Seafood Stoup

I haven't tried this one yet, but it mirrors the simplicity of some of my favorite recipes, so I thought it would be worth posting. I'll follow up after I make it to share results and tweaks to the recipe!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pound sea scallops, trimmed and patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 flat fillets of anchovies
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (1/3 palmful)
1/2 cup dry sherry, white wine or dry vermouth (eyeball it)
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup seafood stock or chicken broth
1 pound large shrimp, deveined and tails removed
1 pound turbot, cut into chunks
1/2 cup shredded or torn fresh basil
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Crusty bread, to pass around the table
Check out
Look for seafood stock in the soup aisle or frozen foods section.

Directions:
1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium-low heat. Add the scallops in a single layer, season with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate. add the garlic, anchovies and crushed red pepper to the skillet and cook until the anchovies dissolve.

2. Add the sherry to the skillet and reduce slightly. Add the tomato sauce and stock; bring to a boil. Season the shrimp and fish with salt and pepper, add to the sauce and simmer until opaque, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the scallops, basil and lemon peel. Serve the stoup in shallow bowls with the bread.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

It's been difficult to find time to cook while moving, but after finally cleaning and lining the kitchen cabinets, I was able to unpack all of my kitchen dishware and gadgets! The kitchen is the most important room in our house, so it was the first location I unpacked. Plus, we were getting really sick of take out and frozen pizzas!

Time is still limited with the amount of house work and unpacking left to do, so this is when my slow cooker is truly a savior.

Enjoy this great split pea soup recipe!

Ingredients
3/4 pound green split peas
3/4 pound smoked ham, cubed
1 1/2 cups carrot, diced
1 cup shallot, diced
2 cups potatoes, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 chicken bullion cube
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated
Baked bread or rolls

Directions
Cook cubed ham in a skillet on medium high heat until it starts to brown, add shallots and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Combine the ham mixture and all other ingredients through ground pepper in the slow cooker. Cook 6 to 8 hours.

Serve with grated parmesan on top and a hot roll on the side.