We enjoyed a variety of cozy comfort foods, perfect for the chilly February weather, at our most recent Recipe Club and Potluck program! Get the recipes below for creamy roasted cauliflower soup, French toast casserole, lentil chili, and more. Enjoy these warm, tasty dishes as we wait for spring!
Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Fine sea salt
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed
- Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- On the baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and caramelized on the edges, 25 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.
- Once the cauliflower is almost done, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broth.
- Reserve 4 of the prettiest roasted cauliflower florets for garnish. Then transfer the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, to give the flavors time to meld.
- Once the soup is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary. (Do not fill past the maximum fill line or the soup could overflow!)
- Add the butter and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg and blend again. Add additional salt, to taste (I usually add another ¼ to ¾ teaspoon, depending on the broth). This soup tastes amazing once it’s properly salted! You can also a little more lemon juice, if it needs more zing. Blend again.
- Top individual bowls of soup with 1 roasted cauliflower floret and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, green onion and/or chives. This soup keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about four days, or for several months in the freezer.
Get the full recipe and cooking tips from Cookie + Kate!
Lentil Chili
Ingredients
- 1-2 cans of 3-bean trio or any assortment of beans, drained. You can use dried beans but you need to soak them overnight and then drain, rinse, and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours, then drain. I use about one cup of each, any assortment.
- 2 cups green or brown lentils, soaked overnight
- 1-38 oz jar salsa (I use Costco Kirkland Medium)
- 1-38 oz jar water (or more)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons of turmeric
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 2 teaspoons of cumin powder
- 1 cup red lentils, to thicken the chili
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- To a soup pot, add drained lentils, beans, salsa, water, red lentils, and spices. Bring to a boil.
- Simmer for at least 1-2 hours, mixing occasionally, since the red lentil will dissolve and thicken the chili. It will taste even better the next day, when all the flavors combine.
You can also make this in an instant pot using the soup/stew setting, and just dump everything in.
Can be served with chopped onions, cilantro, shredded cheese, and jalapenos. Great sides to serve it with include cornbread or crusty bread, biscuits, and crackers.
French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 6 large eggs
- 1¾ cups whole milk (370 ml)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (55 g)
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large loaf French bread cut into 1-inch cubes (about 14 to 16-oz.)
For the Topping:
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (55 g)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold butter diced (57 g)
To Serve
- maple syrup
- powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with butter.
For the Filling:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the bread until fully coated. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
For the Topping:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over the bread mixture. Dot the top with butter.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup, if desired.
Get the full recipe and details from Preppy Kitchen!
Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake)
Ingredients
Syrup:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 orange, halved
Cake:
- 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
- 3 oranges
- 5 eggs
- 1 (7 ounce) container Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Directions
- Combine 2 cups sugar, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Squeeze in orange juice and add juiced halves. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare the cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with some olive oil.
- Remove phyllo sheets from the package. Tear each sheet roughly into shreds and pile up in the baking pan. Let shredded phyllo dry out a little while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut 1 orange in half, and slice 1 half into very thin half-moons to garnish the cake. Zest and juice the remaining 2 1/2 oranges.
- Combine orange juice, orange zest, eggs, yogurt, olive oil, 1/2 cup sugar, and baking powder in a blender or food processor. Blend together on high speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Pour the orange, egg, and yogurt mixture over the shredded phyllo in the baking pan. Stir everything together gently to ensure that the egg mixture is evenly distributed. Garnish top of the cake with the orange slices.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the filling set, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. Set aside for at least 1 hour, until most of the syrup has soaked in. Slice into squares and serve.
Get the full recipe and cooking tips from All Recipes!
Easy Blueberry Cobbler
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cups (6 ounces) self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10 ounces (2 cups) blueberry
- 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
Directions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Whisk condensed milk, flour, milk, and melted butter together in bowl. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle blueberries and sugar evenly over surface.
- Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cobbler to wire rack; let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
Get the full recipe and cooking tips from PBS!