Mid-Week Food Frenzy

It's been awhile since I posted anything new I've cooked. This is mostly because I've been slacking on cooking anything of real substance lately. So yesterday I got into the baking spirit on my day off and tried out some new recipes. First, I made a white bean soup, next, a chick pea salad, and lastly, an amazing Kahlua triffle. The soup and salad were based off some random Foodgawker.com recipes I stumbled across and couldn't resist trying, and the dessert was something made out of the necessity of using up old cake.

White Bean Soup:

1 TB Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Red Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp White Vinegar
2 C Water
1 1/2 C Chicken Broth
2 Cans White Beans
1/2 C Diced Ham, Bacon, or Chorizo Sausage
2 C Frozen Collard Greens, Chopped

-Heat olive oil in large stockpot, saute onions for 2 minutes.
-Add garlic, saute another minute. Stir in spices and vinegar.
-Add water, broth, beans, and ham. Bring soup to a boil, then simmer covered for 30-60 minutes.
-10-20 minutes before serving, add collard greens and allow to tenderize.

Recipe from: http://moderncomfortfood.com/2010/10/white-bean-soup-with-collards-and-chorizo/

Chick Pea Salad:

4 Slices of Bacon
1 Medium Onion, Chopped
2-3 Large Carrots, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt
2 1/2 C Chicken Broth
1 C Water
2 Cans Chick Peas
4 C Collard Greens


-Fry slices of bacon in a stockpot until crispy. Remove bacon and crumble, set aside.
-Cook chopped carrots and onion in rendered bacon fat for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Stir in spices.
-Add crumbled bacon, broth, water, and chick peas. Bring to a boil then simmer covered for 20 minutes.
-Add kale and simmer for another 10 minutes or until water has cooked off.
-Serve warm or eat cold the next day!

Recipe from: http://www.lolfoodie.com/archives/2011/03/chick-peas-and-greens-salad/

Kahlua Triffle:

Old Cake (White or Chocolate)
Kahlua
Chocolate Pudding
Cool Whip

-Dice up old cake into cubes. Place half of cake in the bottom of a clear glass bowl.
-Pour Kahlua over cake until moist.
-Spoon and spread half of chocolate pudding over cake.
-Spoon and spread half of Cool Whip over pudding (some mixing may occur).
-Layer the other half of the cake (with Kahlua), pudding, and Cool Whip.
-Refrigerate until you're ready to serve it. I recommend serving with a White Russian!

White Russian:

1 Part Vodka
1 Part Kahlua
2-3 Parts Milk