Split Pea Soup

It has been a long cold weekend.  My brother passed this weekend and I spent most of the weekend in his house.  While there, I found that he had half of a smoked pork shoulder in his refrigerator.  And if there was one thing that everyone will tell you, he was a great cook.  I took it home both because I didn't want it to go to waste and because it was one last chance to have his cooking.  A friend posted that he was making split pea soup, which is usually made with ham or a ham hock.  I thought, what better way to use this pork shoulder, so this morning, I put together a split pea soup in the crockpot using the shoulder.  I just tasted it and it is so very lovely!  A fitting tribute to my brother who I miss so much!

Smoked Pork Split Pea Soup

• 2 cups smoked pork shoulder, diced to 1/2' cubes
• 16 oz yellow split peas, rinsed and sorted
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp tumeric
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups good chicken stock

Layer all ingredients into the bowl of a crockpot in the order given, ending with the chicken stock.  Cook, covered, on High for 4-5 hours, or until the peas and carrots are cooked.  Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Beef, White Bean, Quinoa Stew

After a couple weeks in India, I had a taste for beef.  I had bought a pound of stew beef from Jack's before leaving for India and put it in my freezer.  I wasn't quite in the mood for traditional stew, so I looked around for other ideas.  I ran across a recipe for Beef and White Bean Stew but decided that I needed some additional protein and carbs in the recipe, so I added some quinoa.  It turned out to be a very nice, comforting stew.

Beef, White Bean and Quinoa Stew

• 1 lb Stew Beef
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 28-oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups sweet corn
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup dried quinoa (I used a mix of red and white)
• 2 cups water

Place all ingredients, except quinoa and water into bowl of slow cooker.  Cook, covered, for 4 hours on HIGH.  While the stew is cooking, boil water.  Add quinoa, stir and then cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Season slightly with salt (but remember that you have seasoned the stew as well).  Stir quinoa into stew and cook for 15-20 minutes for flavors to combine.

Broccoli Sausage Quiche

I am a little behind on posting recipes here.  Last week, when I returned from India, I needed to make some food for meals for the week.  I picked up a pack of al Fresco Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausage and some broccoli.  I have this passion for broccoli and eggs that started when I was working at Case Western Reserve University.  So, I figured that I would make a quiche (always good for a few days worth of breakfasts).  I had some sharp cheddar that I figured would be a good counterpoint to the "sweet" sausage.  Btw, if you haven't tried these sausages, you should.  They have small pieces of apple in them and the contrast of spice and sweet is lovely!

Broccoli, Sausage, Cheddar Quiche

• 2 cups broccoli
• 6 al Fresco Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausage, sliced
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup 1% milk
• Italian Seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste

Steam broccoli in microwave for 4 minutes.  Place in bottom of baking dish and mix in sausage (heated for 30 seconds in microwave).  Sprinkle with cheese.  Beat eggs with milk and seasonings.  Pour carefully over fillings. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until top is browned.

"Green" Quiche

I felt the need to cook this morning and had broccoli and asparagus in my refrigerator.  So, I figured it was time to make a "green" quiche.  I had Swiss cheese and figured that would go nicely with asparagus, so that was the cheese of choice this morning.

"Green" Quiche

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• salt & pepper, to taste

Steam broccoli and asparagus in microwave for 5 minutes. Place in bottom of baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Beat eggs with milk and seasonings.  Pour egg mixture over vegetables.  Bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until top is browned.