Showing posts with label sunday strategy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sunday strategy. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Creamy Chicken Soup from Jane's Blessing

Creamy Chicken Soup

Adapted from The Cookie Rookie

Roux
4 T. Flour
2 T. Oil
2 T. Butter

Ingredients
2 T. Butter
2 T. Oil
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
6 Carrots, sliced into half inch rounds
4 stocks Celery, sliced
1 t. garlic, minced
4 C. Chicken Stock ( I used chicken granules)
3 1/2 C. Cream, or Half and Half, or Whole Milk ( I use Whole Milk)
2 T. Chicken Granules, ( this is because of the milk)
1 t. Pepper
1 T. Fresh Parsley
3 Bay Leaves
1 t. Dried Rosemary
1 t. Dried Fennel
1 t. Dried Thyme
1 t. Dried Basil
1 t. Dried Parsley
1 t. Dried Oregano
1 t. Dried Tarragon
1/2 t. Turmeric
( the original called for herbs de provence which includes all these herbs plus Savory, Marjoram, Lavender Leaves and Bay pwd. I don't have all those, so I used what I had, but I also used way more than it calls for because the first time I made it it was blandish)
3 C. Rotisserie Chicken
Juice from  Lemon ( some of the zest would be good)

Method:

Heat Butter and Oil in lrg. pot over med/low heat. Add Onion and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (enough to sizzle, but can be left for a few minutes without browning). Add garlic, carrots, celery and 1 t. salt ( it will help the veggies sweat), saute 10 minutes till carrots are med. tender (not mushy, just a bit crunchy or toothsome).

Meanwhile, make the Roux ( thickener) by heating butter and oil over med. heat. Add flour and stir till forms a paste, about 2-3 minutes ( you're cooking the flour so the soup doesn't taste like flour).

When Carrots are at desired texture, add remaining ingredients including Roux, stir well to incorporate.. Bring to a boil, cover with lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes then turn off heat. Let soup sit for at least an hour, but I let it sit for about 3 ( I do the prep work the day before then cook it before Church so it sits while we're gone) to steep the dried herbs. Taste, adding additional salt if desired.

Bring back to appropriate temp. and serve with bread and butter:)

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Sunday Strategy

Things to do on Sunday (But I really did them on Saturday):
1. Marinate chicken. Toss 1-1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. evoo. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Boil the potatoes. Boil the new potatoes in salted water until tender.
3. Roast the tomatoes. Preheat oven to 350. Halve 14 plum tomatoes. On a large cookie sheet, arrange tomatoes, cut side up, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. sugar. Bake until softened and edged are crinkled, about 1 hour. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Make the green sauce. Set aside 1/4 cup fresh mint and 3/4 cup fresh basil from your bunches. Chop remaining leaves, add parsley, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. evoo. Season with salt and pepper. Blend in a blender or food processor until the desired consistency.
5. Wash the greens. Trim, wash, and dry 1 small head Boston lettuce. Trim, wash, and dry 2 bunches of spinach; roughly chop. Wrap separately in paper towels and place in ziploc bags.
6. Freeze pizza crusts. Stretch and roll out two 1-pound balls of pizza dough to 14-inch ovals. Place on baking sheets and freeze until firm. Wrap in plastic and freeze for dinner on Friday.

Marinated Chicken with Cucumber-Mint Salad

(Sunday Strategy, continued)

Menu for Monday:

Marinated Chicken with Cucumber-Mint Salad

4 pieces pita bread
1 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup Greek or regular yogurt
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
salt/pepper
2 tbsp. evoo
1 onion, thinly sliced
Marinated Chicken, cute into small pieces
1/4 cup mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350. Wrap pitas in foil. Combine cucumber, yogurt, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft. In batches, add chicken and cook until browned, 2-4 minutes per side (adding another tbsp. of oil, if necessary.)
Meanwhile, bake pitas until warm (about 5 minutes). Stir mint into cucumber salad. Serve chicken with pitas and salad.

Seared Fish with Crispy Potatoes and Green Sauce

(Sunday Strategy, continued)

Menu for Tuesday:

Seared Fish with Crispy Potatoes and Green Sauce

3 tbsp. evoo
16 Boiled Potatoes
salt/pepper
4 salmon or bass fillets, skin-on
Green Sauce
12 Roasted Tomato Halves, room temperature (I actually heated these in a frying pan)

Preheat oven to 475. Lightly oil and cookie sheet and smash each potato with the base of your palm and place on the sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until crisp, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high. Add fish, skin side down, and cook until browned and crisp, 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; flip fish and cook until opaque throughout, 2-4 minutes. Serve fish with Green Sauce, potatoes, and tomatoes.

Pasta with Roasted Tomato Sauce

(Sunday Strategy, continued)

Menu for Wednesday:

Pasta with Roasted Tomato Sauce

10 Roasted Tomato Halves, chopped
salt/pepper
1/4 cup evoo
1 lemon
12 oz. pasta
1 handful fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced

Boil pasta in salted water. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat oil, add tomatoes and garlic. (I also added some oregano and rosemary because I love them.) Stir together until pasta is done, then toss the pasta with the tomatoes. Juice the lemon and chop the basil and pour both over the pasta. Serve with crusty bread. YUM!

Spinach and Bacon Frittata

(Sunday Strategy, continued)

Menu for Thursday

Spinach and Bacon Frittata

6 eggs
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt/pepper
5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 Boiled Potatoes, quartered
Prepped Spinach
2 tbsp. evoo
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
Prepped Boston Lettuce

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together eggs, ricotta, parmesan, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Set aside. In an ovenproof nonstick skilled, cook bacon until crisp. Drain all but 1 tsp. fat. Add potatoes, and cook until warmed through. Add spinach and cook until barely wilted (about 30 seconds). Add egg mixture and stirl over medium heat for about a minute until thickened. Transfer skilled to oven and bake until center is set, about 18 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together oil and vinegar with a little salt and pepper and toss with lettuce. Serve frittata with salad on the side.

Pizza Two Ways

(Sunday Strategy, continued)
Menu for Friday
Pizza Two Ways:
3 tbsp. evoo
Frozen Pizza Crusts
6 Roasted Tomato Halves, chopped
3/4 cup ricotta
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
salt/pepper
7 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. rosemary
1/4-1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 475. Place crusts on two lightly oiled baking sheets and brush each with olive oil. Top one crust with tomatoes, collop with ricotta, then sprinkle with Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Top second crust with an even layer of potatoes, sprinkle with rosemary, then drizzle with 1 tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake pizzas for about 15-20 minutes, until done. Sprinkle tomato pizza with basil.

(I actually made one pizza, half tomato, half potato. Delicious!)