#kitchencooks

Cooking with Jaxy boy, this'll go swimmingly....

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Bouquets of Herbs

Brighten your kitchen work space, free up your refrigerator drawers, make good use of your produce dollar, and support your healthy eating goals.  Recently, I was in a kitchen where they put fresh herbs in canning jars with water to make them more accessible.  What a great idea...

They look so appropriate in my kitchen adding some greenery to my counter.  It makes room in my over stuffed fridge - needed that.  I am more likely to use them - out of sight, out of mind.  I’ll reach for the fresh herbs over the dried herbs which improves nutrition and flavors in my home prepared meals.  Here’s how to do it - cut 1" off the stem and plunge into room temp water - just that easy.  

Thanks, Kaden

Photo:  left to right - cilantro, watercress, parsley

When I’m not visiting the kitchen’s of other cooks, I’m sewing guitar themed aprons for my online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/topdrawerthreads , www.amazon.com/handmade/topdrawaerthreads . 

Or I’m rummaging through my yarn stash for colors and texture of upcycled yarns to crochet into striped scarves - www.etsy.com/shop/topdraweryarns .

My daughters have an online shop - www.etsy.com/yesdesigns - where they hand make and sell stretch leggings in sizes x small to 2X.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

Mixing in the milk/flour just at the end of cooking adds a warming feeling to this healthy family meal.  While the vegetable soup mix - split peas (green, yellow), barley, lentils, vegetable pasta shapes, and red lentils - is starting to simmer, I prep the vegetables.  By the time the vegetables are chopped, it’s time to pour those into the soup pot.  See what you think...

1 c. Bob's Red Mill Vegi Soup Mix

4 c. Vegetable Broth

1/2 c. radishes, chopped

1 c. parsnip, sliced

1 c. turnip, chopped

1 c. rutabaga, grated coarse

2 leeks, sliced ribbon thin

1 t.+ salt to taste

1/2 t. pepper

1 c. half and half

3 T. whole wheat flour In a large soup pot, add soup mix and vegetable broth.   Cover, bring to a boil then turn down to simmer for 30 min.  Add radishes, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, leeks, salt, and pepper.  Simmer for 30 min. more until grains are tender.  In a 2 c. measuring cup, slowly add and stir in hot broth to milk then whisk in flour - no lumps please.  Add milk mixture to soup pot slowly stirring in with all vegetables to the bottom. Keep stirring until soup is thickened - then serve and enjoy.

Note:  I have no connection with Bob’s Red Mill products, just a fan and here’s their web address - www.bobsredmill.com .

When I’m not serving up steaming hot soup to my family, I’m sewing cotton pocket aprons for my online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/topdrawerthreads and www.amazon.com/handmade/topdrawerthreads . 

Or I’m merrily working upcycled yarns into knitted cowls for my other shop - www.etsy.com/shop/topdraweryarns .

My daughter’s have an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/yesdesigns - where they design and sew colorful stretch knit leggings in size x small to 2X.

My older daughter has an online shop - www.etsy.com/shop/wildwovenwomen -  hand knit  lovely striped afghans to curl up into.