Curried Carrot Soup

This is definitely my favorite Sunday Soup yet!

I was going to use Rachael Ray’s recipe but when I started preparing ingredients in the kitchen, I decided to add/change some things. The soup that resulted was absolutely delicious.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 celery stalk, chopped

4 medium carrots, peeled, roughly chopped

1 tsp yellow curry powder

1/2 tsp Thai red curry paste

1/2 tsp dried cilantro

1 tbsp corn starch

3-4 cups beef broth

1 tbsp soy sauce

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a soup pot. Add onion, celery, carrots, both curries, cilantro and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5m, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn starch, cook 1m. Add 3 cups of broth and soy sauce. Raise heat, cover with lid and bring to boil. Then crack lid, lower heat and simmer for 10m. Turn heat off and re-season if necessary. Puree with immersion blender. If soup is too thick, thin out with remaining broth. May be served with sour cream, if desired.

Sasha's Hot Chocolate

New York this week has been freezing, and when the temperatures drop, I like to fill my Paris mug with something warm and soothing. Usually it's bitter coffee or passion fruit tea, but occasionally, it's this rich, luxurious hot chocolate.
Ingredients for one serving:
1 c milk
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp sugar

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until hot but not boiling. Add the rest of the ingredients to the saucepan and whisk until combined. Strain before serving if any lumps remain.

Have a good weekend, everyone : )

Beefy Mac & Cheese

Baked pasta dishes are one of my guiltiest and most comforting pleasures. This one is a combination of classic macaroni and cheese and yet another of my many guilty pleasures, the cheeseburger!

(Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb lean ground beef

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 tsp garlic powder

1/3 tsp paprika

Salt/cracked black pepper

Sauce:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c whole milk

1/2 c shredded Swiss cheese

1 c shredded cheddar, divided

Cook the pasta just short of al dente and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat and add beef. Add spices, along with salt and black pepper. Break up with a wooden spatula and sauté for 8-10 min, stirring frequently. Set aside.

On low heat, in a medium sauce pan, combine butter and flour and cook for 1m, making a light roux. Add milk, slightly raise heat, and whisking frequently bring to a gentle boil. Let sauce thicken a few minutes, until it can coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add Swiss cheese and 3/4c cheddar. TURN HEAT OFF and whisk until combined.

Combine pasta, beef and cheese sauce, re-season if necessary. Place into baking dish and top with remaining cheddar. Bake at 375F for 10m and at 415F for another 10m, until the top is golden brown.