Celeriac Soup

Celeriac is also known as celery root. It has a really mild taste and is readily available in grocery stores in the fall. I used to make this soup for a friend who had difficulty keeping other foods down due to the effects of chemotherapy. It is delicious and the bonus for making it now means that I can remember him.

My celeriac soup

2 - 3 lb of celeriac root, peeled and chopped

2 leeks, chopped

1 apple, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 potatoes, chopped

4 ribs of celery, chopped

4 T butter

1 clove garlic

32 oz chicken broth

13 oz chicken stock

½ c half and half

Melt butter in large soup pot. Add vegetables and cook until reduced and onion is translucent. Add stock and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Blend to a puree with immersion blender. Add half and half.  Serve with garlic croutons.

Garlic Croutons:

Split a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise. Rub French bread with garlic and cut into pieces.  Toast under broiler until crisp.  Serve with soup.

Claire's Smoked Almond Dip

If Claire is coming over to our house for a party, you can bet that I will ask her to bring this dip (along with her cinnamon rolls)! 

Claire’s Swiss Cheese Bacon Smoked Almond Dip

10 pieces of bacon

8 oz cream cheese, softened

½ c mayonnaise

2 ts Dijon-style mustard

4 green onions, chopped

1 ½ c Swiss cheese, shredded

½ c smoked almonds, chopped

1.     Fry bacon, drain and crumble.

2.     Mix all ingredients and bake in pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Top with additional sliced almonds.

  

Claire's White Chicken Chili

My friend, Claire, makes the best white chili. Thanks for sharing your recipe! We make this with red chili and cornbread for a chili feed.

White Chicken Chili 

§  1 - 2 lb cooked chicken, cubed (I either poach chicken breasts in chicken broth and then use the broth when called for in the recipe, or buy a rotisserie chicken)

§  1 T oil

§  1 onion

§  3 cans white beans (2 great Northern, 1 garbanzo)

§  1 can Rotel, original

§  3 cloves minced garlic

§  1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies

§  2 t ground cumin

§  1 t oregano

§  ½ t cayenne (more or less to taste)

§  14 oz chicken broth

§  3 c shredded Jack cheese

§  1 8 oz carton sour cream

Cook onion and spices in oil until transparent. Combine all but last 2 ingredients in soup pan or crock pot. Cook for 1 hour. Add cheese and sour cream. Heat through.

Curried Mixed Beans and Roasted Veggies with Quinoa

Curried Mixed Beans and Roasted Veggies with Quinoa

1 bag of mixed beans with lentils, pre-soaked and drained

1 32 oz box of chicken or veg stock

1 32 oz box of chicken or veg broth

1-2 eggplant

3 delicata squash

2 onion

3 carrot

1 sweet potato

3 peppers

1 bunch kale

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3-4 TBS olive oil

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

2 TBS curry powder

1-2 tsp garam marsala

¼ to ½ c quinoa

1. cut up veg into bite-sized  pieces and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast in 450 oven until caramelized about 30 minutes. Turn veg over about halfway through cook time. Make sure each side is nice and brown.  I use two pans and roast two sets. I use this time to soak the beans.

2. Add broth and stock to soaked beans and bring to boil, then turn down to simmer. Add 2 TBS curry powder and 1-2 tsp of garam marsala.

3. Add kale and chopped garlic. Add quinoa; cook for at least 15 minutes. After veg finished roasting add them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread.

Lentil and Ham Soup

I came across this soup when I searched for something that I could make with lentils and ham. It is a riff on a German lentil soup.

2 c brown lentil, rinsed
3 stalks celery, diced
2 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 qts water
1 pkg Knorr's concentrated beef stock
3 t beef bouillon granules
3 c butternut squash, cubed
2 c diced ham (or sausage would be good; or both!)
2 bay leaves
2 t celery salt
1 t freshly grated nutmeg
5 shakes of hot sauce or 2 t of German/French mustard
1 T worcestershire sauce (or Chinese black vinegar)
1 T dried parsley
2 T fresh cilantro (optional; I just had some that needed to be used so I threw it in there)
2 t caraway seed
1 t freshly cracked pepper
a few twists of TJ's South African Smoke Seasoning

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Spicy Bacon Peach Chutney (to top your burgers)

My cooking club has an annual picnic where one of the things that people bring is a gourmet burger topping. We've tried many different types of toppings, but this, my friends, is the ultimate burger topping. It is delicious! You could also eat it with crackers.

Spicy Bacon Peach Chutney 

1 lb of thick cut bacon cut into 2 in pieces

4-5 lg sweet onions, cut into 1 in pieces

2 t smoked pepper (I use TJ's South African Smoked Pepper Grinder)

1 t salt,

2 green apples, cut into 1 in pieces

4 peaches, cut into 1 in pieces

1 c apple cider vinegar

1 c water

1 c brown sugar

2 T Dijon mustard

2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced

1 T smoked pepper (I use TJ's South African Smoked Pepper Grinder)

1.     Cook the bacon over medium heat until just beginning to get crispy. Remove from pan. Add onions and sprinkle with salt and smoked pepper. Cook, letting them brown and stirring, brown and stirring, until caramelized up to 1 hour. You really want to get those sticky brown bits.

2.     Put green apples, peaches, vinegar, water, mustard, brown sugar, jalapeno, and smoked pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer until reduced and thick about 45 min.

3.     Stir in bacon and caramelized onion and simmer together for about 5 min.

4.     Serve on top of your favorite burger or with crackers.

Shredded Chicken with Greens and White Beans

1 pkg split chicken breasts (3 or 4 pieces) with rib meat
2 T olive oil
salt
pepper
TJ's Everyday Seasoning or Smoked Pepper Seasoning
3 lb mixed greens, chopped (chard, kale, beet greens, etc)
2 T chopped garlic
1/4 c white wine
1 T anchovy paste
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes or equivalent fresh
1 14 oz can white kidney beans, drained

Heat oil in deep skillet. Generously season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, Everyday seasoning and smoked pepper seasoning. Place chicken in skillet skin-side down and cook on medium high heat for 6 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook for another 6 minutes.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Add more oil to the skillet if necessary. Stir in greens until wilted. Add garlic and continue to saute for about a minute. Add wine and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer and add tomatoes, beans, and anchovy paste. Stir until incorporated.

Add chicken back into the pot and cover.  Simmer until chicken's internal temperature comes to 160 F or about 20 minutes. Shred the chicken and stir into the greens.

Serve over brown rice.