Curried Lentils with Chicken

This is really good ~ I think I have been making this dish about once a week ~ it's that good! Makes great leftovers. The curry is perfect - not too overpowering. Make it this week, it will make you happy! To complete the meal, serve over a bed of steaming rice.

Curried Lentils with Chicken
Servings: 4

1 cup brown lentils
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
14- ounce can diced tomatoes with jalapenos (or green chilies)
4 cups cooked diced chicken or turkey (bake some chicken tenders/breasts and chop)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

In a medium saucepan over high, combine the lentils and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, two to four minutes. Add the curry powder to the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about one minute.

Add the reserved lentils, tomatoes, chicken (or turkey) and salt. Cook, stirring often, until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt.

Potato and Leek Soup

I made this for the second time last night. Fabulous. So simple.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 2 large russet potatoes (about 18 ounces total), peeled, diced
• 4 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in processor until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Leek-and-Potato-Soup-1922#ixzz0fA4Eg18E

Split Pea Soup

Time to revive this blog! This is my new favorite thing to make, especially since the weather is so frightful right now! If the idea of split pea soup makes you nervous, you probably haven't tasted it yet. I am a bonefide garden pea hater, and I love pea soup. So tasty and filling and bacony. Give it a try!

I got this recipe from the Williams-Sonoma "Soup" cookbook. It serves 4, so be prepared to double it if you want lots of leftovers--the first time we had it, we only ended up with a half-serving for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c dried green or yellow split peas, picked over, rinsed, and drained
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
6 sliced bacon
2 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 t finely chopped fresh marjoram or 1/4 t dried marjoram
1/2 t finely chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 t dried thyme
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and saute until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and saute until just slightly softened, 3 minutes.

2. Add the split peas, stock, 2 slices of bacon, parsley, marjoram, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook until peas are tender, 50-60 minutes. Discard the bacon.

3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, fry the remaining 4 slices bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to draim. When cool, crumble and set aside.

4. Coarsely puree 2 cups of the soup in a food processor and return to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, return the soup to medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.