Curry Carrot Ginger Soup

Curry Carrot Ginger Soup
Fiery, creamy and hot, a dose of curry adds an extra kick to this super-healthy soup.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 nub fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 or 6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
Dash cumin
Dash cayenne pepper
4 lemon wedges
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sprigs parsley, optional garnish
Dollop sour cream, optional

Time estimates
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon oil and butter in large heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion and ginger. Stir and cook until onion is tender, 5 or 6 minutes. Add potato, 1/2 cup of broth and salt. Bring to low boil. Stir occasionally until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Add carrots and remaining broth. Return to low boil. Cover and simmer. Cook until ingredients are tender, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat.
3. Meanwhile in separate saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter until it begins to foam. Add milk and bring to low boil. Add curry, cumin and cayenne seasoning. Stir about 1 minute or until ingredients turn gold. Remove from heat.
4. Carefully transfer contents of pot to blender. Process until smooth, about 25 to 30 seconds, in two batches if necessary. Return to pot.
5. Stir curry sauce into soup. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes, to let flavors meld. Reheat, add lemon wedge and serve hot.

Serves 4
Recipe from Mother Nature Network

Mandarin Orange Chicken

Here is a nice recipe that is quick and delicious.
Serves 6, prep time 15 minutes

Ingredients
6 Boneless Chicken Breast
11 oz Canned Mandarin Oranges
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Onion Powder
1 Tbs Garlic Powder
Zombie Jac's Crushed Pepper (To taste)
Himalayan Sea Salt (In grinder)
Grape Seed Oil

Thaw, wash and dry the chicken breast, set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Pour enough grape seed oil in to a large roasting pan to just cover the bottom
Mix Brown sugar, Paprika, Onion powder and Garlic Powder in a large bowl.
Place each breast in the mixture, lightly coating both sides then place chick in to roasting pan, breast side up.
Grind salt on to each breast and sprinkle Zombie Jac's Crushed Pepper to suit taste.
Open oranges, drain and place oranges on to each breast, there are usually enough for 3 slices for each breast.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes uncovered.  Makes 6 servings.

It is pickling time!

Pickled Jalapeño Rings

• 3 pounds jalapeño peppers
• 1½ cups pickling lime
• 1½ gallons water
• 7½ cups cider vinegar (5%)
• 1¾ cups water
• 2½ tablespoons canning salt
• 3 tablespoons celery seed
• 6 tablespoons mustard seed

Yield: About 6 pint jars. Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning. Procedure: Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

	1.	Wash peppers well and slice into ¼" thick slices (a mandolin slicer works well). Discard stem end. Mix 1½ cups pickling lime with 1½ gallons water in a stainless steel, glass or food grade plastic container. Avoid inhaling lime dust while mixing the lime-water solution. Soak pepper slices in the lime water, in refrigerator, for 18 hours, stirring occasionally (12 to 24 hours may be used).
	2.	Drain lime solution from soaked pepper rings. Rinse peppers gently but thoroughly with water. Cover pepper rings with fresh cold water and soak, in refrigerator, 1 hour. Drain water from peppers.
	3.	Repeat the rinsing, soaking and draining steps two more times. Drain thoroughly at the end.
	4.	Wash and rinse pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.
	5.	Place 1 tablespoon mustard seed and 1½ teaspoons celery seed in the bottom of each clean, hot pint jar. Pack drained pepper rings into the jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.
	6.	Bring cider vinegar, 1¾ cups water and canning salt to a boil over high heat. Ladle boiling hot brine solution over pepper rings in jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Make sure pepper rings are covered with brine.
	7.	Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.
	8.	Process in a boiling water canner according to the recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Pickled Jalapeño Rings in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Raw	Pints	10 min	15	20