Potato Leek Soup FOR THE WIN!

Richard and I had Christmas early. It was one of those "When I grow up I'm going to have ice cream for dinner" moments. One of my stocking stuffers was knitting needles.

Those of you that know me are starting to understand why this week's post is late. I have been knitting away the hours all weekend. But I did stop long enough to make some potato leek soup. Friends....this is where you have to really pay attention....leeks are divine. Not "Oh, how yummy" divine. Like, fall to your knees and pray divine.

They look beautiful in the pan, they are naturally extremely flavorful and they are so easy to prepare. SO EASY!

If you don't know, leeks are related to onions and garlic. I love both of those things! I'm going to go ahead and apologize for the terrible photos. It was dark. I was hungry. And maybe a little tipsy. Definitely tipsy. But this recipe was easy enough to navigate after a few drinks. And it is relatively light. No heavy cream! Enjoy!

Potato Leek Soup

 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
4 cups chopped leeks
3 large scallions, chopped
3 yukon gold potatoes, diced
3 cups chicken broth
greek yogurt and scallions for garnish

In a large saute pan, melt butter and saute leeks and scallions until leeks are wilted. Do not brown them.

Add potatoes and stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a boil. Don't use crappy broth here, kids. Go for the good stuff. It makes all the difference.

Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Transfer 1/3 of soup to blender and blend for 3-5 seconds. Pour into a pot and repeat with another 1/3 of the soup. Pour the remaining 1/3 of soup into the blended soup and mix well. Gently reheat and serve with a garnish of greek yogurt or sour cream and scallions.

That's it! Easy, fast and SO good. Enjoy!

 

 



Goat cheese goes with everything!



This week I had a serious craving for goat cheese. I think I tried putting it in everything. And everything was delicious! Goat cheese and honey on toast? Yes please! Goat cheese omelet? Oooooh yeah! It is one of the world's most perfect foods.

 

On a side note, I very gently forced Richard to try beets this week. It didn't go well for the beets. More beets for me!

 

In an ode to this creamy, smooth creation, today's recipe is asparagus and goat cheese stuffed chicken.

 

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

 

Ingredients

 

2 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin

2 tbsps goat cheese

10 asparagus spears

1/4 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

 

1. Spread goat cheese across inside of chicken.

2. Lay 5 asparagus spears across the spreaded goat cheese.

3. Roll breast so both ends overlap.

4. Stick wooden toothpicks along the seam of the chicken.

5. Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut the toothpicks to fit. (Don't forget to remove these before serving!)

6. Combine all spices and sprinkle over all sides of rolled up chicken.

7. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a very hot skillet.

8. Sear chicken, seam down, for 3-5 minutes.

9. Turn chicken and cook another 3-5 minutes. Sear on all 4 sides.

10. Let chicken rest for 3-5 minutes.

11. Cut in half and serve.



We're back!

It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since our last post. Between two milestone birthdays, a graduate school graduation, our wedding and a long honeymoon, the break was just what we needed to recharge our batteries.

And now we are excited to be back in a very big way. Check out these new additions to the site:

What's Good Now? Learn what produce is in season right now and how to use it.

Meatless Menu - Our five day menu offers completely meatless meals and a new downloadable shopping list.

5 Ingredient Meals - Sometimes you just can't be bothered to put too many things together. Every week we'll provide 2 recipes that require only 5 ingredients.

Kid's Kitchen - Getting your children involved in the kitchen is a great way to spark interest in new and exciting foods. Every week we'll provide a hands-on experiment for you to explore.

DIY Kitchen Decor - We'll share what is inspiring us now. From repurposing unexpected items to creative combinations.

New feature! All recipes will now offer a downloadable shopping list.

And with that, we get right to our newest recipe. Living in NYC, we have the wonderful opportunity to experience new foods in the heart of a cultural melting pot. Kimchi tacos have become the hot new food truck item and we could not resist the urge to try our hands at it.

Kimchi is a delicious concoction of pickled cabbages in Asian spices. It is extremely hard to make and I don't have that kind of patience. And after our first go at it, Richard decided he preferred the mixture on rice and I preferred it on a tortilla. So try it however you like! :)

Kimchi Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

16 ounces kimchi, chopped

4 tortillas (optional)

2 cups shredded cabbage

1/4 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cloves of garlic, minced

For Slaw:

1 tsp lime juice

3/4 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp mayonnaise

pinch of granulated sugar

1. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Allow chicken to marinate in this sauce for at least 2 hours.

2. Saute chicken until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Once cooled, use your hands to pull the chicken into shreds.

4. In a saucepan, heat kimchi. Drain and reserve juices.

5. Combine kimchi and chicken and cover to keep warm.

6. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, lettuce, lime juice, soy sauce, mayonnaise and granulated sugar. Coat well.

7. Serve chicken and slaw over rice or in a warm tortilla and spoon kimchi juice over the top.

Shopping list for this recipe





Crispy Rice Waffles

This recipe was created out of a desire to make a light, wheat-free breakfast. These crispy treats are so light that you certainly won't be stuck with that bloated, food coma feeling after enjoying them.

Rice flour is surprisingly easy to find, but it isn't cheap. At about $4.50 for 4 cups worth of flour, it isn't likely that most people will toss out their wheat flour and stock up on rice flour. But it is a handy item to have in the kitchen and has become my go-to for breakfast breads. Rice flour has a natural hint of sweetness to it and it's powdery fine texture is divine.

Waffle irons are a fantastic kitchen utensil and everyone should have one. They don't have to be expensive and honestly, most fancy waffle irons are no better than a $20 generic one.

Crispy Rice Waffles



Ingredients

1 cup rice flour

1 large egg

1 cup rice milk or regular milk

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 cup blueberries (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until just combined. Let rest for 3-5 minutes. 

Lightly grease waffle iron with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Heat waffle iron. Use a ladle or measuring cup to pour batter into waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve warm with syrup.

Turkey Pot Pie

Thanksgiving is over and the leftovers abound! You can only eat so many Thanksgiving sandwiches! Why not throw some of that turkey into a delicious and flaky turkey pot pie?

Savory pies were very popular in Colonial America and have remained so ever since. Flour was a precious commodity in Colonial America and pie doughs use less flour than bread. And pie was a great way to stretch what might be considered a meager amount of ingredients to feed more mouths.

If you've finished off your Thanksgiving turkey already, then make it a chicken pot pie! Now that the chill of Winter is upon us, indulge yourself with this warm comfort food.

Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

4-5 tbsp ice water

Filling:

2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans)

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt. Cut in 2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp butter using two knives or a mixer. Mix until the butter is incorporated in pea-size crumbles. Add water one tablespoon of water at a time, mixing between each until the crust is slightly sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

In a large pan, melt butter and bring to a light bubble. Add onion and saute for about 1 minute. Add flour and combine well.

When the flour and butter mixture begins to bubble a little, add chicken stock a little at a time and make sure to mix thoroughly between additions.

Add salt and pepper.

Simmer until thickened. Add remaining ingredients and set aside.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut dough in half.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough very slightly. Then fold it in half and roll it out a little again. Repeat this four or five times. Then roll the dough out completely and place it in a 9" deep dish pie pan. Repeat the folding and rolling process with the other half of the dough.

Pour filling into pie crust and top with the other half of the rolled dough. Trim edges and fold under. Pinch the edges to seal the dough. Brush the top with an egg wash for a shiny crust.

Egg wash should be one beaten egg and about 2 tbsps of cool water.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving so that filling has time to set up.