What's for dinner tonight??? (ingredients, grilled, goulash, frozen)

[Katsmeeyow]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate your thoughts and well wishes - doubly so because I know that you really mean it! He/We will be fine! I have no doubt of it! (This) Ain't no hill for a climber!

[nikkzone]

Kat, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your hubby. Take good care of him AND yourself.

[7G9C4J2]

So, last weekend when we were at Penzey's for our regular spice run, we picked up a recipe, which is pretty typical for a trip there. It sounded so good that we added the ingredients to our Sunday grocery list, and now that the weather here finally cooled down to something that feels like October, we fixed it for supper tonight. The recipe is as follows:

Ham & Sweet Potato Soup [from Penzey's Spices, originally published in their magazine "Penzey's One"]

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic
1 whole bay leaf
1 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper (we used half-sharp paprika instead, about 1/2 tsp.)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup skim milk
1 cup chopped ham
1 Tbsp. lime juice (half of a fresh lime)
Optional: 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

In a large pot, combine potato chunks, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, cayenne and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato chunks are tender. Remove the bay leaf and pour soup into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (an immersion blender worked just fine for this step, too). Return the soup to the pan, add the buttermilk, skim milk, ham and lime juice and heat gently. Do not boil. Serve as soon as soup is hot, sprinkling each bowl with cilantro if using.

And now the report: this is SERIOUSLY yummy stuff, folks. The seasoning is understated but very well chosen, and the flavors blend really, really well. The consistency is a lot like a good thick split-pea soup, with a somewhat smoother and silkier texture. Goes together quite quickly; probably not more than 40 minutes from peeling the sweet potatoes to serving. We did not use the cilantro, and our daughter would have been happier with a bit less lime juice (she suggested a quarter of a lime's worth rather than a half). Served it with salad and crusty bread warmed in the oven, and oh, my, what a wonderful fall evening meal. The recipe says that it serves 6 to 8, but that would be as an appetizer-type of dish. As a main course, figure on keeping four hungry people happy and having enough for a bowl for one person's lunch the next day. We also noticed that it would be easy to cut it in half, making it a good choice for a couple after the daughter moves out.

My only quibble was about one of the ingredient choices we made. We didn't have any leftover roast ham, which would be the best choice for this soup, so instead we bought a package of pre-cut ham chunks at the store this weekend. They were not particularly wonderful; quite salty, not much ham flavor, and had a rubbery texture. They actually squeaked on my teeth - I expect that from cheese curds but not from ham chunks! I'd definitely make this soup again, but only if we had real honest-to-goodness leftover roast ham to use. Fortunately, that just gives me another excuse to lobby for picking up a nice ham from Pec Valley Farm at the market this weekend, so no worries there. <grin>

[Nomadicus]

Originally Posted by MidwesternBookWorm

Ham & Sweet Potato Soup [from Penzey's Spices, originally published in their magazine "Penzey's One"]

I wonder how some diced ham from a center cut ham steak would have done? Those are usually just like the bone in hams we bake as far as salt and no squeaks. I don't like preformed hams. Must be half or whole with bone in to be right. Maybe this is one thing I'm a little more picky over.

[7G9C4J2]

Originally Posted by Nomadicus

I wonder how some diced ham from a center cut ham steak would have done? Those are usually just like the bone in hams we bake as far as salt and no squeaks. I don't like preformed hams. Must be half or whole with bone in to be right. Maybe this is one thing I'm a little more picky over.

You're right that a ham steak would be a good choice, too, and easier for a couple to deal with than a whole roast. We went for convenience, which in hindsight was not the best course of action.

[amberbaby27]

Originally Posted by elston

Kat, I join with eveyone in wishing your husband a speedy recovery. May you feel the support we extend to you and yours.

Ditto Kat. Talk to ya'll in the am. Nighty night

[southdown]

Originally Posted by Katsmeeyow

Hey all! Been gone a couple of days. Husband came in from out of town really hurting in his chest and having trouble breathing. I took him to his doctor who immediately put him in the hospital. Apparently, he "blew a hole" in his right lung, and it was deflated over 50%.

OOch, ouch, eeech! That's painful - I had the same thing about 15 years ago (spontaneous collapsed lung) and it really hurt, especially when they stuck a tube in my side without any anaesthetic!!!! But I've had nothing since so hopefully it's a one-off for him too. Tell him - no scuba diving for a while!!!

Send him my best wishes and sympathy....

[Katsmeeyow]

Thanks guys! I am so tired.....but so wired at the same time! Does that even make sense????

I really appreciate the well wishes from all of ya'll! It really does help me! (Could I say REALLY more than I have??? LOL) I am sincere........REALLY! ( I tend to get silly or quasi-sarcastic when something happens that scares me or makes me uncomfortable in a big way - REALLY)


SEE what I mean??

Gosh guys, I am runnin on empty and am just going to shut up and sip on that big ole bourbon and VEG!

Kat

Thank you my friends!

[seattlerain]

Tonight was stuffed green peppers, spinach salad and sourdough rolls.

While the green peppers were in the oven, I made an apple pie that I was going to put in the oven after the peppers came out. Well, I did not realize that I had dropped some apple peels on the flour...had the pie in my hand to put in the oven and slipped on the apple peels, the pie was promptly destroyed...

[MJ1986]

I had a loaf of french bread...so i sliced it in half, and made a pizza out of it... quick and easy... and LOTS of cheese !