Potato Leek Soup

A classic French potato soup that is easy to make and so delicious and comforting! 

Potato Leek Soup   Serves 4+

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces

6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Chives, finely chopped, for serving

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown.
2. Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
   
   
   
3. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves.  Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the cooled soup in batches - be sure not to fill the jar more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape; return soup to pot.)
   
   
   
4. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it's too thick, add water or stock to thin it out. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
   
   
   

Freezer Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.

Recipe without photos . . . Potato Leek Soup   Serves 4+

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large leeks, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces

6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Chives, finely chopped, for serving

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary so as not to brown.
2. Add the potatoes, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper to pot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
3. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves.  Purée the soup with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth. (Alternatively, use a standard blender to purée the cooled soup in batches - be sure not to fill the jar more than halfway; leave the hole in the lid open and cover loosely with a dishtowel to allow the heat to escape; return soup to pot.)
4. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it's too thick, add water or stock to thin it out. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

Freezer Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.

Thanksgiving Candy Turkeys

This year’s Friendsgiving favors are simple to make, add a festive touch to the table and are yummy to eat! 

 

Thanksgiving Candy Turkeys

Ferreor Rocher Candies

Gold (or brown) Pipe Cleaners or Chenille Stem

Red Pipe Cleaners of Chenille Stem

Scissors

Hot Glue Gun

Silk or Waxed Leaf

1. Fold back the brown paper that the candy sits in—making sure to leave it attached. This will be the back feathers of the candy turkey. 
2. Remove the sticker on the candy completely or gently take it off and put it on the top of the turkey so it will have the trademark Ferreo Rocher look. 
3. Cut the gold piper cleaner into about 3-inch sections. Twirl one end several times to form a flat circle to form the turkey head.
4. Cut the red pip cleaner into about 1/2-inch sections. Fold each in half and loop onto the bottom of the turkey head to form the wattle. 
5. Carefully glue the piper cleaner onto the chocolate (being careful not to melt the chocolate.
6. Glue to a leaf if desired. 
   
   
   

Mushroom Sandwiches . . . make ahead for appetizers or a cocktail party

So tasty and nice to have on hand for appetizers or cocktail parties . . . even though they are somewhat time consuming to prepare.  I made them as a appetizer for a French-inspired dinner party and called them “les sandwiches aux chamignons” — which may or may not translate to Mushroom Sandwiches. But, who doesn’t like fried bread?

Mushroom Sandwiches  40 sandwiches

20 slices white sanwich bread

2 tablespoons very finely chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

3/4 lb. button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half

Butter & olive oil for frying

1. Cut each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter into four 1 3/4” rounds. (You should be able to cut 4 per slice.). Set aside.
2. Saute onion in butter; add mushrooms. Saute until all moisture is cooked out of mushrooms. 
   
   
   
3. Add flour; stir until thick. Add Tabasco, salt, pepper and half and half. Cook until thick.
   
   
   
4. Chill for several hours or overnight until mixture is easy to spread.  
5. Spread 1 teaspoon mushroom mixture on each bread round. Top with another bread round to make a sandwich. Repeat procedure until 40 sandwiches are made.  
   
   
   
6. Fry sandwiches (in batches) in a thin layer of  equal portion butter and olive oil until brown and crisp, about 1 minute for each side. Continue frying, adding more butter and olive oil as needed.
   
   
   
7. Drain thoroughly.  Keep warm, uncovered, in a 300°F oven.
   
   
   

MAKE AHEAD Note:  these sandwiches can be made, fried and frozen after fryng and draining. Simply take out of the freezer and put in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Recipe without photos . . . Mushroom Sandwiches  40 sandwiches

20 slices white sanwich bread

2 tablespoons very finely chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

3/4 lb. button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half

Butter & olive oil for frying

1. Cut each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter into four 1 3/4” rounds. (You should be able to cut 4 per slice.). Set aside.
2. Saute onion in butter; add mushrooms. Saute until all moisture is cooked out of mushrooms. 
3. Add flour; stir until thick. Add Tabasco, salt, pepper and half and half.  Cook until thick.
4. Chill for several hours or overnight until mixture is easy to spread.  
5. Spread 1 teaspoon mushroom mixture on each bread round. Top with another bread round to make a sandwich. Repeat procedure until 40 sandwiches are made.  
6. Fry sandwiches (in batches) in a thin layer of  equal portion butter and olive oil until brown and crisp, about 1 minute for each side. Continue frying, adding more butter and olive oil as needed.
7. Drain thoroughly.  Keep warm, uncovered, in a 300°F oven.

MAKE AHEAD Note:  these sandwiches can be made, fried and frozen after fryng and draining. Simply take out of the freezer and put in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes.

Smaller Batch Classic Bread Pudding w/ Buttery Vanlla Sauce

We still have our share of restaurant size pans along with regular family-sized casserole dishes. However, these days we are most likely to use smaller sized bakeware as our everyday meals are for just two. So, here’s my version of a smaller batch of bread pudding that serves just six; in this case I used a 7 ½ x 5-inch baking pan but anything close to that should work. Of course you can double the ingredients and bake it in a 9x13-inch baking dish if preferred. 

A hearty dessert for the cold days upon us, bread pudding is a tasty way to use leftover bread and rolls.

 

Smaller Batch Classic Bread Pudding w/ Buttery Vanlla Sauce     6 servings 

Bread Pudding 

4 cups bread cut into 1-inch cubes – pack bread into the 4-cup measure

1/4 cup raisins (or use craisins or other dried fruit)

1/4 cup chopped pecans (or use walnuts or even omit)

1 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4  cup packed brown sugar

3 regular eggs (of use 5 large if doubling the recipe)

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

Sauce  -- sauce ingredients may be doubled if you like extra sauce to pour over individual servings

2 tablespoons butter 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar packed

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 pinch salt if using unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 7 ½ x 5-inch -inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
2. Bread Pudding: Place bread cubes, raisins and pecans in the prepared baking dish, distributing them evenly. 
   
   
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
   
   
   
4. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the bread cubes, making sure all the bread is soaked. Let the bread soak for about 15 minutes, occasionally pressing down the bread to ensure it absorbs the liquid.
5. Bake the bread pudding for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bread pudding to cool slightly while you prepare the sauce.
6. Sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
7. To Serve: Cut the bread pudding into squares and drizzle with the warm sauce.

Recipe without photos . . . Smaller Batch Classic Bread Pudding w/ Buttery Vanlla Sauce     6 servings 

Bread Pudding 

4 cups bread cut into 1-inch cubes – pack bread into the 4-cup measure

1/4 cup raisins (or use craisins or other dried fruit)

1/4 cup chopped pecans (or use walnuts or even omit)

1 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4  cup packed brown sugar

3 regular eggs (of use 5 large if doubling the recipe)

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch salt

Sauce  -- sauce ingredients may be doubled if you like extra sauce to pour over individual servings

2 tablespoons butter 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar packed

2 tablespoon heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 pinch salt if using unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 7 ½ x 5-inch -inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
2. Bread Pudding: Place bread cubes, raisins and pecans in the prepared baking dish, distributing them evenly. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
4. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the bread cubes, making sure all the bread is soaked. Let the bread soak for about 15 minutes, occasionally pressing down the bread to ensure it absorbs the liquid.
5. Bake the bread pudding for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bread pudding to cool slightly while you prepare the sauce.
6. Sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
7. To Serve: Cut the bread pudding into squares and drizzle with the warm sauce.