Potato, Carrot, Leek Soup

I've recently started using Bountiful Baskets (www.bountifulbaskets.org) and LOVE it! I love it for so many reasons, one being it forces us to try new fruits and vegetables! Like leeks - never had, never cooked with them. I knew enough about them that they had a mild onion flavor and were very sandy so needed cleaned well. Using them in soups seemed to be the most popular way to eat leeks so that's what I tried. This soup was great! Hearty, quick and easy! I wish we had had some bacon to crumble on top - that would have been the perfect addition!

Potato, Carrot & Leek soup

2T olive oil

1lb leeks - trimmed, sliced thin & rinsed

1/4tsp chili flakes

2 garlic cloves - chopped

4c chicken stock

2 medium potatoes - peeled & chopped

4 medium carrots - peeled & chopped

1 pint heavy cream

1/2stick butter

1T dried thyme

In a large sauce pot heat up the oil over medium heat and add the leeks, chili flakes & garlic. Sauté until the leeks have wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes. Pour in the chicken stock. Cover and bring to a low boil. Boil until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender) purée the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, butter and thyme. Simmer for 5 more minutes. If the soup seems thick, thin it out with a bit more chicken stock. Garnish with shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon.

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Coconut Chicken Strips with Creamy Mango dipping sauce

I followed this recipe exactly - that never happens!! I usually tweak them, change them up to make them my own. But this seemed so simple I didn't change a thing! This was sooooo good!! Sweet and crunchy with just a tiny bit of heat. The dipping sauce is fantastic, goes perfectly with the chicken! 

http://thecozyapron.com/a-cozy-appetizer-coconut-crunch-chicken-strips-and-letting-love-be-the-inspiring-guide/

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Roasted asparagus with Balsamic Butter & penne

Ok. Every time I see a recipe with a balsamic vinegar sauce the noodles never look as dark as mine turn out! No idea why sooooo while this looks like pasta with mud sauce it's actually VERY good!! It's a great, easy meatless dish. The sweetness of the balsamic butter goes great with the saltiness of the cheese! My daughter was working on tastes (salty, sweet, bitter,ect) at school so this went hand in hand with that! 

Roasted Asparagus & Balsamic Butter with Penne

1lb asparagus - trimmed & cut into 1in pieces

1/2c balsamic vinegar

1/2tsp brown sugar

1 stick butter - cubed

1/2c shredded mozzarella

1lb penne pasta - cooked according to package directions 

Preheat the oven to 425*. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, bring the vinegar to a low boil. Boil until reduced and thickened. Stir in the brown sugar. In a large skillet add the penne, asparagus, balsamic vinegar & butter. Stir & cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Stir in the cheese.

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Pastitsio

Sorry - no beyond amateur crappy iPhone picture of this meal! I forgot to save several photos before I deleted them of my phone - oops!

This is a Taste Of Home recipe. It was great! It's a nice change from the regular baked pasta dish. It came together quickly and the whole family loved it! 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/nikki-s-perfect-pastitsio 

This is the picture from the TOH website 

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