Mr. Prof designer home

I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately. We were very fortunate that Hurricane Sandy only caused us to lose power for a few days. As I'm sure you know, many people are still without power, lost their homes or businesses. It was a catastrophic storm for this area, especially my beloved Jersey Shore, a place we've taken Baby Girl many times in her short life.

I've still been cooking, but I've mostly been making meals I've already blogged about. And now there's a new wrinkle in my blogging - the end of daylight savings time. It gets dark around 5pm now and at that point I haven't even started dinner. I'll likely be photographing leftovers the next day until spring returns.

This Italian Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup is from my dear friend Melissa. As I've mentioned before, she only blogs about truly fantastic meals so I knew this soup would be a hit. This was actually my first time buying or cooking kale and I was surprised that we liked it. Kale is incredibly good for you, so that's an added bonus.

My sausage didn't have fennel but Melissa told me to just add dried oregano, which brightened up the flavor immensely. I also added some salt, which she left out of the original ingredient list but which I found necessary to bring out the fullness of the soup.

Italian Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup
As seen on Alosha's Kitchen

4 thick slices applewood smoked bacon, chopped
1 pound bulk Italian sausage (with fennel)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (if sausage doesn't have fennel)
1 large sweet onion, diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup half and half
1 cup water
1 bunch lacinato kale, chopped
Fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Crushed red pepper flakes

Heat large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and fry until most of the fat is rendered and the pork is somewhat crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and pour off most of the fat from the pot, leaving the bottom just coated. Add the bacon back to the pot along with the Italian sausage. Cook the sausage for 4 or 5 minutes, breaking it into chunks with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.

Add the onions and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes (test one with a fork). Pour in half and half and water and stir to heat through. Toss in the kale and stir until slightly wilted.

Season with fresh ground black pepper and salt, adding crushed red pepper flakes, as desired.

I might have to stop saying I dislike soup.

After loving the Chicken Gnocchi (Pasta) Soup so much, as well as a few others since then, I don't shy away from soup recipes when I see them on my favorite blogs. This recipe for Corn Chowder with Avocado and Lime caught my eye when Katie posted it back in January, but once it showed up on one of her weekly menus recently I finally put it on my own menu. And am I glad I did!


SP was initially skeptical, particularly when he came home and found sliced avocado, minced cilantro and lime wedges on the cutting board. "I thought we were having corn and potato soup," he said. "We are," I replied, rummaging through the pantry for hot sauce. He swirled his soup around the bowl for awhile, waiting for me to photograph my bowl and get Baby Girl settled before he finally took a bite. "Hey, this is good," he said. I admit, I was skeptical as well. Lime with corn and potato soup? But it really, really works. The brightness of the cilantro is the perfect touch and you can never go wrong with buttery slices of avocado, at least not in my world.

I ended up going back to the original recipe for Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Lime and Avocado that Katie had modified to see what she had changed. We both love cilantro so I added it back in, thankful that I had some on hand for other recipes later in the week. I left out the masa because I didn't have any and wasn't going to buy it for a mere tablespoon. I also went back to the 6 cups of chicken broth because the soup was getting thick between the potatoes and the corn. And to save on calories I opted for half and half instead of heavy cream, but increased it back to 1 cup. Despite my spice aversion I did shake a few splashes of hot sauce into my bowl, mostly for color.


I served the soup with toasted ciabatta slathered with garlic and herb butter. It was perfect for dipping into the soup. Can't have soup with a dipper, right? Baby Girl had her own bowl of soup and loved it. She even managed to get most of it in her mouth instead of on the table and her shirt. I know the weather is getting warmer but this is too good to hold off making until fall. Treat yourself to a bowl of this soup using some fresh, sweet summer corn and you won't be sorry!

Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Avocado and Lime
Modified from both The Scattered Cook and So Tasty, So Yummy

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon dry masa (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half and half
1 pound frozen corn or the kernels from 5 ears of fresh corn
Minced cilantro, lime wedges, avocado slices and hot sauce for garnish

In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the masa (if using), flour and water. Add the flour mixture, potatoes, chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring heat to medium high, bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the corn and bring back to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes more. Stir in the half and half and simmer for 2 minutes more.

Serve topped with minced cilantro, avocado, hot sauce and a squeeze of lime.

As soon as Ashley submitted this recipe for Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Noodle Soup for the recent soup recipe swap I was smitten. I love Thai soup and this sounded delicious. As always, I was hesitant to use my crockpot since I've never made anything in there that's come out right, but I wanted to make this soup and since I'm home all day I figured I could keep an eye on it.


As you can see from the recipe below, I ended up modifying this heavily after making it per the original recipe. I will say this - Baby Girl absolutely loved this soup in it's original form, complete with the squirt of lime juice. She gobbled up a bowl and was asking for more.

However, I felt like something was missing. I added red curry paste to the ingredient list because it definitely needed those spices to make a more complex soup. I also decreased the amount of chicken, rice noodles and bean sprouts. I felt like they overwhelmed the soup, which I preferred with more broth and less "filling." Unfortunately my cilantro had gone bad by the time I got around to making this soup, which was a shame because I know that flavor would have gone well with the soup.

All in all this soup has serious potential. Oh and how did the crockpot work out, you might be wondering. The answer is I think I've given up on it. The chicken was overcooked and since the cooking time is so minimal I think this would have worked better on the stovetop. Directions have been modified below.

Thai Red Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
Modified from Cheesecurd in Paradise

2 frozen or thawed chicken breast halves
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger
2 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 heaping tablespoons red curry paste
2 oz thin rice noodles
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 cup fresh beans sprouts
2 jalapenos, finely sliced
2 limes
Cilantro for garnish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large Dutch oven, add the chicken, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, soy sauce, red curry paste, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Stir occasionally for an hour.

Using tongs, remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks. Return to pot. Add the rice noodles, bell pepper and sprouts. Cook 30 more minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve each bowl garnished with sliced jalapeno, a good handful of cilantro and some gigantic squirts of lime.

Even though this has been a mild winter for much of the country, winter still means big bowls of soup for many people. Now that I'm getting into soup I thought we'd revisit soup as a recipe swap theme. It also seemed like a good way to usher out winter.

Joanna just started a food blog and this was her first recipe swap. She made Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Noodle Soup:


Melissa had my recipe for Broccoli Soup:


Caitlin enjoyed her Tomato Orzo Soup, which was tangy and filling:


Mary Ellen was very excited to make her Stuffed Cabbage (Galumpki) Soup, which brought back memories of her grandmom's Polish dinners:


Jenna has been wanting to make chicken and dumplings for awhile, so when she got her recipe for Crock Pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Dumplings she was excited:


The Cooking Nurse made Hearty Beef Stew, a delicious Valentine's Day treat:


I messed up and gave Heather a recipe for Stuffed Pepper Soup, which was similar to the one she had submitted for the swap. It worked out fine, though, because her recipe was for the crockpot and this was a faster version for the stovetop:


Jaida loves soup and really enjoyed the rich, creamy Loaded Potato Soup she made:


Once again Nicole cooked outside her comfort zone, and was pleasantly surprised by the results, with her Spicy Blue Cheese and Tomato Soup:


Ammie absolutely loved her Mahogany Beef Stew:


Cathy's Lentil Black Bean Stew worked well for her healthy diet:


Ashley made Stuffed Pepper Soup, which she's been wanting to make for awhile. It lived up to her expectations perfectly:


Leanna couldn't stop raving about her Butternut Squash Apple Soup


Coleen had hoped to try a new soup for the swap, but ended up getting one of her favorites, French Onion Soup. This version tasted just like the one at her favorite diner:


My recipe for Cream of Tomato Soup with Pesto was like a bowl full of summer:


The Cookaholic Wife wasn't sure about her Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream, but she ended up loving it:


Melissa's Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup was a surprise hit:


Colleen, a newcomer to the swaps, really enjoyed her Broccoli Cheddar Soup:


Kristina had another Crockpot Stuffed Pepper Soup, which she shared with a friend:

Want to see what other Soup recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Soup Recipe Swap Roundup

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but in the Northeast we've been having an incredibly mild winter. This makes me very, very happy. I hate the cold. I don't like snow and I don't like the darkness that descends once we change the clocks. Now that we're closing in on the end of February it's staying light later, which is awesome. But the best part about this winter has been the distinct lack of snow. We had one big storm Halloween weekend but after that we've had a few flurries that barely stuck to the grass let alone the roads and was usually gone the next day. Temps have been at least 10-20 degrees above normal as well.

When I chose soup as the theme for this recipe swap I figured we would all be stuck with cold weather by the time it rolled around, but the night I made my Cream of Tomato Soup with Pesto it was 50 degrees and when I had it for lunch the following day it was in the low 60s. Thankfully the flavors were the essence of summer (basil and tomato), so it worked for me.


This soup was much better the next day, especially eaten almost lukewarm instead of piping hot. The flavors came together beautifully and it really tasted like summer in a bowl. It couldn't have been easier to make, although I did have to modify the recipe slightly because I couldn't find diced tomatoes with garlic and onion in my supermarket. I figured subbing fresh garlic and onion wouldn't be a bad thing anyway and I recommend going that route.

Stay tuned for more recipes from the soup swap in my Recipe Swap Roundup!

UPDATE: I made a quadruple batch of this soup for a church meeting and it was a big hit. Since you're basically adding everything to a stock pot and boiling it, this is a very versatile and easy soup to make in big batches. I reheated it in my crockpot (about 3/4 fit in the crockpot and the rest went into a storage container).

Cream of Tomato Soup with Pesto
Modified Slightly from Cooking for Fun

I tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
1 cup half-and-half cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons basil pesto

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by about 1/3. Pour in both cans of the tomatoes, and return to a simmer. Add the half-and-half, and turn heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Puree in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, and swirl in a spoonful of pesto before serving.

I've never been a fan of soup, or any hot liquids, but that recently changed. I've had some delicious soups over the past few months and now I'm always on the lookout for new ones to make. This Potato Rosemary Soup caught my eye when Kelsey posted it on our cooking board. My rosemary plant has a few sprigs left since it's been a mild winter so far, so onto the menu it went.


We both felt like something was missing. It was a decent soup, but not something I'll make again without some modifications. I just haven't figured out what those modifications might be. I suggested bacon, but SP said no. He suggested mushrooms, specifically shitake, so I might give that a whirl. I think the fact that the feta we had was relatively flavorless might have contributed to the problem. I need to remember to buy a brick of feta and not the crumbles, which seem to have less flavor. I ended up using the entire 8-ounces and it still added nothing in the flavor department.

I think this soup has potential or else I wouldn't be blogging about it. A good, sharp feta will definitely add the complexity and salty bite this soup needs, but I think a nice, earthy mushroom would also do wonders.

Adding a wrinkle to the mix is that I ate leftovers for lunch the following day and the flavors had really come together. The feta was still absent, but if that is changed simply by buying a better feta then I have to revise my original statement and say this soup is pretty good. Not my favorite but better than the first night. If you have time to make it and then eat it at least a day later it may work well for this particular recipe.


My favorite part of the meal was the sandwich I served alongside. I made a lemon, garlic and rosemary mayo that I slathered on a toasted mini ciabatta loaf and then layered with deli ham and cheese.

Potato Rosemary Soup
Apple a Day

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, washed and cubed (peeled or not)
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 cup good-quality feta cheese, in a brick
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and saute onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, and water to the pot. Bring to boil and reduce to medium heat. Let potatoes cook until tender, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups potatoes. Set aside. Puree the remaining potatoes with an immersion blender or put potatoes in a blender or food processor.

When 5 minutes remain in cooking time for the potatoes, melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened. Slowly stir mixture into large stock pot with the pureed potatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Stir the 2 cups of potatoes back into the soup.

Stir in salt, pepper, feta, and rosemary. If desired, puree further to make completely smooth. Check salt and pepper and adjust to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Want to see what other SRC-style recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the SRC-style Recipe Swap Roundup

If you are a food blogger you've probably heard of the Secret Recipe Club (SRC). I've been a member for a few months and it's a lot of fun. Some of the ladies on the cooking board have been trying to get into the club, but there's a very long wait list at this point. Enter the SRC-style theme for the most recent installment of the recipe swap. Judging from the number of participants I'm planning to do this type of swap (swapping whole blogs instead of specific recipes) every 2 months or so.

I received The Cooking Nurse, the blog that brought me one of my all-time favorite soups - Chicken Gnocchi Soup. I spent some time browsing through the various categories and had such a tough time narrowing it down that I finally told SP to decide. He chose this Hearty Ham and Potato Soup. Perfect for a cold winter day...except we haven't been having typical January temps. Still, it was close to 40 degrees the night I made this, as opposed to the almost 60-degree days we've been having lately. Not that I'm complaining, because I most certainly am not. I love this weather.


This was a delicious, easy soup to make. I prepped the ingredients ahead of time so all I had to do when I got home was cook it. I upped the amount of ingredients so we were sure to have enough leftover for lunch the next day. I've said before that I'm not a big fan of soup but that's changed lately. A big bowl of hearty soup with bread for dipping is pretty darn good in my book. And PS, Baby Girl pronounced this soup "delicious," which is an automatic "make again" in my book.

This post is actually doing double duty as both my recipe for the SRC-style swap and my entry into Branny's Charity Souper Bowl. As many of you know, we had to say goodbye to our beloved cat, Dusty, on New Year's Eve. I know it's only been about two weeks but we still miss him every day. The house is too quiet. I find myself stepping around his non-existent food and water bowls in the kitchen, propping our doors with door stops to keep him from banging them open and doing my usual "locate the cat" scan of the house when I get home from work. Dusty came to us from our local SPCA so it's very fitting that I dedicate my Charity Souper Bowl post to him. We love you, pal.


Please consider blogging about a soup and submitting it to Branny for the Souper Bowl. Shelter animals will always hold a special place in my heart and organizations like the SPCA always need help caring for animals.

Hearty Ham and Potato Soup
Slightly Modified from The Cooking Nurse

2 tablespoons butter
2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups diced ham steak
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until just tender. Add the potatoes, ham and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot and continue cooking soup until heated through and bubbly. Add cheddar cheese and stir to melt.

I don't usually post over the weekend but sometimes things come up.


I "know" Annie through my cooking board. While I've never met her in person, when I heard that on Thanksgiving she lost her father suddenly I felt so sad for her and her family. Instead of sharing a delicious meal, she and her loved ones grieved.

The ladies on the cooking board got together and came up with a plan to dedicate comfort food posts to Annie, to help with her healing. What could be more comforting than a big bowl of Classic Chicken Noodle Soup? I made this with the last of my Thanksgiving turkey and even Baby Girl liked it.

Annie, you and your family are in my thoughts.

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Slightly Modified from Smells Like Home

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup medium-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup medium-diced carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup medium-dice onion (1 medium onion)
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts chicken/turkey stock
2 cups wide egg noodles
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken (or turkey)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onions, salt, and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes until softened. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil over high heat, and add the noodles. Cook the noodles for 10 minutes, then add the chicken (or turkey) and parsley. Allow the chicken/turkey to heat through. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve hot.

Now that fall weather is here (or for some of us Eastcoasters, wintery snow) a theme of Soups/Stews seemed perfect for the recipe swap. You all know I'm not a huge fan of soup but man, just putting this roundup together made me drool all over my keyboard. I can't wait to make some of the recipes below as the weather keeps getting colder.

If you're a fan of soups/stews definitely check out the links below. Every single one looks incredibly delicious. Enjoy!

Mary Ellen had fun putting her own spin on Sausage and Tortellini Soup:


Part of the fun of the swaps is trying something new, which Ammie did with her Beef Bourguignon:


Christen's husband rated her Mushroom and Brie Bisque with Puff Pastry Toppers one of the Top 5 things she's ever made:


Heather isn't a fan of Guinness but her husband loved her Beef and Guinness Stew:


As a working mom, Lishie was happy she was able to prep her delicious Basil Dumplings & Chicken Soup the night before:


Melissa really enjoyed her Slow Cooker French Onion Soup, even if the onion smell was a little overwhelming as it cooked:


Jaida had another Olive Garden copy cat soup, Zuppa Toscana, that got her to try kale:


Maryanna made my recipe for Loaded Baked Potato Soup a bit healthier:


Nicole thinks a few modifications to her Creamy Cabbage Soup with Gruyere would make it perfect:


Christine had made Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup:


Katie forgot to buy broccoli at the store so her Broccoli Cheddar Soup ended up being Cheddar and Potato Soup:


Ashley liked being able to add her choice of seafood to Ina's Seafood Stew:


Melissa loves soup and was thrilled to get another delicious slow cooker soup recipe to add to her arsenal with Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup:


Caitlin was thrilled for an excuse to make one of her favorite soups, French Onion Soup:


The Cookaholic Wife loves that cool weather means more chances to eat soup. She really enjoyed her recipe for Cheesy Jalapeno Corn Chowder and it made enough for her to freeze half for another time:


Jey was thrilled with the theme for this swap. Her soups always come out thick like stews, which was exactly the case with her Pasta E Fagioli:


Jenna had another variation of French Onion Soup, and was happy to find that she actually liked it:


Coleen had never made Chicken Pot Pie at home before so she was excited to get it for the swap:


The Cooking Nurse switched up the ingredients for her soup to make Taco Soup:


I absolutely loved the flavors in my recipe for Chicken Gnocchi Soup:


Melissa was a little hesitant about her Pumpkin Soup recipe but it ended up blowing her away with the flavors of fall in a bowl:


Jill turned her recipe for chili into a thinner White Bean Chicken Soup, perfect for a comforting weeknight meal:


Kate's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup was perfect on a cold, rainy day:


Nicole had to modify her recipe for Chinese Chicken Corn Soup because she didn't have all the necessary ingredients:


Joelen made a quick and easy Chicken Enchilada Soup:


Lindsay thought the perfect way to usher in fall was her recipe for Italian Beef Stew with Gnocchi: