Turn Veggies into “Cream” Soups

By Sandy Hu

With the bounty of fresh vegetables now coming to market, it’s easy to overbuy. When I find my enthusiasm has overtaken my cooking capacity, I turn the extra vegetables into “cream” soups. There’s no actual cream in these soups but the soup turns wonderfully thick and satiny when the veggies and potato are pureed.

This recipe is a formula: You can use 3 cups of any vegetable you’d normally cook, such as broccoli, carrots, asparagus or cauliflower. Just don’t combine vegetables in one soup because you could end up with an unattractive, muddy-looking broth. And don’t skip the potato. It provides the body and creamy quality to the soup.

Click to read more ...

A Sumptuous St. Patrick’s Day Celebration for One

By Lori Powell

All this week, Special Fork bloggers will be sharing recipes for St. Patrick’s Day. And to celebrate, Special Fork is giving away a prize package of a year’s supply of delicious Kerrygold Butter and cheeses, imported from Ireland, courtesy of Kerrygold! It’s easy to enter the sweepstakes.

March 17, St Patrick’s Day, is in a couple of days and this year it falls on a Saturday. So the streets of New York City will look like a river of green with people off from work free to attend the parade and celebrate the day.

One of my favorite trips abroad was to County Cork, Ireland, where I took my mom for her first visit about 10 years ago. My mom is a Murphy and had never been so it was up to me to plan the trip.

Click to read more ...

Carrot Salad - a New Way to Eat Veggies

By David Hu

I’m always trying to eat more veggies but most of the time they’re really an afterthought. There are only so many times you can steam or sauté vegetables before they get boring.

Today’s recipe is a carrot salad which can be enjoyed year-round because carrots are always available in the market. This dish has a great burst of flavor that comes from sweet-tart dried plums and Moroccan spices, and the salad will add some nice, vibrant colors to your meal.

Click to read more ...

Rutabaga, My New “Butternut Squash”

From Lori Powell

Rutabaga is that funny-looking, waxy thing that you see in the root area of the supermarket produce section. It really doesn’t feel good to the touch but underneath is a globe of delicious goodness!

I must say that I was among the doubters, thinking it really can’t be that good and it’s probably woody and dry underneath the rind. Now rutabaga is my new butternut squash with lots more dimension – the adult version of butternut squash.

Click to read more ...