recap of the week

Sorry for the long absence . . . it has been one hell of a long, stressful week. And now we are allegedly going to get over a foot of snow today! Boo-hoo. (I wouldn't care, except that I have PLANS, people! Drat.)

OK, enough complaining. Even though I still kind of feel like a crazy person, I did manage to cook/bake a little bit this week! Results:

First, it's been so long since we've done something for the bake-a-long, I thought it about time for some bread!

Even though I've made the "Broa" before, (page 82,) I was more than happy to make it again. I love the subtle flavor the cornmeal brings to the loaf, and the wonderful, crispy crust against the slightly dense, chewy bread. I heart bread!

Bread goes so well with soup, doesn't it?

Melody had requested I make my "Sweet Potato-Coconut Curry Soup" and post about it again, and I was happy to oblige! Years ago, when I still thought I was writing a cookbook, this was one of my recipes I was proudest of -- but it's amazing how our tastes change, isn't it? As I was reviewing the recipe, I had several thoughts about the recipe, and made a few subtle changes as I went along. Here's the revised list of ingredients -- I figure most can figure out how to make soup, so I'm not going to post directions. This can be done either in a soup pot or Crock Pot, depending on your preference and time available! Here are the ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola or coconut oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry paste (I usually use red, but whatever you have on hand should be fine!)
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
4 heaping cups peeled, cubed sweet potato
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (depending on how salty your broth is)
1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
minced fresh cilantro (for garnish)

I also managed to make some stir-fry the other night:

Tempeh, red bell pepper, sweet potato, red onion, broccoli, and some mixed mushrooms combined for a delightful topping for some plain brown rice. I kept this one fairly simple, and appreciated the hefty dose of veggies, whole grains, and healthy protein.

Happy weekend, all!