Food Scroll #3 : FT4Me's Best Beef Stew...Ever!!

Dreamy looking photo isn't it?

Yeah, that's no fancy camera effect...

just some regular old steam from my delicious Beef Stew of 2011!

The goods.

I found a good looking hunk of bottom round on sale this particular weekend, which led to this awesome creation! 

Tried something new...coating with flour before the browning.

In my Ode to Julia/Christening of Le Creuset, she instructed to sprinkle flour after the brown...

...but I think this worked better. 

Would you look at that, it's perfect!

Time to get the cauldron going.

Olive Oil, Garlic, Onion go into the pan used to brown the meat.

 Whole Baby Carrots, Celery, Baby Potatoes and Bay Leaves join the pot.

I am not sure this makes a difference or not, but I tend to season (salt/pepper, thyme) with each addition.

I particularly LOVE the smell of dried thyme when in the garlic/onion stage.

In goes a bottle of Bordeaux (I think this really helped to kick things up a notch on the deliciousness scale), then some beef stock and we simmer until thick.

FT4Me's Best Stew Ever!

Soups On: Part IV, Chicken Soup for the...

A little chicken soup is always good...but I have to say that (semi-)homemade chicken soup is da bomb!
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I have made Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup on occasion, but never, have I ever, tried the traditional chicken noodle, or in this case chicken and rice.
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During these busy weeks, being home for anything more than sleep has been rare. I've realized rather than stressing about not having time to cook everyday, I need to wise up about what time I do have at home in the kitchen.
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With this month's time constraints being what they are, it's an official Ms. Homemaker State of Emergency! Time to call upon those faithful one pot meals that last for days.
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So with this I say, SOUPS ON!!

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Hubs was feeling a bit under the weather. We are not sure if it was a cold, or a side effect of his small pox vaccine (military requirement). Any who, what do people always tell you to eat when you're sick...CHICKEN SOUP!
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This Chicken Soup trial run utilizes a few short cuts (which I'll have you know worked marvelously!).
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From the Store: A Rotisserie Chicken

From the Cupboards: Chicken Broth, Brown Rice, Garlic, Onion, Thyme, Parsley Flakes, Olive Oil, and Salt/Pepper

From the Fridge: Carrots and Celery

Roughly chopped onions and minced garlic in some olive oil.
* I tend to do most of my seasoning early on in the cooking process, convinced that doing this awakens the dry spices and make the savory base of onion/garlic, super flavor packed!

Chicken and thyme always seem to go so well together and of course some salt/pepper.
* In goes some carrots and celery we had left over in the fridge.
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I've found another use for brown rice!
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Until recently we were boxed rice people. In many of the directions, you are to begin by toasting the rice in some oil before adding your water, so I figured the rice should be added next.
* MAJOR TIME SAVER #1: In goes some store bought broth.
*MAJOR TIME SAVER #2: Shredded up rotisserie chicken and some cut pieces of grilled chicken thighs we had leftover in the fridge.
* Dried parsley flake and salt/pepper to taste.

Everything was simmered together until the rice has cooked through.
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There you have it, semi-homemade chicken and rice.
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Hubs loved it, I love it...and there were plenty of leftovers to enjoy throughout the week!!

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Admittedly I do like much of what we have going on, but I am very seriously missing my time in the kitchen.

I am in need of an all day marathon.

I want one of those nothing to do weekends, where I only leave the house for a trip to the grocery store.

I want to cook, I want to be in the kitchen...

I NEED MY DOSE OF FOOD THERAPY!!!

Soups On: Part III, A Low-Fat Chowder!?!?

What? How? No way!?!?!?!
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Yup, that's right a low-fat chowder creation!
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The newest issue of Food & Wine plasters on the cover 40 Healthy Recipes! As I do with each issue, I flipped through several times before committing to a recipe. What caught my eye this time around was a Shrimp and Smoked Oyster Chowder.
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Lately I have been craving and consuming at least 1 tin of smoked clams on the weekends. I know many may think this is gross and yes, they are an acquired taste...but give them a try! For me, I like to eat mine straight up on Carr crackers. [This was actually something Hubs introduced me to many moons ago before we were married.] Until recent, it has never occurred to me to actually cook with them though.
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With that said, my motivations for trying this recipe were:
1) Chowder is a good thing, especially in the winter.
2) It was a low-fat recipe and the tricks they used had me curious.
3) Smoked oysters in soup?!? Now that's worth trying.
4) The picture in F&W made this look so tasty!
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Clam juice.

I think we've used it a couple times when boiling up some shellfish, but never for anything else.

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Time to break out the booze!

If you are anything like me, this bottle of Sherry has been used maybe twice and found a place to sit and collect dust, way in the back of our cupboards.

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The recipe calls for you to make your own shrimp stock.

It uses water, clam juice, sherry, shrimp shells, garlic, crushed red pepper and bay leaves. Of course knowing me, I did up (2x +) the garlic and red pepper amounts...what can I say, I love a good kick from my food!

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The smoked oysters...not so appetizing by appearance.

I actually thought about tossing the can and replacing with smoked clams, which do not look anything like this.

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Bowl on the left - chopped smoked oysters.

Bowl on the right - chopped onion, fennel, green pepper, celery and garlic.
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The oysters again.

At this point I am really fighting the urge to toss them and replace with smoked clams...but do stay the course of the original recipe.
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1" cubes of cod and quartered shrimp make up the meats.
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My favorite part...the cook down!
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Once complete, the broth was added back to the pan along with some diced potatoes and a can of diced tomatoes. As soon as the potatoes became tender, the fish/shrimp were added and cooked until done.
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Some fresh parsley and bread for my finishing touches.
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At the end of the cooking process 1 cup of low-fat buttermilk was stirred in.

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There you have it...a low-fat chowder!
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This was a wonderful soup and very easy to make.

The cod was just perfect in texture and flavor (the best fish we've had at home yet!).

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I really loved their tricks for keeping this so tasty.

The low-fat substitutions really worked!

The soup called for smoked oysters to replace the use of bacon, and buttermilk for the cream.

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We did have enough leftover to enjoy the next day. I always get a little nervous about eating fish the day after and was afraid this soup would wind up tasting fishy....but nope, it was delicious and perhaps even a bit better than our first taste the night before.

Soups On: Part II - Task of the Butternut Squash

I promised in my first soup attempt that the soup would be on in this household for the chilly winter, so I give you my first attempts at butternut squash and pureed soup!

Up until the Thanksgiving of 2009, I was under the impression I did not like butternut squash. My reasoning for this claimed 27 year dislike, I couldn't tell you. I can't even remember the ever having tried it before!

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As is the motivation for this blog, it's time to grow up and for the first time I scooped into the mashed/puree of butternut squash at our SoVT (that's Southern VT, my hometown!) family gathering to find...I like it!

Soon after the holiday season I purchased two good looking butternut squashes and let them sit on our counter for a couple weeks until I mustered up the nerve to give this a try. Since soups are pretty forgiving, I also decided this experimental recipe would be a chance to clean out the fridge.

OK, now this may just be me...but butternut squash is not so easy to cut up! I struggled a bit trying to go lengthwise, but then found in order not to cut myself I should instead slice the width/short way. Not as smooth as a hot knife through butter, but makes life a little easier (and safer!).

This lesson learned in cutting the short way is actually credited to Mr. Testosterone (aka my hubby...does that stick?). When trying to slice some sweet potatoes I nearly took my finger off trying to go lengthwise. During his routine evening hover, he took the knife from me and showed me how easy it was the other (short) way. He so smart!!

Added to the squash were some left over carrots. This seemed to make sense...people make carrot soup all the time, or so I've heard. Not to mention my thought is it could add some pleasing sweetness to the soup.


I also had some sweet potatoes left in the fridge from my sage'd cutlet night...so thought what the heck, let's toss those in as well!


I even had some onion and bacon left over from my Boeuf Bourguignon, so added those to the mix.


Ah, ain't she a beauty?!?! I think once we nail down a blog-ID for Mr. Tester-one (how about that, will this work?!?!) I'll have to name this fabulous addition to the family.


OK, so some oil is added to the pan to start. I rendered out the fat from the bacon and set the crispy bits aside for garnish later.


In go the onions. Look at the lovely brown bacon goodness in the bottom of that pan...oh, it's going to add so much to this soup!


I really like to season the onions as they soften. I am not sure why I ever started doing this, but the smell of onions, thyme, etc is just so tantalizing it makes your mouth water just by its aroma! I also think this gives the herbs a chance to release their packed in flavor.


YUM!


The sweet potatoes seem the hardest, so I thought I should add those first.


Looking good!


Now you're going to see that expressive side of me kick in...

Since I'm not sure how long the squash will take to soften, it is not too long before I add the whole bowl of butternut squash and carrot to the mix.

The pan and its contents go sooo beautifully together!

Looks like something is missing though...

so I added more seasoning - salt, pepper, thyme, and this time nutmeg.

Mix it up again.

Then add some chicken stock and let it simmer.

The volume goes down quite a bit as the squash, sweet potatoes and carrots soften.

I think we're ready for the next step!

Oh yeah, we're ready :O)

I am ashamed to admit that I have only used my super Kitchaid Blender once, since receiving it as a generous wedding gift. I know, I know...shame on me. The guilt is so much that I debate throwing a margarita party just to give it it's time in the spotlight...hmm, not a bad idea!

Ok, getting off track. So I pureed the soup and added some cream.

This is what I ended up with, looks good, but missing something...

Ah, yes the reserved bacon...cause bacon can make every thing better (or wait is that cheese haha!).
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Overall the soup was good, Mr. Testerone (like that?!?) enjoyed a bowl right then and even took it to work as lunch for the next couple of days. Me on the other hand, not a huge fan. I like my soups salty, or creamy, or chunky. While good, this one was not for me.

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Butternut Squash & Pureed Soup officially checked off the list of things to try...onto the next experiment!