Potato Soup with Leeks, Carrots, Peas

Potato soup with leeks, carrots, and peas.

It is cold, cold weather here, and just the right time to try this recipe from Dan Eaton of Cooking At Home on Channel 14. 
SERVES:
4 – 6
INGREDIENTS:
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups thinly sliced peeled potato
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme (or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1 cup peeled, small diced carrot
1 small leek sliced
2-3 Tbs butter
1/2 cup diced smoked ham
1/2 - 1 cup frozen peas
milk as needed
salt and pepper to taste
PROCEDURE:
Thinly slice a couple of cloves of garlic and 4 cups of potatoes and add these to a soup pot with 4 cups of chicken broth and bring it up to a simmer.

Thinly sliced potatoes and garlic.

Add potatoes and garlic to chicken stock.

Once the potatoes are going, finely chop about 1 Tbs fresh thyme and peel and cut about 1 cup of carrots into pea size dice.
Cut the dark green part off and the root end off of the leek, cut it in half lengthwise and then thinly crosswise and then rinse the sliced leeks in a colander in the sink.
Next, melt a couple of Tbs of butter in another large saute pan and add the diced carrot and well drained leeks and the chopped thyme.  Add a ladle of the chicken broth from the potato pot and cook that along until the carrots and leeks are nice and soft, adding a little more broth or water if you need to.

Saute carrots and leeks in butter.

Add thyme (I used dried thyme.)

Then add about 1 cup of frozen peas and as much diced smoked ham as you like, stir that in and turn the heat off.

Add frozen peas and smoked ham.

Once the potatoes are nice and soft, use a hand blender to puree the soup, adding a little milk as you need to, to give it a creamy soup consistency.

Puree potatoes with hand blender.

Fold in the vegetables, season to taste and it's good to go.

This was so good on a cold night like tonight.  I often use Dan Eaton's recipes. 

Turkey-Bacon Bean Soup

Turkey-bacon Bean Soup.

Yesterday was certainly a good day for soup.  It was rainy, windy and very cold.  So I made this Bean Soup using a recipe from Cooking at Home with Dan Eaton.


                                                           Turkey-Bacon Bean Soup
SERVES: 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
• 6 slices turkey bacon, diced
• 1 Tbs vegetable oil for crisping bacon
• 1 cup peeled, diced carrot
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil for cooking vegetables
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 drained 15-ounce cans white beans (such as navy or great Northern)
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion or rough parsley (optional)
• black pepper to taste (and salt if needed)

PROCEDURE:
1. Cut all the vegetables you need before heading to the stove and then add a splash of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed soup pot and crisp up 6 diced slices of turkey bacon.
2. Take the crispy bacon out of the pan, add another splash of vegetable oil to the pot and add about 1 cup diced, peeled carrot, about 1 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup diced celery, 2 minced cloves of garlic and add a sprinkling of dried thyme.

Diced carrots, onions and celery.

Diced turkey bacon.

3. While you're keeping your eye on the vegetables and stirring them around occasionally, take a minute to drain three 15-ounce cans of navy beans.

Navy Beans.

Drain three cans of white beans.

4. Once the onions are translucent, add 4 cups chicken broth and add the drained white beans, stir those in, and bring it up to a simmer.

Add chicken stock.

5. Then adjust the heat on that so it's gently simmering along for 10 - 15 minutes.
6. At that point you could use a potato masher to gently mash the beans up a little bit, or use a hand blender to give it a somewhat smooth, somewhat chunky consistency.

Fold in bacon.

7. Then fold in the crispy bacon and an optional handful of chopped green onion and season it to taste with a little salt if it needs it and a good crack of black pepper and it's good to go.

Fold in green onions.

Ready to eat.

This was most welcome on a cold day like yesterday. 

Pan-fried Catfish with Pecan Lemon Butter

Pan-fried catfish with pecan, parsley, lemon butter.

Patrick had seen this prepared on Cooking at Home with Dan Eaton and made this for lunch the other day.  The nice fresh never frozen farm-raised catfish fillets came from Whole Foods. 



SERVES:3
INGREDIENTS:
• three catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.

Pecans and parsley.

4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.

Pan fry in butter after dredging in buttermilk and flour.

6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.

Cook until golden brown on each side.

7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.

Add lemon juice to pecan butter.

10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.

Ready to eat with a side of 3-bean salad.

We had this with a side of 3-bean salad.  The fish with this topping was absolutely delicious.   We will definitely be having this again. 

INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.

SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf

SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf

SERVES: 2
INGREDIENTS:
• two 7-ounce catfish fillets
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (see hints below)
• 1 large egg
• salt to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Cajun spice rub (or more to taste)
• 3 Tbs butter for frying fish
• 1/3 cup rough chopped pecans
• 2-3 Tbs rough chopped parsley
• 2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbs butter for sauce

PROCEDURE:
1. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk to a large pie dish and beat 1 large egg into that and then add the catfish fillets and toss to coat.
2. Use another pie dish to combine 1/2 -3/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp Cajun spice rub.
3. At some point, before cooking the fish, you'll need to rough chop about 1/3 cup pecans and also rough chop 2-3 Tbs of fresh parsley.
4. When it comes time to cook the fish, season it with a little salt if you like and lightly dredge it on both sides in the seasoned flour.
5. Then saute it in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan or cast iron skillet in 2 - 3 Tbs melted butter on medium high heat.
6. You want the catfish to be golden brown on both sides and cooked through....it's going to take around 7 - 8 minutes total.
7. When the fish is cooked to your liking, carefully take it out of the pan and put it on a clean plate to rest.
8. And then add a couple more Tbs of butter to the pan and turn the heat down to medium low and add the pecans.
9. Let those toast for a minute and then squeeze in a couple of Tbs of fresh lemon juice and add the chopped parsley and it's good to go.
10. Serve the cooked fish with the pecan butter right on top.
- See more at: http://charlotte.twcnews.com/content/lifestyles/cooking_at_home/704864/pan-fried-catfish-with-pecan--parsley-and-lemon-butter#sthash.mH5xbwre.dpuf