Corn and Cheese Chowder from The Pioneer Woman / Ree Drummond

I loved this soup when I saw Ree Drummond prepare it on The Pioneer Woman.
I've adapted it to make it vegetarian.


4 TBS (1/2 stick) butter
1 whole onion, chopped
3 whole bell peppers, finely diced (Red, Yellow, Orange)
5 ears of corn, kernels cut off.  (each ear is about 3/4 C so 3 3/4 C of corn on 5 ears). I used more, 32 oz. or 2 pounds.
1/4 C flour ( I used 3/4 C or more)
3 C vegetarian chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken)
2 C half and half
1 heaping cup of grated Monterey Jack or Swiss Cheese ( I used 2 C)
1 heaping cup of grated Pepper Jack Cheese  (I used 3/4 C)
1/3 C sliced green onions (I used about 6 green onions)
1 - 14 oz. can of diced green chiles (I added these because we live in Texas and everything tastes better with chiles)
Bacon Bits

 In  a large soup pot over medium high heat, saute the onion, in butter for a couple of minutes until translucent.
Add bell peppers and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
Add corn and cook for another minute.

Sprinkle flour evenly over the vegetables and stir well.
Add broth and stir until it begins to thicken , about 3 - 4 minutes.
Stir in half and half , cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add both cheeses, green onions and diced green chiles, continue stirring until cheese melts.
When the cheese is melted, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in individual soup bowls and top with vegetarian bacon bits.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Stuffed, Baked Tomatoes with an Egg

This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Lidia Bastianich.
I've posted a recipe for Eggs baked in Avocados, Mushroom Caps with Baked Eggs and when I started researching other options for Baked Eggs, I discovered Eggs Baked in Tomatoes. This recipe seemed to be the best.

4 tomatoes
2 C croutons
2/3 C grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 TBS fresh parsley
4 TBS olive oil, divided
2 tsp dry oregano, divided
1 tsp salt + additional
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and reserve them.
Gently scoop out some of the insides of the tomatoes , leaving the side and bottom intact enough to stuff.
Keep the insides and place them in a colander over a bowl and strain the juice, retain the juice and set it aside.

Begin making the stuffing:
In a large bowl:
Croutons
Parsley
1/3 C parmesan cheese
1 tsp oregano
Mix well
Drizzle with 1 TBS of olive oil and mix to moisten the stuffing.

Salt the inside of each tomato.
Divide the stuffing evenly among the tomatoes, pressing down lightly, but don't overfill them.
They will each need room for an egg at the end.

Drizzle 2 TBS of olive oil in a  shallow gratin dish.
Place the tomatoes in the dish.
Oil the 4 tomato tops with 1 TBS of oil and sprinkle with salt.
Gently lean the tops against the side of each tomato.
Pour some of the reserved juice into the dish and drizzle some over each tomato.
Cover the dish with foil.
Bake covered for 10 minutes.
With the back of a spoon, gently press an indentation in the center of the stuffing in preparation for an egg to be cracked into each one.
Gently crack 1 egg in the center of each tomato.
Top tomatoes with remaining parmesan cheese.
Sprinkle with remaining oregano.
Return the dish, uncovered and bake 15 minutes more.
Remove from the oven and place the tops onto each tomato without covering the eggs completely.

Serve them in individual serving dishes. and drizzle each one with some of the heated juice from the pan.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Torte di Riso / 1984 / Best of the Best Recipe

This is one of my favorite desserts. It's is from my collection of the Best of the Best Recipes. I've been making this Torte since 1984. I thought I had previously posted it on the blog only to discover today that I hadn't.

Torte di Riso
1984

1 quart (4 C) Whole Milk
1/2 C Italian Arborio Rice
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 C Raw Whole Almonds
1 TBS Sugar Water
6 Eggs
3 TBS Almond Liqueur
1 tsp Almond Extract
Additional Almond Liqueur


In a heavy saucepan, bring milk to a boil.
Stir in rice and mix well.
Blend in Sugar and Vanilla.
Reduce heat and simmer slowly, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
Allow to cool completely.

Preheat the broiler.
Arrange Almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle the Almonds with sugar and a few drops of water
Broil until caramelized.
Transfer to a food processor and chop coarsely.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Generously butter a 10" Quiche Pan (it fits perfectly).

Beat Eggs in a large bowl with Almond Liqueur and Almond Extract.
Add almonds and rice mixture and blend well.
Turn into the prepared pan.
Bake until the top is chestnut brown, about 1 hour.
Remove immediately and poke holes in the entire Torte with a toothpick and sprinkle generously with
additional Almond Liqueur.
Cut into wedges and cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vegetable Cheese Pie / a vintage recipe from our file box!

My wife has a recipe file box that she started in the 60's. We refer to it often. We were taking about having Quiche for dinner and she found this recipe. We did not have the Knorr's Spring Vegetable Soup Mix so she substituted Knorr's Vegetable. I don't think it makes much difference in the end.
We have not been able to find the Spring Vegetable Mix. One of the nice things about this recipe is the frozen pie shell. We always have them available in our freezer. It saves a lot of time by not having to make a home made pie crust.

Knorr was founded in 1838 by Carl Heinrich Theodor Knorr. Knorr headquarters is in Heilbronn, Germany. The Bouillon Cube was introduced in 1912.

The quiche is incredible. Some recipes never get old and out of style! Rather than re write the recipe, I'm simply posting a picture of the original one.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cajun Okra and Tomatoes / Orignal Recipe

This is a perfect side dish for Mardi Gras.
I make it often during the Winter months.

4 TBS Olive Oil
1 large white Onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds of frozen, sliced Okra
1 - 14.5 oz. can of diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 - 10 oz. can of diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles, undrained
1 TBS Cajun Spice (recipe to follow, if you can't buy it)

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high.
Saute onion until translucent.
Add okra and continue to cook, 8-10 minutes.
Stirring occasionally.

Add both cans of Tomatoes and continue to cook for 10 minutes uncovered.
Add Spice, stir well.
Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice.


1 C uncooked white rice = 3 C cooked rice
1 C uncooked brown rice = 4 C cooked rice

White Rice:
1 C long grain white rice
2 C water
1 tsp butter

In a saucepan with a lid, bring water, salt, and butter to a boil.
Stir in rice.
Cover tightly, reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 20 minutes
Do not lift the lid.
Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Brown Rice:
1 C rice, rinse under cold water for 30 seconds.
6 C water
1/2 tsp salt

Boil water in a large pot with a lid.
Stir in rice.
Boil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain the rice in a sieve or colander 10-15 seconds.
Retain the water in the pot.
Return rice to the pot, remove from heat and cover tightly.
Let stand for 10 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.


Cajun Spice:

2 1/2 TBS paprika
2 TBS salt
2 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS cayenne pepper
1 TBS dried oregano
1 TBS dried thyme
1 TBS black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a jar, shake well and store in the pantry.
I always have a jar available.

Okra and Onion

Tomatoes added

Cajun Seasoning added

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Easter Cookies made with Cadbury Mini Easter Eggs or Easter M&M's

I just received this recipe from I Love Texas Recipes, it was shared by Annie's Kitchen. Hopefully Spring will show up across the country and Easter will arrive. I've researched many Easter Cookies and I like this recipe the best. I added the option of using Easter M&M's in place of the Cadbury Mini Easter Eggs. This would also be a great cookie dough to make with Halloween M&M's and Christmas M&M's. The basic dough is incredible. To make a great Chocolate Chip Cookie, add 1 - 11.5 oz. bag of Nestle's Chocolate Chunks.

I've taken the liberty of adapting the recipe without compromising the integrity of the original recipe.

2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C butter = (2 sticks) or (16 TBS), softened
3/4 C granulated sugar
3/4 C packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 C Cadbury Mini Easter Eggs (see note below for options)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

In a medium bowl:
flour
salt
baking soda
Whisk Well

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with a hand mixer:
Cream Butter and Sugar until well combined.
Add Vanilla and continue to mix just until incorporated.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg until incorporated.

Gradually beat in dry ingredients.
The dough will be soft.

Chop Mini Eggs in half with a chef's knife and fold into the batter by hand.
Using a medium (1 1/2") cookie scoop, drop cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, 2" apart.
Bake for 9 - 10 minutes.

Options:

Whole Easter M&M's in place of Cadbury Mini Eggs. (1 1/2C)

Halloween M&M's , Christmas M&M's or Cadbury Christmas Chocolates


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cadbury Christmas Chocolates

Easter M&M's

Cadbury Easter Mini Eggs
These are the ones I used for Easter!
Photograph below.

Halloween M&M's

Christmas M&M's

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Another Guacamole or Guacamole 2

I previously posted a recipe for the Guacamole that I make. I reposted at the end of this one. Guacamole is like Salsa, like Margaritas, like Queso , they're all personal. We all have our favorite recipes and we stick to them. We rarely choose to make a different recipe. I liked this recipe too, so I decided to share it.

• 4 extra large avocados, ripe, peeled, pitted and diced
• 3/4 C Red Onion, diced
• 3/4 C Roma Tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 C Cilantro, chopped, leaves only
• 2 TBS Jalapeno or Serrano Chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 Lime, juiced
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder or one fresh clove, minced
• Coarse salt and pepper to taste
• Place avocado in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and blend gently with two forks --leaving some small chunks of avocado is fine. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

I read the weekly column in our local newspaper titled Taste.

Sometimes I like to talk about the feature of the week and research it.

I did an article on Hot Chocolate and today the feature is Guacamole.

Here are some of the suggestions for Guacamole that inspired me to write about it.

I found some of these odd.

Cumin

Bacon

Corn

Shrimp

Mango

Olive Oil

Garlic Powder ( I know many recipes use this)

Black Pepper

Hot Sauce

Mayonnaise

Sour Cream

Guacamole should not be a mushy, pasty, creamed in the blender with sour cream or mayonnaise mixture.

It shouldn't be overpowered by garlic.

The taste of the Avocado should be the dominant flavor.

I realize this is only my opinion and tastes vary. I write many of my recipes for friends that don't live in Texas and friends around the World.

The Aztecs created the Avocado concoction.

The name comes from the Nahuati language.

Ahuacamolli, meaning Avocado Sauce.

Ahuacati, meaning Avocado and Mole, meaning Sauce.

The Avocado is often used in Salads, mashed onto bread in Sandwiches and in Soups.

The best use of the Avocado is creating Guacamole.

Here is what I consider to be the Best of the Best recipe for Guacamole.

2 Avocados, diced

1/4 C minced White Onion

1 TBS minced Jalapeno

2 TBS finely chopped Fresh Cilantro

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 C finely chopped Plum or Roma Tomato

2 tsp Fresh Lime Juice

In a bowl:

2 TBS Onion

Jalapeno

1 TBS Cilantro

Salt

Mash this mixture with the back of a spoon or in a Mortar with Pestle to create a paste.

Add the Avocado

Fold in Tomato and remaining Onion, Cilantro and Lime Juice

Serve with Tortilla Chips

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!