Broccoli Cheese Soup

As the weather becomes colder, soup keeps showing up more on my dinner table.  Soups that cook for hours are great because they develop great depth of flavor.  However, there are times when I want a bowl of soup that is both quick and delicious. This recipe only uses a few ingredients, and cooks up in a very short amount of time.

This recipe is open to your personal taste as to whether or not you would like meat in the soup.  I made the original recipe with bratwurst, but bacon would be a great idea.  This recipe utilizes our Pastamore Grapeseed Garlic Oil.  The grapeseed oil allows for the onions to be sauteed for the soup without having to worry about too low of a smoke point.  The garlic flavor really makes this soup a well-rounded dish.

Ingredients:    4 small bowls
5-6 cups - broccoli (fresh or frozen)
4 oz - cheddar cheese
1 - medium onion
1 cup - water
1 cup - milk
2 Tbsp - Pastamore Grapeseed Garlic Oil
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.  Rough chop the broccoli if needed.  Dice the onions into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces.

2.  Heat a small saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat.  Once hot, add the Pastamore Grapeseed Oil to the pan.  After the oil has become hot, add the onions.  Cook until the onions have become caramelized.  If the onions color too quickly, reduce the heat to medium.  Place to the side.

3.  Place a large pot on the stove containing 1 cup of water.  Turn the heat to medium-high.  Add the broccoli to the pot.  Cover the pot, and steam the broccoli until it is tender.

4.  Place the broccoli and cooked onions into a food processor or blender.  Add 1 cup of milk or milk alternative.  Blend until smooth.  Place the blended mixture back into the pot and return to the stove over medium/medium-high heat.

5.  Bring the soup to a simmer, and then add the cheddar cheese.  Stir often to incorporate the cheese and to keep the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pot.  If the soup is too thin, continue cooking.  If the soup is too think, add more water or milk.

6.  Once the cheese has become fully incorporated, remove the pot from the heat.  Serve in bowls, and garnish with chive or parsley.

Pork Tenderloin with Winter Hash

Creating a recipe that features a fruit or vegetable that is in season for that month is a lot of fun and sometimes, it can be challenging.  January Seasonal Recipe screamed apples, so we used apples to create a wonderful "winter hash" and drizzled the Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar to create a "sweet" meal.

 Pork Tenderloin with Winter Hash

Ingredients:
1 lb - pork tenderloin
.75 lb - brussel sprouts
2 - granny smith apples
1 - medium yellow onion
4 oz - bacon
3 - medium potatoes
2 Tbsp - Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar
As needed - vegetable oil
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1.)  Heat a large pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the bacon into the pan.  Cook the bacon until crispy, turning once during the cooking process. Place the cooked bacon onto a paper towel or towel to dry.  Remove the pan from the heat, but do not discard the bacon fat.

2.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. ) Thinly slice the onion and place into a large mixing bowl. Peel the potatoes, and then cut them into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces. Add to the mixing bowl. Rinse the brussel sprouts. Cut off the bottoms of the brussel sprouts, and then cut them into quarters. Discard the exterior leaves that fall off.  Add to the mixing bowl. Remove the core from the apples and cut them into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces. Place the apples into a small mixing bowl. Once the bacon has cooled, roughly chop and add to the bowl with the apples.

4.)  Return the pan containing the bacon fat to the stove over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot add the vegetables from the mixing bowl to pan.  Stir often.

5.)  Place a medium size pan on the stove over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, season the pork tenderloin with salt and black pepper. Once the pan is hot, add enough vegetable oil to keep the meat from sticking to the pan.  Add the tenderloin to the pan, and cook until all sides have a nice sear.

6.)  Place the tenderloin into an oven-safe dish and place into the oven. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  Allow to rest 5-10 minutes before cutting.

7.)  Add the apples and bacon to the cooking pan of vegetables. Cook until the potatoes are tender.

8.)  Plate the hash equally between four plates.  Slice the tenderloin, and then place on top of the hash. Drizzle 1/2 Tbsp of Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar over the pork.