Ringing the Dinner Bell!

Ring... Ring... Ring...

Why are you asking!? She hasn't even served the food yet!?

Hey now! Don't be rude! Besides, he's so cute! Don't worry little kitten, you can has moar! ^.^ Push Over!! Woah, woah, woah! Don't insert yourself into my paragraphs! Your job is to do the captions (you're really not all that good at it though...) and I write the posts. Geez, I wouldn't have a problem with it if you were nice but you're just rude. Ignore Mr. Grumpy everyone... Anyway, the dinner bell is ringing and you know what that means! It's time I share a nice recipe or two with all of you! The first recipe is not something you eat but rather something you can make to quench your thirst! 

 Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

• 4 medium lemons
• 54 fl oz water
• 1/2 cup sugar

First you're going to need to squeeze the juice of 4 lemons (either large or medium), comes to about 8-10 oz. Next you'll want enough water to fill a 2 qt pitcher (~54 fl oz). Then add your lemon juice and a 1/2 cup sugar to the water. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

So, that wasn't really all that difficult... pretty self-explanatory but it's always good to have a recipe in case you ever forget. The next recipe is one you'll definitely want to try during the colder months of the year. The recipe I will be providing is for a nice creamy, sweet potato soup. The recipe is easy to double (or triple) and I think will definitely be a favorite next Thanksgiving.

Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil.
• 1 small onion, diced.
• 1 shallot, diced.
• 2 gloves garlic, chopped.
• 3-4 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes.
• 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock.
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. 
• 1 tsp. paprika.
• 1-2 tsp. salt.
• Fresh ground pepper

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and shallot, season lightly with salt and pepper. Sweat the onions (cook them until translucent without allowing them to brown) for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook two more minutes until fragrant. Stir in sweet potatoes, stock, cinnamon, and paprika. Bring mixture to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes (sweet potatoes should be very tender.) Using a blender, stick blender, or food processor, puree the mixture (in batches, if necessary.) Return the pureed mixture to the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with chopped parsley, if desired. Soup can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. The soup can also be frozen for up to a few months. But are you really going to wait that long? I don't think so. 

Well, the dinner bell has rung and now it's time to say goodbye...for now. I hope you all try these recipes out and that you enjoy them. If you're interested in finding some more good recipes, follow this link: Good Food That Will Keep YOU Good! This site has over 400 recipes that are affordable for anyone who is tight on money, and did I mention that it was GOOD!? ^.^ Please check out the site and share some recipes with your own friends and family!