My Vintage Kitchen

Crazy for Cutlery

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I must say.....you know every time I say "I must say" I think of Ed Grimly. ANYWAY...I must say I am completely in love with our little cutlery set....how cute is that face and the little bun on this chickies hair? We try not to really plug the stuff we sell to much as really the main focus of this blog is cooking, but I just had to show you all how cute this little sweet pea is. Her partner is pretty charming too. Anyway, they are back in stock as is the very popular Penguin Thermos ( if you're still looking for last minute gifts.) 

Check back with us tomorrow as I will be posting the BEST Etouffee I have ever had in my entire life! You know it's good when the recipe calls for a whole stick of butter....lord have mercy on our arteries!

-Shelly

Red Pepper Soup (with a twist)

We need some color up in this place! I just realized the last 3 posts were brown food. Sure it taste great but at any minute a small English child is likely to approach with an empty bowl begging for more of our brown gruel. At which point I will be completely offended and forced to sell the little miscreant to the nearest chimney sweep! Excellent plan, as long as that Mr. Sowerberry doesn't snatch him up first.

Wait…what? Huh…What happened? What were we talking about? Sorry, nineteenth century novelists really get me sometimes.

Ah yes we need some color. Here is a little “Twist” on roasted red pepper soup. This one has a potato in it!

-Shelly

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 small onion chopped

1 Yukon gold potato chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large roasted red peppers ( roast in your oven or over your gas stove, but be careful) 

1 Tablespoon fresh basil chopped,

few sprigs of Rosemary if you like

Saute the garlic, onion and potato in in olive oil until you get a nice color and some caramelizing action. Add your herbs then the vegetable stock and cook about 30 minutes. Make sure the potatoes are soft. Slice up your peppers and toss them in.  Puree soup in a blender then return to the stove, add your sour cream and let simmer for 10 more minuets. Season with salt and pepper.

For the bread, slice a french baguette and brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Italian season.

Onion Law

While surfing the web this evening looking for something to blog I discovered some outdated onion
laws.  You can check more of these out at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/onions/onionlaws.html If you are a woman weighing over 200 pounds living in Ridgland,  South Carolina you are in violation of the law if you are seen wearing shorts eating onions in a restaurant or at a picnic.  O.K., now let me take a moment to make a fashion public service announcement. It is my personal belief that no-one should ever wear shorts because they are one of the most unattractive pieces of clothing ever invented, so forget the onion thing and lets just outlaw shorts.  I mean for Pete's
sake ladies....wear a skirt.  It's way more flattering.  This, of course, excludes work out attire, around the house garb, and when you get all dressed up to go to the Walmart it's all right too.

Chicken Fact

    

Fact - Alektorophobia - Fear of chickens. 

Freak out the Alektorophobiac in your life with this recipe for Chicken and Potato Soup!

2 chicken breasts

6-8 cups chicken stock

2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed

1/4 cup peas

1/4 carrots diced

1 clove of garlic minced

4 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Boil and shred chicken...add rest of ingredients...now is that so scary!

Chili Grudge

Chili Grudge...When I was in the fifth grade my uncle bought me a really, really cool pink jacket.  It was like a souped up "Members Only" jacket.  It had EVERYTHING.  This included several zipper pockets, puffy sleeves with small pleats around the shoulder, snaps, shoulder pads, and well, you get the picture.  It was the 80's. So there I was, minding my own business, walking down the hall to return my lunch tray when out of NOWHERE a 6th grader ran into me with her tray spilling chili all over me and my jacket.  I was devastated.  She didn't even say she was sorry.  She just kept walking. I will NEVER forgive her.   

Now here is a recipe for chili that didn't come from a grade-school cafeteria. We call it second day chili because it tastes perfect the day after you make it.

1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)

2 Tablespoons chili powder *your taste...I think this is a mild chili

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 large red onion diced (save some for garnish)

1 green bell pepper diced

1 large can of kidney beans

3 cans of crushed tomato's

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste.

sour cream and cheddar cheese to garnish

Put a little olive oil in a LARGE pot and saute your onions. Don't cook them to long just get them soft. Add your chili powder and cumin, mix it up. Add your ground beef and cook till no longer pink. Add green bell pepper, tomato's, and beans. Let cook for at least an hour. Salt and pepper as needed, or sneak in a little more chili powder or your favorite hot sauce. Chili is one of those things the longer it cooks the better it gets. This is great on a cold day when you have plenty of time to let it sit on the stove all day. Even better when you eat it the second day! Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese, and a little onion.