Cauliflower, Leek, Blue Cheese Soup

Super healthy, thick, rich, easy, perfect for a cold night.  I made this up as I went along but great way to get your vegetables in even for those who don't think they like cauliflower they'll enjoy this.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower cleaned and broken into pieces

2 leeks, cleaned & sliced

1 onion sliced & large chop

2-4 c chick broth
olive oil
salt & pepper

1 oz blue cheese crumbled

Directions:

Place cauliflower onto baking sheet toss with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Roast in 400° oven for 20-30 min or till beginning to brown and softened.  Meanwhile in large sauce pan saute onions and leeks in a small amount of olive oil over low heat till browning begins, remove from pot and set aside.  When cauliflower is done remove from oven place in same sauce pan with 2 c broth using immersion blender blend till creamy (you could leave some chunks if you prefer).  Add back in the onions, leeks stir adding more chicken broth to your desired thickness.  Stir in a few blue cheese crumbles and use rest to top soup, some crunchy onions make a good topping also.  If you like you could add some milk or cream which would also give it a lighter color if you like.  Also I think next time I'll add some chopped celery to the onion mixture when it is sauteing.  

I served it with Scallop Po Boys click here for that recipe.

Onion Cheese Flatbread

Looking for something to add to those meals of soup, this is simple and would also work good as an appetizer.  Most of these ingredients I usually already have on hand or left over from another meal.









Onion Cheese Flatbread

Whole Wheat Tortillas
non fat greek yogurt
onions sliced thin
grated Cheese  (cheddar, gruyere, fontina something that melts well)
fresh ground pepper


Place the tortilla on a cookie sheet spread with yogurt, sprinkle with cheese, onion and pepper.  Bake at 350° for about 15 min till cheese is bubbly.

**add different spices to go with your meal such as old bay, basil, oregano whatever you like.

Favorite French Onion Soup

served here with a pesto chicken panini

All time favorite at this house, so I have tweaked and tweaked till I am really happy with this recipe.

Favorite French Onion Soup


Ingredients:
3 Large Vidalia Onions sliced
2 Leeks sliced
1 Fennel bulb chopped
mushrooms
Thyme
black pepper
olive or canola oil
6 oz red wine
beef broth (use Vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
Gruyere cheese
good bread

Directions:
Saute in large deep pan or stock pot with oil onions, fennel, leeks till carmalized.  Add mushrooms, Thyme to taste, pepper and saute a few more minutes.  Deglaze pan with red wine let cook about a minute then add broth to cover vegetables, let simmer for at least 30 minutes while simmering taste to see if you'd like more spice.  Toast bread and cut into cubes.  Slice cheese.

Ladle soup into oven proof bowls till full, put toasted bread cubes on top lay cheese over top and broil till bubbly.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.