Chicken and Black Bean Soup

My brother, bless his heart, sometimes needs help in the gift giving department. Usually, if there is a girlfriend in the picture around Christmas and birthday months, things go pretty smoothly.  And there are other times when, left to his own devices, things turn out less so.  I don't want too sound ungrateful here, but I must say that there was a Christmas where gifts were wrapped in brown paper and duct tape.  I realize that is almost too prime-time-sitcom to believe, but it is the truth.  

I had been craving a Crock Pot ever since I had moved out on my own.  It seemed too perfect not to own one, yummy meals ready upon your arrival home.  After a few years of being on my Christmas list, I was lucky enough to have one show up on my doorstep a few days before the big holiday, courtesy of my brother.  Excited, I opened it up immediately. However, within seconds afterwards, I was on the phone with my mother upset.  He had bought me a refurbished crock pot.  I didn't even know you could buy refurbished crock pots, but somehow he had managed it.  I sat there, cross legged on my shag brown carpet, on the phone with my mother, upset and sadly rocking the lid back and forth on my refurbished crock pot.  It wasn't supposed to rock that much.

After a few failed attempts and a good amount of phone-bitching to Ben, he has just about convinced me to send the crock pot to Goodwill and simply buy a new one, when the lucky boy proposed.  I then promptly talked myself out of Goodwill/buy a new one plan, content to wait for the glorious days of wedding registry and gifts.  However, that left me with several months without one.  And I'm not about to give up on yummy, convenience dreams.  Enter, tinfoil, stage right.  A few extra minutes in the morning, along with a few choice words, and I have a somewhat tight seal on my crock pot.  Those few strips of tinfoil is what I plan on getting me through the next months.  Not that that will spare poor Ben from a few annoyed phone calls, but hey, he knew what he was getting into.

PS - My brother does now have a wonderful girlfriend who he is living with, whom we all adore.  Basically, we're waiting for her to officially join the family, hint, hint, wink, wink...

Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Adapted from: A Year of Slow Cooking

As is the theme as of late, this was a quick and easy dinner (inherent to crock pot meals).  Simple, yummy and it makes great left overs.  Extras go great in the freezer and make for some additional quick and easy lunches later on (tried and true).

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

4 c. chicken broth

1 c. sliced mushrooms

1 c. frozen corn

1 jar (16 oz) prepared salsa (I used Pace Medium)

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

Toppings: 

Plain Greek Yogurt

Cheese (sharp cheddar or pepper jack)

Cooked quinoa

Layer black beans in the bottom of the crock pot.  Lay chicken breasts on top.  Pour remaining ingredients over top, making sure chicken is submerged in liquid.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Once done, remove chicken from soup.  Shred chicken into bite size pieces.  Using immersion blender, blend soup into desired thickness.  Return shredded chicken back to soup.

I found the best way to serve this was to place some cooked quinoa in the bottom of a bowl and ladle a good amount of soup over top.  Garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cheese.  Enjoy!

Lettuce Wraps

Sometime in my early teen years, after my brother was out of the house at college but before my sister had left, my mom was given a rather large gift certificate to the famous P.F. Chang’s.  Being the great mother that she is, she decided not to hoard it all to herself, but rather to spend it on us.  And my 13 year old self could not have been more excited.  To me, it was a big deal.  I had never eaten there before, but heard so much about it.  In my mind, P.F. Chang’s was a special place, a fancy place.  Expensive Chinese food and cloth napkins and the such.  And the lettuce wraps?  Oh, the lettuce wraps!  They are supposed to be the stuff of dreams.  For a whole week, it was all I dreamed of.

Finally the weekend came and we sat down.  The waiter did some magic voodoo with the sauces, there were black cloth napkins and awesome sleek chopsticks ( my sister and I may or may not have lifted a few pairs, to stick in our super awesome early 2000’s hairdos) and lettuce wraps were ordered.  I don’t even think I ate my entire first one.  Me and those lettuce wraps did not vibe.  Maybe it was all the hype, all the build up.  I’ve had them since, but still my opinion remains the same; I am just not a fan.  There are few in my camp.  As if not liking P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps is a sin equivalent to not liking Oreos, or freedom.

Ben, of course, is in the other camp.  The few times we have visited P.F. Chang’s, he always manages to talk me into ordering a plate.  I’ll eat the obligatory 1 serving and he usually takes care of the rest.  I still don’t know what it is, but what I think it comes down to is that I would rather save room in my stomach for the other deliciousness.  Cause it’s not like there’s a shortness of it at P.F. Chang’s.

Anyways, long story short, I was surprised as anyone when I was flipping through an old Bon Appetit on my bookshelf, and the recipe for lettuce wraps caught my eye.  Maybe it was a “of course I can do it better myself” or just my cute girlfriend-like ways of aiming to please (ha), but I decided to try them out.  I think won’t caught me was the chicken thighs.  I love chicken thighs.  I always have chicken thighs... and it’s not like lettuce wraps ever tasted badly.  I was sure that, with the option of nothing else to eat, lettuce wraps would do quite nicely.

And they did.  Presentation skills severely lacking as they are, these were good.  Yes, a few adaptations were made (mostly out of necessity) and my one big downfall was that my grocery store apparently doesn’t believe in butter lettuce.  Well, that and my decision that a heart of romaine would be a worthy substitute.  The reviews online said “just as good as P.F. Chang’s”, which is saying a lot because most people believe nirvana is introduced by P. F. Chang’s lettuce wraps.  My review?  Even better.

Lettuce Wraps
Adapted from BA's June 2011 Issue

Online reviews suggested a little more seasoning, up to double the amount, so I adjusted accordingly.  I also forgot the cashews on top, but I think they would have added a much needed crunch.  The romaine helped the crunchiness factor, but that will be lost if you use the proper butter lettuce (and you should!).

These smell delicious while they are cooking.  They come together quickly.  And really, they do taste fantastic, and that’s coming from an “eh, lettuce cups” camper!  Further proof?  They were slapped in the big green cookbook the following day.

One last thing... and then the recipe, I promise.  Boy, I am wordy today.  Recipe says serves 8 as an appetizer.  That might be stretching it (like 1 wrap/person).  Was a perfect light meal for 2 with no leftovers.  Adjust accordingly!

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, minced
2 scallions, minced
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. walnut oil
4 medium oyster mushrooms, stemmed and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
~1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 c. roasted cashews, chopped

For Serving:
16 large butter lettuce leaves
Asian sweet chili sauce, for dipping

To mince chicken, chop into chunks and place in food processor.  Pulse until minced, be careful not to go too far - you don't want ground chicken meat.

In medium bowl, combine minced chicken, scallions, soy sauce and cornstarch, mix thoroughly.  Let marinade 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally.  In a large, non-stick skillet, heat oil until very hot.  Add mushrooms and garlic, stir-frying for 30 seconds - 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add chicken mixture, including all extra marinade and continue to stir fry.  Toss often and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

On platter, arrange lettuce leaves, a bowl with dipping sauce and cooked chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with chopped cashews.  Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Stuffed Mushrooms

Why, helllooo mister Jimmy Dean.  Have you met Ms. Cream Cheese?  Because I think you two would really hit it off.  Truly.  So please, mix, mingle, meld.  

Need a place to hang out?  Well, lookie here, why don't you take a sit in one of these mushroom caps.  They're roomy and comfortable and let's just face it, meaty.  And meaty is good.  You're not cold are you?  Let's see what we got here...

Ah, yes, a blanket of a Parmesan Cheese and bread crumbs.  That's the ticket!  Please get all snuggled in underneath.  And lastly, how about some ambiance?  I'm talking steam bath here, Jimmy Dean, you can't say no to that now can you?  Didn't think so...

Alright... I really have no idea where that all came from, I guess that's just what stuffed mushrooms bring out in me.  And why wouldn't they?  It is spicy Jimmy Bean sausage and cream cheese and mushroom and please, just a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, if you don't mind.  They are delicious and poppable and well, just party perfect in every way.  So, enough of the silliness, do what you do and pop these in the oven just as fast as possible, because the sooner you do that, the sooner you can pop them in your mouth!

Spicy Stuffed Mushrooms

From Mom's kitchen

2 dozen large mushrooms (plus or minus a few)

1 package Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage

1 8 oz package cream cheese

Panko bread crumbs

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth.  Remove stems and scoop out a little bit of insides if necessary to get a good mushroom like cup.  Place cup side up in a rimmed baking dish.

Brown and drain sausage.  In large mixing bowl, combine with cream cheese.  If you are experimenting, here is where you can add things.  Stuff sausage cream cheese mixture firmly into mushroom caps, letting them overflow slightly.  Sprinkle with Panko bread crumbs and press down to secure.  Sprinkle generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and press down to secure.  

Add 1 Tbsp of water to baking dish with stuffed mushrooms.  Place in 375 and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Serve hot!