Spinach Split Pea Soup

Spinach Split Pea Soup | Bakewell Junction

Did anyone spend time clearing snow because of storm Pax?  I spent more than 9 hours clearing snow on Valetine’s Day.  The day started with me not being able to get out the front door and then when I went out the garage door and stepped onto the ground, the snow was above my knees.  That was more than the 10 to 20 inches predicted.  We also got a couple of hours of ice about halfway through the storm with thunder and I saw a flash of lightening too.

With all the storms and cold weather we’re having this winter I was looking for hearty and warm meals.  I love this version of split pea soup and I hope you do too.  It has carrots and spinach which are also favorites.  I haven’t made this in a while but I really needed a big bowl of it this weekend.  This soup is healthy and filling and I love it with crusty Italian bread.  Well, I love everything with crusty Italian bread.  Don’t you?  If not, do you have a favorite addition to every meal?

Spinach Split Pea Soup

Yield:  6 servings                  Cook Time:  1 1/4 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 cups green split peas or a 1 pound package
• 2 slices of bacon, diced or some leftover spiral sliced ham
• 1 celery stalk and all the celery leaves from a celery heart
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup of chopped carrots
• 32 ounces chicken broth (I used low sodium)
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• 1 teaspoon dried chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoons dried chopped basil
• 2 teaspoons salt or to taste (optional)
• shredded fresh Asiago cheese for garnish
• water to thin, if necessary

Directions:

Step 1:  Rinse the peas well.  Soak in peas in very warm water for at least an hour.  In a medium sauce or stock pan (I used a four quart pan), bring the chicken broth to a boil.  Drain peas and add to the chicken broth.  Stir in bacon or ham, celery, onion, carrots, parsley, basil and salt, if using, to the chicken broth.

Step 2:  Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/4 hours until the peas are tender.  Stir in spinach.  If spinach is still frozen, wait until it defrosts to incorporate entirely.  Add additional salt as needed.  To give the soup a creamier look, puree with a stick blender or in a regular blender when cooled enough to handle.  I didn’t puree it because I like the thicker chunkier look and I don’t thin it much either but it’s all to taste.  Reheat and thin with additional water as necessary.  Serve warmed with grated Asiago cheese as garnish and crusty Italian bread.  You should be able to see the darker green flecks of spinach mixed in with the lighter shade of green peas.

Storing:  Store in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!!!

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew | Bakewell Junction

It’s been pretty cold here in the north east in the past few weeks.  One of the best and warming comfort foods to fight off the cold is beef stew.  I’m always looking for a way to make delicious dishes with a minimum of work.  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and modified it to my liking.  A lot of slow cooker beef stew recipes have have steps that include browning the meat and then deglazing the pan.  If I’m using the slow cooker, I want the recipe to be as simple as possible and I want a one pot meal.

This beef stew recipe is hearty, filling and warming.  I love it and my husband does too.  Don’t you want some?

Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 3 sliced onions
• 3 pounds cubed beef stew meat (beef round or chuck)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 4 large potatoes cubed
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional – I skipped this ingredient)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 1 ounce package dry onion soup mix
• 1/4 warm water
• 2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

Step 1:  Add the sliced onions, cubed beef, salt, carrots, potatoes, parsley, butter, wine and pepper into a 6 quart slow cooker.  In a small bowl or four cup measure, combine boiling water and soup mix.  After mixing thoroughly, pour the soup mixture into the slow cooker.

Step 2:  Cover and cook on high setting for 30 minutes.  Change heat setting to low and cook for 7 hours or until meat, potatoes and carrots are fork tender.

Step 3:  In a cup, combine 1/4 warm water and 2 tablespoons flour.  After the flour is dissolved in the water, add the mixture to the stew and cook uncovered for 15 minutes or longer until the stew is thickened.  Serve warm.

This recipe stores well in the refrigerator and tastes just as good as left-overs.

Enjoy!!!

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com.

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Cucuzzelli (Little Zucchini)

Hopefully some of you still have some of your zucchini harvest.  This zucchini recipe has been in my family since before I was born.  It works just as well with store bought zucchini.  I haven’t had any luck with growing zucchini but that may be due to the fact that I grow my garden in pots and may not have enough nutrients.  It’s almost like a stew – hard to describe because there really isn’t anything similar except maybe Eggplant Caponata.

The gravy that’s needed in this recipe can be Marinara or a meat gravy.  A large fresh loaf of crusty Italian bread is delicious with this recipe.

My husband’s family recipe was called Ciambotta and included potatoes.  My family didn’t make this way and I don’t even know how or when to add the potatoes.  Does your family have a vegetable stew recipe?

Enjoy.

Cut zucchini and starting to heat.

Zucchini after the liquid is expelled during heating.

Add the gravy after the liquid has evaporated and the zucchini has become soft.

Mix the gravy in.  Note how the color changes.

Add an egg and mix well.  Notice the flecks of egg white in the mixture  Add the second egg and you’ll need to mix well.

Cook a few minutes to ensure the eggs are fully cooked and heated through.   Add the grated cheese.

Mix well and prepare to serve.  Notice the color of the mixture has become much lighter.

Cucuzzelli

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 medium zucchini
• 1 to 2 teaspoons or to taste
• 1/2 to 1 cup gravy or to taste
• 1 to 2 eggs
• 1/4 – 1/2 cups grated cheese or to taste (I use Pecorino Romano)

Directions:

Step 1:  Cut the zucchini lengthwise into quarters and then into 1/4 inch width-wise (1/8 inch if you are using fewer larger zucchini).  Place 1/3 of cut zucchini into a small stock pot or large sauce pot and sprinkle with some of the salt.  Repeat with 1/3 more of the cut zucchini and salt and then with the remaining zucchini and salt.  Heat the pot on medium or a little lower with the cover on.  Stir often with a wooden spoon so the zucchini doesn’t stick.  If there’s condensation on the pot cover when you lift it, don’t let the liquid fall back into the pot as it will be that much more liquid that has to evaporate later on.

Step 2:  As the zucchini cooks for 20 to 25 minutes, liquid will be expelled from the squash.  When the zucchini has softened, most of the liquid has been expelled.  Turn the heat down to low or a little higher.  Continue stirring frequently with the cover removed until the liquid has mostly evaporated.  This could take another 20 to 30 minutes.  The squash should be very soft at this point.

Step 3:  Add the gravy and mix well.  Cook for an additional few minutes to ensure the addition is heated through.  Notice that the color of the mixture has changed to be rather red.

Step 4:  Add an egg and stir well to break the yolk and incorporate it well into the mixture.  You may see some small specks of egg white in the mixture.  If using the second egg, repeat with the second egg.  Cook for an additional few minutes to ensure the eggs are heated and cooked through.  The color of the mixture has lightened a bit with this addition.

Step 5:  Add the grated cheese and mix well.  Serve with fresh crusty Italian bread.

This recipe stores well in the refrigerator and tastes just as good as left-overs.

Enjoy!!!

My family recipe.