Roasted Tomato Sauce

I live in New Jersey, aka The Garden State, and we have some of the most delicious summer produce.  Despite all the jokes about my home state, we have the best tomatoes in the country.  So I frequent our local farmers' markets here, where the produce is so fresh and the price is right!  I got two beautiful pints of red grape tomatoes for $3, and combined them with a pint of yellow tomatoes I did purchase at the grocery store to make this delicious sauce.  Roasting the tomatoes gives a complexity you would not otherwise get.  This sauce freezes very well.

2 pints red grape tomatoes, washed and pat dry
1 pint yellow grape tomatoes, washed and pat dry
1/4 EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp basil pesto (I had fresh made, but you can use store bought)
1/2 tsp sugar
few shakes red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed (or 2 tsp garlic paste)
6 large fresh basil leaves (or about 8 if they are smaller)
1/4 cup fat free half and half
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss tomatoes, EVOO, pesto, salt and pepper, sugar, red pepper flakes and garlic.  Place in non stick foil lined 9x13 baking dish.  Roast in oven about 20 minutes or until tomatoes start to "burst," releasing juices.  Pour all contents of dish into medium sized pot, add fresh basil leaves and puree with immersion blender.  Adjust seasonings to taste, add fat free half and half and parm and cook over low until hot.  Serve over pasta.
**I highly recommend the purchase of an immersion blender if you do not have one, at $30 they are one of the most useful cooking instruments and not very costly.  If not, you can puree this sauce in blender or food processor, just stop processor and open lid a few times to let steam escape.

The Best and Easiest Hummus Recipe

I love hummus and always wanted to make it myself, my friend Melissa gave me this easy and delicious recipe that her brother in law makes.  Thank you so much, I will probably never buy it again!!!  It is very easy and you can easily add different things to it to make it different.  I am going to try it with roasted garlic next time, you can also make it spicy by adding red pepper flakes, and mix in a little olive tapenade and you have olive hummus :)

Hummus

15 oz can of chickpeas (they come anywhere from 15oz to 16 oz, use either)
1/4 Cup of the liquid from the can of chickpeas
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp tahini
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Olive oil
paprika for garnish

Combine all ingredients except liquid from can in food processor and blend.  Add liquid from chickpeas and blend 3 minutes until very smooth.  Serve with a sprinkling of paprika and a drizzle of olive oil.  Enjoy!

crustless broccoli and cheddar quiche

Crustless Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche this quiche is healthier because of the addition of cottage cheese (instead of heavy cream) for moisture and extra protein, and I used low fat cheddar cheese. The ingredients (before the broccoli and cheese) are blended completely so you do not even notice the cottage cheese. It was very delicious and you will not miss the crust, I promise!!!
 4 eggs
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1/2 Cup low fat sour cream salt and pepper
tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup all purpose flour
few dashes hot sauce (optional)
few shakes garlic powder
2 Cups cooked broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 cups low fat cheddar, shredded

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix first 8 ingredients in a bowl with immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Add broccoli and 1 Cup cheddar cheese, Line pie plate with nonstick foil. Pour quiche ingredients into pie plate and top wit remaining cheddar and a little salt and pepper (and I put red pepper flakes too!) Bake for 15 min at 375, and then lower temp to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes or until set.

Spaghetti Squash Gratin

This might be the new veggie I am obsessed with! It is sooo versatile and healthy and EASY!!! I will prob be posting more recipes using it soon....I especially thought this would be well recieved by my niece (or any kids really). I tagged a few ppl I thought would like it. It is great for you gluten free folks, vegetarians, and vegans can easily modify it too!! This only makes about 2 servings, I think this could easily be doubled or more, just maybe need to bake a bit longer.

 Spaghetti Squash Gratin
 1 med. spaghetti squash
1 cup sour cream (can use low fat)
1 heaping Tbsp of fresh chives, chopped
1/4 C Pecorino Romano (plus a little more to dust on top)
salt to taste
LOTS of cracked black pepper (less for the kiddos, unless they like it)

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave the whole squash for a minute, take it out and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place cut side down in a dish with a half inch of water and microwave about 10 minutes on high, until fork tender and squash shreds easily into strands. Use a fork to pull out the strands (just scrape it on the squash...be careful, it's hot), once all of the squash is shredded and in a baking dish, mix in all other ingredients and spread evenly in dish, sprinkle a little more cheese on top and more cracked black pepper (optional). Bake covered for 25 min, take off the cover and cook another 5 minutes...You're Welcome!!!

Spaghetti Squash with tomatoes and basil

this is a great recipe that can be adapted to suit your tastes...if you are vegan, leave out the cheese, you can sub the goat cheese with fresh mozzerella, cubed, feta, or parmesan if you like. I just love me some goat cheese. The original recipe is here...I changed it : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-squash-i/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=spaghetti%20squash&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page Spaghetti Squash with tomatoes and basil 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded 1 T extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 1/2 C grape tomatoes, cut in half 2 Tbs white wine 1/4 C crumbled goat cheese (or parmesan, or feta) 1 T chopped fresh basil\ salt to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the squash cut side down in a large pan (9X13) with about a half inch of water in the oven for about 45 min or until a knife goes right thru it. Let it cool til you can handle it and then use a fork to "string it" , scrape down the insides so it comes out in strings that look like angel hair pasta. Heat oil over med heat and saute garlic 1-2 min, add tomatoes and then wine...cook til tomatoes are heated and wine cooks down a bit. Toss in squash, basil,and goat cheese. Serve warm. Salt to taste.

Crustless Quiche with Fresh Baby Spinach and Colby Jack Cheese

Crustless Quiche with Fresh Baby Spinach and Colby Jack Cheese this was sooo good you will never miss the crust!!! You can sub reg or low fat for everything I used...used what I had on hand. For gluten free sub rice flour. 4 eggs 1C small curd cottage cheese 1/2 c low fat sour cream salt and pepper 1 t dijon mustard (i ended up using yellow bc it is what I had) 1/4 C all purpose flour pkg baby spinach, steamed and squeezed dry few dashes hot sauce few shakes garlic powder 1 1/2 c colby jack cheese (or whatever cheese you want...low fat, feta, etc) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl combine eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper, mustard and blend with immersion blender or food processor until smooth. Add flour, garlic powder, spinach, 1 C cheese, and stir. Pour into greased pie plate (I lined it with nonstick foil) and top with remaining cheddar. Bake at 375 for 15 min and 350 degrees for another 35 min until center is set and knife comes out clean. Will look a little puffy and will not be as firm as a regular quiche, much more fluffy....so good!

Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

ok, to some of you this sounds gross. THe cauliflower puree has the consistency of a thick alfredo sauce. The original recipe was by Mark Bittman at runners world. Here is the link to that recipe:http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-242-303-504-13847-0,00.html?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Recipes-_-BittmansCauliflowerMac
I made some changes because I thought his proportions were off and there were just some things I wanted to change. This was really great and creamy and did NOT taste healthy at all. This would be a great recipe for those of you with kids. You really didnt notice the cauliflower (if you do it right), sneaky way to get your veggies in. Its a great way to satisfy a craving for mac and cheese if you are trying to be good ( :

Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

1 C chicken stock
2 bay leaves
16 oz bag of frozen cauliflower florets
8 oz whole wheat pasta (I used fusilli)
1 C low fat cheddar or colby jack, shredded
1 Tbsp olive oil
dash of fresh grated nutmeg
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 heaping Tbsp of low fat sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
hot pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 C low fat cheddar or colby jack, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta is cooking, warm chicken stock and bay leaves until heated. Cook cauliflower in boiling water about 25 minutes, until very very soft. Once pasta is done, drain and return to pot (drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil to prevent sticking) Drain and blot with paper towels to get additional moisture out of cauliflower. Return cauliflower to pot (if using immersion blender) (or food processor). Discard bay leaves from stock. Add stock, oil, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper to cauliflower and either process or blend with immersion blender (the better choice). Mix in 1 C cheese until melted. Pour over pasta and stir. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle additional 1/4 cheese over top, cover and bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly ( :

Herb Butter and Goat Cheese Linguini with Fresh Tomatoes

This is a Rachel Ray recipe, which of course I made a few changes to. It was really delicious, especiallyin the summer when tomatoes and basil are at their best in NJ!

Herb Butter and Goat Cheese Linguini with Fresh Tomatoes

1 lb linguine (I used whole wheat)

8 oz goat cheese, crumbled

3 T unsalted butter and 2 T garlic herb butter from wegmans ..or...(5 T butter and 2 cloves crushed garlic)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 C dry vermouth or dry white wine

1/2 C flat leaf parsley, chopped fine

3/4 C fresh basil, cut into chiffonade, save some for garnish

1 and 1/2 pints chopped heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed, drain, reserve a ladle of cooking water. While pasta is cooking, put goat cheese in a bowl. In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Stir in dry vermouth or white wine and stir until slightly reduced (about 2 minutes). Add herbs, stir in reserved cooking water. Add pasta to goat cheese, and pour herb sauce on top. Season with salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes (if wanted), and toss until combined and goat cheese is melted. Add tomatoes and toss another minute. Garnish with fresh basil.

Mom's Famous Black Bean Soup

My mom has perfected this recipe over the years, and because I always monkey with perfection, I made a couple of minor changes. This recipe has ruined me for Black Bean Soup at restaurants, its that good.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 med. sweet onion, chopped fine
1 shallot, chopped fine
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp dreid oregano
4 (15.5 oz) cans of black beans (I like Goya exclusively), rinsed and drained
3 C water and 2 vegetable boullion cubes
1/4 C dry sherry (NOT cooking sherry)
cooked brown rice for serving.
optional for garnish:
chopped shallots
chopped hard boiled eggs
shredded cheddar
sliced jalepeno
sour cream

Saute onions, celery, cumin and oregano in olive oil for 8 min, until translucent. Add garlic, saute another 1-2 min. Add black beans, water and boullion, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30 min. Add dry sherry and simmer 5 minutes. Garnish with desired items and a small bit more of dry sherry. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms

So there is a restaurant near me, Sirena, that has a small plate happy hour menu, and one of the items on it is a creamy polenta with mushrooms...it was so great I had to re-create it! I am entering this into the Food Network Magazine's secret ingredient recipe contest! This month the ingredient is mushrooms. Cross your fingers for me!

Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms

1 1/4 C polenta
3 C chicken stock
3/4 C frozen sweet corn kernels
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 c fresh parmesan
2 Tbsp mascarpone cheese

mushrooms:
2 T EVOO
2 clove garlic, minced
2 (4 oz) pkgs. assorted mushrooms (baby bella, oyster, shitake)
1/4 C. dry sherry
2 T. fat free half and half
drizzle truffle oil
salt and pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan for garnish

Bring chicken stock to a boil, add polenta, cook 10 minutes. Add mascarpone, butter, corn, parmesan and mix til cheeses are melted. While polenta is cooking, saute clove of garlic in evoo for 1 min, add mushrooms (slice any larger ones) and sherry and cook til all liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are tender. Add fat free half and half. Spoon over polenta, garnish with a drizzle of truffle oil, shaved parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

Fra Diavolo Sauce

I got this recipe from my co-worker Mike, who obtained it from the owner of a very good Italian restaurant in the area (which will remain nameless). This is a spicy tomato sauce. It is amazing and so easy, you just really need the time to let it slow simmer for two hours. It makes a difference. This makes a whole bunch of sauce....great for freezing and you will have sauce all winter long!

Fra Diavolo Sauce

1 bulb of garlic, crushed or sliced
1/4 C EVOO
3 large cans peeled plum tomatoes (I think the size is 35 oz), crush them with your hands, do not drain them.
1 large (28 oz?) can and 1 small (16 oz?) cans of tomato sauce
1 bunch of basil, chiffonade
sugar, cayenne and red pepper flakes to taste
(I used about two tsp of sugar, a few dashes of cayenne and almost 2 Tbsp of red pepper flakes)

Saute garlic over med. in EVOO for 1-2 min. Add basil and wilt. Add plum tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, sugar, cayenne red pepper flakes (I added a Tbsp at a time and simmered for 30 min and tasted and added more) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low or med, cover, and slow simmer for two hours.

black bean and tomato quinoa

Another recipe from the girls pot luck...this one was soooo yummy AND healthy! And good for anyone who is vegan and/or gluten intolerant....Thank you Sandy for bringing this!

Black bean & tomato quinoa

2 teaspoons grated lim...e zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I used vegan butter for my girl Joy Guiga)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon sugar (I used organic, unrefined)
1 cup quinoa
1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Wash quinoa in 2 changes of cold water. Put quinoa in a pot with 1½ – 2 cups of water; bring to boil. Then turn the fire down low to a simmer & cover to steam. Cook for 20 minutes (or until it’s reached its desired softness).

Meanwhile, whisk together lime zest & juice, butter, oil, & sugar in a large bowl.

Add dressing to quinoa & toss until dressing is absorbed. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, green onion, & cilantro. Mix well.

Salt to taste & enjoy!

Gorgonzola Truffles

I had a girls night pot luck a few weeks ago and these were one of the fabulous appetizers that someone (Michelle) brought....they really are great and also great popped into a salad! The gorgonzola truffles are on the right on the plate with the grapes


4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 (4-5 oz.) container crumbled gorgonzola (blue-cheese)

2 tsp. finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp. worcestershir sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

Grapes and/or apples and pear slices

1. Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed until well combined. Cover tightly and chill at least 1 hour or until firm. (Can chill up to 3 days.)

2. Roll cheese mixture into 3/4 inch round balls. Roll each ball in bacon. Serve with apple and pear slices and grapes.

Deviled Eggs

I made this dish for the baby shower, it is a great brunch recipe and the filling can be made the night before and piped into the eggs the morning of the party. I make these at every brunch and there are never any leftover! I took my mom's recipe and made it my own...

Deviled Eggs

1 dozen large eggs
4 Tbsp low fat mayo
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp low fat sour cream
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
few dashes cayenne powder (optional)
fresh chives for garnish

Hardboil eggs. The best method I find is to fill a large pot with water, gently place eggs one by one in pot. Bring to a boil, shut off heat and cover, set the timer for 18 minutes exactly. With a slotted spoon, remove eggs and place in an ice bath until cooled enough to peel. I find the best way to peel the eggs is to tap several times on the counter and peel the shell off, if you want you can rinse under cool water.

Once the eggs are cooled and peeled, slice each one in half lengthwise and carefully pop out the yolks into a bowl. Place the whites into a paper towel lined container and put away in the fridge (if you are making this the night before). Add all other ingredients to yolks and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Spoon mixture into a large ziplock bag and push the mixture into one of the corners and seal. If making this the night before, put the mixture in the fridge. When ready to serve, place the egg whites on a platter and cut the tip off the ziplock bag and pipe yolk mixture onto the egg whites. Garnish by sprinkling either cayenne or paprika over eggs and topping with fresh chives if desired.

Veggies with Garlic Feta Dip

This is another recipe from the baby shower. I wanted to have something for the guests to eat while I finished the rest of the food for the shower, so I served some fresh veggies with a garlic feta dip, that I could just eat by itself with no veggies! It was great!

Garlic Feta Dip

1 C crumbled feta
1/2 C low fat sour cream
1/2 C low fat greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
assorted raw veggies of your choice
hollowed out bell pepper to serve the dip in

Combine feta, sour cream, yogurt, garlic, season with salt and pepper. Spoon the dip into the hollowed out bell pepper and serve with veggies on a platter.

Quinoa and Black Beans

This dish was even tastier than I thought. Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa), is known as the "Mother Grain." it has been around for centuries and is so high in nutrients, protein, and fiber. This recipe was tasty and healthy. I served it one night as a main meal with vegetables and the next night as a side dish. It is even good cold!

Quinoa and Black Beans

1 T EVOO
1/2 sweet onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C uncooked quinoa
1/4 C dry white wine
3/4 C Chicken stock (can sub vegetable stock)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
zest and juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
1 C frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (15oz) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
large handful chopped fresh cilantro
1 heaping tsp cream cheese
1 heaping tsp queso sauce

Heat EVOO over medium heat, stir in the onion and saute until translucent (about 5-7 min), add garlic, saute 1-2 minutes. Add wine and stir. Add quinoa, chicken stock, lime juice and zest, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med low and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir corn and black beans into saucepan and simmer 5 minutes more. Mix in cilantro, cream cheese and queso and stir until well combined. Voila!

Farmer's Market Thursdays and Baked Chile Rellenos

I went to a great farmer's market in West End on Thursday and I am now starting another theme night....Farmer's Market Thursdays! I was so inspired by the beautiful vegetables that I bought that I made a whole meal based around them...and that is what I will do every Thursday.

That being said, I bought some lovely Poblano Peppers, and I love Chile Rellenos....but they are not good for the old waistline...so I found a baked version online and tweaked it...cannot remember the source, but it was this british guy who did the recipe via a video. Instead of just cheese I stuffed the Poblanos with my black beans ole (recipe link below) and a small bit of low fat cheddar...the egg white mixture when baked forms a crust, and adds more protein. That combined with the black beans makes for a healthy and filling meal.

Baked Chile Rellenos

1/2 recipe black beans ole: (save the remainder to make quesadillas)
http://skinnybitchininthekitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/karens-black-beans-ole.html
1 recipe cilantro lime cream sauce (recipe to follow)
2 large Poblano Peppers
2 (1/2 inch thick) slices of low fat cheddar
flour for dusting
3 eggs, separated
2 T butter, melted but not hot
1/4 C cheddar jack, shredded
2 handfuls Doritos or tortilla chips, crushed (I used Jalepeno Popper Doritos)

Cilantro Lime Cream Sauce:
1 C low fat sour cream
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 jalepeno
handful fresh cilantro
1 clove of garlic, crushed
salt to taste

puree all ingredients in blender.

1. Roast Chiles in the oven under the broiler, set to high about 1-2 inches from the heat source, turning to char all sides...remove once entire pepper is charred and blistered. Place chiles (use tongs) in a paper bag and close. Allow to sweat 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. While peppers are resting, start preparation of the black beans ole.

2. Peel outer burnt skin from chiles under running water. Make a 2-3 inch lengthwise slit in peppers (be careful not to cut all the way through...you just want an opening to stuff the peppers with. Open gently (I cannot stress this enough). Remove seeds and place about 1-2 Tbsp of cooled black beans ole in each pepper. Place cheese inside and close with wooden toothpicks or skewars. Dust chiles with flour. Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in slightly beaten egg yolks and fold in melted butter (make sure it is not still hot or it will cook the eggs).

3. Spoon a coating of batter on bottom of greased glass pie plate or baking dish. Place stuffed chiles on batter. Spoon remaining batter over top of chiles. Sprinkle cheese on top and top with crushed doritos. Bake @ 375 degrees 17-20 minutes, until browned and eggs are set...broil if necessary. Serve with cilantro lime cream sauce.

Whole Wheat Orzo with Tomato and Feta

1/2 lb. Whole Wheat Orzo (about 1 and 1/3 cups)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Butter
1 C feta, crumbled
handful of parsley, chopped
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
lemon zest and juice of one lemon

Cook orzo to package directions, drain. Melt butter and add feta until both are creamy and melted. Mix in cooked orzo, parsley, tomatoes and lemon zest and juice. Stir until combined and heated through. Serve hot.

black bean pasta salad

I love pasta salad, and I think the addition of black beans really makes it heartier and healthier. I usually use whole wheat pasta or enriched pasta (Ronzoni Healthy Harvest or Ronzoni smart taste are the best).

Black Bean Pasta Salad

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

juice and zest of 1 lime

1 jalepeno, chopped (seeds and all...leave seeds out if you are fraid)

1 T EVOO

2 T red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/3 C chopped cilantro

1 tsp curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 C frozen sweet corn (it will thaw out quickly)

1/2 C salsa

3 Tbsp low fat mayo

1 Cup uncooked pasta (I used spirals)

2 C shredded colby jack or pepper jack cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse until cool. While pasta is cooking whisk together EVOO, vinegar, mustard, curry powder, salt and pepper, and mayo. Toss Black beans, corn, tomatoes, jalepeno, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, and salsa. Toss drained pasta, black bean mixture and dressing mixture. Fold in cheese. Voila!

Cremini Mushroom Lentil Soup

Sooo...it is getting to be soup weather, and I had a bag of dried lentils in my cabinet...so what is a girl to do?! Make up a soup recipe! it was really good, sorry the pictures look like puke!

Cremini Mushroom Lentil Soup

1 T Evoo

small vidalia onion, chopped fine

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (6oz) pkg cremini mushrooms (also baby bellas), roughly chopped

1/2 C dry sherry, divided (NOT cooking sherry)

5 C Chicken or Vegetable stock (not broth)

1 and 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained

salt and pepper

3 bay leaves

1/4 tsp curry powder

crushed red pepper to taste (optional)

1 med red potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)

1/4 C half and half

1 Tbsp Butter and 1 Tbsp flour for roux (optional thickener)

Immersion Blender

Heat oil in over med heat. Saute onion about 7 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add mushrooms, and sherry, salt and pepper and 1/4 c dry sherry and raise to med high heat. Saute 6 minutes and add carrots, stir and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add lentils and stir and add chicken stock, bay leaves, curry powder. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to med and simmer about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and simmer another 20 minutes, until potatoes and lentils are tender. Remove bay leaves and puree some of soup with immersion blender (this will thicken it slightly). Taste and add seasonings if needed. Add half and half and stir. I love thick soups, so I melted some butter in a small pot over med and add flour and whisk to make a roux. Cook a few minutes until golden and no longer smelling like flour. Add ladle of soup to roux and whisk. Turn off heat, add roux mixture back to soup and whisk. Adjust seasonings and add crushed red pepper if you like. Let sit to thicken about 10 min on low heat. Serve with sour cream or greek yogurt dolloped on top.