Sunday, October 25, 2009

Chill Killer Chicken Soup

I have been craving homemade chicken soup for weeks now. This is something i have never embarked on, but what better way to get a soup you like? That's right, make it yourself! You know what ingredients are going into it, and you what ingredients AREN'T going into it.

My co-worker makes a REALLY good chicken soup,and since having hers a couple of weeks ago my mission has been to create my own. Yesterday i did that, successfully.

I created my own chicken stock from scratch. Total time for me from start to consumption about 5 hours or so.

First you have to create the stock. For this i used the following ingredients and roasted them in the oven for max flavor.

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Thighs (bone in)
4 Chicken Breast Halves (with Ribs)
3 Whole Onions, quartered
6 Cloves Garlic
3 Large Carrots, cut into thirds
1 Large Green Bell Pepper, quartered
2 Tablespoons fresh Thyme
2 Tablespoons fresh Rosemary
1 Bunch Parsley, washed and patted dry

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken thighs & breasts, onions, garlic, green pepper, carrots, and celery into a large roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the skin from the chicken (discard), remove the breast meat from the bone and set aside. (Because the breast meat for me wasn't quite cooked thoroughly i seasoned it a bit with a touch of salt, garlic powder, and paprika and put it back in the oven in the same roasting pan with all the juices from the first round for about 20-30 minutes, turning half way through. It truly made the chicken taste that much better).

Place all of the vegetables and chicken bones in an 8 quart stockpot. Cover with 3 quarts of water. Add the thyme, rosemary, and parsley to the pot. Cover the pot and simmer for at least 2 hours over very low heat.

Strain the stock by pouring the contents of the pot through a colander.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

4 Medium Celery Ribs, sliced (or approximately 2 cups)
4 Large Carrots, sliced (or approximately 2 cups)
2 Medium Onions, chopped (approx 1 cup)
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil
4 Cloves garlic, minced (approx 2 tablespoons)
3 Quarts of the Chicken Stock
4 Chicken Breasts that were removed from the bone.
Salt and Freshly Ground Black and White pepper to taste

Preparation:

In the bottom of a large pot cook the carrots, celery, garlic and onions in the olive oil until soft and beginning to brown. (Stirring occasionally to prevent burning)

Pour the chicken stock into the pot and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

While the stock is simmering shred the chicken breast meat into 1 inch strips.


Add the cooked chicken, shredded, to the pot. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to your specific taste.

Add noodles or rice of your choice.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Pot Roast

I have been touted time and time again by numerous people about how awesome my pot roast is. I don't have a clear and concise recipe; i kind of just throw all sorts of stuff in and do what it is i do.

I can tell you that this roast was documented, but not by the precise measurement.

First i marinated (2 small roasts-all the store had). I inserted slivers of garlic into slices all around the roasts. I then marinated them in salt, white pepper, crushed garlic, montreal steak rub, gravy master, a little A1, a little Soy sauce, and some Wine.



Topped that with some garlic powder and let it sit chilled for a few hours turning occasionally to get both sides good and juiced up.


After marinating i seared/browned all sides of the roasts and added 1 whole onion chopped and 1 whole green pepper chopped.

Added beef stock (you can use your own or the canned, if using canned use roasted beef stock, not that canned brown salty liquid.. yuck..
I then added more gravy master and lipton recipe secrets beefy onion mix.. Stir it in then put the lid on and simmer under fork inserted rips out (falls off the bone tender!)

Because we are not a big fan of really lumpy gravy, once i take the meat out to settle i take the hand held drink mixer and puree the liquid. Thicken the liquid with corn starch and some butter and you are good to go!
It was delicious!

YES, those are home made mashed potatoes. Whipped them up in my Kitchen Aide stand mixer!

Bon Appetite!

Monday, October 12, 2009

UPDATE: Please help Support my Walk

Update:

I would like to thank everyone that donated to my walk. I was able to raise $300.00 which puts me at the 2nd highest donation for my town's walk today.
Many hungry people thank you!

_______________________________________________________________________________



Hunger is an issue that is very important to me and I have decided to get involved! I am walking in the CROP Hunger Walk and I need your help.

Our donations will support life-saving programs around the world. Join me and our family and friends as we work together to solve this world-wide challenge.

You can be the difference, and you can start by making a donation online. Click on the link below and you will be taken to my personal donation page where you can make a secure online credit card donation.

Thank you!

Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://www.churchworldservice.org/site/TR/2009FallCROPHungerWalks/General?px=1294602&pg=personal&fr_id=3611&et=n93CJLLCT76p_ETDXH0r0w..&s_tafId=20855

Click here to view the team page for Squad T
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
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