This soup is five years in the making. No, really. I created and tested the initial recipe five years ago, and then it wasn’t published. It needed something to polish it off — something to take it from good to great. That yogurt drizzle?  Totally did it.

Let me back up a little bit.

Five years ago this week, I was thisclose to having a cookbook published. There were meetings and brainstorming sessions. A signed contract. Then there was a deadline met. A manuscript produced. In the end, for complicated reasons that included a mega economic downturn, it didn’t work out and the book was never published. At my request, I was released from my contract. I was sad and attempted to find another publisher, but that didn’t pan out. Finally, I tucked the manuscript away to think about another time.

Because I had written the book, I had all of these new, unpublished recipes that were just languishing. I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Then my food writing career started to take off, and those recipes were perfect for supplementing new ones I was creating. A few were published here. Most were sold. There’s just a handful left that needed more testing before seeing the light of day. It was only recently that I dug into the old manuscript and discovered how much of it I’d actually used already. That made me happy. Writing the book wasn’t in vain.

When one of my General Mills contacts recently put out a call for recipes using Yoplait’s new Lactose Free Yogurt, this recipe jumped to mind. It’s one of the remaining unused ones from the book that needed a little more work … it was perfect for this assignment. So I pitched the idea, adding the lovely green swirl of basil yogurt and she loved it. With a little more testing, I finally finished it … five years later. It’s a good feeling.

This isn’t your basic tomato soup. In fact, it’s nothing like traditional tomato soup — other than the fact that it has tomatoes. Instead, it’s a punched up version with a great Indian flavor to it. The sweet, bright basil drizzle really adds dimension to the bolder dish. Shawn, who isn’t a fan of Indian flavors, enjoyed this — though he prefers it in small portions (which would mean this recipe for 8 would serve about 24 as a small starter portion).

Whichever way you have it — as a starter or a meal — it’s fabulous with a little naan. Try it.

A final note on the book: Yes, I could have held off, edited the book more and pitched and pitched and pitched. Yes, I could have self-published. But in the end, I am happy with my decision to take apart the book and use the pieces for other projects. Families Eat Together (that was the working title) was my best work at the time. The recipes were the best part, and I am happy to have people reading about them and trying them — even if they didn’t come in a bound volume. Someday I will write a killer cookbook with prose worthy of the recipes inside. This one just wasn’t it.

Indian-Spiced Tomato Lentil Soup with Basil Yogurt Drizzle
serves 8

Soup:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 tablespoon grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (about 14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups vegetable broth

Drizzle:
1 6-oz cup Yoplait Lactose-Free French Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 cup packed fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon olive oil

Finishing salt (such as black sea salt), to taste

Heat the oil over medium heat in a pot. Stir in onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 7-10 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garam masala and cumin. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir well to combine.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Set aside.

Combine the yogurt, basil, salt and olive oil in a food processor (a mini one works great for this). Puree until smooth.

To serve: Dish up the soup and then drizzle each with the yogurt mixture. Sprinkle with finishing salt.

Notes:
You can use a blender to puree the soup as well. However, be careful while it’s still hot – small batches are best.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days (yogurt and soup separate).

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Poor Man's Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich

Do you eat your meals together as a family? The kids and I eat dinner together nearly every evening, usually around our kitchen table. Shawn’s not home for dinner often because he has to work late and has a lengthy commute, but when he is, we all eat together as well. I’m dying to get a new kitchen island with adorable stools so that I can prepare and eat our food there when it’s just the kids and I, but I digress. We also eat breakfast as a family — with Shawn too — several times a week. Lunch is a free for all.

Eating together is a time for us to talk about our days — the silly antics of the boys in Will’s kindergarten class and the random tidbits about her classmates that Paige shares. We laugh and are sometimes silly. This past weekend, the kids and I had dinner outside followed by a rule-less game of baseball. It was so much fun.

According to a new study published in the May 2 edition of Pediatrics, our family dinners could be much more than just fun — it could be helping my kids avoid obesity. Kids who eat three or more family meals each week are 12 percent less likely to be overweight than those who don’t eat family meals or seldom do. If they eat five or more meals as a family each week, they are 25 percent less likely to have poor nutrition. If you want to raise healthy kids (I do!) then this is important and good news. Researchers developed the data after analyzing 17 earlier studies and comparing the data.

This all underscores our family’s commitment to eating together. Not only do we make family meals a daily habit (and that extends beyond just dinner), we also have a standing weekly family dinner with our extended family who live nearby. Some weeks (particularly at the holidays and sometimes in summer), that means upwards of 20 family members all together at once (Related: Tomato Bisque for 12).  It’s special, and we love it.

Today seemed like the perfect time to talk more about family meals, including some interesting results from the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Family Meals Survey 2011 that I conducted earlier this year.

Sandwiches like these are so easy, since the ingredients take so little time to prepare. Once they are laid out, all you have to do is build 'em.

First, a little background: Earlier this year, I started an intense research project for a book proposal. The book I am developing is a more in-depth, more useful version of the unpublished one that I wrote years ago. (Recap for newer readers: In 2007, I was contracted to write a cookbook by a very small publisher, handed the manuscript in on schedule and then … nothing. A year and a half later, a short email exchange between my publisher and I ended the contract and the book reverted to me.). The original book was fine, but after much consideration, I realized it was missing something. So, I’ve started afresh, researching and learning more about the eating habits of families. As part of that, I conducted a preliminary survey on family meals to get a better understanding.

There were more than 100 responses to the Family Meals Survey 2011, but I disqualified any incomplete surveys, leaving me with 94 completed surveys. Of those, 85.1% were filled out by mothers. One of the things I was looking to understand was what really matters to parents when it comes to eating family meals. I think that’s a personal thing, and not something where I could ever claim to have all the reasons. Everyone’s perspective is different, naturally.

So, what makes a family meal? For the majority of respondents (58.5%), having the whole family there is the most important aspect of a family meal. Also important is the happiness level of the table, said 40.4% of the respondents. Everyone being present in the moment (29.8%), being disconnected from technology (26.6%) and the quality of the food rounded out the top five responses (26.6%).

Some other interesting statistics from the Sarah’s Cucina Bella Family Meals Survey 2011:

• Nearly two-thirds of respondents do not have a standing date for family dinners. 37.2% do.
• Dinner is the meal most-often eaten together, according to my survey (91.5% of respondents said so!). The other 8.6% were split evenly between breakfast and lunch.
• 66% of respondents shop in advance for ingredients, and 48.9% create a meal plan. 17% shop that day for the ingredients they need.
• 59.6% search the internet for recipes, and 29.8% look through cookbooks.
• About a quarter of the respondents enlist their children to help plan the meal. 18.1% also involve their kids in the preparation of ingredients and 19.1% have their kids help with the cooking.

How important are family meals to you?

Poor Man's Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich

Speaking of family meals, this sandwich is perfect for a family dinner. It’s a stuffed sandwich that starts with a grilled London broil rubbed with your favorite spices, salt and pepper. I chose London broil because it is — even now — one of the least expensive cuts available, and with this recipe 1 pound of it can feed 8 people (as long as you serve it with several side dishes). And these days, budget-friendly meats are a must for everyone. Once the meat has been grilled and rested (resting is so, so important so that it’s juicy), you slice it ultra-thin against the grain. Use your sharpest, big knife and sharpen it more just before slicing. It will make the whole thing a breeze.

Once the meat is all sliced up and ready, you layer the sandwiches with steamed bell pepper slices, thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese (or thin slices from a block of mozzarella, if you want to save a little more) and tomato. The freshness of the veggies with the salty cheese and spiced meat will hook you. My son immediately asked if he could take the sandwich for school lunch too (and today he did — but I traded the tomato for lettuce so that the roll wouldn’t get soggy).

Poor Man’s Steak, Veggie and Mozzarella Sandwich
serves 8

1 lb London broil
kosher salt and pepper
spice rub of your choice
8 deli rolls
1 cup steamed sliced bell peppers (I used frozen from Trader Joe’s)
2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
8 slices mozzarella (I used Fresh Mozzarella from Costco, but a block of mozz could be substituted)

Heat your grill over its medium setting for 10 minutes to get it good and hot. Prepare the London broil by rubbing with salt, pepper and spice rub all over.

Place the London broil on the grill and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, to desired doneness (recommended: medium). Remove from the grill and let sit for 10 minutes. This step is important, as it allows the meat to reabsorb its juices.

Slice the London broil very thinly against the grain with a sharp knife.

Now, it’s time to prepare the sandwiches. Slice open the rolls and layer with thin slices of London broil, mozzarella, tomato and peppers. Don’t be afraid to stuff the sandwiches. Close and cut in half.

Serve immediately with a couple family-favorite side dishes (we ate ours with salted, perfectly cooked edamame) such as a big green salad, baked beans and corn on the cob.

Enjoy!

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Now, it’s January 15. Whew. I guess I am off to a lateish start, eh?

Actually, I really am not. See, one of my resolutions (or goals, if you will) for this year is to focus. So, since the beginning of the year, I have been doing just that: focusing on the things that really matter. Resolutions? They fall pretty low on that list.

But, today I have a few minutes … so, away we go!

2010 Goals

1. Stay Focused on the Things That Matter – It’s so easy to get caught up on the little things. But, this year, I want to focus on the things that really matter: my family, my career, my friends, my life. Things that are less important just need to take a backseat.
2. Practice Fewer Better – This one is a little abstract. It’s about focusing on quality instead of quantity. Sure, it’s nice to have more things, but it’s way nicer to have really nice things. This applies to my whole life — from shopping to freelance jobs. Instead of accumulating more fill-in-the-blank (food, clothes, freelance clients), I am going to focus on gathering just better ones. After all, what good is it to have a ton of whatever, if it’s all not quite what you are looking for.
3. Get to a Healthy BMI/Weight – Last year, I vowed to lose 50 lbs and actually lost around 10 lbs. This year, I just want to get to a healthy weight … before I turn 30 in June. So far, so good.
4. Make Exercise a Habit – In 2009, I barely exercised (until the end of the year). In 2010, I want to make exercise a priority … and a habit. So, I plan to exercise nearly daily. All. Year. Long. It will surely help with #3.
5. Take a Cooking Class – Don’t ask me when or how I will make this one happen … but I will.
6. Preserve, Can, Freeze and Store Enough Food for the Majority of Winter – This one is a ways away, but I want to have a stockpile of sauces, salsas, veggies and more to keep us in local deliciousness for those dreary, dreary winter months next year. This year, I put up just enough to last through mid-February or so.
7. Have a Can-Do Attitude – I’ve always had a worst-case-scenario way about me. Maybe it’s overthinking or something, but I play out dozens of scenarios before anything can even happen. Not this year. I am officially shedding my worries and focusing on how I can just get ‘er done. (A little positivity goes a long way, right?)
8. Clear the Clutter – You wouldn’t believe my attic. I don’t believe my attic. And you know what? I don’t want it to be that way. So, it’s time to clear out the things we just don’t need. (This relates somewhat back to #2.) Time to gather up the excess and say farewell.
9. Publish a Cookbook – A few years back, I had a book deal. I finished the draft. Then the publisher ran into problems. A year later, I asked to be released from my contract and was. The cookbook I wrote back then was fine. It was the best first effort I could do. But it’s been a few years, and I can do better. So, some of those recipes are being repurposed into a small cookbook that I plan to self-publish this spring. It’s untitled right now, but will be a summer cookbook focused on cooking from the farmers’ market.
10. Bake Bread Often – I used to bake bread a few times a month. Then I stopped. This year, I plan to start anew, and bake our own bread as often as possible. Anyone know a good recipes for cinnamon raisin bread?
11. Try 10 New Foods – Whether it’s a type of veg I haven’t had or a whole new cuisine, I want to experience a lot of newness this year. Quinoa, here I come!
12. Cook with Will Every Week

What are your 2010 goals?

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Do you make resolutions? I do. Every year. I don’t necessarily keep them every year though. Wish I could say that I did, but honestly like most people I fall away from the resolutions after a few weeks or months.

But this year is different. My resolutions are grounded in things that I really want and need to do to lead a healthier, happier life. That’s really important for both me and for my family. So, here they are in no particular order:

• Lose 50 lbs.: I know, it sounds like a lot but really it’s about 50% baby weight (which should melt away with just a bit of effort). The second 25 lbs will be the real challenge.
• See that darned cookbook published (and the wonderful sales that will follow).: I don’t have a whole lot of control over this one. My draft is done and it’s a waiting game until the publisher/editor returns it to me for corrections and whatnot. But, once it’s returned, it’s up to me to turn it around and approve the changes (and make my own).
• Successfully pitch a second cookbook.: I already have the idea, though it needs to be fleshed out a bit. Then it’s just a matter of pulling together the proposal.
• Buy a new, larger home.: Who doesn’t want this? But seriously, it’s a need more than a want for us. Our expanding family is quickly outgrowing the small house that my husband and I purchased when we got married. We definitely need some more room (and some more bedrooms so that the kids don’t have to cram into one).
• Buy a new, larger, safer, four-wheel drive vehicle.: A few months after graduating from college, I bought a new car that I could afford on my slim salary – a Honda Civic. Definitely not the best choice for New England where many snowstorms dot the winter. Nonetheless, I am still driving that car today after . . . several years. So, I think it’s time to bite the bullet and invest in a car that is safer for the kids and has enough room to meet our needs (have you ever tried to transport a family in a Civic? Not fun.).
• Potty train Will.: Again, self explanatory. But this is a need more than a want as well. Will is supposed to start preschool in the fall but can’t unless he is a potty-using big boy . . . heaven help us.

**BREATHE** It’s not that much, right? Totally obtainable. Really.

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This particular recipe I thought of while working on the first draft of my cookbook (and yes, it’s coming. I can’t say when, but it is. I will update you as soon as I have a certain do-or-die date from the darn publisher). However, it never made it into the manuscript because my attempts left me wanting: the flavor just wasn’t there and I didn’t have time to tweak it anymore. This time though, without the pressure of a deadline looming, I just did keep adding on the flavor until I thought it would be right. And it was. I’ll have to stock this recipe away for a future cookbook (way, way, way down the line … you know after Families Eat Together FINALLY makes its debut).

Anyway, this is a quick and easy one. I recommend making your own pesto, since it’s so much tastier than the store bought stuff. But in a pinch, that could easily be used too.

1 large head of cauliflower
1 cup basil pesto
sea salt
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Wash cauliflower and cut into florets that are about 1-1.5 inches (some smaller ones are okay too). Place into a large Zip-Loc bag. Add pesto. Seal bag, taking care to remove all the excess air. Now, shake, squeeze and toss to completely coat all of the cauliflower.

Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread cauliflower onto the pan in an even layer. Sprinkle with sea salt (to taste).

Cook for 15 minutes, turning once about halfway through.

Serve hot.

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The title of this post is something I hear several times a week. And it’s something that I wish I had an answer for. But I don’t.

It’s coming. And it’s coming soon (within the next month, hopefully), but there have been some delays with the small publisher I signed with. I am doing my best to narrow them down to an actual release date and as soon as I have that, so will you.

But it will be here soon.

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, the cookbook wasn’t published. Things didn’t work out with the publisher and I moved on.

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So after fighting with the store (who weren’t too helpful), the extended warranty contract company, etc, etc, it was fixed about a week later. Or so we thought (insert dark and dreary music here). A little more than a week after that, it broke again. The repair company came back and got it running. A little more than a week after that, kaput . . . again. Repair company comes back and finally admits that they can’t isolate the problem (which is a leak somewhere in the system) and it cannot be fixed. Contract co. says that if that’s the case then they will cut us a check for the fridge so we can get a new one.

That was two weeks ago. The contact co. has since said that they will do no such thing since no one’s found the actual problem yet. Blah, blah, blah. I’ve gone nearly a month with a touch and go situation with this fridge, and you want to tell me NO?!? Well, I reached my breaking point and decided that they can answer to the Better Business Bureau and the Department of Consumer Protection. This is just asinine.

So we bought a new refrigerator. Hopefully this one will last more than three years. Guess where we didn’t buy this one? There is no way that I am EVER shopping in that store again, after the co-owner was so rude when I asked for the loaner we’d been promised (if it ever broke) when we purchased it. Yes, yes, love the truth in sales.

In the meantime, I have a beautiful new fridge and a broken one in the basement that we hope will either be fixed (so we can eventually sell it with the house and take the new one) or we’ll be given a refund for.

Say hello to my new friend! It’s spacious, and lovely and shocker of shockers: stays cold. Aaahhhh, the simple things in life. I love the style and design (sorry about the lackluster picture, haven’t been home during the day to take a good one).

The best features? Room for full platters of food, a water dispenser INSIDE the fridge, and room for many, many gallons in the doors (leaving the shelves for more important items). I am so in love.

Now, back to cooking.

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Other than that, I am just working for the weekend right now. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, I just need a break. But vacation is coming so that should be a good relief.

On another note, I stumbled on a bank statement from five years ago over Memorial Day weekend. Boy, have I changed in five years. Five years ago, I was just beginning my career in journalism. I was sure I knew it all (I didn’t, still don’t) and wanted to take charge (still do). Five years ago, I was unmarried with no children. My income, which was less than half what it is now (perhaps a third even), went primarily to three things: food, shopping and my car. I paid more for insuring my car then I do now for insuring both my husband’s and my own. I went tanning regularly. And all the time, I thought I was broke (I didn’t know what broke was).

I can’t help but let the if I only’s creep into my head once in a while – if I had only saved some money instead of shopping and eating out so much (I honestly rarely cooked, because I didn’t know how to cook for one and was afraid to cook with meat). If I had only had the foresight to plan for the future.

I’m older, wiser, married and a mother now. I still spend more than I should (particularly on food, but it’s ingrediants now), but I also make a conscious effort to save money too. In five years, I would like to look back and think how smart I was to start saving. I would like to be in a good, stable financial place in five years.

Where were you five years ago? Where do you want to be in five years?

The post What a difference 5 years makes appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Of course, after hitting send, I realized that some recipes that my husband and I really liked didn’t make it into the draft. Perhaps on the next cut. And some stories I wrote and rewrote, while others just didn’t make the cut.

I can’t help but worry. Is what I wrote enough? I love every recipe in the book, so I am not worried about that. But what about the stories? Are they detailed enough?

I worry. I can’t help that.

The post Oh Sweet Relief! appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

But I wanted to take a few minutes from my frantic writing and editing to bring you this salad for Weekend Herb Blogging, a great weekly event started by Kalyn’s Kitchen. I’ve been developing this for the cookbook, but it was just too good not to share right away. And the dressing features oregano, making it a perfect fit for WHB.

A little about oregano: Oregano is a powerful herb that has antioxidant properties. It is used in Mediterranean cooking and comes originally from northern Europe. Did you know that in the time of Greeks and Romans, it was considered to be a symbol of joy and happiness?

On a side note, you have to make this salad. Really. You have to. It’s mouthwatering good. And Although I eat this salad as is, adding a little grilled chicken will make it a great protein- and vitamin-rich meal.

Greek Salad
serves 4

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 ½ cucumbers, peeled and cubed
½ cup kalamata olives, halved
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar (always use good quality)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt
Pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, olives and feta.

In a separate bowl, beat together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over the tomato mixture.

Serve chilled.

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