The Dynamite Doula, a young woman who is near-and-dear to us, invited us over for lunch. She has a new “InstaPot”, the pressure cooker-sauté pan-slow cooker pot and a whole lot more. It turns out we have the same one, kindred spirits that we are! Anyway, she, and her Dear One, served us a version of this wonderful, rib-sticking, winter-chasing bean soup. It was supremely delicious, The Spicy Honey loved it and so I decided to see if I can come close to repeating her soup. Continue reading
Pressure Cooker Bean, Kielbasa and Carrot Soup
04 Friday Oct 2019
Posted in Comfort Food, Gluten Free, Legumes, Pressure Cooker, Soup, Vegetarian Option
Gravy is a thing of beauty. It can turn a pretty ordinary piece of meat or potato into a blessed event. Remember, it’s all about the sauce! 
I know we’ve talked about this before…I am a dyed-in-the-wool lamb lover. It’s special and it’s delicious. Lamb tends to be a bit more expensive than beef or pork, but shoulder chops are an economical option. They can be fried quickly, but braising them really develops some lovely flavors. 
This is winter comfort food, but hey, it’s been chilly recently, and these veggies are just such a nice foil for 
The Latin Lover worked through lunch, so we’re dining early tonight. The Goddess had needed a quick-fix. So pork chops over rice, that’s enriched with white wine and stock, as well as sautéed onions and mushrooms. Into the oven and about 30 minutes later…dinner! 
The mixture of onions, apples and mushrooms is a winning combination. I love this combination with pork or roasted chicken. This is particularly nice, because you can make it ahead and reheat it. I think it’s even better reheated, making it perfect for company. And, this compote positively screams autumn! 
This is a simple, full-flavored version of tomato soup. I’ve already posted 
Okay, so Carrot Soup has been done before. The Goddess does not live under a rock, so she’s aware of this. But, she thinks it’s just a good idea to master “basic” recipes. Then that recipe can then be a “jumping off” point for new flavor adventures. This is such a recipe. 
Every now and then we need to return to the very “root” (or tuber, in this case) of cooking. This is one of those “basic” recipes. And soup is a great place to begin. Most of us love soup, or at the very least, like it. Particularly, when the thermometer begins to dip, as it is these days. But, we shouldn’t leave soup off of our summer menu, as many soups have the wonderful flexibility of being served either hot or cold. Potato soup is no exception…vichyssoise, anyone? 
When I made this there was a hurricane brewing out there in the Atlantic. And it hit North Carolina. It hit hard near the coast. Sadly, there are far too many people who suffered terrible loss at the hands of Mother Nature and will continue to deal with the devastation left in the wake of Flo. We were very fortunate that Flo changed her mind and lost some steam by the time she arrived inland. But, life goes on and you have to keep up your strength to brave the elements and repair the damage done. 