1-25-14 Kim's Minestrone Soup.

Great "warm" soup that will make anyone's day a little bit better. This is the kind of soup that Kim's Grandma (Virginia Simmons) would feed her when she was a young child visiting California during a school break. It is quite simple to make, you just have to have some patience to get the "taste' just the way your palate likes.  Get your medium size Soup Pot out for this one.  Prep equals 10 minutes.  Cook equals around 2 hours.

INGREDIENTS:

• (2) 32oz. Boxes of Beef Stock  (or 4 can equivalent).
• (1) 15.5oz. Can of Dark Red Kidney Beans (drained & rinsed).
• (1) 27oz. Can of Seasoned Southern Style Collard Greens (drained).
• (1) 2.25oz. Can of Sliced Ripe Olives.
• (1) 4oz. Can of Diced Jalapenos.
• (1) 28oz. Can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes.
• (1) large yellow onion, rough chopped.
• (3) cloves of garlic, minced.
• 2 TBSP Italian Seasoning.
• 2 TBSP Dried Parsley.
• 2 TBSP Dried Oregano.
• (1) Box or 16oz. of Medium Pasta Shells.



Start with a small bowl, it is very filling !

• Shredded Romano or Parmesan to top soup at plating.

Place all ingredients, except Pasta & Cheese into your soup pot (start with the Beef Stock).  Bring to a low boil on Medium heat.  Turn down and let soup simmer.  Play with the dry spices till it tastes right for you, your family or guests.  Add the pasta 15 minutes before serving.  Top with cheese at Plating. 


1-14-14 Chipotle Chicken & Black Bean Burrito

This version of our homemade burrito was inspired when my father visited us years ago while we lived in Oakdale, CA.  He came up from Lake Isabella for a couple days to do some fishing and just see the area.  We went for dinner one evening at a Mexican Taqueria around the corner from our townhome complex and we had our fill of Carne Asada "Pura" Burrito's packed only with beef, onion & cilantro. Time to get the Food Processor out of the cupboard. This recipe takes 2 days to complete. Day 1 is for the making of the marinade for the chicken, and Day 2 will be for the cooking & assembly....oh, and the eating. We paired this recipe down, so it only makes TWO burritos. We added the Black Beans to give it more of a Protein boost while adding a little moisture.

Marinade Assembly (place all ingredients in Food Processor and run till smooth consistency is met):

• 4 Chipotle Peppers (we used GOYA 7oz Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce).
• 1 tsp black pepper.
• 2 tbs ground cumin.
• 4 tbs fresh oregano, chopped.
• 6 cloves of garlic.
• 1/2 red onion, rough cut.
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Place marinade in Zip-Loc Gallon size bag.  Add in the following chicken:

• 2 boned/skinless chicken breasts.
• 4 skinless chicken thighs.

We double bagged ours (concerned with leakage) and let sit it the refrigerator for 24 hours, shaking twice.


Black Beans:

• (1) 15.0 oz can of Black Beans (we used Ranch Style Brand).
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced.
• 8 oz Amber Beer (we had O'Doul's, use what you have).
• 1 tsp ground cumin.

Wash and rinse beans.  Place all ingredients in small sauce pan, bring to a boil.  Turn down and let simmer for (1) hour.  They are done, when they are a "Little Mushy".


Chicken:

You will need a skillet that can handle all the chicken.  Cover skillet with a light coating of EVOO.  Place chicken & contents of marinade in pan.  Cook on medium-high heat till chicken is cooked to your liking.  Pull and let cool.


Burrito Assembly (it took these East Coaster's a while to get this "art" down, so don't get frustrated).  Place beans, chicken, red onion, hot sauce & cilantro in tortilla in this order.  Final ingredients below:

• (2) 10 inch Flour Tortillas.
• 1/2 bunch of Cilantro, rough chopped.
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced (this is the last part of the red onion).
• Chicken from above (use both white & dark meat).
• Generous splashes of your favorite Hot Sauce (we love Tapatio).
• (4) large "spoonfulls" of black bean mixture.

Enjoy !!!  You will love this.....remember to come up for air once or twice.  We would like to thank all our friends in California for introducing us to some great "Mexican Food" and for introducing us to Tapatio Sauce.

1-7-14 Mexican Quiche

Great simple and easy quiche recipe, that has a nice spicy flavor too it with little preparation time required.  We tend too cheat when we make a quiche, typically follow a pre-set recipe with some modifications to slightly change the flavor level.  Try it, you'll add it to your "favorites" for any meal.

Ingredients:

•  (1) refridgerated pre-mfg pie crust (use a deep dish pie pan).
• 10 oz of Cotija Cheese.  (Check at WalMart if you don't have a local Hispanic store).
•  (1) 10 oz can of Rotel, drained.
•  (1) 4 oz can of diced green chilis, drained.
•  (1) 2.25 oz can of black ripe olives, drained.
•  (3) large eggs.
•  8 oz Sour Cream.  (Pick Lite of you want, we do somedays....but be aware of the other additives).
•  1/2 tspn Mexican Chili Powder.
•  1/2 tspn Oregano.
•  1/2 tspn Sweet Paprika.
•  1/2 tspn Hot Paprika.
•  1/2 tbsp Cumin.  (yes tablespoon).
•  2 cloves of minced Garlic.

Instructions:

1. Arrange pie crust on a greased pie pan.
2. Sprinkle about 1/2 of the diced Cotija cheese on the pie crust.
3. Add Rotel, diced chilis and black olives as the next layer.
4. Follow with the other 1/2 of the cheese.
5. Wisk eggs & Sour Cream in a separate bowl.  Add and wisk in all the spices & minced Garlic.
6. Place the egg mixture into the pie, spreading evenly.
7. Bake at 375 degrees, takes about 50 minutes.  Check with a butter knife to ensure pie is cooked.
8. Cool for 15 minutes and then plate.

Enjoy !!  Thank you California for introducing us to Cotija !!!!

1-6-14 Pistachio crusted Flounder with Brussel Sprouts.

You are going to love this dish.  It really is simple to prepare & cook, literally takes 15 minutes and a couple of good frying pans and two spots on the stove.

Brussel Sprouts, sauteed and splashed with Sweet Hungarian Paprika.
Ingredients:

• 20 Brussel Sprouts.
• 1 small yellow onion (finely diced).
• White Wine (whatever is in the fridge is fine).
• 1 tbsp. Sweet Hungarian Paprika.

 Cut the sprouts in half (on the long side), place cut side down in a hot pan with EVOO and add the diced onion.  Cook till sprouts start to brown (should take 5 minutes), add the wine and sprinkle in the Paprika.  Sautee for another 10 minutes. 


Pistachio crusted Flounder.
Ingredients:

• 2 filets of Flounder.
• 4 oz of shelled and pulverized Pistachio nuts.
• 3 eggs.
• 1/2 cup flour.
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (we use the generic stuff out of the fibre canister).

Mix the bread crumbs and Pistachios into a zip-loc gallon size bag.  Drench filets into flour, then egg and then let sit in zip-loc for 5 minutes.  Heat 2nd pan, add in EVOO.....heat then add in fish filets.  Turn once, takes about 6 minutes per side.  Pull and place on paper-towels to absorb any residual Olive Oil.  Plate fish and sprouts.....you will love the taste of the two together.  Thank you California for the Pistachios !!!