Smoky Sweet-Potato Chicken Stoup

I apologize for the word “stoup” again—it’s Rachael Ray’s and not my own! (Personally, I think this qualifies as a soup, but don’t let that stop you from making this one and the other.) This recipe comes from Rachael Ray’s Express Lane Meals.

2 T EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil, twice around the pan)
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 celery ribs
1 large onion, peeled and halved
1 large sweet potato
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
1/2 t dried thyme (eyeball it)
1 quart + 1 C chicken stock
1 pkg chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves, a generous handful, coarsely chopped
1/2 c sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. While the oil heats, cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot, stirring to coat the carrots in the oil. Chop and drop in the celery and onion, chopping them as small as you can, but don’t make yourself crazy.

Peel and then cut the sweet potato into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice them into bite-size pieces. Add the sweet potatoes, garlic, and chipotle and stir to combine. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, then thyme and the bay leaf. Cook the veggies together for 1 minute. Add the wine to the vegetables and reduce for a minute. Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise the heat to high.

When the soup boils, remove the cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the cut-up chicken and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the scallions and cilantro. Serve each portion of stoup with a dollop of sour cream on top.

**I omitted the chipotle chili in adobo because I wanted my daughter to eat it and I feared it might be too spicy with the pepper added. Turns out, she did eat it. She even ate the sweet potatoes—score!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband likes these a whole lot. For that reason alone I want to hang on to the recipe.

1 cup butter-flavored shortening
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2-2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In a large bowl cream shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add vanilla, then add eggs and mix thoroughly. Combine the baking soda, salt and flour and stir into creamed mixture. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir until well blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, let cool for 2 minutes on pan then remove to cool completely.

Sweet Potatoes with Browned Butter

 

We made up a little song about this one: the lyrics are “Sweet potato goodness, sweet potato goodness, sweet potato 

goodness.” This is technically a side, but I’d eat it for dessert — and I wouldn’t even have to be in a pinch. Clara eats at least three helpings any time it’s offered.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (or 2 very large ones)
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 6 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Drizzle olive oil over sweet potatoes and roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until sweet potatoes are very tender.
3. Peel sweet potatoes (the skins should come right off after roasting).
4. Melt butter over medium heat and heat until brown, stirring often and reducing heat if necessary to prevent burning.
5. Combine butter and sweet potatoes in blender or food processor until smooth.

Perfect Potatoes au Gratin (with Ham)

I had potatoes and I had ham, so that settled it—time to make Potatoes au Gratin. I selected The Pioneer Woman’s recipe, tweaked it a little and doubled it for our small group dinner last night. It was crazy good; as in, two helpings good. Which is saying a lot for me because I usually choose to eat two helpings of dessert, not potatoes. Eat! And enjoy.

8 whole russet potatoes, peeled
2-3 T butter, softened
1 pint heavy cream
2 cup whole milk
4 T flour
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 t salt
pepper, to taste (don’t skimp!)
3 C ham, cubed
2 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Smear softened butter all over the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish.

Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths (thicker slices will take longer to cook). In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour, minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish, then place approximately 1 C of ham over it. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes. Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the spoonful.

**This modified recipe serves 8 adults easily and allows leftovers for lunch the next day. To make a nice side dish you could omit the ham and reduce quantities of ingredients by half.

Granola

This is a versatile recipe that can be easily added to (or subtracted from), depending on what you have on hand. I love what the coconut oil adds to the flavor, but I’ve wondered how it  would work to sub in apple sauce or pumpkin puree. The kids love to help make this — they stir up the dry ingredients while I mix up the wet ingredients on the stove. 

Ingredients:

• 6 cups uncooked rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened (optional)
• 1/2 cup flour (I usually use almond flour, but you could use any kind of flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (or more) cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ginger (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2/3 cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine oats, coconut (if using), flour, spices, and salt. Mix well.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla until warm. Pour this mixture over the oats mixture and stir well.
4. Spread granola in a thin layer on ungreased cookie sheet (I often use 2 cookie sheets).
5. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring after 20.
6. Let cool, and store in an airtight container.

Red Lentil Coconut Curry

 

This recipe, from the Simply in Season cookbook, is super easy to make, despite its long list of ingredients. It is as tasty as it sounds. It makes a ton: plenty to share with a friend since I’m not so sure how it would freeze. The boys asked for more cauliflower, and Clara has been gobbling it down for every meal for the last few days.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or, if time allows, place can of coconut milk in freezer for 20 minutes before starting to cook. Open can and remove solidified coconut butter from the top to use in sautéing)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 13.5-ounce can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
• 5 cups water (or broth or a combination)
• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2-inch florets
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 head cabbage, cut into  1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1–2 cups peas (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, sauté onion in olive oil or coconut butter over medium-high heat until transparent but not browned.
2. Add garlic, ginger root, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, pepper, red pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir constantly for 3 minutes (do not let onion and spices brown).
3. Add coconut milk, tamari, and tomato sauce and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often.
4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook lentils and water on medium to medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
5. Add lentils with their liquid to soup pot.
6. Add cauliflower, sweet potato, and cabbage to soup pot and cook over medium heat just until tender. If using peas, add at the end of the cooking time.
7. Serve over brown rice with toppings (optional): Indian chutneys and pickles, fresh diced pears, roasted sunflower seeds, plain yogurt.

Buttermilk Devil’s Food Cake (with White Chocolate Frosting)

Made for Jeremy’s 42nd birthday. Taken from The Cake Mix Doctor.

Solid vegetable oil for greasing pans
Flour for dusting pans
1 pkg plain devil’s food cake mix
3 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 C buttermilk
1/2 C vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 t pure vanilla extract

1) Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour and set pans aside.

2) Place cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down sides, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. The batter should look well-blended. Divide between prepared pans.

3) Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until cakes spring lightly against your touch and start to pull away from pan. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes on cooling rack. Run a dinner knife around edges and invert onto rack. Cool completely.

4) Frost with White Chocolate Frosting (separate post).

* Place this cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, 20 minutes. Cover the cake with waxed paper and store, in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week. Or freeze, wrapped in aluminum foil for up to 6 months. Thaw cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.