Cream of the Crop Week 14: "Sick Day" Noodle Soup

"Sick Day" Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 1 hr 

A chill is in the air these days and, with that, a nasty cold found its way into my immune system. So, in honor of sick season, consider this my cure-all. It’s low effort, versatile, and tasty (even when your taste buds aren’t working quite right). Below is the ingredients I used to make it, but feel free to tweak the vegetables to include what you have. 

 Ingredients: 

2 zucchini 

1 yellow squash

3 carrots

1 onion

1 can of white beans

8 cups bouillon/stock

Protein of choice

Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Dice onion, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash. 
2. In a large pot, add  2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn heat to medium and allow oil to heat through. 
3. Add carrots and onion and allow to begin to soften. 
4. When the onions have become translucent, add your squash and zucchini. Let this begin to caramelize. Turn heat up to medium-high if needed. This may take about 10 minutes. 
5. Once vegetables begin to caramelize, add 8 cups of stock or broth. I only had bouillion cubes, so I used those with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
6. Once simmering, add a can of drained and rinsed beans. I find white beans hide best in here (white beans, navy beans, chickpeas). 
7. Add your additional protein source. I’m a vegetarian, so I used tofu to keep this as simple as possible. You could also use cooked chicken, meatballs, or sausage. 
8. Allow this to simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. In the final 10-15 minutes, add pasta directly to the soup and cook for box recommended time. 

Tip: This recipe is also benefitted by the bountiful green onions and hot peppers that we've received this summer. These are both such easy vegetables to freeze as they don't require any blanching. Chop them up and store them in a freezer bag for the chilly months to come. My freezer is already stocked with more than I know I what to do with. 

——————————————————————————-

About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

——————————————————————————-

Cream of the Crop Week 12: Brown Butter Zucchini Bread

 Brown Butter Zucchini Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 1 hr 10min minutes

We have had an abundance of zucchini this summer. And while I love cooking with zucchini, sometimes I have a hard time coming up with new ways to eat it all. Enter moist, chocolatey, rich zucchini bread. I made this one with brown butter, which enhances the richness of the loaf, making it both a great dessert when paired with ice cream or a fun breakfast. The batter can be whipped together in under 15 minutes. Then, all you have to do is sit back and watch it bake. 

 Ingredients: 

• 2 zucchini
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chocolate chips

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, grate zucchini into large shreds using the large side of a box grater. Squeeze out any excess water into a separate bowl. 
3. Place a small pan over medium heat and add in ½ cup of butter. Let this melt and toast, occasionally stirring, for 4-5 minnutes. It will begin to foam and then turn golden brown. Once golden, remove from heat. 
4. Immediately transfer annd add browned butter to the bowl with the zucchini. Mix together and allow butter to come to room temperature. 
5. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. 
6. Then add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, careful not to overstir. Then add in chocolate and mix to combine evenly. 
7. Line a 9x5 loaf tin (or I used three small loaf tins) with parchment paper. Pour in the batter. 
8. Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes. The loaf is done when you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. 
9. Allow loaf to cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Tip: You can make this recipe with a load of different puréed/chopped/shredded fruits. I made a similar loaf bread with the peaches we had in this week's fruit share without the chocolate, and it was equally divine. This would be great with squash or pumpkin later in the year. If changing to another fruit, I recommend a total of 1 ½ cups of fruit total. 

——————————————————————————-

About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

——————————————————————————-