French Onion Soup (with Julia’s lead and Terri’s Nod!)
This classic delish French Onion Soup is a recipe I first made and played with from Julia Childs Cookbook. I have tweaked this recipe, I think there is a little herb flavor that makes a big impact and I prefer to do this as a gluten free recipe with the use of corn starch. However, for the French Bread that is not gluten free, but I do have a great suggestion for that below!
However you slice it, this is a bowl of deliciousness!
Category: Luncheon Serves: 6-8 Level: Intermediate – You got this!
INGREDIENTS:
For the SOUP 6 C thinly sliced yellow onions 2 Tbsp Oil 2 Tbsp Butter 2 tsp The Amazing Rub Seasoning (Sugar/salt/spices) 2 Tbsp Corn Starch 7 C Beef Stock ½ C White Wine
For the Garnish 12 oz. Swiss Cheese finely sliced/chopped 4 oz. Parmesan Cheese grated 3 Tbsp Cognac For the Croute 8 slices French Bread (about 1” thick) (or SCHAR Baguette/Gluten Free Bread but DELIC!) 4 Tbsp Olive Oil for drizzling 1 Tbsp The Amazing Herbes
In a Stock Pot or Dutch oven add 2 Tbsp oil and Butter. Add sliced onions and stir until they are coated with the mixture and cook on medium about 10 mins. Sprinkle the Amazing Rub Seasoning on the onions and continue to cook 10-15 minutes until golden. Once caramelized add 2 Tbsp Corn Starch and continue to cook for a few minutes. Stir in the ½ C white wine, now add 1 cup of stock and continue to stir while scraping up all bits in bottom of pan. Add all remaining stock, bring near boil, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
To make the Croutes/toasted bread. I definitely prefer the bread broiled toasted and not hard baked. I love an ‘el dente texture …so drizzle the first side of the bread slices with olive oil, toast under broiler til golden, flip and butter second side and sprinkle generously with the Amazing Herbes (our house Herb blend or your house blend). I really think the herbs add such a plus to the final soup experience. If you don’t have this blend, I would say a little Oregano and Sage….
Now take 6-8 Oven Proof Bowls or Ramkins, place 1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese in the bottom of each. Next ladle the French Onion Soup into Bowls and top with toasted French bread and add the Swiss Cheese in a thick layer making sure to cover bread and edges. Pour ½ Tbsp Cognac into soup/bread mixture, drizzle with a little oil or melted butter. Place Ramkins on baking sheet (for ease into oven).
Place in a 350 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes checking on Cheese melting and slight browning.
Here it is, super flavorful, melting onions and toppings.
One of the thrills for me is when my friends shoot me a picture of a great lunch (need I say healthy for this dynamo!) that includes some KB LOVE. In this case that gorgeous Grilled Cheese is laced with the Amazing Herbes…she’s loving it and so am I! A sprinkle with do! Thanks Lezlie, our KB Guest Cook of the Day!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
*Add Decadence, serve with Avocado Lime Aioli, and Spicy Salsa
These Herb encrusted Baked Sweet Potatoes served warm but stuffed with a cool Black Bean Salad are the bomb! (ESP for Meatless Monday). You get the Ying and Yang from a hot/cold food served together…as well as the perfect vehicle for
Make Ahead
Add Taco Meat for Thursdays!
Go Pesco with Shrimp on Friday!
Drive in the direction you want…
The natural sweetness of well baked sweet potatoes and the slight spicy bite of the bean salad is perfect. To up your “A” game make the Avocado/Lime Aioli and kick in the spicy cheese sticks and/or Salsa!
Enjoy!
SERVES: 4 LEVEL: Presto-easy!
FIRST: ROASTED HERBED SWEET POTATOES
INGREDIENTS: 4 Medium Sweet Potatoes Olive for rubbing Amazing Herbes to coat Salt & Pepper Preheat Oven at 425 degrees Wash and dry sweets. Cut light center in top of each, rub potatoes with olive oil. Roll or sprinkle with AMZ Herbes, salt n pepper. Bake 45 minutes until very soft, crunchy outsides. Set Aside.
SECOND: BLACK BEAN, CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD
INGREDIENTS: 1 15 oz can Black Beans, rinsed and drained 2 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut off or one can of corn drained 1 small red pepper finely diced 1 small red onion finely diced 2 Tbsp Amazing Rub (here is where you get brown sugar/spices) 1 tsp (or more) of Blazing Belle (this controls heat, a great blend of peppers incl. cayenne) 4 Tbsp. Olive Oil 1 lime, fully zested and juiced ½ c fresh cilantro or parsley chopped (whichever you prefer) 1 avocado medium chopped (reserve ¼ for Aioli) Combine all ingredients (Avocado goes in right before serving) in bowl, mix well. Cover and chill from an hour to overnight. Before serving salad, add the Avocado and check seasonings.
When Sweet Potatoes are fully cooked, complete the seam slice down the middle (but not through) and separate and squeeze a little to fluff inner potato. Stuff with the Chilled black bean salad.
Serve with Aioli, Salsa (if desired) and maybe some fine spiced cheese!
This dish is also great stuffed first with taco meat, spicy shrimp or any of your favorites!
*Avocado Lime Aioli 1 C mayo ¼ chopped avocado 1 Tbsp Lime Juice with zest chopped parsley (or cilantro) finely minced garlic 2 cloves(optional) salt/pepper to taste. That’s it!
So I was looking for a great fun delicious dish for kicking off the Father’s Day Weekend. What guy doesn’t love meatloaf? Okay can we be honest? If you are not a vegetarian, the chances are great that you love meatloaf. So here is the recipe I love, a basic old world meatloaf, packaged in a mini individual loaf and wrapped in bacon that crisps (with the help of The Amazing Rub) and just sets this dish off!
We are gluten-free on this recipe, because way back when, the Frenchies in my neck of the woods always made meatloaf or meatballs with oatmeal that had been ground…a little like an oat flour.
So tender, so delicious….hope you enjoy! My plating suggestion is the perfect baked potato, maple glazed carrots and KB’s Spicy Ketchup (recipe also below)!
SERVES: 6 LEVEL: Intermediate – you got this!
INGREDIENTS 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 cup of your favorite medium chunky salsa 2 ½ pounds of ground beef/pork (I like 1 ½# beef, 1 # pork) 1 cup instant oatmeal, I like to buzz in blender to make finer grounds 2 large eggs, beaten with fork ½ C parmesan, or your favorite finely ground cheese 6 thin strips of bacon 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Herbes (this is all flavor) 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub (this will enhance and crisp the bacon) *Options: Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce and 1 tsp beef bouillon or concentrate (These last 2 ingredients are optional, but I always include!)
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil and sauté chopped onion over med-low heat for about 8 minutes, at the finish add the 2 Tbsp of the Amazing Herbes to allow spices to blossom and warm. Set aside.
In large bowl add ground beef/pork mixture, add onion mixture, salsa, oatmeal, beaten eggs, cheese, and the optional ingredients if desired. Use a fork to toss and mix, careful not to over mix and do not compress – better to toss to create the tenderness desired. This mixture can be divided in 6 with 1 generous cup of meat mixture each, and should create 6 mini meatloafs. Use mini loaf pans, or just form mini loaves. When formed loaves, wrap each loaf in the bacon strip and sprinkle the loaf and especially bacon with the Amazing Rub. (This again helps that great taste and crispness of the bacon wrap). Bake for 45 minutes until cooked through. Serve hot or cold, and kick up your Ketchup as described below!
SAUCE KB’S Spicy Ketchup 1 cup ketchup 1 Tbsp The Amazing Rub 1 tsp Blazing Belle…it’s our heat, folks 1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a small glass bowl, and heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds until hot.
Pumpkin Alfredo Lasagna with Roasted Veggies and Pork Sage Sausage
SERVES: 15 LEVEL: Intermediate
INGREDIENTS Lasagna: 1 lb of Lasagna Noodles cooked al dente (or no bake noodles) 1 lb of Mixed Shredded Cheeses (Mozzarella & Monterey Jack is great) 1 lb Whole Mike Ricotta 8 oz Boursin Cheese (Garlic and fine herbs) 1 egg ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or ¼ cup dried 2 Tbsp Amazing Herbes 1 lb pork sage spicy sausage (OPTIONAL-omit for vegetarian version) *cooked, drained and crumbled! 2 red peppers, julienned 3 summer squashes, julienned 3 zucchini Squash, julienned 3 carrots, julienned 1 cup of whole sage leaves if available (can be omitted) 3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp of olive oil 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Rub **Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce *recipe follows
DIRECTIONS Set oven to 400F degrees. (Plan on 40 minutes large, or 25 mins individuals)
Cook Lasagna Noodles in Salted Water approx 10-12 minutes, add a little olive oil at the finish boil, drain and separate noodles on tray, set aside. You can also use no bake lasagna noodles for this.
Mix Ricotta, Boursin, Egg, Parsley, Amaz Herbes – Season with Salt and Pepper.
Slice all vegetables julienned style (Julienne is a culinary knife cut in which the food item is cut into long thin strips, similar to matchsticks) , and mix Red Peppers, Squashes, Carrots, (Whole Sage Leaves if available) and any other veggies you would like with Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil and Amazing Rub (or use your own seasoning blend). Brown veggies in hot 400 degree oven for approx 15 minutes stirring once or twice…if you want more crisp or browning keep in an extra 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS For Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce: 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. butter 2 cups milk 1 cup white wine (optional) 1 cup chicken broth 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 – 2 Tbsp of Amazing Herbes (or salt/pepper/oregano blend) ¼ cup grated Parmesan (more if desired) 1-2 cans pumpkin purée
DIRECTIONS Combine oil and butter and warm, add all other ingredients and do a consistent stir, bring to a low boil, when thickened, remove from heat and add 1 can of puréed pumpkin. If you like it more Pumpkiny – add more purée! Taste for seasonings and adjust according to your palate.
Now Line all ingredients like an assembly line:
Sauce
Lasagna Noodles
Ricotta Cheese Mix
Shredded Cheese Mix
Roasted Veggies
Cooked/Crumbled Pork Sausage
Spread pan bottom with sauce, arrange a single layer of lasagna noodles on top, next spread ricotta cheese mix, another layer of lasagna noodles. Next layer sauce and roasted veggies, add a little shredded cheese. Next sauce, crumbled sausage, a little shredded cheese, and more lasagna noodles, sauce, veggies—keep going till you have used all ingredients and the Lasagna Noodles and finish with sauce and a decorative garnish of veggies and cheese.
Bake in warm in oven for 45-50 minutes. You can add more cheese and Amazing Herbes to the top of the Lasagna for the last 5 minutes of cooking. If you would like, create individual lasagna in oven proof individual cassoulets. This recipe freezes wonderful – so make two or three! Highly delicious!
INGREDIENTS Base: Popped popcorn(So we can do this presto, you can use your favorite pack of microwave popcorn full popped [not an individual bag] or you can pop your own: ½ cup popcorn, 2 Tbsp high heat oil)
Place in a large bowl, finish your popcorn with: Melt 2 Tbsp of butter, when melted add 1 Tbsp of Truffle oil (white) Drizzle the butter/truffle oil over popcorn, toss Then add: 1 – 2 Tbsp of The Amazing Herbes Toss, taste test and add: Salt & Pepper, if desired
THAT’S IT! The simplest, most delicious, aromatic starter for a meal, a wine tasting, or your favorite Movie viewing. It’s a keeper!
