Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I saw Aaron McCargo Jr. make this on Big Daddy's House on Food Network. We tried it and LOVED it.

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, split
1 tbsp. bouillon flavoring
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 small white onion diced
2 stalks celery diced
1/2 C. all purpose flour
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 1/2 pounds frozen mixed vegetables
1 C. heavy cream
pinch sea salt
1 store bought pie crust--baked

Add diced potatoes to a large bowl filled with cold water, set aside.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to poach; about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Continue to simmer the broth, adding the bouilon, until reduced by half, about 10 more minutes. Dice the chicken when cooled.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and the celery cooking until translucent, 2 minutes. Stir in the flour until it forms a roux. Add the Italian seasoning and pepper, cook for 3 more minutes.

Whisk the roux into the broth and bring it back up to a boil. Drain the potatoes. Add the potatoes and the chicken to the broth over low heat. Stir in the frozen vegetables. Place lid on top and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and a pinch of sea salt and cook for 5 more minutes.

Preheat the oven as directed on the pie crust package. Lay the pie crust on a baking sheet and place into the oven. Cook according to package instructions, or until the pie crust is golden brown. When the crust is cool, break up into pieces.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the pie crust.

Chocolate Expresso Cookies

This was another hit this past Christmas...they're yummy with a big glass of milk!

2 C. semi sweet chips divided
3oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 stick butter
3 eggs
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. ground coffee
3/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Melt 1 C. of chips, unsweetened chocolate and butter, set aside.
2. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3 minutes.
3. Whisk coffee flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and blend.
5. Beat in flour.
6. Stir in rest of the chocolate chips
7. Drop by spoonful on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees.

Toffee Cookies with Dark Chocolate Glaze

If you like salty and sweet things, you'll love these. You can make individual cookies or spread the dough in a 9X13 and cut them into bars when cool. These were a big hit this past Christmas. The only drawback is that it only makes 2 dozen cookies.

1 C. (two sticks) unsalted butter softened
1 C. dark brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. fine sea salt
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1/4 C. chopped toasted pecans
sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well. Combine the flour and salt in a small bowl then add the flour mixture to the butter sugar mixture, mixing until well combined. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2 inch round cutter and place the cookies on the baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.

Bring water to a simmer in a double boiler, or set up a heat-proof bowl over a small sauce pan with water simmering in the bottom. Melt the chocolate over the simmering water. When the cookies are cool, spread them gently with a thin layer of melted chocolate. Before the chocolate dries, sprinkle lightly with the pecans and a few grains of the fleur de sel. Let the chocolate set. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

This is a Campbells recipe that I have tweaked just a bit. It makes a lot so I usually bake a pan and freeze a pan for another time. I have also different salsas and shredded the chicken instead of chopping.

1 10oz. can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. Pace Picante sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 C. chopped cooked chicken
1/2 C. shredded Monterrey jack cheese
tortillas
small tomato
chopped green onions

1. Stir soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a bowl.
2. Take 1 C. of soup mixture and add chicken and cheese.
3. Fill tortillas, put remaining soup mixture over the top of enchiladas in a 9X13 pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
5. Garnish with tomatoes and green onions.

Apricot Nut Bread

This is an old family favorite...I make it at Christmas time. We originally made it with walnuts but I like it better with pecans.

1 C. sugar
2 tbls. soft shortening
1 egg
3/4 C. orange juice
3/4 C. milk
1 tsp. orange rind
3 C. flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 C. nuts
1 C. chopped apricots

Mix all ingredients together and bake 60-70 minutes in a greased loaf pan at 350 degrees.

Welcome!

Happy New Year! One of my resolutions for 2010 is to be more organized and what better way to organize recipes is to record them in blog??? My husband Chris and I love to cook and have created, adjusted, and perfected (maybe) many of our favorite dishes. Others we borrow from any and all of the gazillion cookbooks in our basement office. Try them, enjoy them!