Good morning, my reader friends!
Our new year has started off feeling like spring, and not at all like winter. In fact, one day, my mom and I were out in the garden tidying up a bit and we both got so sweaty. I came in and changed into shorts and a t-shirt! That is not how January is supposed to feel! Right around Christmas, however, we got a really cold spell. So cold, in fact, that we even got a bit of snow that covered the ground nearly entirely and the roads were icy and dangerous. It was glorious...and made for some incredibly cozy days at home as we made sure not to go out in the car on those icy streets. (We got stuck a couple years ago, and my dad, sister and I had to push the car out of the snow whilst my mom was in the driver's seat pressing the gas pedal. It was quite a scene!)
Anyway, on those splendidly cozy days, we enjoyed some comforting foods within the warmth and comfort of our home. It was so much fun, preparing the meals and feasting on them whilst we watched Christmasy movies, snuggled up under blankets on the couch. One of those meals made us feel like we were at a cafe...for a girl who doesn't like restaurants, it was fun to have that "cozy cafe" vibe as we were tucked at home on a frigid December night.
This Cozy Creamy Vegetable Soup is a new favorite around here. I made it twice within a week or so, because it was that good! And this sandwich was inspired by a YouTube video I watched last month. I added a few things to it to make it a bit more special, and the result was another newfound favorite. Oh, and please do excuse the poor lighting in these photos. Our kitchen is quite dark once the sun sets, so it is hard to get a good picture. But, trust me, you will want to try these recipes.
Cozy Creamy Vegetable Soup
1 cup raw cashews
2 cups boiling water
olive oil, for sauteing
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 cup diced celery, including the leaves if you have them
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. Herbs de Provence (or rosemary, if you don't have Herbs de Provence)
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. frozen veggies of your choice (see note below)
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
Before you begin cooking, pour the raw cashews into a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside and allow the cashews to soak while you cook the rest of the soup. You will come back to these later.
In a stockpot or Dutch oven, drizzle about 2 Tbsp. olive oil and allow to heat up a bit. Add in the diced onions and celery and allow to sauté for about 10 minutes, or until they are softened. Then, add in the garlic, oregano, Herbs de Provence (or rosemary), salt and pepper. Continue to sauté for another 5 minutes or so.
Next, add in the frozen vegetables, white beans, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 30 minutes.
Once the soup has cooked and all the veggies are tender, now it's time to prepare the cream.
In a blender, pour the cashews and the water they were soaking in. Blend on high speed for a few minutes until very smooth. We have a high-powered blender and this only takes about 2-3 minutes. However, if you have a regular blender, this will take a bit longer.
Once the cream is smooth, pour the entire batch into the soup. Stir to mix everything together. Then allow the soup to cook another 10 minutes or so, until thickened and well mixed together.
Serve with your favorite crusty bread or a tasty toasted sandwich. And enjoy!
A note about frozen veggies:
In this recipe, I use two bags, each about 16 oz. The first time, I used a bag of an Italian blend and then a bag of broccoli. The second time, I used two bags of California blend and about 1/3 bag of corn that needed to be used up. This is where you can mix and match and use what you have on hand. Just as long as they're veggies you and your family love, this recipe will be a winner!
Honey Nut Apple Cream Cheese Sandwiches
To prepare this sandwich, spread cream cheese on two pieces of sandwich bread (whatever kind you like best).
On one side, place a single layer of thinly sliced Granny Smith apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and crushed walnuts or pecans. Drizzle a bit of honey over everything and place the other piece of bread on top.
In a skillet, melt a bit of butter and place the sandwich on the pan. Place a weight of some sort on top of the sandwich and press down. We have a cast iron weight, but we have also used a brick wrapped in foil in the past. Either one works just fine.
Allow the sandwich to cook until browned on the first side. Then flip, put a bit more butter in the pan, and cook the second side until well browned.
Once cooked, slice the sandwich in half and enjoy with a bowl of warming and comforting soup.
If you are looking for a cozy meal to have at home on a chilly wintry night, this is just the meal for you! We love it! And it's super fun to prepare as well!
Oh, and here are some of our fur babies looking out the window for squirrels and birds. This has become their new morning rhythm and as soon as they hear us open the shutters each morning, they come running in from wherever they were sleeping or playing for a bit of fun! This big window is like a big screen TV for cats...they are so cute to watch as they take this daily rhythm quite seriously. {{smiles}}
I hope you have a lovely weekend, and do enjoy some cozy, comforting foods, too!
Until next time...
♥