Not your average chicken soup

I have a friend from Venezuela.  She is an amazing cook.  She cooks the dishes that she grew up making all the time at home. What is simple everyday food to her is very exciting often complex tasting food for us here in the states. She made this great soup the other week with chicken and vegetables in it.  I asked her how she made it and the "recipe" she gave me was pretty similar to how she talks about any dish she makes.  It went something like, you use veggies, onions, leeks, peppers, green onions, potatoes, you cook the veggies with the chicken, then blend the veggies. Now when she does that it turns out great, I however need a little trial and error to turn her recipe into a dish.

Instead of trying to follow her vague but great recipe, I decided to make my own soup, similar to hers, but more spring like with fresh favors of the season. It did not turn out to be anything like my goal, so I will have to keep working on a recipe for the soup idea in my head but, what I did get though was a very happy accident. I got a soup filled with vegetables, that is super tasty and healthy.

The chicken and potatoes make it a hearty meal, while all the veggies make it taste fresh enough for spring and summer eating. You can really taste the peppers, but since the broth is blended, it makes eating your vegetables a easy and fun thing to do! Here is what I did.


 Summer vegetable chicken soup

2 chicken breasts, skinless bone in
5 green onions whites and greens roughly chopped
1 lbs peppers, mixed colors ( I used bagged frozen because it was cheaper that week)
1 sm- med onion cut in half
3 leeks, thoroughly rinsed and chopped
1/2 -1 jalapeño seeded
3 small- med baking potatoes (whole)
2-3 ears of corn cut in half or thirds, but corn still on hull
4 cups of water
Salt and pepper
Small pinch red chili flakes
1 pinch oregano

 Place the chicken and potatoes on the bottom of a large stock pot to ensure they get cooked evenly. Add all other ingredients except for corn.  Add about 4 cups water, it should just completely cover all ingredients in pot.   Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer about 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked, and potatoes are tender. Remove chicken and potatoes from pot let cool slightly. Blend remaining ingredients until smooth with a stick blender, or move to blender and blend. When broth is smooth add it back to pot and add corn. Let simmer. When chicken and potatoes are cool enough to handle, shred chicken, and chop potatoes into about 1/2 inch cubes and add back to pot. Soup will be ready to serve immediately or kept warm on stove until serving time.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is so flexible.  If you don't have leeks, or don't want to buy them, leave them out.  If you have some carrots and/or celery sitting in your fridge that you need to use up, toss them in too!

This makes a lot, I know, but the leftovers are great.  Later this week I will post what I did with some of the leftovers I had, personally, I think it was even better tasting than the initial soup!


oh..... and about the corn.  So when I first had this dish, it was with a large group of people.  None of us seemed to know what do do with the large chunks of corn, most of us scooped around them.  Finally someone braved picking it out of the soup broth and eating it like corn on the cob.  A little messy, yes, but oh so good!  Now I get as many pieces of corn in my bowl as possible!

Not your everyday popcorn!

I have a very close friend of mine who said she didn’t really like popcorn.  I was shocked!  You don’t like POPCORN?  After talking a little longer, I found that the only real experience she had with popcorn was the bag of stuff that comes out of the microwave.  That’s not the kind of popcorn I’m talking about.  I’m not saying I don’t eat it.  I’ve got some in my pantry right now.  But if you want to really experience popcorn, you have to think outside the bag!

I don’t know about you, but I grew up with my mom making popcorn on the stove in a pot.  I am incapable of making popcorn on the stove top.  It is my cooking kryptonite.  Any time I make it, it is simultaneously burned and half un-popped.  I don’t know why, but I can’t make it that way.  I have given up.  I like to use an air popper.  It is a really healthy way to make it, and super easy.  If you possess the ability to make it on the stove, I am extremely jealous.  Also, you can use that in these recipes too.  I would still recommend the air popper if you have it though.

In this post, I have recipes for caramel corn, popcorn with pepper and cheese, and chocolate popcorn.  They are all just basic ratios but flexible, but you can always increase the toppings.  I make my popcorn with more limited toppings, because I try to make it more a healthy snack.  For a treat, feel free to make a bigger quantity of the toppings for the popcorn.  
Each bowl makes 2 servings, if you feel like sharing...

Salted Caramel Drizzled Popcorn

popcorn (about ¼ cup kernels before popped)

1 ½ tb brown sugar

1 ½ tb butter

1 tb corn syrup

kosher or sea salt

While corn is popping, microwave sugar, butter, and corn syrup with small pinch of salt in glass microwave safe container (will get too hot for plastic) until just bubbling, about 30 seconds depending on microwave.  Drizzle over popcorn and mix, top with plenty of salt.

When my mom made caramel corn, it was a big undertaking.  She made the caramel on the stove, put the popcorn and caramel into a paper bag and shook it until it was all mixed.  This is an easy quick microwave version with less clean up.  It’s not completely covered with caramel, but I like it that way, because then I don’t feel bad eating more!  It’s got the rich buttery caramel taste, with the combination of salt, which I love.  I think popcorn in a perfect canvas to enjoy those tastes!

230 calories per serving when using air popped popcorn

Black Pepper and Cheese Popcorn

popcorn (about ¼ cup kernels before popped)

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

about ¼ cup grated Cheese (Toscano, or your preference)

Drizzle popped popcorn with the olive oil, and toss with cheese

 This popcorn with pepper has some spice to it, but is oh, so good.  It is strangely addicting, and a great way to enjoy the unique heat of pepper.  Cheese, of course, makes everything better.  I used Toscano for this one, but any hard, somewhat strong cheese would work.  Parmesan, Romano, Gruyere, Asiago, would all be great choices.  Use your good olive oil for this, one, you will really be able to taste it.

220 calories per serving when using 1 1/2 tb olive oil and air popped popcorn

Chocolate Popcorn

popcorn (about ¼ cup kernels before popped)

2 tb powdered sugar

3/4 tb cocoa powder

2 tb butter

salt

Mix cocoa powder and sugar.  Drizzle popped popcorn with butter, then toss to coat with sugar mixture and sprinkle on salt to taste.

The first time I tried to make chocolate popcorn, I drizzled it with melted chocolate.  It tasted great, but was really messy!  Everyone who ate it ended up with chocolate covered fingers.  This was my solution.  It is great for satisfying chocolate cravings, and crunchy snack cravings!

225 calories per serving when using air popped popcorn

Boring chicken? Not anymore!

So I was at the grocery today, a wonderful cut of pork in hand.  There is nothing wrong with pork, we enjoy eating it regularly.  Pork tenderloin is also a lean cut of meat, a great addition to a healthy diet.  I, on the other hand was not looking at tenderloin.  I was looking at a cut of meat where I could see the fat throughout the meat, that fat that makes it so juicy and flavorful.  I then had to make a choice, cook pork and have Paul and I eating leftovers of that for the week, or cut calories and go with chicken for the next couple days.  Because I have been going with pork more often lately, I felt the need for some more lean eating.  I had to go with chicken.  I was, however, not willing to give up on the flavor.  Which is why I made this!

Chicken with an Israeli spice rub, polenta, and green beans.  I will post a polenta recipe tomorrow, but it is the spice rub I wanted to share with you today.  The rub I cannot completely take credit for, I got most of it from Rachael Ray.  I changed it a little to fit my tastes and the current contents of my spice cabinet, but the original idea came from her.  I wanted to share it with you anyway, because it is just so good! 

It's spicy!  I'll say that up front.  But it's not just hot, its also very flavorful.  It's a little smoky, a little exotic tasting, and a lot of spicy.  And it makes for chicken that is nowhere near boring.  So if you are tired of cooking chicken that is getting bland, or looking for a lighter substitute like I was, this is really worth a try!

Mix a batch of this rub, and you can keep it in your spice cabinet to put on chicken at a moments notice.  I think it would also go great with turkey or pork if you wanted, or even beef I suppose.  You can easily double or triple the recipe, its just the proportions that matter.


Israeli Spice Rub

2 tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

This is great for chicken on the grill, or cooked in a skillet.  I prefer chicken thighs for cooking like this, because they stay moist.  I use chicken breasts more for braising.

About 170 calories per chicken thigh when cooked in skillet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil per thigh

Latte? Yes, Please!

There is barely a day that goes by that I don't have a cup of coffee, or two, or....well, I just like coffee.  Most of the time my coffee just comes from my little Mr.  Coffee machine, and it's great, but when I want something a little more special, and don't feel like spending 4 bucks on it at a coffee shop I have a solution!

I just got a new toy.  It's a stick blender.  It's great!  It makes sauces, soups, and things like applesauce SO much easier to do!  What I don't have is a milk frother, but I'm not willing to spend the money on one ($100 for steamed milk, no thanks!).  So, I heated up some milk, stuck in the stick blender, hoped for the best, and this is what happened!  Well, with a few steps in between, but it was super easy!

Here is how to make a great latte at home.  The steps for the espresso I learned watching Alton Brown, so I cannot take credit for that part.  The pinch of salt is needed, even though that sounds weird.  It helps keep the coffee from being bitter.  If your coffee is still bitter, make sure you haven't ground your coffee too fine, it should be a normal grind, and make sure you didn't steep too long.  If you don't have a french press and want one, I know there are a lot of expensive ones out there, but I got mine for under $20 and it works just fine.  With different proportions, I often prefer it for brewing coffee instead of using my coffee maker.


Grind up 2 heaping coffee scoops of coffee beans, or a generous 1/4 cup.  Or use pre-ground.


Add to a french press with a pinch of salt and pour over 10oz of boiling water and steep for exactly 3 minutes.


While coffee is steeping, heat about 2 cups of milk and microwave until hot.  Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your coffee.


Put in stick blender, turn on, and make sure it is not completely submerged, so it can work some air into the milk and sugar.  It may take a couple times to get the feel of it. (Don't fill the milk to the top and then put the blender in... unless you really like cleaning your counters, and wearing milk as an accessory.)  I use a large Pyrex measuring glass, but anything that holds at least 3-4 cups will do.


Pour in desired proportions of milk and coffee (I suggest 1/4 coffee, 3/4 milk), stir, then scoop the foam from the top of the milk into your mug!

makes 2 lattes


The morning I made it, my husband and I were really excited and liked them.  So much so that he asked for one later that afternoon.  I made it for him, and then he asked for a third!!

For a couple variations, consider adding a small amount of vanilla extract to your milk, or mixing in a little chocolate syrup or sprinkle with cinnamon.    

135 calories per latte (may not be an everyday indulgence, but certainly lighter than Starbucks!)

Kale Chips...you've got to try these!

Ok, I know they sound weird, but they are super easy and super good!  I will warn you, they are really addicting, so don’t be surprised if you start craving them.  But hey, it’s kale, so it’s a good craving! :-)   When my mother-in-law first told me about them, I was really skeptical, it took me like 6 months to try them, but now I am so glad I did!  I watch a little 11 month old baby in the mornings.  I told her mom about these, she loves them, she fed them to her daughter and told me that they are the only vegetable that her daughter will eat without a fight!  I thought that that was pretty funny!

Use a good olive oil, because you can really taste it on these.  I like to buy a bunch of kale, wash it, and keep it prepared in my fridge.  It keeps for at least 4 days depending on how fresh it is from the grocery.  Then I just take some out, toss with oil, and bake to have with lunch or dinner!

Heat your oven to 400°.   

Wash a bunch of kale leaves, and tear or cut out the middle stem.  Tear leaves into pieces, and dry thoroughly.   I use a salad spinner.  

For about every 8 cups of kale I toss with a generous tablespoon of olive oil.   

Spread on a cookie sheet and salt.   

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.  Tossing occasionally so they cook evenly.   

They should be dry and crackly, but not burnt. If you take them out while they are still a little soft, they will be kind of chewy, and not very good.   

I’d say 6-8 cups of leaves not packed will be a serving for 2 or 3.  They shrink down a lot as you can see! I will admit to eating that much all by myself though….. :-) Enjoy!!

If you try these leave a comment and tell me what you think!