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Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Stir-fry with Mini Puff Pancakes

October 5, 2012 by 11 Comments

This is a good time of year to be an apple lover in Western New York. While it wasn’t the best year ever for apples due to a late frost and weird weather, apples are still just about everywhere and I call that a very good thing. Roadside stands, farmers’ markets, and even grocery stores are carrying apples that are just about as good as if they were just pulled from the trees. Apples in October are second to none.

Everyone knows how good an apple tastes fresh or dunked into caramel dip, but so many people are missing out on one of my favourite food combinations; fried apples and onions with kielbasa. I was first introduced to fried apples and onions as a kid when I read ‘Farmer Boy’ by Laura Ingalls Wilder. One of Almanzo Wilder’s mom’s specialties was apples and onions fried in bacon grease. It was, in fact, Almonzo’s favourite dish. I didn’t get past that page in the book before I begged my mom to whip up a pan full for us.

It was every bit as good as it sounded on paper. From that day on, it’s been one of my favourite dishes, too… best served when apples are still explodingly crisp and fresh and hold up well to a little time in a hot pan. In my own home, I started frying cubed, garlicky kielbasa in the pan before adding the apples and onions and found that it turned a well-loved side dish into a better-loved main dish. This is one of those dishes that smells so good while it cooks that people congregate in the kitchen peeking at the contents of the pan, trying to sneak bits of sausage from the top of the pan and drooling like Pavlov’s dogs.

There’s something so special about crisp-about-the-edges kielbasa with tender, sweet apples and meltingly tender onions. I lack the vocabulary to explain just how perfect the dish actually is. It’s salty, sweet, garlicky… it’s wonderful.

You have options on how you want to serve it, provided you can keep folks’ forks out of the bowl long enough to get it to the table. Our preferred method is to whip up a batch of mini puff pancakes… (the basic Pannukakku recipe here, but poured into generously greased muffin tins instead of a big pan.)

The soft, custardy puff pancakes sink a little in the center when fresh from the oven, making them the perfect vehicle to hold all those little deep-brown bits of sausage and tender apples and onions.

They soak up all the good sausage grease that might otherwise make an escape.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you, though, that the stir-fry is equally delicious piled on top of hot egg noodles or fresh, hot rice. Any way you serve it, you’ll feel warm all over. Happy autumn!

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Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Stir-fry with Mini Puff Pancakes

Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Stir-fry with Mini Puff Pancakes

Highly seasoned, garlicky, classic kielbasa pairs perfectly with crisp tender tart apples and sweet onions in this fall stir-fry. Serve over hot egg noodles, cooked rice or as we did on mini puff-pancakes.

Ingredients

    For the Mini Puff Pancakes:
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • a pinch each of salt and sugar
  • non-stick cooking spray
    • For the Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Stir-Fry:
  • 14 to 16 ounces of Kielbasa or beef smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 large tart, firm apples (Use a variety good for cooking, such as Cortland, Spy, Gala, or Granny Smith.)
  • 2 large cooking onions, ends trimmed and peeled
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup

Instructions

To Make the Mini Puff Pancakes:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Add the eggs, flour, milk, and pinches of salt and sugar to the carafe of your blender*. Blend on high for about 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides.

*If you do not have a blender, whisk all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until completely smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until they are very puffy, golden brown on top and set to the touch. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let cool for 3 minutes before removing the puff pancakes. If any are stuck, gently run a butterknife around the edge to help loosen them.

To Make the Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Stir-Fry:

Place a skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, add the cubes of kielbasa to the pan. Slide the pan back and forth a few times to distribute the sausage cubes. Let the pan rest on the heat without stirring for about 1 minute to help develop a little colour on the sausage cubes. Toss or stir the sausage until some fat has rendered and the sausage has browned evenly, about 3-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a plate. Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of the sausage fat.

Cut the onions in half, end-to-end. Cut each half in quarters and then each quarter in half again. Set aside.

Peel, core and halve the apples. Cut each half in quarters and then each quarter in half again.

Return the pan to the burner and lower the heat to medium-high. Add the butter to the pan drippings to melt. When they have melted, add the onions and toss gently to coat. Let them cook alone for about 3 minutes. Add the apples to the pan and toss to coat. Fry the apples and onions, tossing or stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender but still hold together, about 3-5 minutes. Season with black pepper to taste. If desired, drizzle the tablespoon of maple syrup over the mixture and toss to coat.

Serve hot over Mini Puff Pancakes, cooked egg noodles or rice.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/10/05/kielbasa-apple-and-onion-stir-fry-with-mini-puff-pancakes/

Filed Under: Comfort Food, Main Dish, Meat, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , ,

Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

October 3, 2012 by 13 Comments

Why did the chicken cross the road? I’ll get to that in a moment.

One thing I absolutely, positively adore about living in Western New York is that I can honestly say I live in the birthplace of the hot wing. If you order ‘wings’ in a nearby restaurant or bar, you’re going to receive that hot, spicy, zippy, deep-fried, buttery tip-of-a-chicken’s-wing that is known the rest of the nation over as Buffalo Wings or hot wings. If you order Buffalo wings here, they’re going to know you’re not a local.

You know the story of how the ubiquitous bar food came to be, right? A hungry Buffalonian and his college buddies piled into the Anchor Bar where his mom was working. They begged for something -ANYTHING- to eat. (Right here is where the story gets me in the heart. I know how boys eat. I feel this story deeply.) Mrs. Bellissimo (the mom in question) threw a bunch of wings into the fry-o-later and tossed them with a special sauce, served them to the hungry boys, and a legend was born. There are other versions of the story, but they too all center around Mrs. Bellissimo and her restaurant. In short, Mrs. Bellissimo is widely acknowledged to be single-handedly responsible for one of the best-loved snack foods in North America. God love her, ’cause chickens fear her very name.

I’m going to go ahead and assume you’ve had real, proper wings before now; you’ve had that magical combination of vinegar based hot sauce and butter tossed on deep-fried chicken wings. Am I right? So you know how a wing is supposed to taste; buttery, spicy, zingy, chickeny, and altogether addictive.

This hot dip is everything that a good wing dunked in blue cheese or Ranch dressing is, but in dip form. You start with a generous portion of cooked, cubed chicken mixed into a concoction of cream cheese, Ranch dressing, and hot sauce and bake it until it’s bubbly and steaming hot. Your brain will scream “WINGS” when you scoop a cracker or celery stick into this dip.

You’re not going to be screaming from the heat. In wing parlance, you’ve got mild, medium and hot, in most cases. This dip is a medium. It’s not going to make your head leap from your neck and run away yelping unless you’re the wussiest of  all wussy eaters. If you are, and you still want to try the dip on for size, reduce the hot sauce but don’t you omit it…. then it would just be creamy chicken dip and that would be sad. Just sad.

…And now for the blue cheese issue, because I know some of you have one. If (sigh) you don’t like blue cheese (sigh again), yes, you can substitute mozzarella or Monterey Jack, but it will not pack that true wing punch. Wings are almost always served with a side of blue cheese dressing (Ranch if you ask for it) and some celery sticks.

Speaking of celery sticks, they would make an admirable conveyance for dip-to-mouth if you have them handy. I, however, did not. This is mainly due to the fact that my children have lately taken a serious fancy to ants-on-a-log for breakfast, lunch and dinner and had cleaned out my crisper drawer of all available celery whilst I was whipping up this dip for them at their request. *Shaking fists toward children.*

Ah well. Lack of celery sticks notwithstanding, this is mega-satisfying and fun. Crackers, tortilla chips, corn chips or breadsticks are all fantastic when dunked into, dolloped with or otherwise spread with Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip.

I guarantee this as man/boy friendly food, given that my man/boys ate up a batch in about ten minutes flat. I can also personally guarantee this as chick food, so long as your fellow chicks like wings as much as I do. Chicks and Wings. For a multitude of reasons, don’t ever let anyone tell you they don’t go together.

So why did that chicken cross the road? To get the heck out of Buffalo!

Buh-KAWK!

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Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Bubbly, cheesy, spicy, and full of chicken, Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip is a snacker's dream. Welcome at parties, on game day, or just for a fun hot snack, this dip is everything you love about Buffalo wings minus the bone.

Instructions for preparing this with a slow-cooker are also included.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce brick of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry Ranch dressing mix
  • 1/2 cup hot sauce, preferably Frank's Red Hot or Sriracha
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (or grated mozzarella or Monterey Jack if you dislike blue.)
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely minced or pressed
  • 2 cups of cooked finely chopped or shredded chicken

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add the softened cream cheese to mixing bowl. Use a fork to break up the cream cheese and smoosh in the milk, mayonnaise and ranch dressing. Switch to a sturdy spoon to continue smashing it and mixing it until smooth. Mix in the hot sauce next, whisking to combine until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients until evenly combined.

Scrape the mixture into a casserole dish or oven safe bowl and bake* for 20-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

*This mixture can also be prepared in a slow-cooker on low (2-3 hours) and kept warm for a couple hours afterward.

Serve hot with crackers, corn or tortilla chips, celery sticks, or bread sticks.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/10/03/hot-buffalo-chicken-dip/

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Comfort Food, kid food, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Thai Red Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice (How to Freeze Rice) | Make Ahead Mondays

October 1, 2012 by 4 Comments

 

 

My husband doesn’t like curry. …Or at least he SAYS he doesn’t  like curry. He claims it makes him belchy. (Since when did that deter him, I ask…) This is one of my eternal frustrations because I do like it. A lot. It goes both ways.  My husband adores angel hair pasta cooked past al dente served with piles and piles of meat sauce. I say this is sloppy joes on pretend pasta. Ah, love; it’s not all wine and roses. Sometimes it’s burps and mushy noodles. The important thing is that we both recognize that we don’t have to have the last word.

I question how much my husband actually dislikes curry, though, because over the years I have featured at least four recipes in our regular rotation that lean heavily on curry whether in powder or paste form. One of them is one of the most popular posts ever here on Foodie With Family. Another is one of our family favourites and a prize winner. I think it’s more accurate to say that he’s picky about curry. I don’t blame him. In my opinion, the balance of curry is easy to mess up. It can go from complex and tantalizing to muddy and overwhelming if too heavy a hand is used.

I have realized after years of experimentation, that the one kind of curry my husband will invariably love is a Thai curry, specifically a red curry. Red curry is a blend of lemongrass, garlic, Thai ginger and red chiles (among other things). How could you possibly go wrong with that?  When RiceSelect sent me a jar of their Texmati light brown rice*, I knew right away what I was going to do with it. It was getting a red curry topping.

*What I love about this rice is that it cooks quickly like white rice and tastes a great deal like it, but gives you much of the nutritional content of brown rice. As a mom of many, I call that a win.

Because the curry we were making was a Thai curry, we decided to turn our dinner into a party to explore Thai culture along with our meal. In Thailand it’s considered unlucky to eat alone*, so we loaded our table up with friends and family. This is an easy task given that our family makes seven per meal all by itself. Since our dinner party was on Sunday, we all wore red; the traditional colour assigned to Sunday in Thai culture.

*Well, gee. I must be the luckiest woman alive, then. I almost never eat alone. (Unless you count me hiding in the bathroom to inhale a chocolate bar.)

In keeping with the Thai theme, we used bamboo mats on red place mats to decorate the table. My son Ty declared it to be his day. Thai. Ty. Oh my. This same child also selected a knots and rope-work class based on the fact that he should be great at it since his name is Ty. Ty. Tie. Help.

Back to the good stuff…

The curry we had was a Thai Red Curry Shrimp: a dish that appears far too simple to have the complex and comforting flavour that it delivers. Coconut milk and red curry paste simmer with onions, peas and shrimp and are ladled over fragrant coconut rice. A simple scattering of chopped fresh cilantro and basil over the top of the dish seems insignificant until you taste it. The fresh herbs, sweet shrimp, and umami laden curry coconut sauce with vegetables all come together in a symphony of flavour, including all four of the main seasonings of Thai cuisine: salty, sour, bitter, and sweet.

Because the curry itself comes together in very little time, the recipe I’m including here calls for making a larger amount of rice than you’ll need for the meal. Coconut rice freezes and reheats beautifully, so the recipe includes instructions for freezing the extra rice for last minute cravings and nights when you’re on the run. Do take advantage of this!

Coconut rice is a beautiful base for stir-fries, sweet and sour meatballs, hamballs. Coconut rice also adds a little unexpected flair to fried rice; simply use your hands to break up the frozen rice directly into the hot pan.

Give this super-fast, exotic, satisfying meal a whirl some evening. You’ll be so glad you did. It’s way better than mushy angel hair with sloppy joe topping.

Oh shoot. Did I just get the last word?

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Thai Red Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice (How to Freeze Rice) | Make Ahead Mondays

Thai Red Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice (How to Freeze Rice) | Make Ahead Mondays

Thai Red Curry Shrimp: a dish that appears far too simple to have the complex and comforting flavour that it delivers. Coconut milk and red curry paste simmer with onions, peas and shrimp and are ladled over fragrant coconut rice. A simple scattering of chopped fresh cilantro and basil over the top of the dish seems insignificant until you taste it. The fresh herbs, sweet shrimp, and umami laden curry coconut sauce with vegetables all come together in a symphony of flavour. Instructions on how to freeze extra rice for future meals are included in the recipe.

Ingredients

    For the Coconut Rice:
  • 5 cups Texmati Light Brown Rice
  • 3 cans full-fat Coconut Milk
  • additional water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • For the Thai Red Curry Shrimp:
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium cooking onion
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk (13-14 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon Red Curry Paste
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon raw sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 pound raw, shelled, cleaned shrimp
  • Chopped fresh basil and cilantro for garnish
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon lemongrass paste (available in the produce section at grocery stores.)

Instructions

To Make Coconut Rice:

Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a rice cooker, select regular rice cycle (no need to cook on the brown rice cycle) and begin the cycle. When finished, fluff with a fork and serve.

(If you do not have a rice cooker, combine all ingredients in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring once, then cover with a tight fitting lid or foil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, undisturbed, for 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To Freeze Extra Coconut Rice:

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or rinse the pan with water and shake off excess. This will keep the rice from sticking. Spread the rice out on the pan and let stand until it is no longer steaming hot. Rinse a measuring cup with water and shake out the excess. Measure meal-sized portions into re-sealable zipper top bags. Use your hands to gently flatten the rice and distribute it evenly in the bag. Seal the bags, label and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

To Reheat Rice:

Transfer the frozen rice to a microwave safe container and microwave on high in 1 minute bursts, until the rice is hot all the way through. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To Make the Thai Red Curry Shrimp:

Heat the coconut oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions to the pan and saute, stirring or tossing occasionally, until the onions have a touch of brown to them.

Add the coconut milk and red curry paste to the pan and bring to a boil, whisking to combine the red curry paste into the coconut milk. Lower the heat and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add the fish sauce, sugar and water and return it to a boil. Again, lower the heat and let it simmer for 8 minutes. Add the optional lemongrass paste (if using) and whisk it in carefully.

Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are hot all the way through, about 2 minutes. Bring the liquid back to a gentle simmer and add the cleaned, shelled shrimp. Cook just until the shrimp are curled and pink. This should take between 3 to 5 minutes.

To Serve the Coconut Rice and Thai Red Curry Shrimp:

Scoop a serving of coconut rice into each bowl and spoon the shrimp with the sauce and vegetables over the rice. Scatter some chopped cilantro and basil over the top and serve immediately.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/10/01/thai-red-curry-shrimp-with-coconut-rice-how-to-freeze-rice-make-ahead-mondays/


This post is brought to you by Rice Select. All opinions are, as always, mine alone.

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Comfort Food, Freezer Pleaser, Main Dish, Make Ahead Mondays, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,

Grandma’s Buttermilk Cornbread

September 28, 2012 by 19 Comments

 

A couple nights ago I had a sudden and overwhelming desire to stuff my face full of my Grandma’s cornbread. It’s hard to explain if you didn’t grow up on cornbread, but the drive to consume it can be a powerful force. So powerful, in fact, that I actually made two pans full at ten thirty at night just so I could eat a huge wedge warm from the oven and have an untouched pan to take to a friend’s house the next day.

The smell of toasty corn bread baking up in a coal-black cast-iron pan is pretty close to one of the best things on earth. I have a Pavlovian response to the aroma of cornbread. By that, I don’t mean I bark and run around in circles, but I may have been caught panting and drooling and maybe even wagging my tail a time or two.

I’ll get it out o the way right now and say that cornbread is not sweet. That’s cake. Corn cake, if you want, but it’s cake. And I’m not saying that’s nasty, I’m just saying it’s not cornbread.

The cornbread I’m sharing with you today is the be all and end all of cornbreads to me.

My Arkansan grandma made this cornbread for me probably less often than I have in my memory, but often enough for it to define Grandma’s cooking in my mind. I know it was always at our Thanksgiving table, often in the stuffing, but just as often in a bread basket in gloriously big yellow squares. I remember getting a wedge from the cast-iron pan right after it was pulled from the stove; a sinfully large pat of cold butter melting and sliding right off of the top of the steaming bread.

When I was first married, I quizzed Grandma on why this was her favourite cornbread recipe of all. She grew up on a very plain cornbread; one that was almost pure cornmeal and water and a smidge of egg. No leavening, no nothing. It was a corn-lover’s dream, but very crumbly. She told me, “That bread crumbled if you looked at it.” As an adult, she got all that great corn-y flavour of the cornbread she knew and loved in a package that held together when she discovered the Buttermilk Cornbread recipe that she wrote out by hand for me.

I still have that recipe card, laminated and caked with flour over the years, written in Grandma’s own hand. Although I have it memorized, I still look at the card every time I prepare it. It’s like a sweet hug from Grandma.

Now, if you want to get really stratospherically happy, there really isn’t anything better than a pan full of Grandma’s Buttermilk Cornbread with a potful of bubbling hot beans. Oh mercy. Seriously. Just typing that sentence made me start drooling like a baby. That’s a complete meal in and of itself, but you can up the vegetable content by adding a BIG GREEN SALAD alongside it if you want.

The cornbread is equally at home accompanying chili or soup. More than once, I’ve used the cornbread batter to coat corndogs or top a casserole dish or chili for tamale pie. Most often, though, it’s a cast-iron skillet, a stick of cold butter, a fistful of napkins and me flying solo. Butter dripping down the sides of a steaming hot wedge of golden, fragrant cornbread and my fingers digging in to pull off piece after piece.Grandma said I could.

Thank you, Grandma!

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Grandma’s Buttermilk Cornbread

Grandma’s Buttermilk Cornbread

As long as I live, there will not be anything that tempts me as powerfully as a hot-from-the-oven wedge of golden cornbread freshly taken from the cast-iron pan with a pat of cold butter melting and sliding right off of it.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (not self-rising)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
  • bacon grease or butter for the pan

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a whisk to gently combine them, ensuring there are no dry pockets of cornmeal.

Pour into a generously greased 8-inch or 10-inch cast iron skillet, preferably, or an 8-inch by 8-inch square cake pan, or 8-inch round cake pan. Pour the cornbread batter into the greased pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm for best flavour. Leftovers can be stored -wrapped in a towel or plastic wrap- at room temperature for up to 48 hours, but will taste best if reheated slightly before serving. If your cornbread gets a little old and stale, crumble it and use for the best Cornbread stuffing that you will ever eat in your lifetime. Guaranteed.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/09/28/grandmas-buttermilk-cornbread/

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Appetizers & Snacks, Bread, Comfort Food, Holiday Food, Recipes, Snacks, Vegetarian

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

September 11, 2012 by 11 Comments

 

I think it’s been so long since I’ve been sick that my body forgot how to go about being sick. It’s not a complaint mind you, just an observation. I spent a day with a weird headache and sore throat of the move-slowly-through-the-day variety, went to bed with an ibuprofen cocktail and woke up with a good old-fashioned cold.

And so I plopped myself on the chair with a cuppa tea, dictated school lessons from my chair and plotted all the comforting foods I was going to inhale that day because my nose wasn’t doing any inhaling and part of me had to keep the process going.

I prioritized; nothing too complicated for energy and dish purposes, no running to the store- had to make do because I was not going out looking like this (pointed at the hair scraped back and perched on the top of my head and the Rudolph nose.), had to be a crowd-pleaser, and had to have big flavour. You know, so I could actually TASTE whatever it was I made.

At the top of the list was a version of slow-cooker black bean enchiladas I tried from TheKitchn a while back. Simple, not fussy, comforting, big-on-taste, hearty, filling and inexpensive, these enchiladas deliver a lot for the small amount of work behind them. They were just what I needed and wanted.

I’ve made this same recipe both in the slow-cooker and the oven. You get a more ‘authentic’ enchilada texture from oven-baking them, but they’re ever so good in the slow-cooker. The tortillas soak up everything and get all salsa-fied and still get some crispy edges where they come in contact with the side of the slow-cooker. The instructions specify to cook the enchiladas in the slow-cooker for two to four hours, and I’ve settled on about three hours as my preferred time. Closer to two hours yields a firmer tortilla while cooking it closer to four hours creates a much softer tortilla… almost fall-apart soft. When I let mine go the full four hours, I ended up with a texture that was more like enchilada casserole. It was still delicious, it was just different.

Whichever way you prefer to go, you’ll get a serious dose of delicious comfort for your minimal efforts. The enchiladas dress up nicely, if -unlike me- you’re serving dinner in something other than yoga pants with tissues stuffed in the waistband. On the other hand, they sit beautifully in a bowl that you can cradle in your lap while sitting on the couch watching BBCAmerica broadcasts.

Because sometimes, really, it’s not so bad to slow down and indulge the sniffles. At least not when you have a plate full of these…

 

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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Rating: 51

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Authentic? Maybe not, but these gooey, bursting-at-the-seams, simple to pull together, slow-cooker enchiladas are packed with delicious black beans, moist chicken, corn, and spices. Salsa delivers the saucy punch and loads of melted, oozy cheese makes it the perfect comforting dish for days when you're short on time.

Adapted gently and with thanks from TheKitchn

Ingredients

  • 1 cooking onion, diced small
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), diced small
  • 2 cups cooked black beans or 1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 2 cups shredded fully cooked chicken. This chicken is perfect.
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed (or 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder.)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups shredded cheese. I prefer a combination of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Queso Blanco, but use what you prefer and have available.
  • 3 (16 ounce) jars of your favorite salsa
  • 24 (6"-8") corn tortillas
  • Optional:
  • sour cream
  • additional chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
  • avocado slices or cubes

Instructions

Mix together the onion, pepper, black beans, corn, chicken, cilantro (if using), garlic, spices, and 1 cup of the cheese in a mixing bowl. Pour one full jar of the salsa into the bottom of the slow-cooker and spread it evenly with a spatula.

Dampen a tea towel, wrap 12 of the tortillas in it and microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the tortillas are flexible and warm.

Working with one tortilla at a time, scoop about 1/3 cup onto the tortilla, roll it tightly and place it firmly against the edge of the slow-cooker, seam side down. Repeat this with another tortilla, nestling it against the enchilada that is already in the slow-cooker. Continue filling, rolling and nestling the enchiladas until the bottom of the slow-cooker is covered. Spread another jar of salsa over the enchiladas and top it with another cup of cheese.

Create a second layer of enchiladas with the remaining tortillas and filling. Pour half of the last jar of salsa evenly over the top. With the lid in place, cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours. 15 minutes before the enchiladas are done, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese, letting it cook just until the cheese is melted.

Serve the hot enchiladas with chopped cilantro and the remaining salsa.

Store leftovers, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: These are equally good (and maybe even a touch better, texture-wise) when baked in a 400°F oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes. Simply hold off on the last bit of cheese until you remove the foil, return it to the oven and bake 'til the cheese is bubbly.
http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/09/11/slow-cooker-chicken-and-black-bean-enchiladas/

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Chicken and other Poultry, Comfort Food, Main Dish, Recipes, slow-cooker Tagged With: , , , , ,

Corn Stock plus Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder | Make Ahead Mondays

September 10, 2012 by 9 Comments

Soup and sweater weather…

There simply isn’t any weather I like better than those first days of fall -REAL FALL- where the skies are gunmetal grey and leaves are just starting to turn. It’s a mighty wind, and it’s brisk, and it wants to blow right through you. It makes you understand why those leaves finally give up and flutter around. We, thankfully, have sweaters and comfy socks.

And soup.

First, you may have been around here long enough to know I’m a huge fan of movies. My most favourite movies are usually absurd comedies. Squarely in that category falls the movie  ‘Best In Show’ by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy. It’s a mockumentary where a bizarre group of characters competes to win a national dog show. The entire movie is weird, wonderful and hysterical from start to finish, but there is one exchange that has always stuck with my husband and I.

Jennifer Coolidge’s gold-digging, much younger trophy wife character, Sherri Ann Cabot, is talking about how very in love she is with her MUCH older, senile, immobile, uncommunicative, wealthy husband.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9jxSOxtYHs[/youtube]

“We have so much in common, we both love soup and snow peas, we love the outdoors, and talking and not talking. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about.”

In short, since seeing that movie, my husband and I quote that one passage every. single. time. we have soup. Given that we also love soup, that quote gets pretty solid play in our house. And I’ll tell you this, unlike Leslie Ward Cabot, it hasn’t gotten old yet.

Let’s make like Sherri Ann and Leslie and talk about soup for a moment, shall we?

This chowder is not for the low-fat crowd. Not only does it use bacon -and a lot of it!-, not only does it have butter, not only does it have cream cheese, but it has all three in abundance. Glory hallelujah! Don’t spend your days waiting for Guffman, it’s time to bust out the comfort food.

While you can certainly make this chowder with a store-bought chicken or vegetable stock, it really sings up a storm when made with the simplest stock you can ever make; Corn Stock. If you’ve been with me long enough to know I’m a movie nut, you’ll also know that I’m firmly in the waste not/want not camp as well. Corn Stock is what I like to call a three-fer.

  1. You prepare the corn the way you  normally would (I vastly prefer roasting it because it’s easier to do large amounts than boiling.) Cut the corn from the cob and freeze it or use it immediately.
  2. Boil the cobs for stock.
  3. Give the boiled cobs to the chickens who will get whatever is left that is edible and use it as energy to make eggs.

If that isn’t a frugal gal’s dream, I don’t know what is. Most importantly, though, the corn stock gives your chowder something that no other stock can. It gives it an essence of summer sweet corn that simply is not available in any other way mid-autumn or winter. If that doesn’t send a shiver of anticipation up your spine (unlike a spinal tap), then you’ve never lived in the snow belt.

Just imagine a bowl of rich chowder resplendent with roasted corn (that which you cut from the cob and froze, you frugal cook you!), cubes of potato with a hint of red skin still on, and hints of orange carrot in a fragrant broth that smells just like fresh sweet corn and is made thicker and velvety with the addition of cream cheese. Does that warm you up yet?

Don’t just talk about it: slurp that soup like Leslie!

 

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Corn Stock plus Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder | Make Ahead Mondays

Corn Stock plus Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder | Make Ahead Mondays

Make as much of the Corn Stock as you can while corn is still in season. You'll be so glad to have the essence of summery corn available to you in the winter. Use in stews, risottos, and soups.

This luscious, hearty, rich chowder is resplendent with roasted corn (that which you cut from the cob and froze, you frugal cook you!), cubes of potato with a hint of red skin still on, and hints of orange carrot in a fragrant broth that smells just like fresh sweet corn and is made thicker and velvety with the addition of cream cheese.

Ingredients

    For the Corn Stock:
  • 2 dozen ears of corn, roasted and shucked (preferably) or shucked and boiled
  • 2 cooking onions
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 handful fresh or frozen parsley stems
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh time or 2 teaspoons of dried thyme leaves
  • 2 gallons fresh cold water
    • For the Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder:
  • 1 pound of bacon (Omit the bacon and add another 4 tablespoons of butter for a vegetarian version.)
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 2 medium sized cooking onions, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1 tablespoon minced or pressed garlic
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 8 cups corn stock (or chicken stock)
  • 6 medium sized red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small cubes
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 4 cups frozen or fresh roasted corn, cut from the cob
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • sliced green onions and minced fresh parsley, if desired, for serving

Instructions

To Make the Corn Stock:

Stand an ear of corn up on its flat end on a cutting board. Using a gentle sawing motion with a very sharp knife, cut down the ears, removing the kernels from the cobs as you go. Transfer the corn kernels to a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet and stick in the freezer until solid. Transfer those corn kernels to zipper top freezer bags and store for use in soups or salads.

Put the cleaned cobs along with the remaining stock ingredients into a large stockpot or electric countertop roaster oven. Cover the pot and bring up to a boil. Drop the heat and let it cook at a low simmer for 1-4 hours. Use tongs to remove the boiled cobs from the stock. (I give those to my chickens after they've cooled.) Pour the remaining liquid through a fine mesh sieve over a pitcher or other deep pot. You can use the stock immediately,

~or you can pressure can it (leaving 1-inch of headspace) at 15 pounds of pressure for 75 minutes. The jars can be stored on the shelf for up to two years.

~or you can cool the stock and pour it into zipper top freezer bags in single use portions then freeze it for up to 6 months.

~or you can refrigerate it and use it within 2 weeks.

To Make the Roasted Corn and Potato Chowder:

Cut across the slices of bacon to make 1/2-inch strips. In a soup pot over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until it is crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Set it aside -no snitching!- until the soup is almost done.

Drain all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease. You can eyeball it: you don't need to be precise. Add the butter to the bacon grease and place the pan over medium low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic in and stir, cooking for an additional minute.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion/garlic/butter mixture and whisk it in thoroughly. Raise the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutse, stirring often. It should be bubbly. Add the corn stock, whisking to combine, then the potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes and carrots are super tender.

In a heat-proof bowl, lightly smash the softened cream cheese with a fork. Using a ladle, add a little of the hot corn stock to the cream cheese, working it in with a fork or a whisk until smooth. After you've added enough hot stock to it to create a thick but pourable liquid, add it back into the pan of soup, stirring to combine. Add the corn in and stir, cooking only until the corn is heated all the way through. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a handful of sliced green onions and chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Don't forget a big chunk of bread to sop up the irresistible broth!

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/09/10/corn-stock-plus-roasted-corn-and-potato-chowder-make-ahead-mondays/

Filed Under: Comfort Food, Component Foods, Main Dish, Make Ahead Mondays, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Pork and Fig Molletes | Mexican Open-Faced Toasted Sandwich

September 6, 2012 by 12 Comments

In one of those funny bits of irony that comes your way in life, my husband -who dislikes travel- has had to fling himself thither and yon regularly for his job. And I -the former exchange student gal who loved to go anywhere for any reason- found myself, for all intents and purposes, firmly rooted at home.

He refers to hotels as beds-in-a-box. He *gasp* doesn’t pack for a trip until he’s about to walk out the door. He dawdles as long as he possibly can before he leaves.

I think hotels are fun (provided they’re clean and quiet.) I make lists, double check them and pack my stuff the night before I leave. Sometimes, I even put my bags in the car the night before. I am ready to go because fifteen minutes early is on time.

And still we love each other madly.

I found myself at the Chicago O’Hare airport this summer* with a good sized layover and a better sized appetite. I glanced at the airport key to see what was available and saw “Frontera”. As in Chef Rick Bayless? No way. I had to check that out. I figured if it WAS indeed a Bayless operation, it would be too expensive, but I had to see it with my own eyes.

*It’s funny how things happen, isn’t it? Shortly after becoming okay with being the one who was home most of the time, opportunities started popping up for me to see more of the country. Its something for which I’m very grateful even though I’ve been pretty content to stay home wearing ripped jeans with my hair in a ponytail for the past few years.

I know I haven’t done as much travel as many people (read: my husband) in the past few years, but somehow I was under the impression that all food in airport was, well, airport food. As in gross and on par with hospital food. It turns out that in the nearly a decade of travel-less-ness I’ve had, some airports have really upped the ante in the food department.

Not all of them, mind you. I’m looking at you Terminal F. (You know who you are.)

I walked down through Terminal 1 and lo-and-behold, it actually WAS a restaurant opened by Chef Bayless in Chicago’s O’Hare. Furthermore it was affordable and further-furthermore, the food looked outstanding. I stood in the sizable line, placed my order for a Pork and Fig Mollete (warm open faced sandwich) and took my pager (at an airport?!?) to wait while they made my sandwich to order.

It was more than worth the little walk and the short wait. That sandwich was perfection. Doubt me? Read the Yelp reviews. I thought about that sandwich not only for the rest of that trip, but also during the other two trips I was on this summer. I kept hoping I’d have to be re-routed through Chicago so I could get another sandwich.

I am a bit of a sandwich snob. I think there is an art to the perfect sandwich; a perfect ratio that exists between bread and fillings and condiments. Torta Frontera’s ratio was flawless. The bread was soft, but the crust was chewy (without yanking your teeth out of your head). The fig preserves were there, but didn’t scream at you. The melted Chihuahua cheese on top? Swoon! A scattered handful of chopped cilantro made the whole thing taste fresh and the duo of salsas -red and verde- on the side were just spicy enough to remind you what salsa should be without being so pungent that you’d horrify your seat mate on the next plane. And this? This is why I had to recreate the sandwich.

I knew my two existing pulled pork recipes on Foodie With Family – Slow-Cooker Cuban Pork and Slow-Cooker Cola Pulled Pork- would work equally well for the meat on my recreated sandwich. This is one of the reasons I try to keep some of the pulled pork on hand at all times. The only thing that threw me for a bit of a loop in terms of ingredient sourcing was the cheese. There was nowhere around me that sold Chihuahua cheese. I made an executive decision like a boss and subbed in Queso Blanco.

Oh mommy.

It was exactly what I’d been hoping for; sweet figs just barely there under a coating of flavour-packed pulled pork, melted cheese and cilantro all perched on top of yielding yet chewy bread. I declared it a success. My husband declared it delicious and said -much to my surprise- that maybe he had something to look forward to on his next time through Chicago if the food in the airport was like this. Then he said something much more in character, “But why should I go there if you can make it for me here? I love home.”

Aw, that’s my honey.

He is right, after all… I’ll continue enjoying this sandwich every time I get the hankering and I won’t even have to brush my hair to do so.

P.S. He loves me even though I’m lollygagging around with messy hair and unkempt clothes. I think I can put up with his travel quirks.

 

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Pork and Fig Molletes | Mexican Open-Faced Warm Sandwich

Pork and Fig Molletes | Mexican Open-Faced Warm Sandwich

Succulent pulled pork pairs with sweet fig preserves and melted queso blanco cheese on soft Italian bread in this fabulously simple warm Mexican open face sandwich and homage to Chef Rick Bayless.

Serve as a quick weeknight meal or on game day. Instructions for cooking on the grill are included in the recipe making this a perfect tailgating option.

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf Italian bread (16 ounces, by weight)
  • 1/2 cup fig preserves
  • 3 cups shredded fully cooked pork like this, or this.
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso blanco or grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
    • For Serving:
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Your favourite salsa(s)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. (Or grill to medium high.)

Halve the loaf of Italian bread horizontally from end to end like you're going to make a giant submarine sandwich. Open the bread and lay, cut side up, on a baking sheet or a piece of foil. Divide the fig preserves between the two halves and spread evenly and thinly. Divide the pork evenly between the two halves of bread and distribute the pork to cover all of the bread.

Put the baking sheet or foil into the oven or grill and bake for 6-8 minutes, or just until the pork is hot through and through. Scatter half of the crumbled or grated cheese evenly over one sandwich and the other half over the other sandwich. Continue to bake for an additional 2-4 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted. Remove the sandwiches from the oven and cut each loaf in half. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro and the salsa of your choice.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/09/06/pork-and-fig-molletes-mexican-open-face-toasted-sandwich/

Filed Under: Accessible Ethnic, Comfort Food, Main Dish, Meat, Party Food, Rebecca, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Fire Roasted Red Peppers Preserved in Olive Oil | Make Ahead Mondays

September 3, 2012 by 11 Comments

I hope you’re having a relaxed and happy Labor Day. I’m almost giddy with excitement. I took…

Wait for it…

I took a nap.

I’m serious.

Maybe that doesn’t sound like a big deal to you, but I have to tell you that between one thing and another, I didn’t nap (excluding illnesses) for almost fourteen years. If you’ve been around here for a while, and you’re the astute type, you may have noticed that is quite nearly the age of my eldest son. This is not a coincidence.

I was a napper before children, and my specialty was the power nap. Fifteen or twenty minutes on a couch with a comfortable blanket was all it took to pick me up when I started wilting.

When my eldest was almost a year old, we became pregnant for our second son. That little pink line on the pregnancy test spelled doom for my naps for many years. One kid you can make to take a nap. Two kids? Well, all I can say is good luck if you’re bent on getting your little ones to nap without medication. And I was.

The point is this… My baby is now six years old and will be turning seven this fall. I’m bringing back the power nap. The now twenty to thirty minute power nap (I’m older and tired-er with five kids) is what’s getting me through canning season and the buckets and bushels and boxes of produce I’m putting up like a little old ant for the winter while my grasshopper kids get in their last day of summer vacation.

The nap gets a little assist from recipes like the one I’m sharing today that require almost no special equipment, no canning whatsoever, and so little effort that it almost makes itself. My farmers’ market compatriot and friend, Halle Reed, of Vandermark Farms in Scio, New York provided me with almost a bushel of various bell peppers that couldn’t make it to another market. Almost as valuably, she also told me how she preserved the peppers (and that she already had more than plenty up for the winter.) She said to cut the good pieces away from the core and toss ‘em on the grill. She went on to instruct me to stuff them into canning jars, heat olive oil and pour the olive oil over the peppers, then lid and refrigerate them.

Wow.

And to think all this time all I did was sautee and freeze them. Thank you, Halle!

The beauty of this recipe is multi-faceted:

  1. It takes very little hands on time to prepare this recipe and you don’ t need a canner to do it. (Yes, I have a canner, but it’s nice to let the thing rest for a few hours this time of year.)
  2. You have roasted peppers in the refrigerator to use on a whim. Say hello to roasted red pepper, smoked bleu cheese and garlic stuffed kalamata pizzas, or roasted red pepper pasta, or grilled chicken and roasted bell pepper sandwiches. Hubba hubba.
  3. Yes you have peppers, but look at the medium in which those peppers are swimming. See all that beautiful olive oil? That is a pantry staple in itself. Brush the flavoured oil on pizza crusts, on bread for some pretty spectacular garlic bread, use it to sautee vegetables or drizzle a little over a salad. The possibilities are almost limitless.

I’m not going to give you exact quantities of peppers and olive oil, because honestly? It all depends. I started with almost a bushel of multi-colour peppers. Some of them had parts that needed to be trimmed away, and my final yield was exactly one half-gallon, jar, one quart jar and one pint jar. It took about four cups of olive oil to submerge the roasted peppers. This will vary, though, so be prepared to have more or less.

There are loads of peppers still out there at markets, folks. Go on! Lay your hands on a big old box of them and get a jar of this in your refrigerator. You’ll be so glad you did!

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Roasted Red Peppers Preserved in Olive Oil | Make Ahead Mondays

Roasted Red Peppers Preserved in Olive Oil | Make Ahead Mondays

Use the bounty of bell peppers available at local farmers' markets -or from your own garden- to prepare a jar or two of delectable fire roasted peppers to add to everything from pizza to pasta to salad to pimiento cheese to sandwiches through the cold months. It's like a jar full of summer.

Store in the refrigerator for up to three months or in the freezer for up to a year.

Ingredients

  • Red or multi-colour bell peppers
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • pure olive oil (not extra virgin)

Instructions

Preheat your grill to medium high.

Stand a bell pepper on its bottom on your cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut slabs of pepper away from the seedy stem and core. Discard the cores and set the pepper pieces in a bowl. Repeat until you've prepared all of your peppers this way.

Lay the pepper pieces, skin side down, on the heated grill. Grill until the skin is blistered and black, flip the pieces and cook for just 1 minute. Transfer the cooked pieces to a 9-inch x 13-inch rimmed baking dish. Cover gently with plastic wrap or foil and let them cool until they are easy to handle, about 20 minutes.

Put a wide-mouthed canning funnel into a large jar, drop the slices of garlic into the jar and set it near your work station on the counter. Slough the blistered, blackened skin off of each pepper slice, then slide the slice into the jar via the funnel. Repeat until you've done all of the pepper slices. Don't cram the peppers in, they will compact themselves sufficiently and you want to leave room for the oil to circulate.

Heat some olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it registers 200°F on an instant read thermometer. Ladle the olive oil into the canning funnel until the peppers are completely submerged. Use a long chopstick or skewer to slide down the sides of the jar to release air bubbles. Add more oil to keep the peppers covered if necessary. Add a new two-piece lid to the jar and let cool for about an hour before sticking into the refrigerator.

These peppers will keep for 3 months as long as they are properly refrigerated. For longer storage, transfer the peppers and their oil to a zipper top bag and freeze for up to a year.

Note: Close to a bushel of red peppers yielded about 3 quarts of fire roasted peppers.
http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/09/03/roasted-red-peppers-preserved-in-olive-oil-make-ahead-mondays/

Filed Under: Appetizers & Snacks, Canning, Comfort Food, Component Foods, Condiments, Happy Healthy and Wise, Healthy Foods, Make Ahead Mondays, Rebecca, Recipes, Stretching your dollars, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
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