After the day I had, all I wanted was a creamy, warm bowl of soup. This morning I went to a Career Day at an inner city school in Baltimore and talked to kids about being a writer. It was both fulfilling and exhausting. I knew I needed something filling and comforting to fill not only belly but my soul a bit. More on that later. For now, let’s talk about soup.

It amazes me that I don’t make soup more often. It takes such little effort but almost always comes out beautifully. Plus, it’s often easier to make than I assume. This dish was entirely 100% inspired by Amanda, who made a similar dish a few weeks ago. I bookmarked it immediately and put it on my to-do list. I made some modifications, however, because I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand.

I bought some beautiful red chard the other night and knew this would be a highlight to this dish. I cleaned and chopped while waiting for my potatoes to boil.

I also shredded some parmesan cheese.

I boiled four yukon gold potatoes with the peels on. This is a process you should not rush. It takes longer than I thought to boil a potato for mashing.

After about 25 minutes, I mashed the potatoes and added the chard, cheese, 1/2 cup non-fat milk, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon of butter and loads of salt and pepper. I then stirred and stirred. The end result? Chunky, fantastic and filling.

Creating this dish reminded me that nothing is out of reach. I’ve eaten potato soup plenty of times but never felt inspired to make it on my own. It just goes to show that recipe research and a little effort goes a long way. I hope this is something the kids I spoke with today remember when they’re thinking about college. Hopefully they know that nothing is out of reach and that if they want something bad enough, they will make it happen. And maybe, just maybe, I will see one of their names in print.

What have you “reached for” in your life?

If you love vegetables as much as I do, you must give this recipe a try. It’s a vegetarian dish and could be vegan depending on the “cheese” you use. It takes less than 40 minutes to make. It’s ultra-green so it’s perfectly festive for St. Patty’s Day – and it really hits the spot like none other.

Time: 35-40 minutes *depending on how fast you chop!

Ingredients

• Polenta
• Spinach
• Chick Peas
• Carrots (2)
• Leeks (1)
• Mozzarella cheese
• Bread crumbs or bread (or both)
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Garlic Powder

Directions

1) Layer the base of the pan with sliced polenta.

2) Add spinach.

3) Add chickpeas, leeks and carrots. 

4) Because I knew Bill would want some carbs, I added some potatoes from a mixed frozen bag. This is optional.

5) Drizzle with olive oil and spices. Then add the cheese and breadcrumbs and/or bread. I used both to experiment.

6) Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on your stove) at 375 degrees. The carrots may be a bit crunchy, but the rest will be perfectly cooked.

Talk about easy to make – and easy to clean. I love meals that are self-contained like this because you only have to wash one pan and a few plates. 

The perfect plateful for any lobster placemat, especially if you love vegetables as much as I do.  

I plan on spending the rest of the evening (a.k.a. the end of my “spring break”) reading the rest of my book, maybe watching a movie and just relaxing. I know work is going to be super busy tomorrow, and I’ll need to be on my game. Ah, I love breaks. But I sure do hate when they’re over. Good thing this is a short week. I am leaving work early on Friday to go visit friends at my alma mater. I can’t wait for the weekend!

Question of the Night: What’s your favorite vegetable to eat? What’s your favorite vegetable to look at?

I think leeks are absolutely beautiful. But I would have to say that any kind of bean is my favorite to eat (and there would have been more on this dish if Bill weren’t around!). My favorite bean right now is Dark Red Kidney.

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THANKS: to everyone who responded on the post about my accident. I really appreciate your concern! I did get the total today – and it’s quite high for me at this time. But like my mom reminded me, it’s just money. I’m just happy to be safe – no matter the cost!