Tag: comfort food

Potato, Broccoli & Carrot Soup

The Wild Gems1 Comment

Ingredients

  • 4–5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups broccoli, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1–2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup milk or cream (optional)
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika for seasoning + one bay leaf

Optional:

  • Parmesan cheese (optional)

Steps

1. Build your base
In a large pot, melt the butter or heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and celery, letting them soften for a few minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant. (5 minutes)

2. Add the vegetables
Add the potatoes, carrots, and broccoli. Stir gently, letting everything coat in the warmth of the pot.

3. Let it simmer
Pour in the broth.
Add salt, pepper and additional seasonings. Season lightly and taste.
You can also drop the bay leaf here for a deeper flavor.

Bring it to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer.
Let it cook for about 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

4. Blend to your liking
For a creamy soup, blend all or part of it.
For something more rustic, leave it chunky.

( I blended half of it)

5. Make it creamy
Stir in the milk or cream (optional) Let it warm through gently. I placed the cream in a little glass so others could add it if they wanted to or not when I served it.

6. Taste and adjust
Add more salt, pepper, or cheese if you’d like.

Serve with delicious French bread with butter or garlic bread.

Easy Ratatouille (with Jarred Sauce)

The Wild Gems1 Comment

Sometimes the best meals aren’t complicated—they’re just made with what you already have, a little intention, and a whole lot of ease. This ratatouille is exactly that. Simple, nourishing, and quietly beautiful.

What You Need:

  • 1 jar marinara sauce
  • 2 green zucchini
  • 2 yellow squash
  • 1 small eggplant (optional)
  • 2–3 tomatoes (optional)
  • 2–3 cloves garlic (jarred minced garlic works)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt + pepper
  • Italian seasoning
  • Optional: parmesan or mozzarella

And:

  • A ceramic pie dish (or any baking dish you have)
  • A knife + cutting board
  • A little time to slow down

Steps:

  1. Start with your base
    Pour your jarred marinara into a sauce pan and mix in:
  • Garlic
  • A splash of olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning

This is where you quietly turn something store-bought into something that feels like your own.

  1. Slice your vegetables
    Thinly slice:
  • Zucchini
  • Squash
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes

There’s no rush here. Let this part feel calm.

  1. Build your dish
  • Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of your dish
  • Arrange your veggies in a spiral or rows
  • Sprinkle a little seasoning on top
  • Drizzle with olive oil

It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.

  1. Bake
  • Cover with foil
  • Bake at 375°F for 40–45 minutes
  • Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes

Your kitchen will start to smell like comfort.

  1. Finish with intention
  • Add a little more olive oil
  • Sprinkle fresh herbs or cheese if you’d like
  • Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving

This is where everything comes together.

A gentle reminder:

This dish isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating something warm, simple, and nourishing with what you already have.

Just like most things in life.

Lasagna Soup

The Wild GemsLeave a comment

What You Need:

12 lasagna noodles broken up into little pieces

1 pound of ground beef

1 pound of sausage

1 medium onion cut in half and sliced in pieces

4 garlic cloves chopped

1 6oz can of tomato paste

1 tablespoon of oregano

1 tablespoon of thyme

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of Salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

4 cups and 3/4 of chicken stock

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Ricotta Dumpling’s so good

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning

A few pinches or fresh chopped parsley

Steps:

1: In a large dutch oven pot sauté the onions with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, and thyme until softened.

2. In a separate pot cook the lasagna noodles as directed, drain, and set aside.

3. In the Dutch oven add both the ground beef and sausage, the salt and pepper, and cooking until all brown and mixed well. Drain the fat.

4. Next add the tomato paste, the can of crushed tomatoes, some chopped fresh parsley, and the chicken stock. Allow to simmer for 20 mins.

5. While the soup is simmering, in a small mixing bowl add the ingredients for the ricotta dumplings and mix throughly. Set aside. Taste it, it’s so good! Would be great on Bruschetta too!

6. Add the heavy cream and mix well. Then add the lasagna noodles and simmer for 5 mins.

7. Serve in bowls with dollops of the ricotta mixture.

Enjoy!