Green Chile Chicken Soup

I know this may sound funny, but I just run cold! I can be chilly in the middle of the summer when it's 80 degrees outside. That could be why soup is one of my all-time favorite things to eat since it can really warm you up. I'm hooked on soup, down blankets, and hot sun - all things warm and cozy. But when it comes to soup, I'm not talking about canned soup - I'm talking about fresh, homemade soup made with wholesome ingredients and served piping hot! You know what I mean... the kind of soup that can warm your body (from your head to your toes) as well as your heart. I've make a lot of Chicken Soup in my day, but this one is definitely one of my favorites because it's sort of a fusion of traditional-style chicken soup that my mom used to make, and mexican style soup. I love to mix things up a bit, in life and with my cooking. If you like spicy, hot, savory soup, you might want to try this one.

Green Chile Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut up and skin removed ( I prefer natural and air-dried)

1 large white (or yellow) onion. slices thinly

4-5 green Anaheim Chiles, halved and de-seeded

4 Serrano Chiles, halved and de-seeded

2 cups frozen corn

1/8 c freshly chopped cilantro

1 can hominy/pozole (drained)

1 green bell pepper chopped

1 clove, crushed garlic

2-3 bay leaves

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

a couple limes

tortilla chips, optional

Preparation

- Bring chicken to a boil in large pot filled with water, skimming regularly
- After the water begins to boil, turn to low and simmer (partially covered) for two hours
- Remove chicken from pot, but reserve the stock! Strain the stock - I pour through cheese cloth.
- Once chicken is cooled off, remove meat from the bones (and discard bones) and set aside
- In medium or large fry pan, saute onions and bell pepper, oregano, cumin, chili powder, half of the chopped cilantro, in a few tbls of olive oil until the onions are translucent. In the last couple of minutes, add the garlic.
- Lay serrano peppers and green chiles flat, skin side up,  on baking sheet and broil about 10 inches from heat in hot oven (500 degrees) for several minutes until skin is charred. Now let the chiles cool, remove the skin, and then chop. Set aside.
- For the corn you're going to roast them in a similar way. Once the corn is defrosted, turn the heat to about 400 degrees. Spread corn on baking sheet and place in hot oven, near heat until brownish. Set aside.
- Pour strained stock in large pot and heat on medium high (at least 10 cups). Add the chicken, bay leaves, and remaining ingredients, peppers, corn, bay leaves, etc - bring to a light boil, turn down heat and simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Don't forget to remove the Bay Leaves.

Serving suggestion:
This soup is great with a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice and topped with some cilantro (and if you choose, crumbled or broken tortilla chips. I find that most soups, stews are better the next day, but whenever you serve it, make sure it's hot! Also good with warm bread or tortillas!
Enjoy!

Artichoke and Tomato Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

Have you ever been asked what food you would choose to eat if you could only eat one thing? When I've been asked that question, pizza is always a food that comes to mind. It just has it all, doesn't it? It has warm bread, gooey cheese; it's savory, comforting, and it can be customized to include only the things you love. I mentioned in a previous post that as much as I love pizza, I never like the feeling of eating pizza that tastes really delicious, but leaves me feeling like I a ate a bunch of junk food. And I guess with all the carbs, fat and salt that most pizza has, that's really what it is. So you may have noticed that lately I've been going a little nuts with healthy pizza. I experimented again this past weekend, and discovered another good-for-you pizza - by combining a couple whole wheat crust recipes and different topping. I think I may have found my perfect crust! This version is lighter, thinner and more flavorful.

Artichoke and Tomato Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust
2 small pizzas

21/2 c whole wheat flour (and a little extra for kneading and rolling)
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
1 tbls pure maple syrup
1 cup warm water
1 packet yeast (or 2 tsps)
1 tsp salt
1tbls chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
about 2 tbls cornmeal

Topping:
About a cup (or more) mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 tomato (roma's good for this) sliced thinly
1 c artichoke hearts, sliced
1/4 c black olives, sliced or broken
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 c parmigiano or romano cheese, shredded
salt, pepper to taste

- Mix the flour salt and herbs together in one bowl
- Mix the maple syrup and olive oil in the warm water.
- Add the yeast to the water mixture and stir - let sit for about 5-8 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, start over because that means that the yeast isn't active.
- Now pour the water mixture into the flour mixture and stir until all the flour is moistened.
- When it's all sticking together in a ball, turn on to a clean and floured surface.
- Knead for about 6 minutes, adding a little flour to keep the dough from getting sticky.
Note - most people seem to prefer to use mixers and food processors, but I prefer to knead the dough by hand. It doesn't take very long and there's something sort of fun about doing it. I think it makes a difference with the end result - or at least I like to think it does.

- After kneading, rub with a little olive oil and cover with a plastic wrap in an oiled bowl - and then cover the top of the bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm place for an hour or two.
- After it rises, turn out on a lightly flour surface and knead a time or two and then cut the dough in half.
- Roll into tight ball, rub with a little bit more oil and place in a ziploc bag over night.
- This dough can then be frozen or remain in the refrigerator for several days until you're ready to use it. I love that about this dough!

Pizza Preparation
- Heat oven and pan (a pizza stone works best) to 500
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for about 15 minutes before rolling. It's just easier when it's not cold.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out. I use my hands to stretch the dough in combination with a rolling pin. It should be pretty thin and about 10-12 inches in diameter.
-  Now place the dough on pizza peel dusted in cornmeal.
- Spread most of the mozzarella cheese on the dough from the center until about an inch from the edges.
- Place the tomatoes and the artichoke hearts in a pattern around the pizza.
- Add the remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the olives on top.
- Using the peel, tilt the pizza and slide onto the hot pizza stone in the oven. I use a large spatula to help the pizza make it on to the hot pan.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese begins to bubble and toast and bit.

- Serving suggestion: Eat it while it's hot! We love to sprinkle the parmigiano cheese and crushed red pepper on the top. You can also drizzle a little olive oil as well. Just do me a favor, and don't dip in Ranch Dressing! ;  )  

Best in the World Red Velvet Cupcakes

So here they are! My fabulous sister-in-law finally sent along her recipe for her scrumptious Red Velvet Cupcakes that took first place in our holiday family bake off. I'm pretty competitive - especially when it comes to these bake-offs, but I'm never too proud to say when my brothers or sister-in-laws make something awesome and kick my butt. I'm all about sharing good recipes, even if they're not mine!! So here you go - maybe you'll win your next family bake-off with this one!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients

•2 1/2 Cake Flour

•1 1/2 cups sugar

•1 teaspoon baking soda

•1 teaspoon salt

•1 tablespoon cocoa powder

•1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

•1 cup buttermilk

•2 large eggs

•1 oz red food coloring

•1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
4 oz butter
4 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon Salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

YUMMY! Thanks Asunta!

Spinach and Mushroom Egg Scramble

It's been so nice to take a little time off work for so many reasons. But one thing I've noticed is that I've been able to spend a little more time posting to my favorite blog. ; ) During work weeks, it's a little tough to get motivated to get online after spending so many hours on the computer. I've been making morning scrambles for a long time, and sometimes I create one that sort of stands out from the crowd, and the one I made this morning definitely did. So incredibly simple, and just so tasty and healthy. It's perfect by itself, and especially good served with good toasted whole grain bread, or stuffed in a freshly made (and toasted if you like) flatbread like above. What a great way to start a day!

Nina's Spinach and Mushroom Egg Scramble

Serves 2-3 (depending on how hungry you and your guests are)

Preheat broiler and place rack on top slot

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cooked and chopped Italian sausage (I used Chicken Italian Sausage from Trader Joes)
1/2 c sliced mushrooms
1/2 c rougly torn baby spinach
1/4 c shredded Asiago Cheese
salt and pepper to taste
a little butter for the pan

Preparation
- Whisk eggs with a little salt and pepper
- Add the torn spinach to the egg mixture
- In medium small non stick pan, add the mushrooms (with nothing else) and let them cook on medium to medium high heat until they have browned nicely. Turn heat down to a low to medium heat.
- Now add a little butter to the pan and then also throw in the chopped sausage (make sure it's cooked prior to adding to pan).
- Turn in pan until the sausage is heated.
- Pour the egg mixture in the pan and just turn with spatula continually untill the egg begins to look scrambled. - Never let the bottom get to hot so that the egg doesn't burn or start to smell too eggy.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the egg scramble.
- Now take the pan by the handle with your hand covered of course, and place on the top rack in the oven (or broiler) so that you can broil the egg mixture to ensure that it's cooked all the way through. You don't need to do this more than a minute.
- That's it

Serve immediately by itself or spoon on top of a really good piece of toast. I toasted the flatbread that I made and then spooned the scramble in the center and folded it. It was delicious.
Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Flatbread

It's official - I'm on a whole wheat dough kick since my discovery of this wonderful homemade whole wheat dough just a few days ago. The recipe is Wolfgang Puck's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough. I'm even more excited about this dough because it was even better the next day. The leftover dough I refrigerated (and thought was mostly a pizza dough) turned out to be an almost better flat bread. I also learned that the it performed better as a pizza dough if you let it sit at least 24 hours before using. Above is a photo of the Roti-style bread that I made the next day and below is the another version of Nina's Whole Wheat Pizza - both made with the same dough!! By the way, Roti is an Indian flat bread.

I made this version of whole wheat pizza with spinach, garlic, prosciutto and mushrooms. I'm including both the ingredients and preparation for the dough, but also including my notes for the "flatbread" and preparing the dough for use the next day.

Wolfgang Puck's Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Ingredients
3 + 3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 c cool water
1/4 c warm water
1 package active yeast (or 21/2 tsp)
1 tbls honey (I used pure maple syrup)
pinch of salt
1 tbls olive oil

Dough Preparation (from WP website):

1.In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the honey and let sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.

2.Put the flour in a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade. Mix the 1 cup cool water with the olive oil and salt. With the motor running, pour the olive oil mixture and the yeast slowly in through the feed tube. Process until the dough forms a ball that rides around on the blade.

3.Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down the dough and knead it on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll them into tight balls. Place on a tray, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator before use.

4.Roll or stretch each ball of dough into a 7-to-8-inch circle. Place the circles, one at a time, on a wooden peel or on a baking sheet and build the pizza as desired.

My notes:

- If you're not going to use right away, after the dough has rested for several hours rub with a very small amount of olive oil and place individual dough portions in a plastic bag (for each) for next day (or more) use.

For Flatbread:
- After doing the step above, cut one dough portion into four equal pieces.
- Roll a ball with each piece..
- On clean and floured surface, flatten ball with your hand and roll out with rolling pin until it's about 6 inches in diameter. It should look like a small tortilla and be pretty thin.
- With a paper towel, rub olive oil on the bottom of a heavy bottom skillet (cast iron works best) and heat to very hot. You'll know when it's ready if a drop of water "dances" when dropped in the pan.
- When very hot, place the rolled out dough (one at a time) in the center of the pan and just when it barely starts to bubble, flip it over and do the same. It will start bubbling more, this is good.
- I kept turning in a circular pattern for even browning.
- It takes less than two minutes to cook them, and they should have dark little spots on them.

Serving suggestion: This bread is great for almost anything. It's great with dips like Hummus or here's my recipe for Baba Ganoush that would also be great with this bread...or with curry dishes, or with anything!

Enjoy!