sausage white bean and kale soup

It is Secret Recipe Club time again.  Last month I started my Secret Recipe Club post with this proclamation .... I have been in a health funk lately.   Well it has been a month and my health funk has just snowballed into a general funk.  Funk is not good.  Funk stinks.  Between me being sick, my kids being sick, my husband traveling, minor home remodeling projects I feel overwhelmed, frazzled and funky.  Do you ever look around at school drop off and think how does everyone have it all together?  I know comparing isn't good but, I just want their secret.  How do they do it? 

This month I was assigned la phemme phoodie.  The author is a lawyer by day and a foodie by night.  She has a passion for food but, has some dietary restrictions which has allowed her to experiment with wheat and egg free recipes.  There were several gluten free recipes on her site that I boo marked but, with my perpetual cold and fresh CSA box at my door I opted for her sausage bean and spinach soup.  I had to swap some of the ingredients based on what was in my box but, she suggested many of the swaps in her write up.  This soup is fresh and flavorful yet, extremely comforting with the spicy sausage and creamy beans.  A hot bowl of this on a rainy spring night is just what the doctor ordered.

My palate and mind has been a bit lost on sugar lane lately.  I feel as if I have lost my way.  As tempting and beautiful as all of those sugar masterpieces look I am going to work on refocusing my blog on what I love.  The food I love to eat and the food my body needs.  I need to get out of this funk. 

sausage bean and kale soup
adapted: la phemme phoodie

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 14.5 oz can italian diced tomatoes
1 lb italian chicken sausages, casings removed
1 leek, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces fresh kale, rib removes and chopped
2 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb italian chicken sausages, casings removed
1 14.5 oz can italian diced tomatoes
salt and pepper
grated parmesan for serving (optional)


Heat the chicken stock, water and diced tomatoes in a dutch oven over medium heat.   In a separate pan cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Do not rinse the pan. Reduce heat to low. Add the leek and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute. Add the leeks, sausage and beans to dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the kale. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot. Top with grated parmesan.

french onion soup

My dear friend "C" embraces life so, when the reminder for supper club came out and labeled the theme as Tyler Florence, Napa inspired, rustic, localvore and a sparkly NYE redux I giggled but, was not surprised.   Most of us in the group spent NYE in our pajamas with greasy pizza, kids and eyes closed before midnight.  And when I say midnight I mean the east coast midnight even though we are southern California girls.  Pathetic but, that is our reality.  In order to not let an opportunity to sparkle pass us by "C" encouraged us to dress in cocktail attire.  This group loves them some glitter and some good food.  Cocktail hour started with a woo woo cocktail, artichoke fritters and crostini.  Tyler Florence can really throw down some vodka, butter, oil and down right yumminess.

The table was localvore inspired with fresh artichokes, oranges and succulents from the farmers market.  Very rustic, local, and beautiful.  Each place setting had a quote from Tyler which started with "family is the people you spend a great deal of time with, care for and trust...a two-way street".  The quote was perfection for this group as I know in my heart I could call any of them at any time and they would be there for me.  They feel like family and even though we could have spent the evening munching on the amazing osso buco over creamy polenta with serious and deep conversation we choose to talk about completely ridiculous things like if you could be any celebrity who would you be.  Love the family of friends I have choose in life.

I made the french onion soup which was good but, I would increase the onion a bit, decrease the broth a bit and let the soup sit and cool a bit to let the flavors meld a bit more.  It definitely tasted better when I reheated it to serve at the house.  French onion soup is a bit rustic and comforting yet decadent and delicious in one little bowl of love.

french onion soup
adapted: tyler florence

1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
1.5 -2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
8 ounces grated gruyere


Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5-10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 8-10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven under broiler to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

slow cooker old fashioned chicken noodle soup

Sisters are funny.  They are your strongest relationship but, they are also the hardest on you.  They can poke fun to no end because they know you are not going anywhere.  As I have grown older my relationship with my sisters has evolved and grown and it is truly great.  We are all very different which makes it nice to settle into your spot in the family.  There are many things my sisters tease me about but, I am not here to talk about that.  I am here to talk about how one of my sisters is OBSESSED with her crock pot.  My other sister and I send text messages to each other joking about her latest crock pot creations.  She is doing everything from breakfast to dessert in the crock pot.  I like to make fun of her but, honestly I am kind of jealous.  Everything she makes in the crock pot tastes good.  She is always saying oh I just threw this and that in and voila dinner served.  I throw things in and it is disgusting I mean rubbery, watery meat with bland flavor.  Just plain gross.  I decided not to hide my jealousy anymore and I asked for The Slow Cooker Revolution for my birthday.  The family is starting to get the sniffles so, I decided to try the chicken noodle soup.  It does involve a bit more work than toss this in but, the end result truly taste like old fashion chicken noodle soup.  It has a deep flavor with soft pieces of juicy chicken and perfectly cooked vegetables.  I could not believe this came out of my slow cooker.  I kept patting myself on the back.  This recipe makes a ton so, I froze half the batch for next time the sniffles hit.  I also made a second foil pouch with an additional chicken breast which I kept for lunch.  If you like a lot of noodles in your soup you may want to up the amount because this is definitely more chicken heavy.  This time the slow cooker paid off.  I am not going to swear by the slow cooker like my sister until I pull off a few more slow cooker kitchen wins but, I am off to a good start with my new book in hand.

old fashioned chicken noodle soup

 source: slow cooker revolution


1 1/2 pounds bone in, skin on chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 carrots, peeled and medium chop
3 celery ribs, medium chop

1 onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

8 cups low sodium, chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 (12 ounce) bone in skin on, chicken breast

1 1/2 ounces egg noodles

1/2 cup frozen peas

Dry the chicken thighs with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Brown chicken thighs for ~4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate let cool and discard the skin.


Pour all but one tablespoon of the fat in the pan.  Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until vegetables are soft ~8-10 minutes.  Stir in garlic - red pepper flakes and cook ~30 seconds.  Stir in a cup of broth and loosen up browned bits and transfer all to the slow cooker.  


Stir in remaining 7 cups of broth and bay leaves to the slow cooker.  Nestle the cooked chicken into the slow cooker.  


Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and wrap in a foil pouch.  Lay the foil pouch on top of the soup.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

After 4-6 hours remove the foil packet and transfer to cutting board.  Transfer the thighs to the cutting board.  Let it cool to the touch and then shred into bite size pieces.  Discard the skin and bones.  Skim the fat off the surface of the soup and remove the bay leaves.  

Cook the egg noodles in boiling salt water until tender.  Stir in the noodles, chicken and peas.  Let them heat through for approximately 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper if needed and serve!

slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili

Fall is my absolute favorite season.  There are so many reasons to love fall.  Was I the only one who got super excited about buying back to school supplies?  There was nothing like a fresh notebook, new crayons and folders with hello kitty plastered all over them.  New school supplies, back to school clothes, tennis season, colorful leaves, chilly nights, football games, hot apple cider and of course Halloween and Thanksgiving.  I have always had a love hate with Halloween.  My birthday is the day after so, when I was younger the celebrating part of my birthday always got lumped with a costume party.  Now I love that my birthday can easily get lost in the shuffle of Halloween and I can pseudo celebrate with friends and family on Halloween.  One thing that has remained true over the years is my absolute freakish love of all things pumpkin and candy corns.  In honor of my birthday I am dedicating this week to all recipes pumpkin.  My family doesn't love the pumpkin like I do but, it is my birthday and I will cook with pumpkin if I want to and they will eat because they won't want to see me cry on my birthday.  That is just mean.


I have been anxious to try out some new recipes in my new slow cooker.  Pumpkin chili seemed like a perfect fit.  I was a little skeptical that the pumpkin flavor and the tomatoes would clash but, the pumpkin is subtle and really acts more as a thickener then a bold flavor.  We all really enjoyed this chili and I know it will be on our tables for many fall seasons to come.

slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili

adapted: lynn's kitchen adventure 

 
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped 
1 lb of ground beef
salt and pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of chili powder 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon of cumin2 cups chicken broth
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of pumpkin (15oz)
1 can of diced tomatoes (28oz) 


Cook onion, green bell pepper and ground beef until onion is tender and the beef is done. Season with salt and pepper.
 
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Add spices (chili powder - cumin) and mix thoroughly to release the flavors approximately one more minute.
 
Place meat, onion, garlic mixture into a slow cooker.
 
Add remaining ingredients.
 
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
 
Top with sour cream and cheese.  Serve and enjoy.

ancho pork and hominy stew

I really like pork.  I really like vegetables.  I really like stew in the winter.  I really like easy one pot meals.  This is my kind of meal.  I have made this recipe numerous times and it always returns good results.  It is more of a soup then a stew but, that doesn't bother me.  It is good.   Brad doesn't really love pork or vegetables but, every time I serve this he always comments on how good it is.  I cut the pieces of pork small and they are so tender and flavorful.  The hominy cooks like a bean but, adds a nice corn flavor to the stew.  I really like to follow recipes but, this one you don't have to be exact and it still delivers great results.  No ancho chile powder use regular.  Half the hominy and add corn.  You can even swap chicken for pork.  The stew can be frozen and tastes almost better out of the freezer. Perfect with cornbread.  Ahhh cornbread.  I need to find a go to cornbread recipe in 2011.

ancho pork and hominy stew

source: cooking light

• 2  tablespoons  ancho chile powder
• 2  teaspoons  dried oregano
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  smoked paprika
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  pounds  pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil, divided
• 2  cups  chopped onion
• 1 1/2  cups  chopped green bell pepper
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 2 1/2  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  (28-ounce) can hominy, drained
• 1  (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture aside. Add pork to remaining spice mixture in bowl, tossing well to coat.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove pork from pan; set aside. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Return pork to pan. Add reserved 1 1/2 teaspoons spice mixture, broth, hominy, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.

sweet potato and chipotle soup

This soup really surprised me.  

I use to love hot and sour soup when I was sick.  It was my go to sick food until both Brad and I got food poisoning from out favorite Chinese take out in San Francisco.  My go to sick soup all of a sudden became my smell it make me sick soup.  I have come to a point where I will order it from other places but, I have not had the same relationship with hot and sour soup since that fateful day.  This may be my new go to sick soup.  There are only a few ingredients and the preparation and cooking are beyond easy.  I was shocked at how velvety smooth and rich this soup was.  It tasted as if there was cream in it.  The sweetness of the potatoes was perfectly offset by the smoky heat of the chipotle pepper.  I like heat.  I added chipotle hot sauce to kick it up a notch.  Brad added sour cream to take it down a notch.  We both liked it a lot.  I just made a second batch to have on hand in the freezer next time I feel a tickle in my throat.

sweet potato and chipotle soup

adapted: everyday food

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 medium sweet potatoes (2 pounds total), peeled and cut
• 1/2 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until beginning to brown around edges, about 7 minutes. Add cumin and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sweet potatoes, chile, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer, partially cover, and cook until sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a spoon, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Let soup cool slightly. Puree with stick blender until soup is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Top soup with sour cream and serve with quesadilla/tortilla wedges, if desired.

quick chicken gumbo

Fall is my favorite season, my favorite flavors in both cooking and baking and my favorite type of food.  I am so excited for fall.  It keeps starting to show its face around here and then we get shocked with a warm Indian summer day.  Last week we had two chilly days so, I was ready to smell cinnamon in the house, make pots of soup, braise meat and roast vegetables.  Work is getting very busy as is the kids schedules so, I am going to need to rely on the slow cooker, the dutch oven and quick staples like rotisserie chicken and pre cut veggies to get dinner on the table these days.  I love gumbo the spicy smoky sausage, the creamy broth, the shredded chicken and okra.  I eat it kicked up with hot sauce and warm corn bread.  I realized that I am the only one in this house that feels that way.  This is quick and yummy.  I froze this in single servings for nights Brad is gone or working late so, I don't have to stomach another dino nugget.  Looking forward to more one pot meals this fall.

quick chicken gumbo
adapted: everyday food
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups of water or chicken broth
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package (10 ounces) frozen cut okra
8 ounces smoked (precooked) andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick
1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)

1.In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell peppers, onion, garlic, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.


2.Add 4 cups water or broth; stir in okra and sausage. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken, and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.