Brittany's PantryEgg Ribbon Soup & Sniffles
Brittany wrote this on 11 April 2011
chicken broth, eggs, parmesan cheese, pasta
As much as I wish our family could really enjoy the weather right now (it is past 80 degrees here in central IL), it is proving rather difficult. My kids have been sick since last Tuesday, and now I am afflicted. I am quite certain that this is just a spring cold; or in Eli’s case, his 6th bout with croup since August. No serious illness here. But Oh! How I wish we were all well so that I could be cooking up a storm! Spring has sprung and I want to dive into all it has to offer! Especially if that means we get to prepare and/or eat it outside.
I suppose it is good that I have been taking care of little ones instead of basking in the April sunshine. My favorite place to be this time of year is our screen porch and it is presently filled with furniture cast-offs from our remodel. Until we have a yard sale, it is a no go!
So in the interest of getting healthy, I made soup. Now, you all may remember my previous musings on soup. I really don’t like it. It is my least favorite thing to eat, although I really like to make it. I blame my parents for raising me as a ‘meat and potatoes’ kind of gal. Although, ironically, they both love soup…
Anyway, this soup had always struck me as something that might be worth trying. The other day, I remembered this recipe that I have had, literally, for over a decade. It was cut from a magazine-not sure, but possibly Gourmet???-and has been floating around from Minnesota, to Wisconsin, to Hawaii, to California, to Minnesota, and now to Illinois. Yummmmm. And it was worth the wait. It tastes exactly like I thought it would and my family agreed. We, yes me too, slurped it right up. I cooks up in no time and it was the perfect soup to get some nutrients into my ill family! I know it looks weird, but it is crazy good. You can of course make this without the fresh parsley, but don’t be tempted to skip it. It adds a freshness that cuts through the rich broth and really balances out the flavors. Parsley also contains Vitamin C, something we all need when we are sick or not, to help stave off infections. Bring on the healing!
Egg Ribbon Soup
If I remember correctly (it has been over 10 years), the original version of this recipe was from a chef that used to whip this up when she got home from a late shift and was hungry. It was a quick and satisfying meal that required very little effort. Rock on, random chef. Rock on.
4 cans (7-8 c) of good quality, low sodium chicken broth
3/4 c tiny pasta, such as acini di pepe or orzo
3 eggs
3 T Parmesan cheese
fresh black pepper
3-4 T chopped fresh parsley
Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a large sauce pan and add the pasta. Let cook until just al dente, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese. Add black pepper to taste. When pasta is cooked, slowly pour the egg mixture into the simmering soup in a long thin stream, stirring the soup the whole time and forming little ‘ribbons’ of egg. Toss in the parsley and serve. Pass extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Homemade Ketchup-It is so easy!
Brittany wrote this on 7 April 2011 gluten-free, tomatoes
In my last post I mentioned that I had made ketchup for my son’s birthday party, and while the reviews were mixed (there may or may not have been some self proclaimed picky eaters there) I am excited about sharing it with you.
Why? It is just ketchup after all. Just a common, cheap condiment that is in every home in America. That is all true. But to me, homemade ketchup is one of those things that is unexpected no matter who you may be serving. It is inexpensive, so easy, and very quick to throw together. Not to mention that you can make it days in advance. So why not surprise your guests, or just your spouse and kids, with something special?! Of course if you are serving Alice Waters, Ina Garten, or Jamie Oliver, they wouldn’t bat and eye lash and I would be seething out here in Illinois, wondering why I hadn’t been invited to dinner!! But assuming, you won’t be cooking for either of these or any other food legends, it is a decidedly fun and nostalgic addition to a menu.
Summer, the season of perpetual grilling, is almost upon us. This recipe has such wonderful flavor, it tastes great with grilled sausages, outstanding on burgers, practically sinful on a hot dog, and of course, a perfect pairing with thick-cut potato fries. I ate it on a meatball slider instead of BBQ sauce and have been dreaming about how I will use it in the coming months. I mean, my dreams are always filled with food, but then again, whose aren’t, right? What? Not you? Just me? All right then.
Homemade Ketchup
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis
1 (15 oz) can tomato puree or tomato sauce
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
3 T tomato paste
1/2 c brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
pinch of cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer over med low heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick. Cool to room temperature and chill. This is best made the day before, but it isn’t necessary.
One Bowl Chocolate Cake
Brittany wrote this on 5 April 2011 buttermilk, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, whole wheat flour
Sooooo…the last few days in my kitchen have been very experimental. Meatball sliders, grilled chicken skewers, chocolate cake, white cake, punch, carrot salad…exhausting! My son turned 2 last week and his birthday party was on saturday. *sniff* I won’t go into the emotional details, but suffice to say that if somebody ever invented a special potion that allowed children to grow up and stay small at the same time, I would be first in line! I can’t belive he is 2! And my daughter will be 5 soon and…OK. I am getting tears on the keyboard. Moving on!
I was having a hard time narrowing down what exactly to blog about today. The homemade ketchup I made was quite good, but I think that may have to wait for another day. The rootbeer BBQ sauce still needs work, but the Lime Sherbet Punch was yummy and you can find the recipe here. The meatballs were AWESOME, but I forgot to photograph them. The white cake was just OK, the buttercream was outstanding, but the chocolate cake was wonderful! So chocolate cake recipe it is!
Are you dissapointed? Would you like me to post the recipe for carrot salad instead? I didn’t think so. That’s just crazy talk!
Although I do love me a great carrot salad…
I have no idea where either of these recipes (the cake or the frosting) came from. Like many of my recipes, they were skribbled on a sheet of paper and added to the pile of thousands of recipes I have collected for me to try. They have both been modified, but I just want to formally apologize to whoever dreamed them up first. Kudos.
There are several wonderful things about this recipe. First of all, its size. It makes just one round layer (or, I suppose one 9X9-although I haven’t baked it that way before) which is perfect when you are after something decadent and sweet, but don’t want to have to figure out what to do with a whole cake. Not that I am ever at a loss as to what to do with cake, but you know what I mean. The other great thing about this, is that it isn’t as bad for you as you would think. It tastes just like dessert should: rich, creamy, sweet and indulgent. But it has some very healthy ingredients. Yup! Not too shabby. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to eat another piece.
One Bowl Chocolate Cake-Recipe Modified 4/17/13
You guessed it! A bowl and a whisk is all you need to mix this up. No mixer, no fuss. It couldn’t be easier.
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
2 T canola oil
1/2 c low fat buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Add:
3/4 c + 2 T white whole wheat flour
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
Mix gently, until all ingredients are nearly incorporated. Add:
1/2 c coffee, cooled to room temperature
Slowly and gently mix until you have a smooth batter. Pour into a buttered and floured 9 inch round cake pan and bake at 350 for 25 -30 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack until completely cool. Frost.
Chocolate Frosting
This makes just enough to frost the top and sides of the above cake. It is also perfect if you want something quick to eat out of the bowl frost a pan of brownies!
2 T soft butter
1/2 c cocoa powder, preferably sifted
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk, or more
Mix the first three ingredients, adding a splash of the milk to help them go together. Keep adding tiny splashes of milk until it gets to the consitencey you are looking for. Beat with a spoon till smooth.
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
