Peanut Sweet Potato Soup with Blackened Shrimp

Well, I woke up at 7:00 on this holiday morning, got up, put on my workout clothes and.......made a pot of soup. Actually, two pots, but one of my soups is still bubbling in the slow cooker.

I adapted this recipe from a dish that I order when I visit West African restaurants. It's very spicy (although you can adjust the amount of spice based on your personal preference) and not at all sweet as one might expect from a soup made with peanut butter. You can also make it completely vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the shrimp, or decide to substitute any other meat (it's really good with blackened chicken breast).

Peanut/Sweet Potato Soup with Blackened Shrimp
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1/2 c natural, smooth peanut butter (I guess you could use Skippy in a pinch)
4 c chicken broth (or vegetable broth) -- Make certain to use enough to cover your potatoes by 1 inch.
1 Tbs vegetable oil
Salt, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes to taste. (I happen to use Lawry's Seasoned Salt).

Sautee onion and garlic in about 1 Tbs of oil in the bottom of your pot until they turn translucent.
Add sweet potato, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and salt/pepper and bring to a simmer.
Add peanut butter (honestly, I think I used a little more than 1/2 cup -- maybe 3/4) and let simmer on medium heat until potatoes are tender.

This is what you get...

Then either put the contents of the pot into a blender (be careful...hot foods in the blender expand and you can have a messy mini-explosion -- I speak from experience) or get yourself one of these handy immersion blenders and blend your soup right in the pot until it's creamy.

I topped mine with a few blackened shrimp (I coated mine with black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and chili powder, then blackened them in a nonstick skillet).  And here's the finished product...

My phone's camera is truly horrible. The soup is a deep, rich orange, as are the shrimp. It looks pale yellow here. I will have to begin using my "real" camera for these pics.

Soy Ginger Glazed Chilean Sea Bass

I had tonight's menu all planned in my head (Shrimp in Coconut Curry served over rice), then got home and realized that I am out of cumin. Going back out was not an option, so I improvised and came up with Soy Ginger Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with a side of mixed greens, beets, and tomato salad. I usually make my soy ginger glaze for salmon but decided to try something a little different, since this was an improvisation and all. Fortunately, I had one lonely little piece of sea bass (a.k.a. Patagonian Toothfish) in the freezer.

I wish I could say that I had a glass of amazing wine to accompany my meal but, hey, I keeps it real.I was sipping on (yes..."sipping ON") a Bacardi and Coke while I hung some curtains, so I finished the can of Coke in a second cocktail.

I must buy some smaller plates to encourage my portion control but there's something about big, white plates that I LOVE.

The dressing was a creamy garlic/buttermilk conconction that I made up because, like a fool, I bought a carton of buttermilk thinking I was going to make biscuits. That didn't work out. Sometimes I forget that I don't have five children to feed. I used buttermilk, garlic, a touch of olive oil, salt and cracked black peppercorns to make the salad dressing.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies!

I haven't yet made dinner, but I made some dessert. I've had a great workout week and have avoided most junk food, so I am rewarding myself this Valentine's day with some home-baked Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. I am not a raisin fan, so the cranberries are a welcome change. I pulled the recipe directly from the Quaker Oats box but substituted cranberries for raisins, added about 1/4 cup more sugar, and doubled the vanilla. (What can I say? I like for my food to be a little "extra".)

Pina Colada Mimosa

Since I was a heathen today and missed church so that I could wash and set my hair, I decided to go whole hog and throw in a little cocktail action.  Today's creation: Katonja's Pina Colada Mimosa.

I didn't measure a thing, but it comprised Ballatore (sparkling wine), Malibu Coconut Rum, and Orange/Pineapple Juice. I served it "champagne cocktail" style, on the rocks in a large glass. Something about the combination of liquors made it much more potent than your regular mimosa. I drank it at 11:00 and...well...let's just say that it was after 1:00 when I woke up.

Vanilla Steamer

Back in college and graduate school, before I became a raging caffeine addict, I used to drink these flavored steamed milk beverages at the Cambridge coffee shops. I was inspired by the fact that I had a half gallon of milk whose expiration date was looming frighteningly near.

Vanilla Steamer

1 mug 2% milk

10 drops pure vanilla extract

Sugar (to taste)

I warmed the milk, sugar, and vanilla on the stove while whisking constantly, but I would imagine one could warm it in the microwave as well. I am sure this would have been WONDERFUL if I had used a fresh vanilla bean, but I didn't have any.  Also, had I not been heading to work, I might have added a shot or two of my Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur. (Now THAT would make a fine bedtime cocktail...I'd sleep like a log!)

Use What You've Got: Grown-Up Tuna Noodle Casserole

In the interest of sticking to a budget, I am trying to go to the supermarket only when really necessary. My freezers, cabinets, and refrigerator are full of food, so I am making as many meals as possible from what's already in the apartment.

I had most of the ingredients for a tuna casserole for today's lunch, with the exception of peas.  So, I substituted broccoli for peas, penne for egg noddles, added a little white wine, a lot of crushed red pepper and ground white pepper, and made a grown up version of the children's favorite. Instead of topping it with bread crumbs (which I really don't like because they ALWAYS taste stale to me), I used a layer of Monterey Jack cheese and browned it under the broiler. (Excuse the cake pan...my cute baking dish is being held hostage by a "friend").

Homemade Pizzas

Since I cannot find a decent thin crust pizza in Chicago (with the exception of Italian Fiesta, which comes close), I must make my own. I gave a nod to Chicago with the sausage and cheese variety, then I decided to pretend I was on some tropical isle with my Hawaiian pizza (pineapple, ham, jalapeno, and fresh garlic).  The dough was pre-made, as was the sauce (so, kill me). They turned out fantastic!