Recipe Share: Sunday Potato Soup

Purple Sunday Potato Soup

I would like to share my Sunday Potato Soup recipe. It's one of my husband's very favourite recipes and certainly takes the chill from a Winter (or Spring, in Calgary's case!) day. This recipe can be adapted to suit many different tastes, and dietary requirements. I like it because it gives the feel of a rich and hearty cream soup without any of the flour or dairy. The basic recipe is vegetarian, gluten and dairy free. You can choose to finish the soup with ingredients that are not, but it's up to you. My pictures show the soup being made with those delicious Lund's Organic carrots (mentioned a few posts back) which are also purple! We ended up with Purple Sunday Potato Soup, but trust me, it tasted just as wonderful!


Sunday Potato Soup


3 tbsp olive oil
1 c. chopped white onion
1 c. chopped celery

The Stars of the Show

1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 c. chopped baby red potatoes
1 c. chopped, peeled carrots
1 c. frozen cauliflower 
2 tbsp white wine, or red/white wine vinegar
3 cups vegetable stock or water
2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp each cayenne pepper, nutmeg, oregano
3 bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste
chopped green scallions

Deglazing with Vinegar

1) In a large stock pot, cook the onion, celery and garlic along with the olive oil until translucent and slight browning occurs at the bottom of the pot.
2) Deglaze the pot with the wine or vinegar, picking up the the bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon.
3) Add the potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, stock and seasonings. 
4) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for at least one hour, up to two. 
5) When thoroughly cooked, remove the bay leaves and use an immersion blender to blend to your desired consistency. I usually just leave a few larger pieces. 
6) Serve hot, topped with scallions.

Add in the Goodness

Optionally, this soup is also great topped with:
- grated cheddar cheese
- dollop of sour cream, plain yogurt or créme fraiche
- bacon bits
- chopped cilantro
- croutons


Enjoy on your next chilly Sunday!

Ode to the Mixer & Other Loves

I am not a baker. I do not pretend to know the elaborate technique of a pastry chef. I admire from a far the intricate beauty of the glossy little cakes and petits fours in bakeries and patisseries. I look on longingly, as chefs and friends, create, with ease, the most beautiful desserts. But that is not me. I do not measure or weigh my ingredients. The science and precision of it all is lost on my inner drama queen, that cannot follow a recipe, nevermind ensure that I am using the right kind of flour.

My Mixer

Enter the Kitchenaid mixer. I have wanted one forever. As a child, I watched Martha Stewart create some fabulous thing or another with hers. Light as air meringue in moments, cake batter in a jif, no fuss, no muss. I figured that this must be the secret to her perfect creations (not a team of editors, test kitchens and general perfection makers). I finally was given one for my wedding (best gift ever! Thanks again Mom & Sister!) and then left it in its box for two months. I was intimidated by it! Now, I really had to make things that  were amazing. I couldn't be a from-a-box cake baker anymore. What would Martha say?

I did all my Christmas baking with the mixer that year. That got me comfortable with the speeds and exactly when to drop in the flour, and how much to put in at time (without covering yourself and your kitchen in flour completely). And now I can make pastry, and even, yep, wait for it, MERINGUE! The miracle of two measly egg whites whipped into a delicious frenzy. My pies and cakes have turned out each time. The cookies have been perfect. Mostly, I am in love with it!

I am still not a baker. I don't have the patience or the precision, and it is unlikely that I ever will. But with a little help from my friend the Kitchenaid, I am a few pie crusts, meringues, and cake batters closer.

Other things in my kitchen that I feel much love for, worthy of upcoming Odes...

1) My 7" J.A. Henckels Santoku Knife

2) My White Marble Mortar & Pestle 

3) My giant non-stick Bialetti Pan with Glass Lid

4) My hand me down Sunbeam Breadmaker

5) My Breville Juicer
6) My hand me down, and now cracked due to husband dropping it, Flame coloured Le Creuset oval French oven.

Do you have items in your kitchen that you cannot live without? Or that help you on your quest to become a better baker or cook? I can't wait to hear your feedback!

Burgerthon Restaurant Numero Dos: LoungeBurger

Lots of positive feedback from all of you out there on the Burgerthon, thanks! Keep it coming! 

Our next burger joint on the list is LoungeBurger. Hubby and I went there this past Saturday afternoon, a little after the lunch rush. For those of you that don't know, LoungeBurger is just off of Macleod Trail, right near the Saddledome. This proximity makes it a pretty perfect hang out before or after a hockey game. In fact, I was pleased to see some of the team at LoungeBurger wearing their jerseys and t-shirts to support our hockey team (although THAT is another subject entirely!).

AAA Beef & Southwest Flavours

On to the matter at hand... We both chose to order their AAA Beef Burger, which they offer in three variations. Husband chose the Southwest version, which is a combination of guacamole, chipotle ranch, pepper bacon, jalapeno jack cheese and fresh jalapenos. I chose their blue cheese and caramelized pear offering. Sadly, we both felt that the beef was not memorable and would not stand on its own without the merit of the other fresh toppings and great baking. I am of the opinion that if you are marketing your restaurant to the burger connoisseur, then your basic beef burger should be outstanding.

AAA Beef, Blue Cheese, Pear

I would be happy to give them another chance because they offer so many other choices, including a trio of Alberta game sliders that sounded amazing. I also appreciated the variation of burgers available, including two of the all-important veggie burger. They offer several types of fries to pair with your burger choice, including cajun curly fries, that are quite delicious. To top it all off, their selection of additional Fry Dippers are tremendous. I tried the Tandoori Aioli and found it to be delectable with my crispy, skinny fries.

LoungeBurger has a great location among several hip condo buildings, and the proximity to the Saddledome is amazing. Their room reflects a dark, loungey feeling, without a lot of adornment or art. The music was a good mix of classics (even, Van Morrison, who should be played with regularity everywhere). I would like to go again at the peak of a busy evening to see if the vibe changes. For now, LoungeBurger gets a hopeful 2 out of 5.