Category: Fall

salmon with pumpkin and olive grits-2

Romesco Roast Salmon over Pumpkin and Olive Grits

December 19, 2011 Filled under Fall, Fish and Seafood, Lent, Light, Quick Weeknight Meals, Shawn's Favorites, Sides, Winter
11 Comments

I don’t know where I originally saw it or what context it was in, but I recently wrote “pumpkin, red pepper, and olive” in the little notebook that I use to keep track of recipe ideas and inspiration. Kind of a weird combination, right? But ever since I wrote it down, I’ve been obsessed with trying out that flavor combination.

I spent a few weeks dreaming up ways to make the ingredients work together, and then came up with this recipe for roast salmon with romesco over pumpkin and olive grits. It worked. The flavors were subtle but complex – not as bold as I usually go for – but this was really, really good.
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sweet potato soup-3

Creamy Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

November 14, 2011 Filled under Fall, Light, One Pan, Soups and Stews, Vegetarian or Vegan, Winter
6 Comments


It’s getting to be the time of year when I plan to make soup at least once a week. In addition to being a quick weeknight meal, soup is an easy go-to for weekday lunches – something I’m especially grateful for when I’m trying to avoid holiday related weight gain.

I stumbled on this recipe for sweet potato soup on the Food + Wine website one afternoon and made it for dinner that night. I love potato soup, but it had never occurred to me to use sweet potatoes before! I skipped the fried cinnamon-sugar tortillas in the original recipe and paired the soup with cheese quesadillas for a warmly satisfying meal.
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Creamy Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

Serves 4.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

This creamy sweet potato soup, which gets sweetness from apples spice from chipotles and fresh ginger, is a great source of Vitamins A and C. It’s also perfect for dunking – try it with cheese quesadillas for a warm winter meal. Adapted from Food + Wine Magazine.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • ½ Onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated Ginger
  • 2 Gala Apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Celery rib, chopped
  • 2 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 2 cups Water
  • 1 Chipotle Pepper (from a can of Chipotles in Adobo), chopped
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a 3 quart soup pot set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the apples, celery, and sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the stock, water and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until vegetables are soft – about 30 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the chipotle.
  3. Working in batches as needed, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return to pot to keep warm.