red&white kidney bean dip+ sheela's underground soup

my paper that's due on friday is freaking me out. so i'm going to blog and procrastinate it away!

this is the red & white kidney bean dip recipe that some folks had requested. it was made on the occasion of the baking of lintil's unbirthday cake. and i'm also posting the recipe for sheela's underground soup, which she made on the same day. enjoy. ps: i like naughty curry. pps: we're on food porn watch!

red & white kidney bean dip

ingredients (what i can remember): one can white kidney beans, some leftover red kidney beans, some cilantro (chopped - mint would also work well), one clove garlic (minced), olive oil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and/or lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, possibly some oregano.

blend ingredients together. add water if needed for easier blending and a thinner consistency. serve with dipper of choice...pita bread, loaf bread, veggies...it's especially nice served chilled with warm bread.

sheela's underground soup

hey folx,

i thought i would post my soup recipe from friday night too since there were requests.

i realized how much i like 'conversational' recipes, like the ones my mom gives me, or the kind you get on the spot if you ask someone how they made something. SO here is my on the spot recipe for..

sharon's underground soup
[this is a DELICIOUS and HEARTY soup made of various squashes, ginger, spices, beans, and tomatoes!]

chop up ONE ONION and saute in big soup pot...add about one tbsp or so of finely cut up GINGER and cook til the onion is soft. to this add about ONE CARROT chopped up however you like it, plus whatever kinds of SQUASHES you like (i used a BUTTERNUT, some ACORN, and this squash that we call LOWKEY (sp?) that b, s and i didn't know the english name for but all eat).

the key is to put in all the hard veggies first so that they cook well enough.

oh and toss in a POTATO or TURNIP or SWEET POTATO if you like too!

when all the veggies are in the pot, add about 1 tbsp or so of CURRY POWDER and how ever many cloves GARLIC you like (i used about 3 or 4). let this cook, while stirring well, so that the curry roasts with the veggies but the garlic is not overcooked.

when it smells just right, add about 4 cups WATER or VEGGIE STOCK (i don't to use the stock as it often has additives that aren't so good for you and water works just as well) and ONE CAN of diced/whole/whatever TOMATOES.

let the soup boil til the veggies are tender and comfy to eat. if the tomatoes are whole, then chop them up in the pot with your stirring stick.

at this point, pull out half of the veggies (the not so nicely cut up ones, if you want) and blend them in a separate bowl (i use a hand blender, it works fine). add back to the soup.

add about TWO CUPS OF COOKED BEANS..whatever kind you like, black beans work great, i added chick peas on friday. then add up one ZUCCHINI cut in triangle slices...the zukes float on the top and look really pretty. :D let the beans and zukes warm through...i also added some corn cuz we had some and sharms suggested it!

and that's it -- enjoy!