Creamy Celery Soup

Posted on by

I went a bit overboard when I decided to grow Amsterdam Celery in my Aerogarden. As soon as they matured, I found myself picking bags of celery once or twice a week. This recipe is what happened when my refrigerator got overwhelmed.

Shop!

2 tbs. butter
4 c. celery leaves and stalks
2 medium onions
4 garlic cloves
4 c. water
1 tbsp. Better Than Bouillon Premium Seasoned Vegetable Base
2 russet potatoes
1 c. shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
salt & pepper, to taste

Prep!

Coarsely chop the celery, onions and garlic.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1″ pieces.

Cook!

Melt the butter in a medium-size stock pan over medium heat.

Add the celery, onions, and garlic. Sauté until soft.

Add the water, vegetable base and potatoes.

Simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender and process until smooth. Return to pot and set heat to low.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add the mozzarella and stir until melted.

Whisk in the cream and remove from heat.

Tips

* Pre-grated mozzarella has been coated with a fine corn starch to keep it from clumping. However, this also prevents it from melting to its naturally creamy gooey perfection. This recipe is better if you grate your own cheese.
* Add milk if you prefer a thinner soup.

Resources

* Better Than Bouillon Premium Seasoned Vegetable Base
* VEKAYA Rotary Cheese Grater
* The Aerogarden Store (Amazon)
* Amsterdam Celery Seeds

Sunday Night Chili

Posted on by

Football season afternoons, cold winter nights, and cool rainy spring evenings all mean one thing — what’s for dinner is chili.

This recipe will easily feed four adults with enough left over for a lunch or two.

Shop!

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion
1 tbsp. minced garlic (the stuff in a jar is fine)
1 12 oz. bottle of Guinness Stout (Original or Draught)
1 28 oz. can Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
1 14 1/2 oz. can Hunt’s diced tomatoes
1 16 oz. can Bush’s black beans
2 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne (optional or up to 1/4 tsp. for more heat)

Prep!

Chop the onion and set aside.

Mince the garlic and set aside.

Drain the tomatoes and set aside.

Drain and rinse the beans and set aside.

Cook!

Brown the beef in a skillet on medium low until all of the liquid has evaporated and the beef starts to caramelize.

Add the onion and cook until tender.

Add the garlic and cook one minute more.

Add the Guinness and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits of beef and onion.

Add all of the remaining ingredients, mix well and simmer on low for 45-50 minutes. Stir periodically to prevent sticking.

Top with grated cheddar or sour cream and serve with a side of Texas Toast or Fritos.

Welcome to the world of Leonbergers!

Posted on by
Dear Customer,

Congratulations on acquiring your Leonberger. Please find the instructions for your particular model listed below:

Although your Leonberger comes fully assembled, due to particular issues during production, we do occasionally have issues with components such as screws. They invariably are either loose or missing altogether.

Continue reading→

In Search Of The Perfect Loaf: Day #1

Posted on by

So what is the perfect loaf anyway?

It only has 4 ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. Okay… maybe 6 if you use sugar and butter. You can mix it in a bread machine or electric mixer and bake it in a regular pan you already own. It’s not fancy… no braids… no slashes from that fancy lame you learned to use by watching hours of YouTube videos.Continue reading→