Thanksgiving Leftovers: Potato Cake with Champagne Mushroom Ragu and Turkey Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Leftovers.  Love 'em or hate 'em, not a single Thanksgiving dinner in the history of Thanksgiving dinners has eluded leftovers. Personally, I could skip the meal and go right to them, plus I enjoy the challenge of creating new dishes out of left over food.

This year you don't have to dread the turkey soup and sandwich combo, these recipes are elegant enough to keep the fine china out for (but with those dish pan hands, nobody would fault you for using paper.) I've given you two options to create a full meal, as well as a couple of other random ideas for drinks and such. What I love about these recipes is that you'll need half of a bottle of champagne (or white wine) and you get to drink the rest with your meal!  It's the Fat and Happy way to approach left overs.  Rejoice!


Tips and Techniques:  Your leftovers might taste slightly different than my leftovers. So as you make these recipes, taste often and adjust the seasonings accordingly if needed. Remember, the goal here is not to go get more groceries- be bold and substitute what ever is left in the fridge and cupboard!

Serves 4


Thanksgiving Leftovers:  Potato Cakes with Champagne Mushroom Ragu  and Turkey Lettuce Cup drizzled with Cranberry Vinaigrette.


1 cup left over mashed potatoes (can mix up to half with left over sweet potatoes, but if you use all sweet, they will over-power the shrooms).  Another option is to just use a few slices of turkey or even a slice of toasted bread!
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbls Canola oil
salt and pepper

Spread the bread crumbs on a plate, add salt and pepper; mix.  If using potatoes, form into 4 patties and cover both sides with the bread crumbs. Place patties in heated oil, cook until browned on both sides. Remove from pan, set aside until mushroom ragu is ready.

If you use turkey or bread- just heat or toast before topping with the champagne mushroom ragu.

Champagne Mushroom Ragu
1 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls butter
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups mushrooms, sliced (again, use what you have- button, crimini, bella's)
1 cup Champagne (Prosecco, Cava or white wine) - use something you are willing to drink!
1/4 cup cream
2 Tbls fresh sage, chopped
fresh grated Parmesan cheese


Heat the olive oil and butter over medium high heat and add the onions.  Cook for a few minutes while you chop the garlic, add in the garlic. Slice the shrooms and add to the pan; toss. Once the mushroom have reached desired tenderness (about 10 minutes), add in the champagne. Simmer for about 5 minutes; add in the cream and turn to low. Continue to simmer on low until the sauce begins to thicken; about 5-10 minutes  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over potatoes, turkey or bread.  Top with fresh sage and Parmesan cheese.



Turkey Lettuce Salad Cup with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Turkey Lettuce Cup
1 heaping cup celery, medium diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced small 
1/2 cup crushed Sage Ginger Roasted Nuts (or any mixed nuts)
1 1/2 cups diced turkey
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Optional:  diced green beans and 1 apple (peeled and diced small)

To Plate:
Lettuce
Goat cheese (any cheese will work well in this)



Add all ingredients (except lettuce and cheese) in a bowl.  Toss with Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette.  Serve on a bed of lettuce and top with crumbled goat cheese. I like this salad best after the dressing has had time to soak into all the ingredients.



Balsamic Cranberry Vinaigrette
1/2 cup left over cranberries (jellied, canned or sauced- any will work)
1 Tbls balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar or whatever you have)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbls orange juice
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls Champagne (Prosecco, Cava or white wine)- use something you are willing to drink!
fresh ground black pepper
salt (optional)

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a blender (or whip by hand) until smooth, slowly add the olive oil.
By hand, stir in the Champagne.  Pour over turkey salad. Add pepper to taste.


Other ideas for Thanksgiving left overs:

Pumpkin Trifle - Scoop out leftover pumpkin pie, place into fun wine glasses. Layer with whipped cream and graham crackers or gingersnaps.  Sprinkle the top with a little spiced rum or brandy.

Cranberry Cocktails- Add about 1/2 cup water to remaining cranberries, mix well. Push through a strainer, discard solids.  Add cranberry juice to champagne or white rum and lime for a homemade cranberry drink.

Pasta Primevera:  Toss left over turkey, green beans, carrots, onions (use any veggies) with pasta.  Heat with olive oil or cream and top with cheese.

Ginger Sage Roasted Nuts

Roasted nuts just say the Holiday's to me; there is something warming about the aroma while they cook.  Makes the whole house feel comfortable.  I'll put roasted nuts in salads, over desserts and just eat them plain.

Because it's Thanksgiving, I wanted to try roasting the nuts with sage, and then it hit me to add ginger as well.  I think these came out pretty fun. Personally, I might up the ginger for an punchier taste- but add more or less depending on your flavor profile.

Set out a bowl of these for snacking and they'll be gone in minutes.  That's the power of Fat and Happy!

Tip and Techniques: Watch the nuts closely after about 15 minutes; depending on how your oven cooks, it may take more or less time. If you over cook them, you will loose a little of the flavor and they will taste slightly burnt. For reference, mine in the photos should have come out 3 minutes earlier as they are just shy of being overdone.



Ginger Sage Roasted Nuts

2 Tbls fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground sage
1 Tbls fresh sage (about 10 leaves), chopped and separated into 2 piles
1 Tbls honey
1 Tbls maple syrup
1 Tbls melted butter

2 heaping cups of mixed raw nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews)
Salt and pepper

Mix the first 7 ingredients (hold on to one of the sage piles).  Place this in a the microwave for about 20 seconds to warm the syrup.  Add in the nuts, stir to coat well.

Pour onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper (use a good chunky salt if you have it).  Place in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Cool, and break apart if needed, before serving.

Pumpkin Semifreddo Pie with Ginger Orange Sauce

 

Pumpkin Pie is as much of a staple at Thanksgiving as hot dogs are at a baseball game. It's wrong to get sushi at a ballgame (even if it is available!) and it would be wrong to skip the turkey-day pumpkin - I'm pretty sure it's written in the rules somewhere. Plus, Aunt Mable and Uncle Bob would NEVER stand for it.

But there is nothing in the rules that say the pumpkin can't be a cold, frozen treat!  This is a Fat and Happy twist on the typical pumpkin pie. It's easier, it goes together faster and you still get that homey, fall feeling which comes with pumpkin. After the heavy meal of turkey, stuffing and potatoes you'll find this to be a nice light alternative that's a little easier on the tummy.

If you want to your mini frozen pumpkin pies to the next level- do make the orange sauce to serve along side these delightful treats. Change up your holiday dessert while keeping tradition without causing coronaries with the relatives. This could become your new Fat and Happy Holiday meal tradition.

Tips and Techniques:  Think of a semifreddo as ice creams' distant cousin. After testing 3 versions of this recipes which were exactly the same - the Greek Yogurt edged out the cream cheese, with the mascarpone falling to last place. All three are acceptable and could be used, but if you trust this blog at all, I would stick with the yogurt or cream cheese and stay away from the mascarpone.


Pumpkin Semifreddo Pie

Gingersnap Crust:
30 thin gingersnap cookies
2 tbls butter

Semifreddo:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (can use canned)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbls brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 oz of Greek yogurt, cream cheese or mascarpone
1/2 cup cream- whipped to soft peaks
1/4 cup sugar

Pulse the gingersnap cookies in a Cuisinart (or with a rolling pin) until finely crumbled.  Add in 2 tablespoons of melted butter.  Push  about 2 -3 tablespoons of the cookie crumb into the bottom of  muffin tin pan.  Place in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

FOR EASE: do not bake the crumbs, but rather layer a mound of crumbs on top of your semifreddo before placing in the freezer.

Make the semifreddo:  Using a hand held mixer, mix the pumpkin, spices, vanilla, brown sugar and salt until smooth.  In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream with the granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin puree.

Fill the muffin cups and place in the freezer until ready to serve, at least 3 hours. To remove from the muffin tins, wet a wash cloth with hot water and rub it on the under side of each individual tin; you'll need to keep re-wetting the cloth as you move through the pan. Gently use a knife to ease each pie out. Allow the mini pies to defrost a few minutes prior to serving.

To serve: place a scoop of the Orange Ginger Sauce in the middle of each plate, place one mini pumpkin semifreddo pie on top and sprinkle the plate with remaining ginger crumbs.


Ginger Orange Amaretto Sauce

2 tbls brown sugar
1 large orange, juiced and zested (about 1 cup of orange juice)
2 tbls of amaretto or brandy
1/ 4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan, simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Cool before serving.

Makes 8 - 10 , using a typical muffin tin pan

Blueberry PopTart

"They're really good, but not the hard, sugary substance that I remember."  This was Dave's quote after tasting my homemade Lemon Blueberry Pop Tarts.
"Fantastic", was my reply.

While it's fun to recreate childhood classics (like the homemade choco tacos and corn dogs), often the goal is to clean the taste up a bit; after all, who wants their food to be known as bomb-shelter proof?

These blueberry pop tarts are closer to a pie than a boxed pop tart and there's nothing wrong with that.  I made the dough slightly stiffer than my regular pie dough as pop tarts need to stand up to hand holding.

Making a homemade pop tart is just plain fun; seeing people light up when you say you made a pop tart... now that's fat and happy.

 Tip and Techniques:  Make little, bite sized, mini pop tarts for quick snakin'. Serve these warm with a scoop of ice cream for a fun birthday dessert!





Pop Tart Dough

2 cups flour
1/2 tbls sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, chilled  and cut into pieces
1 tbls Crisco
1 egg mixed with 1 tsp water
1 tbls milk
1/2 - 1 cup ice water

 Blueberry Filling (recipe below)
Lemon Filling (recipe below)
Icing (recipe below)
1 egg for brushing the tops
Turbinado sugar (optional)

This is a take on classic pie dough, so keep everything cold (bowls, utensils and ingredients.)  Toss the flour, sugar and salt together.  Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or use your fingers to create pea-sized pieces.  Using the edge of a rubber spatula, cut in the Crisco.

Mix the egg and milk together, cut into the dough with the rubber spatula.  Drizzle tablespoons of ice water in until the dough comes together. Depending on the day, you may need more or less water so only add in small amounts at a time.  The dough should still be somewhat crumbly, don't over moisten.

Divide the dough in two halves and tightly wrap in saran wrap.  Chill at least one hour before rolling out.

Putting the pop tart together: 
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Roll out the dough as evenly and thinly as you can get it - about 1/4" thick".  Cut the dough into desired pieces, I used a playing card as my reference for size.  Scoop a few tablespoons of the blueberry filling and then the lemon filling on the bottom piece. How much filling you use will depend on the size of your dough- use just enough filling to be able to close the dough.

Dip your finger in water and run it along the edges of that bottom piece, place the top on and press the edges together with a fork.  Poke the top with holes to release steam.   Place the pop tart on to the cookie sheet.  Keep in the freezer until ready to bake.

If the dough get too warm to work with, place in the fridge or freezer for few minutes to stiffen the dough. I made these and then froze them until I was ready to bake them.  Before baking them, brush them with egg wash to help achieve the nice browned look. Sprinkle with raw or turbinado sugar (optional).  Bake at  400 degrees until the dough has browned, about 30 minutes.

Drizzle with icing after the pop tarts have cooled.

Blueberry Filling
2 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup water mixed with 1 tsp of cornstarch

Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan, cook about 10 minutes until the berries are softened and the the filling has thickened.  Cool.

Lemon Filling

1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbls flour
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup milk or soy milk
1 egg
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbl butter

Whisk together the sugar, flour and salt in a medium sauce pan.  Turn the heat on to medium low, slowly drizzle in the milk while stirring vigorously.

Simmer until the custard begins to thicken.  Whisk the egg in a separate bowl and temper the egg with the custard. (slowly add a few scoops of the custard to the egg bowl to warm the egg and prevent the egg from cooking to a scramble.)  Now add the egg to the saucepan. 

Continue to cook and stir until the custard is thick, a few minutes.  Remove from heat, whisk in the lemon juice, vanilla and the butter until smooth.  Pour the custard into a bowl, place plastic wrap on the surface of the custard to avoid a skim from forming; place in the refrigerator until cooled.

Icing
1/4 cup milk or soy milk
1 1/2 cups powder sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk together the milk, vanilla and 1 cup of powder sugar until smooth. Add in more powder sugar to obtain desired consistency.

Chorizo and Yellow Split Pea Soup

It's a chilly fall day and all I want is a warm, supple soup. I made the mistake of wearing my summer beach sandals while riding to volleyball today; I have no idea what I was thinking. It's 40-some degrees out and my feet turned bright pink; un-feel-able flippers at the end of my stems. Dumbass. 

Heading to the pantry to see what kind of ingredients I had to play with, I found dried yellow split peas just sitting there waiting for a reason to bust into hearty, tender little morsels. Is there a difference between the yellow and the green split pea? The yellow ones appear to have a slightly milder taste than the green, but they are both packed with fiber and protein while being low calorie. Pther than the color, they look pretty much the same...split. Plus we all know, Green is for ham!

Next time you make the mistake of freezing the tootsies when you're not willing to admit winter is coming, make this soup. It will keep you full, warm, fat and happy.

Tips and techniques:  Do crisp the shallots, it completely brings all the flavors together; I wouldn't serve this without them. Naan bread was an outstanding accompaniment to the chorizo and pea soup since the soup was thick enough to scoop it up with the bread (Indian or Ethiopian style). 

Chorizo and Yellow Split Pea Soup with Crispy Shallots

1 cup onions, diced small
1 tbls olive oil
3 large garlic cloves
1 stick chorizo, crumbled variety
2 cups dried yellow split peas
3 cups water or broth
1 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions in the olive oil until they are softened and caramelized. Add in the garlic cloves and the chorizo, cook for about 5 minutes.  Add in the spit peas and simmer for a few minutes to help sear the peas.

Now add in the broth and the wine. Cook, covered, until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 hour.  Add more water if you need want a runnier soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with crispy shallots and serve with warm naan bread.

Crispy Shallots

2 large shallots
1 tbls olive oil

Thinly slice the shallots,  Heat the oil first, then add the shallots. Cook until the shallots become brown and crispy, watch them closely as they can burn quickly.

Place on a paper towel to soak up an remaining oil until ready to use. Top the pea soup just before serving.

Sweet Potato Hash with Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

A bag of small sweet potatoes were delivered to my door thanks to my CSA box, Community Supported Agriculture. The truth is, large grocery stores like Jewel and Dominick''s do not offer a 'local produce' section so this is my best opportunity to support local farmers.

Chicago is lucky enough to have Stanley's Produce; a local produce market who features local farm produce, often leftovers from farmers markets.  My schedule can get so crazy though, I simply can't make it there every week. CSA is an outstanding option if you're open to receiving a goody-box of whatever the farm has ready that week.

I haven't cooked with such small sweet potatoes before. Baby sweet potatoes are slightly milder in flavor than the larger ones and the deep rich orange color is as developed yet. I feel they do hold up stronger to cooking without turning too mushy; Dave is not a fan of sweet potatoes, but he actually liked these. Small successes make me happy.

Pairing the sweet potato with a spicy chipotle peppers offers a playful palette twist.  The runny yolk and hollandaise sauce brings it all together with a touch of creamy coating.

Look online to see what options are available in your area for CSA.  You'll be surprised how Fat and Happy you feel by supporting your local farmers!

Tips and Techniques:  Place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water after you peel them until you're ready to use them to help avoid them from turning brown. This dish can easily be meatless as the turkey is optional. If you prefer less heat, omit the chipotle pepper from the hash and only use in the hollandaise sauce.

Serves up to 4

Sweet Potato Hash with Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

1 cup red onion, diced
2 tbls canola oil
1 large shallot, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced
3/4 cup diced red potato, skin on
1 cup turkey (or pork), cooked and diced (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 chipotle pepper, chopped  (canned with the juice) (optional)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp fresh oregano

Begin by dicing the red onion.  Add a drizzle of canola oil to a large saute pan, add the onions and cook over medium heat.  Slice the shallots and add to the pan, toss often.  Dice the garlic, add to the pan along with a few turns of fresh ground pepper after the onions have cooked for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, peel and dice the sweet potato, then dice the red potato; place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with cold water until ready to use.

Ad the potatoes to the onion pan, continue to cook over medium heat until the potatoes reach desired tenderness, tossing often.  About 10 minutes in, add 1/4 cup water to the pan. This will help you deglaze all the tasty bits stuck to the pan and will help cook the spuds. Let the spuds continue to cook a few more minutes, add in the fresh oregano and the optional cooked turkey and chopped chipotle pepper, continue to cook until the water is gone and add another 1/4 cup of water.  The spuds should be nearly done at this point so this final water will keep them moist before serving.


Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce
2 egg yolks
1/2 tbls lime juice
1/4 stick melted butter
pinch of salt
4 Tbls chipotle sauce (use the sauce from the canned chipotle peppers)

Heat a pan of water to just below simmer.  Choose a bowl that can sit on top of the pan without touching the water (or use a double broiler if you have one.)

Whisk the yolks and the lime juice until they are thick and doubled in size. Place the bowl over the steaming water and whisk vigorously while slowly drizzling in the melted butter.  Continue to whisk until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.  Remove from the heat, sprinkle in a pinch of salt and the chipotle sauce, whisk to combine. 

Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and keep warm until ready to use.  If the sauce becomes too thick, simply whisk in a few tablespoons of warm water until desired consistency is reached.

Putting it all Together

Poach one egg for each person. Place a pile of potatoes in the middle of a plate, top with a poached egg and drizzle with the hollandaise sauce.  Serve with a slice of lime.

Yukina Savoy Quiche with Spicy Pepper, Cherry and Pine Nut Relish

I'll admit it, I had no idea what Yukina Savoy was when it arrived in my first CSA, fresh from the farm, delivery box. Sure the name helped to define it (yukina savoy tender cooking greens) but I needed more. 

A quick search told me that this delicate green is similar to spinach without the bitterness that can often accompany it. Spinach can also leave an odd film on my teeth after eating it (does this happen to anyone else?)  The yukina savoy did not- another bonus.

Sauteing these greens with a bit of garlic allowed a nice flavor to come through.  Then I dunked those wilted greens in eggs and yogurt and baked them till they puffed up.

The slightly spicy, sweet and nutty relish helped this dish to shine. So call it a crustless quiche, a frittata, baked eggs or egg casserole... it's all the same.  Delicious!  And a super easy way to experiment with a new fat and happy vegetable.

Tips and Techniques:  Substitute spinach or Swiss chard for the yukina savoy.



Yukina Savoy Quiche with Spicy Pepper, Cherry and Pine Nut Relish

3 eggs
3 heaping Tbls of Greek yogurt (plus some for topping)
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
2 cups of yukina savoy
1 Tbls shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a saute pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil. Chop the stems of the yukina savoy into small pieces, add the stems and the garlic to the saute pan; cook for few minutes. Add the rest of the yukina savoy, toss and cook for a about 4 minutes until the leaves begin to wilt. Remove from heat.

Whisk together the eggs and the Greek yogurt with a pinch of salt and fresh black pepper.  Pour the egg mixture into a small casserole dish.  Add the sauteed yukina savoy and cheese to the eggs, pushing the  savoy into the egg.

Place in a pan in a preheated 400 degree oven until the middle is set. The eggs will become quite puffed up, and if you shake the pan, the eggs will not appear runny.  It's easy to overcook the eggs so check them often or they will become dry.  The eggs will deflate quickly after removing from the oven, serve immediately with the pine nut relish (recipe below) and a scoop of Greek yogurt (optional).



Spicy Pepper, Cherry and Pine Nut Relish

1 heaping tbls dried cherries (or craisins), finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced red pepper
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbls olive oil
1 green onion, diced
3 tbls toasted pine nuts, lightly chopped

Place the dried cherries and green onions into a small bowl, set aside.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil in saute pan, heat over medium-high heat.  Add the diced red peppers, cook for 1 minute.  Add in the diced garlic and cook for about 3 minutes until the garlic begins to soften and releases its' flavor (toss often).  Pour over the cherries.

In the same pan (do not wipe out) add the red pepper flakes and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Simmer the flakes over medium heat for about 3 minutes to season the oil.  Pour the oil in the peppers and cherry bowl.  Top with the toasted pine nuts, set aside until ready to use.

Grilled Tomato Soup with Garlic Hummus and Veggie Sandwich

We all have those times when we make something so good that hits the g-spot of our taste buds. This time it wasn't a chocolate dessert or some molecular gastronomy creation, but rather basic grilled veggies. Yes!

Using simple ingredients is often overlooked. But simple ingredients allow for the true flavor of the ingredient to shine through.

Hands down my favorite soup of all time is this Grilled Tomato Soup. It's one of the rare recipes that is not my creation; this one came from the Joy of Cooking recipe book and it just can't be beat. I haven't actually looked up the recipe in some years, but I'm pretty sure the below is close; if nothing else- my version is amazing! The smoky grill flavor mixes so nicely with the sweet balsamic- it's a tomato explosion in your mouth!


Food doesn't always have to be fancy to be good.  Try this fat and happy grilled soup and sandwich before all the superb home grown vegetables are gone. I think you'll be delightfully satisfied with how intoxicating this is.

Tips and Techniques:  Remember to peel off the tomato skin after grilling, it should slide right off.  Serve the soup in a shallow plate for pretty presentation. My option for the sandwich bread was an an olive loaf bread, the extra hint of salt from the olives was a perfect pairing. Choose any good artisan bread, just don't use loaf sandwich bread. Makes four servings.

Grilled Tomato Soup with Garlic Hummus and Veggie Sandwich

Grilled Tomato Soup
4 large tomatoes
1 small red onion
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cups of water, broth or wine
2 tbls balsamic vinegar
1/2 lemon

Preheat the grill.  Cut the tomatoes in half, drizzle with olive oil.  Cut the small onion in quarters, push each quarter through a metal barbecue skewer to keep all the pieces together.  Cut the shallot in half, add to the skewer along with the garlic cloves. Drizzle the skewer with olive oil and a few turns of fresh black pepper.

Place the tomatoes on the grill, cut side down, and the onion skewer.  Grill until the tomatoes begin to soften and have definitive grill marks, about 4-6 minutes per side depending on their ripeness. Turn and grill on the second side, remove from gill and set aside. Turn the onions as each side begins to have charred edges, until all side are nicely grilled and softened.

Rough chop the onions, shallot and garlic, toss in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.  Saute about 5 minutes to fully finish softening the onions.  Add in 1/2 cup of water and the tomatoes, smash them with a wooden spoon. Simmer a few minutes to combine the flavors.

Use an immersion blender to blend all the ingredients into a soup (or carefully use a blender).  Don't over blend, just pulse the ingredients together. All a little more liquid for a runnier soup if desired. Simmer the soup for a few minutes then remove from heat.

Add the lemon juice and balsamic and a little salt and pepper to taste. Salt as needed.  Serve warm or cold; I prefer this soup at room temperature for the best flavor.


Garlic Hummus and Grilled Veggie Sandwich

Garlic Hummus
1 can chickpeas
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large radishes, chopped
1 tsp sesame chili oil
1 tsp sesame oil
up to 1/4 cup olive oil
up to 1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbl lemon juice

Add all the ingredients from chickpeas through the sesame oil to a mini Cuisinart or blender.  Pulse to chop and combine; slowly drizzle in a few tablespoons of olive oil until the hummus begins to blend nicely.  Finish by adding a few tablespoons of water until desired consistency is reached.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon into a bowl and squeeze 1/2 of a fresh lemon over the top.

Grilled Zucchini, Squash, Shallots and Garlic

1 zucchini
1 yellow neck squash
1 tomato
2 large shallots
2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbls fresh thyme, pinched from stem
Handful of fresh thyme stems

Using a mandolin, carefully slice the zucchini, squash and shallots to medium thickness so they can stand up to the grill (and the bread and the soup!) You can do this by hand- try to make all slices the same size.

Dice up the garlic cloves and toss with the sliced veggies.  Heavily drizzle and toss all with olive oil, lots of fresh ground black pepper and the fresh thyme.  Let the veggies rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.  Grill veggies on each side until grill marks form; I like to grill them on fast over high heat so that they still have a little bite to them and do not turn to mush. Remove from gill, add a few more turns of fresh ground black pepper (salt if needed.)

Assembling the Garlic Hummus and Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

1 loaf artisan bread (choose a good bread, do not put this on sandwich bread)

Cut bread into 4 inch pieces lengthwise, and then in half to open the soft bread. Brush the soft bread insides with olive oil and grill for about 3 minutes. Remove from grill.

Spread the garlic hummus on one side of the bread, layer on a few slices of the grilled squash, zucchini and tomato.  Cover with the top half of the bread.  Serve with the grilled tomato soup.