Seafood Stew

Yes, yes, I said I'd update more often, butttttttttt grad school is TIME CONSUMING. I *am* cooking, but the pictures have just been sitting on my camera...sowwie. Anyhow, this is a dish I made for my husband for his birthday dinner, adapted from something I saw online. It's a clear broth with shrimp and halibut and orzo pasta. The broth is flavored with basil, tomatoes, and garlic. It's a very simple dish to make, with most of the cook on the seafood coming from the heat of the broth. Serve it with a crusty bread and it's a quick weeknight supper!

What's in it:
-halibut, shrimp, orzo, basil, tomatoes, EVOO, garlic, S&P

Creamy Tomato Bisque

 Okay, don't hurt me. I know I've been REALLY behind and SUPER lazy about my blog. But fear not! I am back!
Today is a soup kind of day. It's raining and thundering, and I'm sick. Despite my desire to just lay in bed all day and not move, I was actually in a cooking mood, which is something I haven't been in for a longgg time. I suppose I have SOME reason to be happy. (FYI, I just got engaged...woohoo!!!) Sorry, no pictures of the ring...this is strictly a food blog. Anyhow, after rummaging the fridge and finding nothing that appealed me, I noticed the abundance of tomatoes I had on hand. Now, being the kinda lazy person I am today, I decided to use a stash of already pureed tomato (yay for cutting corners!). I simmered the tomato with a blend of oregano and various dried Italian herbs (basil, thyme, sage, and marjoram), as well as a bay leaf and some cracked black pepper. I added sugar to balance out the spice and included a bouillon cube for extra kick. In a different pot, I made a quick roux using organic milk. I mixed it with the tomato puree and voila! Quick and delicious bisque. My photography with this one was a bit rushed because I was pretty hungry and didn't want to wait. Also, my camera battery was quite low and in fear of it shutting off entirely, I didn't take my time. Oh wells!

What's in it:
-tomato puree, oregano, Italian mix, sugar, salt, bay leaf, black pepper
-roux: butter, flour, milk
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Garbanzo Rice Soup

Today it rained. Praise the Lord. It was a light, transient rain, but still rain nonetheless. The afternoon was bright and lovely. I had my curtains adjusted to let in the day's light, which made for a beautiful ambiance in my livingroom. I lit a candle and had Ludovico Einaudi serenading me on Pandora as I filled my brain with wonderfully useless useful MCAT facts. Yet, it was an almost perfect afternoon....
As I finished my work, the world outside my window got darker, and my stomach got hungrier. I hadn't the energy to make something complicated, so I figured soup would be easy and filling. I threw together some rice, chick peas (garbanzo), sweet corn, vegetable stock, scallions, and a bunch of spices to make a hearty soup with earthy and vibrant tones. The slightest drizzle of olive oil on top just kicks it up a notch (gotta thank Chef Ramsay for that). I paired it with some awesome Italian herb crackers and kicked back while watching a NOVA documentary on dreaming (which made me sleepy, of course). Gotta love lazy Sundays.

What's in it:
-vegetable stock, basmati rice, sweet corn, garbanzo beans, scallions, cumin, paprika, red chili flakes, chipotle, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil

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