Goodbye Gazpacho - Hello Chowda!

The change in the weather means a change in whats stocked in the fridge which means SOUP!  Gazpacho season is over and now its chili and chowda time folks!!  Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of soup served with a piece of toasty crusty bread.  Most of the time soups get a bad rep – as the go-to food to eat when you’re sick.  Not true, it’s an easy, flavor-packed bowl of goodness that you can enjoy anytime; especially chowder.  Chowder or chowda as my brethren in the northeast call it is basically a thickened soup.  I have always thought that chowder takes all day but the other night CFJ was craving soup and it’s the first thing that popped in my mind! So, I made it happen…quickly! 

Clam Chowda

Makes enough for 2-3 ppl

Canned Clams – 2 cans

1 russet potato – peeled and diced

½ to 1 cup Sliced mushrooms

1 onion diced

Garlic - 2 gloves, minced 

Chicken stock – 12-18 oz

Fat Free Half and Half

Thickening Agent (1/4 cup flour and half and half – whisked well removing lumps)

Frozen corn – cup or so

Dried Thyme - 1-2 tsp

Dried Dill - 1-2 tsp

Dried Oregano - 1-2 tsp

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - dash 

S&P

Crumbled Bacon

Diced Chives (or green onions)

Drain clams, reserving the juice and set aside. 

In large saucepan, sautee onions, garlic and mushrooms with butter until tender.   Add ¾ of your chicken stock, clam juice (from canned clams) and diced potato.  Simmer until taters are tender – about 10-15 minutes.

Add dried seasonings (use measurements to your taste preferences), 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of half and half and your thickening agent.  Stir well and continue to cook on simmer a few more minutes.  If the chowda is getting too thick, add additional chicken stock, if too thin, create additional thickening agent and add.  If you feel you want more base to your soup continue to add liquids until to reach your desired amount.    

Once you get the desired consistency and amount of base add corn and clams.  Flavor with pepper and a pinch of salt and simmer 10 more minutes until heated through.  Serve topped with crumbled bacon (hence, only a pinch of salt) and diced green onions or chives.

Now, typically I end my posts with a simple “Enojy!” but there is something that gave this chowda a little extra flavor!  As I was plating my soup and placing the garnish perfectly for it’s photo debut, I quickly grabbed for my phone and SPLASH!  My iPhone lands head first into my beautifully garnished bowl of clam chowder.  After freaking out that first, I ruined my photo opp for this post, CFJ kindly reminded me my phone was swimming with the clams – ha.  Don’t worry, I got the photo out in time before any major damage.  Aaaah, blessed by the food gods! 

Now..Enjoy! 

Who doesn't love a shrimp...and grit!

For some reason lately, I have talked with a lot of people that have one, never tried grits and then two, never had shrimp and grits!  This is so sad to me - the flavor-absorbing creamy grit topped with large shrimp and onions...heavenly.  So, for those who have never experienced it - I am here to share!  Now, it seems every good Southern style cook wants to make their own version of Shrimp and Grits; well I don’t have time for trial and error more or less the budget, so, I take a blend of Neeley’s, Paula Dean and our own Jones kitchen instinct to make a great homemade rendition.   Enjoy y'all! 

Shrimp and Grits – Jones’s Style.

½ pound Hot/Spicy Ground sausage

6 large mushrooms – thick slice

3 green onions – diced (greens and whites)

1 clove diced garlic

1 dozen, large deveined shrimp

White Wine

1 cup grits (Use 5-minute grits)

4 cups Chicken Stock

¼ cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

½ cup Colby-Jack Shredded Blend

S&P to taste

Start by cooking the sausage in a large skillet, drain on plate with paper towel and set aside.  In same pan, cook garlic, mushrooms and onions until soft.  De-glaze with a splash of white wine. 

While you are cooking your veggies, start the grits.  Use 5-minute instant grits and cook according to package, Chicken Stock instead of water, using slightly more liquid to make sure your grits end up moist and creamy.

Once veggies are soft, season shrimp with Old Bay, Garlic Salt, Paprika and Oregano then add shrimp to pan and cook about 3 minutes per side until translucent, add cooked sausage and cook until flavors are blended (a few minutes). De-glaze with wine if needed.  At that time, add the cheese to the grits and remove from burner. 

Spoon grits onto plate and spoon over shrimp and sauce.  Serve topped with extra green onions and grated parmesan cheese.  

This calls for chicken pot pie!

Rainy.45 degrees.Gray.Hot yoga.6 mile run.Laundry.Cleaned house.Grocery Store. Football.Sunday.

All of those factors added up to a well-deserved winter-weather type meal! Nothing tastes better on the first cold day of the season than a casserole…At least in my honest opinion.  Growing up there was something so soothing about a steamy one pot meal.  Chicken and biscuits, turkey tetrazzini, baked spaghetti, mac-n-cheese…mmmmm.  Maybe it was because it filled my belly after soccer practice or the love that was behind cooking it all (probably the combination of both); either way it hit the spot.  So last night deserved one of my favorite heart and hand warming meals – chicken pot pie!  All you need is a rotisserie chicken, can of biscuits and you are on your way. (It’s ok to cut corners every now and again)

Here’s what you do to make enough for 2-3 people:

Rotisserie Chicken (1-2 cups diced)

¼ cup diced carrot

½ large onion diced

Sliced mushrooms – I liked a lot of ‘shrooms – ¾ cups

Frozen Peas (or Green Beans or Asparagus)

Dried Thyme

Dried Oregano

Dried Dill

Dried Rosemary

Minced Garlic

3 cups chicken stock

¼ cup flour

½ stick butter

2 cups Fat Free Half and Half

Refrigerated Biscuits

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees; place all biscuits except  3 on un-greased cookie sheet.   Take the other 3 biscuits, roll them out and line the bottom and sides of your baking dish.  Bake about 15 minutes or until golden.  Remove and let cool.

In large saucepan, heat butter and EVOO.  Sautee carrots, onions for about 4-5 minutes or until soft.  Add garlic, S&P, thyme, along with mushrooms and cook about 4-5 more minutes until all veggies are soft.  Place cooked veggies in small bowl – you will use your sauce pan for your creamy sauce base. 

For your sauce, place pan back on medium heat.  Melt ¼ stick of butter (or so, eye ball it until it coats the bottom and then some) and whisk in your flour.  Once your roux is golden blonde add your stock whisking to mix together.  Then add your half and half (whisking well), dried seasoning, cooked veggies and chicken.  If you are using frozen peas or greens, add them now as well.  Heat through for about 5-7 more minutes. 

  

Now, take your biscuit lined dish and fill with your pot pie filling.  Place dish on cookie sheet and bake at 400 for about 25 minutes or until nice and bubbly.  The last few minutes of cooking, take biscuit tops and line the top of your pot pie.  Place back in oven and continue baking until biscuit tops are hot and your pot pie is oozing over your dish. 

Serve piping hot and enjoy while wearing your favorite happy pants! 

A Fall Meal with a Hint of Summer

The cool breeze that’s started to roll through Raleigh lately has made me crave fall comfort food.  So, I jumped the gun a bit a cooked up a hearty roasted chicken dinner.  I used onions, garlic and an earthy blend of mushrooms to bring in the fall flavors but I kept a pop of summer (because it is hard to let go!) and topped the entire dish with a light basil cream sauce.  This entrée will be the star of a robust meal that fits perfectly on the cusps of two seasons. 

What you need:

Skin On, Bone In Chicken Breasts

Exotic Mushrooms (shitake, oyster, whatever is around the grocery that day)

Onion - Sliced 

Garlic

Fresh Basil

Milk (Heavy cream would work best but its ok if you just use milk)

Place a roasting pan in the oven at 450 for about 10-15 minutes to get it nice and hot!  While your pan is heating, season chicken with S&P, Oregano, thyme and rosemary – think fall!

Now, carefully, with oven mitt covered hands, remove HOT roasting pan from oven.  Coat the bottom with EVOO and place chicken breasts skin side down – listening to them sizzle.    This will get the skin nice and crispy. 

Place chicken in the oven and reduce temperature to 375.  Bake chicken for about 10 minutes on this side then flip and add sliced onions, mushrooms, minced garlic along with a drizzle of evoo to the roasting dish.  Continue roasting until chicken is done, maybe another 10-15 minutes. 

To make the basil cream sauce (SO EASY!) place torn basil leaves, rough chopped garlic, Italian seasoning, evoo and milk/cream into a ninja or food processor and blend together well.  Use your judgment on measurements depending on how many people you are serving.  Place creamy, basil soup in a sauce pan and simmer until warm.  Once the sauce starts to warm, I add a handful of grated parmesan cheese and a dash of nutmeg.  If you want a thicker sauce, blend a bit or corn starch with water and add until you reach our desired consistency.\

After 30 minutes your chicken and sauce should be ready.  I recommend serving with mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato cakes and a green veggie (my go-to is asparagus).  The sweetness of the potato, the earthiness of the chicken covered lightly with the basil cream all intertwine to create a meal for two seasons.  Enjoy!!

A sous chef is the best kitchen accessory.

Scallops could be considered the filet mignon of the sea.  Rich and tender and can be completely ruined if overcooked.  Which is why a good sous chef is always important when cooking a meal with scallops because Lord knows, you don’t want to screw up that entrée! 

I ran up to my local Earth Fare the other day and the scallops were looking irresistible so I knew my sous chef would be helping out with dinner!  Cue the phone call:  “Hey Babe.  Good, you?  Great, just picked up some yummy scallops.  Yeah, Earth Fare.  So what time are you...7pm, PERFECT! Love ya “  Unknown to CFJ, I had my sous chef for the night.  

Chuck has perfected the art of searing scallops so anytime we make them he knows he will have to put on his sous chef searing hat and help out, but I don’t think he minds.  

We had 6 large scallops and we needed a little something extra to go with the dish.  No surprise to anyone, I suggested pasta.  The first thing that pops in my head is a play-off alfredo or scampi, neither of which I am a huge fan of so I scoured the kitchen to get creative.  Ricotta, fresh basil and roasted red pepper...could be a yummy sauce.  From the pantry scouring we created, Ricotta Red Pepper Pasta topped with Seared Scallops.  This is a fun dish to cook together because you can divide and conquer.  Chef takes the sauce and pasta while the Sous Chef mans that scallops.  

Red Pepper Ricotta Sauce & Pasta

Whole Milk Ricotta – a cup or so

Fresh Basil – 4 leaves roughly sliced

Roasted Red Peppers ( ¾ of a jar) – rough chop

Minced Garlic – 1 teaspoon

Italian Seasoning

Red Pepper Flakes

S&P

Drizzle EVOO

Place all items in your mini Ninja or food processor and mix well.  Keep blending and tasting until you reach your preferred palate pleasing sauce.  I had to keep adding Red Pepper flakes to my sauce because I wanted a bit of a kick.  Once mixed, place in a small saucepan and gently heat. 

Add your fettuccini to the salted, boiling water and start your scallops. 

Seared Scallops

Rinse scallops and pat dry.  Pre-heat a skillet on medium-medium high heat and add butter.  You want your pan hot but not scorching that you immediately burn your scallops.  I always cut one in half or buy an extra just for testing.  Once your pan is ready, S&P the scallops and add to the buttery skillet.  Sear a couple minutes, until you have a nice crust and flip.  By the top you are ready to remove the scallops your pasta is ready. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the water, and set aside.  Place scallops on paper towel once cooked. 

To put it all together, toss the pasta with your red pepper sauce and a splash of pasta water, top with scallops and fresh basil.   Feel free to also add freshly grated parm and crumbled bacon ( I use turkey bacon) like we did! Once you bite into your delicate, buttery scallop, kiss your sous chef, sip your wine and enjoy!! 

A Day of Yoga & Shopping Deserves Carbs!

Thanks Lisako/Cindy for the Photos!

Yay for Half Marathon training!  I am excited that my training for the Savannah Half is up and running.  I am back to running around 5-6 miles two times a week but I still have a long a way to go.  The great thing about long distance running, mixed with Arrichion Hot Yoga is CARBS!  A couple weekends ago, I had spent the morning at Athleta Southpoint for a special Arrichion Hot Yoga Bloodstone class (Thanks Lisako!) and then walked Southpoint doing some crazy shopping!   

 When I returned home –Barnes & Noble, NY & Company, Williams Sonoma & LuLu Lemon bags in tow...I was starving.  A day of yoga and shopping is hard work! It was close to 2pm and I spotted leftover pasta in the fridge and thought – Mediterranean Bistro lunch!  I poured a glass of Pinot Grigio (well deserved after my busy day) and searched for my ingredients.  I was ravenous so I knew pasta would do the trick but I still wanted the dish to be light and fresh.  Conveniently, some of my favorite fresh ingredients were on hand and from that my flavorful lunch evolved. 

Left over pasta (I had linguini)

Fresh Basil

Fresh arugula

Fresh grated parm

Goat Cheese Crumbles (and/or Feta)

EVOO

S&P

Toss cold pasta with a drizzle of EVOO and microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from microwave and mix.  Be careful the pasta will be steaming hot but that’s exactly what you want.  Quickly mix in a couple handfuls of arugula, S&P and freshly grated parm.  Mix and re-nuke for 30 seconds or so.  Once super hot (the only way I like my pasta) top with goat cheese and fresh basil.  Enjoy with your crisp cold white wine and have no regret because you know you’ll have a day of running and yoga again soon! 

The Perfect Pear

I’m not the best baker but I love dessert.  Baking takes a lot of precision, it's science and I am more of an arts and literature type of cook – I like creativity and very little boundaries.  When it comes to desserts I tend to try dishes that don’t include a lot of flour, measuring or an exact amount of anything.  Example:  It took me three Fall cooking seasons to master Pumpkin Bread!  It’s now my seasonal go to hostess gift.  Hmm, maybe I will ship holiday loaves to all of my followers?  What do you think? :) 

When I experienced my Whole Foods Freak Out a few weeks back I came out of that experience with a fab, gourmet dessert – Dolce Gorgonzola Stuffed Pears!! It sounds super fancy but it is remarkably easy and so unique.  You have to be prepared because the flavor combos are very non-traditional; the pungent gorgonzola has a hint of sweetness but evens out when paired with the caramelized brown sugar and butter topping.  The pear provides the perfect neutral platform for all the flavors to gel.  Want to impress?  Here’s what you do:

Bradford Pears – 2-3 large

Brown Sugar – 3-4 tablespoons

Splenda – 1-2 tablespoon

Butter- 4-5 dabs

Gorgonzola Dolce

Walnuts = ¼ cup diced

Cinnamon - dash

Nutmeg – dash

Honey

Greek Yogurt

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice your pears in half and core out the seeds and ribs.  Slice a bit off the bottom of each half so the pears lay flat in your dish.  Place in greased baking dish and squirt with lemon juice.  Next crumble fresh Gorgonzola Dolce into the center of each pear half.

In bowl mix sugars, nuts and seasonings.  Top each pear with the sugary mixture – use a LOT of it, cover the core and top of each pear.  Then place a dab of butter onto each pear half.  Place in oven for 20-30 minutes until knife tender and caramelized. 

Serve each pear in a bowl with vanilla Greek yogurt and drizzle with honey.  Garnish with chopped walnut and there you have it…you are a gourmet goddess!  Enjoy!