Steamy

Okay.

Let’s be honest.

This is not a blog post about romance.

The only thing steamy here is the soup.

(Sixty hours in the same location with three ice-bound, bored Golden Retrievers and four bored men will make a woman punchy like that.)

Anyway, I don’t know about you, but I love to keep a supply of soup ingredients on hand at all times during the fall and winter months. With all the prickly ice and howling winds, my homemade split pea soup proved the perfect heart and body warmer (not to be confused with leg warmers). 

. . . served with some homemade (ok, I used a mix) corn bread . . .

. . . and a couple pounds of bacon fried up and crumbled . . .

Heaven in a crock pot, I tell ya.

Here’s my own recipe. I’m no Pioneer Woman, and I don’t run a test kitchen, so try this at your own risk. Also, I’m a lazy cook, so I use lots of pre-cut, pre-packaged ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 package cubed ham (or ham hock, or whatever kid of ham you happen to have on hand)
• one quart chicken broth (from a box)
• 1 package dried, split peas
• 3-4 carrots (I used 1/2 a bag of pre-peeled, baby carrots, of course)
• 1 white onion, diced, or a few tablespoons of dried, minced onions
• 2 large or 4 small potatoes, diced into 1/2″ – 1″ cubes (I left the skin on mine. Because I’m a lazy cook.)
• a couple of tablespoons garlic powder
• a tablespoon of marjoram
• a tablespoon of fennel
• a tablespoon of rosemary
• a couple of tablespoons dried parsley
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Here’s how I made it:

1. Set the split peas aside.
2. Start heating up all the other ingredients in a crock pot.
3. Put some water in a pot on your stove, add the split peas, and bring ‘em to a boil. Let ‘em bubble and boil for 20-30 minutes.
4. Add the peas (with the water, too) to the crock pot.
5. Cook all day long, or until you can’t stand the aroma any longer. (You’ll know it’s ready when the peas disintegrate and the carrots and potatoes are soft.)
6. Fry up a couple pounds of bacon and bake a Jiffy (is there any better?) corn bread mix, and you’re good to go!

Yum.

If all else fails…

…try a new amazing recipe!

There’s nothing like an orgasmic shock to the palate to brighten even the darkest of moods. Take this one, for example, from the Food Network’s very own Ellie Krieger (host of the show Healthy Living with Ellie). The reason I know about this recipe is not because I’m into healthy living–far from it. (Believe me when I say I can slam down a whole tube of Girl Scout Thin Mints with the best of ‘em.) The hostess of my sister-in-law’s recent shower served this up for us, and let me tell you, it was indeed, well, you know… 

The Food Network says: Ellie has simple, delicious healthy recipes to lift your spirits whatever your mood.

Indeed!

Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (16-ounce) container strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions

1. Put the ricotta cheese, honey and vanilla extract into the small bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. In a small saucepan combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the berries with the basil and the balsamic syrup.
4. Divide the cream among 4 cocktail glasses, top with the berry mixture and serve.

Here are some photos of the ones the hostesses made this past weekend.  Enjoy!