L'Espérance wrote:
> Jude wrote:
>
> > I'm not findinf a lot of inspiration for dinner tonight. I'm in the
> > mood for a nic thick hot soup, so I'm going to do split pea with
> > homemade croutons on top. I'm tired of the sup/salad combo; we've had
> > several big yummy salads this week. What should I serve alongside? (no
> > mean please) I was thinking of maybe some kind of fruit salad, but of
> > course bieng winter the options are limited. The apples this week were
> > all soft and icky, othersie I'd be thinking about Waldorf Salad.
> >
> > Maybe some kind of barley pilaf with stock and nuts would go well. Hm
> > Help me out here!
> >
>
> I'd nix the croutons and serve the soup in a multi-grain bread bowl
> sitting on a bed of spinach or romain lettuce. Garnish with a mini
> dollop of sour cream for accent. The remainding insides and top of the
> bread bowls can be used for dipping if desired. This in itself would be
> a hearty meal sans salad. If you really want a salad make a robust one
> to bring out the flavour of the soup. Perhaps a spinach salad to echo
> the base under the bowl. Simple and easy, spinach salad would really do
> it with very little effort and the bacon would echo the ham flavour in
> the soup. I would go lighter for dessert after such a robust meal. A
> small bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with just a wee bit of cream de
> mint and garnished with a mint leaf comes to mind *even* though none of
> the desert would echo the main meal.


Perhaps you missed the part where I said my family is tired of green
salads / lettuce. We had a fabulous spinach salad last night and a baby
green / goat cheese / veg salad the night before, and caesar over the
weekend. We're lettuced out.

I also have no bread bowls on hand; I'm trying to work without a run to
the store. We love soup in bread bowls, but I usually save that
approach for creamier stuff like chowder or potato soup. I'm looking
for simple side ideas that would round the dinner out nutritionally. I
was going for barley to try to add some whole grains into the meal.

But thanks, of course, for the ideas, It's always iteresting to think
about how others would fill out your main dish to make it a meal.
So far best I've got is the soup (on the stove now) topped with garlicy
croutons with sides of barley pilaf and carrot raisin salad. Dessert is
covered - I made chocoaltey brownie cookies last night.