Mike's mother and sister sent us a honey baked bone in ham for Christmas. It was delicious. We shared some with friends on Christmas Day and Mike froze the bone and some slices. I decided I wanted to make white bean soup with so I pulled the bone and the leftover slices out of the refrigerator. It's a great combo and here's what I did.
White Bean Soup with Ham
1/2 pound dried white beans
26 ounces chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
4 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 ham bone
26 ounces chicken stock
1-2 cups ham, chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
small piece of Parmesan rind
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
Start this 1-2 days in advance. Soak the beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse the beans and place in pot. Cover beans with chicken stock and add bay leaf. Bring to boil and reduce the heat until it is barely bubbling. Cook for about 40 minutes or until tender. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.
Add olive oil to pot and heat to medium high. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook until onions and garlic are soft and fragrant.
Add the carrots and celery and cook about 3 minutes. Put ham bone and the beans in the pot along with the stock. Add water to cover the bone. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat until it is barely bubbling. Let simmer for about 30 minutes.
Add the thyme and ham. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the Parmesan rind and anchovy paste. These last two add depth of flavor. You will not taste anything fishy. Stir the soup and let the flavors come together.
We had hot, crusty rolls and butter with the soup. It was delicious and we look forward to the leftovers. Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Jamie Oliver's Tray Baked Chicken
I love one pot meals and chicken so when I saw this recipe in Parade magazine on Sunday I knew it was for me. Apparently Jamie Oliver does too because this is his recipe. http://www.dashrecipes.com/blogs/dashboard/2011/01/23-Sunday-Dinner-Jamie-Oliver.html
I cut it down for Mike and I since Abigail has gone back to school. I started brining the chicken on Sunday night since I was going to work Monday morning and would get back too late to start it. This made it easy to do the rest today when I got home from work.
Jamie Oliver's chicken my way
The brine:
1 quart water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves only
1/4 cup white vinegar
The bake:
2 chicken breasts, bone in
2 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves shredded
Olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup half & half
Mix brine in a large zip lock bag; add chicken. Refrigerate overnight or 2 to 8 hours. Place bag in a bowl if there is any doubt it will hold the brine and chicken.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a glass baking dish, toss the bacon, veggies, garlic, and sage with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in broth. Cook 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from refrigerator; let come to room temperature. Drain chicken, discarding brine, and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove veggie pan from oven; pour in cream and sprinkle with pepper. Add chicken. Cook 35 minutes, or until chicken is golden.
Mike could not stop raving about this dish-a huge hit. Thank you Jamie Oliver!
Enjoy!
I cut it down for Mike and I since Abigail has gone back to school. I started brining the chicken on Sunday night since I was going to work Monday morning and would get back too late to start it. This made it easy to do the rest today when I got home from work.
Jamie Oliver's chicken my way
The brine:
1 quart water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/3 cup honey
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves only
1/4 cup white vinegar
The bake:
2 chicken breasts, bone in
2 slices smoked bacon, finely chopped
1 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves shredded
Olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup half & half
Mix brine in a large zip lock bag; add chicken. Refrigerate overnight or 2 to 8 hours. Place bag in a bowl if there is any doubt it will hold the brine and chicken.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a glass baking dish, toss the bacon, veggies, garlic, and sage with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in broth. Cook 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove chicken from refrigerator; let come to room temperature. Drain chicken, discarding brine, and pat dry with paper towels.
Remove veggie pan from oven; pour in cream and sprinkle with pepper. Add chicken. Cook 35 minutes, or until chicken is golden.
Mike could not stop raving about this dish-a huge hit. Thank you Jamie Oliver!
Enjoy!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Foods to Avoid
I've been blogging about using Pomi tomaotes in the box and it's articles like this that got me started. If you're interested take a look.
http://www.splendora.com/10_foods_to_avoid/canned_tomatoes#content-jump
http://www.splendora.com/10_foods_to_avoid/canned_tomatoes#content-jump
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Chicken Tinga With Tostadas
Well, it's about 4 weeks since I had my knees replaced and I am finally feeling like cooking. I decided to try these tostadas from the San Francisco Chronicle by Tara Duggan. http://www.sfgate.com/food/recipes/detail.html?p=detail&rid=18522&sorig=qs
I did my usual thing of changing a few things. I partially picked this recipe because I knew Abigail would like it and she goes back to NYC on Saturday. We all loved it. We had lots of leftovers which should be really good over the next few days.
Chicken Tinga With Tostadas my way
8 chicken thighs, skin and extra fat removed
1 large onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt and more to taste
1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes (26-ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped + 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (or to taste)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
15 to 20 small corn tortillas (I like the hand made style by La Tortilla Factory)
Optional garnishes: sour cream, chopped red cabbage, finely chopped green onions, crumbled queso fresco, sliced avocado, brown rice, Tabasco or hot sauce
Place the chicken thighs in a large saute pan and cover with water to almost fill the pot. Bring to a low simmer, reduce to low (the water should be barely bubbling) and skim off the scum and yellow fat that gathers on top.
Add 1/2 onion, half of the oregano, the bay leaf, garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Continue to poach the chicken until very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool, then shred the meat. Reserve the broth.
While the chicken is cooking, drain the tomatoes in a colander.
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 onion and oregano and saute, stirring often, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the chipotle chile and adobo sauce (if you prefer a milder flavor, add the chipotle and adobo to taste). Simmer, stirring, for a few minutes to combine flavors, then season with salt and pepper.
Add the shredded chicken to the pan. Stir in just enough of the reserved chicken broth (about 1/2 cup) to make it a little saucy, and stir over medium heat for a few minutes to season and rewarm the chicken. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Warm the tortillas and serve immediately with the garnishes. Enjoy!
I did my usual thing of changing a few things. I partially picked this recipe because I knew Abigail would like it and she goes back to NYC on Saturday. We all loved it. We had lots of leftovers which should be really good over the next few days.
Chicken Tinga With Tostadas my way
8 chicken thighs, skin and extra fat removed
1 large onion, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt and more to taste
1 box of Pomi chopped tomatoes (26-ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped + 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (or to taste)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
15 to 20 small corn tortillas (I like the hand made style by La Tortilla Factory)
Optional garnishes: sour cream, chopped red cabbage, finely chopped green onions, crumbled queso fresco, sliced avocado, brown rice, Tabasco or hot sauce
Place the chicken thighs in a large saute pan and cover with water to almost fill the pot. Bring to a low simmer, reduce to low (the water should be barely bubbling) and skim off the scum and yellow fat that gathers on top.
Add 1/2 onion, half of the oregano, the bay leaf, garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Continue to poach the chicken until very tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool, then shred the meat. Reserve the broth.
While the chicken is cooking, drain the tomatoes in a colander.
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 onion and oregano and saute, stirring often, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and the chipotle chile and adobo sauce (if you prefer a milder flavor, add the chipotle and adobo to taste). Simmer, stirring, for a few minutes to combine flavors, then season with salt and pepper.
Add the shredded chicken to the pan. Stir in just enough of the reserved chicken broth (about 1/2 cup) to make it a little saucy, and stir over medium heat for a few minutes to season and rewarm the chicken. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Warm the tortillas and serve immediately with the garnishes. Enjoy!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Christmas Scones
I had my knees replaced on December 20th. Luckily for me I have Mike and Abigail came home from college on December 17th. She made a fabulous pasta on Christmas Eve and scones for Christmas morning. The scones were out of this world so I wanted to share the recipe. Abigail is a pretty confident cook and has been cooking for herself at college.
Halloween Pumpkin Scones Recipe is from Alice's Tea Cup in New York where Abigail goes to college.
Alice's Tea Cup Pumpkin Scones
Makes 10 to 12 scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup ground ginger
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
1-1/2 sticks (3/4cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (all pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Caramel glaze
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
With clean hands, work the butter into the dry mixture until it is thoroughly incorporated and has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into the well. Still using your hands, combine the ingredients until all the dry mixture is wet, but do not knead!
Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and gather the dough together. Gently pat the dough to make a disk about 1-1/2 inches thick. Using a 3- or 3-1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many scones as you can and lay them on a nonstick baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough together lightly to cut out more scones- just don't knead the dough too much.
Bake the scones for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the scones cool slightly on the baking sheet (about 20 minutes) before glazing them.
While the scones are cooling, prepare the caramel glaze: Place the butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk gently until the mixture is smooth. Just as the mixture comes to a light boil, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Whisk well for 2 minutes, or until the glaze is thickened and smooth; then remove the pan from the heat.
To glaze a scone, hold it by the bottom, dip the top in the warm caramel glaze, and place it back on the baking sheet.
These are heavenly. I'm so proud of my daughter and have enjoyed her cooking while I've been unable to cook. Enjoy!
Halloween Pumpkin Scones Recipe is from Alice's Tea Cup in New York where Abigail goes to college.
Alice's Tea Cup Pumpkin Scones
Makes 10 to 12 scones
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup ground ginger
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
1-1/2 sticks (3/4cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (all pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Caramel glaze
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
With clean hands, work the butter into the dry mixture until it is thoroughly incorporated and has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract into the well. Still using your hands, combine the ingredients until all the dry mixture is wet, but do not knead!
Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and gather the dough together. Gently pat the dough to make a disk about 1-1/2 inches thick. Using a 3- or 3-1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many scones as you can and lay them on a nonstick baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough together lightly to cut out more scones- just don't knead the dough too much.
Bake the scones for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the scones cool slightly on the baking sheet (about 20 minutes) before glazing them.
While the scones are cooling, prepare the caramel glaze: Place the butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk gently until the mixture is smooth. Just as the mixture comes to a light boil, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Whisk well for 2 minutes, or until the glaze is thickened and smooth; then remove the pan from the heat.
To glaze a scone, hold it by the bottom, dip the top in the warm caramel glaze, and place it back on the baking sheet.
These are heavenly. I'm so proud of my daughter and have enjoyed her cooking while I've been unable to cook. Enjoy!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Butternut Squash Soup
I made soup with the leftover butternut squash from the curried chicken with roasted vegetables. I had a little over half of the large squash left. I put the pieces in the fridge until I was ready to make the soup. This is one of our favorites and I always make it several times each winter. I served to my friend, Cooper, and she liked it so much she said she wanted to bathe in it. Instead I gave the leftovers to her to take home.
My Butternut Squash Soup
1/2 - 3/4 of a large butternut squash, scoop out seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 cups of chicken stock
1/2 red onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cardamon
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Rub olive oil on cut side of squash. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on cookie sheet. Roast at 400 degrees until flesh is soft and peel is brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
Heat olive oil in large sauce pan. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Peel the squash. Cut into bite sizes and add to onions. Add spices and chicken stock. Bring to boil. Let simmer for about 30 minutes. Add more stock if too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Puree soup with hand held blender or in food processor or blender. A few chunks are fine. You can make this 1-2 days in advance. You can also freeze it.
I served this with the crab, avocado and grapefruit salad from a couple of days ago and warm bread. Enjoy!
My Butternut Squash Soup
1/2 - 3/4 of a large butternut squash, scoop out seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 cups of chicken stock
1/2 red onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cardamon
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Rub olive oil on cut side of squash. Season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on cookie sheet. Roast at 400 degrees until flesh is soft and peel is brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
Heat olive oil in large sauce pan. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Peel the squash. Cut into bite sizes and add to onions. Add spices and chicken stock. Bring to boil. Let simmer for about 30 minutes. Add more stock if too thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Puree soup with hand held blender or in food processor or blender. A few chunks are fine. You can make this 1-2 days in advance. You can also freeze it.
I served this with the crab, avocado and grapefruit salad from a couple of days ago and warm bread. Enjoy!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Yummy Winter Salad
I made a delicious easy salad the other night that was fresh and seasonal. Dungeness crab season is open here and there are beautiful grapefruits available. Mike was skeptical but ending up loving it.
1/2 lb. fresh cracked crab meat
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 avocados, cut into bite size pieces
greens of your choice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup champagne vinegar
1 small garlic clove, peeled and pressed
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
Combine 1st 4 ingredients in a bowl. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour some over the salad. Toss. Add more vinaigrette if necessary.
Mike and I shared a bottle of champagne because I always think of crab and champagne together. I heated up some sourdough rolls. It was a wonderful way to warm up a cold rainy night. Enjoy!
1/2 lb. fresh cracked crab meat
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 avocados, cut into bite size pieces
greens of your choice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup champagne vinegar
1 small garlic clove, peeled and pressed
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
Combine 1st 4 ingredients in a bowl. Mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour some over the salad. Toss. Add more vinaigrette if necessary.
Mike and I shared a bottle of champagne because I always think of crab and champagne together. I heated up some sourdough rolls. It was a wonderful way to warm up a cold rainy night. Enjoy!
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