Leek and Potato Soup

For those of you who don't know me that well I'll let you into a not so secret, secret...I'm a terrible cook! Which I have to say is pretty frustrating when you're a real foodie like me.  It's not for the want of trying either.  I really do put the effort in but somehow the end product doesn't end up tasting or looking quite so, er desirable.

I really don't get it.  I always follow the recipe step by step. Take for example the chocolate cake I made in August.  I followed that recipe WORD FOR WORD and this was the end result! Shocking I know!

In my defence I would just like to say that a) the recipe didn't explain how much mixture to put in the tin and b) how the heck do you get the icing to stick to the cake without destroying half of it in the process!? On a positive note the cake actually tasted really nice and the five people who tried it lived to see another day.

And then there was the time I made pavlova. Note I said pavlova and not pizza as the below photo would lead you to believe.

Seriously , I have more chance of becoming a quantum physicist than I do a master chef.  However, just occasionally miracles do happen when I'm in the kitchen and it seems only fair to share my culinary delights with those of you also lacking skills in the kitchen department.  I know you're out there, show your faces!

As winter's approaching there's nothing a nicer than a warm hearty soup.  My favourite has to be Leek and Potato soup and it's got to be the easiest soup to make, in the world!!  Obviously I haven't put this to the test, if there are easier soups to make please feel free to comment below.

Leek and potato soup literally has 3 - 4 ingredients, 5 if you include seasoning,  Is that technically an ingredient? Who knows, lets not ponder! When I make soup I always think it's nice to make a big batch so we can get a few lunches from it, you could even freeze some of it.  So bear in mind these quantities are very generous!

8 leeks

7 small / medium potatoes

1 garlic clove

Vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

Cut off the stringy white end of the leek, peel a couple of layers off, then cut off the dark green part and throw away.  It feels like you've cut your leek in half and thrown it away, which seems like a waste but as far as I'm aware there's nothing else you do with that end of the leek!  Again feel free to enlighten me, as we all know I'm no expert!  

Slice the leeks around 2cm thick. Peel and chop the potatoes into quarters or smaller.  Remember, the smaller they are the quicker they'll soften.  Try to keep them roughly the same size so they cook through at the same time.  Add some oil to a big saucepan, throw in the the leeks and potatoes, add a crushed garlic clove and some salt and pepper, put the lid on the pot and leave to sweat on a low heat. I always fret that the veg will stick to the pan, so I keep going back to give them a good stir.  

After about 15 / 20 minutes I add some boiling water with a stock cube so that the veg really begins to boil down.  Then just leave this simmering on a low heat until the leeks and potatoes have completely softened.  Once you're happy the veg has completely cooked through, take off the heat and use a handheld blender to liquidise the soup.  Add water depending on how thick or thin you like your soup.

So in a nutshell, peel and chop your veg, chuck in a pan to sweat, add some stock, boil down, liquidise and that's it! Easy as pie, except that's a ridiculous comment because making pastry is not easy to do, at least not for me anyway! They should change it to 'easy as eating pie'. That I can do!

So, are you a terrible cook?  Do recipes baffle you?  Have you got an easy recipe you'd like to share if so I'd love to hear from you! 

Guest Post - Veggie Pizza from Scratch

Hello "A Girl I Know' followers! I am Penni from Banjelope. I have a blog mostly about creating amazing meals in the kitchen, as well as fun design things like printables and other whimsical wanderings. If you like this recipe, I hope you'll check out my blog.

Now, if you think making homemade pizza from scratch is too hard, stop thinking that way. Homemade pizza takes about an hour, but most of that time is waiting for the dough to rise. The dough really consists of four ingredients (yeast, water, flour and oil) and the toppings are all up to you. I never thought about making my own dough until my friend and attorney partner at my law firm, Emily, taught me how to make pizza from scratch. I was amazed at how easy and delicious the result was! Today, I am sharing my pizza dough recipe with you. The toppings are really up to you, but I used veggies and italian cheeses.  I also used pesto as my pizza sauce, mostly because my husband is obsessed with pesto. You can go sauce-less or use a tomato-based sauce if you prefer.  All the other ingredients in the dough, like the herbs and spices, are up to you and completely optional. I like to put a lot of stuff in my dough, because why not? If you want to keep it simple,

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (90-110  degrees Fahrenheit or 32-37 degrees Celcius)
• 2-2.5 cups flour (I used all-purpose unbleached flour).
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• dash of garlic salt/powder
• dash of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 teaspoons white sugar
• Italian herbs of choice. I used oregano & parsley

Directions:

 

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. I used instant yeast in water roughly 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I do not have a thermometer, so what I do is heat up the water and test it on the inside of my forearm. If the water feels roughly the temperature of my skin, then I put the yeast in the water. If its too hot, then I let the water cool for a minute or two and test again (and repeat if necessary). If its too cold, then I heat it up for a couple of more second in the microwave. If you do have a thermometer, then try to get the water between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit before you put the yeast in. The yeast should look something like this when done. Yummy looking, right?

While the yeast is dissolving into the water, in a separate large bowl, combine the flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar, spices and herbs together and mix. Once the yeast mixture is creamy, add the yeast mixture into the large bowl. Hand or use utensils to mix well until a stiff dough has formed. Cover with a towel or damp paper town and let rise until doubled in volume, or about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the dough has doubled in size, kneed and turn the dough on a well floured surface. Carefully form and spread dough into a round or square shape, depending on how you want your pizza to look. 

Don't mind the messy counter-tops!

Once your pizza dough is formed, lay it on a pizza stone or a pan of your choice. I use a pizza pan that is circle and has circles cut out of it to make the pizza crisp. Cook your dough, with nothing on it, for about 4-5 minutes. This lets the dough get slightly cooked and to make sure the middle of the pizza will be cooked through. It should look something like this: 

Cover with your sauce of choice. Today, I used pesto on my veggie pizza. You can add whatever veggies you want as a topping. I used mushrooms, tomato slices and red onions. I also like to brush the crust with a little oil, but that is up to you. Add the cheese at the end. I used a mix of mozzarella and a local cheese, roughly 1-1.5 cups worth of shredded cheese. Cover with any more herbs you may want.

Put it in the oven and let cook for 15-20 minutes, depending on how you like your pizza cooked. I am partial to a well-cooked and crispy pizza. If you like it more gooey, then keep it around 15 minutes. Take it out and enjoy! Is there anything more satisfying then a home-made pizza? I think not.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. My husband always looks forward to pizza night. This recipe takes about an hour to make, but it is mostly waiting around. It's completely worth it, and it's completely personalizable, meaning you can add any toppings, sauces, cheeses or anything else you may want.