Just A Week

We moved into the new house.
We are surrounded by boxes.
I may make a fort.
See you in a week.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

3/4 c. dry wild rice, rinsed

2 strips bacon, diced

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c. onion, diced

1/4 c. carrot, diced

1/4 c. celery, diced

1/4 c. flour

2 T. dry sherry

4 c. chicken broth
2 c. cooked wild rice

2 c. cooked chicken, shredded

2 t. fresh thyme

1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

green onions, sliced

slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Prepare wild rice according to package directions.

Saute bacon in a large pot until crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add mushrooms to drippings and saute over med-high heat until soft, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add onion, carrot and celery; cover and sweat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium.

Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with sherry, scraping up bits of bottom of pot, then add broth, cooked rice, chicken, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer 10 minutes.

Finish soup with milk, cream, sour cream, reserved bacon, salt, and pepper; gently simmer 1 minute to heat through. Garnish with green onions and toasted almonds.

Makes 8 cups. Total time 45 minutes + cooking rice

Verdict:

I love wild rice. I think I started when my Mom married my step dad Steve. I don't remember eating it before then but...here nor there. I thought this soup would rock my world. It didn't. I think if I am going to spend the time making wild rice I will just eat it by itself, because I like it that much.

Chicken With Paprika Sauce

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
2 T. sweet paprika
coarse salt and pepper
2 T. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 c. sour cream

Directions:
Toss chicken in a bowl with 1 T. paprika, 1 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper. Heat 1 T. butter in a large skillet. Add chicken; cook, tossing occasionally, until opaque throughout. Transfer to a plate.
Heat remaining tablespoon butter in the same skillet. Add onion; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon paprika, and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes and 3/4 c. water; cook until saucy, 4 to 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet.
Stir in sour cream, and cook just until heated through (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with egg noodles.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
I think this is so yummy. When I first read the recipe I was a little apprehensive. Don't be apprehensive it is good.

Turkey Burger With Roasted Poblano and Onions

Ingredients:

1 poblano chile

4 t. vegetable oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise

coarse salt and pepper

1 1/4 lbs turkey, ground

4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

2 t. butter, room temperature

4 buns, split

Directions:

Over a gas flame or under the broiler, roast chile until charred, about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let chile steam for 20 minutes.

Rub chile with a paper towel to remove skin. Remove seeds and stem.

Slice chile into strips and return to bowl.

Heat oil in a large skillet and cook onions, seasoning with salt and pepper, until soft and translucent about 10 minutes. Add onion to bowl with chile and stir to combine.

Form ground turkey into four 4-inch wide patties and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 2 t. vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, cook burgers 2 minutes. Flip, top each with cheese and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes more.

Meanwhile heat broiler. Butter inside of buns and place on a baking sheet buttered side up. Toast under a broiler. Place burgers on buns and top with onion and chile mixture.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 50 minutes.

Verdict:

I think these are yummy. The poblano gives the mixture a little kick, not a lot. I think these are a nice switch up from regular burgers.

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

3 T. butter

1/4 c. onion, finely chopped

1/3 c. flour

salt

4 c. whole milk

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

3/4 lb. small shell pasta or elbow macaroni
4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add flour and 1/2 t. salt; cook, stirring frequently until mixture is pale golden, has a slightly nutty aroma, and is the texture of cooked oatmeal, about 5 minutes.

Whisking constantly, pour in 2 c. milk; add 2 more cups milk and cayenne and whisk until smooth.

Cook mixture, stirring constantly along bottom of pan, until boiling, 6-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and does not feel grainy when a small amount is rubbed between two fingers, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water cook paste until al dente. Drain thoroughly and return to pot.

Remove sauce from heat and let cool 10 minutes. Quickly whisk in cheese, mustard and Worcestershire. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and stir to coat.

Makes 6 servings. Total time 55 minutes.

Verdict:

I followed this recipe exactly as it said and my mac and cheese still turned out slightly grainy. The flavor was good I just didn't care for the texture.

Menu

Mon: Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Tue: Turkey Burgers With Roasted Poblano and Onions

Wed: Paprika Chicken

Thur: Winter Chicken and Wild Rice

Fri: Pork Loin French Dip with Jus

Meatloaf Sandwiches with Tomato Bacon Relish

For the meatloaf:
see here

For the relish:
2 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. prepared yellow mustard
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. tomatoes, seeded, diced

Directions:
Saute bacon until crisp in a frying pan. Add onion and saute 3 more minutes.
Stir in sugar, mustard, and ketchup.
Add tomatoes and simmer 1 minute.
Serve meatloaf sandwich style on toasted french bread with relish and lettuce as toppings.

Makes 1 c. relish. Total time 15 minutes.

Verdict:
When I make this relish I cook the bacon until it is almost burnt. The bacon softens up when you add the tomatoes. I also use more bacon than what it calls for. I like bacon so I feel like more is always better. I think this relish is so good. I like it a lot. When I make it with leftover meatloaf it makes it seem like it is a new meal.