Southwestern Turkey (well, chicken...) Soup

I was not scheduled to babysit today, but since I was done with work early today, my babysitting services were called upon.  That meant finding a recipe to make!  We originally planned on doing something with turkey as a “modified Thanksgiving,” so we considered turkey stir fry and a southwestern turkey soup.  We opted for the soup.  Mainly because we wanted cornbread. 

I met Jami at the store after work to pick up ingredients.  That’s when we decided to make the soup with chicken instead of turkey.  One, because Jami had chicken at home, and two, we didn’t want to get burnt out on turkey before Thanksgiving.

This recipe, like our other recipes, was easy.  We threw the ingredients in a crock pot and let it cook for a few hours while Jami was at work.  It turned out delicious!  It was pretty liquid-y, but that could be because we didn’t drain the corn or the black beans.  Oops.  Still turned out great.

Babysitting wasn’t as easy as the last time.  Harlee passed out pretty soon after Jami left, so I got some knitting done.  He only slept for about a half hour and then he woke up.  I didn’t think he’d be hungry, since Jami fed him before he left.  So I changed his diaper, but he was still fussy. I tried bouncing him, rocking him, walking him around the house, but he was still fussy.  So I decided to feed him.  That made him happy.  Unfortunately, what I gave him wasn’t enough, so I had to make another bottle.  While he was eating, I heard the tell-tale noise of a dirty diaper.  After eating, I cleaned his messy, stinky diaper, and then we laid on the floor and made noises and faces at each other.  I even got him to giggle.  Yay!

After some bouncing, he went to sleep again, which gave me time to prepare the cornbread before Jami got home.  Once that was done, it was back to knitting and “Wheel of Fortune.”  Soon, Jami and Justin returned, and it was dinnertime. Here’s the menu.  Take note that we made some modifications on the soup.  We used chicken instead of turkey, although this will be great for Thanksgiving leftovers. We also omitted the avocado and the cilantro (we thought there was some at the house) and added a can of corn and can of black beans.

Tonight we’ve also whipped up an almond pear torte, but that’s for Thanksgiving at Granny’s tomorrow.  Hopefully it turns out yummy!

Southwestern Turkey (aka Chicken) Soup
     adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/southwestern-turkey-soup/detail.aspx

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey (or 3 chicken breasts, in our case)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 roma (plum) tomato, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lime juice (we just used a whole lime)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced (which we left out)
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (didn't have any, whoops!  Instead we used basil and oregano)
shredded Monterey Jack cheese to top it off

In a large pot over medium heat, combine turkey, broth, canned tomatoes, green chiles, fresh tomato, onion, garlic, and lime juice. Season with cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in avocado and cilantro, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Spoon into serving bowls, and top with shredded cheese. 

That was the original recipe.  With our modifications, we combined our ingredients in a crock pot, set it on high, and left it for about 2.5 hours.  Along with the cheese, we mixed in a spoonful of sour cream.  Turned out great!

Best Cornbread Ever
     (we're not kidding)

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp baking powder

Combine the ingredients and either pour into a 9" pan or a muffin pan.  Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes for the 9" pan or 10-15 minutes for the muffins.

A Greek Feast!

I think we should change the name of our blog to “Will sit and watch TV/read/knit” for food.  It seems like every time I babysit, Harlee sleeps the whole time, leaving me to do other things.  Today was no exception. After a diaper change and some light bouncing, Harlee passed out and slept in his swing until Jami came home. 

Our dinner was just as easy as babysitting.  And tasty, too.  We omitted the olives, but I wonder what the dish would have tasted like with them.  Perhaps we will revisit this one in the future.  This dish is very light and would be perfect for a hot summer evening.  It’s quite the opposite of a hot summer evening, but the dish was still good.  We served ours in pita pockets with kale and had a salad to go with it.  Currently, we have baklava baking in the oven. Yum!

For some comic relief… I was a big mess in the kitchen today.  There was more kale in the bag than I thought, and I ended up spilling most of it on the counter as I was dumping it in the colander to wash.  Oops.  Add that to the mess I had made chopping pecans, and it looked like Harlee was cooking (no offense, Harlee).  

Here are the recipes:

Mediterranean Chicken

     taken from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mediterranean-chicken/detail.aspx
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine (turns out Jami didn't have any white wine... but she did have some Verdi!  we used that instead and it turned out fine)
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
3 cups tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup kalamata olives (we omitted these since we're not big fans of olives.  And IGA sells them for $7 for a small jar... so it didn't even seem worth attempting it!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons white wine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. 

Saute garlic in pan drippings for 30 seconds, then add onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat, add 1/2 cup white wine and simmer for 10 minutes. Add thyme and basil and simmer for 5 more minutes. 

Return chicken to skillet and cover. Cook over low heat until the heated through.  Add olives and parsley to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.   We stuffed ours with kale into pita shells.

Salad

    this dressing recipe is from Jami and Justin's childbirth instructor, Samanda.  Check her out at http://www.naturallyprepared4birth.com/ 

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

5 basil leaves

2 tsp sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

We just put this in a small covered bowl and shook it to mix it.  We then poured it over kale and romaine with chopped walnuts and feta cheese.  Yummy!

Baklava

     We were on a roll with the Greek thing, so we figured we'd keep it going!  This is from  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baklava/detail.aspx

1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan. 

Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.

 Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows then make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.

 Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. 

Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up. 

This was definitely a two-person job... not exactly appropriate for a blog of simple recipes for the working mother, but like I said, we were on a roll with the Greek thing.  And once we tasted this, we did not regret attempting it!  Soooo good!

Oh yeah, and here's Mr. Handsome himself helping us out :-)

...and teething too.  Jenna's lucky he slept the whole time!

Venison and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

It was certainly a memorable day, and not just because it’s 11-11-11.  Harlee laughed for the first time for great-grandma Heidel and he’s finally rolling over.  Our little guy is growing up!

Babysitting was easy today, too.  Easier than me making our venison and wild rice stuffed acorn squash.  When Jami asked me to pull the squash out of the oven, dump the hot water and flip the squash, I opted for changing Harlee’s wet diaper.  I’ll admit, I get a little nervous in the kitchen, especially when hot water is involved.  I didn’t want to take the chance of spilling hot water all over myself and the floor. 

Had I been in charge of cooking, though, and if I was a bit braver in the kitchen, this would have been an easy recipe to prepare.  Splitting the squash was probably the most difficult part, and we had Justin do that.  The rest of the recipe included roasting the squash, browning meat, heating the cranberries and making rice.  Then, mix it all together and spoon it into the hollowed squash.  Simple!  And tasty.  Just a note, this made a lot, so if you don’t think you can eat a full half squash, it’d be a nice dinner for two to share.  How romantic!

We also made roasted applesauce.  The applesauce wasn’t roasted; the apples were.  This was a delicious homemade applesauce that we found in Jami’s homemade babyfood book.  When Harlee starts on solids, this is definitely a simple applesauce the whole family can share.

If you’d like to make this warm, filling dinner perfect for a chilly fall night, here’s the recipe:

Venison and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

    we doubled the recipe, but this is the original - taken from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/venison-and-wild-rice-stuffed-acorn-squash/detail.aspx

1 box wild rice mix (we used Uncle Ben's)
1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/3 cup cranberries
1/2 pound ground venison (we used butterflies cut into cubes - it makes a nicer presentation.  And, of course, you can use the meat of your choice!)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter

Preheat oven to 400°
Make rice according to box instructions.
Meanwhile, place squash, cut-side down onto a deep baking dish filled with 1/2-inch of water. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, then drain water and set aside.
Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the cranberries and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and reserve. Cook the ground venison in a skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked and crumbly.
Stir together the wild rice, cranberries, venison, and brown sugar. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Turn the oven on to Broil. Rub the inside of the squash halves with the butter, then place cut-side up on the baking dish. Stuff with the rice mixture, then broil in the oven for 5 minutes.

Roasted Apple Sauce

5 of your favorite apples (we used jazz apples)

1 half lemon, juiced

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Slice the apples, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, roast in oven at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork.  Place roasted apples into a blender with lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse to desired consistency.

Blackened Salmon

On the Menu: blackened salmon, oven roasted gold potatoes, oven roasted asparagus

After an easy afternoon of babysitting (Harlee slept the whole time; I knitted), it was time to cook a delicious dinner.  This menu is one anyone can make.  Even if you don’t know how to cook, there’s nothing easier than rubbing some spices on a salmon filet and putting it in on a hot skillet.  An added bonus: it’s quick.  Two to 5 minutes on both sides, and you’re done.  This menu is great for the working parent, someone short on time but wants a delicious meal, or a busy mom whose baby won’t sit still for longer than 15 minutes (thankfully, Harlee was content to sit in his  bouncy chair while we cooked).

Here’s the line-up:

Oven Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes

About 3lbs Yukon gold potatoes, quartered

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cracked pepper

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Toss together to coat the potatoes, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, place in preheated 400° oven, roast for 30-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

**Jami's note - I made this up, so all of these ingredients are estimated, as is the cooking time.  My mom-brain caused me to forget to check how long I left them in the oven!

Oven-Roasted Asparagus
     adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oven-roasted-asparagus/detail.aspx

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ lemon, juiced

Preheat oven to 425°
Toss ingredients to coat the spears, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until tender.  Squeeze the lemon over the spears before serving.

**Note:  Hold the asparagus spears at both ends and bend until they snap - they'll naturally break right where they start to get woody, leaving behind the tasty tender part to eat!


Blackened Salmon Filets
     adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blackened-salmon-fillets/detail.aspx

2 tbsp ground paprika
½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp onion salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil1
1 tsp dried oregano
4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed
½ cup unsalted olive oil

In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion salt, pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.  Brush salmon fillets on both sides with 1/4 cup olive oil, and rub evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with 1/2 remaining oil. 
In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, oil side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining oil, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.