Last night with Giada: White Bean Soup

Alright, I didn't spend time with Giada! If you don't know who she is well, she is a food network star. She is an italian chef. Who is freaking gorgeous! Yes, she is a skinny cook! They show her working out on the tredmill in her show and drinking water. So I am inspired to eat like a pig and exercise.
(I think about going to the gym all the time! Now I just need to actually go do it.)

This particular episode inspired me to make the white bean soup. This is actually the third time I have made it. I love creme brulee and vanilla icecream. So when it comes to a creamy soup that I can eat? Well I am all for it. When I watched the episode I was in awe how smooth it looked. And I love comfort food. This is one of Giada's comfort food. Seeing as adym was not well, I made some
soup for him. This soup is so easy to make and it is soooo delicious. I have to be frank with you though, it will make you gassy. It is beans after all.. lol~

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup
Giada De Laurentiis
Show:
Everyday Italian
Episode:
North and South


2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 sage leaf
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, cut in 1/2
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 slices ciabatta bread Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling (i also sprinkled mozzerella and cheese)

Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, about 10 minutes. Pour the soup into a large bowl. Carefully ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful to hold the top of the blender tightly, as hot liquids expand when they are blended. Pour the blended soup back into the soup pan. Puree the remaining soup. Once all the soup is blended and back in the soup pan, add the cream and the pepper Keep warm, covered, over very low heat.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill the bread until warm and golden grill marks appear, about 3 minutes a side. Serve the soup in bowls with the grilled bread alongside.

Scones a success the first time!

I have been having trouble sleeping for the longest time. So I got up early today to make some scones. I don't know how many people dream about food when they are sleeping. Haha! I did all night. Well, right before I went to sleep last night I watched Ina Garten make some chive biscuits.
They looked so freaking goood! So I went to the foodnetwork to look for some recipes. I finally decided on cranberry orange scones. Secretly, I was really excited to make them this morning. Too bad my taste tester (Adym) has been feeling too ill to eat them. I knew we didn't have any oranges from reading the recipe last night so I made it with lemons instead. I am really proud of the results. Yummers! they are good! Check out my image below and for those who want to give it a go, recipe follows.

Cranberry Orange Scones courtesy of foodnetwork
Copyright, 2006, Ina Garten, All Rights Reserved
Show:
Barefoot Contessa
Episode:
Jeffrey Home Alone


4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream 1 cup dried cranberries 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus
2 tablespoons
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Melting Pot

Well I normally don't blog about big chain restaurants because everyone knows about them. February was my birthday so I got a coupon for free chcolate fondue. I am still out of work which is getting harder since I am out of severance. But free fondue was a good price for us! Here's some photos for a shin dig last week.

I was really busy eating so this is the only good food picture that came out. :)

Thanks everyone for coming. GOOD company always makes a delicious meal even BETTER!