Hearty Lentil Soup with Kale

Sometimes, my soup starts out with a theme. Like...lentils. Most often, simmering pots on the stove are the result of what needs to be cooked up in the fridge, pulled from the garden, and what I came home from the farmers market with. I rarely follow the same recipe twice. Don't have potatoes handy but the celery needs to be used up? Use it! Only have two carrots but ten pounds of potatoes? You know what to do. Throw them in the pot! Follow this recipe loosely. Don't run to the market for another carrot or kale. Use what you have and enjoy.

Ingredients:
3 TB olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 large onions, chopped (about 1.5 cups)
4 carrots (about 3/4 cup)
3 medium potatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
1-2tsp kosher salt
1 pound lentils, rinsed and picked through
2-3 quarts chicken or vegetable stock (water will do in a pinch)
             *I use 2 for a hearty soup, use 3 if you prefer soupier soup
1tsp cumin
1/2tsp coriander
salt and pepper to taste
1 small bunch kale

Optional Add-ins:
1 ham bone will add soooo much flavor
sliced chorizo (you can see some in the pot)
crumbled, cooked bacon
leftover ham
1/2cup chopped celery
1cup tomatoes or 1 15oz can tomatoes
more of this, less of that

Cook:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot.
Add onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, and salt. Cook 8-10 ten minutes.

Add lentils, stock, cumin, coriander, and any meat you might be adding. Turn it up to high heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat back down to simmer 30 minutes, until lentils are tender.
 I prefer UNcovered to great a super hearty soup, covered will retain more liquid.

Add kale, simmer another 5-10 minutes. Enjoy! For more of my favorite recipes, follow along with my Pinterest board, Eat!
xo,
Amy

Roasted Garlic Tomato Marinara

It's the close of tomato season, even here on the mild Central Coast. And yet...I somehow scored twenty pounds of small, sweet tomatoes at our local Farmers Market for $20! This could not be passed up. The first round of tomato madness was Roasted Tomato and Garlic Marinara. Oh, my heavens. This is flavor packed!

Ready to make some sauce? Let's go!

This recipe can easily be doubled, even quadrupled!

Ingredients
2 quarts (about 8 cups) tomatoes. really big pieces, I only halved these small tomatoes
2 onions, cut into 1/8th's
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 Tablespoon fresh oregano
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (red wine or vegetable stock works great, too)
1 teaspoon salt
sprinkle with pepper

Preheat oven to 425.
Keeping the ingredients in large pieces saves tons of time! I never seed my tomatoes but go ahead if you prefer.

Spread everything out on a roasted pan or half sheet pan with a lip to contain the juices.
Roast for about an hour, stirring things up half way through. I roasted one pan for an hour, and a second for 90 minutes simply for my own convenience.

Now you can use an immersion blender (after putting it in a bowl), your blender, or as I did- throw it all in the food processor. Don't forget to add all of those flavor packed tidbits in the pan. Scrape them in, too. We like a chunky sauce around here so just a few pulses and it's done. Blend longer for a smoother sauce.

You can use your pressure canner for shelf stable storage, and a pretty pretty pantry. I haven't checked the seals on my pressure canner this season and chose to freeze in jars this round. Fill wide mouth mason jars with 1" head space. Flash freeze to allow for full expansion before sealing with lid and ring. Remember to label with name and date. Enjoy! For more of my favorite recipes, follow along with my Pinterest board: Eat!
xo,
Amy

Simple Marinara Sauce

My ingredients vary widely as does how much of this or that I throw in. Cooking with what I have on hand, what needs to be pulled from the garden or what might have been deliciously bountiful at the farmers market is what ends up in the pot. I also don't actually measure. Adjust for what works to your own taste. You really can't go wrong. Here is my basic go to recipe:

6 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes, include juice
3-4 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes (or an additional 28oz can tomatoes)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
dash of balsamic vinegar or red wine
salt and pepper to taste

If you feel daring or need to clear out the veggie bin (note the end of summer squash chopped and simmered into the pot above) toss in one or more:
1 shredded carrot
2 stalks chopped celery
1/2 bell pepper
3 small squash, chopped

Heat heavy, large pan over medium heat. Add oil. Toss in onions until clear. Then add garlic. Cook for a minute or so. Pour in tomatoes, herbs, vinegar or wine, and any other veggies that please you. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, uncovered. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. For more of my favorite recipes, follow along with my Pinterest board, Eat!
Enjoy!
xo,
Amy