What I had on Thanksgiving

Since it was just Lewis and I for Thanksgiving this year, we decided to roast a turkey breast instead of the whole bird. Usually, I follow Alton Brown's turkey recipe which is always uh-mazing but this time I kept it simple with a bit of butter and a classic dry rub.

Top Round Steak Stew with Parmesan Cheese Dumplings

This dish is a perfect example of that classic rustic meal that is most ideally consumed in a snow covered log cabin nestled among the mountains in front of a roaring fire. For those of us stuck in the city, we can always close our eyes and make do with a candle lit porch (still magical on a less grand scale).

4th of July

Man, I can't believe it's already July! I must admit I am relieved that summer is trucking along, fall/winter can come at anytime now! 4th of July sort of snuck up on me this year, since we're away from family and friends we will probably just be spending this holiday around town eating delicious food and exploring some new places, possibly checking out the downtown firework show if the weather allows. I decided to do a red, white, and blue round up for your 4th festivities most of which are on the healthy side with a few indulgences (because after all, it is a holiday).

Blueberry Lemonade
Festive Fruit Trifle
Dark Sweet Cherry Mini Pies
Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Sugar Topping
Heirloom Tomato Tart
Chocolate Creme Brulee with Raspberry Sugar
Blueberry Cobbler Bars
Flag Cake
Watermelon Mojitos
Balsamic Strawberry Dressing
Berry Skillet with Oat Topping

Hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend!

Kung Pao Chicken with Pepper & Onions

This week is a little crazy, we're going from southern Germany to Taiwan and making some tasty Kung Pao Chicken!

One thing I love about Asian dishes is that they are so simplistic yet packed full of flavor (and are usually on the healthy side). One of our missions as soon as we move to a new place is to find the best Chinese food place in town - so far in Houston we've tried a couple of places around our neighborhood but no winners as of yet, luckily I have a few go-to recipes up my sleeve to last us in the meantime. This is one of Lewis's favorite dishes - it's tangy and spicy and the texture of the peanuts add a nice crunch. There's a lot of ways to switch this up, you could add green onions, water chestnuts, snow peas, or broccoli depending on what ya feel like. I noticed that some people use brown sugar in place of honey, but I found that honey adds a better texture and you don't have to worry about undissolved sugar crystals.

Kung Pao Chicken with Pepper & Onions

serves 1-2

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks (could use chicken thighs as well)
1/3 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 large red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 onion, sliced thin
2 TBS vegetable oil - divided
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 TBS(more or less depending on your spice preference) hot chili paste
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 TBS honey
2-3 dried red chilies
1/3 cup crushed dry roasted peanuts
1-2 cups cooked brown or white rice

Directions

1.Add flour to a bowl, add salt and pepper, then carefully toss chicken pieces to coat thinly in flour.

2.To make the sauce, add soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, dried chilies, vinegar, and honey - whisk until combined.

3.In a large sauce pan (or wok) heat oil on medium heat, then add onions, peppers, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 10-15 min. Reduce heat to medium low then add about half of the sauce and cook until slightly thickened - empty unto a plate and set aside. In the same pan add oil then saute floured chicken until cooked through and slightly browned, add remaining sauce and cook until chicken is coated. Add veggies back into the pan along with the peanuts, mix together then serve over rice. Discard dried chilies before serving.

Note: If you have leftovers, I would recommend reheating them in a skillet (rice included) and possibly making more sauce if it seems dry. Also, I have done this starting off with both raw and leftover cooked chicken - they both turned out good but the precooked chicken was a tad dry so I would recommend starting with raw.

Chicken, Potato, and Brie Tart With Onion Jam

Being married to a meat eater has taught me to vastly expand my standard chicken recipes. I mean, you can only make so many chicken salad sandwiches...

When I saw this chicken tart recipe from The Kitchen, I was very intrigued. Not only does it sound fancy, but it is fairly easy to make (especially if you're lazy like me and used a pre-made puff pastry-shhhhh). I also rediscovered my love of Brie cheese which is, in my opinion, the lord of all cheeses - it's soft, melts beautifully, and has that rich creamy taste that allows you to pair it with sweet or savory meals. For a pre-meal snack I cut up thin slices of apple and topped them with some of the onion jam and a dot of brie and it was amazing. The tart itself was a perfect balance of richness and a sweet/sour flavor from the onion jam, all in all a perfect brunch or dinner meal!

Chicken, Potato, and Brie Tart With Onion Jam

makes one 11" tart

Recipe adapted From The Kitchen

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium sized onions, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS sugar, leveled

1 sheet of thawed puff pastry
2-3 large waxy potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups cooked chicken, torn into big shreds
1/2 cup brie, pinched off into bite sized pieces
4 eggs
2 tsp dried thyme (I also garnished with fresh German thyme)
1/2 cup cream

Directions

1.For the onion jam, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper, and cook over a medium heat for 20 minutes until nice and soft, stirring every once in a while so that they don't catch on the bottom. In between stirring, half covered with the pot lid. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar, remove the lid and cook a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

2.Put potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat to a simmer and cook potatoes 15-20 minutes until just able to be pierced with a knife. Drain and set aside to cool.

3.Roll out pastry to fit a 11" round removable base tart tin. Pop in the freezer to chill while the oven heats to 180˚C (350˚F). Layer the onions, potato and chicken into the pastry shell. Dot with brie. Whisk eggs, cream and thyme, then pour evenly over filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is golden. Serve immediately on it's own or paired with a salad.

On a side note - Houston had some pretty major storms last night which resulted in flooding. This is the second time the weather has tried to kill us lol, I am starting to get a complex Houston - what's your problem?! Seriously though, I hope everyone is okay and my prayers go out to those that lost their cars and homes last night, stay safe!

English Fish Pie

So I'm convinced anything in pie form is gonna be delicious...

This recipe actually all started when we were checking out restaurants one evening (yes, I am a major restaurant creeper - I am a total Yelp and Urbanspoon junkie) and we came across this British Pub called The Black Labrador. Usually pub food is pretty predicable - Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash all the usual suspects but this menu was very diverse and offered some semi freaky items like Scotched Beef, Sole in it's Coffin, annnnd English Fish Pie!

One thing I appreciated about this pie is you don't have to fuss with a crust and instead use mash potatoes, so it's sort of like a seafood version of Shepard's Pie...

I looked around at a couple of recipes online and all of them poached the fish pre-bake which I didn't think was necessary considering that fish only takes about 5 minutes to cook. Instead, I just heated the milk and poured it over the diced fish and veggies and the heat from the milk pretty much cooked the fish halfway, and then it finished out cooking in the oven.

This recipe is also very versatile, I happen to utilize all the leftover bits in my fridge and it turned out really delicious but you can use any type of white fish or vegetables you have on hand (spinach, parsnips, tomatoes, or shrimp might be a nice addition).

English Fish Pie

serves 4-5

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver

4-5 medium large potatoes, washed, diced small and boiled until tender (you could peel them if you don't like the skins)
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 cup unsalted canned corn
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBS olive oil
2 large white fish fillets such as Swai, cut into bite sized chunks
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups full fat milk (or I mixed half and half with 1%)
1 TBS flour
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. After you boil the potatoes in salted water, drain and mash in a bowl adding olive oil, salt & pepper and milk as needed. Set aside.

2.In a large sauce pan add olive oil and saute onions for 4-5 min. on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent (about 3-4 more min)

3.Add carrots and celery and saute for 5-10 more minuets (you may need to add more oil at this time) until carrots begin to soften. Add salt, pepper, herbs (except bay leaf) and corn and mix thoroughly. Remove and place in mixing bowl. Place raw fish chunks on top.

4.In the same sauce pan you used for the veggies, add milk. Heat on medium low heat, stirring regularly. Add bay leaf. Once milk has reached a warm temp, add flour and stir then add cheese and mix until melted. Carefully remove bay leaf. Pour milk over chopped fish and veggies. Mix well.

5.To assemble, in a large baking pan, layer fish and veg mix then top with potatoes. Bake for 30-40 min. or until potatoes turn slightly brown on top.

This pie was so comforting and delicious! It had all the flavors of a classic chicken pot pie.

We'll probably check out The Black Labrador soon and see how their pie hold up - stay tuned for a restaurant review!

Fish Tacos With Red Cabbage, Mango, and Chipotle Sauce (Inspired by The Hobbit Cafe)

So my quest continues for the best fish taco in the Houston area...

What determines THE BEST fish taco you might ask? Well for me it has to have these three essential things:
1) A delicious sauce
2) The fish must be cooked/seasoned well
3) A balance of flavors/textures
The best one I have had so far in my taco journey is the one from Hobbit Cafe, the fish was on point, the chipotle sauce was slightly spicy and the mango salsa added some sweetness - it was awesome! I am not ashamed to admit I have ordered these things three times...in a row.

I finally decided to make some tacos of my own, partially from being inspired but mostly due to withdrawals. You could mix some diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in with the mango to make a salsa if you're feeling extra fancy but I personally just like the mango bits - it's up to you.

Fish Tacos

serves 4-5

Package of corn tortillas, grilled
I use Swai because of it's light flavor and flaky texture (2 fillets) but you could really use any type of white fish (Swai fillets are large so if you're using a smaller white fish you might have to use 4 fillets)
Seasoning mix:
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
salt + pepper
1 TBS olive oil

1.Make sure fish is dry then mix spices together and rub both sides of fish down.
2.Heat oil on medium high heat in saute pan. Cook fish 3-4 min. on each side then gently flake apart for filling

Filling...
1 mango, diced small
1 cup chopped red cabbage
fresh lime for garnish

Chipotle Sauce...
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp fresh lime juice
tsp honey
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch of cumin

Mix together to make a sauce. To assemble, take tortilla and cover with a thin layer of sauce, followed by fish, cabbage, mango, and more sauce.

If you know of a taco place I need to check out in the Houston area let me know!

Crock-Pot Chicken & Cornmeal Dumplings

So Lewis and I just recently discovered the magical ways of the crock-pot.

We had actually received said crock-pot for our wedding over a year ago (yipes) but it never worked and I never got around to returning it until we moved to Houston. Luckily Target is awesome and let us exchange it and I have pretty much been trying to convert every meal into a one pot deal ever since - you could say I'm obsessed, I'd like to think of it as "innovative."

This recipe is a bowl full of comfort and it's SO easy to make, it's sort of like a cross between chicken soup and a roasted chicken. I also decided to try something new and add cornmeal because I love the added texture that grounded cornmeal provides, and I feel like it prevents it from getting overly soggy.

Chicken & Cornmeal Dumplings

Recipe adapted from Diabetic Living

serves 2-3

5 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs thyme (I used German thyme)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 chicken thighs, skinned
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 TBS all-purpose flour

1.In a 1 1/2- or 2-quart slow cooker, combine carrots, celery, corn, onion, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with chicken. Pour broth over mixture in cooker.
2.Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. If no heat setting is available, cook for 5 to 5 1/2 hours.
3.If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting (or if no heat setting is available, continue cooking). Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, cut chicken off bones (if they had bones); discard bones. Chop chicken; return to mixture in cooker. In a small bowl, combine milk and flour until smooth. Stir into mixture in cooker.
4.Using a 1 TBS cookie scoop, drop Cornmeal Dumpling dough into 4-5 mounds on top of hot chicken mixture. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. (Do not lift cover during cooking.) If desired, sprinkle each serving with coarse pepper.

Cornmeal Dumplings

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt
1 egg white
1 TBS milk
1 TBS canola oil

1.In a medium bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl combine egg white, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

Here are some other crock pot meals from some of my favorite foodie bloggers that I plan to try soon!

Crockpot Crispy Caramelized Pork Ramen Noodle Soup - Half Baked Harvest
General Tso's Chicken - Creme de la Crumb
Cinnamon roll monkey bread - Crazy for Crust

Lump Crab White Wine Fettuccine with Garlic Chives

Have you ever made something that was almost too good? Like, I just might eat my portion and my husband's portion too before he comes home type of good? Yeah well, this is one such meal, I advise you proceed with caution...

In all honesty though, with ingredients like cream, wine, and cheese, it's pretty much impossible for this to go wrong. It is rare that we make a creamy based pasta dish, just because they're so darn delicious, it should almost be illegal for something to taste this good! I decided to use canned lump crab which I feel kinda gets a bad rep, at first I was hesitant to try this, for some reason if it's fish and it's in a can I always associate that with tuna. The first time I used in was actually in culinary school, we were making a crab salad to feed 100 people and buying fresh crab would have been wayyy out of our budget and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. Don't get me wrong, it won't be as good as fresh and you have to doctor it up a little but for less than half the price of fresh it's pretty satisfying!

Lump Crab White Wine Fettuccine with Garlic Chives

serves 3-4

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum

2 TBS butter
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 lb. whole wheat linguine (or you can use Smart Taste, I couldn't find any fettuccine noodles)
1 (6oz.) can lump crab meat
1 TBS lemon oil (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup Riesling
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 heaping cup grated Parmesan cheese
bunch of garlic chives, cut small with scissors
1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.For the pasta, heat two tablespoons butter in a large pot over high heat. Add one cloves of garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, for one minute. Add the broth and water; bring to a boil. Add the pasta and boil until the pasta is cooked. Lower the heat and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Do not drain - there should be some liquid left in the pan to help coat the noodles.

2.While the pasta is cooking, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the crab and saute for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on the outside. Add the white wine (you don’t necessarily have to measure - just eyeball a few good glugs) and remaining garlic, cook until most of the wine has evaporated (about 1-2 min.) remove from heat and set aside. Cover the crab so it stays warm.

4.To finish, add the whipping cream, Parmesan, and chives to the cooked pasta. Toss everything together and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper (Note: the pasta might look watery at first but keep stirring and it should thicken up). Top with crab and more chives if desired.

Chickpea & Tempeh Sunbutter Curry Over Jasmine Rice

I probably should be packing a box or working on my finals right now but it seems the internet has other plans...Upon this highly distracting internet adventure, I realized whilst perusing my recipe lists that I had not included a recipe with tempeh...I've had some killer tempeh dishes at places like The Bee's Knees and the late Amy's Cafe but despite my pescatarian lifestyle I don't actually cook with this ingredient often...

Tempeh is essentially made from the same ingredients as tofu just processed in a different way. Since tofu is made from soy milk, it has lighter texture than tempeh which is fermented whole soy beans. Because of it's more substantial texture, tempeh also has a higher amount of protein and fiber per serving (boy, I bet all this talk about yummy fermented soy beans and fiber has you really psyched to try this stuff - trust me, it's better than it sounds).

I will say that I think still prefer the taste and texture of tofu, but I am still willing to experiment with this ingredient. As far as the sunbutter twist, it happened to be the only thing in our pantry even slightly resembling peanut butter, you could also sub out cashew butter too if you have a peanut allergy.

Chickpea & Tempeh Sunbutter Curry Over Jasmine Rice

serves 2-3

2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
1 TBS coconut OR vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced small, seeds removed
2 tsp dried basil
1 TBS Peanut butter OR Sunbutter
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 package of tempeh or tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 TBS yellow curry powder
2 tsp paprika
Squeeze of fresh lime juice (about 2 tsp)
Salt to taste

Sliced green onions and toasted sunflower seeds for garnish (optional)
1/4 soy sauce mixed with 1 TBS honey (for marinade)

Directions:

1.In a sauce pan heat oil on medium heat, add onion and saute until translucent. Add peppers and garlic and cook for at least 6 min.

2.Marinate tempeh in soy sauce and honey - set aside.

3.Add spices to onion mix (adding more oil if needed) and toast spices until fragrant. Add coconut milk and mix. Add sunbutter, chickpeas, and tempeh, and let sit on medium low heat for 10-15 min, stirring often. Add basil and cook until chickpeas are tender. Finish with lime juice and serve atop jasmine rice.

Classic Pot Roast With Carrots & Fingerling Potatoes (and some pretty big news)

So I'm gonna be honest here, I totally winged this recipe and I pretty much had no idea what I was doing or how it was going to turn out (just what you wanted to hear from a food blogger, right?!)

I haven't really cooked a big hunk o' beef since culinary school so when Lewis mentioned he wanted pot roast for dinner, I knew it was time to dust off my culinary knowledge. I remember that there was at least three necessary steps in making a delicious pot roast,
Step 1:The cut of meat, you want a cut with some fat like a chuck roast because as you know, fat = flavor.
Step 2: Brown your meat before roasting (aka braising). This step is crucial in order seal in all those tasty juices annnd helps on our next step which is...
Step 3:Use the juices and crispy bits leftover from browning the meat to cook your veggies.

I included the choice of using either red wine OR balsamic vinegar because if you're not fond of that slightly alcoholic taste, you can just use that semi-sweet acidity in the vinegar to balance out the savory flavor of the broth.

Classic Pot Roast With Carrots & Fingerling Potatoes

serves 2-3

2-3 TBS vegetable or canola oil
1-2 pound Chuck Roast (I choose a smaller cut since it was only for one person)
1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar OR red wine
2-3 TBS Dijon mustard
5 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1-2 tsp dried thyme)
pinch of dried rosemary
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 bunches small carrots, with tops cut off
1 pound very small baby potatoes or fingerling tricolored potatoes
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 275F. Place potatoes and carrots in roasting pan.
2.Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat (if you don't have a dutch oven like me then just use a sauce pan then transfer to roasting pan later on). Season chuck roast well with salt and pepper, add to pan and brown well on all sides (a few minutes a side). Remove roast and set on top of carrots and taters.
3.Add chopped onions to drippings in pot and reduce heat to medium. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar (or red wine) and deglaze pan, increase heat to medium-high and boil until reduced and slightly syrupy, about 4-5 more minutes. Stir in Dijon and stock.
4.Pour onion mix on top of meat and all over veggies, add herbs and cover and bake for about two hours or until tender (check after an hour).

Speaking of big hunks of meat, I thought this would be a fitting post to announce that after applying pretty much everywhere across the U.S. Lewis and I will be moving too...

*Drumroll .........................................................................................................................

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Yep, Houston, TX ya'll a place that is pretty much a complete mystery to us - which is both thrilling and terrifying. While it's not my first choice (I was hoping for mountains and cooler weather) after splitting my time/work between rural GA and Jacksonville, FL it's going to be a breath of fresh air finally settling down in one place, not to mention all the new food places we get to explore! We'll be flying out there next week to scope out the area and hopefully find a place to live so if any ex or current Texans are out there feel free to comment and give us some advice!

Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder)

This has probably been my favorite soup I've made all year (if not ever).

With that being said - it was the most difficult one to photograph. I had two separate photo shoots for this soup and I don't know if
a) The dark, dreary weather caused the lighting to be off
b) If the somewhat bland color of chowder posed an issue or
c) If I was too blinded by hunger to really care.
...it was probably c

Whatever the cause, I finally had to settle with the pictures above because this chowder only lasted a couple of days. Even though I love fish I had never had it in a soup before - clams yes, shrimp yes but fish? I was scared at first that over time the fish would become overcooked with us reheating leftovers but it stayed flaky and moist. This was so hearty and delicious, the perfect soup to enjoy on a chilly winter day. Traditional Fiskesuppe originated in Bergen, on the West Coast of Norway. It always involves cream, fish, and root vegetables and seasoned with a touch of sugar and vinegar. Cod is the most common fish used but I read that you can also utilize Swai, salmon, halibut, or monkfish.

Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder)

serves 4-5

6 tbsp. unsalted butter (I used "healthy" butter with olive oil - hence the oiliness)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small leek, sliced ¼" thick
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼" thick
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
4 medium new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
3 cups fish stock
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 lb. boneless, skinless cod fillet, cut into 2" pieces
2 TBS dried dill, plus more for garnish
1 TBS dried parsley leaves
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Crusty bread or crackers for serving

Directions:

1.Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, onions, peppers, and leeks, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, 8–10 minutes.

2.Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, stock, milk, cream, and Worcestershire; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

3.Add cod, and continue to cook, stirring gently, until fish is cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Stir in dill, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Serve with bread. Refrigerate for up to one week.

*Recipe adapted from Saveur

Christmas Lima + White Bean Turkey Southwest Chili (Vegetarian Option as Well)

This is one of those "get rid of everything in your fridge and pantry" meals, don't you love those? Never has freeing up some space in your home been so deliciously rewarding.

It all started with the Christmas Lima. Lewis and I have been eyeing these for years now, with their bright red and white appearance we thought it would be the perfect dish to make Christmas day - yeahhhh with a four hour drive and family craziness beans were the last think on our minds come Christmas so there they sat, alone and unused.

We finally used half and made some traditional southern style beans n' greens, these beautiful beans are slightly nutty in flavor with a firm texture, and although their color isn't nearly as vibrant when cooked, they still brought something unique to the table.
This time around, I wanted to try and incorporate them into a different dish (plus we had left over navy beans from this dish) . If you don't have the time to use dried beans you can always sub out the traditional red kidney beans for this recipe - just reduce the cooking time.

I did my best to record measurements whilst making this chili but because I used dried beans it required a little more liquid, I added about 1 cup of chicken stock - if you're using canned beans instead I would start off omitting the chicken stock and then if it's too thick for your liking you can always add the stock later on.

Christmas Lima + White Bean Turkey Southwest Chili

serves 3-4

1 (28oz) cans of crushed tomatoes
1 (14.75oz) can of whole yellow corn, drained
1 medium sized onion, diced small
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
16oz of ground turkey (for the meat eaters - I used 85/15 and drained most of the fat)
1 cup dried Christmas limas (that have been soaked overnight)
1 cup dried white navy beans (that have been soaked overnight)
2-3 TBS red chili powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
splash of hot sauce (optional)
1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth - if needed)
Shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions for garnish

Directions:
1. In a sauce pan, cook the turkey until no pink is showing (because I made 2 kinds of chili I kept my meat separate) season with salt and pepper. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 2 min. (I added some fat from the turkey for extra flavor). Add spices and mix on heat for about a minutes (this toasts the spices and enhances flavor).

2.To the onion garlic spice mix, add tomatoes, corn, beans, and 1 cup chicken stock. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 35-50 min. stirring every 10 minutes or so.

3.Serve hot, garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Dried Christmas Limas

*Christmas lima picture from Zursun Idaho Beans

Crispy Tofu Rice Noodle Bowl

Noodle bowl - never have two words sounded so tantalizing. I am practically drooling.

As you know, I have never been discrete of my love of all things influenced by Asian and Thai flavors. Whenever I am exploring a new town and I'm looking for something to eat, I am always immediately attracted to anything with Noodle in the name...Noodle House, House of Noodles, The Happy Noddle - doesn't matter, there's a 99.9% I will probably eat there.

There's just something about that beautiful medley of textures and flavors coming together, not to mention the heavenly smells. Rice noodles, when seasoned properly are slightly chewy and a perfect vessel for pretty much any protein or veggie. I stir fried mine in a sweet and savory sauce with a touch of spice with some chili sauce. Forget everything you'be ever heard about bland, tasteless tofu!

Crispy Tofu Rice Noodle Bowl

serves 3 really hungry people

1 package of extra firm tofu, diced, marinated, and cooked
2 cup steamed edamame
1 cup diced or shredded carrots
1 small onion, sliced thin (is it necessary to have both green onions and regular onions? Nope, I just really like onions...)
3 green onions stalks, diced
1-3 eggs
olive oil
1 cup peanuts, chopped (for garnish)
rice noodles (14oz. package)

For the sauce...
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce
1-2 tsp spicy chili paste
1-2 TBS Hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 TBS honey
1 tsp fresh lime juice

To find out how I make my tofu taste awesome, check out some tips HERE

1.Prepare rice noodles by soaking in cold water for about 8 min. Drain and set aside.

2.In a mixing bowl, add the sauce ingredients and whisk to make a dressing. In a wok (or sauce pan) heat oil then add sliced onions, cook until translucent then add the garlic and carrots. Once carrots are tender, add cooked edamame and cook for 3 min. Add noodles and mix, then add sauce mixture and stir fry (you might have to add more water to prevent noodles from sticking together).

3.Meanwhile, fry the eggs in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat with a lug of olive oil until cooked to your liking (I like mine with a runny yolk). Divide the noodles between bowls, pop an egg on top of each one, and serve drizzled with chilli sauce for that all-important added kick. Sprinkle with green onions and chopped peanuts.

Variations: You could also use buckwheat noodles in place of rice, they take longer to cook but provide more flavor. Feel free to add any other fresh seasonal veg, or leftovers you have in the fridge.

Grownup "Hamburger Helper" (key to getting a perfect cheese sauce)

So I learned something the other day about my dear husband of mine...he LIKES Hamburger Helper...
*facepalm

Now, if I'm being totally honest I can't judge something I have personally never tried, I just have this vision in my head of melted powdered Velveeta over semi-bland beef. As his wife/friend/cook I strive to make dishes we like and enjoy, but as I was standing in the canned food isle, overwhelmed by the presence of this confounded mystery, I just couldn't do it, the culinarian in me just wouldn't allow it. So in order to recreate this nostalgic meal, I decided to make my own version. This is miles above the boxed brand (so I've been told), I subbed out beef for lean turkey, added some white wine to cut the richness of the cheddar (and because all fine things involve wine) and then some fresh peas for color. The result? High praises from the boy who grew up on this stuff annnnddd I thought it was pretty darn tasty myself.

Grownup Hamburger Helper

serves 4-6

1 (12oz.) box of pasta
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 small onion, diced small
1 TBS olive oil (I used garlic infused olive oil)
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground yellow mustard
salt and pepper
1/4 cup white wine, such as Riesling
3 TBS butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk, not cold (really cold milk might cause your sauce to turn lumpy)
2 cups room temperature shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup green sweet peas (I used leftover cooked peas but those individual steam bags would work well in a pinch)

Directions:

1.In a soup pan, boil salted water for the pasta. Cook 5-7 min, then drain - set aside.

2.In a large sauce pan, heat oil on medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent (5-10 min), add spices and ground turkey. Cook turkey until no pink is showing, when meat is done deglaze pan with white wine, cooking for 5 min. to burn off some of the alcohol.

3.Empty meat mix unto a plate and set aside, you'll now work on the sauce. Melt butter, then slowly add flour to make a roux, add milk slowly, making sure to whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Once sauce is done, add meat mixture, peas, and noodles. I scooped individual potions into ramekins and topped each with more shredded cheese and baked in the oven for 5 min. but it is up to you.

The key to making a smooth and creamy cheese sauce:

-Make sure your cheese is finely shredded and room temperature.
-Try to incorporate some acid (in this case it's wine) this prevent the cheese from getting chunky
-Having a roux always helps to thicken the sauce and it doesn't have a strong starchy taste like cornstarch
-Make sure when you add the milk that it is room temperature, otherwise your sauce might be lumpy.

Curry Butternut Squash and Pear Soup (Vegan Option)

Don't you love it when "happy accidents" happen in the kitchen.

The plan was to make butternut squash apple soup - I was in the kitchen, apron on, tunage playing, getting into the zone when I reached my hand in the fruit bowl only to find that I unkowingly devoured the last apple days before. Crap. With not enough squash to make a plain squash soup and no car to go to the store I was stuck - the only fruit in our house were three under ripe Barlett pears (which I had been saving to make a tart). And then, it hit me...apples are sweet and... pears are sweet so what's the big deal? Time to sacrifice that tart in the name of soup!

I have previously confessed my love of curry so you shouldn't be surprised at the savory - sweet combo. This soup blew my expectations! The sweetness of the roasted squash and pears meld perfectly with the savory back heat of the curry. you can easily adjust this recipe to fit a vegan diet too, just note the parentheses in the recipe!


Curry Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

serves 4-5

1 (2 pound) butternut squash
2 firm Bartlett pears, peeled and diced
1 TBS coconut oil
1 small onion, diced fine
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1 TBS yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1/2 cup half and half (or soy milk)
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream and thyme to garnish (no sour cream for vegans obviously)

Directions:

1.Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Rub squash down with a little vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until very soft, about 45 minutes. Scoop the pulp from the peel, and reserve.

2.Melt coconut oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, cook and stir until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add spices and toast until fragrant, about 2 min. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in the pears and the reserved squash, and simmer until the pears are very soft, about 30 minutes.

3.Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender. Puree in batches until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender which is 1000 times more convenient). Return the soup to the pot, stir in the half and half (or soy milk), and reheat. Add salt and pepper to desired tastes.

Turkey Chili with Skillet Cornbread

I know I usually dedicate Fridays to fashion, but since I worked today and didn't necessarily feel photogenic, I thought I'd feature this tasty bowl of chili instead...

I can't believe October is going by this fast. Ever since summer I have been having visions of fall recipes dancing around in my head and now, suddenly, it's mid October! I noticed my soup section is looking pretty scarce so I think I will focus on more savory soups and stews this coming fall/winter, especially since the weather is finally starting to cool down. I have to say I've made quite a few chili's in my day but this one is on of my faves. I like corn in my chili because to me it breaks up the monotonous textures of meat and beans, this was also my first time using fresh tomatoes and while they added many prep steps, the end result was super delicious (as you can tell from the half devoured pictures).


For the Chili...

serves 3-4

1 medium sized onion, diced small
1 TBS olive oil (I used garlic infused oil)
1 lb. ground turkey ( I used 93% lean)
2 TBS tomato paste
2 TBS red chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup yellow corn
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4-5 steamed, skinned, seeded, and diced plum tomatoes (or you could use canned)
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream, shredded cheese, and fresh herbs for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan, heat oil on medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add ground meat and cook until pink color disappears. Add spices and tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.

2.Add beans, tomatoes, and corn and combine. Gradually add chicken stock and simmer for 10-20 minutes, you may need to add more stock if you prefer a more loose chili, keep in mind it will become thicker as it cools.

For the Cornbread...

recipe adapted from Alton Brown

2 cups yellow cornmeal (I used yellow grits because I didn't have cornmeal, hence the course looking texture)
1 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup heavy cream OR half and half
2 eggs
1 cup creamed corn
2 tablespoons canola oil (for the skillet)

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet into the oven.

2.In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together to combine well.In a large bowl, combine the cream, eggs, and creamed corn, whisking together to combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir to combine. If the batter will not pour, add more milk to the batter.

3.Swirl the canola oil in the hot cast iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and springs back upon the touch, about 20 minutes.