running with tweezers

Hay Hay It's Donna Day...and I'm going to make a tart if it's the last thing I do.

So I had this great idea, right? The boy and I were going on vacation. We were renting a house for the week with a perfectly adequate kitchen. He loves desserts. I would use Hay Hay It's Donna (hosted this go-round by TriniGourmet.com) Day as a good excuse to make some delicious dessert tarts for him while we're there. Smart, huh? So...after scouring for a decadent chocolate tart recipe on our way out of town, I do a drive by at the Viking Store for a stash of little tartlet pans and... we're off!

Smart, huh?

Not so fast. Remember that thing I said about not baking? This session of HHDD reminded me why I have so much trepidation. I realize that it's probably not cool or chic to admit that I had a _ _ _ _ _ (insert your own colorful language there) of a time with my tarts...but I'll own up to my challenges as much as my successes.

In short...the crusts hated me. Evil, hateful, meddling pastry crusts. I followed this recipe to the T...but I halved it. Was that my downfall? Was it an unfamiliar oven? Only the baking gods know for sure. All I know for sure is that it took me THREE TRIES to get pastry crusts that didn't look like either a hockey puck...or a Barbie sized hockey puck.

I can happily report that once the pastry got worked out, these were absolutely delicious. The texture of the chocolate, once it got to room temperature, was smooth and cake or brownie like. The addition of the candied grapefruit - and I love grapefruit - was such an interesting twist on the chocolate and citrus pairing.

Chocolate Tartlets with Candied Grapefruit Peel - makes 10 tartlets - originally found here at Food & Wine

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 stick plus 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• Dash of salt
• 1 whole egg plus 2 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 5 ounces chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Candied Grapefruit Peel - see recipe below

    1 . Orange is the classic choice with chocolate, but candied grapefruit peel has a little bitterness that I also enjoy. I prefer deep, strong, dark chocolate with about 70 percent cocoa—the richer the better.

   2. Put 1 cup of all-purpose flour in the bowl of a food processor with 6 tablespoons of butter cut into pieces, 3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and a dash of salt. Process for 15 seconds, until well mixed. In a bowl, mix 1 large egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk. Add to the processor bowl and process for another 15 seconds, until the dough forms a ball. Roll out the dough immediately or chill it for an hour or so before rolling.

   3. Arrange ten 3-inch fluted tartlet molds on a table. Roll the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Remove the top sheet of plastic and invert the dough over the molds. Using your fingers, press the dough through the plastic into the molds. Remove the plastic and trim the excess dough. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Bake the tartlet shells in a preheated 350° oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Leave the oven on.

   4. Meanwhile, put 5 ounces of chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate into a 4-cup glass measuring cup. Add 2/3 of a stick of butter cut into pieces and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, leave for a few minutes, then microwave again for 1 minute until the chocolate has melted. In a small bowl, mix 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Whisk the eggs into the chocolate.

   5. Divide the chocolate mixture among the 10 tartlet shells. Bake for 5 minutes. The tartlets should be eaten at room temperature, so that the chocolate filling is slightly soft and creamy. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with the Candied Grapefruit Peel.

NOTES: For a more brownielike texture, bake for 5 minutes more.

Candied Grapefruit Peel - makes about 40 strips

•      10 wide strips zest from a ruby red grapefruit
•       2 2/3 cups water
•       2/3 cup sugar

   1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 10 wide strips of zest from a ruby red grapefruit. (Take care to remove only the surface and not the white pith underneath.) Slice the zest into 1/4-inch-wide julienne strips. In a saucepan, cover the strips with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and cook for 10 seconds. Drain in a strainer and rinse the strips under cold water.

   2. Return the zest strips to the saucepan with 1/3 cup of sugar and 2/3 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 8 minutes. At this point, the syrup should be a bit gooey and the zest strips should be almost transparent.

   3. Spread 1/3 cup of sugar on a tray. Add the strips and toss, separating the pieces so that each strip is coated with sugar. Transfer the strips to a plate; let stand for at least half an hour, until dry. Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

rockin' recipes

For some people, food is something that triggers memories. For some, food makes memories. I can remember the tortellini with vodka sauce I had for my 16th birthday at my favorite Italian restaurant. The cheese and freshly baked bread in my granma's kitchen while playing yahtzee. Food brings me back to the stories of my past so frequently.

So does music. For some, even more so. Can you remember where you were the first time you heard what became your favorite band? What was playing when you had your first kiss? Your song for the first dance at your wedding?

Through the magic of the Internet, I ran across a very cool cookbook called I Like Food, Food Tastes Good. It was such a cool and novel idea...and frankly, I was peeved I didn't think of it first. Kara Zuaro managed to fuse two of my favorite things - food and music - into a really cool cookbook called I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In The Kitchen With Your Favorite Band.

Kara was nice enough to answer a few questions and give some insight into the inspiration behind her book:

The introduction to the cookbook tells the story of how the idea for I Like Food, Food Tastes Good came about. Can you give me a cliff notes version?

I've been interviewing bands for years, and instead of asking them the same questions every rock journalist asks, I often ask them about food. I'm also a food writer, so I'm interested in hearing about their favorite restaurants and recipes. I think you can learn a lot about a person about the food they eat. Anyway, I collected a lot of recipes and I had a lot of stories about cooking with bands that crashed at my apartment when they were touring through New York, and I thought other fans might be interested in this stuff -- so I turned the stories and recipes into a book.

How long did it take you to compile the recipes and how did you decide which bands to include in the cookbook?

I collected recipes for about 5 years! At first, I just figured I'd have little books made at Kinko's and give them to my friends as Christmas gifts, but the more bands that shared recipes, the more I realized that it might make sense as a real book. Once I got a book deal, I had to come up with 100 recipes quickly, so I got the word out to all the bands and publicists I knew, and I emailed all my favorite bands -- and I included everyone who sent me a recipe before my deadline. There might be a few bands in there that you haven't heard of -- but they're all bands that I love, and a lot of them are my friends.

There is a plethora of vegetarian recipes in the book. Was that a choice made by you to focus on veggie recipes or is that the nature of the folks in the bands?

You know, if there's one vegetarian in a touring band, the vegetarian is probably the one that pays the most attention to the food they eat -- so the vegetarians were the ones who were most likely to share recipes. If you're on tour and you don't eat meat, you're forced to eat a LOT of bean burritos, and you're probably going to come up with some other options. So, for instance, Death Cab isn't a band of vegetarians -- but they all love the veggie sausage and peanut butter sandwich that Chris Walla created to meet his vegetarian needs.

Which are your favorite recipes and why?

I hate to play favorites, but Patrick Phelan, a songwriter and classically-trained chef, has awesome recipe that he calls Swanky Mac and Cheese, made with Fontina, Gruyere, and lobster -- it's an incredibly decadent dish and I make it every year on Valentine's Day. I'm also a huge Drive-By Truckers fan and their recipe, Sissy's Banana Pudding, is my favorite dessert. It's mounded with meringue and involves homemade vanilla pudding -- so good!

That's not the only recipe in there that is soooooooo good. The first recipe I tried was from Dave Lerner of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. I hadn't made pasta in a while and the notion of a "raw" pasta sauce appealed to me. I altered the original recipe slightly, substituting chili flakes and red onion for the jalepeno & pumpkin seeds for the pine nuts. WOW. This was the most flavorful & texturally appealing pasta I'd made in a really long time. Don't be scared off by the "raw-ness" of it - this recipe would satisfy any type of foodie.

Semi Raw Everyday Pasta - serves 2 "with a bit left over" - contributed by Dave Lerner of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists and originally found in I Like Food, Food Tastes Good by Kara Zuaro

• a big pinch of sea salt
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus a bit more)
• 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 jalepeno pepper, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• a bunch of basil or arugula leaves, torn into small pieces by hand. Other bitter greens like dandelion would work, as would cilantro or parsley.
• 1/3 cup nuts. Traditionalists favor pine nuts. Raw purists use almonds, soaked overnight and coarsely chopped. Walnuts are fine, too and have the added benefit of essential fatty acids.
• 1/2 box rigatoni or linguini fina. Any brand will do. I use Barilla.
• more salt and freshly ground pepper
• freshly grated cheese (optional)

- Boil lots of water and don't be stingy when you add your sea salt to it.

- In a large bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, jalapeno, crushed garlic, torn greens, and nuts. Stir aggressively with a wooden spoon until all is well combined.

- Cook pasta, making sure not to overcook.

- Drain pasta. Don't bother with a colander, and don't rinse it, either. Retain a small amount of cooking water, add a bit of oil, and stir. Let it cool in saucepan until it's slightly warmer than room temperature.

- Combine pasta with sauce in your large bowl.

- Add salt, more lemon, and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

- If you choose, add freshly grated cheese. Raw milk cheeses are another gray area for raw foodists. I say if you're going to have cheese, go with a decent domestic Parmesan. It tastes fine, is much easier to come by than its raw counterparts, and quite a bit cheaper.

- Serve with a sturdy, inexpensive red such as Salice Salentino or Mas de Gourgonnier.

    By the way, I fully recommend eating raw as often as possible to anyone interested. It forces creativity in cooking and makes you more inclined to sample fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables that you might not have otherwise. Just read up and be smart about it. It's only food, but it can make you feel slightly more energized and clear once you strike the right balance. Enjoy!

For more information about this awesome cookbook, visit Kara at I Like Food, Food Tastes Good or buy a copy over at Amazon!

The Super Soup Challenge Winners!

I love this part...and I hate this part.

I had such a hard time choosing the winner of the Super Soup Challenge last year that I thought I would take some of the burden off of myself and let the readers vote for one. No dice. I've had an absolute bugger of a time picking a winner. There were SO many good entries this time and so many beautiful photographs! The outpouring of stories and recipes for the challenge touched me more than the words in this post could ever tell you.

Before I announce who *I* chose as my winner, I am going to announce who *you* chose as your winner. Usually, these blog events and contests are a close race. Not so much this time. The Readers Choice for the SSC won by a landslide. Despina from Food For Thought's story of her mom cooking her Greek Lentil Soup connected with so many people. Congrats! She is winning a copy of FoodSmarts, a cool food-related trivia game.

Now....

When this entry showed up, I was impressed by the photograph (i love things set in all-white). I also just loved the freshness and lightness of the recipe. It was very much the kind of soup my mom would have made and enjoyed...and the kind of recipe I, too, would make and enjoy. Congrats to Terry of Blue Kitchen for his Watercress Vichyssoise!He will be receiving a copy of The Big Book of Soups and Stews: 262 Recipes for Serious Comfort Food.

Thanks again to everyone who took part! I can't wait till next year's Super Soup Challenge!

Photo of the Campbell's Soup tablecloth was taken this week at Happy Days Cafe while on vacation in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Serendipity, no?

september 20th

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.”

- washington irving

on the road

I'm packing up my knives - along with the camera, the yahtzee board, some champagne, and comfortable shoes - and heading north. The boy and I are getting away to Blue Ridge for a week of R&R (rest and red wine, of course)  and some outdoor adventure. Thinking back on the tough memories of last year - and making some happy memories, as well. I will be cooking while we're there and will be blogging away.

Don't forget that the Super Soup Challenge voting is still taking place. The deadline to submit your vote is Wednesday, September 19th!

let him eat cake

Since I'm being honest around here these days, I have a little confession to make...

I don't bake.

I shouldn't say I don't ever bake. It's certainly a rarity, though. I have a few things in my arsenal that are sure things. I quietly make the best cupcakes I've ever had - my friends can vouch for those. I break out my mom's cookie recipes at the holidays for a select group of people. Every once in a while, I get a wild hair for a tart or something...but even that often ends up being some quick little savory something rather than sweet.

Why don't I bake? In examining yet another one of those psychology and food connections, baking = love. It's an often time-consuming process with a good bit of effort that takes a lot of tending to...but ultimately comes down to chemistry and timing, See? It's just like love. (I kid - kinda). I realize I have friends who all have a rabid sweet tooth...but there is an intimacy to making dessert that I just can't share with most people.

So when I decided to make dinner for The Boy, I was in a mild-to-medium twirl. Due to our schedules and such, I have made meals for and with him...but I hadn't cooked for him. I fretted over the menu for a good four days. I got in a kerfluffle about the timing and the combination of tastes. Would all of the dishes go together? I alternated wringing my hands, flipping through cookbooks, and fidgeting.

When the evening finally arrived, it all came together like a dream (editors note: i also had time to put on a dress and some lipgloss on before he got there). The roasted chicken, the asparagus & goat cheese salad, the mushroom gratin...and dessert. That I baked. From scratch. This glorious chocolate espresso cake - he does like his chocolate desserts - that has more the texture of a flourless cake or a torte. That meal...that evening...and that dessert was very symbolic of our time we spend together: simply delicious and deliciously simple.

Chocolate Espresso Cake - Serves 12 - recipe originally found here at Cooking.com 

For the Cake:

• 9 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

For the Glaze:

• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 9-inch diameter nonstick cake pan. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. (Do not burn.) Stir rum and espresso powder in large bowl until espresso dissolves. Whisk sugar and eggs into espresso mixture to blend. Whisk in vanilla and salt. Stir in warm melted chocolate mixture, then flour. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until cake just puffs in center, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on rack, 15 minutes. Cake will deflate as it cools; guide edges into pan as it cools. Run small sharp knife around edges of cake. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.

FOR GLAZE: Stir rum and espresso powder in small bowl until espresso dissolves. Bring cream and butter to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in rum mixture and corn syrup. Let glaze stand at room temperature until no longer hot, but still liquid.

Place cake on 8-inch cardboard cake round. Set cake on rack over baking pan. Gradually pour glaze over cake, covering completely. Chill until glaze is set. Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Keep cake refrigerated.

Super Soup Challenge - The Roundup!

The day has arrived - the posting of the Super Soup Challenge! I have to say to everyone who has participated or taken part somehow in the SSC just how much you all and this blog event means to me. People have chimed in from all over the world - literally - to take part in this event that is a testament to the power of food & community to bring people together, warm hearts, and find happiness in a bowl of soup. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now...let's get down to business!

There were FIFTY FOUR entries to the Super Soup Challenge! See why there has to be two winners? Voting for the Reader Choice prize begins today and will end on Wednesday, September 19th. That gives everyone a week to get their votes in. Anyone can vote - even if you did not take place in the challenge! The winner will be announced shortly thereafter. I will also be choosing a winner myself, which I'll announce the same day! Please send your choice for the winning soup to bloggingforsoup@gmail.com, an email account I set up for this challenge.

Let the soups begin!

I had hoped that having the soup challenge earlier in the year would bring out the cold soups. Boy did it ever! This unusual soup - Meggyleves which is a cold cherry soup - is brought to us by Anna over at Morsels and Musings.

Barbara over at Winos and Foodies shares a recipe for her Spring Green Soup. I love the colors in the soup *and* the photograph! Healthy and an adorable garnish!

The winner of last year's  Super Soup Challenge, Peabody over at Culinary Concoctions by Peabody,  is feeling the pressure of  holding onto her title...and for no good reason! This Smoked Corn Soup, is delicious and deliciously photographed - and it's topped with bacon!

This very "soup-like" Boiled Dinner from Louise at Gato Azul is very much in the spirit of this Super Soup Challenge. She advises to invite friends over to share in the bounty of wonderful food...and to break out the good dishes, too! I couldn't agree more.

Nupur brings us this delicious Curry Noodle Soup at her blog One Hot Stove. The recipe is courtesy of Heidi Swanson over at 101 Cookbooks...so you know this soup is going to be delicious *and* healthy.

I was thrilled to see Bea from La Tartine Gourmande throw her soup into the ring. Her blog is just beautiful...and the photos are always drool-worthy. This is no exception! Her Corn Soup with Fresh Herbs and Paprika looks fantastic!

Ulrike at Kuchenlatein uses one of my favorite flavors of all time in her soup creation: fennel. Her Roasted Fennel and Cider Soup sounds as good as I bet it smelled. Nice job!

I was so happy to see Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen take part in the challenge. I think her blog is just wonderful and has such a unique approach to food blogging. If you haven't tried her recipes, do so! Why not start with this wonderful Confetti Gazpacho?

I am honored that Desie at Mabahay chose the SSC as her first ever blog event! I love hearty soups...and I love lentils. This Hearty Lentil and Sausage Soup looks like just the thing to make on those chilly fall days!

Another Gazpacho recipe! This beautifully photographed version comes from Elle over at Feeding My Enthusiasms. I love the toasty garlicky croutons as a garnish. This looks wonderful!

This is a really interesting soup, courtesy of Pragyan at Cooking at Pragyan's. It is Tomato Shorba, which is a soup made with tomato water. For tomato fans, this is a dream soup - it looks like it would be the essence of delicious, comforting tomato soup.

I adore Thai soups, so I was so pleased to see Alex submit her recipe for Thai Tom Yam Koong soup over at The Princess and The Recipe. It looks so flavorful and fresh. Make sure you read the post to see her gory cooking tip about dealing with shrimp!

Taking part all the way from India, Nags over at For The Cook In Me participates with her Easy Vegetable Soup. This looks so tasty and - yes - simple...a winning combination!

Finally...a boy throws his recipe into the ring! I have to say that Adam over at BedHeadBlog gets points for originality. I don't think I've ever quite seen a deviled egg boat before - complete with bacon sail! He encourages everyone to "scuttle their hunger" with his Bacon and Mushroom Pirate Soup.

 Being able to try something new is one of the wonderful things about food blogging and, especially, blog events. Mandira over at Ahaar did just that and came up with a winner with her Spicy Beetroot Soup. Beautiful colors and great photo!

Daphne over at More Than Words hits the nail on the head with her thoughts about soup and cooking - it *is* as much about how you feel when you eat something as what the food is itself. Kudos for saying that! That having been said, her Slow Roasted Veg Soup looks like it would make for a great meal!

Tomato soup has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Paired with a grilled cheese sandwich, it's the ultimate in comfort food. Maryann at Finding La Dolce Vita shares her twist on the classic recipe with her Spiced Creamy Tomato Soup.

A fellow Georgian, Lynne over at Cafe Lynnylu, entered last year's challenge as her first blog event. She marks the anniversary of a year of her wonderful blog with this refreshing, tasty sounding, and colorful Chilled Pineapple Gazpacho!

The texture of this Gingered Carrot and Parsnip soup looks divine, courtesy of The Budding Cook at her eponymously named blog, The Budding Cook.

A fellow Atlantan and "fuel freak", Matthew who blogs over at RowdyFood, outdid himself with a trio of refreshing and inventive soups: Fresh Strawberry with Creme Fraiche Caviar and Basil, Fresh Blackberry with Chilled Creme Fraiche and Mint, and Fresh Banana Soup with Pomegranate "Ravioli".

Sending in a scrumptious vegetarian recipe is Katerina from Daily Unadventures in Cooking. Her Carrot and Cashew Soup looks original and oh-so-yummy!

In the spirit of this challenge, Marie from England's A Year At Oak Cottage talks about cooking, thrift, and the memories attached with the art of making soup. It's a touching post and a tasty sounding recipe for Celery Soup.

Making sure not to miss the second challenge, Tigerfish at Teczcape submits a simple and flavorful Easy Minestrone Soup, her favorite!

I was so happy to see Joey from 80 Breakfasts take part in the SSC! It's one of my recently favorite blogs...and you can see why! Her Roasted Butternut Squash soup is comforting, delicious, and so beautifully photographed!

Francois at FXCuisine takes you through every step of his divine Magical Italian Pesto Soup. Included in the post are some great technique tips and beautiful ingredient shots. Well done!

I love seeing vegetarian soup recipes...and this Indian inspired soup looks delicious! Go check out Lisa's Urad Dal and Tomato Soup at her blog, Lisa's Kitchen.

Another cold soup recipe! This looks incredible! Y, who blogs over at Australia's LemonPi, sent in this beautifully photographed and inventive Chilled Watermelon Soup with Goat Cheese Napoleons.

Zlamushka stays true to the name of her blog, Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen, by adding a little curry to her tasty looking Zucchini Cream Soup.

Woo! Another Asian-y inspired soup. Ayone, who blogs at Germany's Food is Love, takes part with a unique and healthy Shrimp and Tofu Ball Soup.


Kim from What Kim Ate submits a hearty yet elegant Red Wine and Garlic Lentil Soup. This looks so comforting and flavorful. Apparently the people who have tried have declared this one "a keeper!".

Michelle from the UK's Greedy Gourmet heats up the soup competition with this stunning photograph of her Butter Bean, Bacon, and Thyme soup. It's only her 2nd blog event - nice job!

Submitting an Algerian recipe by way of Los Angeles is Chef Zadi at Algerian Cuisine by Chef Zadi. This recipe for Marqa Hamra is a recipe suited for Ramadan or the meal for breaking the fast. This informative post highlights a delicious and simple soup.

Bringing a spin on Matzoh Ball Soup (another one of my favorites) is Arfi at HomeMadeS. An Asian version of this Jewish classic? Sign me up for Chicken Balls in Clear Soup! A lovely photo, too.

Kate at Brooklyn's Two Yellow Lunchboxes throws caution to the wind and tries cooling off in the Indian summer heat with a delicious version of White Gazpacho.

Taking part all the way from New Dehli, India is Priya and her blog Food and Laughter. She tells a fairy tale story about her Stone Soup recipe - and also includes another favorite soup recipe in the post!

From Utah, Deborah at Taste and Tell participates with a scrumptious looking Clam Chowder - the only version of this soup in the challenge! What a great meal with those pieces of perfectly grilled bread! Delicious!

A submission from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois! Terry B from Blue Kitchen shares his beautifully photographed Watercress Vichyssoise, complete with background story and a reference to Tony Bourdain, which I'm pretty sure gets you bonus points!

Showing us that simple - both in the recipe and the photograph - can bring stunning results is Haalo over at Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once. Her Cauliflower and Blue Cheese soup looks incredible - and what a wonderful image of it, as well!

Another delicious vegetarian soup from a very cool veggie focused blog! Alanna at A Veggie Venture participates with her yummy Yellow Squash Coconut Soup. This soup looks great, as does the rest of her blog. A great resource for veggie recipes!

Another fruit soup recipe...although this one is WARM! How unusual! Dennis from Kookjegek in The Netherlands gets inventive with this interesting Kiwi Soup.

In keeping with the spirit of this challenge, Despina over at Food For Thought has contributed possibly the most appropriate and touching post of the challenge. The photograph is of her and her sister with their mother, who she lost to cancer when she was just 18. Thank you to Despina, who I recently met as a friend through Myspace, for taking the challenge to heart and sharing your story and recipe for Greek Lentil Soup.

Meeta from What's For Lunch, Honey? said she just couldn't miss the SSC - and we're glad she didn't! She took part by contributing this vibrant, colorful and tasty recipe for Red Bell Pepper Soup.

Everyone has a meal or a food that they find, well, sexy. I know I do. This recipe for Chilled Avocado Seafood Soup comes from Terry over at a really interesting blog called SeductionMeals. A unique site with great recipes and really beautiful photographs!

Another entry from The Windy City! Lisa from The Alchemist and The Needler wings it with her yummy Millet Chowder, which is gluten and dairy free for those of you looking for recipes like that! I love that tablecloth, btw!

I was thrilled to see Sam over at Becks and Posh take part in the SSC. Her posts are always so lively and the photographs are just stellar. Her contribution to the challenge is no exception! This recipe for Ajo Blanco - White Gazpacho - looks incredible!

Verena takes part all the way from Brazil! At her blog, Mangia che te fa bene, she shares her recipe for Grated Onion Soup. It's still cold in Brazil and this version of our "French Onion Soup" looks warm and inviting! The suggestion of pairing Malbec with it sounds great, as well.

Another red pepper soup - and another vibrant entry to the challenge! This version of Red Pepper Soup is brought to us by Sassy Radish. What a cute blog! The use of color on the blog and in the photo for this soup is just wonderful!

Cordelia, who blogs over at Toronto's The Urban Nutritionist, has a confession to make: She's never made soup before...until now. She adapted a recipe for her Kale and Chickpea Soup, which are two ingredients I just love in soups. Nice job!

Anita at Married with Dinner keeps her gazpacho summer going with this delightful Watermelon Gazpacho. I love the color of the soup and the ingredient shots included in her post. Kudos!

Over at Thyme For Food, June creates a version of one of my favorite soups - White Bean Soup with Pancetta. In addition, she cooks up a delicious sounding Onion and Sage Focaccia to accompany it. What a wonderful entry and a gorgeous photo!

In an effort to eat seasonally, Inge over at Vanielje Kitchen creates an interesting soup flavor: Cream of Spinach and Pear. I love the mixture of savory and sweet. How unique!

Over at Evolving Tastes, an adventurous foray into cooking cranberry beans was met with mixed results...until a delicious Cranberry Bean Soup Broth saved the day. I love the color of that warming appetizer soup.

Using ingredients purchased at the local market, Hippolyra from Fuss Free Flavors created a Roasted Sweet Red Pepper, Tomato, and Red Lentil soup. Great photo with a pretty garnish on top!

How could a blog named Souperior not take part in a Super Soup Challenge? Fahara from the UK contributes a simple and beautiful Roast Tomato and Chili Soup.

Finally, it's my own submission to the Super Soup Challenge - a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants recipe that turned out to be an inspired tribute to my mom and the spirit of the SSC - Radicchio Soup.

The Super Soup Challenge - A Preview!

 

   

The Super Soup Challenge!

The Super Soup Challenge, which is now an annual event in honor of my mom's life and love of cooking, ends tomorrow, September 10th. All sorts of soup recipes are eligible to participate...but you need to have them to me by midnight on Monday, September 10th.

Please post your favorite soup recipe to your blog or website and email me the details (name, blog name, permalink, recipe name, and location) to bloggingforsoup@gmail.com.

Later in the week, I will be posting a roundup of all of the entries and voting will begin. Two prizes will be handed out - a judges award (that would be me) and a Readers Choice Award. Credit will be given for yummability, originality, and presentation.

We've had some amazing soup recipes submitted to the SSC so far...but there is always room for more!

soup, life, and other challenges

Coming up with a soup for my own Super Soup Challenge was, well, a challenge. My brain has been a little hazy about my recipe. I couldn't make a solid decision about which direction I wanted to go. I spent hours scouring the Internet for a recipe that inspired me. I rifled through the boy's soup cookbooks at his house. Cold soup? Creamy pureed soup? Oh bother. I was getting grumpy.

See...the whole purpose of this challenge - for me, at least - is doing this in the way that my mom would have done it. Easily and breezily thrown something together. A bit of this and a bit of that...and it would have been delicious. So last night, I really thought about the things I like in soups. Little pasta bitties. Different textures. A brothy, comforting soup you can tuck into.

It all came together suddenly. I'd make a twist on soups with some bitter greens in it. I love soups with kale and the like in it...so I'd spin it with a little radicchio thrown in at the last minute for the bitter part. Some acini de pepi pasta, which I had just discovered in a wacky salad at my mom's memorial service. Some caramelized onions and fresh herbs in the broth. A colorful, interesting and easy soup to make.

As I was standing over the cutting board, getting all my bits together...I realized that the ingredients on my countertop reminded me of my mom's favorite flower. Stargazer lilies. Goodness...she adored them. Every year on the night before her birthday, I would get some and tie them together with raffia and make the bouquet to take to her. We would always go and have a wonderful meal and that - along with those flowers - would be her perfect birthday. Last year, I took those flowers to her in the hospital...no fancy dinner but happy to have the chance to give her that bouquet.

So. There I stood...staring at all of the parts and pieces of the bouquet I didn't even realize I was making. I made "stargazer soup" on September 6th. My mom's birthday. I sniffled and wiped the tears from my eyes - it was the onions, really. It was a morning spent honoring my mom in a new way on this most special and emotional day...and the soup is really good, too.

Radicchio Soup - makes 8-10 servings

• 2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup acini de pepi or other small pasta
• 2 Vidalia or yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 3 springs fresh thyme
• 1 head radicchio, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

- Bring stock to a boil in large stock pot with thyme sprigs. When the stock comes to a boil, throw in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slowly saute your onions in the olive oil until they are wilted and caramelized.
- Fish out your thyme sprigs - the leaves will come right off the stem.
- Add onions to stock, season with salt and pepper to taste, and boil for an additional 5-10 minutes
- Before serving, add radicchio and allow to heat through - about 2-3 minutes. I would not let this soup sit and percolate because the radicchio looks icky and gets strong. If you add it right before serving, it stays light-ish in color and still has good texture.
- Serve immediately.
Optional: a little drizzle of nice extra virgin or truffle oil goes well with this, too.

The beautiful stargazer photograph was taken by Audrey, who graciously allowed me to use it when i found her stunning photos on flickr.com. Thanks!