Spanish Omelet, one successful iteration

This time when I made Spanish omelet it was very popular on the home-front.

Scrub up to three small to medium red potatoes and cut out any eyes.  Dice them and put them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons water in the microwave to cook for 4-5 minutes, or until you can smell the potatoes.

While the potatoes are cooking, peel and dice an onion...can be any kind though I used a yellow onion this time.

In a large skillet place 2 tablespoons canola oil and turn on the heat to medium high.

Remove potatoes from microwave and drain off any remaining water and carefully pour the semi-cooked, diced potatoes into the hot skillet.  Sprinkle the onions over the top then cover for about 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms of the potatoes begin to brown.  Carefully stir them (you don't really want to make mashed potato!) and put one cup of frozen peas on top.  Put cover back on and give the pan 1-2 more minutes...potatoes should now be softened and browned and the onions and peas nearly cooked.

Scramble 5-6 eggs together and pour over top, tilting pan this way and that to get the eggs spread out over whole top of vegetable mixture.  Cover for a minute or two until the egg is cooked.  Sprinkle with ground black pepper and shredded cheese.

Very big seller here.  Unlike so many things I make!

Spicy Broccoli Cheese Soup, 2013 version

One night early in the week we were chilled to the bone after being out in the below zero F. weather so soup was on order.  This is the recipe I came up with after looking at multiple recipes online.  To me it tastes pretty yummy!

Broccoli Cheese Soup, Spicy

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings about 4

16-ounce package frozen broccoli

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 onion, chopped very finely
1 rib of celery, chopped fine…can use food processor for both of these chopping jobs if you don’t have a good chef’s knife;  just pulse a few times until the consistency you like.
1 quart chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon or more ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon hot chili oil (you can leave this out if you are not a spicy fan, or add more...though probably not very much more.  This amount was as spicy as we liked it...)
1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
Dash of salt-if you taste  the soup and find you need it

Directions

1. Put oil or butter into a heavy soup pot (4-quart or larger). Place pot over medium heat and add onions and celery.  Stir with a wooden spoon for several minutes until the onions and celery are well-softened.

2. Pulse broccoli in food processor until finely chopped.  (This is for those people who don’t like to see broccoli florets in their broccoli soup.  You know who you are!)   

3.  Add chicken stock to soup pot and bring to a boil, stirring often as you check to make sure the onions and celery are actually sofened.  Add chopped broccoli, thyme, hot chili oil, and black pepper.  Stir well.

4.  Stir in shredded cheese then add heavy cream.  Stir well.

5. Serve immediately.  Nice homemade croutons go well as a garnish, or just enjoy it as is.

6.  If you do have leftovers, store them in a glass bottle in the refrigerator then either sip cold, or warm in a microwave or put in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the temperature you like.  You don't want to heat over high heat or the cheese and cream can break and you have ugly-looking soup.  It has happened...