Tag: recipe

Spiced Chicken and Chickpea Stew.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchenLeave a comment

There’s nothing like a hearty and healthy stew on a Saturday afternoon in Fall. This spiced chicken and chickpea one-pot meal was a fun little cooking adventure because I don’t often use flavor combinations like these. Especially the cinnamon. I’ve never been brave enough to try cinnamon in a savory meat dish before, but I’m glad I did! The heat of the paprika and cayenne provide an great backdrop for the smokey exotic cumin and cinnamon. This is a filling dish that keeps well in the fridge—the bright spice flavors get even deeper if they’ve had a chance to marry a bit. Kidney beans or great northern beans would work just as well as chickpeas, and if you wanted to make this dish vegetarian or vegan, just cut out the chicken and add an extra can or two of beans. It’s all about protein and spice!

INGREDIENTS

3 chicken breasts (substitute with another can or two of beans for a vegetarian/vegan version)
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-5 carrots, sliced into coins
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp hot paprika
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp ketchup
14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried parsley
lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium in a skillet or other large pan. Brown the chicken on each side, then set aside.

In the same pan, add another drizzle of oil if needed and stir in the onion and carrot. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, to keep the onion from browning. When the onion and carrot are softened, add the bay leaves, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, and cinnamon. Turn the heat up a bit and cook the spices until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Then add the ketchup, and put the chicken breasts back into the skillet. Add the tomatoes, and then fill the empty tomato can with water and pour into the pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn down to a high simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Stir in the chickpeas and sprinkle over the parsley. Cover and simmer for about half an hour.

Remove the bay leaves, sprinkle with lemon juice and more parsley, and serve with couscous.

Hot Toddy.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen3 Comments

Another recipe in preparation for my eagerly-awaited trip to Scotland. In one month, I’ll be hiking through the Scottish Highlands, wrapped up all toasty warm in a scarf and mittens and a new pair of boots. The days will be short this late in the year, and the weather will be cold but otherwise unpredictable. I’ve done a good bit of traveling so far in my life, and I don’t think I’ve been anywhere more romantic and almost eerily tranquil as Scotland in wintertime—I can’t wait to go back. I’m looking forward to indulging in a bit of Scottish cuisine (including haggis, eek!) and will do my best to appreciate Scotch whisky, though I know very little about it. If any of you, dear readers, have the knowledge and inclination to educate me on the ins and outs of Scotch, I would much appreciate it. For now, I’ll mix up a hot toddy before bed and drift off to sleep, dreaming of fog and heather.

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp honey
4 tbsp just-boiled water (or more—dilute as needed!)
3 tbsp whisky
1/2 cinnamon stick
tiny pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Squeeze honey into teacup. Add grated nutmeg and cinnamon stick.

Pour water over honey and add whisky and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir to dissolve the honey, and drink up.

Chicken and Rice Soup.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen4 Comments

I started out the week feeling a bit under the weather. On Monday, I got home from after-work cocktails, ate a quick dinner, and got right into bed. Still not at my best on Tuesday, I went right home after work and decided to jump on my sickness problem with an good old-fashioned remedy: I poured a glass of red wine and made this soul-warming soup…which I ate in bed under my cozy comforter while watching the Cubs lose another game. I’ll be sure to make a note here if I make a miraculous soup-driven recovery, but either way, mannnn was this soup good. Most soups with this much flavor take at least an hour or two to cook, but this one only takes about 45 minutes total! Lightly spiced chicken, rice, and veggies in a warm, comforting broth: just what a sick girl needs.

INGREDIENTS

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp coriander
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup brown rice
1 tsp butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium potato, diced
6 cups stock or broth (I used homemade chicken stock)
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350. Season the chicken breast with cumin, ginger, red pepper flakes, coriander, salt, and pepper. Wrap it in foil and bake until just cooked through, about 25 minutes.

In a small pot, cook rice according to package directions. We want the rice slightly “al dente,” since it will be going in the soup pot after it’s cooked.

In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat butter and add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and potatoes. Cook about 3 minutes, until starting to soften.

Pour in stock or broth and season with parsley, marjoram, salt, and pepper (be generous with the pepper!). Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, shred or cut it up into bite size pieces and add it to the pot. Cook an additional 10 minutes or so.

Garnish with fresh parsley and prepare to be comfort-fooded.

Cauliflower Soup with Herbed Croutons.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen8 Comments

Fall is a fabulous season for cooking. The best fall dishes are all about warmth, richness, and substance…the kind that make you want to join our forest friends and hibernate for a while. And after you eat this cauliflower soup, you will think seriously about doing just that. Smooth, creamy cauliflower soup, lightly spiced with coriander and cumin, is even better topped with crunchy homemade herbed croutons—they’re really worth the bit of extra effort. So here’s another recipe to add to the list of easy soups that are way cheaper when homemade, but just as delicious and probably better for you (f you ignore the first ingredient).

INGREDIENTS

for soup:
3 tbsp butter, divided
olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 shallot, minced
2 large carrots, diced
1 small parsnip, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp coriander
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 head cauliflower, broken up into small pieces
stock or water
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
salt and pepper to taste

for croutons:
1 baguette, cut into cubes
olive oil
pinch paprika, parsley, thyme
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tbsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot. Add onion, shallot, carrot, and parsnip. Cook until onion is softened. Then add the garlic and cook another minute.

Stir in the cumin, coriander, parsley, and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant (a minute or two should do it).

Then add the cauliflower and cook for 5 minutes before pouring in enough stock or water to just about cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the cauliflower is soft and tender.

Now get the croutons going. Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss the cut-up bread in olive oil, paprika, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper, and spread out onto a foil-lined sheet pan.

Bake until croutons are browned and a bit crispy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter. In a bowl, whisk together flour and milk. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the melted butter, whisking constantly. Add a bay leaf to the milk mixture and continue to whisk. When the milk is just about to boil, remove from heat and pour directly into soup. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Once the soup is thickened, it’s done. But if you want a little bit smoother texture, you can puree about half of the soup and then stir the puree back in. Then top it with croutons and some chopped fresh parsley and dig in! Happy Fall.

Maple and Orange Marmalade Cookies.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen4 Comments

Yesterday I posted a goodbye-to-summer cocktail. Today I’m posting a hello-to-fall cookie. Now that I’m thinking about it, apple pie would probably be the most appropriate late summer/early fall baked good, but to me, maple syrup and fall just go together. Why is that? Maybe it’s the tree connection, I’m not sure. But I do know that these cookies, from a sweet beet & green bean recipe, make me want to cuddle up with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea and watch the leaves change. Fall is cozy and comforting and so are these cookies, so get excited – my favorite season is on its way!

INGREDIENTS

for cookies:
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 generous tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup, plus 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
healthy pinch of salt

for glaze:
2 tbsp orange marmalade
1/3 generous cup powdered sugar
splash or two of water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Stir together butter, brown sugar, syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until combined. If you’re as impatient as I am and your butter hasn’t softened all the way, no worries. Then gently mix in the egg.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 3 batches, stirring to full incorporate between each addition.

Using a spoon, scoop the dough in small knobs onto a cookie sheet, either floured or lined with parchment paper. They’ll spread out a bit, so leave some room between each one.

Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the pans around for the final 2-4 minutes of bake time. They’re done with the outsides have just barely started to brown.

While the cookies cool, mix up the glaze. First combine the marmalade and powdered sugar. Then slowly add water until it’s thin but still spreadable.

When the cookies have completely cooled, spread or brush the glaze over each one. Let the glaze harden a bit before packing them up. Share them and get ready for a change in the seasons!

Peach Gin Fizz.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen6 Comments

A retro gin cocktail? Why yes, I did watch an episode or two of Mad Men this morning. I don’t make a lot of fun ‘n’ fancy cocktails at home because it’s too hard to keep all those ingredients around, but thanks to a generously huge bottle of gin from my godfather (which I’m slowly but surely making my way to the bottom of–thanks AJ!), I’ve always got the option of a stiff gin cocktail. Lucky me. So this morning on Mad Men, when Joan ordered a gin fizz with her dinner, I was all over it. This peach version is a perky pink take on the classic gin fizz that was daintily chugged by my advertising foremothers. A great way to say goodbye to warm weather!

Peach Gin Fizz | KellyintheKitchen | 4 shots of gin, 1/2 peach, 1 lime, tonic water, ice

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

4 shots of gin
1/2 peach, sliced
1 lime, juiced
tonic water (I used diet tonic water, whatever that is…)
ice

*I like to make these in mason jars. Besides being so cute, they also have the dual function of cocktail shaker and cocktail glass! It’s all about multi-tasking.

DIRECTIONS

Take two mason jars and place the peach slices inside. Pour two shots of gin into each one and add the lime juice. Screw the tops onto the jars and shake well. If you like, add a few ice cubes before shaking.

Throw in some ice cubes if you haven’t already and top it off with tonic water. Garnish with a little slice of peach and enjoy the last days of summer!