Mushroom soup

I know it's hot outside, but I can never get enough of soup.  I made this mushroom soup without adding a ton of fat.  I usually make this soup really creamy, but I wanted a lighter version.  It worked out great and my 10 year old son LOVED it as well.

I used 1 pound white mushrooms
           1/2 pound baby Bella mushrooms
            1/4 cup butter
            1/8 cup olive oil
            1/2 large onion, diced small
            3 gloves garlic, diced small
            1/8 cup flour
            2 cups vegetable stock
            fresh ground pepper
            1/4 tsp. dried thyme
             salt-use lightly as broth adds salt
             4 ounces heavy cream
             6 ounces milk-2% or whole
            fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Brush dirt off mushrooms and slice.  Heat dutch oven over medium heat and add butter, oil, onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  Cook until mushrooms are soft about 15 minutes.  Add flour and get to boiling and cook for 5 minutes.  Add stock, pepper, thyme, and salt.  Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring constantly until slightly thickened.  Lower heat to medium, add 4 ounces heavy cream and 6 ounces milk.  Mix well and heat through and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serve with fresh toasted bagel.

ONE ingredient ice cream WITHOUT an ice cream maker?

Am I skeptical?  You bet I am. According to recent information, you can freeze banana slices for two hours, then put in a blender and scrape down the sides until, you have ice cream.  My wonderfully talented sister is trying this recipe tonight and will let me know how it turns out.  If all goes well, it will be an ice cream without sugar, fat, additives, etc.  Completely vegan.  Unfortunately for me, I really do not like bananas or the taste of bananas, like strawberry banana juice, etc.  I will eat bananas in cereal or a bread because let's face it, they are super good for you.  But I will not just pick up a banana and eat one.  No thanks.

Now if it was strawberry or mint chocolate chip ice cream, well, let's talk.

I'll keep you posted, ha, that's funny, I guess that's why they call it a Post.

Blue Cheese dip for celery and wings of course!

If you love, love, love blue cheese dressing or dip, you will LOVE this recipe.  Never being able to find a delicious blue cheese dip for my great chicken wings, I made one.

I take 2/3 cup light sour cream (less fat and still tons o flavor)
add:  1/4 cup mayonnaise
         1 tsp fresh lemon juice
         1 tsp white wine vinegar
          Salt and black pepper to taste
          4 ounces good quality blue cheese, broken up-you can use more or less if you desire.

Mix everything and chill in refrigerator at least two hours OR place in freezer for 30 minutes in a pinch.

I also only use Franks Hot Sauce, it adds the flavor and heat without killing your taste buds.  Food is not supposed to cause pain.

The new Franks Hot Sauce for Wings is one of the best sauces out there.  Try it, you will love it.
         
         

Stuff

Since beginning a new job in April, I have found less time to post here, but I will try to keep up!

My new job is extremely busy and I find myself working 13 to 15 hours on Saturdays alone with no break longer than 5 minutes at a time, so needless to say, I am quite exhausted when I get home.

It will be busy at my job like that for the entire Summer and Fall seasons.  If I put in 40 hours, it is not a 5 day, 8 hour long shift, it's 40 hours over 4 days.

Time does not exist during my stint in the seventh circle of hell, or as I call it, "Hell's Kitchen".

Ideas or Questions about food and cooking

Please post any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding food and cooking to me anytime, I would love it!

Thanks,
Chef Kit

Fresh crab cakes anyone?

I made lump crab cakes last night along with a dipping sauce.

They were so delicious and fresh.

First, I made fresh mayonnaise.  One egg yolk, fresh lemon juice, white pepper, salt and olive/corn oil. 
I think when most of us buy our Hellmans, we use a bit too much, and so we buy the lower fat version to be 'healthier'. 
Well, if you made mayo from scratch every 4 days or so, you would use less than HALF of regular mayo because the fresh is so rich, and don't forget--NO CHEMICALS, no processing, etc. 

Just yummy mayo.   I then added chopped capers, more fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and my own roasted whole cloves of garlic.

This was the dipping sauce for the crabcakes.

I placed 1 cup heavy cream and 4 slices un crusted bread, paprika, and garlic powder in a saucepan and reduced by half and brought down to room temperature before adding to the crab meat, along with one egg, lemon juice, salt, pepper, roasted green onions, and a speck of panko breadcrumbs.  I then formed them into patties (6 using 1 pound lump crab meat), dusted in flour, fried in 1 tsp. butter/2 tsp olive oil, for 3 minutes each side.  Place in preheated 375-400 degree oven for 10 minutes-this firms them up nicely.

I served a baby field green salad with tomatoes, almonds, seseame seeds, dried cranberries with a homemade basil balsamic vinegariette dressing.

Along with the crabcake, I took canned artichoke hearts, drained an rinsed, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and fresh parsley.  I marinated them for 4 hours and served nice and cold along with the hot crabcakes.

The crabcakes were subperb and delectible, the sauce fresh and creamy.  The salad was perfect because I used a great balsamic vinegar--invest in the good stuff, it makes a world of difference.

Note:  I have two crabcakes left.  Since it's raining out today, I look forward to lunch and eating leftovers.  Leftovers will never taste better!