2/24/2010

Another Delicious Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Christie and I both made this soup this week. It was so delicious.



















Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
From My Kitchen Cafe

• ½ cup butter
• 1 finely chopped onion
• ½ - 1 cup frozen corn (or ½ cup chopped celery, if preferred)
• ½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup carrots, sliced
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 6 ½ cups chicken broth (can use 7 bouillon cubes plus 6 ½ cups water)
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups nonfat half-and-half

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, corn, chicken and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Transfer mixture to large pot. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all has been added. Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Next, add the rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow to heat through and then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours. Be careful not to let the soup come to a boil or it won't thicken properly - let it simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Notes: Christie and I both used celery instead of the corn. I added a couple handfuls of shredded cabbage, you couldn't even tell it was there. Christie served hers with the almonds on the side and I left them out. It was very delicious, Sarah ate 2 bowls.

2/23/2010

Chicken Piccatta

We tried this last week and liked it a lot. Neither of us had ever had capers before and they really add a nice kick. It's probably pretty fattening, which might be why it is so tasty. Does anyone else have a piccatta recipe that doesn't use so much butter and oil?

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, butterflied, then cut in half
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

2/17/2010

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

• 2-3 pound pork tenderloin
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can golden mushroom soup
• 1 can French onion soup

Place pork in crock pot. In a bowl, combine the soups and stir until smooth. Pour over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 4 - 5 hours until the meat is tender. Serve over mashed potatoes.

I couldn't find golden mushroom soup so I used 2 cans of regular.

Shoyu Chicken or Chinese Chicken

From Marilyn Edmunds and a favorite of my kids

• 8 thighs cut into bite size pieces (I use boneless thighs from Costco)
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Veg oil
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1/2 t ginger (I use dry ginger because that is what I have on hand)

Pour over chicken and marinate 1 hour to overnight. Stir occasionally, pour in baking dish and bake at 350 uncovered for 1 hour, stir occasionally. The sauce will be very thin. Serve over rice.

Bourbon Chicken

From My Kitchen Cafe

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup soy sauce

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and sugar has dissolved. Add chicken back to the skillet and bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

Notes: This has a little kick to it, but it's sweet at the same time. Landon was the only one who needed to gulp down water after every bite...though, I think he might have been adding a little extra drama :) Chicken and rice is a staple at our house so I'm always trying to find new ways to fix it.

THE Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Adapted from good life eats

• 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs olive oil
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breats
• 2 leeks, halved and sliced thin (white and light green parts only)
• 1 - 8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 c half and half
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp tarragon
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 - 6 oz pkg Long Grain and Wild rice (cooked according to pkg instructions-- can use 2 boxes of rice if you prefer)

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot. Add chicken and cook until chicken is lightly browned. Add leeks, mushrooms, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté until tender. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Combine flour, pepper, poultry seasoning and tarragon. Whisk flour mixture into half and half. Add half and half to soup, stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil for 3 minutes. Turn heat to low and add rice.

Notes: The recipe I made for Mom's birthday which has been made over and over in several different ways. I think I need to put it on the menu for next week.

Elizabeth's Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 3 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 t. almond extract
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla & almond extract and mix until combined. Mix dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture. Mix well. Chill dough for several hours. Roll and cut into shapes using some flour as the dough will be sticky. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until set. Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies depending on the size.

Notes: These are the best sugar cookies. We made them for Valentines Day. I only make them once or twice a year though because of the labor involved. I like to frost them with cream cheese frosting.