Catching Up in August

Where did the summer go?  I have been puttering in the garden, travelling, which also means eating at fun restaurants in Paris, Chicago, Indiana and locally . . . and also cooking!  Currently my granite countertop is loaded down with eggplant and two five pound baskets of tomatoes from the garden.  I have heirloom tomatoes, plum, cherry tomatoes in two colors and plenty of swiss chard that is still growing in the lovely cooler weather.  Time to make and freeze lots of tomato sauce!  Here are a few of the latest recipes:


Due to a bumper crop of yellow summer squash and a taste of an amazing soup on our recent trip to Estes Park, here is my interpretation of Summer Squash Soup.

3-4 summer squash, halved & chopped coarsely

2 leeks, chopped then cleaned by soaking in a bowl of cool water

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 T butter, softened

1 1/2 T flour

1-14 oz can chicken broth

1 C fat free half-n-half

1/4 C white cheddar cheese, shredded

salt & white pepper to taste

basil chiffonade (stack leaves, roll into cigars, then slice into thin slices)

For the soup: combine the olive oil and leeks, then raise heat to medium-high, cooking covered for about 6 minutes.  Meanwhile chop the squash and then add to the pot with the chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer and cook another 6 minutes.  

In the blender, combine the butter and flour; add in 1 C broth.  Add in a third of the cooked squash mixture, pureeing thoroughly.  As you work, place the puree in a separate bowl until all is pureed.  Pour all of the puree back into the now empty pot.  Stir in the half-n-half and the cheese.  (Add more half-n-half if the soup is too thick).  Taste and season with salt & pepper.  Garnish with basil chiffonade.

On a lazy afternoon, I was shopping at a local market and picked up a few interesting things for lunch.  One of them was a Curry Chicken Salad.  Here is my interpretation:

1 C cooked rotisserie chicken, cubed

2/3 C mayo

1 t vinegar

1/2 C raisins

1/4 C mango chutney or apricot jam

2 T C green onion, chopped (or chives)

1 t curry powder

Combine and serve.  Tastes even better the second day!

Now that it is cooler, it is time to get used to using my new range.  It definitely bakes more efficiently than the old one.  I tried the following recipe in it.  I found the beef short ribs at Costco at a very reasonable price.

Braised Short Ribs

Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:  25 min  Cook Time:  3 hr 30 min  Serves:  8 servings

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in short ribs (about 5 3/4 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 1/2 cups tomato paste (my note: may want less or substitute half with crushed tomatoes)
• 2 to 3 cups hearty red wine
• 2 cups water
• 1 bunch fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

Season each short rib generously with salt. Coat a pot large enough to accommodate all the meat and vegetables with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan. Cook in batches, if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  While the short ribs are browning, puree all the vegetables and garlic in the food processor until it forms a coarse paste. When the short ribs are very brown on all sides, remove them from the pan. Drain the fat, coat the bottom of same pan with fresh oil and add the pureed vegetables. Season the vegetables generously with salt and brown until they are very dark and a crud has formed on the bottom of the pan, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the crud and let it reform. Scrape the crud again and add the tomato paste. Brown the tomato paste for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat if things start to burn. Reduce the mixture by half.

Return the short ribs to the pan and add 2 cups water or until the water has just about covered the meat. Add the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process and add more water, if needed. Turn the ribs over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes of cooking to let things get nice and brown and to let the sauce reduce. When done the meat should be very tender but not falling apart. Serve with the braising liquid.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com

Peach Cobbler

Now that Palisade peaches are in from the Western Slope it is definitely time!  From my favorite cookbook: The Best Recipe, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated, 1999.

Fruit filling:  1 3/4 # peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into thick slices + 2 t cornstarch + 1/2 C sugar + pinch cloves + 1 t vanilla + 1 T brandy

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prep the fruit mixture.  Place it in a pie plate on a cookie sheet and cover with foil. Bake for 15 min. while you prepare the topping.

Butter Cookie Dough Topping:  Combine: 1/2 C flour, 1/4t baking powder, pinch salt and set aside

Beat 8 T unsalted butter at room temp. and 1/3 C sugar (or Splenda) until light and fluffy - about one minute on medium.  Beat in 1 large egg yolk (use whole egg if doubling recipe) and 1/4 t vanilla.  Stir in dry ingredients.

Remove fruit from oven and stir.  Drop cookie dough topping by heaping tablespoons evenly over fruit.  Return pan to oven to bake for 40 minutes or more - until topping is nicely browned and fruit is bubbly.    Cool 10 minutes before serving.

At home . . . cooking

Yesterday, made ricotta.  Yes - ricotta.  Even though I cheated and used 2% milk instead of whole, it is still so creamy and smooth.  Am hoping to make the companion recipe: Lemon-Ricotta Souffles.  Here's the link:  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/creamy-ricotta

Lovely, chilly morning. Just browned up some Boulder sausage, tossed in the leftover fingerling potatoes after roughly chopping them. Added eggs well whisked with the leftover whipping cream. Added chopped parsley and some finely grated sharp Vermont cheddar.  Breakfast casserole with a quiche consistency. See you all in about 20 minutes! Now all I need are some croissants or a baguette!  By the way, it had such a nice flavor from the parsley being layered just under the top layer of cheese.

Ok, just conquered the artichokes that have been glaring at me all week. Glaring - just because they wanted their turn! Now have artichokes simmering with leftover BBQ chicken, pearl onions, bay leaf, garlic, red wine vinegar and a bit of olive oil. Will season with fresh basil when done. It smells so good! Just requires a side salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Yum!  Note to self:  use smaller ones next time.  The inner leaves were still a little tough, so will trim and toss them.  The rest - so very good.

Paris Eats . . . coming soon

Just back from Paris and have lots of pix to share of the food we had while there.  Once I am well over jet-lag, I'll post an update - soon!

Cooking Class with Terry: Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts

We were looking for a simple, easy chicken dish.  This fits the bill and it's straight from the Rachael Ray website.  The only change we made was to add a bit of cold water and corn starch slurry to the sauce at the end to thicken it a bit.  The flavor was very good, but could be made a bit more tart with a splash of lemon juice at the end.

Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 cups rice
2. 5 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound), cut into quarters
3. Salt and pepper
4. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
5. 1 large onion, halved and sliced
6. 1 clove garlic, smashed
7. 3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
8. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9. 1 1/2 cups cranberry-pomegranate juice
10. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the rice and 2 1/4 cups water to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water has evaporated and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 7 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the onion, garlic and walnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, add the cranberry-pomegranate juice and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer the chicken to a serving platter. 
3. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes; stir in the parsley and pour over the chicken. Serve on top of the rice.

Cooking Class with Caleb: Grilled Pork & Tomato, Basil & Cheese Baked Pasta

Another after-school marathon to get dinner out the door.  But, the nice thing about grilled pork is that once it is seasoned and on the grill, it's one hour with little attention.    The pasta turned out well.  Used pesto from King Soopers (my frozen was all gone a victim of the kitchen remodel) - California Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto 8.5 oz for $3.99 (on sale) in the produce section.  The flavor was great!  Instead of tearing the basil, we made cigar rolls by stacking the leaves, rolling them up and then cutting them into shreds.  It's so much easier.  Make this dish in a metal pan so that you can broil it at the end to melt the cheeses.  Don't forget, you can always buy ricotta ahead and freeze it.  Defrost in fridge overnite.

The recipes:  Grilled Pork - coat the tenderloin in olive oil. Sprinkle with BBQ seasoning.  We used Grill Mates Barbecue.  Grill Mates 25% less sodium Montreal Steak is also good.  Place on preheated grill.  Cook at medium-high for about an hour.  Turn meat over with meat fork every 10-15 minutes.  Watch when grilling the fat-side down - flames can flare.  Grill to 130 degrees.  Remove from grill and tent with foil.  Let rest 15-20 minutes.  This allows it to finish cooking - the temp will rise and keeps the juices in the meat.

Next make the pasta:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/tomato-basil-and-cheese-baked-pasta-recipe/index.html

It will be done in time for you to carve the pork.  Dinner on the table in about an hour and fifteen minutes!

Sunday Scones

So it was time to get back into the kitchen and cook!  So on Sunday I made Emeril's Rosemary Buttermilk scones and the very complimentary Orange Curd.  I had bought a rosemary plant for the dual purpose of planting and using it to bake.  The Orange Curd used some leftover oranges that were very ready to be juiced.

For the scones, I did sift the ingredients together . . . the black pepper is a definite yes.  It gives a subtle kick.  Be sure to use all of the Rosemary. For working the butter, I didn't hesitate.  I put the ingredients into the food processor then dumped them into a bowl to add the buttermilk.  Don't forget to shake up the buttermilk before measuring it!  

For the curd, start it before you start the scones so the juice has time to reduce.  The timing worked out perfectly!  At the end, I didn't bother to strain the curd.  I left it 'rustic'.  Oh and the flavor is amazing.

Rosemary Buttermilk Scones

Serve With Orange Curd  From the Kitchen of Emeril Lagasse    Servings: 12

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl sift together the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, the salt and the black pepper. Add the zest and the rosemary to the sifted mixture and combine with a fork. 

Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingers, a pastry blender or a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  A few large flat pieces of butter coated with flour in the mixture are okay, it contributes to flakiness. 

Add 1 cup of the buttermilk and stir with a fork until the ingredients are just moistened. Gather the dough together and press gently into a rough ball.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat together (with lightly floured hands, if necessary). The dough may still be a crumbly mass. Knead the dough gently 6 to 7 times then shape it into a rectangle about 7-by-4 inches with your hands. 

With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10 1/2-by-7 inch rectangle, 3/4-inch thickness. With a knife, divide the dough into three sections by cutting it at roughly 3 1/4-inch intervals along the length. Cut each rectangle in half.  You will have 6 squares. Cut each square into a triangle. Set each of the scones on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Bake in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Serve warm. 

Yield: 12 scones 

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, from Emeril's Farm to Fork,
HarperStudio Publishers, New York, 2010, copyright MSLO, Inc. 

  

Orange Curd

Perfect With Rosemary Buttermilk Scones

From the Kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
6 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 

Directions

Set a small heatproof liquid measuring cup next to the stove.
Reduce the orange juice in a small saucepan set over medium-high
heat to 1/2 cup. Use the measuring cup intermittently to check
your volume. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Fill a small pot one-third of the way with water and bring to a
boil. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar and orange
zest. Slowly add the reduced orange juice while whisking
continuously until completely incorporated. Set the bowl over
the pot of simmering water. Reduce the heat to medium low.
Whisk constantly for 6 to 7 minutes, or until curd thickens and
holds its shape when stirred. Remove the curd from the heat and
stir in the butter. 

Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a metal bowl set
over a bowl of ice water. Stir the curd occasionally until cool,
about five minutes. Transfer the curd to a small container,
cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until well chilled. Use
within one week. 

Yield: 2 cups 

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, from Emeril's Farm to Fork,
HarperStudio Publishers, New York, 2010, copyright MSLO, Inc. 

Cooking Class with Caleb: Beef Stroganoff

For this cooking class, we were making a main dish to serve 10.  We chose to make Beef Stroganoff.  The recipe:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/beef-stroganoff-recipe/index.html

The specified four servings per recipe are extremely generous, but we doubled the recipe, using 3 pounds of beef and adding a bit more broth to stretch the recipes.  Another change we made was to add a splash of sherry to each finished sauce to round out the flavor.  We did use pre-sliced mushrooms for expediency since this was an after-school class.  In our final seasoning we used both Murray River Flake Salt (a pink salt) and a bit of smoked sea salt (a black salt).

Caleb did an awesome job learning to cut an onion, using the boning knife to trim fat off the beef and kept pace with me as we each cooked one recipe of the stroganoff.  He also did a great job of clean-up, being careful to return the kitchen to it's clean state.  His dinner received rave reviews from his family as they gobbled it up!

Impromptu dinner last nite

Looking into the freezer, I found some cooked shrimp.  I put a pot of water on to boil and cooked some fettuccine florentine - half are spinach noodles.  In a skillet, I put one lonely frozen pre-cooked piece of bacon that I had chopped up with scissors.  Next I added a bit of butter then flour to make a roux.  Since I hadn't added any salt, I added some Murray River Flake salt (my current fave) and a bit of California Citrus Rub (both from Savory Spice Shop).  Then I added about a cup of milk, making a nice white sauce.  After tasting it (it had a nice bite from the citrus rub), I added the thawed shrimp and a generous sprinkling of parsley and some frozen, shredded parmesan.  I put the lid on it to meld flavors until the pasta was done.  A nice tidy dinner with leftovers for tonite.

Chicken: A new recipe

From Bobby Flay at Food Network:  Garlic and Oregano Marinated Chicken with Roasted Pepper and Black Olive Relish with Saffron-Tomato Rice

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/garlic-oregano-marinated-chicken-with-roasted-pepper-black-olive-relish-recipe/index.html


My Notes:
*  Cutting the recipe in half (which is what I made) would easily serve eight!

*Don't be shy with the ancho chile powder - most of it is neutralized by the time you bake the chicken

*I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs - it actually took about 25 minutes to bake them

*For the rice, I used one can of chicken broth and another cup of water; only 7 minutes in the pressure cooker on first ring; don't skimp on the saffron; cook the onion first then add the rice to coat with the oil, then add the broth & water adding the saffron then

*I roasted my own peppers over a gas burner (a grill would work well too), tossed in a bag to steep, then seeded & chopped the olives, garlic, and peppers for the relish in the food processor - tossing the vinegar, honey, thyme & parsley with the chopped veggies in a bowl afterwards; the juice of half a lime, half a lemon is just right

*To serve a crowd, coarsely chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, layer it on top of the rice and top with the Relish to serve on a platter or out of a very large casserole

Comments:
The Relish is awesome - would make it just to have as an appetizer with some crackers and goat cheese

Sloppy Joes - a new favorite

Sloppy Joes

Servings: 4-6 Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups diced onions
1/2 cup diced celery (small dice)
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper (small dice)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
11/2 pounds lean ground beef (about 91% lean)
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup beef or chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional)
4 to 6 hamburger buns

Directions

Heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over
medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, black
pepper, and salt, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 2
minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the beef,
breaking it up with the back of a spoon, and brown for 2 minutes.
Then add the brown sugar, Worcestershire, tomato sauce, and beef
broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook
for 15 minutes, stirring as needed.

Add the hot sauce if desired, and remove from the heat. While the

mixture is cooking, preheat the broiler. Arrange the buns, open-faced,

on a baking sheet and lightly brush the cut sides with the remaining

2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until the buns are golden, about 3 minutes.

Alternatively, grill them in a grill pan or toast them in a skillet,

oiled side down, over medium-high heat.)

Generously spoon the Sloppy Joe mixture over the toasted bun
bottoms. Top with the bun tops, and serve immediately (with
forks).

4 to 6 servings Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Total: 30 minutes

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Emeril 20-40-60, Fresh Food Fast

Note: you may also use red, orange or yellow pepper;

be sure to use very lean beef; freezes well; if the finished

product is too soupy, cook on medium high a bit longer to thicken

Braised Orange Brisket

So this was our Super dinner - turned out so good. With high altitude, took an extra half hour to cook, but was so tasty & tender!

1 hr 30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

2 hr 50 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 12-ounce can (11/2 cups) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup hot mustard
• 1/4 cup hot Asian chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
• 1 4-pound beef brisket, lightly trimmed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 leeks, white parts only, cut into pieces
• 4 carrots, cut into pieces
• 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into pieces
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions

Puree 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, the tomato paste, mustard, chili sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and five-spice powder in a food processor until smooth. Season the brisket with salt and pepper and rub with the spice paste. Place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Sear the brisket until golden, about 7 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate. Cook the onion in the pot until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks, carrots and parsnips, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 1/4 cups orange juice concentrate and the broth, scraping up the browned bits in the pot. Add the brisket and bring to a simmer.

Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and continue to cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 more hours. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Skim the fat from the sauce, then return the pot to the oven until the sauce thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce and vegetables. Garnish with scallions.

Note: For a 3# brisket, made it with only one 14 oz can of chicken broth and only the onions (no leeks, carrots or parsnips - they weren't handy) and it was still tasty. Substituted Fischer Wieser Cherry Chipotle Sauce for the Asian Chile Sauce. Also substituted Dijon mustard with 1/4 t dry Chinese hot mustard.

Carrot Casserole - who knew?

One of my latest cookbook acquisitions is: Bake Until Bubbly: The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook by Clifford A. Wright, 2008. (Okay, I refrained from putting it in citation format). I always find something interesting in here. So this weekend I needed a veggie dish to add to my dinner menu. And, I found this simple recipe.

2 # medium carrots, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick (Note: I used the mini peeled carrots, sliced with my food processor)

6 T unsalted butter

1 C crushed Ritz crackers

1 large onion, chopped

2 T flour

6 T milk (I actually used more)

1 t dry mustard

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 X 13 casserole dish.

*Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and cook the carrots for 7 minutes. Drain & set aside.

*In a skillet, melt the butter. Transfer 4T to a bowl and add in the crushed crackers.

*To the remaining butter, add the onion and cook over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the milk, mustard and salt - cooking on low until thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, stirring until melted.

*Combine the carrots and cheese sauce and place in the buttered casserole dish. Top with the buttered crackers and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

*Note: may halve recipe

Kicked Up Spinach Artichoke Dip a la Emeril

Don't miss this - spinach artichoke dip without cream cheese . . . and so wonderful! The brie adds a nice kick. Serve with Wheat Thins. Note: half a recipe makes plenty!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/spinach-and-artichoke-dip-recipe/index.html

Chicken Salad in a Puff Pastry

Puff Pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have 4 eggs at room temperature (may warm them in warm water if necessary). Mix 1 C flour, 1/4 t salt, 1/8 t crushed red pepper. In a heavy, flat saucepan, heat 1 C water and 1/3 C butter until boiling. Add the flour in one addition, stirring quickly until it comes together. Remove from heat and let sit for four minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon until incorporated. The dough will be sticky when fully incorporated. It is hard work but definitely worth it!

Immediately spoon the dough into a pie plate that has the bottom only sprayed with vegetable spray. Spread the dough up the sides of the pan and put it into the hot oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until fully browned. Let cool. It will keep overnight if covered tightly with foil.

Chicken Salad

Combine 1/2 C light mayo, 1/2 C light sour cream, 1 t lemon juice. Set aside. Combine 3 C chopped, cooked chicken. (Note: Rotisserie chicken works well.) Add in 2 T green onion, with tops, chopped, 1 C seedless grapes, halved, 1/2 C chopped celery, and 3/4 C coarsely shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Once combined, add in the sour cream mixture. Chill. When ready to serve, spoon the chicken salad into the puff pastry shell.

Serves 6-8

Vietnamese Noodle soup

For a wonderful light supper, try this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/vietnamese-noodle-soup-recipe/index.html

It was filling and tasty. Be sure to keep the meat on the rare side.

Note: Jarred, chopped jalapenos work just fine. I made the soup with chicken stock instead and only 2 C water. Still makes lots and lots! Cooking the noodles: (the directions on my package were in Chinese!) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the noodles and cook for two minutes. Drain, rinse well with cold water and drain again. For serving the next day, mix the noodles in with the broth, then layer the other ingredients on top.