Author name: Ann and Andy

Carrot Ginger Soup

/ Leave a Comment
So it’s going to be just us here for Easter, and we’ve been thinking about what we’ll have for dinner that will be properly celebratory, isn’t a pain in the butt to fix or clean up, serves just the two of us, and tastes great.  It’ll be a big little meal!
Andy first suggested that we have rabbit for dinner, but I managed to convince him of the impropriety of that.  But I thought that maybe something with carrots seemed appropriate.  Carrots and dip?   Too much work for just us. Carrot cake? Yum!  I have a fabulous recipe for that, should you ever want to try it, but it’s time-consuming to make.  Maybe carrot soup?  Yes!  It’s beautiful, it’s easy; it’s light, healthy, and delicious.  You can make it vegetarian (or not) by your choice of broth.  It’s gluten free (I think). The ingredients are easy to find.  Note: don’t think that you’ll just make half of it, cause it’s just you eating.  Fix the full recipe and you’ll have soup left for a lunch next week and some to freeze for another time.

Carrot Ginger Soup

  • Servings: 4
  • Print
adapted from Sara Deseran’s Asian Vegetables

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c butter (4 T)
  • 1 T minced fresh ginger
  • 4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 or 2 serrano chilies, seeds and membrane removed and chopped
  • 3 c vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into chunks – about 10 big (not little) ones
  • 1/4 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 c half and half.

Directions

Using a medium-sized pot over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the ginger, garlic, and chili and cook and stir until the garlic and chili have softened and are fragrant – maybe a minute.  Add the broth and chunks of carrot, coriander, and salt; bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are very soft – about 25 minutes.  Now is the time to use your hand blender, if you have one.  We don’t – so we’ll put the carrot mixture into our food processor (a regular blender works here too) and puree it until it’s almost smooth.
At this point take note: if you’re freezing some, put it in your freezer dish now, because it will reheat better if you add the half & half after you defrost it.
Put the rest of the carrot mixture back in the pot, add the half and half, decreasing the amount a little, if you’ve frozen some. Return the soup to a simmer.  Put it into bowls and have a HAPPPY EASTER!
Recipe provided by Big Little Meals and Andy and Ann

Alton Brown’s French Toast

/ Leave a Comment
French toast1
Alton Brown’s French Toast from the Food Network.

f

Andy and I have had some serious disagreements about French Toast.  Since Andy does all the breakfast cooking (well, I do dish up granola now and then), he gets the blame when the French Toast doesn’t turn out perfect.  After years – maybe decades – of imperfect FT, Andy discovered this Alton Brown recipe, and, if done precisely, is both easy and just right.  Things do get better.

One note here: we always use a sweet, as opposed to a sour dough, french bread (from the Basque Boulangerie, if you’re local) rather than the suggested challah or brioche, but I’m sure they would be wonderful too.

A second note: we tried freezing the leftover finished slices of French Toast, and they freeze well!  Just be sure they’re cool when you put them in the freezer and don’t pile them on top of each other – until they’re frozen.  To defrost and eat I simply popped a slice in the toaster and it turned out great (though you might have to adjust the length of the toasting).

Alton Brown's French Toast

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown and the FoodNetwork.com.

  • 1 C half-and-half
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 T honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread. (note: we prefer to use sweet – as opposed to sour – baguettes sliced into about 16 slices)
  • 4 T butter

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. This can be done the night before. When ready to cook, pour the mixture into a shallow bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 T of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan (or 5 or 6 if using a baguette) and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream, or, as we prefer, BigLittleMeals Strawberry Sauce!

Recipe brought to you by BigLittleMeals.com and Andy and Ann.

Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

/ Leave a Comment

Brownie_icecream

 

If you haven’t already discovered this recipe, let me introduce you to the simplest, tastiest, fastest brownies ever.  Remember how I said I miss Ladies Home Journal?  Well this recipe first appeared in that magazine – in 1975.  I’ve tweaked it just a touch.

Katharine Hepburn's Brownies

  • Servings: 16 squares
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 stick of butter
  • 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 c sugar
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ c flour
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 c walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter an 8″ square pan. Melt the butter and the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir in the sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the flour and the salt and the walnuts, if you are using them.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool on a rack, then cut into 16 -20 squares.  The brownies will keep well-covered for several days and will freeze well.

Recipe provided by Big Little Meals and Andy and Ann

 

Scroll to Top