Vegetarian White Chili

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted. Life sure got crazy for a while there! It's good to be back, though, to cooking in my kitchen and to sharing some of the results with you. I have cooked much less over the last month, thanks to long hours at work and more stress than I wanted to deal with. But eating is a necessary part of life, and I pushed really hard to not fall back into the habits of prepared, over processed food. This meant lots of weekend cooking, and planning for simple weeknight meals. I fell back on some favorites during this time, and it was a great chance to revisit some of my blog favorites from the past. Below are links to some previous recipes that I recently made again.

Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Wheat Berry Salad

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

"Lower Fat" Chocolate Chip Cookies

While it's nice to revisit some favorites, I have been eager to get back to exploring new recipes. This past weekend offered me an opportunity, when Joe and I were finally taking a day to lounge around. It was cool weather, and football was on the brain as we waited eagerly for the Mizzou game to begin. Chili sounded perfect for this type of day, but I'd recently made a wonderful Chicken Chili. Not to mention we'd been eating a lot of meat for the last few days, so I was in the mood for a vegetarian dinner.

Somehow I came up with the idea of doing a white chili, using cannellini beans and corn. I didn't find any recipes online that fit what I was looking for, so I found a White Chicken Chili to use as a model. The end result was a flavorful, hearty alternative to traditional chili. It was also a great dinner to eat before a crazy night watching the Missouri Tigers beat Oklahoma!! Go Tigers!! Now I just need to figure out another creative chili to eat before we show Nebraska what's up this weekend ;)

Vegetarian White Chili

•1 large onion, chopped

•1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter

•1/4 cup all-purpose flour

•2 cups vegetable stock

•2 cups 1% milk

•1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

•1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

•1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

•1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste

•two 4-ounce cans whole mild green chilies, drained and chopped

•2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

•2 cups of frozen corn kernels, thawed

•¼ cup cilantro leaves, rough chopped

•Garnish: chopped avocado, 1 1/2 cups grated white cheddar cheese

In a skillet cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter over moderate heat until softened.

In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in onion and gradually add vegetable stock and half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, and white pepper. Add beans, chilies, corn, and cilantro, and cook mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, 20 minutes.

Garnish chili with grated cheese and chopped avocado.

Original Recipe: White Chicken Chili from epicurious.com

Chicken Chili

One of my closest friends from high school is about to have her first baby, and I couldn't be more excited for her! As Cathy and her husband await the arrival of their little girl (only 10 or so days to go!), I started thinking about what I could do for them once the baby is here. Cathy is a great cook, but I know she's going to be tired and stretched thin as she adjusts to motherhood, so I wanted to help make a couple nights after baby's arrival that much easier.

As I searched for great freezer-friendly recipes, I came across this Chicken Chili on Annie's Eats. It sounded like a nice twist on a classic, and I figured it was a recipe that would suit their tastes well. The weather was decidedly fall-like today, which made it a perfect day to open the kitchen door and put a pot of chili on the stove. I managed to put most of this into Tupperware containers that went straight into the freezer, but not before I tasted a bowl for myself. I had to make sure it was tasty before I gave it away! I think this chili was perfect for freezing, and will make a healthy and comforting meal for the new parents. And the overflow will be great for my lunch tomorrow, too :)

Chicken Chili

From Annie's Eats, originally from Barefoot Contessa Parties by Ina Garten

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

4 cups chopped yellow onion (2-3 onions)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 bell peppers (I used 1 red, 1 green and 1 yellow)

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. dried oregano

1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 (28 oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes in puree, not drained

2 (15 oz.) cans beans, drained and rinsed (I used 1 can black and 1 can pinto beans)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken breasts on the foil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the chicken breasts to make a “packet”. Roast 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool enough to handle, then shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions 10-15 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and sauté just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the chopped bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, oregano, chipotle, and kosher salt. Cook 5 more minutes.

Place the canned tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse briefly so the tomatoes are cut to large chunks. Add the tomatoes with the puree to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the shredded chicken and the beans, and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

This homemade vegetable stock has been a part of my soups, risottos, and other vegetarian cooking for a couple months now. Before this I was pretty addicted to the Trader Joe’s vegetable stock concentrate packets, but they’re only sporadically available in the stores. I live in fear of them being discontinued, so I decided I needed to try my hand at making my own veggie stock. This version was recommended to me by a coworker, who had developed the recipe for a vegetarian cooking class. It does take more time (and potentially money) to make this stock, but I love knowing exactly what is in my food! And I took another coworker’s advice to reduce the stock by about half, and then to freeze it in ice cube trays. These little concentrated cubes are great to have in my freezer, ready for any vegetarian cooking needs.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

from The Chopping Block

Yield: 8-10 cups stock

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 medium onions, large dice

3 medium carrots, large dice

3 stalks celery, large dice

2 bulbs fennel, large dice

3 cups cremini mushrooms, rough chopped

1 cup white wine

12 cups water

3 roma tomatoes, cut into large pieces

1/2 bunch parsley stems

6 sprigs fresh thyme

10-15 black peppercorns

1. Preheat oven to 425º.

2. In a heavy roasting pan, toss together the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, fennel and mushrooms. Roast until lightly caramelized, about 25-30 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a stockpot.

3. Deglaze the roasting pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add the wine to the stockpot.

4. Add the water, tomatoes parsley, thyme and peppercorns to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.

5. Strain the stock through a fine sieve, chill until room temperature and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Summertime Chilled Asparagus Soup

On Sunday I had to work until 6:30, so Joe volunteered to make us dinner. He wanted to use some of the beautiful produce we'd purchased at the Green City Market on Saturday, and decided to try out this asparagus soup from Jamie at Home. The soup came together really easily, and since it was chilled it was perfect to make in advance. It tasted so light and fresh, which was wonderful on a humid evening. It's so nice that Joe and I both love to cook and appreciate good food, because it makes a simple night at home into such an enjoyable experience! And, I have to brag a little... Joe even poached the eggs for on top of the soup! I've actually never poached an egg before, so I was really impressed!

The chef! In addition to a wonderful dinner, he bought me roses, and a grower of Daisy Cutter Ale from Half Acre brewery. I'm too lucky!

The soup was really a beautiful bright green color, but I was too excited to take time for better pictures! It looked so pretty, and tasted even better!

The soup was served with rosemary and garlic grilled chicken thighs, and grilled vegetables. A beautiful summer meal!

Creamy Asparagus Soup with a Poached Egg on Toast

from Jamie at Home, by Jamie Oliver

• 1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed

• olive oil

• 1 medium white onions, peeled and chopped

• 1 stick of celery, trimmed and copped

• 1 leek, trimmed and chopped

• 1 quart good-quality chicken or vegetable stock, preferably organic

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 5 small very fresh free-range or organic eggs

• 4 slices of ciabatta bread

• a knob of butter

• extra virgin olive oil

Chop the tips off your asparagus and put these to one side for later. Roughly chop the asparagus stalks. Get a large, deep pan on the heat and add a good lug of olive oil. Gently fry the onions, celery and leeks for around 10 minutes, until soft and sweet, without colouring. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and stock and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand-held blender or in a liquidizer. Season the soup bit by bit (this is important) with salt and pepper until just right. Put the soup back on the heat, stir in the asparagus tips, bring back to the boil and simmer for a few more minutes until the tips have softened.

Just before I’m ready to serve the soup, I get a wide casserole-type pan on the heat with 8 to 10 cm of boiling water. Using really fresh eggs, I very quickly crack all 10 into the water. Don’t worry about poaching so many at the same time. They don’t have to look perfect. A couple of minutes and they’ll be done, as you want them to be a bit runny. Toast your ciabatta slices. Using a slotted spoon, remove all the poached eggs to a plate and add a knob of butter to them. To serve, divide the soup between eight warmed bowls and place a piece of toast into each. Put a poached egg on top, cut into it to make it runny, season and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup

Hi, remember me? I used to blog, and then I started working far too much! I don't have a day off until Sunday, and I will have worked 13 days in a row at that point. When it rains, it pours, right? Between school, babysitting, and the Chopping Block I've been going non-stop. I have managed a couple good meals when I've had a brief quiet moment at home... but I can't take any credit for this one. I had to work from 8 am to 7 pm on Sunday, so Joe volunteered to cook dinner. I love when he does that! It is so nice to come home to a warm and freshly made meal like this after such a long day of work.

I love that this soup was so healthy, but still satisfying. I had eaten chips with guacamole and gougeres for lunch (busy day at work!), so I was dying for a healthy meal for dinner. This soup replaced all the nutrients I'd been lacking during the day, and gave me energy to help Joe bottle our latest batch of homebrew before hitting the sack. I think the only change Joe made was extra seasoning at the end-- extra salt and acid was needed to kick up the flavor. A fantastic soup for this time of year, as we slowly transition to springtime weather.

Spring Vegetable and Bean Soup

from Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

2 medium onions

2 cloves of garlic

1 3/4 quarts vegetable stock

olive oil

1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 cups broccoli florets

7 cups (7 oz) spinach leaves, roughly chopped

2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Peel and slice the carrots. Chop the celery and onion, and peel and dice the garlic. Put the broth in a saucepan and heat until boiling. Put a large saucepan on medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon. Cook for around 12 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden.

Add the boiling broth to the vegetables in the pan. Add the cannellini beans, cauliflower, broccoli, and tomatoes. Stir well, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Add the spinach right before serving, and cook for 3o seconds. Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt and pepper (and some white wine vinegar if you want), and ladle the soup into bowls. Finish the soup with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with garlic bread.

Vegetarian Chili

A while back, I ran across a post on Erin's Food Files that caught my attention. First of all, the recipe for Braised Tuscan Chicken with Fennel and White Beans sounded like something I would really enjoy. Tuscan flavors always appeal to me, and I am pretty much addicted to white beans. It sounded like an excellent dinner recipe, but I noticed that there was more to her post than this recipe. Erin had gotten the recipe out of the "Diary of a Tomato" cookbook that she had received as part of a case of Muir Glen 2009 Reserve Tomatoes. I have gotten in the habit of buying Muir Glen organic tomatoes recently, and the idea of getting 4 cans of their limited edition tomatoes for $7 appealed to me!

The box of tomatoes was like a gift, but since it was really just groceries I didn't even have to feel guilty about ordering it! The Fire Roasted tomatoes were perfect for this vegetarian chili, which I made last week. Joe and I are giving up meat for lent, and this year we're going all out. The last two years we've had some loop holes, like it's ok to eat the meat in the freezer, or seafood is on the good list. This year we said no meat. Period*. So veggie chili it is!

I usually just make up chili recipes depending on my mood, using a "bit of this, bit of that" type approach. But this recipe was really good, and I'm posting it partially to remind myself to make it again! The ratio of beans: tomatoes: peppers: onions was right on target, and I have to admit that sometimes my invented chili recipes end up to thick. I thought this was a perfect meal with some sour cream and cheese on top, and with masa bread on the side. And really, if you're a meat lover and can't live without it, I don't see why you couldn't just brown some ground beef or turkey and add it in. It's a solid chili recipe either way!



Vegetarian Chili
from Muir Glen's "Diary of a Tomato" cookbook

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen® organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1 cup frozen organic sweet corn

Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired

Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired

Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

The various Fire Roasted tomatoes are great for chili

1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

2. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.

3. Top each serving with remaining ingredients.

I love colorful meals, and this is a perfect example of why.

* Ok, so that was a tiny bit of a lie. Our only exception so far has been our lunch on Saturday at Mercat a la Planxa. But it was Restaurant Week, and we've been wanting to go to Mercat for months, so we decided it wasn't our fault that Restaurant week falls during lent. Right?!? Maybe next year we should give up eating out!

Italian Wedding Soup

Sunday dinner is my favorite meal of the week. At this point it's usually just me and Joe sitting in the couch, watching TV and enjoying a meal that we've cooked together. In later years I'm sure I'll enjoy Sunday night dinners as a time to reconnect as a family, sitting around the table catching up and getting ready for the week ahead. At this point in our lives, Joe and I are pretty well up to date on what's going on with each other, so my focus is more on the food! Sunday usually means extra time to cook, and a chance to make something more involved than our usual weeknight dinner.

I needed to prove my worth in the kitchen after last week's not so great new recipes, so I knew Ina Garten was the person to turn to. I personally can't stand her Barefoot Contessa show on Food Network, but I adore the two cookbooks of hers that I own. I can't remember making any recipes of hers that I didn't enjoy, so I pulled out the Back to Basics cookbook when it was time to plan this week's recipes. I knew right away which recipe was perfect for a January night at home with Joe... Italian Wedding Soup!


This is a type of soup I'd never tried before, because it has meatballs in the soup, and meatballs are usually made with beef. But Ina's recipe is different, and calls for a combination of chicken sausage and ground chicken. Perfection!

The meatballs were baked, and turned out tender and full of flavor. The pasta added some heft (I don't like wimpy soup), and the spinach made it seem nice and healthy (which really it was!). I think the best part of the soup was the addition of minced fresh dill, which gave it such a fresh, herby flavor. We ate Ribiola Due Latte Italian cheese from Whole Foods with the soup, with bread and roasted garlic. The meal paired nicely with the tripel style beer that Joe had gotten for Christmas, from the Boulevard Brewery Smokestack series. It's high quality KC beer, and I'm bummed out we can't get it here in Chicago. It does make it a treat when we get a chance to down some!



Italian Wedding Soup
from Back to Basics, by Ina Garten

Serves 6-8 (we did a half recipe, and it easily serves 4)

Ingredients
For the meatballs:

* 3/4 pound ground chicken
* 1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
* 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
* 3 tablespoons milk
* 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

* 2 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 cup minced yellow onion
* 1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
* 3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
* 10 cups homemade chicken stock
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
* 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
* 12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

This picture illustrates the large size of my wonderful new stockpot... no more boiling pasta in my Le Creuset dutch oven!

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

Summer Corn Chowder

While I was in St Louis, Joe went out to the outskirts of Chicago to visit his parents. As you might know, outskirts of Chicago = farms and lots of open space. He drove by a farmer selling corn at a roadside stand, and bought a bunch of ears for us to enjoy at home. I never liked corn as a kid, unless it was on the cob. As I got older I realized that this meant I only liked fresh corn... none of that canned or frozen stuff. When it is fresh corn, I could it it in just about anything... salads, pastas, soups, anything!


This batch of fresh corn came right around the time I was craving chowder. I looked up recipes online, but a lot of them called for gross stuff like creamed corn in the soup. That was NOT the refreshing summer chowder I was dreaming of! I also wanted some potatoes in my chowder, so I went off searching for "corn and potato chowder". This recipe came from the Whole Foods website , and added cheese into the mix. What that meant was corn chowder perfection. I used my fresh corn instead of frozen junk, and I mixed a little half and half in with my milk for extra creaminess. Joe and I agreed that this was the perfect way to highlight the crunchy, sweet corn. The soup was indulgent without being too rich, and the potatoes added enough bulk to make this really fill you up. We had BLT sandwiches on the side, and thought this was the epitome of a late summer dinner.



Cheddar, Corn, and Potato Chowder
from www.wholefoods.com

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
32 ounces vegetable broth
2 1/2 cup diced Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large)
2 cups frozen yellow corn
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper (garnish)
Chopped parsley (garnish)


In a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and sauté onion about 5 minutes, until tender. Mix in flour, coating the onion. Add broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat, add potatoes and simmer 20 minutes until tender. Slightly mash potatoes in soup, then stir in corn and milk. Cook another 5 minutes, remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish, if desired.

Cooking from the Pantry

I've been in Saint Louis for the last couple days, hanging out with my younger sister while my parents were both out of town. My sister is just starting her senior year at a brand new high school, and since she doesn't have a driver's license or many local contacts, my parents asked if I could come down and stay with her while they were gone.

I was expecting a few relaxing days of hanging out around their house, and of course one of my plans for this time was to cook like crazy while I was home all day. I specifically directed my mom to not buy any extra groceries, because I was going to plan the shopping list around whatever recipes I picked out. Sounded like a pretty easy plan, right? That's what I thought... until my mom and brother left for their drive to Colorado with BOTH SETS OF KEYS. This left me stranded in the suburbs of Saint Louis with zero keys for the car that was sitting the in garage, and you can imagine what this did to my grand grocery shopping plans!

So plan B was born. First, I would entertain myself all day by catching up on reading people's blogs (I have about 10 unread posts left... not bad, huh?). I also spent waaaay too much time on Facebook, and checked my email about 10 times an hour. I wish I was joking! The other part of plan B was to still cook, but using only ingredients on hand. Boy did I miss my city condo with a grocery store around the corner and public transportation all over the place! Luckily, my mom is a great cook, so even without planning she had left me with plenty of ingredients to work with.

The first thing I made was bread, which I'll tell you about in a later post. I can already tell this post is getting long enough that someone like me would have gotten bored and given up on reading! :) I found a whole chicken in the freezer that had been pre-cut by the butcher, so I set about defrosting that to make a chicken dish that has been on my to-cook list forever. I spotted a mostly full bag of carrots in the fridge, and determined the 101 Cookbooks Carrot Soup would be a great way to round out the meal. My sister and I cooked together, which was a lot of fun. I taught her some basic knife skills, and taught her how mise en place would make her cooking go much smoother. The chicken was AMAZING, and now I can't wait to go home and make it for Joe. We did more like "Chicken with 30ish Cloves" because of the lack of car keys, but it was still great. I would love even more garlic, though, because the cloves become like butter and are so amazing spread onto bread. All in all, I think we pulled together a pretty damn good dinner using what we had around!

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

From Annie's Eats, who got it from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, who got it from Cook's Illustrated...

Ingredients

Table salt

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces

Ground black pepper

3 large heads garlic, with medium-sized cloves if possible

2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered pole to pole

3 tsp. olive oil, divided

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

¾ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

Adjust an oven rack to middle position. Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a large container or bowl combine ¼ cup salt in 2 quarts of cold tap water; stir until the salt is dissolved. Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. Rinse the chicken pieces off and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken pieces on both sides with freshly ground pepper.

Remove the outer paper skins of the heads of garlic. Separate the cloves but keep the peels on. In a 9-inch pie plate combine the garlic cloves and quartered shallots. Toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover tightly with foil and roast until softened and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes, shaking the pan once to toss the contents after 15 minutes (leave the foil on to toss). After 3o minutes, remove the foil and return the pan to the oven to bake uncovered for 10 more minutes, so the cloves are fully browned and tender. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450° F.

Using kitchen twine, tie together the fresh thyme, rosemary and the bay leaf; set aside. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; swirl to coat the pan with oil. Brown the chicken pieces skin side down until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces with tongs and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a large plate and discard the fat. Off the heat, add the vermouth or white wine, chicken broth, and herb bundle, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Set the skillet over medium heat, add the garlic-shallot mixture to the pan. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, skin side up, and nestle them on top of and between the garlic cloves.

Place the pan in the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160° F, about 10-12 minutes (mine took about 18 minutes). If desired, increase the heat to broil and broil to crisp the skin, about 3-5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken to a serving dish. Reserve 10-12 cloves of garlic and place them in a mesh sieve. Using a slotted spoon, scatter the remaining garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken and discard the herbs. Push the reserved garlic cloves through the mesh sieve into a bowl; discard the skins. Add the garlic paste to the pan and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally to incorporate the garlic. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the butter. Transfer to a sauce dish and serve with chicken pieces.

Carrot Soup

from 101 Cookbooks

(My Note: I didn't take any pictures of this soup, but I can't say enough about how great it is for an easy soup straight from the pantry. As long as you have carrots, this is all basic ingredients that you most likely have on hand. My parents only have an immersion blender for a European plug, so we ended up mashing up the carrots in the soup with a potato masher. It was chunkier than when I've made it before, but we ended up liking that texture. Each time I've made this I have added some kind of Indian seasoning, which takes it up a notch. Try 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder or garam masala.)

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds carrots

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or clarified butter)

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cups+ vegetable stock or water

juice of 1/2 a lemon

fine grain sea salt (as much as you need)
olive oil, toasted sesame oil, or red chile oil for a finishing drizzle

Directions
Take the tops off the carrots (if they have tops) and give them a good scrub. Cut them into 1-inch segments and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes or until the onions start to get translucent. Add the stock and carrots and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or until the carrots are tender - longer if your carrot pieces ended up larger. But try not to overcook. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.

Puree with a hand blender (sometimes I leave the soup a bit chunky, other times I go completely smooth) - then stir in the lemon juice. Now salt to taste. If you used a salty veggie stock, you might just need a little salt. If you used water, you'll need quite a bit more. Keep adding a few pinches at a time until the carrot flavor really pops. If it tastes flat or dull, keep adding. Finish with a drizzle of great extra-virgin olive oil, one of the other drizzles I mention up above, or whatever twist you come up with.

Sunday Soup

I tend to be skeptical when I see a tasty sounding soup recipe. The thing is that I do really enjoy soup, but I'm always concerned that it will leave me unsatisfied and wanting a 'real' meal. Especially at dinner time, when I tend to be quite hungry most days :) I've started to learn what types of soup will leave me feeling well fed, and I've determined that potatoes, protein (chicken or pork usually), and some kind of greens are the key to a soup I'll enjoy. This soup, Dijon Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Kale, was both delicious and warming on a freezing Chicago night.

Dijon Chicken Stew with Potatoes and Kale

from Cooking Light, January 2006

Ingredients
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced leek
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled white potato (about 1 pound)
8 cups loosely packed torn kale (about 5 ounces)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 6 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Spoon leek mixture into a large bowl.

Place 1/3 cup flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken mixture; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Add browned chicken to leek mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken mixture, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Combine 1 cup broth and 1 tablespoon flour, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add broth mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, water, and mustard to pan; bring to a boil. Stir in chicken mixture, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in potato. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in kale; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with crushed red pepper, if desired.

Two years down, a lifetime to go...

I got the new Ina Garten cookbook, Back to Basics, for Christmas this year. A few short days later it was my second wedding anniversary, and I knew that was the perfect occasion to test it out. We had initially planned a pretty posh dinner out for this anniversary (Blackbird in Chicago), but the state of the economy has hit close to home and we decided to be a little more financially responsible this year. There will be a dinner at Blackbird in the future, but for now we decided a nice night at home was the best way to celebrate.

There are tons of recipes in Back to Basics that sounded perfect to me, and I settled on Roasted Potato Leek Soup and Herb Marinated Loin of Pork. It sounded classy, romantic, and cozy on a freezing cold Chicago night. And since our anniversary was on a Monday, the meal I chose was also one that could be mostly prepared the night before. The soup was made almost entirely the night before, and then the last few ingredients were added when I reheated it on Monday night. I also did the marinade the night before, so I only had to throw the meat on the grill when it was almost dinner time. I did simple roasted broccoli as a side, and the meal ended up simple yet nice enough to feel special.

The soup was good, but not the most amazing thing ever. I ended up roasting the veggies for about half the time, then boiling them in the broth until the potatoes were soft. It might be my cheap pan, but the potatoes and leeks were browning way too much for my tastes. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the end result, because while I was cooking I really worried this dish might be a waste of time.

The pork, however, was FANTASTIC! It was so moist and flavorful, and grilling it was so much easier than the baking or broiling methods we've used in the past. Even a few days later, the pork was great left over. It was elegant on its own, and would also be delicious served on rolls as mini sandwiches for a party. And since the tenderloins were sold with two in a package, I froze the second one and get to make this again in the near future.




Roasted Potato Leek Soup with Crispy Shallots

Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks (4 leeks), white and light-green parts, cleaned of all sand
1/4 cup good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups baby arugula, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces crème fraiche
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (see note)
Crispy shallots, optional (recipe follows) ** I didn't make these, but it sounds like a tasty addition**

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted.
Remove the pan from the oven and place over two burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the
chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

(I did things a bit different here. I roasted the potatoes and leeks about 20 minutes, and when they seemed to be browning way more than softening I decided to change things up. I moved them to a saucepan, and added the broth to that. I simmered it until the potatoes were soft, then added things in and pureed it. I did scrape the brown bits from the pan as described above.)

In batches, transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor fitted with the steel blade, adding the pan liquid and about 5 cups of the chicken stock to make a puree. Pour the purée into a large pot or Dutch oven. Continue to purée the vegetables in batches until they're all done and combined in the large pot. Add enough of the remaining 1 to 2 cups of stock to make a thick soup. Add the cream, crème fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and check the seasoning.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup gently and whisk in 2 tablespoons white wine and the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with an extra grating of Parmesan cheese and crispy shallots, if using.

Crispy Shallots

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of olive oil or vegetable oil
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

Directions:
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Reduce heat to low, add shallots slowly to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

Herb Marinated Loin of Pork

Marinade:
grated zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-6 lemons)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp minced garlic (6 cloves)

1 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Kosher salt

2-3 pork tenderloins, 1 lb each

freshly ground black pepper

(I did a half recipe of the marinade, and one pork tenderloin)

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and 2 tsp salt in a 1 gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 3 hours. (I like to put the bag in a bowl, just in case).

When you're ready to cook, preheat the grill. Be sure to brush the grill with some oil to prevent the pork from sticking. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and discard the marinade.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grill, turning a few times to brown on all sides, for 20 minutes--until the meat registers 137 degrees at the thickest part. **Use your meat thermometer, or you will do what I used to and overcook it!**

Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Let the pork rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Thanks to The Food of Love for typing this shorter version of the recipe for me to use!

Quick and Easy Mexican Chili

My mom went through many cooking phases as I was growing up, and one I distinctly remember was the Mexican phase. And I guess really, it was more than a phase, because the Mexican cooking (as well as every other phase) has stood the test of time. But there was a time when Mexican cuisine seemed to be her favorite to cook, and I've experienced numerous flavors and ingredients because of her.

Hominy is one of the Mexican ingredients my mom introduced me to. It was most likely in the form of Pasole, a Mexican stew made with pork and this variation of corn. Hominy is a type of dried corn that is treated to remove the hull from the kernel, which leaves it dense yet puffy. It isn't much on it's own, but when added to a soup or stew it takes the dish to a new level.

I haven't found many ways to use hominy besides in a soup like the Chili I made last night. I need to find other recipes, though, because each time I cook with hominy I'm reminded how much I enjoy it. This recipe for Pork and Hominy Chili is a keeper, for sure. Not only is is great tasting, but it's FAST. Seriously, I was done in less than the 30 minute Rachael Ray time limit. I am not usually the fastest in the kitchen, so I was pretty shocked at how quickly this came together. The pork stayed nice and tender, and the seasoning blended nicely. Other than adding a little oregeno I stuck to the recipe. If you're looking for an easy weeknight meal with a new ingredient mixed in, I think I've found the recipe for you!

Pork and Hominy Chili
Cooking Light, September 2007

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil
8 ounces boneless center-cut pork chops, trimmed and cubed
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
1 (15.5-ounce) can golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup light sour cream


Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chili powder and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper). Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste, hominy, tomatoes, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Meatballs Times Two

I have mixed feelings about Food Network. There is a part of me that thinks it's crap. I mean, Sandra Lee, Guy with sunglasses on his neck, crummy specials. Sometimes it's really hard to watch. Yet I appreciate what Food Network has done around our country, inspiring home cooks and opening people up to new tastes and ideas. I think I lean more towards the positive side, and I even have some shows I enjoy watching (I love Giada for everyday cooking, and Ina Garten is fantastic!). A couple weekends ago I was being lazy on Sunday morning, and got sucked in to watching Danny Boon- The Rescue Chef.



First off, he is an obnoxious flirt. Seriously, I wanted to smack him and tell him to stop trying so hard. But I could tell from watching his knife skills and listening to him talk that he did have some skill that I could learn from. And what really pulled me in is that we was making turkey meatballs, something I love but have yet to find a good recipe for. He added some interesting ingredients-- pine nuts and golden raisins-- and put the meatballs into a soup instead of just using them with spaghetti. I was sold, and made this recipe that very night.


While I don't think I found my All-Time Perfect Golden Turkey Meatball recipe, I do think I got some good ideas to put towards that perfect recipe. First, I loved the slight crunch of the pine nuts and the surprising sweetness of the golden raisins. I also thought it was a great tip to lightly dredge the meatballs in flour before frying. It made the meatballs crispy and not at all mushy, which was something I'd struggled with during past meatball making experiments. The soup wasn't bad, but I don't know if I'd make it again. But the meatballs were a good recipe, and I enjoyed using them for multiple, very different dinners.



Turkey Meatballs from The Rescue Chef on Food Network


1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 cups dry broken-up white bread
1 cup milk
1 pound ground turkey meat
2 large eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup golden raisins, hydrated in warm water
1/2 cup pine nuts, slightly toasted
Flour
1 cup vegetable oil


In a heated skillet add olive oil and onions. Slightly cook them for about 5 minutes (we want the onions softened not colored). Place into a bowl and let cool.

Take the 2 cups of broken up bread and place into a bowl with the milk. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes. Squeeze and drain the bread then place it into a large mixing bowl. Add the turkey meat, beaten eggs, chopped parsley, salt, black pepper, golden raisins and toasted pine nuts.
Fold all ingredients together. Do not over work the turkey meat.

Fill a Dutch oven with vegetable oil and place on low heat. Dust a baking sheet with about an inch of flour.

In your hands scoop up a two-finger portion of the turkey mixture and with the palm of your hands shape the balls a little larger than a golf ball. As you make the balls add them to the baking tray with the flour and roll them until evenly coated.

Carefully add the meatballs to the oil and brown for about 6 minutes. Transfer turkey meatballs to a plate and set aside for bean soup. Pour excess oil into a bowl.

If you want to try the soup, click here for the recipe.

I used my homemade marinara sauce with the pasta. You can find my recipe here.

Here comes fall...

Today was the first day of fall like weather here in Chicago. It was crisp and cool, and I almost wished I had a sweater as I was walking home from the train. As soon as the weather starts to change, I start dreaming off the types of food I'll be cooking in the upcoming season. I'm dying to turn my oven on for more baking, and I already have an extensive list of soups, roasts, and hearty side dishes ready to make. Is anyone else feeling this itch?

I guess I felt the itch a little early, because I actually made my first Fall dish yesterday, when the temperature was over 90 degrees. It was one of the hotter days I'd experienced this summer, but I decided my urge to make chili was stronger than my urge to keep the house cool. I could blame it on my brother in law for talking about chili this weekend, or I could blame it on Mizzou football starting back up (Go Tigers!). Either way, I couldn't fight the desire to have a warm bowl of Turkey Chili for dinner last night.

After a few previous experiences with chili recipes, I've gotten to the point where I just make it with my own ever-changing recipe. I let my mood and pantry be the guide, with lots of taste testing along the way. I'll give you an approximate recipe below. If you have any tips or secret ingredients to share, let me know!


First, I browned a pound of ground turkey, with a little chili powder and cumin. When it was cooked, I drained it and put the meat in a bowl until I was ready for it.

In my same dutch oven, I cooked one chopped onion and three chopped carrots until the onion was soft. Then I added 2 cans of chopped tomato, 3 Tbsp chili powder, 2 Tbsp cumin, 2 Tbsp cayenne pepper, and 2 cans of chicken stock.

Bring it to a boil, then turn down and add 1 can pinto beans, 1 can kidney beans, the turkey, frozen corn, and a can of tomato paste. At this point you can taste it and adjust the spices as necessary (pepper, salt if needed, more cumin/chili, oregeno, etc). Put the lid on and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Then, take the lid off, add 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 more minutes.

Top with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced green onions.

Tortellini Soup

On my search to find vegetarian recipes, I've determined cannellini beans are a protein source that I really like. This soup was full of ingredients I like: tortellini, spinach, white beans, artichoke hearts... yum! The web site was not very polished, but I followed the recipe almost exactly, and it was so simple. Check it out, and enjoy!

Joe took this one!

Sunday Dinner

Sounds old fashioned, but some Sunday nights end up being perfect for a big, special meal. There was no special event this past weekend; I just had the time and inspiration to make a nice meal. My meal came together around the idea of butternut squash. I have a great recipe for butternut squash soup, and I decided fish would be nice with the soup. I went to Whole Foods to get the fish, and found an amazing loaf of bread to go with the meal. I think it was called "Seeduction Bread"-- obviously, it was really full of grains and seeds. At $5 for a small loaf it wasn't cheap, but it was worth it! A nice side salad rounded out the meal. There aren't many pictures for this entry... we were too focused on eating our delicious meal!

Salmon Baked in Foil from Giada's Everyday Italian

- 1/2 to 3/4 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh oregano, or 3/4 tsp dried
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 3/4 tsp dried
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 salmon fillets (about 5 oz each)

These can me made in advance, and refrigerated for up to 6 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir tomatoes, shallots, 2 tbsp oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. In the center of each of four large sheets of aluminum foil, spoon 1/2 tsp of oil. Place a piece of salmon on each piece of foil, and turn to coat with oil. Sprinkle each fillet with remaining salt and pepper. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon, and fold the foil up into a sealed packet. Place packets on a baking sheet. At this point you can refrigerate until ready to bake.

Bake until salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Use a spatula or large spoon to remove and plate each pack of salmon.



Butternut Squash Soup by Joanne Harris

- 1 butternut squash (approx 3 lbs)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp curry powder
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) veggie or chicken stock
- flat leaf parsley, finely chopped


Skin and cut squash into chunks. Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan; add onions and garlic and saute until soft.

Add butternut squash. Stir in curry powder, salt and pepper. Pour in stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Turn to medium-low and simmer for about 35 mins, until squash is soft.

Blend soup in a blender or processor. Or, like me, make a huge mess with your immersion blender right in the pot. That thing splatters so much! :) Serve soup topped with parsley and a drizzle of oil.

New Le Creuset... time for stew!

I have been wanting a Le Creuset dutch oven for a while, and found one today at TJ Maxx. It was a great price, so I couldn't pass it up! I was already planning to make a seafood stew for dinner tonight, so this was a perfect chance to test it out. Results: great stew, great cookware, and a very full stomach :)

My beautiful new dutch oven!

The final product.

Mediterranean Seafood Stew (adapted from Taste of Home Cookbook)

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 28 oz can tomatoes (I got whole and chopped them myself, but you could buy diced, too)
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup clam juice
1/3 cup white wine, or extra clam juice
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 lb shrimp
1/2 lb bay scallops
(called for 1 lb orange roughy or red snapper-- I couldn't find it at Whole foods, so I did extra shrimp)
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
(I added some French pistu, from a previous Barefoot Contessa recipe. It's like a pesto w/ tomato paste, and I added about 1 1/2 tbsp.)

1.) In a dutch oven or large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion and garlic, saute until tender. Add tomatoes, lemon zest, and pepper flakes; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

2.) Add clam juice, wine/other clam juice, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.) Add the seafood and parsley. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Eat and enjoy!

** I thought the shrimp was kind of tough-- not sure if it was the cooking time, or the type I bought. I will play around with the seafood element next time, to try to improve it.