Happy Friday

Well it's Friday. Weeeee!!!
It's actually sunny today instead of the gloomy weather we have been having. Even though it won't last long.
Tomorrow we'll probably head out to Maifest in Lincoln Square. We have been going for the last few years. Where else can you enjoy everyone singing "Zigge, Zagge, Zigge, Zagge.....Oi, Oi, Oi!" together under a tent to an Oompah band?
I just hope we don't get rained on too much.

Happy Thursday everyone

It's close to another weekend. Not a long once but still a couple of days to relax.
Last weekend was fun even thought the Red Stars did not win on Sat.
My trees from the Arbour Day Foundation came and I have no room around our house for trees. Luckily some co-workers are taking some. I'll still have the lilac and possibly 2 crabtrees. I figure I can get them up a few feet high and see if the park by my house can use them somewhere in the park. It's a pretty large park.
Moving on, I bought a pair of Crocs. I have always disliked Crocs. You know the standard clog rubbery looking jelly looking things with the holes all over. But, these are pretty cool. They look like normal Mary Jane style shoes. Gotta give them a wear and report back.

Happy Memorial Day weekend

It's Friday and on the way to an extra day off this weekend.
My boyfriend's brother is coming over tonight from Wisconsin to stay over and go to the Red Star's game tomorrow. I hope it does not rain on us at the game.
Time for some grilling and having a few beers. Not on the eating plan but what the heck.
Be safe everyone.

Three mushroom soup

Here is my mushrom soup recipe.

Ingredients.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium leek chopped and washed. Use the white and light green parts only.
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1 pound button mushrooms cleaned and sliced
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms cleaned and sliced
1/2 pound cremini (baby portabella) mushrooms cleaned and sliced
1 Tpsb Thyme
3/4 tpsb kosher salt
1/2 tpsb black pepper
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth. If you make your own stock, even better.

Use a large stock pot.
Satue the leek and shallots in the olive oil until soft. Add the shrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cook another 10 minutes. Add the broth, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Let this cool. You can use the blender in batches to puree or use an imersion blender to "cream" this soup.

I normally leave a few mushroom slices out and add later to the soup for some added texture.
If you want a creamier soup, add a small potato with the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms and potato are tender, The potato will add a velvety texture without adding heavy cream.

Wow it's been a while since that last post. Well I have been "cheating" a little here and there with the food thing. I have to have tortillas for my tacos ya know.
I have found out how easy it is to make soup from scratch. Those canned soups are so full of sodium it's crazy.

Here is one of my favorites.

Creamy cauliflower soup.

ingredients:
1 head cauliflower chopped up pretty small
2 leek chopped and cleaned white and light green parts only
1 small potato washed and chopped into cubes
4 cups low sodium chicken or veggie broth. If you make your own stock even better.
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt, black pepper, and red pepper to taste

Directions:
saute leek in olive oil until soft.
add cauliflower, potato, and chicken broth. Bring to simmer. Cover and simmer until cauliflower and potato are soft.

Let cool enought to put in the blender. You'll probably need to do this in batches.
If you have one of those handy imersion blenders this is a good time to use it.

Add salt, black and red pepper and you're done.

Next up creamy (without cream) mushroom soup.