Cooking in Pajamas

This soup reminds me of a big, old fashioned, nacho platter.  You know the kind that looks like it weighs 20 pounds and you think you will never finish it...but you do.  Then, you start to feel the guilt.  "Why did I eat all of that?" ; "I feel sick"; and of course, "I can't beieve I ate the whole thing!"

This soup is just as good as a loaded plate of nachos, but a much better choice.  Loaded with beans, vegetables and ground turkey, one bowl of this is loaded with protein, fiber and flavor.  Top it with your favorite toppings, and a bowl of this soup becomes a meal.  It makes a great lunch, and a wonderful, filling after school snack for the kids.

Southwestern Soup

2 # ground beef, turkey or chicken (I use a combination of ground white meat turkey and ground dark meat turkey)

1 c. chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 (16oz.) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 (14.5oz.) cans Rotel tomatoes, undrained

1 (14oz.) can beef broth

2 c. frozen whole kernel corn

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

chopped fresh cilantro

sour cream

shredded cheddar

DIRECTIONS

Brown ground meat, onion and garlic in a large soup pot over medium high heat, stirring often until meat is fully cooked and onions are soft (if using ground beef, drain off the grease).

Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce to low and simmer at least 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour).

Serve with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

This is more than a salad.  This is a great topping for nachos, tortillas, burgers, a baked potato or even an omelette.  It is addictive.  If you have any leftovers in your refrigerator, throw them in here...steak, chicken, turkey, salmon, or any veggie would be a delicious addition.  I find that I usually have all of these ingredients on hand, so this is a great "go-to" recipe to keep handy.  It can be ready to eat in 10 minutes.  It will also be great the following day.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 c. orange flavored vinegar (or balsamic)

2 T. safflower oil

1/2 tsp. each kosher salt, white sugar, freshly ground pepper, ground cumin, ground ancho chili powder, regular chili powder

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8.75 oz.) can sweet corn, drained

3 c. mixed iceberg and arugula lettuce

3 green onions, chopped

2 c. cooked, roasted chicken, shredded (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl mix together vinegar oil and seasonings.

2. In a large bowl, stir together cilantro, beans, corn, lettuces, green onion and

chicken (if using).

3. Toss with dressing, cover and refrigerate 15 minutes before serving.

Have you been boiling your fresh summer corn?  If you are, you are rinsing away all of the fresh flavor!  Once you have roasted it on the grill, you will never heat up a pot of water for your corn again.

Parmesan Roasted Corn on the Cob

printable version

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. sea salt (or kosher salt)

1 tsp. ground pepper

6 ears fresh corn, husk and silk removed

DIRECTIONS

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.

In a medium size bowl combine butter, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Spread the butter mixture in an even layer on each ear of corn. Wrap each ear of corn with heavy duty foil (or specially made grill foil) and place on the grill.

Grill, turning occasionally, until the kernels begin to brown, about 20 minutes.

I think it is really difficult to find a good bowl of black bean soup.  Too often it is flavorless, watery, slimy, and too salty.  There are just too many things that can go wrong, and it usually does.  I wanted to make my own black bean soup, but all of the recipes that caught my eye, began with dried black beans, and that meant a 24 hour, overnight soak.   It was about to snow, and I wanted my black bean soup for dinner that night!

I wondered if I could go to my pantry, and come up with something good using the ingredients I already had on hand.   I had plenty of good ingredients to make a flavorful soup, but I was thinking it wasn't going to be thick enough for my liking.  I didn't want to puree the soup, because I wanted to see and taste the black beans.  Then I remembered reading about a technique where you can add pureed canned beans and/or vegetables to soup as a healthy thickener.  In less than an hour, I had this hearty, flavorful soup, that tasted like it had been cooking all day.  Added bonus:  it is healthy and inexpensive!

I love fresh corn in the summer, but sometimes corn on the cob is hard to serve to a crowd.  It is messy, hard to eat, and it always gets stuck in my teeth!  I was flipping through my "Back To Basics" cookbook by Ina Garten, when I came across this yummy looking recipe for Confetti Corn.  Simple, easy, delicious, quick and inexpensive...what more could you want?  Prepare it a day in advance, and re-heat it gently before serving.

Confetti Corn

courtesy of Ina Garten, Back To Basics

2 T. EVOO

1/2 c. chopped red onion

1 small orange bell pepper, 1/2 inch dice

2 T. unsalted butter

kernals cut from 5 ears yellow or white corn (4 c.)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 T. julienned fresh basil, minced fresh chives and/or fresh minced parsley leaves

Heat EVOO over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Add onion and saute 5 minutes, until onion is soft.  Stir in bell pepper and saute 2 more minutes.

Add butter to pan and allow it to melt.  Over medium heat, add corn, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 - 7 minutes, until corn just loses its starchiness.  Season to taste, gently toss with fresh herbs and serve hot.

Today is Barefoot Blogger Thursday, and we have a keeper.  I promise that if you try this recipe, you will be happy that you did.   After an entire month of Ina's cakes, I was very happy that Jill, of My Next Life, chose one of my favorite, all-time soups.  I have been making this chowder for years, and it is awesome! It is from Ina's very first cookbook, the original "Barefoot Contessa Cookbook" (a must have for any Barefoot Contessa fan).  It is absolutely a perfect dinner on a chilly fall night, and the leftovers make a great lunch.  This recipe makes a TON of soup, so unless you are feeding a crowd, I suggest cutting the recipe in half.  This soup is simple to make, the leftovers last several days, and, c'mon.... who doesn't like a great bowl of chowder?

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

8 ounces bacon, chopped

1/4 cup good olive oil

6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

12 cups chicken stock

6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)

10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)

2 cups half-and-half

8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Notes:

I use frozen corn when making this soup, and it comes out just delicious.   You can even use canned corn in a pinch.

You can substitute cream for the half and half, for a richer soup, or whole milk, for a slightly thinner soup.  You can even use fat free half and half.  Another way to make your soup thicker, is to cut back on the amount of chicken stock.  Remember, with soup, you can always adjust the liquids to your own personal preferences.

I don't bother to cook the bacon in olive oil.  I have made the soup both ways, and there is no difference in the final product.

You know summer is in full swing when you are sitting outside eating grilled corn. Here in Atlanta, it is 90 degrees, and school is out, so we are in full summer mode!  We went to my Dad and Bev's for a simple BBQ dinner last night...hot dogs and burgers.  I saw that Bev had some ears of corn wrapped in foil on the grill, but didn't think much of it.  I've had grilled corn before, and I really like it.  When it came time to eat, and I got my piece of corn, it smelled amazing!  This was no ordinary grilled corn!  When I asked how she made it, I knew I had to post it here, because it is so easy, but it really made my meal memorable.  I will definitely be making this for my next BBQ.

The Best Grilled Corn

6 ears of corn, husks and silk removed (or as many ears of corn as you need)

EVOO

herbes de provence

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Take the ears of corn and place on a piece of heavy duty foil, large enough to completely wrap the corn.  Drizzle a tablespoon or two of EVOO over the corn, and brush evenly over the entire ear.  Sprinkle with herbes, salt and pepper, then wrap tightly.  Repeat with all ears of corn.  Place on a medium to medium high grill for 20 minutes.  Take off the grill and let cool for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle.  Unwrap and enjoy!