Running Wild

Ok, I must admit.  I have a wild side.  Shocking to some, to others, not so much.  It's all about having fun and enjoying life.  I have mellowed a bit.  Kids will do that to ya.  Or, they will make you so crazy wild, you will spontaneously combust.  Mellow seems like a good option.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup.  Who doesn't like a hearty bowl of that?  That could make even  a good girl, go wild.  I have been trying to work out the perfect recipe for this bad boy, for some time now.  It's never been 'just right'.  Something was missing.  Until now.  Oh yeah, when you wake in the morning and want the leftovers for breakfast, you know you did good.

This starts with the stock.  It's the base for the deliciousness.  If you start out with something that is sub par, how can you expect the finish to be grand?  What I am getting at is, make your own stock.  If you can't muster up the time to make the stock, then buy it, but know it's against my better judgement.

I buy my chicken at St. Joe Meat Market.  Amish raised, $1.99 a pound, nothin' but good chicken.  After all, if they're not using electricity, they definitely are not using antibiotics.  I am a fan.

At the meat market, they will cut and package them anyway you like.  Very cool.  I always have them separate the wings and backs for making stock, hence this recipe calling for wings and backs, but you can use any cut of chicken.  The only requirement is bone in, skin on.  All the flavor is hiding in there.  After my stock is made, I do use a catamount glass gravy separator to remove the fat that comes to the top.  It also has a mesh screen at the top to catch all the stray onions and herbs that have given up their goodness into the stock.  All you will have left is beautiful, clear, homemade chicken stock.  You will be proud of yourself, and be sure to call your mom, she will be proud too.

For the stock:

2 chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)

2 pkgs of wings and backs

12 cups water

2-3 tbsp kosher salt

Pepper

1/2 onion

3 sprigs thyme

1/2 tsp garlic powder

First make your stock.  Add chicken, water, kosher salt, pepper, onion, thyme, and garlic powder.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is pulling away from the bone.  Remove chicken and pick meat from the bones and reserve stock.

The following are the directions for the soup.  Not many secrets in here, but always a few.  I must share.  One, use the leaves of your celery.  I know most of us feed those to the garbage disposal, but please don't.  They impart wonderful flavor and seem to just melt away into the soup.  Two, when I say 'brown rice blend', you can use any kind that works for you, even just straight up brown rice.  I will tell you what I use.  Trader Joe's carries a wonderful option, called Brown Rice Medley.  It consists of long grain brown rice, black barley and daikon radish seeds.  I know, weird.  Daikon radish seeds?  Delicious.  Trust me.

For the soup:

12 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour (divided)

1 pkg. (8 ounce) fresh mushrooms

1/2 onion

4 carrots

4 ribs celery (with leaves)

1 1/2 cups wild rice

1/2 cup brown rice blend

Approx. 4 cups shredded chicken

Fresh cracked pepper

2 cups half and half

In the Orange Pot, add 1/2 cup butter and melt.  Add chopped mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery.  Sauté until tender.

In a separate kettle, add approx. 4 cups of your reserved stock and your rice.  Simmer until almost done, adding liquid if needed.

To the Orange Pot, add 1/2 cup  flour and continue to stir, until flour has coated the vegetables.  Ladle stock into veg/flour mixture until thickened.  Add remaining 1/2 cup flour to remaining 2 cups stock and mix in, stirring constantly.  Add rice/stock mixture, rice can continue to cook in the soup, add chicken.  Finish with whole milk, half and half or cream.

That's it.  Wild on flavor, but mellow to make.  It will keep you out of trouble, not like the time I streaked down the hall at school.  Remember that?  Me neither.

Make A Wish

This one's not about cooking.  The Orange Pot is not just a working machine, but it's also a fine kitchen ornament.  Just sittin' pretty on this one.  Using the crock pot tonight.

I'm always in a rush.  Maybe, because I have lots to do, maybe because I have lots I want to do, or maybe I am pre-programmed to rush.  After all, I can't remember a time that I was not rushed.  I am also impatient.  Maybe, because I am always in a rush or maybe I am pre-programmed to be impatient.  Regardless, I am impatient.  Let just call it a 'work in progress.'

Unfortunately this spills over, onto my kids.  There are times that I step back and see myself and recognize the insanity and try to put the brakes on, even if for a bit.

I bring you the Chipotle incident.  Sophia and I were in St. Cloud shopping one Saturday afternoon.  We stopped at Chipotle, for a bite.  Those of you that really know me and really know Sophia, know, that this simple act was outside the lines for me.  Sophia eats really slowly, savors and daydreams with every bite.  Drives me nuts.  This day was particularly nice, so we opted to sit outside and enjoy our meal.  Another big step for me, like she needed more distraction.  What if she saw a squirrel?

We were enjoying our meal, me trying to eat slowly and Sophia being very interested in the fountain we were sitting next to.  She was asking about the money in the fountain and what that was all about.  I explained about tossing a coin and making a wish.  She seemed to be playing a scenario in her little mind, I could see the wheels turning and much to my surprise, she did not ask for a coin.  I hurried her along, to finish her meal.  It  wasn't too much longer we got up to leave.  As I stood, I reached into my purse and asked Sophia if she would like a coin to make a wish.  This was out of character for me, but I was impressed that she had not been pestering me for a coin, she had not even asked once.  Of course, she jumped at the chance.  She tossed her coin, made her wish and we were off.  

It seemed that this is where the story would end, but not so.

Weeks later, Scott and I were at conferences with Sophia.  We were meeting with her Academic Achievement teacher. The teacher was explaining different projects and learning processes they go through, to see how they solve problems and how their little minds work.  Not just the 'run of the mill' math and reading.  The teacher asked the kids a series of questions.  One of the questions was this, "what is something you can do with a penny"?  The teacher said, "Sophia's response was quite different from the other kids."  I braced for the response.   "Sophia said, you make a wish with a penny", repeated the teacher.  Suddenly, I was no longer listening to to teacher.  I was immediately taken back to our afternoon at Chipotle.  I stopped the teacher, and asked Sophia, "Was this assignment before or after our trip to Chipotle?"  She quickly replied, "After!  That's what made me think of it!"

Wow.  A huge moment for me.  Had I not stopped and took the time to let Sophia toss a coin and make a wish, how different this would have been.  I guess it's all about experiences and you can't have the experiences if your Mom is tugging you away by your arm, because you took forever to finish your burrito.  Note to self:  slow down, be patient and make a wish- or at least give my kids the opportunity to do so.

Apple Jacked

It's fall.  Apples get me all jacked up.  The idea of turning that delicious fruit into a work of art, is exciting.

I love apple pie.  Not the frozen type, that you bake.  Oh no.  Those are nasty.  Salty crust, infused with cardboard flavor.  Apples so hard, you wouldn't even know that, you did in fact, bake it.  I actually have passed on a slice of that type of pie, even knowing there was NOT another dessert option.

As much as this post is about the pie, it's about the recipe for the pie and the journey to get to the pie.  I will share, don't worry.

In our earlier years of marriage, if there was a pie to be baked, it was Scott that would do the baking.  He longed for the apple pie his Grandma would bake for him growing up.  However, this girl was not that fine woman.  I was just trying to decide if it was a good idea to add mushrooms to the Hamburger Helper, or not.

Scott called his Grandma Myrtle and requested her recipe, which he soon received in the mail.  Three recipe cards, one with the crust recipe, one with the filling and the other a personal note, about the weather and wishing him good luck on his baking.  Scott, the patient man that he is, mastered the recipe.  His pies were awesome.

As the years went by, my cooking skills were improving.  I was adding mushrooms to the Hamburger Helper, like nobody's business.  I couldn't stand that Scott could make pies and I could not.  I started to play with it, and soon it came full circle.  My pies were awesome.  Ta Dah.

So come fall, come apple pies.  I encourage you to take the challenge and learn the art of pie baking, from scratch.  You too, can be that fine woman.  Fine like Grandma Myrtle.

Never Fail Pie Crust

1 cup flour

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup Crisco or Spry

Pinch of salt

This makes enough for one 9" crust, double for top and bottom crust.  Use remaining dough for a crispy cinnamon/sugar treat.

Filling

6 apples

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tsp. Flour

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tsp. Butter

Mix all ingredients together, add to crust lined pan, dot with the butter and cover with top crust.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Happy As A Clam

Chowder that is. Clam chowder. Makes me as happy as a clam. Is the clam happy? Not so much, but I am. I finally got the perfect recipe down. It reminds me of the clam chowder you will find at the supper club in town. Really yummy and good to the bone. Creamy and thick, loaded with clams and potatoes and tons of flavor. This is a New England clam chowder recipe. New England being cream based verses his broth based cousin, Manhattan.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks (with tender leaves) trimmed, quartered lengthwise, then sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 (10-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained (reserve juice)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/2- inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, mixing often. Stir in the flour to distribute evenly. Add the stock, juice from 2 cans of chopped clams (reserve clams), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring consistently (the mixture will thicken), then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook 20 minutes, stirring often, until the potatoes are nice and tender. Then add clams and season to taste with salt and pepper, cook until clams are just firm, another 2 minutes. 

This makes a small batch, our family of five will eat this all in one sitting.  I would double this recipe, if I were you and you can be happy as a clam too.

Bite The Ham That Feeds You

Ham, glorious ham.  You make a ham and then the challenge is on.  What to do with all the ham leftovers?  Usually this comes up at Easter, but I like to make ham all times of the year.  Mainly because I like the challenge of what to do with the leftovers.  I have a few main recipes, that I always go to, but I was looking for another idea.  Ideas of mine, are not always good, but when it comes to food, it's a pretty safe bet.

We'll call this one Ham and Swiss Casserole.  Sounds delightful, doesn't it?

Ingredients:

• 8 green onions
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2-3 tbsp thickening agent (cornstarch, flour or potato starch)
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3-4 cups leftover ham
• 1 one lb bag of egg noodles
• 2 cups Swiss cheese
• Panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté 2 green onions in the butter, add some salt and pepper. Mix your thickening agent in the cup of chicken stock and mix well, works great in a shaker. Add the thickening mixture, milk and cream to the onions and whisk until thickened and creamy. Add more, milk or water if you need to thin it more. If you have leftover juice from making the ham, it would be really tasty to use that. Add the sour cream whisk it in. Chop 3 more green onions and add them to the mixture and 1 cup of the Swiss cheese. Continue to whisk until the cheese is melted and then add the ham. Boil noodles until they are cooked only half way. Add the noodles to the ham and cheese mixture, stir until all noodles are coated and pour into a 9x13 pan. Cover with the remaining cup of Swiss cheese and the remaining 3 sliced green onions. Top with a generous coating of Panko bread crumbs and bake! 350° until the mixture is bubbly and the Panko is starting to brown. Enjoy!

Low fat, not so much.  Delicious yes.  Enjoy in moderation, or just eat the whole pan.  Your choice :)

Getting Sconed

Your mother warned you.  "All it takes is one time, and you'll be hooked", she proclaimed.  "It's the company you keep", she preached.  "Even if you are an innocent bystander, you will be guilty by association", she ranted.  Oh yeah, we have all been there.  Some of us listened, some of us pretended to listen and some of us didn't listen at all.  You know who you are.

Scones.  Warm, buttery, delightful.  Drawing you in.  Just one bite won't hurt.  Or will it?  Hooked, just like mother warned.

This morning I made scones.  My niece spent the night and I wanted something special for her.  Scones it is!  I have been making this recipe for years and have not found a need to look any further.  Perfection.  I love recipes that, when you taste the finished product, appear to be super difficult-because anything that tasty, must be really hard to make.  This is one of those recipes.  Big WOW factor.

Take 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar and stir it up.  Cut in 5 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and add 1 cup heavy cream.  Mix gently until it starts to come together.  Gently mix in 1 cup of berries of your choice.  Blueberries, mixed berries, fresh or frozen are fine.  Take your ball of dough, with the berries incorporated and place on a well floured counter and roll or press into about a 10" to 12" circle.  Cut the circle into equal triangles and place them on parchment lined pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Sometimes I make a powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over the top and sometimes I eat them without, and sometimes I just eat them all before anyone wakes up.  After all, I made them.

So, if you are looking to satisfy the rebel in you, give these bad boys a try.  I promise you will be hooked.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Preserve Them

Eight years ago, Scott and I were installing cabinets at a home.  I couldn't help but notice, a huge jar of beautiful yellow lemons.  I inquired about them and was educated on the process of preserving lemons.  For years the couple taught school in Morocco, where preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cooking.  The vision of those lemons, stayed on my mind and I knew someday I would have to try it myself.

That day has come.  And what a treat!  Two very simple ingredients and a little patience and you can make magic too.  Start with organic lemons, because you will, in the end, be eating the entire lemon, so you want them to chemical free (no radioactive lemons please).  I started with four organic lemons to a 1 liter jar.  Start by slicing off the top and bottom of each lemon, just enough to flatten each end.  You don't have to slice deep into the flesh.  Then set your lemon on one of those flat spots and slice down the center to the bottom, but don't slice all the way through, leave it together by a 1/2" inch or more.  Then make another slice just like that one, so the top view is forming an X, or four equal quadrants, again not slicing all the way through.  Next take sea salt and generously pour the salt into the cuts you just made.  Squish and pack lots of the salt into the lemon flesh.  Do this over a bowl, so you can work easier, but still reserve any salt or juice.  After the lemon is well packed with salt, add it to the jar and continue the process with all of the lemons.  Have a few extra lemons on hand to juice into the packed jar, if more liquid is needed to top it off.  The lemons should be submerged in salt and juice. Leave this lovely mixture sit on the counter at room temp, and once a day smash on them a bit and turn the jar upside down a few times.  You will do this for 6 weeks.  If you start to loose juice, just add some more, you want your lemons to remain covered.  As you care for your lemons, you will notice something beautiful taking place.  Your lemons will take on a softness and the juice they are bathing in, will become a lovely syrup.  

After the transformation, to something beautiful, they are ready to use.  I have found some recipes to use these beauties in, but have yet to try them.  I will have to get back to you on those, but what I can report, is wonderful.  We have been grilling chicken lately in the rotisserie basket Scott got for Father's Day.  Marinating chicken legs in a mixture of finely diced preserved lemons, fresh cracked pepper, fresh thyme, and a little olive oil.  No need to use salt, the lemons add enough saltiness on their own.  The salty, citrus flavor pierces the chicken and favors it wonderfully.  If you are the type of person that peels the skin off your chicken, because you don't eat the skin, with this dish you would only pull the skin off to save it for dessert.  And I'm not even joking.  So yummy.  Last night we did a whole organic chicken on the rotisserie.  I diced up a quarter of a preserved lemon, some fresh thyme and fresh cracked pepper.  I slid my hand between the breast meat and skin on the chicken and smeared this delicious mixture between the two.  Fabulous!

These lemons have become a staple in our house and if you give them a chance, I'm guessing you will love them too.....