Cucumber Avocado Soup

Fabulous cold! Easy to make.

4 servings, 1 cup each
TIME: 35 minutes
from: Eating Well Magazine

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 3/4 cups cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender (I used the stick blender.) Add avocado and parsley; blend on low speed until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Pour into a serving bowl and stir in yogurt. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup cucumber slices. Serve the soup warm or refrigerate and serve it chilled (better I think.) Just before serving, garnish with the chopped cucumber and more chopped parsley.


MAKE AHEAD TIP: Refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Potato tortilla (Esti's fabulous recipe)

1 medium potato chopped into 1/2 inch chunks and salted quite a bit
(1-2 tsp, tortilla will be very bland if you forget this step)
1/2 onion chopped as above)
1/2 green or red pepper

medium heat, slowly (deep)fry potatoes for about 3 minutes in 1-2 cups olive oil (depends on pan*, potatoes should be mostly covered). Add onion and peppers and continue to fry until potatoes are slightly browned and soft in the middle (be patient). drain and store oil somewhere else (can use oil for other recipes)

whisk 3 eggs. add the drained mixture into eggs and pour back into hot pan. *use a smaller pan that will make the mixture about an inch thick and is smaller that your plate because once the eggs are no longer runny you have to flip it over by placing a plate over the pan and sliding it back in.

cook until eggs are fully cooked. Serve with pimento slices on top.
this is delicious hot or cold.

my CSA 2008

CSA: Community Supported Agriculture

We split one share with our neighbors and it is the most delicious food ever.
Here is what we have received so far (this is 3 weeks worth):

1 and a half dozen eggs, a quart of strawberries, sugar snap peas, garlic scapes, gorgeous swiss chard (recipe anyone?), bok choy, kale, chinese cabbage, about a pound of mixed mesclun greens (crunchy), about the same of baby spinach, a few yellow squash and zucchini, parsley, a few heads of lettuce, green onions and radish.

Mom, you don't have to worry if I am eating my greens...
So far we have eaten everything delivered, barely. the eggs might start piling up, will need to make that potato tortilla (I will post next)

Ginger Dip

the best 2 ingredient pot luck dish ever!

1-2 TBSP chopped crystalized ginger
1 package cream or neufchatel cheese

mix. serve. get raves.