The saying is "better late than never," right? Yep, I thought so. In that case, Happy 2013 friends! I'm sure that you have checking the blog longingly waiting for an update, shedding a soft tear when no such update has come.
Um, what? You haven't? Well...shoot.
As seems to have been the trend in 2012, this year kicked off to a whirlwind start! A trip to Philly to send Kelly off to Norway, a visit from Gillian to DC, purchasing our very first house, condo, home*, doing many a home improvement project on said home (it is amazing how a coat of paint and some new kitchen appliances can transform a place), a bridal shower, a move into the homey-home, and a trip to Kansas.
*[For those of you with a keen eye for timeline and a curious mind, you are very correct in that it was not planned for us to buy a home right now! Thankfully, our nosy trolling on real estate websites and a lucky find led us to a place we would have been silly to pass up. So here's to biting the bullet and welcoming a mortgage into our lives...wait, it feels a lot like rent. Hmmm....]
Thank you to everyone who made the beginning of this year such a good one - your visit/help/gift/presence/hospitality/humor/love/refusal-to-let-me-wear-an-ugly-dress are appreciated more than you know!
A few photos to help you experience the same magical January I did:
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| Philadelphia Brewery sendoff - Norway is lucky to have you, Kelly! |
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| Gillian visits DC! (One of these photos may or may not be photoshopped...Christmas card 2013, anyone?) |
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| First paint color change in the new home - red (and background yellow) GONE! Updated pix to come soon. |
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| The two best moms in the world - and now I get to claim them both! |
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| Brotherly love meets Kansas |
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| You can't take these two anywhere (to be fair, MM was cold because I was wearing his coat. Shhh) |
After a LONG trip back from Kansas on Sunday night (weather + delays + geography = 11+ hour from point A to homebase), Mike and I were craving something healthy and hearty to get back into non-vacation eating. This particular soup, vetted by TWO of my favorite food bloggers, seemed right up that alley, and it really does satisfy all of your winter cravings. You feel warm, full, and ready to take on the cold! I would potentially reduce the amount of olive oil used, but the garlic oil really does add that special component to the soup and you'll be disappointed if you skip that addition!
Garlicky lentil soup with sausage and spinach
Recipe adapted from Amateur Gourmet by way of Smitten Kitchen
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 large links of hot Italian sausage, casings removed (original recipe calls for sweet sausage, but I loved the spicy effect of the hot sausage)
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced or diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons or diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced (reserve half for later in recipe)
Kosher salt
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups water
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups shredded or thinly ribboned spinach leaves or other winter green
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese to finish
Directions:
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pot) in a large pot on medium heat. When hot, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about five minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots, first two garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, and if you like your soup spicy, a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook with the sausage until the vegetables soften a bit, another 5 minutes. Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, water (6 cups is, conveniently, 2 empty 28-ounce cans, so you can get any tomato pulp you missed), more salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. (It might be necessary to add more water if the soup gets too thick, though we preferred ours on the thick side.)
When the lentils are cooked, add the spinach and cook until the leaves are tender, just a few minutes more. Discard the bay leaves.
To finish, divide soup among bowls, then add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 garlic cloves to a small skillet and heat over medium until the garlic softens and hisses. Drizzle this over soup bowls, and top with fresh Romano, passing more at the table. Leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
4 large links of hot Italian sausage, casings removed (original recipe calls for sweet sausage, but I loved the spicy effect of the hot sausage)
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery stalks, sliced or diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half-moons or diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced (reserve half for later in recipe)
Kosher salt
A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups water
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups shredded or thinly ribboned spinach leaves or other winter green
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese to finish
Directions:
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pot) in a large pot on medium heat. When hot, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about five minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots, first two garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, and if you like your soup spicy, a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook with the sausage until the vegetables soften a bit, another 5 minutes. Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, water (6 cups is, conveniently, 2 empty 28-ounce cans, so you can get any tomato pulp you missed), more salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes. (It might be necessary to add more water if the soup gets too thick, though we preferred ours on the thick side.)
When the lentils are cooked, add the spinach and cook until the leaves are tender, just a few minutes more. Discard the bay leaves.
To finish, divide soup among bowls, then add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 garlic cloves to a small skillet and heat over medium until the garlic softens and hisses. Drizzle this over soup bowls, and top with fresh Romano, passing more at the table. Leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge.
