Are You Ready for some Football?

Hello readers! As many of you know, it is now less than a week until the Superbowl, which this year will feature an epic match-up of the hard-hitting Pittsburgh Steelers against the Aaron-Rodgers-offense-machine Green Bay Packers. Personally, I'm rooting for the Packers, mostly because I'm a big Rodgers fan, but also because I really dislike Pittsburgh sports. (CROSBY!!!!)

Now, I don't know how it works in your house, but in mine, the Superbowl is usually a day of packaged frozen junk food (followed by a day of gastrointestinal regret on Monday). This year, I decided it would be different! So, for the next week, I will share with you all some of my favorite football foods.

Some will be slightly healthy (but still taste good). Others will not. At least one will have copious amounts of cheese (a nod to Green Bay's Cheeseheads, natch).

I will be having some people over for the big game, so hopefully this will whet their appetites, and inspire you all to skip the frozen foods aisle this Superbowl Sunday, and instead make fresh, homemade food for your gridiron gang!

Oh, and a little side note for all you sports enthusiasts: Check out my brother's blog: JFlanland.blogspot.com, for news and analysis of all things sporty.

Ultimate Comfort Food: Homemade Mac & Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Not that crap from a box... the real kind. I don't care if you call it "cheese and macaroni", if it involved powdered yellow crap, it isn't mac & cheese.

It has been snowy and gross outside here this week, and this recipe never fails to warm the body and the soul.

Here's my fairly easy recipe!

• 1 lb Elbow macaroni
• 1 lb Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 3/4 cup Flour
• 1 quart milk (I use 2% for cooking)
  
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp + 1tsp garlic powder, separated
  
• 1 Tbsp + 1tsp black pepper, separated
  
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13" x 9" pan (I use cooking spray).
2. Cook elbow macaroni according to box directions. Drain and let stand.
3. In heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in flour, cayenne pepper, 1Tbsp garlic powder, and 1Tbsp black pepper. You have now made a roux. Continue to stir your roux over the heat for 2-3 minutes to cook off the floury taste.
4. Whisk in the milk, eliminating all the clumps of roux. Bring almost to a boil. The sauce should thicken. This is called a bechemel sauce (aka milk sauce). Add nutmeg and stir.
   
5. Switch to a wooden spoon. Working in small handfuls, stir in the cheddar cheese. Do not add more until the last handful has melted completely. Repeat. Reserve approx. 1 cup shredded cheddar for the top.
6. Combine pasta and sauce and stir.
7. Pour into prepared 13" x 9" baking pan. Using the back of your spoon, smooth out the surface. Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese evenly across the top.
8. Combine panko bread crumbs, salt, and remaining black pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle evenly over the top.
9. Cook, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
   

Frozen Mocha Cheesecake: Complete and Utter Sin

A dear friend and former colleague is having his 26th birthday tomorrow. Since I will be unable to attend the festivities, I asked if there was something I could bake him to celebrate.

His answer: CHEESECAKE!

My witty retort: Thanks, Blanche.

But seriously... I've never baked a cheesecake. Emphasis on baked. They scare me. They crack. And water baths? Oy!

This particular cheesecake, however, has been my absolute favorite dessert for most of my life. It is sinfully rich and delicious, just enough chocolate blended with the flavor of coffee...

If I could bathe in a dessert, it would be this one.

That bath, however, would be really frickin' cold. Because this cheesecake is not baked, it is frozen... Which is why the pictures of this cheesecake will be added later, because it is currently in the freezer solidifying. Make sure to give yourself at least six hours (over night is even better) for the cheesecake to come together.

• 1 1/4 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (approx. 24 cookies)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
  
• 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
• 2/3 cup chocolate syrup (I use Hershey's, from the can, not the squeeze bottle)
• 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
• 1 tsp hot water
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. In small bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and melted butter or margarine. In buttered 9" springform pan, pat crumbs firmly on bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill.
2. Whip whipping cream on high until medium peaks are achieved. Set aside.
   
3. In lagre mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate syrup and mix to combine.
4. Dissolve instant coffee in hot water. Add to mixer and mix to combine.
5. Fold in whipped cream until just combined. Pour into prepared pan.
6. Freeze for at least six hours or until firm.
   

Holy Guacamole!

Guacamole. Is there a more perfect marriage of fruit, vegetable, and corn chip? I think not.

And yes, I said fruit. Avocados are fruits, just like olives.

The Haas avocado is a wonder to behold. Their good fats lower your bad cholesterol, they can handle savory or sweet applications, and you can substitute them for fats in some recipes.

But, in my opinion, they are used to perfection in their (probably) most popular application, guacamole.

Now, I like my guacamole chunky, but the chunks are gained primarily from onions and peppers. The avocados should be fairly smooth, but not pureed.

• 4 ripe Haas avocados, flesh removed from skin and seed discarded
  
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• scant 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin

1. Place avocado flesh in bowl. Using either a pastry cutter or a fork, work the the avocado until it is a fairly smooth paste. Add lemon juice and mix until smooth.
2. Stir in onion and bell pepper. Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Mix to combine. If taste is off, adjust accordingly.
3. Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or on Mexican fare.

**To store left-over guacamole, refrigerate, covered, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to minimize oxidation.**

Orange Blossom Punch

This recipe is a family staple. We serve it every Christmas, when we have our big family Christmas party (33 years running), which brings upwards of 200 people to our home for homemade food, drink, and holiday cheer.

Traditionally, my father made this punch (and refilled the punch bowl many times during the party). Since he passed away this past October, the title of Punch Master fell to me, a duty I will cherish through many more Christmas parties.

• 2 - 750mL bottles of inexpensive champagne (we usually use Cooks Brut brand)
• 2 - 12oz cans of frozen orange juice concentrate
• 12oz Orange Curacao liqueur
  
• Water
• Ice

1. Let orange concentrate thaw slightly. Mix concentrate with 24oz (2 cans) of water in punch bowl. Try to dissolve any clumps now, as it will become difficult to do after adding the other ingredients.
2. Add liqueur and stir.
3. Carefully uncork champagne. Pour in slowly, trying to minimize the fizz. Stir.
   
4. Add ice. Serve to holiday revelers.
   

A Few Quick Tips for Healthy Eating

Hello readers! So, I figured, since everyone is still fresh on their New Years' Resolutions, that I'd give a few helpful pointers for healthier eating.

Now, some of you may be saying "Billy, who are you to talk?" Well, let this be a "do as I say, and as I am doing, not as I did" situation. Everyone, from the fittest athletes to the most gluttonous slobs, can learn to cook healthfully.

And speaking of fit athletes and healthful cooking, Beijing Olympic double gold medalist swimmer (in freestyle) Garrett Weber-Gale is a self-proclaimed foodie, and, being an elite athlete, is also concerned with what he eats. In addition to that, however, Garrett has high blood pressure, and finds ways to make amazing food while being mindful of health concerns. You can read his blog at www.athleticfoodie.com (you can also use the link on the right side of this page).

Garrett has high blood pressure to deal with. In my family, we have HBP, but also diabetes, as well as some very picky eaters! The point is, we can all eat healthier, and it doesn't have to be hard!

OK now, on to the simple, easy steps!

• Use cooking spray, or put olive or vegetable oils into spray bottles, instead of pouring oil over food to coat.
• Try using sea salt instead of table or kosher salt. Sea salt is lower in sodium (and higher in potassium) than table salt.
• Instead of using butter and flour to thicken sauces, try pureeing steamed vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, and parsnips all work well) and using those to thicken! They add an extra layer of flavor, as well.
• Add (more) veggies to everything! When making mashed potatoes, add cauliflower or parsnips to the mix. Beef stew? You can do more than just carrots, onions, and celery! Try beans, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and peas! Making a fresh fruit smoothie? Try using 100% carrot juice instead of your usual liquid.
• Desperately seeking dessert? Instead of running for chocolate- and cream-based desserts or baked goods, why not try fresh fruit drizzled with a little melted chocolate? Strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, dried apricots, dried mango, and prunes are all great with a little chocolate. Or leave the chocolate behind all together, and achieve that savory taste by grilling some halved peaches or plums and drizzling with balsamic vinegar!
• Instead of frying or sauteing, try the three best healthy cooking methods: steaming, roasting, and grilling! Steaming quickly cooks veggies while retaining their vitamins, while the dry heat of roasting and grilling impart delicious flavor to whatever you're cooking without adding any fat!

And last, but certainly not least:

• Whenever you can, make your own food. That way, you know exactly what you are putting into your body. Also, cooking is fun!
  

Sundried Tomato Pesto Palmieres (Elephant Ears)

I was in the mood to cook a tasty morsel today... Something that tastes like it took forever, but didn't. These fit the bill perfectly.

• 1 Sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 4 oz Sun-dried tomatoes, with their oil
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup Pignoli (pine) nuts, lightly toasted
• Olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Roll thawed puff pastry on floured surface until it is an even thickness, and approximately 18" long and 10" wide.
2. In food processor, combine tomatoes (and their oil), cheese, nuts, and garlic powder. Pulse to chop.
3. With the food processor running, drizzle in olive oil until a thick, uniform paste is achieved.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Spread into an even and thin layer on the puff pastry.
6. Fold long edges to middle, so that you have an 18" long, double layer of puff pastry stuffed with your pesto, with an open seam running lengthwise down the center. A cross-section should look like a used staple.
7. Fold in half once more, creating an 18" long, 4-layer tube. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm up.
8. Remove plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, make 1/4" slices and place on lightly greased baking sheet (parchment paper would also work).
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy. Remove from sheet immediately. Enjoy warm, or let cool on cooling rack and store in air-tight container.
   

Braised Leg of Lamb

Being that it is currently snowing outside, I figured I'd post something perfect for a snowy day: something that cooks for a long time (oven on = heated kitchen!), but doesn't require a lot of effort.

I served this dish for the first time this Christmas Eve, and it comfortably served six. However, since my dutch oven would not hold a full leg of lamb, I purchased two half legs, which had been partially boned. The recipe will work for a full leg, and I would recommend not using a fully boned piece of meat, as the meat is so tender that boned lamb will probably fall apart when you try to move it to a platter for service. Do note that cooking time will vary, depending on how much meat you have, and how thick it is.

Also, when choosing a pot, make sure that the meat fits in comfortably, but without too much extra space, or else you'll be reducing your cooking liquid for hours.

• 1 bone-in leg of lamb, approx. 5 lbs, or two half-legs, approx. 2.5 lbs each
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 onions, frenched
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 large carrots, chopped, or 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  
• Beef stock (amount will depend on size of meat and size of pot)
• Chicken stock (amount will depend on size of meat and size of pot)
• Red wine (amount will depend on size of meat and size of pot)
• 1/4 cup chopped rosemary, leaves only
• 15 stems thyme
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pat meat dry with paper towel, and let it come to room temperature.
2. Place oven-safe covered pot (I use an enameled cast-iron Dutch Oven from Le Creuset, but places like World Market have versions available for around $50.00) on the stove top. Add butter and olive oil, and turn stove top to medium heat.
3. Salt and pepper the outside of your lamb. Once the butter and oil have melted and begun to bubble, place your lamb in the pot and brown on all sides, turning to make sure all sides get browned and caramelized. Note: This is not to cook the lamb through, just to brown the outside.
4. Once browned, remove lamb from pot and place under foil to rest. Add onions, carrots, and celery to pot and saute to soften, 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute and additional 2 minutes.
5. Add approx. 2 cups of red wine to pot and stir to deglaze. Add tomato paste and stir to dissolve. Add rosemary and thyme.
6. Remove pot from heat. Place lamb in pot, sitting on the vegetables. Add equal parts red wine, beef stock, and chicken stock until lamb is almost completely submerged.
7. Cover with tight-fitting lid and place the pot in the oven. Cook, covered, for 2.5-3 hours, or until the lamb pulls apart easily.
8. Using tongs, remove lamb and place on service platter. Tent with foil. Remove as many of the vegetables as possible with a slotted spoon. Vegetables can either be discarded or served, depending on your taste. Remove thyme stems.
9. Place pot back on stove top, and turn heat to high. Reduce braising liquid by half. Pour over lamb. Serve hot and enjoy.
   

Perfect Roast Salmon with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

Piggybacking on my previous entry, salmon is one of the few "super food" meats, due to its high concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to reduce cancer risks and prevent heart disease (amongst other things) by reducing free radicals. But enough tech talk, lets get to the food.

I love salmon. However, I do not love raw fish, as so many do, so serving salmon medium-rare, as is the fashion now, is not my idea of fun. If it is your idea of fun, reduce the cook time.

Seasoned simply, this recipe really lets the flavor of the fish though. Also, I cook this on a 2-piece roasting pan, which allows the fat to drip off the salmon during cooking. I find that lining the bottom layer of my roasting pan in tinfoil greatly speeds up clean-up!

For Salmon:

• 4- 1/2 lb salmon fillets, skin on (try for thicker cuts of salmon; avoid tail-end cuts)
  
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
  
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dry dill
• Garlic Powder
• Nonstick spray
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
   
2. Pat salmon dry. Spray roasting pan with nonstick spray. Place salmon skin-side-down on roasting pan.
3. Brush olive oil onto eat fillet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dill.
4. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place oven rack near the top, and preheat the broiler. Once preheated, broil for 2 minutes, to crisp up the top. Remove from oven.

For Sauce:

• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream (low fat or nonfat is okay)
  
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
  
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 tsp dill
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  

1. Combine yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, and dill. Stir in cucumber. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate (covered) until serving.
   

Possibly the Healthiest Soup... EVER

OK folks, sorry for the delay. Here, at long last, is the final entry of Soup Week!

So often, one reads about "super foods", those foods that are so frickin' good for you that you must eat them, or risk instant death. Now, much of this has been overblown by the media, as a balanced diet rich in veggies and fruit is key to healthy living, but there are some foods the impart particularly high amounts of necessary vitamins, minerals, and whole grainy, fiber-y goodness.

In this soup, I combine some of these. Now, obviously, I'm not going to make a savory soup out of the much-lauded acai berry, or the pomegranate, or dark chocolate. But I do try to hit some of the major players in the savory super-food category.

• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sweet potato, cubed to 1/2"
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced (approx. 3 cloves)
  
• 2 cups uncooked quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)
  
• 1 cup dry black or green lentils
• 1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, or 1 bag baby spinach (frozen is cheaper and nutritionally the same)
  
• 1 crown fresh broccoli, large stems discarded, and chopped into small, bite-sized chunks
• 1 cup red wine
  
• ~10 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Nonstick cooking spray
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Spray the inside of a heavy pot (I use a dutch oven), and heat over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and a pinch of salt, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Once they've softened, add sweet potato, garlic, and broccoli, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
2. Add red wine and allow to boil for 2 minutes to remove alcohol.
3. Add lentils, quinoa, spinach, and cannellini beans. Add broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the lentils and quinoa are both soft.
4. Stir in parsley, add salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve with crusty bread (not a "super food", but good for the soul).

If you want to get even tastier (but a touch less healthy), grate Parmesan cheese into the soup before serving. The nutty quality of the cheese accents the soup delightfully!

Lies!

Actually, I've been called away to a secret meeting of soup connoisseurs in Connecticut this weekend. Sadly, I shall not have internet access (for I will be too busy eating soup... or something); thus, the final Soup Week post will appear on Sunday evening, along with make-up posts for Saturday and Sunday. No more soup, I promise.

Not for a while.

Like, at least a week.

A little late...

The last edition of Soup Week will not be appearing until later tonight, because I had other engagements that I had to attend to... Talk amongst yourselves in my absence. I'll give you a topic: Panna cotta is neither a pan nor a cot. Discuss.

Also, mull over the proper pronunciation of the following food words: caramel, ricotta, water.

A (Sadly Inferior) French Onion Soup

One of the most memorable culinary experiences of my life happened in the summer of 2005. I was spending 2 weeks going around Western Europe by myself, just me, my duffel bag, and a EURail pass.

Anyway, I was in Paris, and the weather was gorgeous. Like, for serious, gorgeous. I was walking around Montmartre one gorgeous day, and felt a touch peckish. I sat down at a cute little cafe outside, looked at the menu, and ordered onion soup.

Now, let me preface this by saying that I love french onion soup, and I order it all the time. And I've had some pretty darn good ones.

But Oh. Mah. Jeebus.

This soup was astoundingly good. So good, I'm pretty sure my eyes crossed for a bit. It was perfect: salty, sweet, savory, a hint of acid... OY!

Anyway, french onion soup has been spoiled for me ever since. But I've come to realize that, though I can never equal the culinary bliss that was the first spoonful of that soup, I can still enjoy other, albeit inferior, versions. Here is my best effort:

• 5 lbs sweet onions, frenched (For instructions on how to french an onion, visit this website!)
  
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup white wine
• 9 cups stock, either chicken, beef, or a combination of both
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For serving:

• Oven-safe single-serving crocks or ramekins
  
• Grated Gruyere cheese
• large croutons

1. Place olive oil in heat pot (like a dutch oven). Add onions and garlic, and cookover very low heat until the onions practically dissolve. This will take a long time (can be upwards of an hour).
2. Once onions and garlic are super soft, add butter and flour and stir to make a roux. Once the flour is absorbed, cook for 3-4 minutes, to remove raw flour flavor.
3. Pour in wine and add thyme. Increase heat to medium, bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
4. Add stock, stirring to make sure stock combines with onions. Remove twigs from thyme, leaving the leaves in the soup. Bring to a boil, and season to taste.
   

To serve:

1. Preheat your oven's broiler and place the rack in your oven in the highest position it can be in and still fit the crocks.
2. Place however many crocks you will be using on a baking sheet. Fill each crock 1/3 full with croutons.
3. Ladle hot soup into crocks over croutons. Top with a lot of grated cheese. Do not neglect the edges.
4. Place baking sheet with crocks under the broiler. Watch closely. Let the cheese melt and get bubbly, but keep a close eye, and don't let the cheese burn.
5. Remove carefully and eat immediately. It will be ridiculously hot. You have been warned.**

**billysopenkitchen.blogspot.com is not responsible for any burns that may occur from overzealous slurping of this soup. Please slurp responsibly.**

Thinking Outside the Box: Chicken Stock, From Scratch!

Confession: I want to be Ina Garten.

Ostentatious fake title... Gorgeous home in a playground for the rich and famous... Appreciative husband named Geoffrey coming home to delight in my culinary ministrations every evening...

I could be the Grand Duke of Flip Flops.

I watch her show on the Food Network and drool. I read her cook books and drool. I make her recipes and drool.

Perhaps I have a drooling problem.

Nope, I don't. It is just Ina. Everything is that good.

And she always has quarts and quarts of home-made chicken stock on hand. Its thick and gelatinous out of the fridge, and gets all hot and bubbly when heated. Oh, what a life!

But wait... I am not the Grand Duke of Flip Flops. I do not live in a gorgeous home in the Hamptons. I don't have an appreciative husband named Geoffrey. At best, I have a surly brother named Jim.

And I don't have time to make stock, nor do I have the storage space to always have it around.

But sometimes... the urge to stock strikes, and I can't help myself.

Behold, the stockpot: Shining, shimmering, splendid...

So, when that urge strikes, here's how I do it.

• 1 large stock pot (mine is about 15 quarts)
• 3 roasting chickens (older than fryers; older chickens have more flavor)
• 3 stalks celery, halved to make 6 short pieces
• 2 large onions, halved
• 3 large carrots, halved (washed, not peeled)
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 head garlic, halved along the equator
• 15-20 sprigs thyme
• 10 sprigs rosemary
• 10 sage leaves

1. Put all ingredients into stockpot.
2. Fill with water, making sure to leave at least 3 inches between top of water and top of pot.
3. Place over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and apply lid.
4. Let simmer for 2 hours with lid in place. Remove lid, scrape any foam off the top, and let simmer, uncovered, for another 2 hours. Remove from heat.
5. Remove as many of the large solids as you can using tongs or a slotted spoon.
6. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh and into another pot. Note: You will be lifting and pouring a significant amount of very hot liquid. Be careful! Discard the solids (the chicken could be used for making chicken salad, if you like).
7. Let cool, portion into quart-sized containers, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
8. Wander around your Hamptons home. Have a gin and tonic. Call for Geoffrey.
   

Note: You will notice that I did not salt my stock. I prefer to salt the final application, not the stock.

The Best Chicken Soup

So, I learned almost everything I know about cooking from my mother. She is a fantastic cook. Brilliant, even.

However, when we're making chicken soup, the rest of the family wants me to make it.

This soup is fantastic, and it couldn't be easier. You can use whatever chicken you have around. If you have a whole chicken lying about, FANTASTIC! Pop that sucker in some broth and water and cook until it falls apart, then strain the bones out of the liquid and make your soup. Have no chicken around and want a shortcut? Buy a rotisserie chicken, "disassemble", and use that.

In my house, we usually have boneless, skinless chicken breasts. These are the culinary equivalent of linoleum flooring: functional. Not pretty, not drool-inducing... Functional. But they still work, because of all the other delicious little things that get thrown into this soup!

• 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized cubes
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cups carrots, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1 1/2 cups corn, either fresh or frozen
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach
• 1 large (28oz) can diced tomatos
• 3 Tbsp. dijon mustard
  
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 bottles amber beer (Sam Adams, Killians, or anything you like)
• 6 cups chicken broth or stock
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 Tbsp. thyme leaves
  
• 1 Tbsp. rosemary leaves
  
• 2 Tbsp. tumeric (yes really)
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  

1. Place olive oil, onions, carrots,and celery in a large soup or stock pot and saute until softened, ~5 minutes.
2. Add chicken and cook until chicken is at least partially cooked, ~5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, saute 1 minute.
4. Add thyme and rosemary.
   
5. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pot. Stir in mustard. Bring to a boil.
6. Once boiling, pour in 1 beer, chicken broth/stock, and tomatoes (including their juice).
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Drink the other beer, you've earned it.
8. Simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Add peas, corn, and spinach; return to a gentle boil.
10. Add tumeric. The soup should turn a pleasant yellow color. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
    

A Note Regarding Blenders and Safety

So, as you've noticed, I like blending my soups. By at least partially pureeing your soup, you get the thick, rich mouth-feel of a soup laden with cream and butter, without actually adding the cream and butter. This is great for your waistline, and especially good if you are, like me, lactose-intolerant.

I tend to use an immersion blender to puree my soups while they are still in the pot. This is a delightful gadget to have, and you can get a perfectly decent one for $25-30. That said, many people do not own an immersion blender. However, any fan of fruity drinks, milkshakes, or smoothies (or anyone who has registered for a bridal shower) has a traditional stand blender.

Here's where the safety note comes in... When blending hot liquids, you must be very careful! Don't fill your blender's vessel more than halfway at any time (i.e. blend in batches), and, when dealing with hot liquids, remove that little plastic thing in the center of your blender's lid and instead place a tea towel over it. This allows for the pressure created by steam to safely escape, as opposed to spraying you and anyone within 10 feet with boiling hot soup.

You do not want to spray your guests with soup. They won't want to come back, no matter how delicious the airborne soup may be.

Safe blending, all!


(Clip art was found on www.clipartguide.com)

Fresh Pea and Parsley Soup

It currently winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, and unless you are lucky enough to live in one of those post-card-worthy places where it is always warm and sunny, there probably isn't too much locally-grown fresh produce running about. Sure, there may be some wonky-looking rutabagas running around, hiding out in the root cellar, but as for fresh greens and the like? Yeah, they're being flown in on a plane from Chile.

Which is why, during these cold winter months, I stay cold to get many of my veggies. Really cold. Ice cold.

Yes folks, I'm talking about frozen vegetables. Vegetables flash-frozen at the peak of freshness (god bless marketing for giving me terms like flash-frozen... its so... photographic!)!

Now, you will never see a canned vegetable in my kitchen. Ever. I don't believe in them. But frozen? Sure! Many vegetables are perfectly good when frozen! Carrots, peppers, chopped spinach, peas... Oh peas... Perhaps the perfect frozen vegetable.

Which brings us to today's recipe. As I stated in yesterday's post, I recently served this Fresh Pea and Parsley soup alongside my Roasted Tomato and Pepper soup at Christmas for a festive first course. Now, let me tell you: Even though the tomato was amazing, and warm and rich and all those great things, the light, fresh taste of peas and parsley was a deliciously welcome respite from months of heavy holiday food (along with being full of vitamins, good for you, etc etc etc...).

• 2 lbs frozen peas
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  
• Water, for steaming
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Put an inch of water in the bottom of a medium-sized pot. Using a steamer basket (or other steaming mechanism), steam the peas until just cooked. DO NOT OVERCOOK! NO ONE LIKES BROWNISH PEAS! The peas should remain bright green.
2. Once steamed, shock peas in cold water to stop the cooking process.
3. Empty water from bottom of steaming pot. Place olive oil and onion in pot and saute until softened and translucent, between 3-5 minutes.
4. Add cooked peas and 2 cups stock to the onion pot. Begin to puree with immersion blender. Add stock, as needed, and continue to puree until almost smooth.
5. Add parsley and puree further until smooth. Heat through over low flame. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   

Roast Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Ah, tomato soup. When paired with grilled cheese, it may be the ultimate comfort food. However, unlike when I was eight, opening the condensed soup can and adding water just doesn't cut it anymore. (And, having just checked the can in the pantry, high fructose corn syrup does not a tasty soup make...)

This recipe contains no high fructose corn syrup (let the masses rejoice!), and contains no fat, either! Again, utilize our friend, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth!

I use cherry tomatoes, especially during non-tomato season, because they provide the best flavor concentration. If you are using any other type of tomato, squeeze the seeds and accompanying gook out, leaving just the flesh.

• 6 pints cherry tomatoes
• 3 large red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
• 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. (There is a large amount of veggies to be roasted, so you may have to go with two medium-sized baking sheets.)
2. Spread tomatoes evenly on baking sheet. Try to get them in a single layer. Add pepper slices, onion, and garlic cloves. Spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Salt lightly.
3. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until most of the tomatoes have burst and there is some color on the peppers and onion.
4. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
5. Place all vegetables in a medium-sized pot. Add ~2 cups of broth and begin to puree with immersion blender. Continue adding broth and pureeing until mostly smooth and thick.
6. Add basil chiffonade and mix. Reheat over low flame, stirring frequently.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste once heated.

**I most recently served this paired, in the same bowl, with tomorrow's soup, Fresh Pea and Parsley. With a bowl that's half red and half green, a white dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche in the center made for a perfect Christmas first course!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

The keys to this super-easy recipe are cooking spray (in the amounts used, it only adds a negligible amount of fat) and fat-free vegetable or chicken broth or stock, from a box, from the grocery store. While I do love homemade stocks, to assure that meat stocks are fat-free, ya gotta go with the box!

To puree this soup you can either use a traditional blender or an immersion blender, which my mother affectionately calls "the outboard motor". Both will work just fine, so whichever you've got will do!


Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

• 2 Large butternut squash, sliced from head-to-toe (lengthwise) and seeded
• 3 Granny Smith Apples (or other tart cooking apple), peeled, quartered, and seeded
• Fat-free vegetable or chicken stock or broth (whichever your taste prefers)
• 2 cloves garlic, skin removed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 pinch yellow curry powder (optional)
• 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
  
• Nonstick cooking spray, such as Pam
  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Place squash, cut-side up, on baking sheet, along with apples. Place garlic cloves in hollows of squash (from where you removed the seeds). This will help the garlic to roast evenly without burning.
3. Spray squash, apples, and garlic with nonstick spray. Lightly coat with salt and pepper.
   
4. Roast in oven until squash is fork-tender; anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the thickness of your squash. Remove and let cool until squash can be handled.
5. Using a large spoon, scoop the cooked squash out of its skin and place it in your blender (or, if using an immersion blender, in a pot), along with the apples and garlic. Make sure you leave all the skin out of the blender, as the skin does not taste good.
6. Add approximately 1 cup of broth or stock to your squash and begin pureeing. Add more as necessary, until a smooth, thick, and creamy soup has formed. Reheat on stove-top over low heat, stirring frequently. Add optional spices now.
7. Once hot, adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread.
   

Winter Soups!

To me, nothing says winter cooking like thick, hearty soups. They are easy to make, make your kitchen smell fantastic, and have that warm-you-up quality that you need when you're just in from shoveling snow.

Now, while most soup recipes call for gobs of butter, cream, or other rich ingredients to conjure up flavor, I turn to other, more healthful methods, namely roasting, pureeing, and fresh herbs. Because of this, most of my winter soups are low fat, and some are even fat-free! Add to that the fact that they're chock-full of vegetable goodness, as well as make-you-feel-full fiber, and you have a perfect, and tasty, food!

My soup recipes make a fair amount of soup. I recommend freezing leftovers in individual-size servings (I love those little Gladware or Ziploc plastic containers from the grocery store). Frozen, most will keep at least a month, if not longer!

Stay tuned for a week of soup recipes! First up, Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup!

Ham and Cheese "Egg Thing"

Common wisdom says that you are supposed to start the new year out by eating pork, because pigs push their snouts forward in the ground when rooting for food. Moving forward, not backward, blah blah blah.

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not about to whip up a pork chop on the morning of Jan. 1. Especially because I have an affinity for Riesling, house parties, and late nights. Oh, my head.

enter: the Egg Thing.

Ah, the Egg Thing. Long has it been a favorite in my house, and the houses of many of our brunch-inclined friends. I think it is actually called an Egg Strata, but we've all called it Egg Thing for so long that no one bothers with the real name anymore.

The Egg Thing is the perfect New Year's Day brunch food, for the following reasons:

1. It is super easy to make;
2. It can be made the day before, and stored, covered and uncooked, in the fridge;
3. You can add a myriad of various fix-ins to the basic recipe. In this case, it will be some leftover holiday ham (Pork! It totally counts!) and cheddar cheese.

Also, it keeps very well in the fridge once cooked, so leftovers are great for quick-heat microwave lunches during the god-awful work week that follows the New Year.


Ham and Cheese "Egg Thing"

12 eggs
1 quart milk (do not use skim, it is too watery)
1 loaf sliced white sandwich bread
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups leftover holiday ham, cubed

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
• In a greased (cooking spray is fine, butter is better) 13x9 pan, lay out a single layer of bread slices. Sprinkle on ham and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, reserving the rest.
• Add another layer of bread. Press down gently.
• Pour egg mixture over bread/ham/cheese layers. To ensure that the liquid penetrates all the way, gently shake the pan, and poke through the top layer of bread with a fork.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• If you are making this the night before you plan to serve, stop here, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking the next day.
• Remove any coverings. Place in center of preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour, or until the top is puffy and the middle jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken.
  

Welcome to Billy's Open Kitchen!

Welcome to My Open Kitchen, and Happy New Year!

This blog is starting as a New Year's resolution. After feeding and entertaining friends for years, as well as posting family dinner menus on various sites, I have been told that I need to share recipes.

Thus, My Open Kitchen is born!

My recipes range from single-serving main courses to make-ahead appetizers that can be scaled to feed 30 or 300 (as my family has done at Christmas for over 30 years).

I've always said "Never trust a skinny chef." That said, you'll notice that many of the recipes I share will be tagged as "healthy eating", and some even as "fat free", because no one needs a chef that looks like Jabba the Hut, either. If Paul Prudhomme can clean up his butter-laden act, then so can I!

As a rule, unless otherwise noted, the recipes listed here are mine. Whenever I am sharing a recipe created by someone else, I will provide a citation. You will notice that this happens far more often in the baked-goods arena than it will in others.

Also, unless otherwise noted, all photography is my own. I'm currently using an Olympus SP-550UZ, but hoping to upgrade to a spiffy DSLR in the near future.

All that said, welcome to My Open Kitchen! Come Eat!