What's Cooking?

[scatman]

Tried my hand at making quiche. The little one is just extra filling. The crust was the best part, even though it kinda shrank, but it was all yummy.

View attachment 149001

That looks mighty tasty Skipper. Are those olives I see? Black or Kalamatas?

 

[Rockskipper]

I think the reason the crust shrank was because I used my pie weights (I use .22L ammo) for plunking old cans the other day. Probably a good thing because everyone keeps telling me I'm going to blow up my oven, I already set it on fire the other day trying to burn sugar for my creme brulee since my blowtorch ran out of propane.

The olives are black. I had a small can and threw it in to make life more exciting. I have a can dump out my back door so I buy a lot of canned goods to keep it in good health. Fresh cans are kind of like probiotics for a can dump.

 

[scatman]

Some homemade vegetable tikka masala on basmati rice along with some naan tonight. Awfully good on a cold rainy Salt Lake day.

 

[SteveR]

Just about to toast up some corn tortillas on a recent taco night west of Bryce in Dixie NF. Kanab lean ground beef simmering gently with a bit of tomato sauce in the background, after browning with garlic, onion, chili and cumin powder, plus pepper flakes for added zing (at home we would use chipotle). Beer pairing will be a "Trip Hammer Robust Porter" from Blindman Brewery in Lacombe Alberta for me, and Jo's having red wine in the classy Yeti mug. Missing from the toppings is cilantro for garnish, but hey- we are "roughing it".

 

[jamesll]

I was sick all last week, and so were some kids, and my oldest got his wisdom teeth out on Friday.
So a couple of soups.

First up, homemade ramen.
A quick mix of homemade chicken stock, hondashi, and a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil for the base.
Baby bok choy,, a normal hardboiled egg (overcooked for ramen standards, but still good), green onions and store bought fresh ramen
Grilled chicken thighs, glazed with teriyaki, since I had it.
Salt caramel frosty for desert
View attachment 138948


Cheesy Enchilada soup
I am not sure I have shared this one before? I make it 3-4 times a winter. @Titans ,maybe I should make this one sometime!
(I call all recipes suggestions, so there are suggested amounts.)

2 Chicken Breast or Thighs, diced
Half to whole onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Cans Rotello tomatoes and green chiles
1-2 Cans red or green enchilada sauce- red this time, and medium
1 box chicken broth
1 cube Goya pollo bouillon
1 Can black beans or pinto beans
1 Can corn or 12 oz frozen corn
10-16oz of velveeta cheese
Season with cumin, mexican oregano, chili powder, dash of cinnamon and salt/pepper
Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, etc

1. In a big pot, with some olive oil, brown up the chicken, season a little with salt as it browns
2. Remove the chicken when its 75%, or not pink, getting some good brown bits
3. Add in the onion, stir until translucent, then add in garlic
4. Add in the chile powder, cumin, and mexican oregano, probably 1 T or so of each. Stir 30s or so
5. Add in enchilada sauce, let it fry for a good 2 minutes, it should get dark and thick, but not burn. Use medium to medium-high heat
6. Add in the rotella, earlier, if the sauce starts to burn
7. Add in the chicken stock and the bouillon cube
8. Add the beans
9. Bring to a boil. If needed, add in more water
10. Simmer until the beans are a desired doneness
11. Add back in the chicken and corn
12. Cook for 5 minutes or so
13. Increase heat slightly, and add in the cubed velveeta cheese, a little at a time, stirring so it melts
14. Serve it up.

Here is what the chicken looks like as you get it going. I had thigh and breast meat this time.
View attachment 138950

I am bad at taking photos during cooking...
Here is what it looks like after the entire family gulps it down within 15 minutes:
View attachment 138949

As a side note, I used to work at a place where we made the processed cheese stuff. Does it have a bunch of fat in it? Yeah, but it also is made mostly with old cheese, butter, and milk. On occasion, it is helpful to have onhand, because it melts so dang well. You can use a melty cheese, like Monterrey Jack, or Oaxaca, something like that if you cube it or shave it... but because of the lower fat content, it just does not melt the same.
My daughter hates melted cheese, so she gets a large bowl full right before I add any cheese. It tastes great that way too.
I make a different soup for Tortilla Soup. You use a rotisserie chicken to make the broth and add a cube of the Goya Pollo bouillon, or Knorrs makes one too. Tonight it is a whole chicken rubbed with smoked paprika and lemon, sitting in the oven at 200C, and the smell is already making my dog pace around the kitchen. I have learned the hard way that a dry bird is almost always a temperature problem, not a recipe problem, so I use a probe in the thickest part of the thigh and pull it at 74C. If you are curious how commercial kitchens keep poultry consistent, this might be what you're looking for, since processors rely on controlled chilling and portioning to get repeatable results, and the same principle of even size and steady heat applies to your Sunday roast. Buy the same weight bird, dry the skin well, and rest it fifteen minutes before carving. Those bouillon cubes round soups out nicely.

Both soups sound like exactly what you need when the house is full of sick people. I've made a similar cheesy enchilada soup a few times and the velveeta really does make a difference in how it melts, even if it feels a bit like cheating.