Liz and I were watching Rachel Ray on Monday and she was making a very fun and unique sweet potato dish that I had to try. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out for us as well as it did for Rachel. If I make some adjustments in the future, I'm sure it will be great.
The idea was as simple as could be. Cook some sweet potatoes, add lemon zest and the juice of one lemon, add some honey and salt and mash it together. In fact, it was so simple, it took less time to make than traditional sweet potato mash with all of the milk and/or cream. However, I only used two sweet potatoes with one lemon and that was way too much citrus for our taste.
Lucky for me, the rack of ribs was done to perfection and melted off the bone and our steamed vegetables still had some crunch (I often over-steam them and they become too soft), so we still had some great food. I need to look at the Rachel Ray website so I have the right potato-to-citrus ratio. I know it will be wonderful if I get the ingredients right because even though the lemon took over this time, there was a hint of greatness with the honey.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Peanut Chicken Stew
I think I decided that I'm most interested in creating soups with an ethnic flair. Don't get me wrong, the chicken noodle soup that I made last time was out of this world, but I'm most comfortable experimenting with new flavors.
This week I used an idea from allrecipes.com and made my own version of African chicken stew. It included a variety of African spices (cummin, coriander, etc.), chicken, sweet potatoes, beans, veggies and peanut butter. That's right, peanut butter.
Here's how it went: I cooked the chicken (breast and thigh meat) in my Dutch oven first then removed it and sauteed the vegetables with spices. Then I added chicken broth, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and more spices before finally putting the chicken back in the pot and adding the peanut butter.
There was so much flavor in this soup I still can't describe it accurately. The spices gave it a non-American taste with a little kick. I'm sure my dad wouldn't like it. The combination of breast and thigh meat made for a hint of a gamey taste, which I like because you can tell it's homemade. The peanut butter reminded me of a Thai dish, but combined with everything it made for a unique dish that I'm almost certain you'd find in a small village in West Africa.
I make enough soup each Sunday for 10+ people because we always have visitors, but this weekend it was just me. I'm not complaining because I've had a few extra bowls already this week and I'm still enjoying the superfluity of flavors.
If you're reading this blog, do yourself a favor and make this soup! I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken, cut into 1" cubes (breast and thigh meat)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
1 sweet potato
2 stalks celery
5 ounces carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 carton low sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 ounces chopped spinach
1 small bunch green onions
3/4 cup natural chunky peanut butter (I used Smucker's)
1 teaspoon ground cummin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon African seasoning (I bought it at TJ Maxx...)
This week I used an idea from allrecipes.com and made my own version of African chicken stew. It included a variety of African spices (cummin, coriander, etc.), chicken, sweet potatoes, beans, veggies and peanut butter. That's right, peanut butter.
Here's how it went: I cooked the chicken (breast and thigh meat) in my Dutch oven first then removed it and sauteed the vegetables with spices. Then I added chicken broth, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and more spices before finally putting the chicken back in the pot and adding the peanut butter.
There was so much flavor in this soup I still can't describe it accurately. The spices gave it a non-American taste with a little kick. I'm sure my dad wouldn't like it. The combination of breast and thigh meat made for a hint of a gamey taste, which I like because you can tell it's homemade. The peanut butter reminded me of a Thai dish, but combined with everything it made for a unique dish that I'm almost certain you'd find in a small village in West Africa.
I make enough soup each Sunday for 10+ people because we always have visitors, but this weekend it was just me. I'm not complaining because I've had a few extra bowls already this week and I'm still enjoying the superfluity of flavors.
If you're reading this blog, do yourself a favor and make this soup! I'd love to hear what you think about it.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of chicken, cut into 1" cubes (breast and thigh meat)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
1 sweet potato
2 stalks celery
5 ounces carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 carton low sodium chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
2 ounces chopped spinach
1 small bunch green onions
3/4 cup natural chunky peanut butter (I used Smucker's)
1 teaspoon ground cummin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon African seasoning (I bought it at TJ Maxx...)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Chicken Noodle
Last weekend I went the easy route - chicken noodle soup. I've had my fair share of chicken noodle soup in my life. I remember my first experience was when I was very young and my mom made condensed off-brand chicken noodle soup with the tiny chicken chunks and thin, rubbery noodles. It was basically a bowl of msg. When I was in college, I graduated to the Campbell's Chunky Chicken Noodle which had "real" vegetables. Then, after meeting Liz, she told me that the Progresso Chicken Noodle soup was actually better for me. Not only was it better for me, it tasted better, too. My taste for chicken noodle soup has evolved since I was young, so it probably comes as no surprise that I would put some thought and effort into making a chicken noodle soup that went to a whole new level.
Through my obsession with making soup over the past two years, I haven't made chicken noodle all too often. To be honest, I've always thought it was "too simple" for what I have aimed for. Plus, I have difficulty finding noodles that work the way I want them to without becoming soggy and over cooked. I had a couple of ideas that I knew would make it worth my time now, though.
I sauteed onion, carrots, celery, green pepper and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until the onions were translucent. The carrots, celery and pepper still had some crunch to them. I cut the vegetables into large pieces because I wanted it to be very "hearty." After about 10-15 minutes of cooking the veggies, I added a store-bought container of chicken stock and a carton of chicken broth (I buy the Trader Joe's chicken broth because it is msg-free) and let the soup cook on low for a while. I once read that you shouldn't let your soup boil because it loses a lot of the nutrients.
The two most important ingredients were next. The noodles that I chose were Kluski Home Style Noodles (made by an Amish family). I was determined not to overcook them. The idea that I had for the chicken was to purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, take off the skin and put all of the meat in the soup. It was the best idea.
The chicken had it's own salty flavor to it while the soup had a peppery taste (from the fresh ground pepper). The vegetables still had crunch to them and tasted like real vegetables. The noodles were done to perfection and somehow tied all the flavors together. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you that this was the best chicken noodle soup that I ever had. It was so easy to prepare and the end result was outstanding. I'm definitely not above making chicken noodle soup in the future.
Through my obsession with making soup over the past two years, I haven't made chicken noodle all too often. To be honest, I've always thought it was "too simple" for what I have aimed for. Plus, I have difficulty finding noodles that work the way I want them to without becoming soggy and over cooked. I had a couple of ideas that I knew would make it worth my time now, though.
I sauteed onion, carrots, celery, green pepper and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until the onions were translucent. The carrots, celery and pepper still had some crunch to them. I cut the vegetables into large pieces because I wanted it to be very "hearty." After about 10-15 minutes of cooking the veggies, I added a store-bought container of chicken stock and a carton of chicken broth (I buy the Trader Joe's chicken broth because it is msg-free) and let the soup cook on low for a while. I once read that you shouldn't let your soup boil because it loses a lot of the nutrients.
The two most important ingredients were next. The noodles that I chose were Kluski Home Style Noodles (made by an Amish family). I was determined not to overcook them. The idea that I had for the chicken was to purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, take off the skin and put all of the meat in the soup. It was the best idea.
The chicken had it's own salty flavor to it while the soup had a peppery taste (from the fresh ground pepper). The vegetables still had crunch to them and tasted like real vegetables. The noodles were done to perfection and somehow tied all the flavors together. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tell you that this was the best chicken noodle soup that I ever had. It was so easy to prepare and the end result was outstanding. I'm definitely not above making chicken noodle soup in the future.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday Soup Day: Bunny Chow
Well, it's officially here. It's now football season and that means Sunday Soup Day is back! I've been anticipating a slight drop in temperature that would demand warm soup on lazy weekends. We got it this weekend and I took an adventurous route and created a fantastic soup that is new to our family: Bunny Chow.
Bunny Chow is a traditional curry dish that originated in Durban, South Africa in the 1940's. Legend says that the curry dishes were created for individuals outside of a famous vegetarian restaurant. The owner scooped his curry dish into hollowed-out pieced of bread, covered it with the remaining bread and wrapped it up. Because of the caste system, certain people groups were forbidden to eat with others, but the owner sent the chow to the "outsiders." It became popular and versions of the original Bunny Chow can be found at specialty restaurants all over the world. The word bunny is thought to have originated from the Sanskrit word Banijy (or Bania caste - an occupational title describing business people and traders).
I was watching the Food Network a few weeks ago and saw a version of Bunny Chow that reviewers raved about. It looked really good on screen so I took special note of it and quickly wrote down what I thought I saw inside and set out create my own version.
I knew that I wanted to include the following ingredients: chick peas/garbanzo beans, red peppers, green peppers, onions, ginger, curry, cream, tomatoes, coconut and cashews. I peeked at a few recipes online and realized I needed to add a jalapeno pepper, too. Then I stuck with what I saw on tv and went at it with no plan or recipe.
I sauteed the vegetables in some butter and added the curry and fresh ginger before adding chicken broth and half-and-half. I also added the coconut and cashews after the broth. Then, I added the beans and tomatoes. I used one of each of the vegetables mentioned and two cans of beans. I also threw in more seasoning before letting the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes that included salt, garlic, corriander, fenugreek, black pepper and cumin.
It turned out so well I wish I had a clear recipe so I can make it again and help others make make it, too. It was an original and the Panera bread bowls added to the perfection. I think the spices may have been a little too much for my taste if the sourdough bread wasn't there to offset them. We sat with friends and ate the soup for almost an hour and we couldn't say enough good things about the food.
Bunny Chow is a traditional curry dish that originated in Durban, South Africa in the 1940's. Legend says that the curry dishes were created for individuals outside of a famous vegetarian restaurant. The owner scooped his curry dish into hollowed-out pieced of bread, covered it with the remaining bread and wrapped it up. Because of the caste system, certain people groups were forbidden to eat with others, but the owner sent the chow to the "outsiders." It became popular and versions of the original Bunny Chow can be found at specialty restaurants all over the world. The word bunny is thought to have originated from the Sanskrit word Banijy (or Bania caste - an occupational title describing business people and traders).
I was watching the Food Network a few weeks ago and saw a version of Bunny Chow that reviewers raved about. It looked really good on screen so I took special note of it and quickly wrote down what I thought I saw inside and set out create my own version.
I knew that I wanted to include the following ingredients: chick peas/garbanzo beans, red peppers, green peppers, onions, ginger, curry, cream, tomatoes, coconut and cashews. I peeked at a few recipes online and realized I needed to add a jalapeno pepper, too. Then I stuck with what I saw on tv and went at it with no plan or recipe.
I sauteed the vegetables in some butter and added the curry and fresh ginger before adding chicken broth and half-and-half. I also added the coconut and cashews after the broth. Then, I added the beans and tomatoes. I used one of each of the vegetables mentioned and two cans of beans. I also threw in more seasoning before letting the soup simmer for about 15-20 minutes that included salt, garlic, corriander, fenugreek, black pepper and cumin.
It turned out so well I wish I had a clear recipe so I can make it again and help others make make it, too. It was an original and the Panera bread bowls added to the perfection. I think the spices may have been a little too much for my taste if the sourdough bread wasn't there to offset them. We sat with friends and ate the soup for almost an hour and we couldn't say enough good things about the food.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Cinnamon French Toast
We've had a string of very hot days followed by two days of rain and this morning was the first "brisk" morning of the year. It's the first day of September and this month symbolizes a lot of firsts. The first day of school, the first football game (at all levels) and the first practice at Victory. It was also the first cool, lazy morning that required some quality home cooking. It also became Isaiah's first French Toast experience...and it won't be his last.
I anticipated a French Toast morning last night, so I bought some fresh made cinnamon bread from the bakery. I like an unsliced loaf of bread so I can determine how thick each piece will be.
I thought I would give Isaiah a real French Toast experience by breaking out the cast iron skillet. I coated the pan with butter and evenly spread the bread, soaked in batter, across the cooking surface. The smell of butter frying bread on an iron skillet is quite possibly my favorite aroma on Earth. It had our entire house smelling like a greasy spoon cafe.
The batter was very simple. I used four eggs, milk, a dash of salt and vanilla. We've been privy to using cage free organic eggs lately. It even allowed us to eat our eggs during the recent recall. I don't know if it's all in my head, but these eggs taste so fresh. They're definitely worth the extra dollar.
The French Toast was spectacular and we had a wonderful time eating breakfast as a small family. We even danced a little. Isaiah out-ate his mom, again. He loves breakfast, meaning I will be making a lot of French Toast for many years to come. I'm certainly not complaining.
I anticipated a French Toast morning last night, so I bought some fresh made cinnamon bread from the bakery. I like an unsliced loaf of bread so I can determine how thick each piece will be.
I thought I would give Isaiah a real French Toast experience by breaking out the cast iron skillet. I coated the pan with butter and evenly spread the bread, soaked in batter, across the cooking surface. The smell of butter frying bread on an iron skillet is quite possibly my favorite aroma on Earth. It had our entire house smelling like a greasy spoon cafe.
The batter was very simple. I used four eggs, milk, a dash of salt and vanilla. We've been privy to using cage free organic eggs lately. It even allowed us to eat our eggs during the recent recall. I don't know if it's all in my head, but these eggs taste so fresh. They're definitely worth the extra dollar.
The French Toast was spectacular and we had a wonderful time eating breakfast as a small family. We even danced a little. Isaiah out-ate his mom, again. He loves breakfast, meaning I will be making a lot of French Toast for many years to come. I'm certainly not complaining.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Spaghetti squash
I was watching the Today Show a few days ago and the health food expert that was demonstrating how to prepare healthy alternative meals talked about spaghetti squash. She said that you can eat it just like regular spaghetti with pasta sauce, butter or anything else over the top that you'd like. After she said it was fun for kids to eat, I knew I had to try it because I'm a kid-at-heart.
Liz was excited because she said she had heard people at work talking about spaghetti squash. She didn't know what it meant and admittedly had never heard of spaghetti squash. We eat butternut and acorn squash regularly, especially in the fall, but neither of us had ever had spaghetti squash. That night, I went to the grocery store and purchased a spaghetti squash. I cooked it tonight and we had it for dinner.
There are two ways to prepare it. You can place it in some water and broil it for about 20 minutes or microwave it for about 10 minutes. I chose to microwave it. It looked like any other squash when I took it out of the microwave until I started scrapping it out with a fork. I couldn't believe it...it looked just like spaghetti! Whoever named it didn't need much creativity.
We tried some of it with pasta sauce and some with buttered rice. It worked great with the rice. I've made squash risotto many times, so I new the combination of rice and butter would be money, but the marinara didn't work very well.
It was definitely fun, but Isaiah wasn't interested in it at all. Left alone, it was very bland and had far less flavor than butternut or acorn squash. It didn't bother me, though. I thought it was a lot of fun and will make it again.
Liz was excited because she said she had heard people at work talking about spaghetti squash. She didn't know what it meant and admittedly had never heard of spaghetti squash. We eat butternut and acorn squash regularly, especially in the fall, but neither of us had ever had spaghetti squash. That night, I went to the grocery store and purchased a spaghetti squash. I cooked it tonight and we had it for dinner.
There are two ways to prepare it. You can place it in some water and broil it for about 20 minutes or microwave it for about 10 minutes. I chose to microwave it. It looked like any other squash when I took it out of the microwave until I started scrapping it out with a fork. I couldn't believe it...it looked just like spaghetti! Whoever named it didn't need much creativity.
We tried some of it with pasta sauce and some with buttered rice. It worked great with the rice. I've made squash risotto many times, so I new the combination of rice and butter would be money, but the marinara didn't work very well.
It was definitely fun, but Isaiah wasn't interested in it at all. Left alone, it was very bland and had far less flavor than butternut or acorn squash. It didn't bother me, though. I thought it was a lot of fun and will make it again.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Lack of posts...
I'm making my second consecutive post apologizing for my lack of posts. I don't anticipate that I'm making my "followers" angry because those that do follow this blog understand that my summer months are quite different than those in the fall and winter in my world. Add to that the addition of another little Black a month ago and it goes without saying that experimenting in the kitchen has not been high on my priority list.
With that said, I'm starting to look forward to the change in the season soon. When the school year starts, so does my activity at work (Victory) and the weather begins to change. There is something about a brisk morning that gets me excited for cooking. Hot summer days almost do the opposite. I have created a few new recipes this summer, but we've eaten a lot of fresh vegetables (thanks to the Farmer's Market) and fruit plus done our fair share of grilling. We've also eaten a lot of pizza.
The one recipe that I recall from this summer that will be a mainstay in summers to come is a creative new cucumber salad. I made it once when Liz's parents were here and it was a hit. A few days later I made it for a picnic at my sister's house. It was a hit again. It contains cucumbers, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, minced onions and garlic with red wine vinager and olive oil and an abundance of fresh dill and grated peppercorns. I was "shooting from the hip," so I don't have an exact recipe for you, but throw it all in a bowl and try for yourself. It's a combination of ingredients that can't go wrong.
Oh yeah, another good one that I put together was edamame hummus. Yum.
With that said, I'm starting to look forward to the change in the season soon. When the school year starts, so does my activity at work (Victory) and the weather begins to change. There is something about a brisk morning that gets me excited for cooking. Hot summer days almost do the opposite. I have created a few new recipes this summer, but we've eaten a lot of fresh vegetables (thanks to the Farmer's Market) and fruit plus done our fair share of grilling. We've also eaten a lot of pizza.
The one recipe that I recall from this summer that will be a mainstay in summers to come is a creative new cucumber salad. I made it once when Liz's parents were here and it was a hit. A few days later I made it for a picnic at my sister's house. It was a hit again. It contains cucumbers, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, minced onions and garlic with red wine vinager and olive oil and an abundance of fresh dill and grated peppercorns. I was "shooting from the hip," so I don't have an exact recipe for you, but throw it all in a bowl and try for yourself. It's a combination of ingredients that can't go wrong.
Oh yeah, another good one that I put together was edamame hummus. Yum.
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