Beets Cooking

While the sun may not be shining quite as much as we would like it IS getting warmer.  After a warm day, tucking into a hearty bowl of hot soup may not be the first thing on your mind.  So, as the season starts to change I will be featuring more and more soups that maybe eaten hot or cold as well as soups from countries where the climate is predominantly warm.  If they like to eat a warm bowl of soup why not us too? 

 I am getting closer to being able to buy directly from some local farms.  When that starts to happen more and more of the soups will be based on local, seasonal ingredients.  I am also toying with the idea of the occasional side or main dish salad….I would love any comments & or feedback on that!

I will not be making soup on Thursday June 2nd.  An old & close friend is visiting from California and there is an annual dinner event @ my oldest child’s school.  Keep your eye out for June 9th soups & sweet…they will be posted on 6.3.

One more business matter…I have been working with a friend that does marketing.  She has created a wonderful logo for me which will soon be turned into business cards & stickers!  In the process I have purchased my domain name.  It is now www.beetscookingvt.com  No more having to enter all the extra WordPress stuff!  I can also be found on Facebook and very soon Twitter as well.

NOW for the soups!!

Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde…a variation of the traditional hominy-based Mexican stew that derives much of its flavor from tomatillos, cilantro & green chiles.  This soup has a kick but a mild one!  Ingredients: chicken stock, water, hormone & antibiotic free chicken breasts, tomatillos, spanish onions, poblano chiles, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, oregano, celery, hominy, cumin & corn.  Garnished w. tortilla chips, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, lime, sour cream & scallions.

13. quart gluten-free (minus the tortilla chips for garnish)

Roasted Beet Borsht…Ingredients: Local beets, thyme, olive oil, onions, carrots, garlic, veggie broth, red wine vinegar,honey, granny smith apples.  Garnished with sour cream, fresh dill & diced cucumber.  Maybe eaten cold or warm.  This is a smooth borscht with the diced cucumber adding some crunch.

13. per quart  gluten-free, vegetarian & vegan (minus the sour cream garnish)

Sweet Treat: The much raved about Chewy Chocolate Cookies!  If you are a chocolate fan and have not tried these now is the time.   Addictive!!

1. per cookie

Have a great weekend!

Don’t miss out!  Place your order by midnight tonight for a quart or two of soup and a sweet treat delivered to your door on Thursday!

After an absolutely BEAUTIFUL week of sunshine it looks like the rain is back….for a week!  At least the gray will be accented by the beautiful lime greens of the spring foliage.  Order a quart or two of soup & a sweet treat to shed the doldrums of  the impending rain!

Italian Vegetable Soup w. Rice & Turkey Sausage…A colorful soup with flecks of orange, yellow & green.  YUM!  Ingredients….olive oil, Vidalia onions, celery, carrots, garlic, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato juice, chickpeas, kidney beans, bay leaves, zucchini, summer squash, long grain white rice, peas, basil, balsamic vinegar, turkey sausage, kosher salt & pepper.  Garnished with parmesan cheese & served w. crusty bread for dipping.

13. per quart  gluten-free

Spinach & Zucchini Bisque w. Roasted Leeks…A luscious smooth green soup reminiscent of spring foliage studded with roasted leeks.  Ingredients…Roasted Leeks: leeks, olive oil, kosher salt & pepper.  Soup…olive oil, garlic, Vidalia onions, celery, fennel, zucchini, yukon gold potatoes, veggie stock, itty bit of ground nutmeg, fresh spinach, OPTIONAL local whole milk, kosher salt & pepper.  Served w. crusty bread for dipping.

13. per quart, vegetarian & vegan if specified.  Soup will be made with milk UNLESS specified vegan!

Sweet Treat: chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies w. Dried Cherries

1. per cookie

Orders due my midnight on Tuesday the 17th!  Please remember to leave ice in coolers…the weather is getting warmer!

While there is a proliferation of Vietnamese restaurants in the greater Burlington area I still can’t resist making my own versions of Pho…the classic Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup.  What follows are two version of what I call Faux Pho…they may not be “traditional” but they contain many of  the flavors and ingredients of Vietnamese restaurant Pho yet are much lower in sodium & will be delivered to your door!  Enjoy.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup w. Chicken Meatballs….Ingredients:  Broth: canola oil, onions, garlic, lemon grass, fish sauce, chicken broth, water, tamari, sugar, cloves, star anise.  Meatballs: ground chicken, garlic, cornstarch, fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, scallions & cilantro.  The soup: Rice noodles, Thai chile, bean sprouts & scallions.  Garnishes: bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro, Thai basil (if available…substitution regular basil) & mint. 

13. per quart. 

Vegetarian Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup w. Fried Tofu: Broth: veggie stock, star anise, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, shallots, tamari, dried shiitake mushrooms & lemon grass.  The soup: Tofu stir fried in canola oil, rice noodles, bean sprouts & scallions.  The garnish: bean sprouts, lime wedges, Thai basil (if available…substitution regular basil), cilantro & mint.

13. per quart

Sweet Treat: Lemon Snap  Cookies

1. each

Don’t miss out on having a quart or two of soup & a yummy sweet treat delivered to your door on Thursday!  Tonight at midnight is the deadline!