Freezer Stock Paying Off

As the snow piles up outside I have renewed thankfulness for my Freezer Stocking Soup Tour as I have some the ease of pulling out corn chowder from the freezer.

Dinner seems to be all about comfort food (Breakfast for Dinner mindset) with white peppered gravy over biscuits, sprinkled with shredded cheddar and french fried onion and two Morning Star "sausage" patties (I love the maple flavored ones). Completed with some hashbrowns and canned mandarin orange slices. (Seems only fitting since breakfast was a vegetable eggroll.)

Famous Vegetarian Poets, Writers, & Painters

Freezer Stock 2011 - The Soup Tour Continues: Frenchie Onion Soup

My soup stocking tour for this chilly January continues as today I made a lovely homemade French Onion soup using a vegetable stock, onion, garlic, a touch of vegan Worcestershire sauce (for richness), and seasoning, topped with some toasted multi grain bread and cheese under the broiler. The onions sweated and then the soup simmered for a while. After topping it with the toasted bread and cheese under the broiler, I served it along side some beautiful roasted veggies (carrot, broccoli, mushroom, onion, and a bit of garlic). I love it when a good meal comes together. Unfortunately, for my family no one else partook in the yumminess and they continue to find it "weird."

For those out there that don't believe that a vegetarian can still be a "foodie" I say to you, "HA!." There is something so marvelous about good food that is cooked slow and with care and without a lot of crap thrown into it.

Freezer Stock - The Soup Tour Continues: Broccoli Cheese and a "Sink" Soup

So the Stock The Freezer - Soup Tour 2011 continues as I made a homemade broccoli cheese soup tonight for dinner (very yum!) with a recipe I improvised along the way. (I looked through a few different recipes before hand, got an idea for how other make it, contemplated what I liked about some of those recipes and what I had one hand, then experimented in my own.) The extra was bagged, labeled, and put in the freezer. The second of tonight, "Sink" soup, is simmering on the stove as I type... a vegetable soup that I derived the name from the idea of "every but the kitchen sink." (I haven't come up with a better name yet.) I keep a tub in the freezer where I collect bits of leftover or last bits of stuff to use up such as rice, vegetables, veggie broth, mushrooms, beans, or vegetarian gravy. These can be roasted, sauteed, steamed, or raw. When the container (and in this case a small freezer bag) are full I cook them down into a lovely soup, that has the house smelling quite nice right now. It's a great way to use up leftovers and have a wonderful soup full of texture, tastes, and overall yumminess. I love having soups, stews, and chowders in the freezer in individual servings. Convenient and I know what went into them.

And for you viewing pleasure and to go with ongoing theme (I keep finding these gems that just are begging to be shared) I found a Classic Sesame Street - Captain Vegetable. Enjoy!

Freezer Stock - The Soup Tour: Corn Chowder

I'm back to somewhat cooking regular and trying to get over the heaviness, richness, and junk that often comes with the holidays. For lunch today I roasted mushrooms, broccoli, some carrot and onion with a little but of seasoning and olive oil. Then stuffed the roasted veggies into a warmed pita with a touch of shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, and a touch of ranch dressing. Yum! While the veggies were in the oven roasting to perfection, I started my corn chowder for dinner. So so nice! I made enough chowder to help with me "Freezer Stock - The Soup Tour."

Also, in the spirit of things included link to an ABC Good Morning America segment on on "The Value of a Vegetarian Diet."