M/M Writers’ Buffet

Dinner starts on 12/31/14 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern. Winners will be chosen randomly Jan 6, 2015. Only those who comment on EVERY blog will be chosen for the drawing.
For full blog links visit http://zamaxfield.com/new-years-eve-progressive-dinner/

Welcome to my home… err blog. Come on in and make yourself comfortable.

Posy Roberts - Tangled Mind 300x450Today I’m serving a simple tortellini and spinach soup and homemade bread. Beck and Timothy from Tangled Mind keep it simple in the kitchen, but Beck’s bread is famous among all his friends. Now that he and Timothy live together, they often eat several slices with this flavorful soup.

I envision them eating this meal naked in front of the fireplace, but that’s another tale.

So lets start with the bread recipe. Beck uses his KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook attachment so the process goes quicker. However, you can go the old fashioned way too, kneading by hand.


Beck’s Famous White Bread – Makes 3 loaves

1 package yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
dissolve in 1/2 cup warm water and let sit for 10 minutes

Beat in 1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup local honey
8 cups flour, adding it in cup by cup

Rest for 15 minutes, covered.

Knead 8-10 minutes then let rise in a greased bowl until dough has doubled (about 1 hour). Punch down and divide into three. Form into loaves. Allow to rise again, until doubled. Put in a cold oven.

Bake 400ºF for 15 minutes or 375º for 25 minutes.

This is great on its own, with butter, with honey butter, or with any meal.


Simple Tortellini & Spinach Soup
(with chicken, if you desire) – Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic, minced – I use 6 because I love garlic.
3 cups water
3 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
3-5 carrots, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1  1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound of your choice of fresh or frozen tortellini
optional: Rotisserie chicken cut into bite sized morsels
1 pound fresh spinach with stems removed or shredded escarole
Parmesan cheese

In large stock pot, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Add water, broth, carrots, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile in another pot, cook tortellini in salted water until nearly done: about 4 minutes for fresh or 12 for frozen. Drain.

Add chicken, if desired, and spinach, cooking about 1 minute, until the spinach is wilted and the chicken warmed. Stir in tortellini.

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve with Beck’s Famous White Bread and butter.


You can “choose your own dinner adventure” from appetizers, soup, salad, main dish, and dessert, but those of you who visit and comment at each and every blog will be entered into a drawing for one of three (3) $35.00 gift cards to the venue of your choice: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance Ebooks.

Plus, some individual authors might include a private drawing for those people who stop by. I will offer an ebook of any of my books where food is a big deal, your choice. That includes SparkFusion, Flare, and Tangled Mind, and the first three come with several recipes in the back too. So read, drink and be merry! Happy New Year from all of us at the M/M Writers’ Buffet!

And don’t forget to comment at each blog for a chance to win.

Dinner Menu FINAL

37 Comments

  1. Jewel
    December 31, 2014 / 11:10 am

    Sounds delicious! But now, I’m hungry.

  2. Ardent Ereader
    December 31, 2014 / 11:20 am

    HI Posy, I was hoping someone would share a bread recipe to go with their soup! Starting with a cold oven, I wonder if that is the secret? Happy New Year! ardent(dot)ereader(at)gmail(dot)com

  3. jenf27
    December 31, 2014 / 11:51 am

    Thanks for the yummy recipes and contest! Happy 2015!!

    jen.f {at} mac {dot} com

  4. Waxapplelover
    December 31, 2014 / 11:56 am

    Love the bread recipe…I may be baking later today. Thanks for sharing.

    Waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com

  5. December 31, 2014 / 12:50 pm

    I may try this soup with veggie stock.. we have some spinach. Sounds delicious. And I haven’t made bread in years.. thanks!

    • Posy
      Author
      December 31, 2014 / 12:54 pm

      Great idea. I’ve never tried veggie stock with this yet. Let me know how it turns out.

  6. Antonia
    December 31, 2014 / 1:50 pm

    Sounds delicious! I’m going to have to try it. Happy New Year!

  7. Mary M.
    December 31, 2014 / 2:20 pm

    More yummy cold-weather treats! I look forward to reading about Beck.

    emmasmom69 AT gmail DOT com

  8. December 31, 2014 / 2:21 pm

    Both recipes sound so good! Thank you!

    juliesmall2016(at)gmail(dot)com

  9. Rain
    December 31, 2014 / 2:46 pm

    This sounds delicious, especially with fresh bread.

  10. December 31, 2014 / 3:24 pm

    Okay….now we’re talking my kind of soup!!! Read this one off to the hubby and he wants it!! Thank you for the awesome recipes for the soup and the bread.

    cmucha319 AT yahoo DOT com

  11. Jbst
    December 31, 2014 / 3:52 pm

    What a delicious soup and bread combo. The honey in the bread interested me quite a bit. I’ll have to try this recipe.
    strive4bst(AT) yahoo(Dot) com

  12. Denise Dechene
    December 31, 2014 / 3:52 pm

    I love bread. I would chose fresh baked bread over chocolate. My husband usually makes a loaf of bread every 2 weeks. Thanks for the recipes. Have a Happy New Year

    nisee1966@gmail.com

  13. December 31, 2014 / 4:05 pm

    Freshly baked bread is fantastic. The soup will go nicely with it too. Thank you for sharing!

    humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com

  14. December 31, 2014 / 4:15 pm

    sounds very tasty 🙂

    leetee2007(at)hotmail(dot)com

  15. Christy Duke
    December 31, 2014 / 4:28 pm

    love fresh, baked bread

  16. Kaytee
    December 31, 2014 / 5:07 pm

    love fresh baked bread, I’m just not good at it. Thanks for sharing

  17. debby236
    December 31, 2014 / 6:02 pm

    What great recipes. I am ready for eating now.
    debby236 at gmail dot com or hotmail

  18. kissedbymidnigh
    December 31, 2014 / 6:08 pm

    My grandma used to make bread for us. It was really good. Thanks for the recipes!:)

  19. Barbra
    December 31, 2014 / 7:13 pm

    Homemade bread and spinach tortellini soup…I’d be in heaven if someone would make that for me right now. 🙂

    • Posy
      Author
      December 31, 2014 / 7:15 pm

      The soup is really easy. I’m not a fan of cooking, and I love making this soup. The bread is a bit more involved, but that’s why I used my KitchenAid. 😉 But yes, I’d rather have someone cook for me any day!

  20. Trix
    December 31, 2014 / 8:21 pm

    I bake a lot, but don’t do much bread for some reason. Both recipes sound excellent!

  21. Jen CW
    December 31, 2014 / 8:46 pm

    I love bread and a new bread recipe is always welcome! Thanks for the recipes!
    jczlapin(at)gmail(dot)com

  22. bn100
    December 31, 2014 / 8:53 pm

    Nice recipes

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

  23. Heather Rawlins
    December 31, 2014 / 9:56 pm

    How can you go wrong with soup & bread. Happy New Year!

  24. December 31, 2014 / 10:06 pm

    I am a big fan of kneading by hand — I find it to be a good way to work off a little bit of the grumps (also I only have a tiny ridiculous hand mixer)… *saved for future reference*

    tracykitn AT yahoo DOT com

  25. Saruby
    December 31, 2014 / 11:23 pm

    Nothing beats good bread. saruby213ATgmailDOTcom

  26. Dawn Roberto
    January 1, 2015 / 12:17 pm

    I am thinking this is a perfect bread making day and look, I got all the ingredients too 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.
    love2read28@gmail.com

  27. Tamika
    January 1, 2015 / 10:00 pm

    First off, I loved this book. I’m actually in the process of trying different attachments for my mixed no more store brought ice cream!! LOL..

    Thanks for the recipes Posy!
    tamikamclaurin(at)hotmail(dot)com

  28. alishead
    January 2, 2015 / 8:57 pm

    I’d have to use 6 cloves too. I love garlic. But I’ve only managed to get to the Gilroy Garlic Festival once, even though it’s only an hour and a half away:(.
    alishead1@yahoo.com

  29. Mandy
    January 3, 2015 / 9:16 pm

    Garlic is also very good for you! This sounds like a great soup!

  30. Jillian T
    January 5, 2015 / 9:14 pm

    I’m definitely craving some freshly baked bread now!

  31. Juliana
    January 5, 2015 / 9:40 pm

    Well I sure do love bread! Thanks for sharing!
    OceanAkers @ aol.com

Thoughts?

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