Simple Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Phil the Groundhog gave me false hope and Mother Nature is such a tease.  We had a couple GORGEOUS days recently.  It got up to 60 degrees and was sunshine all around.  You could literally feel the energy coursing through your veins.  But then as quickly as it came, it was ripped away.  We were plunged back into dreary grey skies and biting cold days.

Thank goodness for this simple soup.  Not only does it warm your body physically but *chicken soup*, it soothes your soul.  For those that want a comforting, steamy bowl to warm up to and/or are feeling a bit under the weather right now (as it seems the flu is still in full swing), this is the perfect remedy.  In no time at all you'll be slurping away.

Want to make it a bit healthier?  Omit the cream.  I personally thought it tasted better without it as its presence mutes the flavors, too.

One Year Ago: Pretzel Chicken Tenders

Simple Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Printer-Friendly Version

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 4-6 medium-sized carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium-sized potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 cup frozen or canned corn
• 6 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half (optional...though, if you're omitting it then it's not creamy, now is it?)
• handful chopped parsley

Directions

1. Put chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and seasonings in to a large stockpot and then add enough water to cover the chicken breasts and vegetables.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 20-30 minutes. 
2. Remove chicken breasts and set aside on a plate or cutting board.  When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite size pieces using forks or your hands.  Skim the liquid of any fats and debris.
3. Stir in the chicken, potatoes and corn. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes. Check for seasoning then if desired, add in the heavy cream and chopped parsley.

Source: Very slightly modified from Sing for Your Supper 

Peanut Butter Crisscross Cookies

As I was putting the signature crisscross hatchmarks on these cookies with a fork Chris tells me they look JUST LIKE his Grandma's.  I proceed to tell him that this is how ALL peanut butter cookies look.  He asks why and I tell him I suppose it's for people who are allergic like my brother to know they should watchout because they're peanut butter and not a sugar cookie or similar looking goodie.

There's something about making those crisscross fork imprints that I also just find very relaxing.  It's like an artist putting their finishing touches on a masterpiece.  Yeah...I guess I'm kind of weird like that.  I really can't tell you why it's taken me so long to make this very traditional cookie.  It's always been a favorite and it's not difficult so it was an easy decision for me to add it to my 23 Things in 2011 List.  This one in particular was bursting with peanutty flavor, lightly crunch on the outside and oh-so-soft-and-chewy on the inside.  Perfect!

For this recipe I turned to the experts at Cook's Illustrated The New Best Recipe.  The recipe article, as with all of the recipes in the book, go through a very thorough process talking about why each ingredient was selected versus other options you might find in alternate recipes.  For example, they determined that butter accentuates the peanut flavor while margarine and Crisco diminish it.  In terms of the peanut butter itself, the chunky style lends the best peanut flavor and they advise against using natural peanut butter because it makes the cookies sandy.  Of course the preferred brand itself is Jif...because everyone knows Choosy Moms Choose Jif!  To further boost the peanut flavor, they add ground up peanuts.  Last but not least, for the sugar, the brown sugar alone is too sweet but does lend a nutty taste to the cookie so that's how they arrived at a blend of white and brown sugars.  Genius.

In one recipe (but not this one) I remember reading that they did a comparison of the recipe using natural vs. artificial vanilla.  You'd think that the natural would be better tasting (especially given the price difference!) but in reality they found no detectable difference or even slight preference for the artificial version.  Nice!  Now I don't have to feel guilty about buying the Kroger Value brand of Vanilla :P.

Call me a nerd but I have to say that I enjoy reading the science behind each recipe.  What can I say, I'm an engineer by training so this is right up my ally.  I think it helps educate a budding chef and in the future would help you to create original recipes, too.  If you don't already have it, I really do recommend this cookbook.  What it lacks in beautiful pictures (my only complaint) it makes up for in quality content and educational value.  There are 1000 recipes in it and the tutorials (such as how to make a lattice pie, how to make homemade pasta, etc.) are fantastic!

One Year Ago: Pizza Bites and Spicy Sausage Dip

Peanut Butter Cookies

Yields: About 36 cookies 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened by still cool
• 1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, ground in a food processor to resemble bread crumbs (about 14 pulses)

Directions

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone baking mat, or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy.  Add the sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer, stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary.  Beat in the peanut butter until fully incorporated, then the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.  Gently stir the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture.  Add the ground peanuts and stir gently until just incorporated.
4. Working with a generous 2 Tablespoon each time, roll the dough into 2-inch balls.  Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.  To make a crisscross design, dip a dinner fork into a small bowl of cold water and then press the fork into the dough ball.  Rotate the fork 90 degrees and press it into the dough ball a second time.
5. Bake until the cookies are puffed and slightly browned around the edges but not on top, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time.  (The cookies will not look fully baked.)  Cool the cookies on the baking sheet until set, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack with a wide metal spatula to cool completely.

Source: The New Best Recipe from the Editor's of Cook's Illustrated, p. 781

Candied Orange and Walnut Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Look at all the beautiful colors and textures in this salad!

Do you see how the candied oranges glisten like stained glass?

And the candied walnuts?  Crunchy, tantalizingly spicy and sweet and to die for.  If you're not into spicy, watch out and suggest you reduce the level of peppers used or omit it all together.  Personally I loved the surprise little kick to these crazy nuts :).

You may be asking yourself right now what's up with all of the candied stuff.  Well, for our recent Dinner Club our hosts Sig and Kristen chose the theme of candy.  Sweet, sweet sugary candy.  Wanting to be up for a challenge, I chose to bring something from the salad/vegetable category.

Yes, this certainly stretched our culinary imaginations to the fullest.  Emily and Scott chose to serve GUMMY BEAR kiwi wontons with blackberry dipping sauce as our starter.  Surprisingly this was quite delicious and if I wasn't told there were gummy bears inside I don't think I would have known any better.  We joked that they were filled with Gummiberry Juice as the sugar started coursing through our veins and we got a bit bouncy from the extra energy.  But we were just getting started because then came my salad, Kemani and Toni's delightful homemade raviolis filled with cocoa encrusted pork and topped with a white chocolate alfredo sauce, Kristen and Sig's peanut butter cup chicken and lemonhead chicken along with caramel, oreo cookie, and chocolate filled croissants, and lastly, Jackie and Jeff's peanut butter cup cupcakes and lemon pop rock cupcakes.

Caramel croissant, gummy bear kiwi wontons, homemade ravioli with white chocolate alfredo sauce, and peanut butter cup cupcakes.  Photo credit: Emily H.

The sugar rush that followed?  OH. MY. GOD.  Let's just say it's a good thing our hosts had very fun Minute to Win It games to help us expend all of our energy before we subsequently crashed.

Minute to Win It games to burn off all of dinner's sugar: Candy Land Card Flip, Bolt Stacking, Football Roll, and Licorice jump roping.  Photo credit: Emily H.

This salad not only looked beautiful but it tasted really good too.  Kemani said that it was just like the salad at  Dewey's.  Wow what a complement!  I was very pleased with how it turned out and I know I'll be making the candied nuts again for snacking.  The oranges tasted just like those fruit slices so Chris really enjoyed them (it's his favorite flavor).  Though, you can also candy other citrus like lemons and grapefruits, if you prefer.  And then the dressing?  Delicious.  Will make again, too.

So serve up this sweet salad for your sweetie on Valentine's Day.  You'll thank me later :).

Looking for more Valentine's Day Ideas? It seems that the clear favorite on my site are these Heart-shaped Red Velvet Whoopie Pies but the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles will be the way to a chocolate lover's heart.  But if you want a full meal, try this Linguine with Clam Sauce.  Not only is it delicious but it's simple and I hear that clams are an aphrodisiac.  Ooh la la!

Candied Orange and Walnut Salad with Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette
Printer-Friendly Version

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Yields: 2 entree-sized or 4 starter-sized salads

Ingredients

• 2 large handfuls of baby salad greens
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 candied spiced walnuts (recipe to follow)
• candied oranges (recipe to follow)
• orange balsamic vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

For the candied spiced walnuts 

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon chipotle, ancho, or cayenne chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 heaping cup walnuts (or can use pecans)

For the candied oranges

• 2 organic oranges, washed (can also use lemons or grapefruit)
• Water for boiling
• Ice water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water

For the orange balsamic vinaigrette

• 1/4 small sweet onion such as Vidalia
• Zest of 1 large orange (preferably organic)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 Tablespoon orange marmalade or undiluted frozen orange juice
• 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 12 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

1. Allow at least 24 hours to make the candied oranges since they need ample drying time.  To make the candied oranges, cut the oranges into thin slices (not too thin or else they tear apart too easily) removing the ends and any seeds. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and blanch the orange slices for about a minute. Drain the orange slices and plunge them into a bath of ice water. Drain. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the orange slices. Let simmer (don’t boil) for an hour (you can simmer as much as 2 hours). Remove slices from hot sugar syrup and set on a cooling rack over a baking sheet to dry. Take up to 24 hours to dry.
2. To make the vinaigrette, in a blender or food processor, puree the onion, orange zest, garlic, and orange marmalade.  Add the vinegar, olive oil, and salt then blend to emulsify.  Taste and balance sweetness (add a pinch of sugar, the syrup from the candied orange slices, or more marmalade), acidity (add a few more drops of vinegar), and salt.  Pour vinaigrette into a squeeze bottle.  Cap and refrigerate.  Can be made a day ahead.
3. To make the candied walnuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium-sized bowl, mix together sugar, chili powder, and salt.  Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Add nuts and boil for 3 minutes (if using pecans, boil only for 15 seconds).  Drain the nuts well then shake in bag of sugar mixture until thoroughly coated.  The sugar will melt slightly.  Transfer the nuts to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.  Bake until they are a deep golden brown, turning halfway through baking, about 15 minutes. Watch closely because the sugar burns easily.  Cool completely and then store in a air-tight container until ready to use.
4. When ready to serve, in a large mixing bowl, toss salad greens and 1/2 to 3/4 of the dried cranberries, feta cheese, and walnuts with enough of the vinaigrette to coat each leaf.  You will likely have vinaigrette leftover for a couple more salads later.
5. Arrange the dressed salad in the middle of the salad plate.  Finish the salads by garnishing with remaining dried cranberries, feta cheese, walnuts, and candied orange slices.

Source: A Christine's Kitchen Chronicles original with inspiration from many sources.  Candied walnuts, salad dressing, and salad concept adapted from Luna Cafe.  Candied orange slices slightly modified from Use Real Butter as originally adapted from Martha Stewart and Culinary School of the Rockies.