Roasted Potato and Onion Soup from Leftovers

It's the day after Christmas and I'm staring at the left over roasted potatoes in my refrigerator. I had sliced them very thin and roasted them with red onions just the day before, but they never reheat and taste the same.

These Yukon Gold slicers are begging for a second life. Here's what I have to work with: 4 unbaked Yukon Golds medium size, 2 pints of half and half, left over chicken stock, 2.5 cups of roasted Yukon Gold potatoes and red onion (tossed with basil, garlic and olive oil when roasted).

Let's make soup.

4 Yukon Gold medium size potatoes
2 1/2 cups roasted Yukon Gold potatoes (roasted with red onion optional)
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 turns of black pepper from mill
1 teaspoon salt
1 small clove garlic minced
Adobo seasoning 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh basil and parsley to taste


Dice the remaining raw potatoes and boil in 4 cups of salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve three cups of liquid.

Using an immersion blender puree the boiled potatoes and 2 cups of cooking liquid.

Add 1 1/2 cups of roasted potato and onion and puree. Add additional cooking liquid as needed. Add puree to soup pot. Put pot on low heat.

Dice remainder of roasted potato and onion in 1/4 inch bite size pieces. Add to soup pot.

Add 1/2 cup of half and half and 1/2 cup of chicken stock or vegetable stock. Add garlic. Add Adobo seasoning, fresh parsley, basil or any herbs you prefer to taste. You can try a touch of cumin for a smokey taste.

*Add additional cooking liquid, stock or milk to get your desired consistency.

Whala! Yummy soup!

Napa Valley Wine Train

This summer, I had the privilege of stepping back in time and getting a true picture of traveling and dining by train by riding the Napa Valley Wine Train, located in Napa, Californa.  At the Napa station, the train made up of original 1915 red and gold Pullman Cars stretched as far as I could see down the track. On board, I sat at a table covered in white linens and fine china, surrounded by ornate woodwork and wide windows decorated with thick, luxurious curtains. My eyes poured over the mouth-watering menu and wine list. Wines are not included in the price of your ticket. They range from around $8-18.

For my meal, I chose the beef tenderloin, which came with a delicious grilled Gorgonzola toast and pan seared asparagus. It did not disappoint. The tender beef melted in my mouth and Gorgonzola toast was rich and yummy.

On my tour, we were on the "first service" which means we were served lunch on the first leg of the trip and would have dessert on the return trip. After lunch the train stopped at Grigich Hills Winery for a winery tour and tasting. Our tour guide seemed a bit stiff and serious, but some of the wines were delicious.

On the return trip to Napa we had dessert service in the lounge car. This was the most disappointing part of the trip. The coffee was hot and delicious, but the dessert was warm, runny and tasteless, instead of chilled and rich.

During the trip, a stop by the kitchen revealed and amazingly narrow, yet fully operational kitchen, brimming with activity. Each plate is made to order and served while the train is in motion.

Below is the meal I enjoyed. Give it try and take a nostalgic trip back in time.

$94 Lunch- Includes Train Fare and Prix Fixe Gourmet Meal. Wine Pairing Separate.

These expertly refurbished 1915-1917 Pullman Cars create an atmosphere conducive to relaxation and enjoyment. Meals, crafted by Executive Chef Kelly Macdonald, are prepared in a specially fabricated kitchen car located immediately adjacent to each dining area. As with all our menu choices, the meals are freshly prepared on the train using environmentally responsible ingredients, humanely raised, hormone-free meats and fresh, line-caught fish.

Wine Country Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from Napa and Sonoma

Frommer's Napa and Sonoma Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day - Pocket)

Santoli's Spanish Chicken In a Crock Pot

This recipe was passed along to me by editor extraordinare Rich Santoli.

I made a few changes. I up'd the amount of olvies to 3/4 - 1 cup and instead of tomato paste I used one small can of diced tomatos. I also added a little extra beer and used Sam Adams.

Once the dish was cooked, I added about 2 cups of basmati rice and let all the juice cook the rice. It took about another 30 minutes to finish and was utterly amazing. The flavor of the olives really comes through, so if the green olives aren't your thing stick to the original recipe.

We just couldn't stop eating this!

Here's the link: http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipe.aspx?rid=268