WHAT'S COOKIN?

This weeks blog post is dedicated to the kitchen. As the rains continues to fall and Autumn temperatures begin the plummet, Corey and I were in the mood for something to warm our inside. We experimented with a new recipe from The New Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen. It's a vegetarian cookbook with creative and flavorful recipes. The recipe we're sharing today is called Gypsy Soup. It's full of flavor, veggies, and a little spicy kick.

GYPSY SOUP
Yield: if freezing I recommend making double the recipe. It typically makes 4-5 servings.
2 medium-sized tomatoes
2 TBLS olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 medium cloves of garlic(crushed)
1 stalk celery, minced
2 cups peeled diced sweet potatoes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp basil
1 dash of cinnamon
1 dash of cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cup cooked chick peas
Heat a medium sized saucepan full of water to a boil. Core the tomatoes, like you would an apple. Plunge them into he boiling water for a slow count of ten seconds. Remove he tomatoes, and peel them over a sink. Cut them open; squeeze out and discard he seeds. They should come out easily. Chop the remaining pulp and set aside.
2). Heat he olive oil in a kettle or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, celery, and sweet potato, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add salt and sauté 5 minutes more. Add seasonings and water, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes.
3). Add tomato pulp, bell pepper, and chick peas. Cover and simmer for about 10 more minutes or until all he vegetables are as tender as you like them. Taste to adjust seasonings, and serve.
* Corey used hot Hungarian paprika and was a little too spicy. I would add to taste as some people may prefer he soup to be less spicy.