When I looked into the eyes of my beautiful new fridge I saw shelves and drawers overflowing with ingredients that begged for a chance to play nicely together.

The result of nonstop cooking for a week straight.

Have you seen our March Meatball Madness posts??!

When I studied the contents it became blatantly obvious that my fridge and my well-being needed a big pot of soup!

I’m going to make this a relatively wordless Wednesday post. After all we are just making soup! Even if this Spring Thyme Green Minestrone soup is extra special in my humble opinion. The recipe below is more of a guide, there is plenty of room for making this your own between the fresh veggie choices, the type of herbs and seasonings, the beans and pasta, even what you swirl into your bowl.

Fresh Basil Pesto and/or grated parmesan cheese swirled into this veggie packed soup is delicious and boosts the green factor.

This Spring Thyme Green Minestrone soup is packed with nutrients making this a healthy choice for any meal. It also makes a giant batch so it’s the perfect way to Share the Love with your friends and neighbors.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Spring Thyme Green Minestrone

This Spring Thyme Minestrone Soup is packed with nutrients making this a healthy choice for any meal. It also makes a giant batch so it's the perfect way to Share the Love with your friends and neighbors.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

Veggies

• 8-10 cups fresh veggies, diced or sliced such as: carrot, onion, celery, leek, fennel, shallot, jalapeno, spinach, kale, asparagus, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans white beans, drained & rinsed such as: butter beans, great nothern beans, cannellini beans
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs, fine chopped such as: parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil, cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound ditalini pasta cooked al dente and reserved
• 1/2 cup basil pesto optional, to swirl in soup for serving
• freshly grated parmesan cheese optional, to grate onto soup for serving

Instructions

• In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in your 'hard' vegetables, like carrots, onion, celery, garlic, fennel, leeks, shallot, jalapeno. Saute until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Then add in your 'soft' vegetables, like spinach, kale, asparagus, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli. Continue to saute for another 5-7 minutes.
• Add vegetable broth, beans, and fresh herbs. Bring to a light simmer then add the ginger, lemon juice and seasonings. Adjust to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
• Meanwhile prepare ditalini (or other favorite small pasta) al dente. Reserve.
• To serve. Place some cooked pasta in bowls. Ladle in hot soup. Swirl with basil pesto and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy! Don't forget to Share the Love!

The post Spring Thyme Green Minestrone appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Some of my blogging friends and I joined together to “Celebrate Green and Welcome Spring.”  We shared dishes featuring naturally green ingredients.  I chose to share Colcannon Cheesy Potatoes with Kale.  It’s a fun twist on a classic Irish recipe that I thought would be a great side dish for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Traditionally colcannon is made from mashed potatoes combined with cabbage or kale.  And while I think it makes a great St. Patrick’s Day dish, history shows that it was most often shared at Halloween.

For the first layer of this dish we make a mixture consisting of cream cheese or Boursin Spread, sliced scallions, shredded white cheddar cheese, and chopped baby kale then spread it into the bottom of a 9-inch square pan.

Another fun bit of colcannon history was that traditionally charms were hidden in the mixture.  Your fortune, or fate if you will, depended on which charm you were served.  A ring meant you would get married in the coming year while a button (for the gentlemen) meant you would remain a bachelor and a thimble (for the ladies) meant you would remain a spinster. Finding a coin in your serving of colcannon meant you would come into wealth.  Ha!  What fun we shall have with OUR Colcannon Cheesy Potatoes with Kale.

In fact, while we could mix our kale mixture with mashed potatoes which is classic, adding a layer of potato puffs sprinkled with cheddar cheese instead was too hard to resist.

Be sure to check out the other wonderfully green recipes below from my “Celebrating Green and Welcoming Spring” friends. 

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Colcannon Cheesy Potatoes with Kale

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author adapted from Publix Apron Meals

Ingredients

• 8- ounces Boursin spread or cream cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8- ounces white cheddar cheese grated
• 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 cups baby kale finely chopped
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 4 cups frozen potato puffs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Whisk together Boursin or cream cheese spread and milk. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, black pepper, scallions, and chopped kale. Spread mixture in bottom of 9×9 pan.
• Arrange potato puffs in rows on top of cheese; top with remaining cheddar cheese.
• Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until potatoes are crisp and cheese is bubbly. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Pistachio Blueberry Cupcakes ~ Baking in a Tornado

Key Lime Chiffon Cake ~ Crumbs in My Mustachio

Asian Salad with Chicken ~ Tampa Cake Girl

Chocolate Mint Zucchini Swirl Bread ~ The Rowdy Baker

Roasted Tomato & Spinach Foccocia ~ Cooking From a SAHM

Lox me up and throw away the Key ~ Moore or Less Cooking Blog

Maple Poached Pear Salad with Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese ~ Hun, What’s for Dinner?

Green Tea White Chocolate Cheesecake ~ Manila Spoon

The post Colcannon Cheesy Potatoes with Kale appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I made a really good Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet.  I filled it with spicy Italian turkey sausage, carrots, sweet potato, kale, onion, tomatoes, garlic, and lots of fresh thyme.  A nice slow cook turned all those flavors into the heartiest of healthy meals.

As we embrace these winter months I’ve been enjoying recipes that include white beans.  They have a nice way of bringing creaminess to a dish without adding unwanted fat and calories.  Speaking of unwanted fat and calories, we routinely use Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage in place of regular sausage without ever sacrificing flavor.

Once the cassoulet ingredients are sautéed for a bit, a little chicken broth is added, before being topped with a buttered spinach & panko breadcrumb topping.

Our Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet finishes in a slow oven for at least an hour.  Yes, if you wanted to make this a quick weeknight meal, the vegetables could be simmered on the stove top until just tender then finished in the oven.  I’m a fan of letting it go low and slow until some of the ingredients start to break down and meld their flavors.

One bite and you’ll think “where did all this flavor come from?”  That my dear is the beauty of a cassoulet.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet

A nice slow cook turned all those flavors into the heartiest of healthy meals. One bite and you'll think "where did all this flavor come from?"  That my dear is the beauty of a cassoulet.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3 links Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage or favorite, casings removed
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes I used Fire Roasted
• 1 19- ounce can Cannellini Beans rinsed and drained
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled & small cubed
• 2 carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cups fresh kale chopped & tough stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste

For the crumb topping…

• 2 cups loose fresh spinach leaves finely chopped
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbl. melted butter
• pinch salt

Instructions

• Remove casings from sausage links. In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 Tbl. olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook through, breaking up with a wooden spoon during cooking. Remove sausage to drain on paper towels. Pour off fat from pan.
• Add 1 Tbl. olive oil to pan, sauté onion, carrot, and sweet potato for about 5 minutes. Add in cooked sausage, kale, beans, diced tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, thyme, and seasonings. Cover; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine breadcrumb ingredients and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until vegetables are very tender.

The post Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Thai Peanut Chicken.  BE WELL friends take note.

We are always looking for healthy, flavorful and most importantly…..unique lunch ideas.  I think I’ve come up with a good one here, er I mean a good FIVE!!  Take a look.

1. Thai Peanut Chicken Pita Pocket
2. Thai Peanut Chicken Rice/Grain Bowl
3. Thai Peanut Chicken Noodle Bowl
4. Thai Peanut Chicken Soup
5. Thai Peanut Chicken Salad

It all begins with a nice plump Whole Roasted Chicken.  We generally buy the biggest ones we can find (6-7 lbs.)  We enjoy a delicious roast chicken dinner on the first night and then pick it clean for the glorious leftover cooked chicken to be eaten for the next couple of days.  No leftover cooked chicken?  Don’t let that stop you.  A rotisserie chicken works great for Thai Peanut Chicken.

This guy was especially lovely as we tried a new ‘salted’ method to get some nice crispy skin.  Look at all those juices which we turned into some good rich Homemade Chicken Broth.

The base for this great dish(es) is a big bowl of fresh raw veggies with a variety of colors and crunch.  I used cabbage, carrots, kale, radish, broccoli, scallions, fresh cilantro, and a handful of peanuts.  Use your favorites, this is a great chance to work through items in that veggie crisper.  I then added some shredded cooked chicken and tossed it in a little peanut sauce.  You can make your own sauce, I have a recipe here or you can use store bought (we love House of Tsang Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce).

Tip:  To make your sauce or dressing go farther, drizzle on half of what you think you need then give your salad a shake.  That’s right, cover your bowl and shake, shake, shake.  You’ll be surprised just how far a little sauce can go.

Tip:  Make up a big batch of the chopped veggie mixture at the beginning of the week.  Then add dressing when you’re ready to turn it into a salad or stuff it in a pita pocket.  There will be no excuse not to get your 5 servings of fruits and veggies in that day.

Voila!  Here’s a delicious Salad right out of the bowl or stuff this salad into a Pita Pocket for a portable lunch option.

Tip:  We love Joseph’s brand Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Pita Bread.  Only 50 calories per and just 1 WW Pts+.

For the Bowls simple toss the veggie/chicken mixture with cooked Asian noodles, rice, or your favorite grains like quinoa or farro.  You may want to add additional peanut sauce for the bowls.  I love a cold noodle bowl, but you could quickly stir fry the veggies for a hot bowl of love.

And for the Soup, bring that chicken broth to a boil, then add in all but the peanuts, scallions and fresh cilantro.  Heat through, then serve in big bowls with peanuts, scallions and cilantro sprinkled on top.

I will be cooking a chicken on Sunday night so that when our office Be Well Challenge kicks off on Monday I’ll have some great Healthy Choices for lunch next week.  Loving the Thai Peanut Chicken {5-Ways}.

The post Thai Peanut Chicken {5-Ways} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Here’s to a fresh and healthy start to the New Year.  I’ve only had my new Vitamix blender for a few days now but I’m certain I’m going to love it.  I’ve made Orange Vanilla Vinaigrette and Thai Pumpkin Soup using recipes from the Vitamix cookbook.  Both were delicious.  This morning I made this Going Green Smoothie without a recipe.  We’ll call it a trial run.

I pulled together a good assortment of ‘greens’ from my fridge.  Kiwi, green grapes, celery, a lime wedge, a sprig of fresh mint, and two big handfuls of kale.  I knew adding pineapple or banana would sweeten the mixture but I vowed (to myself) to keep it green.

So in addition to all the green goodness, I added a 1/2 cup of water, a cup of ice, and a squeeze of agave nectar into the blender container and gave it a whirl for about a minute.

Voila!  I don’t think it can get any greener and it definitely had a smoothie-like texture.  But how did it taste?

Before we get to that, let me come clean about a secondary reason for craving a Going Green Smoothie.  Last night I posed this question to our facebook friends “Is it wrong that I just layered a Biscoff cookie with jalapeno peanuts, topped with a mini-Twix bar and popped them in the microwave for just a few seconds?”

This morning the evidence was still laying on the counter as if to say you might ponder this question a bit longer.

One friend suggested that I might be experiencing some cravings.  But my favorite response to that question was this “Your choice, your belly, nothing wrong with that…except to ask…is it possible you’re experiencing cravings due to a lack of some nutritional factor?…just saying. Love your page!”

Last year when I first suggested that I thought I would love a Vitamix, there was concern that it would become another gadget that rarely got used.  I tried to recite all the fabulous ‘health’ reasons that demo man had given for owning a mega-blender, but he wasn’t buying in.  Flash forward a year, good things come to those who wait.  It’s too early to rule on whether my new Vitamix will keep it’s prime spot on our kitchen counter or whether my body will begin to crave raw juices and soups instead of airplane cookies and leftover Halloween candy.

But for now, my Going Green Smoothie was delicious, in a slightly earthy ‘green’ kind of way.  The fresh mint and lime were front and center, but the veggies were present as well.  No recipe to go with this trial run yet, other than I followed the ‘method’ suggested by Vitamix.  Water in first, fruits and veggies next, topped with ice.  Turn on blender set at the lowest setting then gradually increase speed.  Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

In the process of typing up this post I’ve now also made Tomato Basil & Avocado Soup served hot right out of the Vitamix.  I think I’m hooked.

The post Going Green Smoothie {a Trial Run} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Mushroom & Kale Quinoa Breakfast Bowl.

It was 52 degrees in our bedroom this morning.  Somehow opening a window ever so slightly seemed like a fine idea at bedtime.  Brrrr.  So while I lay snuggled deeply into my bed I did a mental inventory of the ingredients in my fridge and pantry.  If there was one thing that would get me out from under the covers, it was breakfast.

A nice warm breakfast bowl, like the kind they make at our local biscuit barn would certainly do the trick.  However, in an attempt to stay on track with my healthier eating…..I replaced the base of biscuits and gravy with my new bff quinoa.  You could easily substitute farro, barley, brown rice, or even oatmeal.

I prepared the quinoa my trusty way.  1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water.  Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer for a minute or two.  Then combine with the water in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow to stand for 5 more minutes.  Do not lift the lid.  Fluff with fork before serving.

For veggies I diced up some carrot and onion, then trimmed up a good handful of kale and button mushrooms.

Or should I say BUTT-on mushrooms.  Too cute not to share.  I think this was my gentle reminder of why my healthy breakfast bowl was the right choice ;)

I sautéed the onion and carrot with some minced fresh sage leaves in a little Wild Mushroom & Sage EVOO until almost tender, then I added in the sliced mushrooms and allowed them cook down releasing their liquid.  I tossed in the chopped kale at the end wilting it slightly.  I seasoned the veggies with sea sat & freshly cracked pepper and removed them from the skillet while I fried my egg.

I drizzled my cooked quinoa with a little more olive oil and a sprinkling of salt & pepper.  Tossed that with my cooked veggies and topped of my breakfast bowl with a nice sunny-side up fried egg.

This hearty Mushroom & Kale Quinoa Breakfast Bowl was the perfect start to my chilly day and will carry me well into the afternoon.  What’s your favorite breakfast in a bowl?  I have so many favorites.  See below for a few others you might enjoy.

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Mushroom & Kale Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 426kcal

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 large carrot fine diced
• 1 medium onion fine diced
• 4-6 fresh sage leaves minced
• 4 oz. button mushrooms sliced
• 1-2 cups kale trimmed of rough stems and chopped
• 2 Tbl. wild mushroom & sage olive oil or favorite, divided
• 2 eggs
• sea salt & freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

• Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer for a minute or two. Then combine with the water in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to stand for 5 more minutes. Do not lift the lid. Fluff with fork before serving.
• Saute carrot, onion and sage in one Tbl. olive oil over medium heat until almost tender, add mushrooms and allow to cook down so they release most of their liquid. Add kale and cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, remove from skillet and reserve. Fry eggs in same skillet.
• To serve toss quinoa with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in sautéed veggies. Fill your favorite breakfast bowl, then top with fried egg.

Smoky Shrimp Diablo with Baked Eggs

Baked Eggs in Grits {with Spinach & Fresh Herbs} 

Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls

Corned Beef Hash with Poached Egg

The post Mushroom & Kale Quinoa Breakfast Bowl appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I did it.  I joined the other half of the population who has been enjoying and loves Kale.  These Kale Chips are my third dish in a week where Kale stood up and was noticed. 

First was Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash that was so hearty and delicious.  Then I made a crazy good recipe that came straight off the recipe sampling cart at the grocery store, Irish Potato Colcannon.  I don’t have enough pictures of this one to make it a full post, but I wanted to share the recipe (and yes those are tater tots).

And then today, after chatting with a couple of my fb friends (whom I’ve never met, but just know I would love being in the kitchen with) I have turned the 2nd half of my bag of kale greens into crispy, melt-in-your-mouth Kale Chips.  Hail to Kale.

I used bagged kale greens.  However if you use fresh, trim the leaves off the thick stems.  Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces then wash and thoroughly dry them (air drying works great).

Toss the greens in enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 350 for 12 – 15 minutes until the edges just begin to brown.  Remove from the oven and voila.  Crispy, melt-in-your-mouth Kale Chips.  I can’t believe I’m just now trying these.  Shame on me.

Pull up a comfy chair, a good book, and settle in with a healthy guilt free snack.  And if there’s any left over, you can grind them up and sprinkle them on roasted veggies, soups, and casseroles.  I owe that treasure of a tip to Tammy, one of my office buddies who discovered how to incorporate kale into her family meals without a single complaint.  Hail to Kale.

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Kale Chips {Hail to Kale}

Course Snack

Author inspired by friends

Ingredients

• 1 bunch or bag of kale greens
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Trim kale leaves, removing thick stems. Tear into bite-sized pieces then wash and thoroughly dry (air dryng is great).
• Toss with olive oil, coating all pieces. Then sprinkle with sea salt. Spread in singe layers on baking sheets and bake for 12 – 15 minutes until edges just begin to brown. Enjoy.

The post Kale Chips {Hail to Kale} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash

By now, most everyone is aware that kale comes packed with a bushel of health benefits, even if you’re not quite sure what they are specifically.  This would be the time to share that I wanted to be sure I knew before moving on.  So I googled ‘health ben’ and before completing the word ‘benefits’…never mind adding the word ‘kale’…I had 2,150,000 results for Health Benefits of Kale.  Here’s a link to a quick Top 10 List that is well worth reading.  I had no idea.

It was high time for me to embark on a recipe where Kale was the #1 ingredient.  I’m really glad I did.  This Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash soup/stew was delicious and hearty and not one bit ‘earthy’ as I had expected.

After reading the Top 10 Health Benefits of Kale, I can assure you kale will find her way into more and more of our dishes.  This Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash dish came together easily and was ready in 30 minutes.  It’s the perfect weeknight dinner and was wonderful to have leftover for lunch the next day.

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Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash

Course Soup

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author adapted from Simply Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 Jennie-O Italian Turkey Sausage links removed from casings
• 1 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 small butternut squash peeled and diced
• 1 small sweet potato peeled and diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz. kale leaves bagged type or small bunch, thick ribs removed
• 1 15- oz. can white beans drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese shaved

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the bulk sausage. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add onion and continue cooking until onion begins to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic cook for an additional minute.
• Add the diced butternut squash, sweet potato, and chicken broth and simmer covered for about 10 minutes until the squash is just tender.
• Add in kale and sprinkle with salt, simmer covered another 3-4 minutes. Stir to combine everything then add in the beans, cover and reduce heat to low, cooking another 5 minutes. Turn off heat, let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with freshly cracked pepper and shaved Parmesan cheese.

The post Kale with Sausage, White Beans & Butternut Squash appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’ve been warming up my Chinese cooking skills (skills is a strong word, I broke out some recipes) this week and decided to try my hand at Wonton Soup. 

You see we are planning a Chinese New Year Party at the office on Monday.  As I’ve shared on many occasions, I work for a fabulous company with dynamic hard-working, fun-loving people (who enjoy food as much as I do).  At our Annual Company Meeting last month and in keeping with tradition, our Class of 2012 (4 new hires) entertained us with the most clever 3D Animated Movie…A Day at Delaney.  In it, reference is made to our Wednesday after the second Friday of the month party.  What!, you’ve never heard of a Wednesday after the second Friday of the month party?  Ha! We are known for our Extreme Customer Service AND for our Parties…and of course for our Door Locks and Hardware!!

I LOVE steamed dumplings.  Love them.  I had the pleasure of making them for the first time many years ago with my talented brother-in-law Krit.  Since cooking is his profession, I’m certain we measured nothing.  I do remember we used both ground pork and shrimp to fill the wonton wrappers.  So when it came time to make Wonton Soup this week I had to look around for just the right recipe.  This lovely recipe by Joy of Joylicious was perfect.  I added shrimp and fresh kale to nice rich homemade chicken broth which was heavenly.  I chose to steam the wontons in our steamer basket, but if you prefer you can boil them for five minutes or until they float.  This delicious Wonton Soup {with Shrimp & Kale} might just find it’s way to a Chinese New Year Party spread real soon.

I’ve yet to master how to properly ‘pleat’ dumplings, so I fold my wontons like I fold Crab Rangoon.  Works nicely.  Eats beautifully.  Dumplings can be served on their own, with a nice Sesame, Soy, Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce.

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Wonton Soup {with Shrimp & Kale}

Course Soup

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4

Author slightly adapted from Joylicious

Ingredients

For the wontons…

• 1 pkg. wonton wrappers
• 8 oz. raw shrimp peeled, deveined, and chopped
• 12 oz. ground pork
• 1/2 egg white
• 1 Tbl. corn starch
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbl. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger fine grated
• 1 tsp. sugar

For the soup…

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 4 oz. raw shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 small bunch kale washed and stems trimmed
• 2 slices fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• cilantro and scallions chopped for garnish

Instructions

For the wontons…

• Beginning with the shrimp, combine all wonton ingredients until well blended. Fill wonton wrappers, by placing a teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Dip your finger in water and rub along all edges of wrapper. Fold in half to make a triangle, pressing the seams to seal. Then taking the left and right corners pull them up as if raising their arms over their head and pinch at top. Continue until all wrappers are assembled. Will make 35 – 40 wontons. Wontons can be frozen if not using immediately.
• Using a steamer basket lined with kale or cabbage leaves, steam wontons in batches, for 10 minutes each. Serve immediately.

For the soup…

• In a medium sauce pan, add in chicken broth and two thin slices of ginger and gently simmer broth for 10 minutes. Remove ginger slices and discard before serving.
• Meanwhile, in a separate small pan of boiling water, add in a handful of kale leaves cut into large bite-size pieces. Gentle cook for 5-7 minutes until tender, then add in 4 oz. raw shrimp and cook for 1-2 additional minutes until shrimp turn pink.
• Remove kale & shrimp from water and place in individual soup bowls. Add in steamed wontons and cover with broth. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with cilantro and scallion slices.

Notes

If you do not have a steamer basket, the wontons can be boiled for five minutes or until they float. This same wonton recipe is perfect for steamed dumplings. Serve them with a nice ginger sesame soy dipping sauce. Yum!

The post Wonton Soup {with Shrimp & Kale} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Earlier in the week, we began discussing what we would cook on Super Bowl Sunday.  All the foodie websites and fb pages were alive with recipe ideas and exchanges.  The possibilities ranged from good old favorites like wings and nachos to the more exotic Salmon Wraps and Filipino Spring Rolls.  I had every intention of hosting a virtual Super Bowl Party on my fb page, even planned a week of recipes and posts centered around that theme.  But when it came time to make the announcement….we took it in a totally different direction.  Here is the Party Announcement I shared on our fb page.

Approaching a mega-Milestone {1500 Likes} we’re thinking about hosting a party!!  With the Super Event of the Year upon us, it’s only fitting that we host a …. Groundhog Day Party!!  Beginning tomorrow afternoon throughout Saturday, February 2nd aka Groundhog Day aka a Sausage Celebration we will be sharing your sausage recipes.  I recognize not everyone embraces pork fat in the same way…so if you have an adversity to ground hog, please share your favorite ‘ground meat’ recipes.  Everyone is welcome.

And what a party we had.  200+ new friends and over 30 tasty recipes shared.  I think we should make this an annual event…we’ll call it Ground Hog Day!!

Just so happens, and thanks to my friend Cindy, we had a little ground hog in our freezer patiently waiting for just such an occasion.  To be precise, Sweet Italian Wild Hog Sausage that Cindy made herself.  And it was fabulous.  We cooked mini-patties first so we could taste the sausage on it’s own.  It was sweet with the perfect balance of flavors.  I am so impressed with this lady in many ways, and even more so now.  We built a Stromboli around this star ingredient, and called it Sausage, Peppers & Caramelized Onion Stromboli {a Groundhog Day Treat}.  And while those were the key ingredients we also added mushrooms, baby kale & spinach, and cheese(s) and wrapped it in puff pastry.

Puff Pastry comes folded in thirds making Stromboli wrapping a cinch!  Unfold thawed sheets onto parchment paper.  Using a small pairing knife, cut strips into the left and right side thirds at a slight angle as shown above.  Lay filling onto the middle third, then ‘wrap’ the filling by alternately criss-crossing strips from each side.  Once wrapped, lightly brush top with beaten egg/water.

Our Sausage, Peppers & Caramelized Onion Stromboli had a great combination of flavorful ingredients and spice.  This recipe could easily be changed up by using sliced Italian meats and cheeses with roasted red peppers or loading it with shredded buffalo chicken or how about Eggplant Parmesan Stromboli.  The wheels are spinning after enjoying this delicious dish.

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Sausage, Peppers & Caramelized Onion Stromboli {a Groundhog Day Treat}

Course Appetizer, Entree

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets 2 sheets
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 lb. ground Italian Sausage
• 1 red or yellow sweet pepper small dice
• 2-3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 large onion sliced
• 4 oz. mushrooms sliced
• 2-3 generous handfuls of baby greens such as kale & spinach
• 1 cup grated cheese such as cheddar or Gruyere
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbl. water

Instructions

• Thaw Puff Pastry according to package instructions.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line shallow baking pan with parchment paper.

To make the filling…

• In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, add 1 Tbl. olive oil and caramelize onions, stirring only occasionally over medium-low heat, about 15 minutes. Add in sliced mushrooms and thyme and continue cooking about another 7-10 minutes until mixture is browned nicely. Set aside.
• In the meantime, add 1 Tbl. olive oil to large skillet and brown sausage, then add in diced peppers, garlic, red pepper flakes, and cayenne and continue to cook until peppers are tender. Add sausage mixture to caramelized onions and mushrooms. Return to low heat, add in the baby greens and grated cheese stirring to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

To make the Stromboli…

• Unfold and lay each thawed pastry sheet on parchment paper. The sheet will be creased in thirds. With a small pairing knife cut strips into the left and right side thirds at a slight angle (as shown in recipe post picture). Lay half of the filling onto the center third, then ‘wrap’ the filling by alternately overlapping strips from either side. Repeat with second pastry and filling.
• Once wrapped, beat egg with 1 Tbl. water and lightly brush top of each Stromboli.
• Bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Allow to cool 5 minutes before slicing.

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