Sweet potato leek soup

When my mom was about to make potato leek soup she realized there weren't any white potatoes, and  she only had sweet potatoes.  When we tried the soup with sweet potatoes it was huge hit.  It's a very warm and fall recipe. It's sweet and little bit spicy. 

Ingredients

Soup

4 Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 Fresh or frozen leeks, chopped

2 boxes chicken stock

Heavy cream (1 cup or more depending on your taste)

Salt & black pepper (to taste) 

Directions

1. Peel & chop the sweet potatoes and leeks

2. Add chicken stock to a big pot 

3. Add the sweet potato and leek to the pot, and bring to a boil

4. Then check if the potato is fork tender, if it is the soup is almost ready

5. Use a blender and purée the sweet potato and leek;   You don't see want to see the chunks of sweet potato 

6. Add the heavy cream and season the soup with salt and pepper

I used paprika infused oil as a garnish.

Oil

1 tablespoon  Evoo (Extra Virgin olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon  paprika 

*You can substitute butternut squash for the sweet potatoes, or coconut milk for the heavy cream. 

Baked potato soup

Who doesn't like a baked potato, but this one is a soup.  Iit has cheese, bacon & sour cream. It's the best soup to have when you are In a good mood.

2 potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 cup of water

2 slices of bacon (leftover from the morning or cook advance ) 

1/2 cup of flour

1 cup of cream

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella 

Salt and pepper

Dash of hot sauce if you like 

Cilantro 

Directions

1. Peel and chop the potatoes 

2. Boil potatoes in water 

3. When they are fork tender, drain them 

4. Then put the cooked potatoes back in the pot 

5. Add 1/2 cup of flour, mix it up and purée 

6. Add the cup of cream and season soup with salt & black pepper

7. Turn off the flame, add your cheeses until it is melty and cheesy

8. Add the bacon  and Cilantro as a garnish 

9. Enjoy!

*some other mix-ins could be chives, broccoli, or sour cream

 

Avocado salad

This avocado salad is simple, light and refreshing.  It's great with grilled shrimp, or plantain chips.

Ingredients_

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2  lime juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 avocado sliced julienne 

1 bell pepper of your choice 

Directions

1. Slice the avocado and the bell pepper into julienne slices

2. Season the avocado with salt and black pepper and toss to evenly distribute 

3. Then grab a small bowl and whisk the olive oil and lime juice to create a vinegarette.

4. In a big bowl put the avocado and bell pepper slices then add the vinegarette 

Cucumber salad

Refreshing cucumber salad

Who doesn't love cucumbers?   Cucumbers are a very refreshing vegetable in the summer time . I love eating them with red onion, sugar, salt pepper, alittle bit of olive oil, and lime juice.  It's light and refreshing.  This is a great summer salad.

  Ingredients

• 1 cut up cucumber, seedless
• 1/2 cup of sliced red onion (julienne)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon lime juice 

 Directions 

1. Cut up the cucumber
2. Then cut the red onion, julienne style
3. Grab a medium bowl to put the cucumber and red onion in
4. Then grab a small bowl to mix the sugar, salt, black pepper, oil, and lime juice 
5. Pour the vinegar mixture over cucumbers and onions
6. Refrigerate for an hour to chill, then serve

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

One night I wanted to make a corn and black bean salsa for taco night, because I got tired of eating store bought salsa.  I went to my fridge saw fresh corn and black beans in the pantry, so my plan was to make homemade salsa.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 cup black beans drained
• 1/2 yellow pepper diced
• 1/4 jalapeño diced
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 1/2 clove of garlic minced 
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp S&P 
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar 
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. First cook the corn, then put it in a bowl and put bowl in fridge to make the corn cold.
2. In the meanwhile, drain the beans and put them in a separate bowl.  Cut up the veggies and season, then add the corn.  Place bowl back in the fridge for at least two hours.

This salsa is good for taco night and a Super Bowl party served with chips!