Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A friend sent me this recipe over Pinterest and I decided to try it out the night after we roasted a chicken.  This is an excellent day to try out this soup because you use the leftover shredded chicken and HOPEFULLY this also means you will have just made homemade broth from the chicken bones.  This soup is DYNAMO with homemade broth.  It sends a simple recipe just way over the top flavour wise.  So so yummy.  There are few things in the food world I relish more than a hot bowl of homemade soup with soft pillowy white (homemade) buns.  I know I know- white flour is of the devil.  But nothing else tastes so good with homemade soup.  It just doesn't. 

Source: http://www.ablossominglife.com/2014/01/creamy-chicken-and-wild-rice-soup.html
-Some changes were made

Note: To make homemade bone broth, save the bones from your roasted chicken.  Put them in the pot with some garlic and onions and whatever herbs you have on hand (bay, parsley, thyme, etc).  Add salt to preference.  Fill to almost the top with water.  Bring to boil and then gently simmer for a couple hours.  Pour through a strainer and you are left with delicious homemade chicken broth.  Freeze whatever you won't use in the next 24ish hours.

Ingredients:

4-6 pieces of bacon, diced
butter/oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth (homemade bone broth)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup shredded chicken
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 tsp italian spices (I have a blend I use- you use whatever you have on hand you like to use)
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

In a pan, cook your bacon.  Set off to the side.

In a large soup pot, add a few tbsp butter or oil (or combo), chopped carrots and onions.  Cook until soft.  Stir in garlic and herbs/spices.  Cook for a couple more minutes.  Add in broth, let it come to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Reduce heat and stir in cream, cooked rice and chicken and simmer for 10 more minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't over boil.  Add back in reserved bacon.

Serve along side homemade buns/bread (one would hope!).  Serves 6.

Apple Cider Syrup

My family (my husband in particular) loves the Browned Butter Buttermilk Syrup recipe I tried out a few months ago.  This week I tried this Apple Cider Syrup recipe (found HERE) and it was a big success, too.  Less sweet than the other one.  It's consistency is more like gravy with all the cornstarch though.  I may fiddle with that next time.  You have to almost bring it back to boil the next day to get the runny consistency again (just like day old gravy).  This recipe would be great over some homemade pumpkin french toast or something.  We served over THESE pancakes.

Ingredients:

1/2 c granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c apple juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter


Directions:

Whisk together sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch (I like to always sift my cornstarch so I don't get lumps).  Whisk in the apple juice and lemon juice.  Bring mixture plus butter to boil over medium heat in a small sauce pan.  After it boils, let it gently boil for 2 more minutes.  Serve warm over waffles or pancakes or french toast.

Cake Pop Tutorial (with Cake Pop pan)

I didn't enter the cake pop world the same time as everyone else.  I'm not really a cake person so it didn't interest me.  But my dear friend, Rachel, brought me by a raspberry truffle  cake pop from Starbucks one day.  Wow.  And then this year at Christmas she brought me a white chocolate peppermint holiday cake pop (from Starbucks).  Wow again.  THEN for my birthday she gave me heart shaped cake pop pans.  So what choice did I have this Valentine's but to make cake pops?  So really, this blog post is dedicated to Rachel.

NOTES

 

A traditional cake pop is born out of cake gone wrong.  You crush up cake and mix it with jam or icing and roll it into a ball and dip in some kind of coating.  Fast forward a few years, cake pop craze abounding- the cake pop pan is now an option as well.  I am a serious budding foodie so I research like crazy before attempting a new skill in the kitchen or trying a new recipe.  I read a bunch of reviews on cake pop pans and tips about traditional vs pan pops.  So now here's my two cents.

 

The Nordicware Cake Pop Pan (mine is Valentine's themed) actually works great.  NOW, I am by no means a professional (one day maybe:) )- and for sure in the baking world, I'm the equivalent of a little baby- it's a whole different ball park than cooking.  Finesse and artistry are not my strong points.  So for perfectly round, beautifully decorated cake pops- I'm not sure- maybe traditional is better?  Or so says THIS lady.  But I had a very positive experience with the pans. 

I tried a bunch of different combos for coatings but the two that worked the best were a Nutella ganache covered with coconut AND a white chocolate with homemade sugar sprinkles (find tutorial at bottom of the page for sprinkles).

I wanted to do a white chocolate/crushed peppermint combo but they weren't turning out as pretty because the crushed mint was too heavy for the chocolate and was dragging it off the pop.  Also, I tried a chocolate/sprinkle combo but that didn't work because you couldn't see the sprinkles- the chocolate overwhelmed them. 

TIPS

Tips for Cake Pop Pans

-Use a fudgey cake recipe or a dense brownie recipe.  Something that will hold up to being dipped.  The recipe found on this blog post is tested and works great.

-If you use a recipe that involves melted chocolate in the batter (like the one found on this page) WAIT until the batter cools down to fill the pans.  Once it cools, it is sooo much easier to not overfill or have the batter ooze everywhere.  You will spend less time trying to pick off excess cake to make your pop perfectly round (or in my case, heart shaped), if you just wait to fill your moulds till the batter is cool.

-Put your cake pops in the freezer once removing them from the moulds.  Don't try to pick off excess yet- you will just tear your pop.  Freezer for 30 minutes.

-Once your pops are cold and hard (not frozen solid though), now is the time to trim the excess off the sides.  Just use your hands.  Knives and vegetable peelers caused more problems than is necessary.  Once your pops are cold and hard, the bits will just rub off in your hands.

Tips for Decorating Cake Pops

-I found the sticks would crack the cake pops if I just tied to push them in.  But once I started poking a hole with a pointy skewer first, problem was solved.

-Dip the tip of the stick in the melted chocolate or ganache before putting it in the cake pop- will act as glue later.

-There is a delicate balance (hard to maintain) between too hot and too cold for your chocolate or ganache.  Too hot and you will have dripping issues.  It will be a race between you and the warm chocolate trying to cover the chocolate in sprinkles (or whatever) and putting it on parchment paper on a plate in the fridge before it drips off everywhere in a mess.  Too cold and it won't cover smoothly.  It's jut practise.  Find that optimal temperature where you can dip your pop but it won't run off before you get it too the fridge.

-Use an extra stick to help remove the excess chocolate so you avoid as much dripping issues as possible- plus it's faster than waiting for it to run off itself. 

-Dip your pop in the chocolate but not in the coating (in my case coconut and sprinkles).  You have to pick the coating up in your hands and sprinkle it on. 

 

 

See all the excess? This was my first batch when the batter was still too warm.  Don't try to take off excess till your cake pops are cold and hard- freezer for 30 mins!

 

Finished Cake Pops



 

RECIPES

Fudgey Cake Pop Recipe (like a brownie)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp. cocoa

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

24 lollipop sticks

toppings/coatings (I used a ganache and coconut, and white chocolate and sprinkles)

 

Directions:

 

Heat oven to 325F.  Grease and flour cake pop pan.

In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips and butter together.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and pour into medium bowl.

 

Add sugar and cocoa. Mix until blended.

 

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

 

Add flour and salt. Stir until blended.

 

Spoon batter into bottom half of pan (without holes) filling each well so it mounds over the top of the pan.

 

Place top half of pan on top and secure with keys. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out almost clean.

 

Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove cake pops from pan to a plate or bowl that you put in the freezer for 30 mins.

Prepare your toppings/coatings.  Remember not to dip your pops in chocolate that is too hot.  Always dip your stick into the chocolate before inserting it into the pop.  Sprinkle your coatings onto your dipped pops- don't roll the wet chocolate in anything.  Put on parchment lined pan/plate and put in fridge till coatings have set.  Keep cold till serving.

 

 

Nutella Ganache Recipe

Ingredients:

 

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (weigh if you can- if not it's about a cup)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup soft butter, diced

1/3 cup Nutella

 

Directions:

 

Put chocolate chips and butter in a medium, heat proof bowl.  Heat cream in a sauce pan over medium heat until almost boiling.  Pour cream over chocolate and butter.  Let sit a couple minutes and then stir till smooth.  If your kitchen is super cold and the cream cools before it can melt the chocolate perfectly, pop in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Add Nutella to melted chocolate.  Still till smooth.  Wait till cooled and a little thicker (but still loose enough you can dip your cake pop into it).

Refrigerate left overs for 30-60 minutes and then take teaspoon size pieces, roll into balls and coat in leftover sprinkles, coconut, whatever.  Voila- truffles!

 

 

Homemade Sugar Sprinkles Recipe

Note: Anyone else hate the store bought nasty sprinkles? So chemically tasting! These are delightful.

Ingredients:

sugar (whatever size crystals you desire for your sprinkles- I used a coarse cane sugar)

food colouring

Directions:

Set your oven to as low as it gets- for me it was 170F.  Mix sugar and a drop or two (to start) of food colouring in a bowl.  Mix till sugar is coated and add more colouring till you get what you want.  Spread on parchment lined pan and bake for 10 minutes.  Once cooled, break up and use as you desire. 

 

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart

I got a tart pan for Christmas and I've been so excited to use it.  I picked this tart as my first attempt because we were supposed to go visit some friends who have moved away (about an hour away) BUT first our dinner date got cancelled because their baby was sick and then the next day it was cancelled because we got snowed out! I was so mad I ate some tart for breakfast.  But we did have some people over last night so we had some help eating this delightful treat.

It is decadent, beautiful and actually not hard to make.  I messed up a bit on the crust because when I took it out of the oven I didn't have my hands placed very well and the removable bottom slipped and the crust broke in one place that resulted in a crumbled edge and allowed the caramel to leak through the bottom.  Really-no biggie. No one would have noticed but me- you would have noticed at a restaurant but not a dinner party.  Side note- this recipe is totally restaurant quality. So next time you need to impress at a dinner party, pull this bad boy out.

Source: http://www.maureenabood.com/2012/11/15/chocolate-caramel-pecan-tart-recipe/
-was impressed enough with this recipe that I will start perusing her blog

 

 



 

 

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 2/3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup whipping cream
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
½ teaspoon salt

Topping:

3 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup whipping cream

Note: On the source blog, she demands that you don't use chips for the chocolate. Confession...I did.  My husband accidentally brought home a filled chocolate bar, which made it unusable so I was left with chips. Honestly, it was fine. 

 

Directions:

 

Crust:
Blend the flour, sugar, salt, and almonds in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Using on/off turns, cut in the butter until a coarse meal forms. Add the egg and blend just until dough sticks together when pinched. Dump the dough onto a piece of waxed paper or plastic. Gather the dough into ball with the paper; flatten into a square 1-inch thick, wrap, and chill 1 hour.

Line the bottom of a 9.5- or 10-inch round removable bottom tart pan with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 1-inch slices. Lay the slices in the bottom of the pan and push them together, closing all fissures completely. Line the edges of the tart with slices of dough placed horizontally around the fluted edges. Press this dough into the bottom of the crust, closing all fissures, and into the fluted rim. Refrigerate for one hour. (I just read this part now- I missed it while I made it...I didn't refrigerate the crust once it was in the tart pan- I just baked it.  Totally was fine so if you don't have this extra hour, don't stress.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 17 minutes. You will notice that the crust is somewhat puffed up; this should be tamped down with the flat bottom of a glass.

Note: Here is a LINK to her section about making caramel in case you need some tips.  She makes it really easy.

Filling:
Stir sugar and corn syrup in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and boil the mixture until the syrup turns golden brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over the heat until any caramel bits dissolve. Remove mixture from heat. Place milk chocolate and honey in medium bowl. Pour caramel over and let the mixture rest for a couple of minutes while the chocolate melts. Whisk until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in chopped pecans. Transfer filling to crust. Chill until set, about 4 hours or overnight.

Topping:

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in small bowl. Bring remaining 1/3 cup cream to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate; let the mixture rest for a couple of minutes while the chocolate melts. Whisk until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over tart. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated and serve chilled)

Remove the tart from the fluted ring. Use a flat metal spatula to lift the tart off of the metal tart pan bottom. Place on a serving platter, cut tart into wedges and serve. Serves 8.

 

After filling went in, before it was chilled and before the topping was added

 

 

 

 

This is the piece with the messed up crust- see the corner?

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Source: http://www.seededatthetable.com/2010/02/22/baked-creamy-chicken-taquitos/

Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block), softened (if you are thinking "to hell with the calories" then use a whole block-I've had them both ways, either way is delicious)
1/4 cup green salsa (there weren't any tomatillas in my grocery store so I just bought a jar of green salsa)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp sliced green onions
chopped jalapeno (optional-if you want more heat)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (2 breasts)
1 cup shredded cheese (I did a mix of cheddar and mozza)
small flour or corn tortillas (10)
kosher salt
cooking spray or oil

your garnish of choice (I mashed an avocado and mixed it with more green salsa)


Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic.  Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions (and jalapeno).  Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.

Microwave tortillas for a couple minutes to soften them up.

Spoon 2-3 tbsp of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla.  Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.

Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone.  Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other.  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt (or you can drizzle with oil then sprinkle salt).

Bake 15-20 minutes or until crisp (on MIDDLE rack, not bottom).

Serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole or whatever you want.

Note: I stuffed mine more than this recipe suggests because I only had 8 tortillas.  They were also medium tortillas, not small. Entree size.

Huevos Rancheros

I LOVE eggs and beans.  Love love love! This is my version of huevos rancheros ("ranch eggs").

Ingredients:

tortillas (I used small corn tortillas)
shredded cheese
eggs
refried beans (I use THIS recipe)
pico de gallo:
     tomatoes
     red onion
     cilantro
     lime
     salt

Directions:

Make pico de gallo: chop tomatoes, add as much chopped onion and cilantro as you like.  Add lime and salt to taste.

Set oven on broil (high).  Put oven safe pan over medium high heat with a little oil.  Put tortilla in heated oil and wait a minute or two then flip it over.  Sprinkle some shredded cheese (I just used white cheddar) on the tortilla...you can try to keep to the edges so when you crack your egg it had a bit of a barrier.  Turn down the heat a bit.  Crack an egg on the tortilla.  Then place pan under the broiler and keep it there until your egg is at the doneness you desire. 

Transfer egg/tortilla to plate.  Top with salsa and serve beans on the side.  DELICIOUS!

Tex-Mex Quinoa Stuffed Avocado

I got this recipe from HERE and it's called Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocado...but I'm not sure why.  It's not spicy.  So I changed the name.  A great vegan recipe- I even tried making the vegan sour cream topping as well and it turned out great.  My sister was visiting and ate most of the leftovers.  I'm usually not into things masquerading as dairy or meat but I wanted to try making this just for kicks.  Turned out good.  If you're not dairy free, I wouldn't bother.  But if you are, this (the vegan sour cream topping) is a great recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 chopped red pepper
1/2 cup corn
1/4-1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro + some for garnish
1 tbsp taco seasoning (you can use some from a packet or if you want to make your own, I like THIS recipe)
1 avocado per person

Cilantro "Sour Cream":
1 cup cashews soaked for AT LEAST 2 hours
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
dash of salt
(you can play with the ingredients till it tastes the way you want)

Directions:

Chop the red onion, red pepper and cilantro and add all the ingredients, minus the quinoa, in a bowl and mix well with the taco seasoning. Once the quinoa is cooked and has cooled, add it to the vegetable mixture.

Put the mixture in the refrigerator to cool.

Drain the cashews and place them in a blender. Add ¼ cup water, apple cider vinegar, and salt and blend. You may want to add more water until the mixture is silky and smooth but I recommend doing so a little at a time. Once the consistency you want, pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.

To assemble the avocados, begin by cutting them in half, removing the skin and the pit. I also scooped out part of the avocado to make a little room for more stuffing.

Scoop as much of the quinoa mixture into each avocado as you can fit.

Finish with a little cilantro ‘sour cream’ and some chopped cilantro and serve.

(I had leftover quinoa salad after making a bunch of these.  I just ate it for lunch the next day.)