Velvety Potato Leek Soup

It is finally soup season. Today was a wonderfully crisp and sunny autum Sunday. So I ask...is there anything as comforting as a warm, smooth bowl of soup? I read a few recipes and ended up modifing one from Cooking Light. I added and subtracted a few things and then blended it (I watch way too much Food Netword). It is tasty! Can you believe it is so creamy - and no milk products! That is something special!

Ingredients

• 1 tbs unsalted butter
• 4 cups chopped leeks (yes, you cut off the big leafy green parts. I sliced the leek length-wise and then sliced thinly)
• 6 cups peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes (you really need to use Yukon Gold - my mom-mom swore by them when making mashed potatoes and they are what makes this soup buttery) - about 6 small to medium potatoes
• 2 cups water
• low sodium chicken broth (I used the organic kind from Trader Joes and it was really good - I thought it was better than swansons)
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tsp salt - you can always add more after cooking
• 1 tsp white pepper - you can use fresh ground or whatever you have. Remember you can always add more later so don't put too much in. That's the tricky thing with soup. You can't make it less salty or peppery
• Something pretty and green to put on top - fresh parsley, thyme....

How to Make it

1. In large pot melt the butter on medium heat.
2. Add leeks and sauté for about 10 minutes. Do not let them brown!
3. Add potatoes, water, broth, salt, pepper and thyme.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Taste - are the potatoes cooked? Do you like how it tastes? If not fix it.
6. Remove from heat for about 15 minutes. If you don't it may blow the top of the blender off.
7. Ladle soup into the blender. Only fill the blender 1/4 full. Pulse at first and be sure to place a towel over the blender. This way, if the top does fly off you will avoid some of the mess.
8. Blend until smooth. Pour smooth soup into a bowl.
9. Repeat with the rest of the soup.
10. Serve it or put it back in the pot to keep warm while you finish whatever you need to do.

When you store it I suggest placing a piece of cling wrap op top of the soup as it tends to form a potato film (kinda like pudding does). You could also add more liquid to make it less dense. Or, for leftovers add in some bacon, clams, carrots and more broth and you would have an awsome chowda.

Relax and enjoy for about 8 1 cup servings.

Thai Beef with Spinich

I had never cooked Thai food before but was inspired by our recent trip. I can't claim that this is real Thai cuisine since I didn't follow a recipe, but regardless it was good. I also am guessing on amounts of ingredients since I never measure any thing - I will update it when I make it again.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil (you can also use olive oil spray to cut back on the calories)
• Lean Beef cut into bite size strips (cut them pretty thin if you are using a tougher meat)
• Diced Yellow Onion - about 1 small-med
• Minced Garlic - about 3 -5 cloves (I love garlic)
• Crush Red Pepper - a dash or two
• Chili Garlic Sauce - 1 tbs (depending on how much heat you like)
• Fish Sauce - 2 tbs
• 1-2 tsp Sriracha (check here for this and the Chili Garlic Sauce, available at the supermarket)i
• Dash of cumin
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper
• Baby Spinach - about 1/2 of the bag
• Button mushrooms - use as many as you like. I used an entire small container. It adds bulk and because they are so absorbent, they taste almost like the beef.

1. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Medium heat, cook the garlic, onion and crushed red pepper for about 2 minutes. You don't have to cook them too much because they will continue cooking with the rest of ingredients.
2. Lightly salt and pepper the beef and cook just until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add Fish Sauce, Chili Garlic Sauce, Sriracha Sauce, Cumin and Chicken Broth. Let simmer for about 10 minutes with lid on. Stir a couple of times. If you find that there isn't enough liquid just add some more chicken broth.
4. Add the beef back into the sauce and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. This makes everything nice and yummy.
5. Pile the spinach into the pan about 5 minutes before you are about to serve. The spinach only takes a few minutes to wilt. It will look like you are adding way too much, but once it cooks it will loose all of its volume.
6. I served this over Rice Noodles or Glass Noodles - a nice change from white or brown rice.
   

Make sure to eat with chopsticks - makes it more fun :)

*there are a ton of fun veggies you could add into this. Bok Choy, sprouts, green onions, lemongrass. Just have fun.