 |
| Tutoring: capturing the wonder (and cabin fever) |
Here's a warm, cozy menu for your rainy days!
Cream of Chicken Soup
Squash, Manchego and Balsamic-onion Grilled Cheese
Apple Nut Pudding
Cream of Chicken Soup serves 4-5
1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery-with leaves- chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/4-1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
1 large clove garlic (or 2 cloves just for fun)
4 TB flour
7 cups chicken broth
small handful of fresh parsley, chopped or 1 tsp dried
small handful of fresh thyme, chopped or 1 tsp dried
1 bay leaf
2 pounds chicken, cooked & diced or shredded
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
*Melt butter in pot then add celery, onion, carrot, cauliflower and garlic. Cook until tender (10 mins). Season with salt & pepper.
*Slightly mash up some bits of the cauliflower with a potato masher, then add flour and cook 2 mins. Pour in broth and after whisking 2 minutes, bring soup to a boil. Add herbs and simmer 15 mins.
*Stir in chicken and return to boiling. Remove from heat, add cream and check for seasoning (I usually need to add a little more salt at this point). Enjoy!
This soup is so, so good. If you've ever ordered the Cream of Chicken Soup at Mimi's Cafe, this is very similar. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup of butter at the beginning and 1/2 cup + 1 TB of flour but since I had cauliflower on hand I decided to experiment and up the health factor. Frozen peas would be perfect to add (about a cup) during the last round of boiling. If you do use the suggested measurement of butter & flour, you will end up with a thicker soup that works beautifully as a quick chicken pot pie (just put it in a crock, seal on a pie crust and bake). Make this to let someone know you love them! p.s. we ate it too quickly to catch a picture!
Squash, Manchego and Balsamic-onion Grilled Cheese
This winner came from the Food Network Magazine, October 2011 Issue. I used the white bread I'd baked a few days earlier but was thinking that sourdough would be especially yummy next time. Also, if I hadn't used all my baby spinach at lunch I would have added some during the assembly/grilling step. And, of course....bacon would be phenomenal. Here's the recipe. Apple Nut Pudding (makes 1 loaf-pan serving or double up and bake in 9x13)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 egg, beaten
1 cup flour
3 cups chopped apples (about 3 medium apples)
1/2 cup nuts: pecans or walnuts recommended
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt (I use kosher)
*Mix all of the above in a large mixing bowl (I usually mix in KitchenAid, paddle attachment). Mixture will appear dry/crumbly. Place in ungreased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes in 350-degree oven.
Caramel Sauce Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar (or scat 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned evaporated milk
*Throw all in a saucepan and let melt & caramelize, stirring occasionally.
*When pudding has finished baking, invert loaf pan onto a rimmed serving dish and pour sauce over pudding, allowing heart-breaking gushing of caramel all over dish.
*Top with fresh whipped cream: small heavy cream whipped with very small amount of confectioner's sugar. Hardly sweetened cream helps cut the sugar from caramel sauce but gives a smooth, fluffy contrast to the dish.
This dessert recipe was given to my mom and I at a bridal shower years ago. The hostess called it, "Norwegian Wedding Cake" but titled it Apple Nut Pudding on the recipe card. I describe its consistency as a cross between cake and bread pudding. The warm spices and gooey topping feel like a hug on a cold day. Enjoy for dessert and then use leftovers as a topping for oatmeal or mixed into pancake batter. You won't be able to stop smiling!
No comments:
Post a Comment