps. They are not hard steps but are worth it.  Very much so.  I did one thing differently. I added dill. I didn't have fresh dill on hand so I used a pretty amazing spice blend by WildTree called Dill Dip Blend . It does make a fantastically addicting dip but is equally delicious as a seasoning.  Celery Soup with Potatoes, Leeks and Dill Inspired by Julia Child Celery and Leeks 3 cups sliced celery 2 Leeks, white parts only, sliced or 1 1/4 cups sliced onion 1/4 tsp salt 3 TB butter 4 cups broth, chicken or vegetable 1/3 cup uncooked white rice 3 tsp WildTree Dill Dip Blend Potatoes 3 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped 2 c...

Boulder Organic Soup and Crusty Italian Bread I love soup. Not the typical canned soups with bland broth and high sodium. I rarely purchase processed soup. I rarely even go down the soup isle at the grocery store. Good soup is quick and easy to make and very versatile. It's the perfect answer when needing to clear out the veggies from your fridge. However, there are times, when you need something on the go, you're rushed, or you just don't feel like cooking (or don't enjoy cooking, although if you're reading a food blog, I doubt that's the case). If you find yourself in any of these predicaments, don't grab the can. Go into the deli section and find yourself some real soup. Find yourself a container  Boulder Organic Soup ! I had the pleasure of trying a few of these delicious, organic, gluten free soups. Talk about YUM factor! Each container is about 3 servings, and paired with some good bread, makes for the perfect meal when time is against you! Or take it ...

Sometimes, when you can't decided between two options, combining them is the best idea ever. I really love Julia Child's Leek and Potato soup. I really love Butternut Squash Soup . I was in the mood for both and just couldn't decide what to do. Although I was leaning a bit more towards the leek soup, the butternut squash really needed to be used soon. Using Julia's recipe as a guide, and her often simple, basic seasoning technique that allows the main ingredient's flavor to shine like a star rather than the supporting spices and herbs, It's surprising how a bit salt and pepper is the only seasoning this recipe needs. Trust me, hold back on the urge to add the garlic or cumin, or whatever your go-to favorites are. Try it in it's true form first and remember that you can add other seasonings later if you choose. Butternut and Leek Soup with Red Lentils Printable Version 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" cubes 2 leeks, including tender greens, sliced ...

There are a lot of recipes out there that call for cream of chicken soup. I mean.... a lot! But I'd cringe whenever I used it. I mean....from the can. It's loaded with all sorts of ingredients that I don't recognize. Plus several that I do recognize as totally not.....food. They certainly aren't ingredients I have in my pantry. Guess what.....cream of chicken soup in a can is sooooo not necessary. It's incredibly easy ....as in SIMPLE.....to make. What do you think our great-great-grandmothers use to do? They made it! If you want to get real here...it starts out as a simple rue and then you add a bit of cream and stock. Basically, that's it. Hardly any time at all to make and it's totally cheap! And.....no junk added. No preservatives. No chemicals. Just wholesome ingredients found in just about any kitchen. I have some seasonings listed and of course they can be adjusted based on personal taste. Whether you change the quantity or the seasoning all together...

I love corned beef with cabbage and potatoes. My family doesn't. Not a single one of them. Such a pity, really. Rather than continuing my yearly torture of a traditional St. Patrick's Day feast that only I enjoy, I have recently started a new one. I don't know if this is actually an authentic Irish anything, but it contains lamb, cabbage and potatoes. With a side of some sort of soda bread, it's Irish enough for me. Lamb...some people aren't much into lamb. To be honest, I'm one of those people. But what I do is mix it wish some bison and wow! It's rich and delicious without being overpowering in any way. I know they're both an expensive meat...but after all, I only make it once a year. And it's worth it. Especially when everyone loves it and I'm not left eating a whole corned beef on my own. If you can't get or don't like either of the meats I use...by all means, use ground beef. Irish Meatball Soup Printable Version Soup 8 cups chicken ...

This is one of those super tasty, easy dinners. It's satisfying and pretty quick to make. It would be even quicker if you had some leftover cooked chicken on hand. One of the things that makes this meal so quick and easy is the flavoring packet I used. Now typically, I stay away from seasoning packets. Well...the ones at the local market. What makes the one I used here an exception? It's organic. No GMO's, no pesticides, no preservatives, no insecticides, no irradiation, do food dyes. So what we have here...is quality AND convenience. All neatly wrapped up in one. Where can you get Wildtree products? From my friend Michele (whom by the way is responsible for me starting a blog, and joining Facebook): Website http://www.mywildtree.com/MICHELEBCOOKS/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/michelebcooks She also has a blog:  My Italian Grandmother Meanwhile, back at the bat cave..... Mexican Skillet Meal Seasoning contains every flavor you would want in a Mexican dish, such a...

It works. Blueberries with your Thanksgiving feast. I swear! If you're not much of a cranberry fan, then go for the little blue dynamos! If you LOVE blueberries, then just do it! You get that slight tartness with a little sweet, of course, but blueberries also work in savory dishes. I promise! Until yesterday, I had no idea that blueberries were so versatile. I attended A Very Blueberry Thanksgiving luncheon with Food Bloggers of Los Angeles, hosted by Erika of In Erika's Kitchen , sponsored by Blueberry Council and Rioja Wines . Every dish had blueberries in it, from the appetizers to the main course and last but not least, the dessert. The courses were magnificently paired with 6 different Rioja Wine varieties. One thing that stuck in my head, as I listened to the Little Blue Dynamos guys talk about blueberries, was the quality of produce that comes from Chile. For some reason I have always thought that imported produce wasn't as regulated as domestic. Well, Chile is an ...

Here's a quick one. Not much story behind it other than I got the recipe from..... Delicious Disney. I love soups. I love creamy soups. I especially love squashy creamy soups...and that's why I chose it. If you can purchase (and eat) Thai Red Curry Paste, then this soup recipe will be a lot quicker than how I made it. Thai Red Curry Paste contains fish sauce and shrimp sauce, which I can't eat. In this case, I made my own. A vegan version. It was easy enough and the ingredients were simple enough but there are a lot of ingredients which made the soup making process longer than it could've been. I'll give you the recipe for the Thai Red Curry Paste at the end. This soup is delicious. The flavors are strong and subtle at the same time. Smooth yet lasting. Rich and comforting. Each bite brings out a new dimension. I'm eating a bowl of leftovers as I type and the flavors really pop after mingling for a day or two. Curry Butternut Soup Printable Version 2 TB butter 1...

Yesterday my daughter brought home a leek. A very large leek. My mind instantly went to an amazing Julia Child recipe: Potage Celestine . But what I needed tonight was simplicity at its finest (short of having it delivered). I had spent most of the day pulling weeds and prepping my little garden strip for planting. I'm exhausted to say the least. After flipping through a couple cookbooks, I discovered that Potage Parmentier fit the bill. I mean...seriously. Soup doesn't get any more simple or easier than this. And it's delicious. It's satisfying without being heavy. It has full flavor and a bit of richness without a dozen ingredients. Aaaaaaaand...it's a Julie Child recipe from Master the Art of French Cooking. Can it get any better than that? Did I mention that its vegetarian? And if you use vegetarian butter....it's vegan! Side note: you may choose to drink a white wine with your soup. I had started the red a while ago....and kept with it. A nice Merlot. Which...

First was  Tyler Florence's Chicken Francese Second was  Ann Burrell's Braised Chicken with Tomatillos and Jalapenos Third came a version of Ina Garten's Apple Pie; Apple Pear Pie in a Cast Iron Skillet Now I'm on to Paula Deen. One of my favorite comfort foods is chicken pot pie. When I saw Paula Deen top hers with puff pastry.....well, it was a no brainer. I had to give it a try. Turns out that one of my daughter's liked the puff pastry more than what I normally do (which is pour bisquik over the top). My other daughter is lactose intolerant, has decided to eat gluten free and has slowly become a vegetarian. Sir Sportsalot wasn't home that night. My take? I'll tell you in a minute. Btw, if you don't know what I'm doing....I'm cooking something from each of the celebrity chefs that some friends over on my Facebook Page, PeacefulCooking  had listed as their favorite chefs. My next post will be a recipe from Jacques Pepin. Back to the chicken pot ...