Creamy Cauliflower Soup Au Siegfried - a family favorite!

Serves: 8 people

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) Butter

1/2 cup  (31g / 1.1oz)  Chopped onion

1 cup  (110g / 3.9oz)Chopped celery

1  Carrot - thinly sliced

1  Cauliflower - cut into bite-sized florets

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Chopped parsley

8 cups (1896 ml) Chicken stock

1 teaspoon (5 ml) Dried tarragon (or 1 tbs if you have fresh)

1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml) Whole peppercorns

1  Bay leaf

4 tablespoons (60 ml) Butter

1/2 cup (31 g / 1.1oz) Flour

2 cups (474 ml) Milk

1 cup (237ml) Light cream

2 teaspoons (10 ml) Salt - or more to taste 

Garnish

Toasted cheese croutons - or 1/2 cup Goldfish Cheddar Cheese crackers

Instructions

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven, toss in onion, and saute until transparent. Add the celery and carrot, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflowerettes and parsley, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Tie the tarragon, peppercorns, and bay into cheesecloth or perforated tin foil, and plunge into the soup. Reduce heat and let simmer.

In another saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and stir in the flour, cooking into a roux for a minute or two. Whisk the milk in gradually. Bring just to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens, whisking constantly. Stir in the cream.

When the sauce is done, pour it with the salt into the soup, and simmer for 20 minutes.

When the soup is ready, remove the herb packet. Jeanne recommends pureeing the whole thing, but the colors and textures are so nice that I prefer either pureeing only half, or just mashing the vegetables in the pot to the desired consistency. Ladle into bowls and top with croutons or crackers.

Serve hot to 8 to 10 people as a first course.

Spice Cake - best cake I've ever made

 This amazing recipe is from Butternut Bakery Blog

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INGREDIENTS

SPICE CAKE

• 2 3/4 cups (350g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 2 cups (380g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup (200ml) vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup (235g) unsweetened apple sauce
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (200g) sour cream, room temperature

BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter
• 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

DECORATIONS

• Cinnamon sticks
• Candied nuts (half the recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS

SPICE CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prep (2) 8″ round cake pans. Coat them with a thin layer of nonstick spray and line the bottoms with a round sheet of parchment paper. Wrap in damp cake strips if you have them. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, either mixing by hand with a whisk or an electric mixer, mix together the sugar, oil, and apple sauce until the sugar is evenly moistened.
4. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
5. Once smooth, mix in half of the dry ingredients until combined. Then mix in the sour cream, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients.
6. The batter should be fairly thin. Pour it into the two cake pans, filling each about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. While the cake bakes, make the brown butter.

BROWN BUTTER

1. Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Melt it down and continue to stir until it bubbles, foams, and turns a rich amber color (for more details on how to brown butter, click here). Pour the brown butter into a shallow glass dish and chill while the cakes bake.
2. Once the cakes have baked, allow them to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Then, flip out on to a cooling rack. If you plan on decorating the cake that same day, transfer the cakes to the refrigerator uncovered to chill completely before frosting. If you are decorating the next day, allow the cakes to cool completely at room temperature. Then wrap each layer in plastic wrap and chill overnight.

BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1. Once the cakes are chilled, make the frosting. But first, test the butter. It should now be opaque and firm, but not hard. It should be the consistency of softened butter to where you can easy dig into it with a butter knife. If it’s not there yet, continue to chill.
2. When it’s ready, add the butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth, either using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
3. Mix in 1 cup of powered sugar at a time, followed by the vanilla. If it’s still too thin, add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time to thicken. Or, if your home is a bit warm, transfer the frosting to the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes to thicken.

ASSEMBLE

1. When the cakes have completely cooled, level off the tops and slice each layer in half to make 4 thin layers. You don’t have to do this, but I like how it evenly distributes the frosting throughout the cake.
2. Add a thin layer of frosting between each layer. Once all layers have been stacked, cover the cake in a thin coating of frosting to lock in the crumbs. Place the cake in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes to allow the frosting to set.
3. Once chilled, cover the cake with the remaining frosting. Add any decorations you like, such as cinnamon sticks, crumbled cake scraps, or homemade candied nuts.
4. Place the cake back in the refrigerator to chill until serving. Enjoy!

NOTES

CAKE PANS – You can also make (3) 6″ cake layers or (2) 9″ cake layers. Just make sure to watch the cook times. It make take closer to 30-35 minutes to bake in larger or multiple pans. Although I haven’t tested it, this batter should make the right amount for a 9×13″ baking dish. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Then, only make half of the frosting recipe to spread on top.

SPICES – Cardamom isn’t a spice that’s in everyones kitchen. If you don’t have it on hand, you can leave it out and add 1/4 tsp extra of both cinnamon and ginger to the recipe, or swap it with pumpkin pie spice.

Our Favorite Potato Leek Soup

Seriously the best soup ever

From Tastes Better From Scratch

3 tablespoons butter

2 slices bacon , chopped

2 large leeks , (the white and light green part only), chopped

2 pounds yukon gold potatoes , peeled and chopped

4 cups chicken stock , or vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme , or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Freshly cracked pepper and salt

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup heavy cream (can substitute whole milk)

crushed red pepper flakes , optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp and the fat is rendered off into the pan. Add chopped leeks and potatoes to the pan and cook until the leeks are soft.

Stir in white wine to deglaze the pan. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme then season generously with salt and pepper.

Simmer until the potatoes are very soft. Remove bay leaves. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until creamy with just a few chunks. Remove from heat and cool slightly before adding the cream. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed, or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper or hot sauce, if desired.

Soup will thicken slightly as it cools.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: This soup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. If the soup is overly thick when rewarmed, add a splash of milk or cream. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or thyme, as needed.

Freezing Instructions: You can freeze leek and potato soup for up to 3 months, but don't add the cream. Allow the soup to cool, then add to a freezer safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight or warm from frozen on the stovetop. Once warm, stir in the cream.

Variations:

Instant Pot: Turn instant pot to sauté. Add butter to the pot. Once melted, add bacon. Once cooked, add leaks and potatoes and cook until leaks are softened. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze pan with wine, if using. Add stock, bay leaves and thyme.Cook on manual, high pressure, for 9 minutes. Quick release and turn pot off. Blend soup lightly with an emersion blender. Stir in cream.

Slow Cooker: Sauté bacon in butter. Add leeks and cook until tender. Deglaze pan with wine, if using. Add everything to slow cooker along with potatoes, stock, thyme, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours, until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream. Taste and season if needed.

Vegan: Substitute plant butter or coconut oil for the butter, omit the bacon, and substitute the cream with cashew cream.

Vegetarian: This soup can be made vegetarian by simply omitting the bacon and substituting vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.

Gluten Free: Unlike some potato leek soup that is made using flour, this dish is already gluten free :).

Dairy Free: Substitute plant butter or coconut oil for the butter and substitute the cream with cashew cream.

I just made the sauce and it's amazing - can't stop liking my spoon!

 From That's Delicious

Instant Pot Chicken Mole

4.76 from 57 votes

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Mole from scratch! Quick recipe that tastes authentic but is made fast in the Instant Pot. Use this delicious shredded chicken for Mexican enchiladas, tacos, rice, and more.

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PREP:15 mins

COOK:35 mins

TOTAL:50 mins

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SERVINGS: 4 –6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce NOT two cans, just 2 peppers
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers
• 1/4 cup toasted pepitas or toasted sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

FOR SERVING:

• Prepared brown rice or tortillas whole wheat or corn
• Your favorite toppings: freshly chopped cilantro, avocado, sliced radishes, chopped almonds or pepitas, cheese, etc!

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Instructions

 

• Set a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot or similar electric pressure cooker to SAUTE. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the Instant Pot and scrape the onion and garlic into a blender. Return the insert to the pot and set back to SAUTE. Add a few splashes of water, scrape up any browned bits, and discard them. You want the bottom of the Instant Pot to be fairly clean so that it does not burn. Turn off the Instant Pot.
• To the blender with the onions, add the tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, pepitas, raisins, cocoa powder, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
• Lightly coat the Instant Pot with nonstick spray and place the chicken in the Instant Pot. Pour the sauce over the top and do not stir. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH pressure for ***8 minutes (for chicken breasts) or 10 minutes (for chicken thighs). Vent immediately. ***NOTE - this timing was way off for me. But I used frozen chicken breasts. I just used the poultry option on the instant pot.
  
  
  
  
• Remove the chicken to a plate. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let bubble, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is rich and thick, about 10 minutes. Place a layer of paper towels over the top as the sauce cooks to catch any splatters. While the sauce cooks, shred the chicken with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot and toss with the thickened sauce. Enjoy with any desired toppings over rice, as a filling for tacos or quesadillas, over nachos, or right out of the Instant Pot with a fork.

Notes

• To make in a slow cooker: I have not tried this method myself, but if you'd like to adapt the recipe for the crock pot, here's what I would recommend. Saute the onions and garlic in a skillet instead of the Instant Pot and proceed with the rest of step 1 and 2 to make the sauce. Place the chicken and sauce in the slow cooker as directed in step 3 and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low. After the chicken is cooked, transfer the sauce to a saucepan to reduce.

Roasted Tomato Marinara Sauce

This is the best 'save the summer garden' recipe ever! I made many batches of it last summer and enjoyed it all winter.

I quadrupled the batch and froze 2 cup portions in freezer bags.

This year (2022) I bought the 'souper' ice cube trays that make 1 cup and half cup 'cubes' of marinara sauce. I pop out the cubes and story them in freezer bags

Ingredients:
About 15 medium sized tomatoes, halved or quartered (no need to peel) (I just fill up a 9x12 pan)
1 cup fresh basil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 Tbs salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 heads garlic
2 medium onions, quartered

Mix everything except garlic. Put in 9x13 pan.

Cut garlic heads (unpeeled) in half (cross sectional) then place them in the tomato mixture, burying them slightly.

Roast uncovered at 400 degrees for an hour. Turn off oven and leave pan in for at least another hour.

Cool. Pick garlic out of pan and squeeze so roasted cloves pop out. Discard shells. Discard rosemary, but leave in basil.

Blend or puree mixture. 

I like to freeze it to use all winter long as pasta sauce, pizza sauce and tomato soup (add cream, milk or coconut milk).

Yummy soup from SimplyHappyFoodie 

https://www.simplyhappyfoodie.com/instant-pot-hamburger-soup/#wprm-recipe-container-5978

Instant Pot Hamburger Soup

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Instant Pot Hamburger Soup is a comforting classic ground beef stew made with simple, tasty ingredients. This pressure cooker hamburger soup is a family favorite!

Course: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: instant pot soup recipes, pressure cooker hamburger soup

Servings: 6 - 8

Calories: 198 kcal

Author: Sandy Clifton

Ingredients

• 1 lb Lean Ground Beef (I like using 90% lean for this recipe)
• 1 Onion, diced
• 3 lrg Carrots, chopped large (or a small bag of baby carrots)
• 4 med Potatoes, chopped large
• 3 cups Beef Broth
• 1 packet Onion Soup Mix
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder (or 3 cloves garlic, minced)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• (1) 14 oz can Diced Tomatoes (with juice)
• (1) 6 oz can Tomato Paste
• 3 cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables (with corn, green beans, etc.)

Instructions

1. Turn the pot on to the Sauté setting. Add the ground beef and the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked. Don't break up the meat completely, as some bigger chunks are nice in the soup.

2. Add the chopped carrots and potatoes, beef broth, onion soup mix, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir.

3. Dump the can of diced tomatoes and tomato paste on top and do not stir.

4. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.

5. Cancel the Sauté setting. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial and then the +/- button or dial to select 7 minutes. Make sure it is set to High pressure. It will take several minutes to come to pressure.

6. When the cooking cycle is finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (15 minute natural release). Then carefully, in short bursts at first,  release the remaining steam manually, by turning the steam release knob to the Venting position.

7. Stir the soup well to incorporate the tomato paste. 

8. Then stir in the frozen vegetables and let sit for a few minutes before serving. The veggies will cook in the heat of the hot soup.

9. Serve hot with some nice crusty bread!

Homemade Orange Ice Cream

 This recipe is from Tastes Better Than Scratch

I made some modifications that I'll note

2 ¼ cups fresh squeezed orange juice (6-8 oranges) (to fit my ice cream maker I did 1 1/2 cups juice)

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice (or substitute)

3/4 cup granulated sugar (or more if needed, if oranges are not overly sweet) (I did 1/2 cup)

2 cups heavy cream

1 Tablespoon orange Jello* (I did't have jello so I added 1 TBS of Orange Juice concentrate)

Add orange juice, lemon juice and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Taste and add a little more sugar if it’s not sweet enough. Whisk in cream and orange Jello.

Freeze/churn according to ice cream maker instructions. *If using a modern electric ice cream maker (that doesn’t require ice/salt) freeze the bowl of the ice cream maker overnight and refrigerate the liquid mixture for several hours (or overnight), before churning. Both need to be completely chilled.

Store in the freezer for 1-2 weeks, in an airtight container with a piece if plastic wrap against the surface to help keep it from crystalizing.

You can substitute lemon or lime juice - adjust the sugar