Taco Soup

I am not usually one to use almost all canned or frozen foods in any one recipe, but this recipe contains almost all canned or pre-packaged ingredients and various seasonings. Granted, I could have cooked up two kinds of dried beans. That would take about 2 hours. I could have used fresh tomatoes, but I would first have to quickly blanch them in boiling water, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water in order to peel them before dicing. And for the beef broth, well you know what kind of time it takes to make a good beef broth from scratch.

Actually, the only "fresh" consolation I made was to use my own homemade taco seasoning mix, which I store in a small canning jar.



There are many versions of this recipe on the web. I Googled "Taco Soup" and got 14,800,000 results. I'm assuming many of those are duplicates, but I could be wrong. Anyway, this is my version. It is quick to put together, generally on the table in about 30 minutes. And it's yummy, warm and filling for a cold winter evening.

Ladle the soup into a bowl and dress it up a little with some shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped avocado, crushed tortilla chips or cilantro - whatever Mexican style garnishes flip your switch.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1-1/4 lbs. ground turkey or ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 can black beans, undrained (if you don't have black beans, kidney beans are a good substitute) 
• 1 can pinto beans, undrained (again, if you don't have pinto beans, white beans are fine) 
• 1 can whole corn, undrained (if you don't have canned corn, add about 1-1/2 to 2 cups frozen corn with about 1/4 cup water) 
• 1 - 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (or you could also use stewed tomatoes)
• 1 can Rotel (tomatoes and green chilis), undrained
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix (or one packet of your favorite brand of taco seasoning mix)
• 2 tablespoons of dry ranch dressing mix (or one packet)
• 2 cups beef broth (I use Minors Beef Base to make the broth)
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, seeded and chopped (I grow the poblanos every year and freeze them so I always have them on hand, but you can substitute one small can of diced green chilis)
• Crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped avocado, diced onions, cilantro for garnish

Directions:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and add the onion. Cook the onion until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the ground meat to the pot with the onions and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is no longer pink. Spoon off as much of the fat as possible. Sprinkle both seasonings over the meat and stir to combine.

Add the cans of beans (liquid and all), corn (with liquid), tomatoes (with liquid), Rotel (with liquid), beef broth and peppers. Bring to a boil and turn down the heat and simmer the soup while you set the table.

An Honor

I'm so excited!

My post for Goat Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots....

...is featured in the "What People Are Cooking" column at BonAppetit.com

I read my Bon Appetit magazine from cover to cover every month and have tried many dishes. I am so honored to be singled out for this particular one.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

It's cooling off. Even though it is supposed to hit 90 tomorrow, the rest of the week should be in the 70's and evenings are cooler yet.

When it starts cooling off, I crave soup. Served with French bread, cornbread, foccacia, rolls, it makes no difference. I'm there for the soup.

Earlier this week the publisher of our local newspaper wrote a blog post about the "5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke." Canned soup was on the list.

Luckily, I don't eat canned soup. I happily ingest the other four items - crackers and chips, smoked and processed meats, diet soda and red meat - but not the canned soup.

Okay, I have to take that back. I actually do eat canned soup, but do so rarely. I still use a couple of casserole recipes that call for canned soup, but I don't make them very often - maybe a couple of times a year. But, I'm not so sure that particular qualification would render me immune to the risks.

Anyway, I don't eat canned soup as soup, as in a bowl with a soup spoon and with a sandwich or piece of bread on the side. I always make my own soup. I just think it tastes better and it's better for you.

Now, when you were in college, if you made broccoli soup with canned cheddar cheese soup and frozen broccoli on a single burner hot plate and you thought it tasted good....I'm sorry. You probably won't like this recipe because it doesn't taste anything like that.

My recipe is fresh, flavorful and creamy with not a hint of pastiness or chemicals. And, though it takes just a few more minutes to prepare than canned cheddar cheese soup with frozen broccoli, my recipe still comes together pretty quickly.

A couple of tips before you start. First, do not discard the stalks of the broccoli. Peel them, chop them up and add them to the pot with the other vegetables. The stalks add more flavor and texture.

Second, yes, I said peel, unless you like your broccoli stringy. You don't have to peel every single surface, but peel off the as much of the skin as you can. Simply slide the edge of your knife under the skin, hold it in place against the blade with your thumb and pull up like so....


Easy peasy.



Broccoli Cheese Soup
PRINT RECIPE

• 2 tablespoons blended oil (which is 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced (I always scrub my carrots, but rarely peel them)
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 2 large stalks broccoli cut into bite-sized flowerettes and the stalks peeled and diced
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups half & half
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, finely grated (sharp or mild, whatever your preference)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

In a dutch oven, heat the blended oil over medium high heat and add the onion, carrot, celery and broccoli stalks. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the vegetables until they start to brown slightly and caramelize, about 10 to 12 minutes. Be careful not to burn. The caramelized vegetables are going to add a rich flavor dimension.

Add the broccoli flowerettes to the pot, then add the chicken broth. Return the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer slowly for about 30 minutes until the broccoli flowerettes are very soft.

In a small fying pan over medium heat, melt the tablespoon of butter, then whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux until it is just barely golden in color. Add about a cup of the soup broth to the roux and whisk until smooth. Add about another cup of the broth and whisk again until smooth. Add the mixture to the soup pot, stirring gently until well blended. Add the half & half, stirring constantly. Add the cheese a cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.

When the soup begins to come back to a simmer, correct the seasoning by adding kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Goat Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots

I am a California gal, born and bred. But my dad grew up on a farm in Minnesota.

My father and his family either grew or raised nearly everything they ate. My dad used to tell stories of milking cows before school, slaughtering pigs on weekends, gathering eggs daily, planting the garden in the spring, filling the root cellar with potatoes and beets and canning bushels of vegetables.

When I was growing up, my dad planted a garden in the backyard wherever we lived, particularly in Fresno. He harvested fresh tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, corn, melon, citrus and peaches all summer long. Artichokes, plums, apples, pomegranates, avocados and grapes were abundant and cheap at the grocery store.

We lived in an average suburban neighborhood, so my father did not raise cows, pigs or chickens. Instead the meat we ate was purchased from the grocery store and usually the cheapest available: hamburger, pot roast, chicken and an occasional fried pork chop. The fish that graced our table was the crappie my parents caught at the local lake or the mackerel they hooked off the pier at Sunset Beach State Park about 15 miles south of Santa Cruz on the Pacific Ocean. No matter what species of fish we ate, it was always fried.

Although I began cooking in my teens, the food was always from the menus my mother created. Before she got home from work, I'd prepare the hamburger/bean filling for the burritos, or the hamburger for tacos using packages of taco seasoning mix, or the spaghetti sauce using packages of spaghetti sauce mix. Not particularly adventurous eating.

I didn't have my first taste of lobster until I was 18 years old. I think I was in my mid-twenties before I ate lamb. I was probably in my thirties when I really started to experiment with food, both while cooking at home and dining out. Which is, one culinary step at a time, how I got to preparing goat meat.

Now, goat meat may not seem like an adventurous step for people who live in rural communities and raise their own meat. In fact, it may be commonplace. For this gal, however....one who has given a name to and made a pet of every animal she's ever owned including rabbits, sheep, chickens, ducks and geese (not to mention dogs and cats)....goat meat is an adventurous step. But I figured if I could try venison (Bambi), rabbit (Thumper) and duck (Daffy), I could give goat a try since I didn't watch it's mother give birth, bottle feed the kid at all hours and fret over what I was going to name it.

I was thrilled to hear of the new international food store opening in our small town and I think Tom and I were one of the first customers. During our first trip, we wandered around for about 45-minutes examining all the familiar and not so familiar products on the shelves, in the refrigerator and freezer. It was the goat meat in the freezer piqued my curiosity.

This week I went back to the international food store and bought goat meat, and with my newest issue of Bon Appetit in hand, the page turned to Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots, I proceeded to prepare the dish with goat instead of lamb.

The recipe calls for a lamb shoulder and for the meat to be cubed, but there was no way I was going get this goat meat into cubes. At the top side of the slab was the backbone and there was no way my knives would get through it.



I started by cutting off the skin, then paring away as much excess fat as I could. What I discovered underneath was a silver membrane covering the entire surface of the meat.



I always remove the silverskin from the bone side of ribs and I thought this would be similar. It was actually more difficult and time consuming because it didn't peel off readily. I had to cut it off with my boning knife. It took awhile, but I think I did a pretty good job for someone who has been known to butcher a piece of meat beyond recognition.



So, now I was ready to begin preparing the dish. Since I wasn't going to attempt to cut the meat into cubes, I decided I would braise the meat in the sauce until it was tender enough to remove from the bones. I generously salted and peppered the meat, browned it on all sides in a large skillet and then removed it from the pan.



I then prepared the "sauce" in the frying pan, mixing the onions, spice blend, garlic, grated ginger, tomatoes and chicken broth according to the recipe. When all the ingredients were mixed together and brought to a boil, I poured it into my electric roaster, set the piece of goat in the middle, put the lid in place and braised it for about 2-½ to 3 hours, until the meat was tender and the bones were easily removed.



I removed the meat from the roaster and allowed it cool a few minutes. When I was able to handle the meat, I began removing the bones and remaining gristle and connective tissue. The only thing I found a little off-putting was the sight of these veins below the skin.



Undaunted, I cut the meat into pieces and returned it to the roaster and added the chickpeas, which I allowed to cook in the stew for about an hour because they still weren't quite done when I put them in. When I was sure the chickpeas were done, I added the chopped apricots and cooked the stew for another 30 minutes.

I served the stew over couscous made with chicken broth instead of water, and garnished with chopped cilantro.



The results were delicious. The goat meat is not gamey at all, like I anticipated. It was sweet, rich and densely flavored, a perfect compliment to the Moroccan spices in the dish. I would not hesitate to make this dish again.



Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

• 3/4 cup dried chickpeas
• 5 garlic cloves (2 whole, 3 chopped)
• 1 large cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds 1" cubes lamb shoulder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, diced
• 5 teaspoons Ras-el-Hanout spice blend (I used all of the spice blend that I made using the recipe below, probably an extra teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon chopped peeled ginger (I grated the ginger)
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices (I used a whole 14-oz can)
• 2-1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock (because I had to braise the meat for such a long period of time, I wound up using an additional cup of chicken broth to thin the stew)
• 1/2 cup halved dried apricots (I chopped the apricots into smaller pieces)
• Steamed couscous
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Place chickpeas in a medium saucepan. Add water to cover by 2". Let soak overnight.

Drain chickpeas; return to same saucepan. Add 2 whole garlic cloves and cinnamon stick. Add water to cover by 2". Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until chickpeas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain; set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown lamb on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to a medium bowl. Add onion to pot; reduce heat to medium, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic, Ras-el-Hanout** , and ginger. Stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and lamb with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil. Add 2 1/2 cups stock. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lamb is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Stir in chickpeas; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in apricots; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon couscous onto a large, shallow platter, forming a large well in center. Spoon tagine into center. Sprinkle cilantro over.

**The recipe for the Moroccan spice blend, Ras-El-Hanout, requires a spice mill. I have an old coffee grinder that I use for grinding spices, but I would not recommend using a coffee grinder that you currently use for grinding coffee. These spices are pretty aromatic and tend to cling to plastic. If you don't have a spice mill or coffee grinder, I think it would be fine to use pre-ground coriander and cumin seeds, but before you add them to the sauteed onions, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat, add all of the spices to the oil and gently warm them until they are quite aromatic, being careful not to scorch them. Then add the warmed spice blend to the onions with the garlic and grated fresh ginger.

Ras-El-Hanout Spice Mix

• 1-1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Toast coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and slightly darkened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a spice mill; let cool. Add crushed red pepper flakes. Process until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl. Add remaining ingredients; whisk to blend.

French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I subscribe to the Tasting Table, a daily email for "adventurous eaters everywhere." Mostly it's advertising for all things food related and I usually wind up hitting the delete button. But a couple of times a week, I get a recipe that sounds rather interesting, so I print it for....well....whenever.

Last February, Tasting Table sent a recipe for French Onion Fondue, which sounded pretty good so I printed it. That's as far as I got.

A few days ago, I learned that April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich month. I had no idea there was a specific month dedicated to the awesomeness of the grilled cheese sandwich.

I knew I couldn't go the entire month without creating a delicious grilled cheese sandwich, but what? And as I was flipping through a large stack of recipes looking for inspiration, I came across Tasting Table's French Onion Fondue. Voilà! French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich, where French Onion Soup and a simple grilled cheese sandwich merge into a gooey, delectable, savory yet sweet, crunchy delight.

The onions are cooked in a deeply rich and flavorful broth that reduces and leaves them in an almost jam-like consistency. Then they are layered on sourdough bread slices, topped with Fontina and Gruyere cheeses and grilled to perfection.



French Onion Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 slices bacon, cut in small pieces
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Several slices Gruyere cheese
Several slices Fontina cheese
Sourdough bread slices
Enough butter to spread on the outside of each sandwich

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon on medium high heat until almost crisp.

Add the onions and stir with the bacon pieces until they are mixed well. Continue to cook until the onions have browned slightly. Add the beef broth, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, sherry vinegar and pepper to the onions, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. This can be done the day before and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. If cold, bring to room temperature or warm slightly in a small pan.

To assemble the sandwich, mound a nice amount of cooked onion on a slice of bread, top with a layer of Gruyere cheese, then a layer of Fontina cheese. Top with another slice of bread.

Heat a grill or large frying pan on medium high heat. Generously butter the outside of each sandwich. Place in the hot pan and grill until the one side is golden brown, about 2 or 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, turn the sandwich over and grill on the opposite side until golden brown, about another 2 or 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 4 - 6 sandwiches, depending on the size of the bread.

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup

Winter has hit Arkansas pretty hard. Yesterday was our third snow storm in as many weeks and that's highly unusual for this part of the country. Plus, temperatures haven't exceeded freezing for several days. When it's cold outside, I crave soup.

I'm not one to choose a brothy soup. I like a hearty thick soup. The kind of soup I grew up eating. Peas. Beans. Lentils. Potatoes. This soup is rich, hearty and very flavorful. The spice of the Mexican chorizo compliments the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. Served with cornbread or warm tortillas, this is a satisfying meal.

This recipe calls for a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and a tablespoon of vegetable oil. When using straight olive oil for cooking, it is important not to heat the oil over its smoking point (the temperature at which the oil begins to break down) because it gives food an unpleasant taste. I avoid this by blending the two oils together. I generally use an oil dispenser bottle in which I've mixed equal parts of each of the oils to have it readily available to use for sautéing.



Sweet Potato Chorizo Soup

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 - 10 oz. tube of Mexican chorizo (not smoked)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 yukon gold potatoes, washed well and cut into 1/2-inch dice (no need to peel)
• 6 to 7 cups chicken broth
• 1 - 9 oz. box of frozen chopped spinach (I've also used kale with great results)

Heat both oils in a large pot. Add the chorizo and cook until done, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Add the onion and celery to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently (about 6 or 7 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the all the potatoes to the pot and stir until the potatoes are coated well with the chorizo, onions and celery. Add 6 cups of chicken broth to the pot and stir well, scraping all of the browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil and simmer at low heat until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the frozen spinach and bring the pot back to a simmer and cook a few minutes more until the spinach is thawed and fully incorporated into the soup. If the soup gets too thick, add another cup of chicken broth.

Correct seasoning with salt and pepper and stir well. Serve.

It's Fall and Time for Soup

It has cooled down considerably. Yesterday, the high was in the very low 70's and today is cooler and raining. Even with the rain, I'm enjoying it. This afternoon, I am wearing a long sleeve shirt, long pants and socks. It's been several months since I've worn long sleeves. Next stop, turtlenecks and Ugg boots.

Another thing I like about the onset of cool weather is having a nice hot bowl of homemade soup for dinner.

My mom was a soup maker. Not professionally, mind you, but I thought she made darn good soups. When I was growing up, I came to love the thick soups or chowders she would throw together with just a few ingredients. The seven of us (five girls and our parents) would sit down to dinner and make a meal of a large pot of thick soup and some bread. It was delicious, filling and warmed the tummy.

When Tom and I married over 40 years ago (41 years on the 19th of this month, thank you very much), the only type of soup I knew how to make was thick and hearty, made with beans, potatoes, rice or noodles ~ anything to thicken the broth. The first time I sat down to a meal of soup at my in-laws, I thought I might come away from the table still hungry. The soup pot was filled with a thin beefy broth, a few pieces of meat, some chopped vegetables and homemade "noodles." It filled me up, but it was nothing like I was used to.

Although I now appreciate a nice brothy soup, I still gravitate towards thick, hearty and flavorful. My favorites are clam or seafood chowder, bean soup, wild mushroom soup and the Tuscan soup my sister, Karen, introduced to us when she lived with us earlier this year. This is Karen's favorite soup, her rendition of a soup she had while living in Las Vegas.

Although I really liked her soup...you know me, I cannot leave well enough alone. I had to doctor it up with some herbs and spices to suit my palate. I have also made the soup using two different methods to cook the Italian sausage: 1)cooking the sausage with casings on, then slicing it, or (2) removing the casings before cooking the sausage and breaking it into chunks as it cooks (much like cooking hamburger). I like either method, but I'm lazy and often use method #2 because it takes the slicing step out of the recipe. The photo is of the soup using method #2.

Tuscan Soup
by Terri Powers (adapted from my sister, Karen's recipe)

• 1-1/4 lbs sweet Italian sausage, about 5 (I have also used sweet Italian turkey sausage with great success)
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 4 medium potatoes (I use Yukon Gold and don't bother peeling them), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground fennel
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 bunch kale, stems and center veins removed and roughly chopped
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

In a large pot or dutch oven, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and (Method #1)cook the Italian sausage links until cooked through, about 6 or 7 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pot to a plate and allow to cool slightly. ~ OR ~ (Method #2) Remove the sausage from the casings and cook the sausage meat, breaking up with a fork, until cooked through. Remove from the pot to a plate or bowl.

Add the bacon to the pot (with the drippings) and cook until done, but not too crisp.

Add the onion to the pot with the bacon pieces and saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, fennel bulb, potatoes and spices to the pot and cook for about 3 or 4 minutes until the mixture is fragrant and hot.

Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

If you have used Method #1 to cook the sausage, slice it now into approximatey 1/4 inch slices and add back to the pot and mix well. If you have used Method #2 to cook the sausage, add it back into the pot and mix well.

Simmer the soup until the potatoes are almost soft enough to pierce with a fork, then add the kale and the cream. Bring back to a simmer and cook for about 5 or 6 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with hot with a crusty bread.

Beef Marsala Stew

I've been sick for almost two weeks. I've had that horrible crud that has been going around and finally broke down last Monday and paid a visit to my doctor. She prescribed meds and bed rest and by yesterday afternoon I was finally feeling human again.

Since I hadn't eaten much of anything for over a week and a half, by mid-week this week I was looking for something that would stick to my ribs and with lots of flavor. God bless Mike Mulligan at Mike's Table. He came through like a champ and didn't even know it.

As I was sitting in front of the computer, wading through 127 entries in my Google reader, I came across an entry from Mike, Beef Short Ribs Marsala Pasta. I wasn't in the mood for pasta, but beef cooked in Marsala wine over mashed potatoes...Mmmmmm!! Oooo, I was hungry!

I had a brand new bottle of Marsala in the pantry, plenty of potatoes and a package of four very large boneless beef short ribs in the freezer and I got started.

This dish was a hit and made enough beef in that wonderful savory, rich gravy for dinner for the three of us, plus Tom vacuumed bagged enough for another meal. Next time, I'll try it over the pasta as Mike originally suggested.



Beef Marsala Stew
Adapted from Beef Short Ribs Marsala Pasta at Mike's Table

This recipe contains my changes to Mike's recipe.

3 strips bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 pounds boneless beef (I used boneless beef short ribs, but I think this would be good with almost any cut of beef)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 of a large onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cups Marsala wine
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed from stems
handful of chopped parsley
2 cups beef stock
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered (they're called Baby Bellas here)
Mashed potatoes

Cut the boneless beef into approximately 1-inch cubes. Put the cubed beef into a gallon size plastic bag. Add the flour, kosher salt and pepper to the bag. Seal the bag and shake well to coat all of the pieces of meat. Set aside

In a large pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium high heat until crispy and remove from the pan to a paper towel. Add the olive oil to the bacon drippings, then add the pieces of meat a few at a time, browning each piece for 2 or 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and add more beef pieces until all pieces are browned. Set aside.

Saute the celery, carrot and onion in the pan until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.

Deglaze the pot with the 3 cups of wine, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to come to a boil. Add the beef stock, mushrooms and the herbs, mix well, then return the beef and the cooked bacon to the pan. Bring to a boil again, cover, reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook for about three hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so.

After three hours, the beef should be fork tender and the sauce should be thickened nicely. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm while you make your mashed potatoes.

" When the bold branches bid farewell to rainbow leaves - Welcome wool sweaters." ~ B. Cybrill

I don't particularly love winter, especially in Arkansas. We don't get a lot of snow and snow, I think, is what makes winter bearable because it makes everything look beautiful; never mind the ice, the brown slush, the chains and snow-tires, the snow shovels, wet shoes and boots. I never think of those things when I think of snow. Instead, I think of the snow-covered trees, the beautiful snow flakes, warm fires, hot tea or chocolate and everything outside white and beautiful. As you can tell, I'm much more into the fantasy than the reality. But, for me, if it's going to be really cold, then let's have some snow.

No matter if it snows or not, cold weather makes me crave comfort food ~ pots of soups and stews or big hearty casseroles. I've been seeing lots of stews and casseroles on other blogs lately and it seems one of the most popular is Beef Bourguignon. Every blog I've visited lately tempted with photos of the rich beef stew. Some recipes contain brandy, other cognac. Some cooks use shallots, other use pearl onions, still others use the standard yellow onions. But, what gives this stew it's richness is combining the beef and red wine.

Here's my really simple version:

Beef Bourguignon
by Terri Powers for Terri's Table

3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into about 1-inch cubes
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
6 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, sliced
1 large onion, diced
½ pound mushrooms, sliced about ¼ inch thick
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups beef broth
2-1/2 cups of a full-bodied red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig of fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper

Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat and, when hot, add the diced bacon. Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook until almost crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel and set aside. Add olive oil to the bacon drippings in the pot.

Sprinkle the beef cubes lightly with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the beef cubes and toss until they are coated well.



Brown the beef cubes in the pot a few at a time, removing the cubes when they are browned and adding the rest of the cubes in small batches until all the beef is browned, adding more olive oil a tablespoon at a time, if necessary.



Remove all the beef from the pan.

To any remaining drippings (if no drippings remain, add a little olive oil), add the onion and saute about 12 to 15 minutes until nicely browned and caramelized. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté about another minute or two. Pour the wine into the pot, stirring constantly to deglaze the pan. Stir in the beef broth and add the beef chunks and bacon back into the pot. Add the tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf to the pot and mix well.

Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot tightly, lower the heat to a very low simmer and allow to cook about 2½ hours, stirring occasionally. When done, the meat and vegetables should be very tender and stew should have thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I prefer to serve this over mashed potatoes, but you can serve it over pasta, polenta or even grits.

Thanksgiving Is Over And We Are On The Way To Christmas...

Or...

Are you sick of turkey yet because it's almost time to roast another one!

I love turkey. Really I do. But I am sick of it. But, by the time Christmas rolls around I will be craving it again. I do this every Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Every year I say I am going to roast a turkey more often, but I don't. I don't know why. I roast chicken, why not turkey? It doesn't make sense to me, but then nothing makes much sense to me during the holidays. My head is filled with baking cookies, bars and quick breads and trying to decide what to buy whom for Christmas.

So, anyway, back to the turkey. We roasted a 22 pounder and had 8 people for dinner (plus a take-home-care-package-dinner for my niece who was in New York oogaling Daniel Radcliff ~the star of Harry Potter, if you're not up on those kinds of things~ as he came out of the theatre where he stars in Equus. Anyway, we had LOTS of leftover turkey and all the trimmings.

Leftovers, Day One: Of course, the first dish I made using the leftover turkey was the obligatory Turkey Soup, but I punched it up just a little by adding some tortellini I had in the pantry.



I bought some mushrooms and a zucchini, threw in some onion, carrot, celery and our leftover green beans. I make a large pot of turkey stock to use for making the gravy and I used what was leftover from that, plus a little chicken broth, thyme and a bay leaf. I served it with those amazing leftover Sweet Potato Buttermilk Rolls that I made using the recipe from Pinch My Salt and voila! Dinner is served.

Leftovers, Day Two: I was watching the Today Show Friday morning and saw a segment with the Scottos using leftover turkey and thought, Gee, I think I might have some around here somewhere! One dish that caught my eye was turkey in a marsala cream sauce over pasta. Yeah, I know. I'm a sucker for a velvety cream sauce.

Tom made it Saturday night...



Following is the recipe, cut in half, with Tom's changes:

Fettucine with Turkey, Mushrooms & Onions in a Cream Sauce
Adapted from The Today Show, from Fresco by Scotto Restaurant

1 pound linquine
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup mushroom, sliced
2 cups diced leftover turkey, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup leftover turkey gravy
1/2 cup Marsala wine
salt & pepper
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, combine the oil and butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the bacon and saute until crispy. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are almost transparent. Add the turkey meat and toss to mix evenly.

Add the Marsala wine to the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cream and the gravy, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is cooked, drain, and add directly to the turkey sauce. Toss well to mix evenly. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese.


Leftovers, Day Three: By this time, we are wishing we had purchased a 10 pound turkey, but we marched forward. I had some puff pastry shells and a bag of peas and carrots in the freezer, so I pulled those out. I chopped up some onion and celery and made a nice gravy base with a butter and flour roux and the last of the leftover turkey gravy and a little chicken stock. I added the turkey, onions, celery, half of the bag of peas and carrots and a small can of corn I had in the pantry. I baked the puff pastry shells and we had Sort-of Turkey Pot Pie...



I had a little homemade cranberry sauce left so I made a cranberry sauce vinaigrette by adding some raspberry wine vinegar, dijon mustard, sugar, oil and salt and pepper and served it with salad greens and tomato slices. I think it kind of over powered the greens and would have been better on a chunky chopped salad, but it was good enough...



And, best of all, it used the very last of the leftovers! Can I get a Hallelujah!

“All mushrooms are edible - once” ~ Author Unknown

It started cooling off here in Arkansas about three or four weeks ago, although we had a few unseasonably warm days.

All summer long, we ate grilled meats and fish, every kind of salad imaginable and maybe only one or two cold soups, like Gazpacho. So when the weather turns, I'm ready for warm, comfort foods.



I started our soup season with Cream of Mushroom soup. It was delicious and we had enough to have as a meal with truffled croutons the first night...

,

and as a first course drizzled with a little truffle oil the second night.



This soup was so good, in fact, that the next day Tom came home with four packages of different kinds of wild mushrooms for me to use next time I made this, which he hoped would be very soon.

Keep in mind when purchasing your mushrooms, you can use any combination of mushrooms you like. I've made this soup with several different types of mushrooms with the same delicious result.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
by Terri Powers for Terri's Table

1 package (about 6 - 8 ounces) fresh shitake mushrooms
1 package (about 8 - 10 ounces) fresh crimini mushrooms (they are called Baby Bellas here)
1 package (about 14 - 16 ounces) white button mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 medium sized sprig of fresh thyme, leaves removed and finely minced
1 bunch of green onions, sliced thin (white and green parts)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups white wine
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream

Clean the mushrooms, remove the woody stems from the shitake mushrooms and thinly slice the mushroom caps.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery and fresh thyme and cook over medium high heat until the onion is almost transparent. Add the mushrooms and green onion and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened. Remove everything from the pot to a bowl and set aside.

To the empty pot, add the butter and allow to melt completely, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any vegetable bits. Add the flour to the butter and cook over medium heat until your roux is lightly browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Do not allow to burn. Using a whisk, stir the chicken broth into the roux in a steady stream until all the broth has been added and the mixture is smooth and does not have any lumps. Stir in the wine.

Add the mushroom mixture back into the pot, mix well to incorporate into the broth. Bring the broth back to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes, allowing the broth to thicken a little and reduce slightly.

A few minutes before serving, add the half-and-half and cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat the soup through, but do not allow to boil. Serve with croutons.

Truffled Croutons
by Terri Powers for Terri's Table

1 loaf of french bread
olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons black truffle infused oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the loaf of french bread into crouton-sized pieces and put into large bowl. Start adding olive oil a tablespoon at a time, continually tossing the bread, until all the cubes of bread are pretty evenly coated. Continue to toss the croutons while you sprinkle the infused truffle oil over them a teaspoon at a time.

Spread the croutons in a single layer on a large cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until crunchy but not hard. Sprinkle on soup to serve.

“Among hot beverages, we know of nothing better than leisurely sipping a bowl of steaming chicken soup” ~ Author Unknown

It's cold outside. When it gets cold, I crave soup. I could make a huge pot every single day, but I think Tom would finally object and demand control of the kitchen so he could make something different.

Except maybe for a good French onion soup, I had not been a brothy soup person. Growing up, my mom always made thick, hearty soups. The soup, along with rolls or bread, was our meal. I learned to make soup that way and I do it really well. I love thick or chunky or creamy soups, full of beans or veggies and meat or shellfish. Unfortunately, I did not come to appreciate a really good broth until I was a good deal older.

Several years ago, on a business trip to San Antonio, Texas, I had the great fortune to sample what was called San Antonio's signature soup. I have searched ever since for the perfect recipe.

The presentation was unique (perhaps because I live in a bubble). Piles of finely grated cheddar cheese, crisp corn tortilla strips, fresh homemade salsa and chunky guacamole were served up in the soup bowl. A large gravy boat contained a hot, rich broth enhanced with caramelized onions. A small dish of chopped, fresh cilantro was to provide the finishing touch. After my first taste, I was hooked. I ordered and ate that soup every day I was there. All the condiments were familiar to me, but that broth...clear, but hearty; richly flavored; slightly spicy. It was the kind of soup that invoked that involuntary Mmmmmm noise with each bite.

Tom and I have tried many recipes in an attempt to duplicate the broth I ate in San Antonio, but I am thinking that my palate's memory is faulty. Nothing we make is quite there. So, we have adapted and combined many recipes to come up with our own. Although this recipe has some cream in it, the soup is delicious and the flavor is very reminiscent of that wonderful "signature soup." We simply call it Tortilla Soup.

Enjoy and stay warm!

Tortilla Soup

3 large bone-in chicken breasts
1 gallon of water
4 teaspoons chicken base (I use Minor's)
3 carrots, halved lengthwise then cut in 1/4 inch pieces
3 celery stalks, halved lengthwise, then cut in 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced fine
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes (mild) undrained
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

Condiments: Make all of your condiments in advance so they are ready to go when your soup is ready.

Chopped avocado or chunky guacamole
Grated cheddar or jack cheese or a mixture of both
Fresh Salsa
Crispy tortilla strips
Cilantro sour cream

Procedure:

Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and peppers in a pot with the water, bring to a boil and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the chicken and allow to cool. To the broth, add the Rotel, cilantro, corn and cumin. Stir well and bring up to temperature. Remove the chicken from the bone, shred and return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the cream just to get a the color and a little thickness.



To serve, place about 2 Tablespoons of each condiment in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle the soup over the condiments. Top with Cilantro Sour Cream, if desired.

Chunky Guacamole: Cut one avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut each half in half (you will have 4 pieces). Remove the skin from the flesh and place the slice in a bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of onion powder. Using a fork, very gently mash the avocado and mix in spices. Do not over mash so that it becomes smooth.

Fresh Salsa: 1-1/2 cups finely chopped fresh tomato, 3/4 cup finely chopped onion, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, 1/2 Tablespoon finely chopped jalepeno pepper, 1 Tablespoon of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Crispy Tortilla Strips: Cut about 10 corn tortillas in strips. Fry in oil until crisp, but not brown. Remove to paper towel to drain. Salt very lightly.



Cilantro Sour Cream: 1 cup light sour cream, 1/4 cup very finely chopped cilantro, a pinch each of salt and white pepper. Prepare in advance and refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld. Serve on top of the soup. This is also good on enchiladas, chiles rellenos or tacos.