Fall Weather Arrives

Actually fall arrived here Wednesday and announced its presence with 24 hours of rain, almost 3 inches in our rain gauge. There has been serious flooding in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Today it the rain has stopped but it is cooler and windy. Definitely time for soup!!!

Here's recipes that is easy to make and bursting with healthy lentils and savory fall vegetables. I've also used chopped ham instead of the sausage. Add a little sherry and you'll feel warm and toasty for sure.

Lentil Sausage Soup

Serves 6 to 8

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 ½ cups lentils
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. pepper
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 to 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
½ lb. diced kielbasa or smoked sausage
Sherry

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add the onion, celery, carrots and leek. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, salt, pepper, chicken broth and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 to 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Add the kielbasa and simmer 10 minutes. Season to taste. Stir in vinegar. Adjust seasoning.

Add sherry to the soup when serving, if desired.

Baking with Yeast

Since I posted two recipes recently using active dry yeast I thought it would be helpful to talk about yeast and yeast breads. I have always loved bread and enjoyed making it. It actually doesn't require a lot of active time. Once the dough is made, you need a few minutes to shape it. After it rises a second time, it's time to bake.

Using my Kitchen Aid mixer to knead the dough makes the whole process even easier. After making the dough I switch to the dough hook and "knead" the dough about 3 minutes. After this, I place the dough on a lightly floured counter and knead it a minute or two. When it is smooth and elastic it's ready for rising.

Here's some info on yeast!

The most important step in baking yeast breads is using the proper temperature of water to activate the yeast. Because yeast is a living organism, it is easily killed by excess heat. When adding yeast directly to warm water, the water temperature should be between 105 and 115 degrees F. Use a thermometer to measure the water temperature to insure that the yeast is not killed.

Test warm tap water by sprinkling a few drops on the inside of your wrist. If it feels warm to you it is a perfect temperature for yeast. Adding warm water to yeast is called proofing because the yeast will begin to grow and produce gas “proving” that the yeast is alive. After opening yeast, store any remaining in the refrigerator and use by the date indicated on the package. Yeast past its expiration date won’t produce gas to leaven the dough.

Thoughtful Eating

The USDA Food Pyramid has always been criticized because it isn't easy to use. In 2010 new Diet Guidelines for Americans is being published. Will this be more successful? We have to wait and see.

The number one nutritional concern in the U.S. today is obesity. And the best way to decrease this serious health risk is through diet. I read an article on the Nourish Network about topics that are included in the new recommendations.

Some of the topics that part of the discussion include:

Plant based diets need to become everyday diets- this means eating more vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts.

Two servings of seafood should be consumed each week. Low fat and fat-free milk products are important dietary components.

Decrease consumption of meat, poultry and eggs.

Eat attentively. Carefully consider what you are consuming.

Learn to cook. By preparing food at home, fat, portion sizes and content are within your control. Does this mean "Home Ec" will be back in the schools? It should never have been dropped.