Sunday, January 1, 2012

cupcakes


bakarelladotcom
IMG_3615
Use a black edible ink pen to draw on white confetti sprinkles for dotted eyes and then attach them to the chips with a tiny bit of frosting to hold them in place.
You could also just pipe frosting on for eyes if you want to skip the pin and sprinkles.
Panda-cupcakes_3723
There you go. Easy little pandas.
Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup hot water
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Fill mini cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
  • In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together with a wire whisk.
  • Add eggs, oil, vanilla and milk and mix until combined.
  • Add hot water and mix.
  • Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Cool and decorate.
To decorate, you’ll need:
  • Frosting (I used the one from this post)
  • Decorator bag and Ateco tip 807 (or just use a ziploc bac and cut an end off)
  • White sanding sugar
  • Chocolate Chips (I used Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips for their size)
  • Jimmies (Chocolate or black and you could also just leave them off)
  • Pastel confetti sprinkles (just the white ones)
  • Black edible ink pen

Obento

bohnenhasedotcom




Content:
The upper part, I filled with sushi-su seasoned rice and a flower made of sausage and the dragonfly. The dragonfly you can make quick and easy with a few ingredients and few accessories. So you need for the wings a piece of carrot and cut out with a cookie cutter or carve it by hand. For the body simply cut out an oblong oval piece out of nori and cut the eyes with the help of a straw from a piece of cheese. The pupils I have punched out with a nori puncher. Put all pieces together and it's finished :)
In the lower area you can still find a schnitzel, two sausage rolls filled with beans, seaweed salad, broccoli, tomato, a piece of orange, blueberries and flowers of carrot and cheese.

Bento #23: Puppy Bagel Bento




Contents:
The bagel I have filled with salad, salami and cheese. In addition there was still a funny little puppy from goat cheese with ears made of sausage. The face was as always punched out of nori. Furthermore, there were still a few flowers from carrot and goat cheese, one tomato, pickled cucumbers and onions and apple bunnies.

Bento #20: Onigiri, Tofu Puffs, Strawberry & Dragon Fruit


Contents:
Two onigiri with chicken mayo filling, two tofu puffs, crab sausage, broccoli, dragon fruit, a strawberry, carrot sticks and salad. In the little box I've filled some soy sauce for dipping.
___________________________________

Yakisoba Pan / 焼きそばパン



Recipe for 4-5 Yakisoba Pan:
  • 4-5 pan buns or hot dog buns
  • 250g chūka soba or mie noodles
  • 100g cabbage
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 3 tbsp yakisoba or okonimiyaki sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp water
  • salt and pepper
  • aonori
  • katsuobushi
  • mayonnaise
  • beni shōga
  • oil for frying
1. Cook the noodles in boiling water until ready and drain well in a sieve.

2. Heat in a pan some oil and fry the noodles with the cabbage, bacon, yakisoba sauce, ketchup and 1 tablespoon water. Season with salt and pepper. Divide into 4-5 equal portions.

3. Cut the pan buns along on top (don't cut through completely!) and fill it with a portion of yakisoba. Garnish the yakisoba pan with mayonnaise, aonori, katsuobushi and beni shōga.


Bento #18: Little Panda


Content:
An onigiri in form of a panda, whose face I've punched out of a piece of nori. In addition there were still beans, broccoli, two hearts from carrot, chicken nuggets, two tomatoes, an apple in a checkerboard pattern, a steamed shiitake and two slices of mandarin. In the small blue sauce jar I filled a bit mayonnaise for dipping  for the chicken nuggets, because my daughter likes it so much.

Bento #14: Santa and the Christmas Tree



Bento #12: Santa Claus and Rudolph



Contents:
In the left bento is vegetable lasagna. In the right bento is broccoli, salad, zucchini with panko, tamagoyaki, cheese stars, tomato and corn. Santa Claus and Rudolph are made of sausage. The beard of Santa and the white part of his hat are made of protein, the hat of tomato. Rudolph has a hat of carrot and protein. Both have a nose I've punched out of red pepper. Eyes and mouth are as always punched out of nori.

Bento #10: Snowman with Child



Contents:
For the big snowman I have formed two round shaped onigiri (rice balls) and put together to a snowman. The hat I made of cheese and sausage and fixed with a pick on the head. The scarf is made of mortadella. The nose is of course made of carrot and the eyes, mouth and buttons I've punched out of nori.
The little snowman is made of two quail eggs. He got a food pick in the form of a hat on his head. The scarf is made of yellow pepper. Eyes, mouth and buttons are also punched out of nori. The cheeks I've decorated with some okonomiyaki sauce.
The remaining supplements are salad, parsley, broccoli, baby corn, apple in the form of a leaf, radish and a cheese heart.

Mini Sandwiches, Kiwi, Grapes and Carrots



Contents:
Whole grain sandwich, kiwi, grapes, carrots, cherry tomato and sausage.

Bento #6: Scrambled Eggs, Meatballs, Pumpkin & Mini Onigiri




Top: Rice with scrambled eggs and chives, meatballs and fried pumpkins.
Bellow: Mini onigiri, tomato-cucumber-sticks, carrot flowers and sausage crabs.

Bento #4: Fried Rice, Broccoli, Gyoza and Meatballs



Contents:
Fried rice with vegetables, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, homemade gyoza, meatballs and a sliced shaped egg.

karaimamedotwordpressdotcom


Little dogs bento



 SALSA ROLL UP 

EASY SALSA ROLL UP RECIPE
  • 4 oz (1/2 of 8 oz pkg) Philadelphia cream cheese (or Neufchatel), softened
  • 3 tablespoons thick and chunky salsa
  • 4 flour tortillas (6 inch)
  • ½ cup Kraft Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese)
  • ¼ tsp chili powder (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Mix Philadelphia and salsa with electric mixer. Spread onto tortillas and top with remaining ingredients. (I omitted the chilli powder because I used a medium salsa and didn’t want it too spicy. Tasted great without).
  2. Tightly roll tortillas and cut each crosswise into 5 slices.

Soups


slow_cooker_beefy_nacho_soup_
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 package taco seasoning
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 can (10¾ ounce) condensed nacho cheese soup (cheddar soup will also work)
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilis, undrained
  • 1½ cups milk
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • Optional toppings:
  • Crushed tortilla chips
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. In a medium sized skillet cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until beef is no longer pink and the onion is clear. Drain the grease and add to slow cooker.
  2. Add soup, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and green chilis, and milk. Stir.
  3. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Stir in ½ cup cheddar cheese and allow to melt. Can be kept on warm for an additional 4 hours. Top with crushed tortilla chips and additional cheese if desired.

Chicken Tortilla Soup




Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno/serrano pepper
4 corn tortillas
1 (10oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
5 cups of chicken broth
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
Big pinch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup of frozen corn
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt to taste
Optional Toppings:
Black bean Salsa (see recipe below)
Tortilla strips
Avocados, diced
Sour cream
Cilantro
Jalapenos
Method:
– Start by roughly dicing the onion & garlic. Don’t worry too much about chopping it fine, we’re going to blend the soup up later.
– Heat some oil in a heavy bottom pot, then toss in the onion and garlic and sautee them for a few minutes (3-4 minutes) on medium-high, until they turn soft and translucent.
– Cut up 4 corn tortillas into roughly 1 inch pieces. (Again, don’t worry about being exact) And also cut up one jalapeno/ serrano pepper (de-seeded if you want to cut down on the heat).
– Add the tortilla pieces & jalapeno/serrano to the pot and sautee them for a couple minutes with the onion & garlic.
– Next, pour in a whole can of Ro-tel (diced tomatoes with green chillies) and 5 cups of chicken broth.
– Add some cumin, cayenne pepper and oregano to the pot and bring everything up to a boil. Then turn off the heat, add finely chopped cilantro and allow the soup to cool enough to put in the blender.
– Once the soup has cooled off a little, spoon the soup into a blendee/ food processor in batches and puree the soup until it’s smooth.
– Return the soup to the pot, turn the heat on to medium high and let it thicken.
– Add the corn & chicken to the soup and very gently stir them in. lower the heat to a gentle simmer and let the corn cook through for a couple minutes. Taste and season the soup with salt (keeping in mind the broth was probably salted).
– Lastly pour in the cream and add the cheese to the soup, stir it gently to mix everything together.
– For a topping, you can make your own tortilla strips by cutting 3-4 corn tortilla’s in half and then cut it up into half inch strips. Deep fry the tortilla strips in about an and inch of oil, in small batches until they turn a light golden brown. Scoop them out from the oil and place the tortilla strips on a paper napkin to drain the excess oil.
– Just before you dish the soup out, squeeze in the juice of half a lime.
– Serve the soup topped with some black bean salsa (see recipe below) and the crunchy tortilla strips.(You can also garnish the soup with sour cream, avocados, cilantro, jalapenos…whatever you like!)

Black Bean Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can black beans,
1-2 tomatoes
1/2 an onion
1 jalapeno/serrano pepper
Handful of fresh cilantro
1/2 a lime
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/3 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
Method:
– Drain and rinse a can of black beans.
– Add to it, the finely diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeno/serrano (de-seeded for less heat), tomatoes (de-seeded) and chopped cilantro.
– To season the mix, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, add some cumin and cayenne pepper powder (optional, only if you like it spicy), and salt.
– Toss everything together and taste for seasonings.
– Serve chilled.


Greek lemon chicken soup - avgolemono 2
Avgolemono{Greek Lemon Chicken Soup}
Serves 6
This soup is best eaten when it is cooked. Reheating may cause eggs to curdle.
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 lb. Bone in Chicken Thighs
  • 7 C. Chicken Broth(or Water)
  • 1/2 T. Olive Oil
  • 1 small Onion, chopped
  • 1 t. Coarse Salt
  • 1 1/2 C. Carrot, shredded
  • 1/2 C. Orzo
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 T. Fresh Dill, chopped
  • Dash White Pepper
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken thighs in a crock-pot and cover with the 7 cups chicken broth or water. Cook on high for 4 hours, or until chicken is fall off the bone tender.
  2. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and allow it to cool down in a bowl. Do not discard the broth. Strain the broth through a mesh sieve and keep warm in the crock pot.
  3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, separate the chicken from the bones. Shred the chicken just slightly. Set aside, keeping warm.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and salt and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Do not brown. Add the carrot and saute for another 2 minutes.
  5. Pour 1 cup of the broth from the crock pot into a blender and set aside to cool slightly. Add another 5 cups of the broth from the crockpot to the stock pot containing the onion and carrot and bring to a simmer(Add more chicken stock if there is not 5 cups left of liquid to make up the difference). Once the stock is simmering, add the orzo. Cover the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the orzo is tender.
  6. Add the eggs and lemon juice to the cooled stock in the blender and blend until the mixture is frothy.
  7. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot soup, stirring constantly until it is completely mixed in. Do not bring to a boil or eggs will curdle.
  8. Add the chicken, dill, and a dash of white pepper to the soup and stir until distributed.
  9. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
  10. Serve immediately.








Cheeseburger Soup

damndelicious.net


Cheeseburger Soup - All the flavors of a cheeseburger in a creamy, comforting soup, topped with crisp bacon and hamburger bun croutons!

CHEESEBURGER SOUP
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Yield4 servings
All the flavors of a cheeseburger in a creamy, comforting soup, topped with crisp bacon and hamburger bun croutons!
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 hamburger buns, diced into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces ground beef
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups milk, or more, as needed
  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Get Dairy-Free Recipes for Every Meal
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 10-15 minutes; set aside.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
  • Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, celery, carrots and Worcestershire. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in potatoes.
  • Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes. Stir in ground beef, cheese, salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.
  • Serve immediately, garnished with croutons, bacon and chives, if desired.


Chicken Bisque Soup 3 © willcookforsmiles.com #soup #chicken #bisque
Chicken Bisque Soup
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Ingredients
  • Stock:
  • 1.25 lbs of chicken tenders
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 3 cups of water
  • ___
  • Soup:
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 2 medium shallots
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 large carrot
  • Chicken from above
  • 2 cups of stock
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • Roux (1 tbs soft butter + 2 tbs flour)
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 oz sharp white cheddar
  • salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Start by making the stock and cooking the chicken. Fill the pot with 3 cups of water. Add the bay leaf and thyme. (You can add some salt as well.) Bring to boil and lower the heat to medium. Add chicken. Cook for about 45 minutes. Set aside.
  2. In a soup pot, preheat the oil on medium heat. Add diced shallots and carrots. Cook for a few minutes.
  3. Dice the cooked chicken and add it to the pot. Mince the garlic and add it to the pot as well. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant (just a couple of minutes).
  4. Add the stock and bring to boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the carrots are fully cooked.
  5. To make the roux, just mix the soft butter and flour with a fork until completely combined.
  6. Add heavy cream, roux and Worcestershire sauce to the soup and mix very well. Add some salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
  7. Shred the white cheddar cheese into the soup, mix until all melted and combined.
  8. You can garnish with some fresh green onion when serving, if you'd like.
Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com


Chicken Meatball Orzo Soup 1 from willcookforsmiles.com #soup #chickensoup #orzo

Chicken Meatball & Orzo Hearty Soup
Ingredients
  • Chicken Meatballs:
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tsp fresh minced dill weed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Soup:
  • 2 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, shredded
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tbs vegetable oil
  • chicken meatballs
  • 4 cups of chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup of orzo
  • 1 tsp minced fresh dill weed
Instructions
  1. Meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, crushed garlic, bread crumbs, egg, minced dill weed, salt and pepper. Mix until all evenly incorporated. Divide it into small meatballs and leave on a trey while you saute the veggies.
  2. Preheat 2 tbs of oil in a soup pot, over medium heat. Add diced onion and shredded carrots. Raise the heat to medium-high and saute the veggies until they begin to caramelize. Stir often.
  3. When they are nicely golden, add the crushed garlic and lower the heat back to medium. Saute until garlic is fragrant then take the veggies out of the pot and set aside.
  4. Add the other 2 tbs of oil and the meatballs. Cook the meatballs until mostly done, turning them after the bottom becomes golden.
  5. (Great flavor comes for caramelized onions and chicken meatballs and it will all transfer into the soup. )
  6. Once the meatballs are almost cooked, add the veggies back into the pot and then add the chicken stock.
  7. Add the bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cook, covered, for about 15 minutes.
  8. Add orzo and dill weed and cook until orzo is done. (About 10 minutes but make sure to taste the orzo to check.)
  9. Take out the bay leaf and serve!
Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.co

Homemade Enchilada Soup 3  from willcookforsmiles.com #soup #chicken

Homemade Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup
  • 1/2 large yellow onion
  • 1 tbs veggie oil
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 5-6 cups of water
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • little bit of salt
  • _____
  • 3 large tomatoes (skin peeled off)
  • 1 tbs vegetable oil
  • 1/2 large yellow onion (from above, in stock)
  • 2 shredded chicken breasts (from above)
  • 2 1/2 cups of stock (from above)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (you can adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp minced fresh cilantro
  • Topping: Grated Monterrey Jack cheese
  • Topping: Sour Cream (optional)
  • Topping: toasted tortilla strips (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, preheat the vegetable oil and add sliced onions. Saute for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Add water and chicken breasts. Bring to boil and add the bay leaf and salt. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the stock for about 1 1/2 hours. (White foam-like substance will appear at the top, in the beginning, just take it off with a spoon and discard.)
  2. Take out the chicken breast, shred it using two forks and set aside. Pour the stock into a separate container and set aside for a minute. Discard the bay leaf.
  3. (Couple of easy ways to peel the tomatoes: 1-you can make a criss-cross cut on top of tomatoes and drop them into boiling water for just a couple of minutes and the skin will be easy to peel off. 2 - you can just use a potato peeler of the tomatoes are firm enough.)
  4. Return the pot to the medium heat and add 1 tbs of vegetable oil.
  5. Dice the peeled tomatoes and add them to the pot. Salt the tomatoes a little, so they give out juice faster. Saute for a couple of minutes and add the shredded chicken.
  6. Add the 2 1/2 cups of stock and the onions to the pot and stir well. (You can refrigerate the remaining stock in an air-tight container and use it in cooking or a quick soup. The shelf life is not too long, only a little over a week, so use it pretty quick.)
  7. Add red pepper flakes and cumin. Taste to see if you need to add more salt. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
  8. Add the heavy cream and freshly minced cilantro. Cook for a couple more minutes and serve.
  9. Top off with some cheese and sour cream before serving.
Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com 

Stuffed Peppers Soup 3 from willcookforsmiles.com #soup #groundbeef #stuffedpeppers
Stuffed Peppers Soup
Ingredients
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 1 large tomato, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cups of beef broth
  • 2 tbs tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup of dry Jasmine rice (that's my favorite but you can use whichever you like)
  • 1 tsp dry basil
  • 1/2 tsp dry oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, over medium heat, heat up the oil and add diced onion, tomato and peppers. Saute for a few minutes, until fragrant and onion starts to be transparent.
  2. Add the ground beef and mix well. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is mostly cooked.
  3. Add the beef broth and tomato paste. Stir well until all the tomato paste is incorporated.
  4. Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Taste to make sure you have enough salt.
  5. Cook for about 15 minutes, covered.
  6. Add rice and lower the heat to low. Cover and wait until the rice is done.
  7. Serve once the rice is cooked.
Notes
Recipe from Lyuba @ willcookforsmiles.com All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to share this recipe, please simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.










Ourbestbites.com





Tortellini Sausage Soup









Tortellini Sausage Soup


3 links Italian sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
2 cans chicken broth
½ c. apple cider (don't leave this out! I did once and it wasn't the same...)
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 c. sliced carrots
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini
2 Tbsp. dried parsley (yes, that's two tablespoons)



Meanwhile, chop onions and garlic




and add to the sausage. Continue cooking until onions are translucent and your sausage is cooked. Your house will smell heavenly.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, juice, water, chicken broth, carrots, oregano, and basil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add parsley and zucchini



and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.
Add the tortellini

and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.







---------------------------------------



Italian Sausage, Kale, and Pasta Soup:"Fortheloveofcooking.net



Original recipe by Kalyn's Kitchen


  • 2 tsp olive oil


  • 4 turkey Italian sausage, removed from casings


  • 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced


  • 3 carrots, sliced


  • 2 cloves of garlic


  • 1 tsp fennel seed, crushed


  • 1 tsp dried basil


  • 3/4 tsp oregano


  • 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes


  • 4 cups of chicken broth


  • 4 cups of beef broth


  • 1 cup of pasta (whatever you have on hand)


  • 2 1/2 cups of kale, ribs cut away and chopped into small pieces


  • Parmesan cheese, for serving




Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the turkey Italian sausage removed from casings, onion, and carrots to the pot. Season with spices and salt and pepper, to taste. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and the onion and carrots are tender. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and beef broth. Cook for 30 minutes.




Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes then add the kale. Cook the soup for an additional 10 minutes; taste and re-season if necessary. Serve topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.







lindseysluciousdotcom


======================================================================Sopa de Albóndigas de Pollo (Chicken Meatball Soup)seriouseatsdotcom













20120927-127677-LatAmCuisine-Sopa-Albondigas-PRIMARY.jpg

Notes:
  • If you can't find sour oranges, substitute with 2 tablespoons orange juice and 1 tablespoon lime juice. For the meatball portion, substitute sour orange juice with 1 tablespoon orange juice and 2 teaspoons lime juice.
  • Culantro is an herb commonly used in Latin America and the Caribbean—it is sometimes referred to as serrated coriander and is available in some Latin American markets. Its flavor is similar to cilantro, but much more pungent. If you can't find it, substitute with cilantro (leaves and stems).
  • Broth, chicken, and meatballs may be made 1 day in advance.

About This Recipe

Ingredients

  •  For the Chicken
  • 1 (4-pound) chicken, rinsed and cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 sour orange, split in half (see notes above)
  • 1/2 cup packed culantro (see notes above)
  • 1/4 cup packed mint leaves
  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  •  
  • For the Chicken Meatballs
  • 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons achiote paste or powdered annato
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cups corn masa mix, such as Maseca
  • 1/2 cup culantro, finely chopped (see notes above)
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sour orange juice (see notes above)
  • Cilantro and mint leaves for garnish

Procedures

  1. 1
    For the Chicken: Place chicken in Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add onion, pepper, garlic, sour orange, culantro, mint, water, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, skimming surface occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer chicken to large plate. When cool enough to handle, use paper towels to remove chicken skin; discard. Shred chicken finely.
  2. 2
    Strain broth into large bowl. Discard solids and return broth to Dutch oven.
  3. 3
    For the Chicken Meatballs: Place onion, bell pepper, and cloves in bowl of food processor and pulse until mixture is a fine paste. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture and annatto and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
  4. 4
    Add corn masa mix, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups strained broth, culantro, mint, sour orange juice, and half the shredded chicken. Stir until thoroughly combined. Shape a single 1/2-inch ball of dough. Bring broth to simmer over medium-low heat. Cook meatball until it floats to surface and taste. Add salt to masa mixture if needed.
  5. 5
    Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and add to simmering broth. Cook until meatballs float to surface, 6 to 8 minutes. Return remaining shredded chicken to broth to heat through. Divide meatballs among bowls and ladle broth over. Serve, garnished with cilantro and mint.


PW

Perfect Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
  • 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
  • 3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced
  • 3 stalks Celery, Diced
  • 6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
  • 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
  • 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
  • Black Pepper To Taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
  • 1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Preparation Instructions

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.











zuppa-toscana-soupEnjoy!
Zuppa Toscana
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
  • 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (see Note)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 bunch kale, coarsley chopped (swiss chard can be substituted)
Instructions
  1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid) over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Add the onions and garlic the the same Dutch oven; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onion mixture and bacon; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the kale into the soup just before serving.
Notes
You can control the thickness of the soup by the amount of potatoes you put in it. The original soup isn't extremely thick but is chunky.