Chef Lisa

If we’re watching tv before supper, it’s tuned to Food Network. Paula Deen recently did an episode called Country Comfort. Ari, being the budding Cooking Queen she is, wanted to try two of the recipes. Luckily, she made her request before I made the grocery list up, so we’re trying them this week. Saturday it was Paula’s Poblano Chicken Chowder. Tonight we’re having the Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf.

The recipe below is based on the Poblano Chicken Chowder, but with the changes I made.

Spicy Chicken Chowder

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 large carrots, diced small
• 2 large onions, diced small
• 5 stalks celery, diced small
• 1/8 cup minced garlic
• 2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced small
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 3 quarts unsalted chicken broth
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, minced
• 3 cups diced (large pieces) grilled chicken
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, poblano peppers, salt, white pepper, cumin, and thyme. Saute for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the chicken bouillon. Add the chicken broth and cilantro, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Stir in the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chowder is thick and the chicken is heated through. Shortly before the chowder is done, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes to cook the flour. Do not allow the mixture to brown! Ladle 1 cup of the hot liquid from the stockpot into the skillet, whisking constantly.

When the first cup of liquid is incorporated, add another 2 cups of liquid, 1 at a time. Pour the mixture in the skillet into the stockpot, whisking to blend. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes longer, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the hot sauce, then the cream, and serve.

Note: It took me a lot longer to cook than the recipe called for. Supposedly, 30 minutes for prep, and 30 minutes cooking time. I don’t know if my old stovetop is that much less powerful than theirs, but it took 30 minutes to prep, but an entire hour to cook to get the carrots done. I suggest keeping that in mind if you decide to try this recipe.

To say Ari can be picky and stubborn about what she eats is putting it very nicely. When she finds a new food, or food combination, she will eat, it’s a cause for celebration. She created this recipe last night, and I thought I would share it with you.

Ari’s Cheese Salad

Take one big handful of shredded lettuce and put it on your plate. Take one small handful of shredded cheese and sprinkle it on top of the lettuce.

Eat with a fork.

The kids were intrigued when they saw “cupcakes” written down on the menu for supper last night. Every day they tried to find out what kind of cupcakes. Ari told me if they weren’t chocolate cupcakes she wasn’t hungry. I tried to keep the exact nature of the cupcakes a secret until it was time to serve dinner, but Ari came running into the kitchen as I took them out of the oven.

This recipe is based on the “Sausage Meatloaf Cupcakes with Creamy Potato Frosting” from Every Day With Rachel Ray magazine.

Sausage Cupcakes with Mashed Potato Frosting

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 1/4 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with foil cupcake liners. Put potatoes and some salt into a medium pot and put in enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring potatoes to boil, then cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and yellow bell pepper for 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Combine the sausage meat, onions, bell pepper, breadcrumbs and egg in a large bowl. Mix until blended, but not too much as you don’t want to make it tough. Portion out the meat mixture evenly into the cupcake liners and bake for 30 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, combine the cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and butter with the potatoes and mash until they reach the texture your family likes. Put the lid on the pot and keep the potatoes warm until the cupcakes are done.

“Frost” the cooked cupcakes with the mashed potatoes and serve with a nice, big, green salad.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Sunday breakfast is a big thing in my house. It’s the only day of the week I will cook breakfast for everyone; otherwise, everyone must fend for themselves. I watch the Rachel Ray show, and she made “Breakfast Pizza”. I thought it sounded good, and it turned out rather nice. Below you’ll find my version of it.

It serves six, and rally could be served for any meal, not just breakfast.

Pizza Frittata

 
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb Italian sausage, cut into chunks (about 1/4″ slices)
1 cup pepperoni, cut into chunks (I used pepperoni sticks and cut – don’t use slices)
2 bell peppers, your choice of which kinds, cut into 1/4″ -1/2″ inch pieces
2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 small onion, chopped
1 8-oz can plain tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
12 eggs
salt & pepper to taste
a splash of milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a large, nonstick, oven-safe skillet (I used a well-seasoned cast iron frying pan, and it worked fine) over medium heat with 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the sausage and cook for about 7 – 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Add pepperoni and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, or until peppers are soft.

While the sausage, pepperoni and peppers are cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in the saucepan for five minutes, or until soft. Add tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and bring to a bubble. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

Beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper until well blended. Pour over sausage mixture. Let it all cook for a couple minutes, until the eggs on the bottom of the pan have set, then transfer the skillet into the oven. Bake for 10 minutes – the frittata should be nice and puffy and golden brown. Spread tomato sauce over the frittata, then sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the ove for 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately.

* I used cheddar the first time I made this. Next time I’ll use mozzarella, or maybe an Italian blend

This is a delicious no-cook recipe.  If you’ve got everything prepared, you’ll be ready to eat in less than five minutes.  It took me 15 minutes to put this together, and that included time gathering and preparing the ingredients and cleaning up afterwards.

It’s based on Rachel Ray’s Ham Salad, which I modified based on what ingredients I had on hand, and to our family’s tastes. This makes 4 servings. Serve it just as is in a bowl, or on a kaiser or onion bun. If you’re going to serve it with lettuce, I recommend doubling the dressing.

Ham & Cheese Salad

 
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/s tsp dried tarragon
salt & ground pepper to taste
1/2 lb Virginia-style ham, slices thing, and cut into very thin strips (1/4″ wide or narrower)
1/3 lb deli-sliced Swiss cheese, cut into very thin strips (like ham)

 
In large bowl, mix together mustard, vinegar, garlic, olive oil and tarragon until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the ham and cheese to the bowl and toss everything to coat well.