Props to a Great Cook!

This post isn't about one of my new recipes I tried out. Instead, it's about giving kudos to someone who deserves it. And that would have to go to Michele Gross. This story starts with another "a while back ago, Adam and I were" *fill in the blank*. We decided we wanted to be lazy one evening, and found a lil crock of goodies in the pantry. It was full of spices and seasoning, pasta, beans and lentils, and it had a name: Country Soup. I believe the lil crock had roots back to Adam's college days, as I vaguely remember seeing it on his shelf in the kitchen at his fraternity house. But we pulled out the crock, added several items to it as called out per Michele's directions, and a few extras like some shredded up cooked chicken, and what else I don't exactly remember. But it was delish!

The lil crock fed us for several meals, and it's one of those things that was better after sitting for a day. So Michele, if you have any other mixin's like the country soup, send 'em to Warsaw, I'll definitely be your guinea pig, and test out any of your recipes!!....... Especially if you'd ever feel like sending us a Dobos Torte...... :)

Burn Out

I know, I know. I've been a horrible blogger lately. Sorry I suck so bad as a human. lol But good news. With all the major holidays passed, I should have more free time and energy to get back to posting regularly. I've got some maaaajor catching up to do. Quite some delish creations have been made. And I'm pretty positive with the Christmas gifts I received this year, there will be many more yet to come, thanks to Mom's crock-pot and the Gross' cuisinart food processor. But I digress. Back in oh, late November, I found a recipe for Smokey Chicken Tortilla Soup. And of course, it's another Rachel Ray recipe.

Ingredients
3 cups chicken stock
1 pound chicken tenders
1 bay leaf, fresh if available
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 slices thick, smoky bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
1 28-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
Salt to taste
4 cups corn tortilla chips, lightly crushed
3/4 pound (2 cups) shredded fresh smoked mozzarella or smoked sharp white cheddar cheese
1 lime, cut into wedges
1/2 red onion, chopped
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish

Preparation
Bring broth to a simmer and add the chicken tenders. Poach them for 6-7 minutes with a bay leaf.

While the chicken poaches, heat EVOO in a medium soup pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook it until crisp then remove it with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain off the excess fat, leaving 2-3 tablespoons in the pan. Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook them for 5 minutes. Stir in chipotles and tomatoes.

Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid, dice it then add it to the tomatoes and chipotles. Pass the poaching liquid through a strainer then add it to the soup pot as well.
Place a pile of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover it liberally with cheese then ladle the hot soup down over the top. Serve it with lime, raw onions and cilantro at the table.

This is my favorite picture that Adam took while cooking. It just shows such pretty colors, and you can imagine the smells that go along with the various items cooking in it.

I used a smoked yellow cheddar cheese that I found at one of Fort Wayne's little produce markets on my way home from work. Might I add that it was spectacular cheese.

Also, please be very cautious. Although I loved this recipe, it could have been better, had I not misread the recipe. Instead of using just 2 of the chipotles in the adobo sauce, I used the whole can, which was maybe, oh, a dozen or so. BIIIIIIG mistake. It made it soooo spicy hot. It was so hot, but so good, that I tried to salvage the left overs. I added maybe another cup of the stock, maybe a half a cup of cream, and two medium peeled and diced potatoes. It took some of the edge off, but it was still pretty killer. But I suggest that you add that stuff from the get go. It added some healthy starch to the soup and made it a little more filling. Adam liked it better as well. He got a little crazy with the photo taking during this meal, and set-up a nice lil get-up for our dinner area. Mine is the one on the left with the little spoon.

Thankful

Since it's Thanksgiving time, and Adam and I did host our own Thanksgiving for a few select friends, you'd think that I'd have tons of successful recipes to put on here. I do, but the problem is that I was in such a hustle and bustle preparing our feast for our guests that I forgot to take pictures of how they turned out. And in my opinion, the best recipes are those with pictures. There's something about having an idea of how your final outcome should be. To me, it gives me confidence in my cooking ability. To give you an idea of the recipes that I forgot to shoot, and that were missed by this blog, Adam and I have made a Thanksgiving Turkey, Cranberry-Apple-Sausage Stuffing, Cranberry-Sweet Potato Casserole, and a Pumpkin Log. Well, today, I was at the kitchen counter again, but this time at the Gross Residence in Oregon, Ohio in order to make my portion of Thanksgiving "Linner" for my immediate family. Ever since they found out I could make pumpkin pie, I've been in charge of it. Since Adam and I will have eaten potentially 4 Thanksgiving meals by the Sunday, I'm tired of the staples and wanted something a little different then your standard pumpkin pie. So I ventured to make a pumpkin cheesecake. Making two, we'll be able to sample one this evening, before my family gets an opportunity to critique. But, more importantly, I remembered pictures!

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

I hope everyone of you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

It's about time!

I begged. I pleaded. And finally I got it in writing. Yep, that's right. Mom finally, after much convincing, put down the basics to her Potato Soup in an email. Although Sunday's temperature didn't feel very fall-ish on Adam and I's adventure out, it looked of Autumn through and through. I couldn't manage my cravings anymore. So Sunday's dinner was pure home-cooking. Here's the basics. Its a rough recipe, as Mom told me she never made it the same way twice, but my version tasted of home, so I call it a success.

Ingredients:

olive oil

6-8 potatoes (depending on size) - cleaned and cut in bite-size cubes - peelings optional

onion and celery - you know, a few slices and a few stalks - again cut bite-size

1 sm carrot - grated

ham - bite-sized, use however much you want, what's important is that it has great smokey flavor

2 "boxes" chicken stock - the smaller size ones
1 can evaporated milk

Directions:
Heat a big soup pot and heat up a swirl of olive oil. Toss in the onion and celery and let it cook for a little while. Until it's began to get that golden hue. Add stock to pot and bring to boil. Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender. Add carrot and ham and continue to simmer. Add the evaporated milk to help thicken. (Or, you can try mashing some of the potatoes, or using a rue, or even the cold starch/cold water method, all of which have been tested by my mom).

That's pretty much the jist of it. It's a piece of cake to make, and pretty much a no-brainer. I don't think this picture is the best representation of the soup, but you get the idea.

And look, even Adam liked it!!

I recommend you try it for yourself!!

Autumn Harvest Chili

I've been horrible at keeping up with this thing. My evenings already seem to be too short between making dinner, showering, and keeping up with the cleaning and laundry. Before I know it, I have to head to bed so I can get up the next morning again. But I've been meaning to post this recipe for a while now. Again, it was one that I made before I started the blog, so I don't have pictures of the finished product. It's another random Rachel Ray recipe that I came across one day. Autumn Harvest Chili isn't like most chili recipes, as for it called for a ton of veggies, minimal beans, and not a speck of meat in it. Whether or not its a chili for you, I can't say. You'll just have to try it out later yourself.

Ingredients
2 small butternut squash, cut in half and seeded
4 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 pound button mushrooms, quartered
2 small zucchini, diced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 10-ounce box frozen corn
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 lager beer, as needed -- I used a Stella for it, so Shyne could drink the other 5 from the 6 pack :)
2 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Place butternut squash cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons EVOO and some salt and pepper. Roast squash in oven until tender, about 45 minutes. When they've finished roasting, turn off the oven and turn on the broiler.

While the squash is in the oven, place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms and zucchini to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the veggies are tender, about 7 minutes.

Add the spices, corn, black beans and tomato paste to the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the beer to the pan (start with about half the bottle and add more as needed -- you want a thicker chili) and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Scoop the finished chili over the butternut squash halves and sprinkle with the cheese. Place the squash under the broiler to melt the cheese then serve.

I couldn't find any butternut sqaush when I made this and got acorn instead. I think it turned out great. Ours pretty much looked like the pictures online of it. Just wish I could prove it to you all!

By the way, I'm supposed to be featuring a new chili recipe on here, but they still have yet to get it tom me. You know who you are. I can't mention it though until I've made it and tasted it myself. Along with that, I'm hoping to make Mom's FAMOUS POTATO SOUP today!!! I'll be sure to take pictures! :)

BLT&P Soup

I found this recipe on a whim one day last week while checking out Rachel Ray's website. After reading the ingredients, I was entrigued. It is such a simple recipe as well. So easy, I think I remember most of it still. I wish I had a picture of how it came out (it looks just as great as it tastes and smells) because the website didn't have anything, but I'm including the link anyways. BLT&P

Here's the recipe as well, with a little bit of adjustment to the preparation. For some reason, the layout was a little screwy on the website:

Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
6 slices lean, smoky, good-quality bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 small ribs celery from the heart of the stalk, finely chopped
2 small to medium carrots
3 leeks trimmed of rough tops and roots
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
3 medium starchy potatoes, such as Idaho, peeled
2 quarts chicken stock
1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Crusty bread, for dunking and mopping

Preparation
Heat a medium soup pot or deep sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of EVOO and the bacon. Cook bacon until brown and crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.
Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat. Add the chopped celery. Take peeled carrots and lay flat on cutting board. Hold each carrot at root end and use the vegetable peeler to make long, thin strips of the carrot. Chop the thin slices into small carrot bits or carrot chips, 1/2 inch wide. Add the chips to celery and stir.
Cut leeks lengthwise and then into 1/2 inch half moons. Place dirty slices into colander and run under rushing cold water, separating all the layers to wash away all the trapped grit. When the leeks are separated and clean, shake off water and add to celery and carrots. Stir veggies together, add a bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. While the leeks cook to wilt, 3-4 minutes, slice the potatoes by cutting each potato into thirds across. Stand each third potato upright and thinly slice it. The pieces will look like raw potato chips.

Add stock to vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add potatoes and tomatoes. Cook 8-10 minutes until potatoes are tender and starting to break up a bit. Add bacon and parsley and stir. Adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

The result was fabulous! I think, due in part to the canned tomatoes Michele gave to Adam and I in our house warming basket (chock full of other goodies as well). I decided last night (while I was getting ready for bed) that I'd rank the BLT&P soup as #3 on my list of favorite soups. #1 being my mother's DEEEEELISH Potato Soup (by the way, Mom, if you're reading this, I'd appreciate a copy of that recipe. I know that you claim that there aren't specific directions, but you should definitely put something in writing for me! PLEASE! We have a whole sack of potatoes, and they need a home....in my belly). #2 is the Homemade Vegetable Soup that Grandma Brinkman used to make while she was still with us. It was different every time she made it, but it was all dependent on what was available in her garden. Grandpa Brinkman knows I love it so much, that he would make it and invite me down for dinner. His attempts at Grandma's soup were yummy as well, but shhhh, don't tell him that Grandma's still rated supreme to his!

Speaking of Grandpa, I'm including one of my FAVORITE pictures. It's of Grandpa (or as everyone else calls him, Flick), Josette, Dad and myself. I think it was taken in early 2005, shortly after we found out that Dad was sick. But enough sappyness. Try the soup, you won't be disappointed!

Perch Anyone??

As mentioned previously, I wanted to include any recipes that Adam and I attempted. Well, Adam being the adventurous sort he is, he wanted another go at making fish. I must say, it was a succenssful adventure in deed.

I think that what made our fish so tastey had to do with the seasoning we tried. Andy's Seasoned Fish Breading made for a delightful crusty outside with a little zing. I was in charge of the veggies for tonight's meal. I had been longing to make fresh asparagus. I found a SUPER easy way to make it. After cleaning, put into a roasting pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, sprinkle with parmesean cheese and bake for another 5 minutes. I thought they were mighty tastey as well.

It's not that late here, but I'm trying to wind down early tonight. Tomorrow is my first day of work at Shambaugh & Sons. I sort of hope that I'll be too tired to make anything fancy tomorrow night for dinner so I can post a recipe I tried this past week for a delish soup!