recipe

KNR, p. 255 “Easy Chicken Soup”

 

Honestly, it’s been odd doing the grocery shopping during this time of shortages. I head to the usual aisles for the produce and find a ready supply of celery and carrots, but not always potatoes of any kind. Fresh onions and garlic? None in sight for days. Our store makes rotisserie chicken every day, so when we can’t find raw chicken in the meat section, we grab a cooked garlic roast chicken which can serve four hungry people – more if you make soup with it.

 

We picked this soup recipe for Kerrian’s Notebook because the ingredients have been available every day, no matter which large grocery store we visit. We’ve made it several times during the last three weeks, so it’s definitely been taste-tested. Adjust the spices to your family’s palate.

 

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"Easy Chicken Soup"
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1 32ounce box of low sodium chicken broth (Swanson’s has a nice organic version)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1.5 cups sliced fresh baby carrots
  • 1.5 cups diced fresh celery, 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 cup canned diced potatoes
  • 1/2 cup potato water from diced potato can
  • 1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 cooked rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 cup canned young sweet peas
Instructions
  1. In large soup pot, sprinkle sea salt evenly on bottom of pan.
  2. Add carrots, celery, and one cup of the chicken broth, cover the pot and simmer on medium high heat until carrots and celery are tender, ten to fifteen minutes, stirring every five minutes.
  3. While celery and carrots are simmering, chop the rotisserie chicken into 1/2 inch pieces, (about 3 cups) and set aside.
  4. Reduce heat to medium, add diced potatoes, potato water, garlic powder, and onion powder to pot and stir.
  5. Add 3 cups chicken broth to the pot and stir.
  6. Add 3 cups chopped chicken to the pot and stir until well mixed.
  7. Cover pot and heat soup mixture for about ten minutes until it bubbles around the edges, stirring occasionally.
  8. Add peas to the pot, tossing gently, and heat another five minutes.
  9. Remove from heat and serve with crusty bread or crackers.

 

As with any home prepared food, the leftovers keep for up to four days in the refrigerator.

Good news: it can be frozen in individual portion containers, and freezing extends the shelf life for two weeks. So double the recipe and you’ll have enough for another night. You might want to add more chicken broth when reheating.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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KNR, p. 36 “Colcannon”

 

 

Colcannon is a buttery, garlicky, creamy variety of mashed potatoes. The menus in Irish pubs list ‘bangers and mash.’ Bangers are large sausages served with the colcannon – a tasty, filling combination. I have also eaten a version of this dish in Ireland with cabbage chunks instead of the kale. The kale version is prettier on the table (IMO).

Colcannon

Patti Phillips
Buttery, garlicky, mashed potatoes
Print Recipe
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 bunch kale (yields 3/4 cup chopped kale)
  • 3-4 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 8 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped leeks
  • 1/2 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt for potato water
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt for seasoning the dish
  • to taste ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes (or until fork tender).
  • Meanwhile, wash and trim kale, discarding the spines of the leaves. Blanch, drain, gently squeeze out the water and chop finely. Set aside. 
  • Heat2 tablespoons butter and garlic powder in a large frying pan and cook leeks until tender over low heat, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Add the chopped kale and 2 Tablespoons butter and cook an additional 10 minutes,stirring frequently.
  • Season with pepper to taste.
  • Drain and mash the potatoes.
  • Whip in the kale mixture and 1 teaspoon salt.
  • Slowly beat in cream until mixture is smooth, but still firm.
  • Season with additional salt & pepper if needed.
  • In a small frying pan, brown the onions in the remaining butter. 
  • Create a mound of the potatoes in a serving dish.
  • Make a depression in the center and pour the browned onions and butter in the well until they spill over the side. 
  • Sprinkle with chopped parsley. (the photo shows a version I make without the onion topping.)

 

Enjoy!

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*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

 

 

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KNR, p. 136 “Chicken and Sausage Gumbo”

A friend of ours usually goes to New Orleans every year to celebrate Mardi Gras, but this year she had to miss it because of a work conflict. She loves the great food and the music, and has even thought of moving there. (I think she just wants to get away from all the snow and ice up here.) Since she couldn’t go, we thought we’d have her over for dinner, cook up some gumbo, and get some lively New Orleans music streamed in.

She likes both seafood and meat gumbos, and our recipe combines both. I’ve been told that there are as many gumbo recipes as there are cooks to make it. Apparently, as long as celery, green bell peppers, and onions are the base, almost anything else can go into the pot.

Here’s our version:

 

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Charlie & Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 biggest spaghetti pot you have
  • 1 8" saute pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch chunks, and seasoned with salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound Andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into ½ inch chunks
  • 1/2 pound okra pods, sliced into ¼ inch slices, stems removed(or 2 cups sliced, frozen okra)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon + 4 Tablespoons butter/canola spread
  • 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups celery, chopped
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, seeded, then chopped into 1/4" pieces
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded, then chopped into 1/4” pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2-3 cups low sodium chicken broth (2 cups for stew, 3 cups for soup)
  • 1 Tablespoon Bay seasoning (optional)
  • 1/2 pound cooked, peeled, de-veined shrimp
  • Cooked white rice  

Instructions
 

  • Salt the chicken, all sides.
  • In deepest pot you have, use 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté the chicken on medium high heat until golden brown – about 5 mins.
  • Add sausages and 1 Tablespoon chicken broth to the pot. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep meat from sticking. Take off heat.
  • Meanwhile, sauté the okra with 1 teaspoon butter and ½ teaspoon sea salt in pan at medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside, including juices.
  • The Roux: In the sauté pan, melt 4 Tablespoons butter. Add the flour 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly on medium heat to mix thoroughly, until the roux is the color of dark caramel, but not burned - about 15 minutes. Drop the heat to low, then add the onion, stir constantly until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add celery, bell peppers, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, garlic and mix together until well-coated – about 5 minutes. Mixture will be thick.
  • Add vegetable mixture to the sausage/chicken pot and mix together.
  • Slowly add back in (stir after each cup) the okra, chicken broth, and Bay seasoning. Turn heat up long enough to bring mixture to a boil, then drop heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes, continuing to stir. Add salt to taste if needed.
  • If adding the cooked shrimp, drop it into the mixture and stir together, another 5 minutes.
  • Place cooked rice in bowl, then place gumbo on top. Serve with cornbread and enjoy!

 

GumboVeggies

 

*Photos by Patti Phillips

 

 

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