Category Archives: Soups

WATERMELON GAZPACHO

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I found this cast iron Amish hourglass at an estate sale:

One of my early blog posts — Friendship Blueberry Muffins — was also inspired by cast iron Amish figurines that I found at an estate sale.  I’m curious as to how they ended up in Houston — to my knowledge, there aren’t a lot of Amish here.  In fact, as best I can tell, there is only one small community in Texas in Beeville, started by a group from Tennessee in 1999.  I can understand why there are not more Amish in Texas — it’s not a secret that summers here can be brutally hot, and given that most Amish don’t have indoor air conditioning, I would imagine living here would not be very appealing.

According to my favorite weather guys, “August is the worst month because it is the hottest month of the year in Houston.  And we typically vacillate between the extremes of drought and flood, sometimes within a matter of hours.  There is no happy medium, There is no break from the humidity.  There is only August.”  Nailed it.  On the bright side, there’s at least a gllimmer of hope for cooler days at the end of September.

So although Halloween stuff is starting to appear in stores, and there are whispers of pumpkin spice in the air, we have at least two more months of heat and humidity to get through before we start cranking up the heat in the kitchen.  Inspired by the little Amish girl patiently sitting by the hourglass (like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our summers), this Watermelon Gazpacho is cool and refreshing, with a little kick from jalapeno, and requires no cooking and only minimal preparation.  It’s perfect for the “worst month” while watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes are still in season.

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WATERMELON GAZPACHO
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Ingredients
  • 1 medium English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
  • ½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and ribs removed, and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped seedless watermelon
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno, seeded
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
Instructions
  1. Place cucumber, red bell pepper, tomatoes, watermelon, oil, vinegar, jalapeno, and shallots in a blender, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Note: you can add more oil or vinegar, if desired.). Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Ladle gazpacho into bowls and garnish with cilantro. Serve cold.

So refreshing

ITALIAN LENTIL SOUP

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Trying to kick off the new year with some healthy meals, and Italian Lentil Soup fit the bill.  Lentils are high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and protein, yet low in fat and calories.  They’re also an excellent source of potassium, folate, iron, and manganese.  But more importantly, they make really great soup.  This soup isn’t thick, but more on the brothy side, with lots of veggies.  The prosciutto, oregano, basil, and dill give the soup its Italian twist.  It’s a flavorful and healthy soup that you’ll feel virtuous eating.

5 from 1 reviews
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ITALIAN LENTIL SOUP
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Recipe type: Soup
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ounce prosciutto, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ c. sherry
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1 c. canned petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
  • 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ½" cubes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and saute for 1-2 minutes until it begins to crisp slightly. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and saute until tender and onions are golden, stirring occasionally, approximately 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Add the sherry and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, water, tomatoes, lentils, potatoes, parsley, basil, oregano, dill, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 40 minutes, until lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt. Serve hot.

Delizioso!