Tomato Soup

This isn't really a dinner. But when 5-yo asks for peas and rice, you drop all dinner plans and make it. This actually started as an act of desperation. Many many years ago, in the mtc cafeteria, I was forced to get creative. The entrees offered were just not good. Usually some kind of frozen breaded thing accompanied with overcooked vegetables and gravy. But, if the choices were bleak, there were many. I would explore the sides and the salad bar and see if I could come up with something I could stomach. One day, I scooped some rice and peas into my bowl and then filled it up with tomato soup. Top it off with some pepper and it was definitely the best thing I ever ate there. So every once in awhile, just for fun, I make some. (Usually for lunch.) It has probably been a year or two since I've made it, I'm surprised she even remembers, but for some reason she got a hankering for the peas and rice (sans soup). AND......drumroll, please......she cleaned her plate. There were peas on that plate!

Now here is one last tip, you can of course get tomato soup from a box, or can, or whatever. When I don't have one of those readily available, in a four cup measure, I mix a can of tomato paste with a can of chicken broth, then fill it up to four cups with milk. Heat in the microwave.

Chicken and Broccoli Salad/Braid

I generally do not use mayonnaise because of its obvious unhealthiness. But last weekend I was making food for a baby shower, and someone else had come up with the menu and the recipes (thank goodness since I'm not good at that). I made a chicken and broccoli salad which was very tasty, but of course had tons of mayo. I often substitute plain yogurt for mayonnaise, but in a salad like this it would probably get watery. When I make it again I will play around with it a little--like I've heard of draining yogurt in cheesecloth overnight in the fridge, or half yogurt/half mayo, maybe substituting cottage cheese, or just using less. Or some combination. But not for a baby shower, when cooking for special occasions I'll pull out the real deal!

Eating the chicken broccoli salad reminded me of a recipe I used to make years ago with a recipe from pampered chef. Loaded with mayo and cheese, I eventually stopped making it. But when I ate the salad I then had a craving for the old recipe. I googled "pampered chef chicken broccoli braid" and found it all over the place. I made some adjustments (because this wasn't for a baby shower) and actually was surprised that besides me, both my husband and 3-yo enjoyed it. I cooked the chicken in soy sauce like I had for the salad because I thought it added great flavor. And the braid is a fun presentation that would work for any filling.

Chicken Broccoli Salad (from Paula Deen via Stephanie)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
2 c water
2 T soy sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
1 red onion, diced
1 cup crushed peanuts
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons orange marmalade (I had apricot preserves on hand so that is what I used)
4 cups broccoli florets

In a large skillet place, place chicken breasts in a single layer. Pour water and soy sauce over chicken; sprinkle with garlic. Cover, and cook, over medium-high heat, for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan; let cool for 20 minutes. Cut into 1½-inch pieces. In large bowl combine chicken, broccoli, onion, peanuts, and cranberries. In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise and marmalade. Pour over chicken mixture, tossing gently to combine. Cover, refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (This of course softened the peanuts, which I thought would not be good, but it was. The salad had a nice texture.)

Chicken and Broccoli Braid

2 c chicken, cooked and diced
2 c broccoli, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 c sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 c mayonnaise
2 t dill (or more to taste)
1/4 t salt
1/2 c onion, diced
1 recipe pizza dough (my recipe is here--I used all white whole wheat this time)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, toss together chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, garlic, cheese, mayo, dill, salt, and onion. Roll out pizza dough very thin, in a large rectangle, the length being the same size as your cookie sheet, the width being 4 inches wider than your cookie sheet. Spray your cookie sheet with nonstick spray, and carefully pull your pizza dough on, with a couple inches hanging over on each (long) side. Using scissors or a knife, cut strips about 1 inch wide, 3 inches long in towards the center down each of the long sides. Make sure you do the same number on each side. (There should be a solid piece of dough down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down the long sides.) Spread the chicken mixture down the center. Take one strip from each side, give them both a half twist, and pinch the ends together. Continue twisting and pinching all of the strips. Bake 25-28 minutes, or until golden brown.

What are your favorite potatoes?

My dad's favorite food: mashed potatoes. His second favorite food: baked potatoes. What we ate a lot of growing up: potatoes. So in my own house I tend to shy away from them. I don't dislike them, I'm just kind of done. When I do make potatoes, they are a small addition to the dish, not the main ingredient. And I like the potatoes that you can keep the skin on, like red potatoes or yukon gold. Healthier and more convenient.

So, what do you do when you get a coupon for a 10 lb. bag of potatoes for 69 cents? Yes, the big russetts. I'm tempted to give them to my dad, but then why did I buy them in the first place?

When I bought them, I also noticed some leeks for a good price, so I'll use a few of them to make potato and leek soup, or Jolly Green Giant Soup as my kids like to call it. But I'm not feeling much inspiration for the remaining 9 pounds. Not that anyone even reads this blog, but just in case someone with a great potato recipe or idea does, please let me know about it. Before they spoil sitting on my counter.

Chicken and Apricots

This flavor combination reminded me of the pomegranate chicken I tried a couple months ago, and like then, I was the only one who really liked it. But I made couscous with it (instead of the orzo--and then didn't mix it in the final step of course) which kept the kids happy.

I tore this out of a magazine but don't remember which one. I'm usually not a fan of canned fruit, but this recipe looked so fast and easy I wanted to give it a try.

1 1/4 c dried orzo (8 oz.)
1 15 oz. can unpeeled apricot halves (light syrup)
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 t curry powder (I used slightly less, and was glad that I did)
2 T olive oil
6 green onions

Cook orzo according to package, drain. Drain apricots, reserving 1/2 c of syrup.

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and 1/2 t curry powder. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 8 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once. Add apricots the last two minutes. Transfer to plates.

Chop onions, add with remaining curry powder to skillet, cook one minute. Stir in reserved syrup and orzo. Add to plates.

Beef Stew and More Beef Stew

Today you get two recipes. I've never been a huge fan of beef stew with the typical gravy-like broth. So I was happy when I discovered this recipe in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that was my standard for many many years. It has a tomato-based broth.

Beef Stew
2 T flour
1 lb. stew beef
2 T oil
3 1/2 c vegetable juice cocktail
1/2 c chopped onion
2 t beef bouillion (except I usually use chicken because that is what I have around)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t basil
1/2 t thyme
2 c potatoes, cubed and peeled
2 c sliced carrots
1 c sliced celery

Shake flour over meat cubes to coat. In a large saucepan, brown meat half at a time, in hot oil. Add vegetable juice, onion, bouillion, garlic, basil, and thyme. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover, simmer 1 hour or til meat is nearly tender. Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover and simmer 30 minutes more.

As I type this I am realizing I have only ever made this in the crockpot. Those instructions are to prepare and brown meat as above (sometimes I skip the browning). In the bottom of the crockpot layer onion, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Sprinkle with bouillion, garlic, basic, and thyme, add meat. Pour 2 1/2 c vegetable juice cocktail over meat. Cover, cook on low for 10-12 hours or until everything is tender. (I'm pretty sure I cook on high for probably half the time.)

Then about a year ago I had dinner at my friend Kaija's house and she made an AMAZING beef stew. Not your typical beef and potatoes, and nothing like brown gravy anywhere here. Seriously yum. I spent months drooling over my memories of this stew, and finally asked her for the recipe. When I made it, it didn't taste as good as hers, but probably because I'm not good at following recipes. I will never learn.

PROVENCALE BEEF STEW
2 lbs beef stew meat
6 TBSP olive oil/butter
31/2 TBSP flour
2 cups red cooking wine (I substituted grape juice since I didn't have wine, it worked pretty well)
1 cup beef broth
salt and pepper
1 onion -- diced
3 cloves garlic
1 16 oz can of tomatoes (or fresh)
pinch thyme
bay leaf (I omitted this since I'm not a huge fan)
3 red peppers, in strips
2 cans artichoke hearts (in water)
1/2 cup black olives (drained)
serve with (buttered and breaded) egg noodles

Brown meat in 2 TBSP butter/oil. Sprinkle with flour and cook for a few minutes to blend in the flour. Add 1 cup wine and beef broth. Add salt and pepper. Dislodge brown bits in pan and pour into crockpot.
In same pan, saute the onion and garlic in 2 TBSP butter/oil. Add tomatoes. Season with thyme and bay leaf. Put in crock pot.
In same pan, heat remaining 2 TBSP butter/oil. Saute red pepper strips, sprinkle with flour and cook 2 minutes. Add red wine (1 cup) slowly until thickens and blends. Add to crock pot.
Add artichokes and olives. Cover and cook!

Blushing Pomegranate Chicken

Step 1: Give your mother-in-law a pomegranate tree for Christmas.

Step 2: Wait a few years because it takes awhile for the tree to start producing.

Step 3: (VERY important, do not skip this step!) Move to the same city as mother-in-law.

Step 4: Gratefully accept pound after pound after pound of pomegranates. (Most of the time she had already peeled them for us, too.)

Step 5: After you've had your fill of eating pomegranates on your cereal, your salad, your ice cream, juiced, or just plain, try this recipe, because even though you aren't getting tired of them, it is fun to try them in new ways.

I like the combination of sweet and savory, but no one else was very excited about it. I prefer my own roasted sweet potatoes instead of this kind, but still good.

Now that pomegranate season is over, I'll have to wait until next year...

Turkey Curry

My mother spent a few years living in Japan, once in high school and once in college. Although it has been a long time, she has always been somewhat obsessed (I mean that in a nice way). She still speaks Japanese, decorated her living room in Japanese block prints and sculptures, has shoji screens as her window coverings, plays the koto (although come to think of it I haven't heard her play in many years), cooks Japanese food, keeps in touch with her host families and friends in Japan, and always manages to have some local Japanese friends at any given time. In fact, growing up it was part of our family tradition to have a handful of Japanese people at our Thanksgiving dinners. Usually they were families from Japan living here that my mom somehow met and befriended, and since they didn't have any of their own Thanksgiving traditions they would spend the day with us. And usually bring a dish to share. The first time I tasted sushi (and real sushi, not the rolled kind you can get anywhere) was at Thanksgiving.



When I was in high school, my school started offering a Japanese class. Being a teenager, I thought ho-hum. My mom was of course excited, and offered to send me on a trip to Japan if I took the class. Still, I thought ho-hum. Now I think WHAT AN IDIOT!!! but unfortunately there is no going back. One of the things I regret from my teenage years. Don't worry, there aren't too many and that was the most interesting one.



So, that was a tangent, but it gives you some context for why I consider Japanese curry a comfort food even though I'm a white girl married to a Mexican. I grew up eating several Japanese dishes, but I only learned how to make a few, and this is the only one I still make. I always make it after Thanksgiving because it is great with turkey, although you can also use chicken. (Actually, today I made it a little too thin, so I used the leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving, too, to thicken it up a little bit.) It is one of those meals that sticks to your ribs.

As always the measurements are approximate.

1 T butter
1 onion, sliced
4 carrots, sliced
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
2-3 cups turkey, cooked and diced
1 box curry sauce mix (the one I get--actually I stole it from my mom's pantry--is called S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix, medium hot), broken into pieces
rice (get an asian sticky kind to be authentic, short-grain or jasmine)

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Saute onion for a few minutes, add carrot. Saute for a few more minutes, add water (enough to cover once all the ingredients are added). Add potatoes, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until everything is tender. Add turkey and sauce mix, simmer and stir for about 5 minutes. If there are still visible chunks of the sauce mix, just keep stirring, it will dissolve. Serve over rice.

7yo looked at it and said, "This looks familiar, do I like it?" YES. And whaddaya know I was right. 5yo and 2yo just ate rice.