During the first warm day of the year I decided to break out one of my favorite summertime recipes for a kids’ cooking class. We whipped up some Straw-Melon Soup and the kids devoured it! It tastes like Summer. Sip some summer for yourself. Also, I’m re-posting the Chicken & Dumplings recipe because I found a typo! Use this one instead.
I’m always amazed at how differently people define the word “dumpling.” Well I like them the way my mother makes them: thin and almost “noodley.” No matter what the size of the dumpling, most people have no problem finishing off a huge bowl of this classic comfort food- Chicken & Dumplings. Try some before the winter is over.
Leftovers for dinner. BOO! HISS! says my spoiled family. BUT….. if they are re-purposed into something yummy- then YAY, MAMA! I love Chicken Fried rice because it’s so versatile. You just need to have some kind of cooked chicken, some old and cold rice, hopefully a piece of an onion and some random veggie remnants from the bottom of the fridge drawer. This is usually a hit with the kids and it’s a one-dish wonder.
First of all, let me say I’m sorry there is no picture of this dish. I never seem to get a chance to snap one because there is always someone bearing down on me with a ladle ready to dive in as soon as I say “ready.” And then there’s chowder drippings everywhere…. not a pretty picture. So for this post, just close your eyes and visualize a bowl of thick and creamy clam chowder. It might seem odd to include bottled clam juice in this recipe, but I like the way the extra juice tastes super clammy. If I want the soup to taste like only potatoes, I’ll make potato soup. Of course, if you can get your hands on fresh clam juice without having to splurge for extra clams, go for it. Tips: Render the pork slowly, don’t let the onions brown, whisk the milk like there’s no tomorrow, cut potatoes into even pieces for consistent cooking, and for the love of delicious seafood – don’t over-cook the clams! Over-cooked clams have been known to cause husband riots.
Sometimes, you just gotta stick to the basics. You’ll be hard pressed to find many folks who don’t like chicken noodle soup, kids included. If you’re a true Southerner like me, you’ll sprinkle in a few saltine crackers before going in for the slurp. Cold January days inspire me to make soups and I do love experimenting with exotic and interesting hot concoctions. But sometimes, I just want a quick comfort food lunch for family or friends and this is a winner. You’ll notice that I don’t recommend boiling the chicken. I think boiled chicken is just plain dry and gross unless it’s boiled as part of the stock-making process. When a recipe calls for cooked chicken (especially white meat chicken), I bake it with olive oil, salt and pepper and then chop it up.
Note: If you are not planning to eat the soup right away or think you’ll have a lot left over, cook the noodles separately and add with the chicken just before serving. You don’t want noodles sitting around in hot broth getting soggy.
So you don’t think your family will eat cold soup, huh? Well before you make that final claim, give this recipe a whirl! During a recent culinary kids program at a local elementary school, I served this and was delighted that about 80% of 1st-3rd graders rated it thumbs up! It’s a fun recipe to get little summer-lazy hands to help you, too!
I am coordinating GTCC’s culinary outreach efforts to local schools and I am having a blast doing it. We are going into the schools teaching kids about wholesome foods and healthy cooking. We show them all kinds of produce and do a variety of cooking demos and tastings. Today, I made Butternut Squash soup for 100 2nd graders. Did you know that your hands actually turn orange after peeling and dicing 28 lbs. of butternut squash? Well they do. Just sayin’…
Here’s the recipe for the soup. Most of the kids enjoyed it and almost all were willing to give it a taste. The addition of goldfish crackers added an extra tasty incentive to give the spoon a little slurp. For the kid version, I just used the basic recipe. When I make it for adults, I stir in a healthy amount of curry powder to taste and serve with a dollop of sour cream. If you’ve never tried this kind of soup, you’ll be surprised at how creamy and rich it tastes. Adults are welcome to add the goldfish too. It adds a nice taste and crunch.
One of the most valuable things I’ve learned in culinary school is how to creatively use up leftover or extra food. It’s really cool to open the door of my fridge and behold all those little containers of miscellaneous food from a few days ago and AHA! I have an idea for something that will totally re-make the ingredients.
I bought a lot of fruit on sale last week and we have enjoyed having it as summer snacks and lunch add-ons. But… today I realized I had a pretty big bowl of watermelon balls and a container of organic strawberries that needed a quick rescue. Thinking back on some “use up” ideas from school, I decided to make a cold fruit soup. WOW was it good! Delicious and refreshing on this 90 degree day. It tastes like strawberries and watermelon in the same perfect moment. You could serve in a bowl with whipped cream, freeze into a popsicle or make a smoothie. We pretty much finished it off with a spoon before it could be transformed into anything else. You could change the ingredients in this soup to your taste or whatever leftover items are lurking in your fridge.
It’s a culinary fact… some dishes are just more popular with men. Ham & Navy Bean Soup is one of those. Lots of women like it, but A LOT of men LOVE it. It’s that stick to your ribs thing, I guess. When I get a pot going at home and the smell fills the house, hubby’s eyes light up and he gets his bowl ready. My dad and multiple friends also love this soup. You know the best part?? It’s so easy!! All you need is an afternoon for it to cook on its own. Serve it up with some crusty buttered bread plus a salad and you’ve got a nice dinner for a crowd. I have made this soup for many years, adapting it over time. I honestly don’t know where the original recipe came from. Fix it soon for the man in your life!
