Ham, Australian Cheddar, Fig and Grilled Zucchini Quesadilla

Next up in the series, Food from Me to You...a new quesadilla recipe.  Quesadillas like this are my go to "I am too busy to cook" meal.  Even though I avoid excessive use of deli meat, I do eat it randomly.  And I always give it a quick sear on the skillet before putting it in my concoctions, tastes about 80 times better that way.  This quesadilla is a combination of ham, australian cheddar (super creamy), a fig spread and grilled zucchini.  I definitely put either some goat cheese or some cream cheese in these, as well, because clearly, I am incapable of not adding soft cheese to every single thing I put on the plate.  

Also, I love acid.  And anytime I make a quesadilla or grilled sandwich or make some sort of a grilled cake (like these), I always eat it with aggressively dressed greens.  Some baby spinach, spring mix, arugula, etc.  I usually eat about half a bag of baby spinach (so like 2.5 ounces) with one quesadilla.  So normally it is a lot more greenage than what is in the photo.  I think I was just running low.  

The purpose of sharing this recipe isn't so you go out and buy all these rather strange ingredients and put them together (although, go for it, this was extremely well liked by Scot), it is instead to share with you one of my regulars.  BTW, fig spread is Scot's Betty Boop lately.  Or his new "sweet potato".  If you have never had it, it is basically the filling in a Fig Newton, but classier.  

PS:  In case you didn't notice, I gave foodforscot a Facebook page for Christmas.  And I added FB liking capabilities all up in here.  I am hoping this allows for better communication.  The commenting via the blog is sort of 1991, so I hope adding the ability to comment on FB makes things a little easier.  Also, YOU can upload pics and comments on the FB page anytime and send me hate mail there.  

2012 foodforscot Kitchen Tip:  Don't buy salad dressing.  I promise you, you will never regret it.  All you need is to stock your pantry and fridge with ingredients (which basically never go bad) that allow you to whip up whatever dressing you want.  I eat some sort of vinaigrette or dressing at least 3 times a week and I make it each time (or use up the leftovers right away).  So what ingredients are need to whip up a dressing?

-Vinegars (I always have balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar...but Champagne, Sherry, and other flavored vinegars are fun to throw into the mix)

-Oil (almost always olive oil, but for Asian and Mexican, you want a light oil like Veggie)

-Salt and pepper

-Dijon mustard

-Honey (or other sweeteners like Maple syrup, agave, jelly or jams, etc.)

Those ingredients alone can do wonders.  However, there are probably lots of other ingredients and condiments hanging around that can give you even more options including:  Worcestershire sauce, Soy sauce, other mustards, Sriracha, fresh or dry herbs, weird Asian oils/Fish sauce/etc., lemons, limes, ketchup, relish, and many more.

Are you thinking...what about the creamy dressings?  Well, all you need is fat:  mayo, sour cream, yogurt, milk, etc.  

I always have all of these ingredients.  And I hate bottled salad dressing.  Even before the "eat whole foods, don't eat processed foods" movement, I hated bottled salad dressing.  I think it is because once you start making vinaigrettes, you won't turn back.  

Should I take a bow?  Geeez.  Sorry about that multi-paragraph kitchen tip.  I think you get the idea.  

Ham, Australian Cheddar, Fig and Grilled Zucchini Quesadilla

Ham

Australian Cheddar

Goat cheese, probably

Dijon

Zucchini, sliced and grilled

Fig spread

Spinach flour tortillas

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Make a quesadilla and serve with a salad greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette.

(Servings: any, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 10 min., Difficulty: Impossible)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites

Sometimes people ask me how I have time to cook all the time.  Or how I have time to cook such elaborate things.

In some ways, I do see people's point.  Making things like pretzel bites, doesn't make too much sense.  They aren't that easy.  Not to mention, that aren't all that necessary.  And I do often make unnecessary things like pretzel bites, because I think it is fun.  And I knew my little sister would like them.

But in general, I cook all the time because we need to eat.  And I don't understand how some people eat but don't cook.  How does that even work?  Sometimes I wonder when people say they don't cook if they mean they just eat out.  Or maybe they mean the just eat cereal and PB&J's?  Or maybe they mean they just make salads and sandwiches?  Or maybe they mean they eat frozen pizzas and hungry-man?  Or maybe they mean they eat Reese's and Doritos?  So many options.

I do know that I do have time to cook/prepare food.  It is almost always at night.  It is almost always dark outside (no matter what the season).  I am always in a hurry.  But there is no other option, food doesn't have to be convenient, yo!

As I was making these, I was cursing in my head about how long they took and how we needed to be done before our movie.  Story of my life.  My little sister helped out.  We got them done and eaten before the movie.  They were delicious.  They smell amazing.  They might be a good party appetizer if you make them in advance and warm them quickly in the oven before serving.  I wouldn't want to mess with boiling and baking them while the guests were there.

Ham & Cheese Pretzel Bites

from Pennies on a Platter

1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (or instant yeast)

2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar, divided

1/4 cup warm water (110-115°F)

1 cup warm milk (110-115°F)

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour

1/2 cup finely chopped ham (about 3 ounces)

1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice (I used cheddar)

6 cups water

4 teaspoons baking soda

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1-2 Tablespoons coarse salt

Combine the yeast, 1 tsp brown sugar, and warm water in a large bowl. Set aside until foamy, 5-8 minutes. (If using the instant yeast, you can skip this step and just add it to the flour.) In another bowl, stir together the remaining 2 Tbsp brown sugar and warm milk until dissolved.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour and milk mixture to the yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining flour as needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times, forming a smooth ball.

Brush the inside of a large clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft free area for about 2 hours, until dough has doubled in size and bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust your hands and rolling pin with flour. Roll one of the four sections into a 12°—4-inch rectangle. With the long side facing you, gently press 1/4 of the ham and cheese into the bottom third of the dough, and roll as tightly as possible, starting with the end that has the filling. Cut into 12 1-inch pieces and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining 3 portions of the dough.

Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Again, if using instant yeast you may choose to skip this step as it only requires one rise.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Boil pretzels in batches, cooking about 20 seconds each, turning once.  They should be slightly puffed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them back to the baking sheets.

Bake until puffed and golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

Brush warm pretzel bites with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

(Servings: 48 bites, Prep time: 3.5 hrs., Bake time: 30 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Cindy (taste):  7/10

Effort: 3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Ham, Black Bean and Corn Pizza with Fontina Cheese

Having pizza every night is fine if you put corn on it.  And black beans.  Those things are healthy.  

It is like...you think Mexican...but then you get a bite of Fontina.  Fontina ain't Mexican!  

That line should definitely be erased.  It makes no sense.  

I really have nothing to say.  But I already got this far.  

Ham, Black Bean and Corn Pizza with Fontina Cheese

pizza dough (1/2 this recipe)

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1/4 cup of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup of frozen corn

1 cups of shredded mozzarella (I used whole milk)

4 thin slices of ham

2-4 ounces of Fontina cheese, sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

pepper

Place pizza stone in oven on middle/bottom rack and preheat to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.

Roll/stretch out dough. Using a pastry brush, brush the 1 tsp of olive oil on the outer rim of the dough. Spoon and spread out the tomato sauce on to the dough, leaving a half inch border around the edge. Add black beans, corn, shredded mozzarella, ham, fontina cheese and top with green onions. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese and crust are golden brown.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Ham and Spinach Crepes with Swiss Cheese Sauce

We had these crepes a year or so ago at a friend's house.  When my sister recently confessed her love for honey ham, I thought she would like these.  Plus, they are fairly easy to make.  Low Fuel.  Kind of.  Relatively.

I think these are pretty self-explanatory.  Crepes filled with ham and spinach and then topped with a cheese sauce made out of Swiss cheese.  We ate ours with some fried potatoes.  I just had some boiled, cut up potatoes that I pan fried in a combo of butter/olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  A really yummy breakfast, lunch or dinner.  

Ham and Spinach Crepes with Swiss Cheese Sauce

crepe recipe by Alton Brown

For crepes:

2 large eggs

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. water

1 c. flour

3 tbsp melted butter

1/4 tsp salt (optional)

butter (to coat pan)

For cheese sauce:

2 tbsp of butter

2 tbsp of flour

1 cup milk, warmish

6 ounces of Swiss cheese, shredded

pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper

For rest:

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

1 bag of spinach

1/2 lb deli ham

For crepes: In blender, combine all ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds.  Refrigerate for 1 hour, up to 48 hours. Or just whisk by hand in a bowl.

Heat a medium non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into center and swirl to spread evenly. Cook 30 seconds. Flip and cook 10 seconds. Lay out flat to cool. They can be stacked and last in the refrigerator for a few days and in the freezer for two months.

For cheese sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add flour and form roux. Cook for a minute or two. Add milk and whisk to break up roux. Let heat up until thickened, whisking as needed. Add cheese in small batches until thoroughly melted and smooth. Season with a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper.

For rest: Preheat large skillet. Wilt spinach in olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan. Warm up ham on same skillet.

To assemble, take a crepe and fill with ham and spinach. Fold over and cover with cheese sauce.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 2 hr + , Cook time: 0 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Pickle, Ham and Cream Cheese Rolls

These have to be one of the easiest appetizers.  I am sure you have seen them.  Had them.  And they are one of my absolute favorite apps.  I have a thing for pickles.

My little sister and I have this weird thing in common.  Ever since she was really little, she had this amazing memory.  When she was like four, she would be like "remember that time you took your sock off and turned it inside out and then stuffed it in your shoe before ballet class?"  And I would think about it and be like "OMG, that totally did happen."  For me and my teenage friends, this was not always so great.  When little Cindy would be like, "hey Becky, remember that one time you stole those quarters from your dad to buy a Pepsi and never gave them back?"  In front of her dad.  Happened all the time.

Anyways, sometimes it was kind of creepy what she would remember.  So, I pretended like I didn't remember it too.  But I almost always did.  And I still am the same way.  I remember really useless things like what people say or wear or do.  I am sure everyone has something like this.  Like one type of thing that they always notice about people.  Maybe whether they wear a wedding ring.  Or what brand name they are wearing.  Or colors.  I don't know.

My point is, the other one thing that I have really strong memories about always, is food.  I remember most of what my mom made for us for dinner growing up.  I remember what food was served at like every wedding I have ever been to.  I always remember what I had at restaurants we have been to.  Especially within the past 5 years.  And I remember the food that I ate at high school graduation parties.  And these pickle, ham and cream cheese rolls were one of the apps I had at one particular girl's grad party.  Best idea ever.  

You just spread some cream cheese on a piece of ham.  Roll up a pickle inside.  Then slice them up.

Croque Monsieur

I had some pretty awesome teachers growing up.  This is something I was well aware of while I was young, but now that I am older, I have truly realized how lucky I was.  I think this is partially because I have matured enough now to look past the fact that I heard my teacher say the word 'boob'.  I took French in middle and high school.  I think foreign language teachers are all a little bit crazy, which is what makes them so great.  I remember the most random and specific details about my three French teachers.  And they all seriously loved anything French.  They taught me so much about the French culture and about French food.  French cooking is sophisticated.  And while, this was no French culinary school, they gave us many opportunities to explore French food...eating and cooking.  A lot of times it was extra credit.  And I was an extra credit kind of girl.  So, I always went home and made different French recipes.  I remember making meringues, buche de noel, crepes, Salade Nicoise, and Croque Monsiuer!

Some recipes call for making a ham and cheese sandwich, dredging in an egg batter and then frying in a skillet as you would French toast and this is actually a Monte Cristo sandwich.  The Monte Cristo sandwich is sometimes fried.  I used to get a similar sandwich at a fast food-ish type place and it was called a "Frenchie".  Ha.  This particular recipe (Ina Garten) is made in the oven, covered in a Mornay sauce and then crisped up under the broiler.  It is delicious.  We had it with a salad of lettuce, grape tomatoes, red onion, and goat cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette.  Normally I would leave the goat cheese out with such a cheesy sandwich, but I needed to use up a little goat cheese.  Shoot.  

In other news, it snowed last night.  Seriously!  I have never been so disappointed in Boulder weather.  

Croque Monsieur

by Ina Garten via Food Network

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch nutmeg

12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed

Dijon mustard

8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted. Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

(Servings: 8, Prep time: 25 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Eggs Benedict

Haven't been posting dinners much this week. Why? Well, we have been eating salmon cakes and ham for every meal. For Easter brunch, I ended up only serving 1 salmon cake per person. That left me with 12 + bonus salmon cakes. Everything in my heart was telling me to throw them away. But Scot does not allow me to waste food (thanks). So, I whipped up some brown rice, and we have been eating brown rice with one salmon cake and asparagus for just about every lunch this week. I made a ham, au gratin potatoes and broccoli one night because I LOVE that combo and growing up, we always had it for Easter dinner. And I needed my fix. Hams are big. Lots of ham sandwiches.

For breakfast this morning, I made eggs benedict. One of my favorite breakfasts ever. I like the variations too, with greens, tomatoes, fish, etc. Since I still had leftover ham, I did the traditional version (which I love). I was hoping to have leftover hollandaise from my Easter brunch, but that disaster forced me to remake the hollandaise. Which is actually good, because the originally recipe I used had way too much lemon juice for my liking.

I made more latkes to serve with the eggs benedict. So, this entire meal took me about 1 hour 45 minutes to make. But, I love when I have time to make kind of complicated things. I made sure everything was well prepped and took my time, so as to not make any mistakes. I made the latkes first, kept them warm in the oven, cut the ham, grilled it quickly and put it in the oven with the potatoes. Then, I measured everything out for the hollandaise. Then, boiled water for the poached eggs. Poached them and set them in warm water until I was ready to assemble. Then, I made the hollandaise. This recipe keeps it off the heat for most of the time, so I didn't have any problems with eggs getting overcooked. Even as it sat off the heat for a while. Then, I toasted the English muffins and assembled everything.

Everything was pretty good. Two of the eggs were a little overcooked (the first two I poached). The two Scot got. Ha. Actually, I purposely gave them to him because I thought he didn't like runny yolks. He says he does like runny yolks, but doesn't mind themcooked either. Figs. Easy to please.

Eggs Benedict

from Joy of Cooking

Prepare and drain well, and keep warm:

4 poached eggs (see direction below)

Place on warmed plates or a warmed serving platter

2 English muffins, split, toasted, and buttered

Cover with:

4 thick slices of ham or Canadian bacon, warmed

Top with the well-drained eggs, then top the eggs with:

1/2 cup Hollandaise sauce (see recipe below)

Serve immediately, passing extra sauce on the side.

(Servings: 2-4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 10 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

________________________________

Hollandaise

Melt over low heat:

10 tbsp (1.25 sticks) butter

Skim the foam off the top and keep warm. Place in the top of a double boiler or in larger stainless steel/glass bowl:

3 large eggs

1.5 tbsp cold water

Off the heat, beat the yolks with a whisk until light and frothy. Place top of the double boiler or bowl over – not in – barely simmering water and continue to whisk until the eggs are thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, being careful not to let the eggs get too hot. Remove the pan or bowl and whisk to cool the mixture slightly. Whisking constantly, very slowly add the butter, leaving the white milk solids behind. Whisk in:

1/2 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

dash of hot pepper sauce (optional)

salt and white pepper to taste

If the sauce is too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water. Serve immediately, or cover to keep the sauce warm for up to 30 minutes by placing the pan or bowl in warm (not hot) water.

________________________________

Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are cooked in simmering liquid until the yolks are thick yet still liquid in the center. They can be poached in water, stock, sauce, milk, heavy cream, or soup. Although there are various rings and egg poaching sets available, all that is really necessary to poach eggs are a sauce pan and a slotted spoon. The challenge when poaching eggs is to prevent them from spreading when they are added to the poaching liquid. For best results, use very fresh eggs, which best hold their shape. Adding vinegar and salt to the water helps the whites set more quickly. Use scissors or a small knife to trim away any thin streamers of white. Bring to a rolling boil in a large non-stick skillet:

2-4 inches of water.

Reduce heat until the water is barely simmering. Add:

1 tbsp vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Have ready:

4 eggs

One at a time, break each egg into a small bowl or cup, bring the edge of the bowl level with the surface of the water, and slide each egg in gently. Simmer until the whites are set, about 3 minutes. With practice, you will be able to judge right degree of doneness. Remove the eggs with a large slotted spoon, and drain well before serving. If cooking for several people or a crowd, prepare eggs in advance. Transfer the finished eggs to a wide shallow bowl of water warmed to 150° F and

hold for up to 30 minutes. They can also be poached well ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Transfer the poached eggs to a bowl of cold water the moment they are done and refrigerate. When read to reheat and serve, with a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a large pan of 150° F water, cover, and let stand for at least 5 minutes, or up to 20 minutes. Return the pan to a very low heat if the temperature of the water drops below 145° F.

Printable Version

And of course, whenever we indulge ourselves, we like to give Copper something special. My dog is a foodie. No doubt in my mind.

Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto Pizza

We are on spring break this week. Usually, that doesn't mean much for us. This year no one gave me homework to do over break (evilest thing ever). It is a good time to take a break from research. Etc. Minus the sprain, I am loving it.

I decided to try out a few pizza combos that I have been eyeing. Last night, I made a BBQ Chicken pizza. I will post later. I am a little behind on blogs. Tonight, it was caramelized onion and prosciutto pizza. It definitely brought me back to the short times I have been in Europe and been surviving off of the American dollar. Pizza is so dependable. And this pizza dough is nice and thin and very similar to what I have had in Europe.

Scot and I spent some time in Switzerland a year or so ago. We also travelled around Europe a little while we were there. Switzerland is ridiculously expensive. We found a few places to get a slice of pizza, for maybe $5. And that $5 slice was pretty good. Until we went to Italy, where you can buy pizza by the pound...and it was AMAZING. And they had such good topping combos. And prosciutto is obviously a standard topping. It was always an option. Sometimes with olives, or artichokes, or by itself.

I really liked this salty ham with sweet onions. And the creamy fresh mozzarella. A few things...the brown sugar to caramelize the onions is really optional. Especially if you use a sweet onion. Red onions really aren't that sweet, but do sweeten up when you caramelize them. I was planning to use red onion, but my red onion was rotten! Hate it when that happens. So, I used a sweet yellow onion as backup. And I think it was probably better. Also, I think 500 degrees is too hot! It would be ok with a pizza stone, but I think 450 is good. But, if Pioneer Woman says 500, go ahead and try it for yourself! I tried it this time and think its too hot.

Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto Pizza

by Pioneer Woman

1 whole Pizza Crust (1/2 this recipe)

Olive Oil, For Drizzling

1 whole Large Red Onion, Halved And Thinly Sliced

1/4 cups Brown Sugar

Kosher Salt To Taste

Parmesan Cheese, Grated

10 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Thinly Sliced

8 slices Prosciutto (more To Taste)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and toss/stir for several minutes, or until onions are brown and cooked. Set aside. Roll out pizza dough to a rectangular shape. Drizzle on olive oil, sprinkle on a little salt, followed by a little Parmesan.

Lay slices of mozzarella evenly over the top of the crust. Arrange caramelized onions over the top of the mozzarella. Randomly lay slices of prosciutto over the onions.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half of the oven, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

Split Pea Soup with Parmesan Crouton

I am just going to put this out there. I truly thought split pea soup just had regular old peas in it. Like fresh ones (or like frozen, I don't know). Obviously, this is the first time I have made Split Pea Soup. And I don't know that I have ever even eaten it that often. Well, upon some research (Wikipedia, obv.), I found out that a split pea is just a dry pea (ya know, the Pisum sativum). Why are they called "split" peas? Well, once one is dried, the skin is removed and there is a natural split in the seed. And it is mechanically separated partly because it speeds up cooking.

The recipe also calls for ham hock. Wha? I was pretty sure I would have a hard time finding hock. I mean what the heck is hock. But it wasn't hard for me to find at all. The meat man at the Soops explained to me that it is the joint that connects the pig's foot to its leg. It has very little meat, and is mostly fat, tendons and bone. So, might as well make a soup out of it, huh? He explained they sell ham hocks and shanks. He said the hock is the back leg joints (more flavor) and the shanks are the front leg joints (meatier). I got one of each:

And, I am a fan. Of this soup. It is so simple. As always, I find that any rice, grain, legume, or split pea takes way longer to cook than what any recipe says. Blame it on the elevation. Blame it on me. It is a fact. Although, it probably is the elevation because when I use my rice cooker, I never have a problem. Pressurized.

BTW, there really isn't that much meat on the shanky hocks. But you don't need the meat. The flavor is there. This recipe has potatoes in it too and I would consider omitting them next time. Or less. Not sure. The croutons are nice, definitely make for a nice contrast in texture. I might do cubey guys next time for practicality-sake.

Split Pea Soup

by Food.People.Want

1 cup chopped yellow onion (about one medium onion)

1/2 tablespoon garlic (about 1-2 cloves)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried thyme

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups diced carrots

1 cup diced, unpeeled red skin potatoes

1 pound dried split peas

8 cups chicken stock or water

1 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 pound bone-in, smoked ham hock

Kosher salt to taste

Parmesan croutons (recipe follows)

In a 6-quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, garlic, dried herbs and pepper until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the smoked ham hock and sauté briefly until it begins to color slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, potatoes and 3/4 of the dried split peas. Add in the stock or water, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off foam periodically as it collects on the surface.

After 40 minutes, add in the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40-50 minutes, stirring every once in a while to make sure that the peas don’t scorch on the bottom of the pot.

Carefully remove the ham hock from the hot soup to a clean plate. Allow the ham to cool slightly before pulling the meat from the bone and shredding it into bite size pieces.

Return the shredded ham to the pot. Add kosher salt to taste.

Serve warm in bowls garnished with a Parmesan crouton. Recipe follows.

(Servings: 5-6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 2.5 hrs., Difficulty: Easy)

Parmesan Croutons

by Food.People.Want

1 sourdough baguette

Olive oil for brushing

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Finely chopped fresh thyme or oregano

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Slice baguette on a bias into 1/4 thick pieces. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and brush each with olive oil before sprinkling on kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Top each slice with a sprinkling of grated cheese and minced herbs and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.

Serve croutons at room temperature.

Printable Version