There’s no frogs breath, worms wort, or deadly nightshade in this Nightmare Before Christmas Soup but it looks good enough to kill! Kale and pea green curry is topped with a skull-shaped slice of provolone to resemble Sally’s Worms Wort Soup.

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Other than frogs breath, worms wort, and deadly nightshade, I have no idea what is in Sally’s worms wort Nightmare Before Christmas Soup. So I took some liberties and remade a kale and pea green curry soup inspired by spring vegetables and Thai/Cambodian flavors that I had at a dinner party recently, made by Damian of Fetty’s Street Food.

Despite the lengthy list of ingredients, this soup actually comes together in just 1 hour. I know that’s not super fast but given the complexity of flavors you would think it took longer. However, this is one of those recipes that the quality of the ingredients matter. Sure it uses frozen peas and spinach, but make sure you are using good green curry paste, coconut milk (no light milk here), and fresh seasonings because they make the difference.

At the dinner party, Damian served this soup with Thai style fried pork belly, a drizzle of Thai bail oil, and peas/pea shoots for garnish. It was exquisite but not necessary for Sally’s Nightmare Before Christmas soup. Instead I added a slice of provolone cheese cut to resemble the skull that appears over the soup as she makes it. I know, lots of skulls this week!

The result is a velvety bright green soup with all the flavors: fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweetness, vinegar for sour/tartness, and mushroom seasoning for umami. Not nightshade to put you to sleep here like Dr. Finkelstein, but you may enough enough to put yourself in a food coma instead.

Welcome to 2024’s #HalloweenTreatsWeek event!

If you’re new here, Welcome! If you’re a returning haunt, welcome back!

#HalloweenTreatsWeek is a yearly Halloween blogging event that is hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife . This spooky event is an online, week-long event that is filled with some frightfully fun Halloween treats and recipes from some fantastic Halloween loving bloggers!

For this year’s 7th annual #HalloweenTreatsWeek event we have 12 hauntingly talented bloggers who are sharing their favorite Halloween recipes throughout the week! You can follow the hashtag #HalloweenTreatsWeek on social media to collect all of these frightful recipes to use at your own Halloween parties and events!

• Mozzarella Skull Caprese Pasta Salad from BigBearsWife
• Hocus Pocus Spell Book Rice Krispie Treats from Semi-Homemade Recipes
• Vanilla Citrus Cider from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Purple People Eater Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Mini Pizza Skulls from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Halloween Candy Chocolate Pie from Sweet ReciPEAs
• Halloween Bark from Art of Natural Living
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm

SALLY'S WORM WORT NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS SOUP (GREEN CURRY SOUP)

Print

Yield: 8 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/chopped
• 1 heaped Tbsp good green curry paste*
• 1 bunch kale, stripped off the stem and roughly chopped
• 1 (12 oz.) bag of frozen peas, thawed
• 2 (13.5 oz.) cans of coconut milk
• 10 oz. water
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce**
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp mushroom seasoning/powder
• 2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 (12 oz.) bag of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed or excess liquid
• 8 thin slices provolone

Directions

1. In a wok/heavy based sauce pan, heat oil over medium high and fry onion until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until lightly browned all over, about 1 minute.
2. Add curry paste and sauté until oil starts to separate from the paste stirring frequently (about 2 minutes). Quickly add kale and peas, and cook until the kale is wilted and halved in volume (about 5 minutes).
3. Add coconut milk, water sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, mushroom seasoning, and white pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning: fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweet, vinegar for sour/tartness, mushroom seasoning for umami. Remove from heat and let the soup cool completely.
4. Transfer the soup and thawed spinach to a high speed blender***. Blend for at least one minute until completely smooth and bright green. Return soup to the pot and reheat.
5. While soup reheats, use a small round cookie cutter and/or paring knife to cut provolone slices into skulls.
6. Serve soup with provolone skull on top.

Notes

*I have the privilege of getting fresh homemade green curry paste from Damian himself, but you can find good pastes from a local Asian market. **For fish allergies or vegetarian option use soy sauce. ***I normally like to use my immersion blender to avoid the need to cool and transfer, but a high speed blender is preferred here to get a silky smooth texture.

Source: Adapted slightly from Damian of Fetty’s Street Food.

This post was made for #NationalSlowCookerMonth and is sponsored by Camellia Beans and Rhodes Bread. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

These slow cooker kidney beans when served over rice are basically like a curried version of red beans and rice. 

When I crave certain things, I tend to go overboard. As you can probably guess I have been on a curry kick lately as this is my second recipe featuring curry seasoning, and after this I am eyeing a slow cooker vegetable curry.

I simplified things this time and just made a tomato curry sauce to slow cook the kidney beans. But fun fact, the beans are technically already cooked. One thing I didn’t know about dried red kidney beans is that not only do you need to soak them overnight, but you have to cook them before again cooking them in your preferred dish. Not only will they be a better consistency, but they are easier for your body to digest.

After simmering away in the slow cooker these beans are perfect served over rice, like curries red beans and rice. I even added a Rhodes Texas roll on the side.  Which BTW freezing raw dough, letting it rise, and then baking it might be the next best thing to making it fresh yourself.

One blogger even shared a recipe to make the rolls themselves in the slow cooker on Monday! Check out what other goodness people are whipping up today below and enter the giveaway at the end of the post if you haven’t already.

Wednesday’s Slow Cooker Recipes

• Green Chile Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Slow Cooker Amish Chilly Day Soup by Frugal & Fit
• Slow Cooker Baked Ziti by Blogghetti
• Slow Cooker Kidney Bean Curry by The Spiffy Cookie
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Herb Dinner Rolls by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Slow Cooker Chinese Barbecue Pork {Char Sui} by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Slow Cooker Cowboy Beans by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken Sandwiches by Palatable Pastime
• Slow Cooker Greek Gigantes by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Slow Cooker Pizza Dip by Family Around the Table
• Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Slow Cooker Sausage Pasta e Fajioli Soup by Savory Moments
• Southwest Slow Cooker Pasta by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Winter Bread Pudding by The Freshman Cook

Three years ago: Weekly Meal Plan: 4

Four years ago: Strawberry Glazed Meyer Lemon Blondies

Six years ago: Skillet Lasagna

Seven years ago: Chili-Lime Roasted Butternut Salad

SLOW COOKER KIDNEY BEAN CURRY

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups Camellia dried kidney beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 Tbsp whole coriander seed

1 tsp whole cumin seed

1/2 tsp dried mint

1 (15 oz. can) whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

1 small yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric

Pinch cayenne

Rice, to serve

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium-high, add kidney beans and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, or until soft and creamy. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium pot over medium-low, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add coriander and cumin and cook for about a minute or until the aromatic and a shade darker.
3. Add mint and tomatoes with juices to the pot, mashing them to break apart. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until broken down and saucy. Stir in vegetable broth, remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a blender to blend until smooth, making sure to vent (alternatively, leave in pan and use an immersion blender). Transfer to the bowl of a slow cooker.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon in the same pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minutes or until fragrant. Stir into slow cooker.
5. Add onions, kidney beans, and remaining seasonings to the crock pot. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Adjust seasonings to taste.
6. Serve over rice.

Source: Adapted from The Curious Chickpea.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest runs 1/20/2020 at 12:00 a.m. till 1/27/2020 at 11:59 p.m. 

The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #NationalSlowCookerMonth bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway and contest is open only to US residents. 

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #NationalSlowCookerMonth posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Banza, Camellia, and Rhodes for providing prizes

If you like pizza night, fall flavors, and curry then this pizza is for you. My favorite Greek yogurt crust is topped with pumpkin curry sauce, two cheeses and lots of veggies.

While it may be #PumpkinWeek here on the blog, in real life it is #OhioEggs week as I am galavanting around Columbus this week with a wonderful group of bloggers learning all there is to know about eggs. Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram to see what we are up to (and eating!).

In the mean time, back to the pumpkin! Today marks day 3 of #PumpkinWeek hosted by Terri from Love and Confections. I decided to take the savory route with my recipe today and just in case you thought I’ve already covered every pizza topping known to man, I got a little wild. I used pumpkin puree blended with a little olive oil and curry powder as the sauce and topped it with Mozzarella, cheddar, onion, cauliflower, broccoli, red bell pepper. Pretty simple, and pretty dang delicious.

#PumpkinWeek day 3 recipes:

• Chicken Mushroom and Pumpkin Stew from Making Miracles.
• Curried Pumpkin Waffles from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures.
• Healthy Pumpkin Dog Treats from {i love} my disorganized life.
• Pumpkin Banana Biscotti with Maple Syrup Glaze from Kudos Kitchen by Renee.
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars from The Crumby Cupcake.
• Pumpkin Cobbler from Love and Confections.
• Pumpkin Curry Pizza from The Spiffy Cookie.
• Pumpkin Risotto from My Catholic Kitchen.
• Pumpkin Waffles from Recipes Food and Cooking.
• Pumpkin Yeast Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm

I hope that you have been visiting all 19 blogs participating in this event to get your fill of pumpkin recipes. You can also find these great recipes and more on our Pinterest Board!

One year ago: Maple Apple Pie with Walnut Crumble Topping

Two years ago: Sloppy Joses with Avocado Cream

Four years ago: Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Peanut Butter Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

PUMPKIN CURRY PIZZA

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 recipe Greek yogurt pizza dough, risen

1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp curry powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup chopped cauliflower

1/4 cup chopped broccoli

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

Crushed red pepper, optional

Directions:

1. Place pizza stone on middle rack and allow to preheat in the oven to 450°F.
2. Roll out dough to desired size and transfer to a pizza peel (or flat baking sheet) sprinkled with cornmeal.
3. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree, olive oil, and curry. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture evenly over the dough, top with cheeses, onion, cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper, and crushed red pepper if desired.
4. Transfer to the hot pizza stone (it’ll take a couple shakes) and bake for 15-20 minutes or until it the crust turns golden and the cheese starts to bubble. Allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original.

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Inspired by the popular German fast food known as currywurst, these beef-sausage sliders are topped with spicy brown mustard, curry tomato sauce, and served on a pretzel bun.

This time last year I was buzzing with World Cup Soccer excitement. Sadly, like the rest of America, I have not paid as much attention to the Women’s World Cup. And I’m a girl. A girl who loves to play and watch soccer no less! Disgraceful. I’d blame it on my lack of cable since apparently Dancing with the Stars is a more important broadcast and booted one of the games off the airways but I have ways to get around such things… ahem, but anyway! So far I’ve only caught one game but tonight the women’s USA team takes on Germany.

I was actually in Germany, Berlin specifically, 3 years ago and was fortunate enough to experience the excitement that is the Euro Cup. During one of the games broadcast on a jumbotron erected in front of the Bradenburg Gate I got my first taste of currywurst, which is a bratwurst sausage topped with a curry ketchup. In honor of today’s competition I decided to make currywurst sliders, blending the American love of burgers/sliders with German currywurst. These sliders are a mix of beef and sausage patties which are topped with a curry tomato sauce, a squirt of spicy brown mustard, and served on a pretzel bun. Serve with a side of German red cabbage and fries and you’re ready to watch the game! If you need something sweet to finish it off, may I suggest a slice of Kalter Hund for dessert?

One year ago: Caramelized Onion Dip

Two years ago: Vanilla Bean-Nutmeg Shake with Blackberry Swirl

Four years ago: Nutella Waffles with Raspberry Syrup

CURRYWURST SLIDERS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

SLIDERS

3/4 lb. ground beef

3/4 lb. ground pork

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/4 tsp caraway seed

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

1 Tbsp olive oil

8 slices sharp cheddar cheese

4 Tbsp grainy mustard

8 pretzel slider buns, toasted

SAUCE

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2-1/2 Tbsp curry powder

2 Tbsp paprika

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the ground meats with onion, garlic, and spices until combined. Form into 8 equal patties.
3. Preheat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 8-10 minutes. Stir in curry powder and paprika. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste. Increase to high heat, bringing to a boil, then decrease to low heat and simmer. Stir occasionally and continue to simmer for 25 minutes, until thickened.
4. While the sauce cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side. Place one slice of cheddar onto each patty, then pop the skillet into the oven to melt the cheese, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, spread some grainy mustard on the bottom half of the buns.
6. Place patties onto the bottom-bun halves, top with sauce, and finish with the top-bun halves. Serve with a side of fries.

Source: Adapted from Rachael Ray, Food 52, and Tara’s Multicultural Table.

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tag #TheSpiffyCookie

Evidently, a year ago I had already busted out the eggnog in my baking. I can barely wrap my head around the fact that it is December already let alone bust out the eggnog. Did you know that this time last year I was only 10 days away from graduating with my PhD? I had already defended and passed my dissertation in September but awaited the ceremonial part. Maybe I should plan something special for my 1 year graduation anniversary… more of that later.

Let’s make curry. This recipe is fairly quick and easy, making it a good weeknight meal. Just don’t do what I did and completely forget to add the onions. While eating it I sat there pondering why it didn’t taste quite right, as if something was missing. Oh look there’s the onion I was supposed to chop up and cook in it. And you better believe I cooked up that onion and stirred it in. I have to admit however, that this was not my favorite curry recipe. It was pretty good but I think it would have been better if I had made it with coconut milk. The evaporated milk just didn’t have the depth of flavor I was looking for, so next time I will try coconut milk and have reflected this option in the ingredients.

One year ago: Eggnog Cheesecake Bars with Cranberry Swirl

Two years ago: Hot Cocoa Blossoms

Four years ago: Latkas

EASY CHICKEN CURRY

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 lb. baby red skinned potatoes, quartered

2 carrots, peels and sliced

1 small white onion, sliced

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used whole milk Chobani)

1 (14 oz.) can evaporated milk (or coconut milk)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups cooked basmati or jasmine rice

Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add chicken and cooked until no longer pink. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. To the same skillet, add about tablespoon of oil followed by the potatoes, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add curry powder and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat to low. Stir in yogurt and milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until starting to thicken. Stir in salt, pepper, and chicken. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro, if using.

Source: Adapted from Semi-Homemade, September/October 2010.