Sweet & Spicy "Picnic" Chili

Forgive me for not using my own actual image but this morning I had a tremendous fall down 8 stairs or so trying to dodge a leg weaving cat and have severely wrenched my back, shoulder and wrist all wonky now.  I'm currently flat on my back in bed on my laptop.  I wrote this last night, thinking I'd get up, make it, shoot pics of it and post but that didn't happen per my slide on my butt down the stairs.   Hoping to be up and around tomorrow some...but wanted to give you all something today.  See you tomorrow hopefully.... *fingers crossed*

Since the last of the cool evenings seem inevitably upon us here in Georgia, I was wanting to pull out my chili one more time before its time for lighter spring fare.  Called "Picnic Chili" when I was given the recipe eons ago by a lovely, long lost internet forum friend, I was so intrigued by the ingredient list, not to mention the name that I immediately had to try it.  It has since become the ONLY chili my hubby will eat and has forever proclaimed it his absolute, dead favorite chili on the planet.  I'm not far behind him on praises but for different reasons.  For me, I think its great because its so dang easy to make with all the canned beans and condiments!  I am convinced that's where the "picnic" term came into play.  You simply brown your beef and then drop it all in a crock pot and let it go.  Its so simple but tastes like you've been working hard at it all day long in the kitchen. 

Easy Wonton Soup

Hubs is quite the Japanese food fanatic.  In New York, we had the pleasure of eating at Yobo, which served the best dim sum I have ever had in my life and had some of the most beautifully prepared sushi I have ever seen.  Everything about Yobo made you want to just linger.  It had dark wood, was dimly lit, had a fountain and pond in the middle of the restaurant and everything was geared to make you feel like you welcome to stay just a little longer...they served a fabulous spicy, hot tea at the end of the meal as if just beckoning you to kick back and relax a little longer and sip your mug of hot, steaming tea.  Nothing was rushed or hurried - it was just perfection.  Our last meal from New York was at Yobo, in fact.  I miss the Hudson Valley more and more every day.  Not their 8 feet of snow at the moment, but you know what I'm getting at.  :)

German Knoephla Dumpling Soup

The perfect bite with a bit of everything!

As a kid, do you remember those cheapy frozen chicken pot pies that had the perfectly cut cubes of potato and carrots in them?  Came in a red box?  Growing up, they were one of my most favorite lunches on the weekend or as a snack.  For nostalgia's sake, I would love to sneak one into my grocery cart if I could pretend to forget what chemically is all in those pot pies just for the sake of tasting that delicious chicken gravy that's inside them.  That was the best part for me!  And I couldn't be happier when I discovered this recipe nearly perfectly mimics the taste of that lovely chicken gravy.  *glee*

I have seen knoephla soup on various sites recently and I always kept it in the back of my head to try.  I even marked it into my favorites folder and then couldn't find it a week later when I wanted to make it. There seems to be some debate on the origins of this soup, whether it be Russian or German.  Knoephla, I've come to learn, is sorta kinda German for "little knob".  Traditional knoephla soup is a thick chicken and potato stoup (to borrow from Rachel Ray's terminology) and is popular up north in the Dakotas and Minnesota areas thanks to some emigrants way back when.  My version here is a mix between several I found on the web - including Angel in the Kitchen and Taste of Home and one or two others.  Each one seemed just a tad different but kept hold of that chicken and potato base.  (and I couldn't find frozen little dumplings at my store...they only had flat dumpling strips which worked but just needed broken up into smaller pieces before simmering.  You could totally make homemade dumplings but I'm sick still and not up to the extra effort.)

Two Soup Thursday!

Today I thought I'd share two recipes with you - one is my fall back, gotta have it when I need comforted bean soup and the other is my test results for Military Spouse Test Kitchen's recipe challenge.  It's a very exotic (to me anyways LOL) chicken and buckwheat soba noodle soup.  Since it's getting all chilly willy at night here in GA, soup is always welcomed on my table.

First up is my very own bean soup.  One of my very first memories of being in the kitchen is with my great grandma Rose very early in the morning, and she was dicing carrots and celery into tiny cubes for her homemade bean soup as her percolated coffee pot bubbled away.  She did the whole shebang from scratch and it took ALL day to do.  It was super delicious and she died before I could ever ask her how she made it.  I have since perfected my own using canned veggies.  Gasp now, I know, but this comes together REALLY quick and I'm not standing chopping and dicing for hours on end.  I have made it from scratch before and its awesome but this toss together works just great on a busy night where I don't have alot of time to cook.  (It works well in the crock pot too...just save adding the cream till right before serving.)  Served up with corn bread, this is the perfect fall cozy comfort food.

Quick & Easy Bean Soup
inspired by my Great G'ma Rose

3 cans of Great Northern Beans
1 can of sliced carrots
1 can of diced potatoes
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 pint of heavy cream
1 box of chicken stock (or more)
1 package of ham cubes
salt & pepper to taste
dried parsley
chicken flavoring crystals (to taste, optional)

Melt the butter in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the beans, carrots, potatoes and ham to pot.  Pour the chicken stock over top.  (Make sure they are covered completely - add more stock or water as needed.)  Add salt, pepper and parsley.  Stir well to combine all and continue cooking over medium heat.  DO NOT BOIL!  (Note:  this is where I add some chicken flavoring. Its totally optional but I think it really gives a good flavor kick to the whole pot.  Start out with just a pinch and go from there until you like the flavor.  I think I used a good 2 tsp total.)  Once your soup is good and hot throughout, use a potato masher or an immersion blender to mash up just a small bit of the soup.  This helps thicken it and add nice texture.  Re-season as needed and about 15 minutes before serving, add in the cream.  (PS - the longer it cooks, the better it is.)

Serve with sweet cornbread.  Freezes VERY well and serves about 6.  Just note, if tossing it in a crockpot, save the cream till you are nearly ready to serve.

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This week's challenge for Military Spouse Test Kitchen was an Asian soup to *die* for.  She challenged us to make Chicken & Buckwheat Noodle Soup from Barnes & Noble's Asian Cookbook featuring the use of sake to make the marinated chicken.  Sake, did you say?  I was intrigued.  I have great affinity for sake as in, next to Coca Cola, nothing is better.  Ok, maybe sweet tea but its a close tie.  lol  And since the hubs had just bought a new bottle of sake the weekend before this challenge, it just seemed destined for me to make this.

Originally looking at the recipe, it seemed, drab.  Sure it had some flavor components but I thought it needed a bit more.  (always the tweaker, I know)  So I added in some thinly sliced carrots and some scallions with the leeks in the cooking process.  The broth is so smooth and flavorful...but then you get this delicious tangy marinated cooked chicken to add on top and you're just in heaven.  I couldn't keep from nibbling at the chicken.  The sauce is just so yummy.  I might make it on its own and dip some potstickers in it!  Hope you make it too...make a beautiful presentation for guests!

Chicken & Buckwheat Noodle Soup
From Barnes & Noble's Asian Cookbook

8 ounces skinless and boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp sake (you can substitute white wine if you have that handy instead)
4 cups chicken broth
2 pieces young leek, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ounces spinach
11 ounces buckwheat
Roasted sesame seed for garnishing

Slice chicken diagonally into bite size pieces. Combine soy sauce and sake in a saucepan. Bring to simmer. Add the chicken and cook gently for 3 mins until tender. Keep hot.

In a separate saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add leeks. Simmer for 3 minutes then add spinach. Remove from heat but keep warm.   Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water until just tender. Follow packaging's suggestion.

Drain noodles and divide equally into individual bowls. Ladle broth into the bowls, then add chicken in each bowl. Add sesame seed if desired. Serve while hot.

Italian Creamy Tomato Soup

Its beginning to get downright chilly at night here in Georgia and that to me means its soup weather!  I *love* soups, stews, bisques, chowders...chili!  You name it!  Gimme a bowl of liquidy love!  I was so thrilled the other day when I stumbled upon a recipe from Three Many Cooks for Creamy Tomato Soup with Italian Flavors.  It looked really good but I was kinda put off with their whole cooking process and the fact they wanted to use crushed tomatoes.  I don't "do" crushed tomatoes of any sort.  Heck, I don't like tomatoes period but I love tomato sauce and ketchup.  Weird, I know...but I don't like the texture or the seeds.  I'm picky, I know.  So rather than tweak their soup entirely, I just simplified it...alot.  And I lowered the milk amount because I wanted the tomato flavor to shine through, not the milky flavor.

I totally love these flavors together.  Its tomato soup for adults with a sophisticated herby/onion flavor that just pleases every part of my mouth.  I love Campbell's tomato soup but this was so easy and I love I could make my own homemade soup in the same amount of time it takes to open a can and add milk.  So much better controlling what goes into your food...and besides, homemade beats canned ANY day. 

Hope this warms you up on your chilly nights!  Serve with sourdough and cheddar grilled cheese sammies!  Perfect for dunking!

Italian Creamy Tomato Soup
tweaked from Three Many Cooks

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion
1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
2 cans of tomato puree (28 ounce cans each)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken but veggie is nice)
5 oz can of evaporated milk
Salt and ground black pepper

Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom sauce pan, heat over medium-high heat.  Grate the onion directly into pan (or run through a food processor till very finely minced) and saute about 5 minutes.  Add the Italian seasoning and cook about another minute until you can smell the herby fragrance.  Add tomato puree, baking soda and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil, then cover, lowering temperature to a simmer.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in evaporated milk and season to taste with salt & pepper.  (will need a good dose of salt)

Makes approx. 10 cups.  Plenty for family of 4 or more!

PS - a good sprinkling of Parmesan cheese is WONDERFUL on top!

Majestic Chicken Velvet Soup!

When I'm blue and moody, I really want something to comfort me from the inside out.  Hello Freud, analyze that one buddy!  (not too hard to figure that one out.)  As we are getting ready to move to Georgia, everything seems to be going wrong that could be going wrong.  Its just like the cosmos is recognizing my raving, un-desire to move far from my beloved New York and causing issues to prevent us going in a timely manner.  Or it could be the fairies since I didn't leave a cupcake out by the bush for them or something.  LOL  Like today, we went to get the hitch put on our car to tow a small trailer with us of all the things we'll need right off.  (the movers can come up to two months later, as in the case of my neighbors)  I can't be without my crock pot that long!  So, we went to place and the guy tells us that the dude we talked to didn't order the part in, they didn't have any in stock and they had no mechanic on duty anyways today.  We stood there not knowing what to say as the manager ordered our part and said they "might" get it done in time for us to leave.  Might?!  We have no option here.  Might does not suffice.  My blood pressure was soaring and all I could think about was the amount of stress this is putting on us both.  Ugh...so when I'm in one of "those" moods, I want something to make me feel better...and this soup always does the trick.  I know its hot out and its not technically "soup" weather but this is so good, you won't care.  You just feel loved.  You taste love...like your grandma is in the kitchen whipping you up something good kinda love.  Mmmm, yeah.

I wish I could claim fame to creating Chicken Velvet soup but sadly, I've been making it so long, I couldn't even possibly tell you where I got the original recipe from.  Even then, I've deviated so far from the original recipe, its kinda not theirs anymore really.  Theirs had no meat in it.  I've added bacon on top and cheese.  I've even stirred in sour cream for extra creaminess.  And at one point I even added homemade noodles to it for a creamy chicken noodle thing.  I even added gnocchi once and herbed rotisserie chicken from the deli.  Its really just that flexible.  Below is the basic way I make it...and I do add probably a good 2 tbsp of chicken bouillon granules/crystals because I like it super chickeny flavored.  But I promise you, you will never have a more delicious, smooth, filling and tastier soup than this.  Even my picky 14 year old son loves this soup and usually, if its not topped with pizza sauce, he ain't eating it.  LOL  This really is a majestic recipe.  Here's hoping it'll make your day better too!

CHICKEN VELVET SOUP

⅓ c. unsalted butter
¾ c. flour
6 c. chicken stock
1 c. milk, warmed
1 c. heavy cream, warmed
1 c. shredded, cooked chicken
Salt/pepper, to taste
Chicken flavor granules, optional

Melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour, cooking till bubbly and thick.  Warm (either in the microwave or in a small saucepan) the milk and cream together but do not scald or boil.  Add the warmed milk and cream with 2 cups of chicken broth to the flour mixture. Whisk till blended and thickened. Do not boil!  Add the remaining 4 c. of stock, whisking till smooth and incorporated.  Continue cooking till heated thoroughly.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and chicken granules for a stronger chicken flavor if desired.  (and I highly recommend!)

Add the shredded chicken and allow to heat through before serving.  

Veggie Cravings!

Let me be the first to say - I am NOT a veggie fan.  In fact, if its green, I more than likely won't touch it.  I am a self-admitted veggie snob.  I think those adorable brussel sprouts taste like dirt balls, greens smell moldy and dusty to me - I just can't do it.  Best I can do is celery with cream cheese and on certain days even that's pushing it.

I am oddly however, a veggie soup fan and every once in awhile, I get the insane craving for that lovely tomato beef broth with crispy crunchy corn, sweet carrots, soft potatoes and yes, even peas.  Its only made better by the fork tender beef that's been cooking for hours on end.  Add some crusty bread for sopping the broth and you're in sheer heaven.

Today was that day.  I heard the call and I answered.  It takes some slicing and dicing but man, is it worth it!  Beats Campbell's canned soup ANY day!  I made mine in my crock pot but you could surely do it stove top.  Clean out your veggie bin and add whatever you have laying around.  Its totally adaptable!  Hope you enjoy - now excuse me while I finished my third bowl!

Vegetable Beef Soup

2-3 pounds beef roast, trimmed of all fat
64 ounces of beef stock
6 ounce can of tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 small onion, finely diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced thinly
3 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 c frozen corn (or fresh)
1/2 c frozen peas
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
salt/pepper to taste
1/4 c barley, optional
 
Place the roast in your crock pot and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and onion powder. Pour in the beef broth and add water if needed to cover the roast. Drop in two bay leaves. Turn on low and leave to cook over night or until fork tender.

Remove the roast to a plate and allow to cool slightly. Fish out the bay leaves and discard. Add the tomato paste to the hot stock mix and stir well. Add all veggies EXCEPT frozen peas to the stock.

Using two forks, shred the meat into chunks. Add back to the broth and stir. Let cook in the crockpot for another two to three hours. Five minutes before serving, add frozen peas.

If using barley, add a few minutes before serving.