I have ditched canned soups for good. First off, I love making soup from scratch. There is something warm and comforting about having a big pot simmering on the stove, or knowing there some in the fridge that just needs to be heated and you’ve got instant comfort. I don’t think the can is an equal match – it is a poor substitute for something that can be so easily … [Read more...] about Simple Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
January 25 is Burns Night, which celebrates the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns. Suppers are held across Scotland and by many Scottish societies and clubs around the world. I was challenged by a friend some years ago to host a Burns Night supper and so I did. I put plaid fabric down the table as a runner and had florist make up arrangements of thistle and heather. I … [Read more...] about Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Chicken Apple Bisque
French bistro – that’s what this soup says to me. I have no idea if this is anyway something you would find on an authentic bistro menu, but the combination of classic vegetables and Calvados brandy just seems to me like something that would be served in a simple bistro, in a big bowl, with a sliced baguette on the table. Because I find this soup has that elusive French … [Read more...] about Chicken Apple Bisque
Buttermilk Bread
Making a fresh loaf of lovely, real homemade bread gives me more of a sense of accomplishment than just about anything. I am not an expert at it, you see, and I am still a little wary around yeast. So I look for simple recipes and adapt them as best I can for my skill level. Because I love that moment when you see that your dough has risen to a beautiful, soft … [Read more...] about Buttermilk Bread
Cauliflower Cheese Soup with Curried Cauliflower Crumbs
Cauliflower Cheese is a very popular dish in England, one of its comfort foods. Basically, it is cauliflower in a creamy cheese sauce. But the first time I heard of cauliflower cheese, on the set menu at a restaurant during a high-school summer in England, I was a little worried it was actually some kind of strange British cheese. I thought they might bring our some lumpy, … [Read more...] about Cauliflower Cheese Soup with Curried Cauliflower Crumbs
