Chicken and Bean Soup

I know, I know... It's been a while yet again. Call me busy-exhausted. LOL. Not to mention poor.

On the up-shot, being poor meant that I got to try some new ideas with stuff I hadn't done in a while. Last night was one of them, and I liked it so much I figured I'd pop it up here so others can try it, too.

Serves: 12-14 people

6 cloves garlic, minced
2 c mixed beans/lentils/split peas
8 c boiling water
1 c dried vegetables
2 Tbsp freeze-dried red onions


2 quarts water
2 c chicken stock
2 chicken leg quarters
2 Tbsp dried rosemary, crushed *OR* 3 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 Tbsp dried sage *OR* 2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
2 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 Tbsp Crushed Red Chile Flakes (optional)
1 Tbsp ground black pepper

12 oz dried pasta *OR* 8 oz uncooked barley

1 c sour cream
2 c diced tomatoes, drained

Take the first grouping of ingredients and let sit for between 5-12 hours to plump everything up.
In a large stockpot, bring the 2 quarts of water and the stock together with the leg quarters.
Bring to a boil, and add seasonings.
Reduce heat to medium and let cook about 30 minutes.
Add the bean mixture, water included, into the pot.
Cook about 2 hours.
Remove the chicken and shred it. If there is skin still on it, remove it, too.
Add the pasta or barley, and let cook on medium high until almost done.
Temper in the sour cream.
Mix in the diced tomatoes.
Let finish cooking until pasta or barley and beans are completely done.

Serve with your favorite artisan bread and enjoy!

Easy Spicy Chicken Soup

A little back-story... I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis. One of the reasons this blog was sort of put on the back burner. As the weather has been turning colder, I've been getting worse and worse. It's difficult sometimes to get enthused about something that could, potentially, set you back several days just from doing it. And when it's something that you normally love, it's just worse.

So - that being said... I just made a really simple, very tasty soup tonight. My husband was hit hard by some sort of bronchitis-like something that currently has him on antibiotics and cough syrup with codeine in it for sleeping. Keeping that in mind (and the fact that I've also been feeling less-than-stellar), I scoured the freezer and found a few things to start working with: boneless, skinless chicken thighs, a small package of roasted, chopped Anaheim chiles that I'd put away from the summer, and a pound of frozen mixed veggies. Soup it is, I thought...

It makes about 12 servings.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped up into bite-sized pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced (adjustable to your preference)
2 Tbsp no salt seasoning mix from Costco (highly recommend it - tastes great!)
1 roasted Anaheim chile, minced (optional - if you don't like spice, don't add it)
2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1 lb frozen mixed veggies

Bring 10 cups salted water to a boil
Add the chicken, garlic seasoning mix and chile
Add the macaroni, and stir once it comes back to a boil
Let cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add the mixed veggies
Salt and Pepper to taste.

This literally took me about 20 minutes from start to finish, and gave me plenty of time to sit down between times.

Other short cuts I like are getting the pre-minced garlic. It's great if your hands are really bothering you.

Turkey Enchiladas

Enchiladas are one of those go-to foods for me. If I'm feeling blue, or want something super filling and only have a little bit of meat, or leftovers, I make enchiladas. They're tasty, and very very filling. I don't make them like most people do, though...

Filling:

2 lb meat, cooked, your choice
2 c cooked rice (spiced how you like)
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
1/2 c queso fresco, cubed
1/2 c cotija, cubed

6 medium or large flour tortillas
3 cups enchilada sauce (homemade or package, your choice)
1 c shredded colby jack cheese
1/2 c black olives, sliced
1/3 c chopped cilantro

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees f.
Mix meat, rice, peppers, and cheeses all together in a hot pan and mix until fully combined.
Divide into 6 equal parts, and ladle into the tortillas
Roll tortillas around the filling, and place into a baking dish
Ladle over the enchilada sauce (Yep - no dipping the tortillas)
Top with the shredded cheese and black olives
Bake for 20 minutes
Top with cilantro and serve

Stuffed Shells

This is a bit of a departure from your normal stuffed shell recipe. I like it because it's not as tomato-y as what you may find elsewhere. It also has meat in the stuffing, rather than in the sauce. The meat is completely optional - if you don't add it, add in about 3 cups of shredded zucchini.

yields about 32 stuffed shells

1 box of jumbo shell pasta, cooked to al dente (about 10 minutes)

stuffing:
1 lb small curd cottage cheese
1/2 lb ricotta
12 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained of liquid)
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb ground sausage, browned and crumbled
2 eggs
nutmeg (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter or oil
2-3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp garlic
3 c cold milk
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c cream cheese, cubed and softened
2 cans flavored tomatoes (drained)
salt and pepper to taste

Asiago cheese (topping)

Noodles
Follow the package directions to cook to al dente
Drain and rinse with cold water, separating the shells from one another, until cold

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Stuffing
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl

Sauce
In a saucepan, melt butter, and mix in flour to make a roux
Blend completely and cook until just starting to smell nutty
Add the garlic and cook about a minute, stirring constantly
Whisk in the cold milk a little at a time, making sure it doesn't get lumpy
Once milk is completely added, add each of the cheeses, blending before adding the next one
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
Add in the tomatoes and, switching to a wooden spoon, add the tomatoes in
Season with salt and pepper and let simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Building The Dish
In a large, 9" x 14" x 4" deep pan, put down a ladle or two the sauce
Stuff the shells individually, and place them side by side until they are all in
If necessary, layer the shells - make sure the layers are even all the way across
Ladle the remaining sauce over the top
Sprinkle with Asiago cheese

Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 35 minutes.

Parmesan Crusted Pork

Actually, this can be done with chicken as well, if you'd rather. The trick is to try and make it about a 1/2 inch thick, and even across the whole portion of the meat...

1 lb white meat (pork or chicken), butterflied flat

1 c flour
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp black cracked pepper
1 tsp Kosher salt

3 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Set up your breading station: Pan 1 has the seasoned flour, Pan 2 has the eggs, Pan 3 has the cheese.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat up vegetable oil to between medium and medium high
Make sure that the vegetable oil is about 1/4 inch deep - no more
Bread the pieces of meat and then lay gently and carefully into the heated pan
Let cook until golden brown, and flip
Let cook again until golden brown
Remove and place onto a broiling pan
Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked

**Note that chicken is a little more delicate than pork is, so it may take less time to finish it off in the oven**

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Serves about 5 very hungry people.

3 thawed chicken breast, cut into chunks 1-2 bites big

Breading:
3 cups cheese crackers (your choice of flavor - I love the 4 cheese)
30-40 Extreme Buffalo Wing Pringles chips (the ones with Frank's Red Hot on them)

Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup milk
1/4 c Frank's Red Hot sauce

Heat oven to 375 degrees F
Crunch the crackers up into a powder, in a ziploc bag, with a rolling pin
Pour breading into one large container
Mix the wet dredge well in another container
Place pieces of the chicken into the wet, and let soak a few minutes
Remove and place into the breading, and coat completely
Lay onto a cookie sheet
Repeat until all the pieces are done
**you may need 3 cookie sheets, to make sure they don't get crowded**
Drizzle a little bit of olive oil onto the chicken
Place into the oven and cook about 12-14 minutes
Remove and serve with your favorite dip

Family Style Lasagna

yields 1 lasagna pan (14" x 9" x 4" deep) filled to the top

Sauce:
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 lb hot Italian sausage
3 cans chunk tomatoes, Italian flavor
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans mushrooms -or- 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sauteed in butter
1 bunch fresh basil, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Cheese filling:
1 lb ricotta cheese, drained
1 lb fine curd cottage cheese, drained
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1 lb chopped spinach (drained) -or- 3 medium zucchini, shredded
1/4 tsp nutmeg (fresh-grated is best)
salt
pepper

2 boxes uncooked lasagna noodles
1 1/2 Cups water

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

For the sauce:
Mix the sausages together and brown.
Add the tomatoes, garlic and tomato paste.
Mix together until smooth
Add mushrooms and mix until combined.
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes.
Add basil and salt and pepper to taste.

For the cheese filling:
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl until completely mixed.

In a large, 4" deep lasagna pan (13x9), do the following to layer:

sauce (with no meat, just to cover the bottom of the pan
Noodles, just meeting one another, covering the bottom of the pan
Cheese filling
Noodles
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese
Noodles

Repeat until you have used up all of the cheese, and then top with noodles and sauce.

Top with the cheese, and then add the noodles.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove tin foil and test noodles for done-ness. They should now be soft.
Bake another 15-20 minutes or until cheese on top is nice and bubbly.

Let rest about 15-30 minutes.

Serve.

Street Vendor Tacos...

About five years ago, I did an externship at a local Caribbean/Florida/cum Northwestern restaurant and catering company.

Prior to that, while I had gone through "International Cooking", I hadn't had too much in the way of understanding much of anything that was regional in the way of Hispanic foods. I knew they were spicy, and I knew that I liked a lot of it. I also knew that most of what I got in the so-called "Mexican" restaurants (read chain restaurants like Azteca and the like) were *not* Mexican at all, but a Tex-Mex blend of ideas and components that, while tasty, really had nothing to do with South or Central America or its eating habits.

Imagine my surprise when the five women and four men I worked with at my externship showed me what different regions did, even within a 100 mile radius of Mexico city. I learned there how to make street tacos, and they quickly became my favorite treat in the world. I normally didn't have a way to make them for just myself, as it has a lot of condiments involved, and I don't necessarily want to eat 20 of them at a time...

So, since last night I was guaranteed to have at least 3 people besides myself to feed, I figured it was a perfect time for me to make tacos.

Makes about 20 small street tacos

20 small soft corn tortillas
2 lbs chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
1 Tbsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

optional toppings:
cotija cheese crumbles
queso fresco (mild white cheese)
pico de gallo
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
lettuce

Cook the chicken with the chiles and garlic salt in the olive oil on medium high heat until they are just brown.
Remove from the heat and steam the corn tortillas until they are pliable.
Add chicken, and your optional toppings.

Enjoy!

Grilled Lamb Loin...

Today is our anniversary, so I thought I'd do something a little special... Grilled, marinaded loin of lamb, cous cous, and some sauted green beans.

As a side note, lamb really should be served medium rare to rare. It is delicious and tender this way.

Marinade:
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1/3 c olive oil
4 long sprigs Rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Trim the lamb and butterfly it so that it lays fairly flat and is cut fairly even, about 1-2" thick.
Place it into the marinade for up to 4 hours, turning every hour or so.

Heat the grill to about 250-300 degrees, and place the lamb onto the grill.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then turn 40 degrees clockwise.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then turn over.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then turn 40 degrees clockwise.

Let sit about 8 minutes, then remove from heat and place on a warm plate.

Cover loosely with tin foil and let sit about 5-10 minutes for carry-over cooking.

Slice against the grain of the meat to create long strips.

Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Delicious home-made Crock-pot Beef Stew

I haven't been able to run test recipes for a while now, and for that I apologize. It seems like whenever I get the chance, two seconds in something happens and I have to put everything on hold. *chuckle* This recipe is for those who think that those beef stew packets are all that... :-) You don't need to spend so much money on those things, though. Trust me.

Dredge mix:
2 c flour
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
salt
black cracked pepper



2 lbs beef, cubed into bite-sized pieces

5 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp Butter

4 c water, beef or veggie stock

1 bunch celery, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
6 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped
5 large potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cups frozen petite green peas

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
Dredge beef well in the flour, then add, a little at a time, into the skillet.
Cook until brown and place into the waiting crock-pot.
Repeat until all the beef is done.
Add all the vegetables, withholding the garlic and peas.

Melt butter into the hot skillet and add remaining flour mixture.
If needed, add a little extra butter or flour to make the roux paste.
Cook until the flour smells nutty and turns a dark brown. Be careful not to burn it.

Slowly add your water/stock about 1 cup at a time, and stir until mixed with no lumps. As it gets more soup-like, you can add more stock at a time until completely mixed.

Add the sauce to the crock-pot, turn on high, cover, and leave sit for about 3.5 hours.

Test the potatoes with a fork, and if almost fork-tender, add the garlic and lemon juice.

Let sit another 30 minutes.

Add frozen peas, and remove from heat, stirring.

Serve with crusty bread.

Thai Chicken Bites

I created the Thai Fried Chicken a while back, and it was such a tasty treat that I wanted to make it more regularly - but without the super deep fry of the original. So, last night, I tried a pan fry of it, and was happily surprised at the results. This has a very mild flavor of sweet chili sauce - if you want more, simply let the chicken marinade in it for several hours before you crumb and cook it.

**Oil should only come up about a 1/4" at most in the pan you're using - I prefer a larger pan, 14" in diameter.**

Serves 4 hungry people when accompanied with the potato stir fry

2 large chicken breasts, cut to 1/2" thick slices

The wash:
1/2 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
1/2 cup honey mustard
1 egg
1/4 c milk
salt
pepper


3 cups Panko bread crumbs (or thereabouts)

Heat olive oil in a large pan to medium-high heat
Set oven to warm, and have a capture tray out

Combine all wash ingredients together in a pie pan.
In a separate pie pan, place the panko bread crumbs.
Take your chicken slices and dip them into the egg wash, then transfer them to the panko.
Cover completely with panko, then lay gently (away from you, please) into the oil.
Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and repeat.

Please into the capture tray, and place into the warming oven until all chicken is done.

Sprinkle with a bit of your favorite salt, and serve.

If you want, serve a side of the thai chili sauce/honey mustard mix for a dip.

Basic Hash

One of the first dishes I learned to make was a basic hash recipe. Simple, easy, stick-to-your-ribs stuff that was just plain good.

Every time I cook this meal, I'm taken back to my childhood and family. It just makes me happy...

Serves 4 hungry people

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (optional
1/2 lb ground meat (your choice of beef, turkey or pork, or a mix)
3 large Russet potatoes (aka Idaho potatoes)
salt
pepper

In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat olive oil on medium low heat.
Add garlic and onion, increase the heat to medium, and saute until onions are soft.
Add butter and let melt.
Add mushrooms and saute until soft and slightly golden brown.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the ground meat and brown.
Add the potatoes and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms back in.
Season with salt and pepper

Serve.

Easy Peasy Scratch Mac & Cheesey!

No, this is not low fat, and it’s not low calorie… But it’s ooey gooey goodness. And that’s ok on occasion.



The software:
1 package large elbow macaroni noodles
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
3 cups chilled whole milk
4 cups grated cheese of your choice
1 package sliced cheese of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste

The hardware:
1 large stockpot
1 medium sauce pot
1 whisk
1 spatula
1 9x11x2 baking pan, greased

In a large stockpot, bring 4-6 quarts of salted water to a boil.

Meanwhile…

In the saucepot, melt the butter and mix in the flour over medium heat.
Stir gently with a whisk until a nutty smell starts.
Gently add in the milk a little at a time, whisking briskly to avoid clumping.
Once the roux is smooth and creamy, add the remaining milk.
Add the grated cheese, one handful at a time, stirring constantly. Do not add the next handful until the first one is melted.
Turn heat to low.
Don’t worry if it’s sort of watery-looking. That’s ok - the excess will be taken in by the noodles as they finish cooking.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Add the noodles to the now-boiling water and cook 2-3 minutes LESS than the directed time on the package.
Don’t worry that it’s going to be sort of toothy.
Drain noodles and put back into the pot.
Add sauce to the noodles and mix together fully, and turn off the heat.
Place the mixture into the greased baking dish .
Layer the sliced cheese onto the top of the dish, then place in the oven for ½ hour.

Let cool about 10 minutes and serve

Tasty Vegan Indian Curry

Before you say EWWW yuck, give it a chance. It's actually quite tasty, and if you don't want it to be Vegan, it's easy to add chicken or shrimp to it, too. This becomes a complete protein when served with rice.

Serves 8 hungry people (with the rice cooked below can serve up to 12)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
4 potatoes, cleaned and cubed
1 tsp crushed red peppers
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 c water or veggie stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 celery heart, diced
1 Tbsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp ground Coriander seed
1-2 Tbsp green curry powder
2 cups garbanzo beans (chick peas), pre-cooked
3 carrots
2 cups chopped broccoli
3 cups green beans
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 c water or veggie stock
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick pan, Heat olive oil on medium high heat
Place potatoes into pan and let fry about 6 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally
Add salt and crushed red chilis
Add water or veggie stock and stir
Add in garlic, celery and onion, and stir until combined
Cook about 4-5 minutes, stirring fairly constantly
Add Turmeric, Coriander and Curry powder, and combine completely
Add garbanzo beans, carrots, broccoli, green beans and red bell pepper
Stir to combine, and add the 1/2 c water or veggie stock
Let simmer about 15-20 minutes
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice below

RICE

1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 c rice
1/2 c slivered almonds, without skin
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups water or veggie stock

In a medium saucepot, heat olive oil on medium high heat
Add rice, slivered almonds and kosher salt
Stir to coat completely with olive oil and let toast until just lightly brown on the rice
Add enough water or veggie stock to cover by about 1"
Reduce heat to simmer and place lid on the pot
Let cook about 15 minutes, or until rice is done

Serve with the curry

Really good French Toast

First, I am not a huge fan of French Toast. I grew up with a mother who loved to cook very heavy breakfasts - while many people would love it, I did not - my stomach just can't handle dark whole wheat 28 grain bread dipped in egg at 6am before school...

In trying new ways to get my daughter (who is just barely 2) to try new things, I came across a brilliant way to make French Toast that she would eat. I kept in mind that she doesn't mind fruit, and doesn't mind toast if it's sweet - and she likes to have some texture, but not huge crunches (unless it's popcorn - and that's a different post).

So, since she wasn't eating the egg that I would make her in the morning, I figured I'd dip some bread into the egg, lightly sweeten the batter, and then see what we got... And we got a really tasty piece of breakfast...

2 slices of blueberry Streusel bread (or the fruit bread of your choice) FROZEN
1 egg
1 Tbsp vanilla creamer
1 tsp sugar

Break the egg into a flat-bottomed dish and whip the creamer and sugar in
Place the bread into the mix and let soak on both sides until completely wet
Preheat a 12" pan to medium heat
Place 1 Tbsp butter into the pan and let that melt
Place each of the pieces of bread into the pan and pour any additional batter over the top (shouldn't be more than 1-2 Tbsp at most
Turn over once it's just golden brown

Serve with a little bit of butter and, if you like, a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Perfect Turkey Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees (trust me on this)

Remove the turkey from the brine (you did brine it, didn’t you? Well, either way...)
Pat completely dry, both inside and out
Place chopped celery and carrots on the bottom of the roasting pan (it works better than a rack)
Place turkey on top, breast-side up
Oil up turkey, and sprinkle both inside and out with salt and pepper
Quarter an onion and stuff inside the turkey
Take a good hand-full of the following herbs: Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Flat-Leaf parsley
Stuff them into the turkey as well
Place bird into the oven and roast for ½ hour - NO MORE THAN THAT.

Reduce heat to 350
Continue to roast turkey until done.

For a 14 lb turkey cooked this way, the average cooking time (unstuffed) is 2 hrs, give or take a bit. For it to be served at or around 6pm, you will want to start it at 3:45, and check the temperature (or attempt to move a leg around) at 5:30 or so. If you have need of it, the Food Network has a turkey calculator that can help you with the time... You want to bring the internal temperature to 162 degrees - remember, removing the bird from the oven doesn't immediately stop the cooking process - there will be carry-over cooking that will bring the temperature up to 165, which is recommended by the FDA...

Let it sit for about a half hour before carving, to allow juices to re-distribute.

Why the carrots and celery on the bottom? Well, it adds to the aromatics that you’ve placed on the inside of the turkey, and will help flavor it… Aroma goes a long way toward flavor…

The Best Darned Chili Mac EVER!

I'm not into diner food, per se. Honestly speaking though, if my husband offers to cook for the night, I'm all for it, even if it IS chili mac from a box and a can. Still, I know that even diner food can be absolutely delicious if the person cooking it pays attention and does it lovingly.

The other night I was not in the mood to cook at all. Strange, I know, but still... So, there I was, defrosting some pork carnitas cuts, and trying to figure out a way I could make them into something that sounded tasty... And, I decided on chili. But I needed something more, since my daughter, being a young 22 month old, can't handle a lot of spice. BUT, she loves a food adventure, and really likes flavor. So, I considered what I had...

Looking in my pantry, I found a bag of wheel noodles, some butter, some flour, some milk, and some cheese... So, technically speaking, I *could* make it from scratch... And, the idea was born...

1 lb pork carnitas, cut to 1/2 inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomatoes with green peppers and onions
1 can (small) tomato paste
1 can "chili" beans (they have the spices already in them)
1 packet chili seasoning

Heat a pan to medium-high heat
Add Pork and begin to cook, moving around to brown
Once mostly cooked, add the garlic
Continue to cook until pork is done
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beans and seasoning
Reduce heat to low, stir to combine, and let simmer

MEANWHILE....

Bring 8 quarts of salted water to a boil
Add 2 cups dry wheel pasta
Stir once water starts boiling again

While that is cooking...

2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 c whole or 2% milk
1 c shredded cheese

Melt butter in a pan on medium heat
Add flour to the pan, and whisk to combine together
Cook on medium-low heat, whisking until you smell the flour get nutty
Add the whole milk a little bit at a time, whisking to combine
Once smoothly combined, add shredded cheese to the mix

Once pasta is cooked, drain, and add cheese sauce to it

You can either place the mac and cheese on the bottom of the plate and pour chili over it, OR you can mix the two together completely.

Another great way to do this is to make hashed browns and serve the chili over them.

Enjoy!!!

Chile Chicken Chowder (my twist)

So, I was watching Paula Dean the other night and already had a good beef stew cooking, and she started making poblano chicken chowder. I was totally intrigued. I really love making a good chicken tortilla soup, and I adore chicken corn chowder, so the idea of a somewhat-combination really got me going... I had to put my own twist on it, though, as I really love to have potatoes in my chowders... And I prefer to thicken most of my soups with corn starch rather than roux. So, here it is. Enjoy!

Yields: 12-16 servings, depending on your hunger level...

1/4 cup olive oil
3 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
5 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 lbs gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
1/8 cup minced garlic
2 to 3 small poblano peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice -OR-
2 to 3 small anaheim peppers, roasted, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
2 quarts water or chicken broth
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced
3 cups diced (large pieces) grilled chicken
1 Tbsp corn starch, mixed into
1 pint heavy cream

Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat
Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, peppers, salt, white pepper, cumin, and thyme
Saute for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften
Stir in the chicken bouillon
Add the chicken broth, potatoes, corn and cilantro, and cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender
Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chowder is thick and the chicken is heated through
Add the cream and corn starch mixture
Bring up just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about two minutes, stirring constantly

Serve garnished with some fresh tomatoes and tortilla chips

If you really want to make the nice warm burn come alive, add both the poblanos and the anaheims. I found the flavor to be really fabulous.

Asparagus with Lobster and Cream Sauce...

OK - so, you think you can't have lobster because it's so expensive. Actually, it's not all that expensive if you get it on sale, and if you're mixing it into other things, like in this dish. I picked up 4 lobsters for about $24 total at my local store - they were having a sale - and if you look around, you may surprise yourself. It's a bit of work to pick them, but it's really tasty. If lobster isn't your thing, you can also do this with shrimp or crab as well...

Serves 4 people

4 small lobsters (about 1 lb each - you'll get about 5 oz of meat out of each), picked clean
1.5 lb pencil-thin asparagus, chopped into 1.5" long pieces
2 medium shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
nutmeg
salt
pepper

Heat 12" non-stick skillet on medium heat
Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter and let melt
Add shallots and garlic
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg*
Let sweat for about 6 minutes, until super fragrant - do not let brown
Add asparagus, and cook about 6 minutes - stirring every few minutes
Chop lobster into bite-sized pieces
Add cream and let cook until starting to thicken, stirring every few minutes
Add lobster and parmesan cheese
Let cheese thicken, and lobster fully heat up

Serve over baked potato or linguine pasta

*Nutmeg should be used with caution. I'd say only 2-3 scrapes on a microplane, if you're not used to the flavor. It brings out the sweetness of the lobster, but can overpower it if you aren't careful. No more than about 5-6 scrapes tops in this dish, at this serving size.

Oaxacan-inspired Shrimp Salad

So, I play around in the kitchen a lot with different foods and ideas. Many times, the weather inspires me to put together whatever it is I end up serving. Other times, it's budget that constrains me... Tonight, both of these were in play, but there was nothing cheap about what came of it...

There are two componants to this salad - the first is the meat, namely shrimp. You can also do this with tilapia fillets if you like, or scallops. I wouldn't recommend any seafood that was meaty or dark, since this ends up being really delicately flavored... The second is the rest of the salad, which can be prepared up to several hours in advance...

Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: About 2 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb 51-60 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 can (12 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh or flash-frozen (now thawed) yellow corn
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 habanero pepper, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 avocados, diced
1/2 package of queso fresco cheese, diced
2-3 Tbsp Kosher salt
1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a plastic ziploc bag, combine the first portion of the ingredients together, and let marinade at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients together, and let sit in the fridge until the shrimp have finished marinating.

Heat a large skillet to high heat. Once you see the beginnings of smoke come off the pan, add all the shrimp at once, and stir constantly. This size shrimp should be perfectly cooked in about 1-2 minutes.

Add to the salad, and let chill in the fridge. Season to taste and serve cold.