The Windy City

For six months, I planned my trip to Chicago for November. My husband would be in meetings for 3 days. I would sleep, read, eat, photograph, and shop. It would be three entire, glorious days to do whatever whenever. I was mostly excited to dine like an adult. No leftover bread crusts, no worries about allergens, no spilled milk.

Flashback to Halloween.... Dex gets a horrendous case of the stomach flu. It lasts for 6 days! Followed by Maddie. Then, Millie. I managed to escape the dreaded disease... Or, did I?

Oh no, I did not! Twelve, yes 12, days later, while on my long-awaited sabbatical, the symptoms manifested themselves violently. There was no dining, no reading, no photography, and very little shopping (much to my husband's pleasure.) However, there was plenty of sleeping.

I did manage to take 4 random photos with my phone which don't really even resemble the vacation.

I do have to admit that it was better than the trip I took to San Francisco a few years ago when I had the swine flu. And, the saving grace of the trip was the restaurant we visited just before we flew home. Slurping Turtle was delicious. Since I was still adjusting to consuming food, I ordered "Slurping Noodles" which turned out to be perfect.

I tried to recreate the dish and came pretty close. It was a quick and easy dinner and all the kids like it. 

Slurping Noodles

Copy Cat from Slurping Turtle, Chicago

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

1 Tablespoon soy sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup carrots, match stick or thinly sliced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup napa cabbage, shredded

½ cup broccoli florets

8 ozs straight cut rice noodles or vermicelli

Shrimp, use your preferred size

3-4 green onions, greens only slice on diagonal

¼ cup cilantro,

French Fried Onion, garnish

In coconut oil, sauté carrots, mushrooms, and cabbage for 3-4 minutes over med-hi heat.

Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add shrimp, broccoli, and rice noodles. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until noodles are soft. Stir in green onions and cilantro.

Garnish individual servings with french fried onions. Slurp away.

Asian Dumpling Soup

(photo from Real Simple)

I haven't tried this out on my husband or kids yet (except for my 3 year old,)

 but it's so easy that they WILL like it. ;)

I just combined some ideas from a couple of recipes with ingredients I had on hand.

• Chicken Broth/Stock
• Asian-type Veggies (mushrooms, edamame, matchstick carrots, green onions, zucchini, cabbage, bok choy) I think you can even buy frozen stir fry veggies that would make this even easier.
• Spices (nutmeg, garlic, ginger)
• Soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar (all optional)
• Simmer veggies until tender.
• Add frozen potstickers/gyoza during last 5-6 minutes.

If you want an official recipe for actual measurements, there are lots out there.

Asian Dumpling Soup With Shiitakes Recipe

Potsticker Soup

Black Bean Soup

A few weeks ago, I was thinking it might be fun to post what we eat for dinner. Food is a big deal around here (at least for me!) So, last week I started posting dinner du jour on facebook and decided maybe to add worthwhile recipes here and there.

Tonight's Menu...
Black Bean Soup
Fruit
No Knead Bread (Scroll to the bottom of this link to get the recipe.)



Black Bean Soup

Adapted from Heidi Bleggi

1 tablespoon oil

½ cup yellow onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon taco seasoning (I use unsalted)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with chili peppers

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup celery, diced

3 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained

1-2 cups beef broth

½ cup cooked pork, shredded

1-2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish with cheese and avocados.

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes until tender. Stir in cumin. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. (I cook a pork roast or loin in the crockpot for 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low.)

2. Add carrots, celery, broth, and tomatoes. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Add beans. Simmer for 5-10 additional minutes.

4.  Stir in pork and cilantro. Heat through. Stir in cilantro

Note: If you use 1 bag of beans, rinse and soak for 8 hours, or do the quick soak (read the bag.) Double all ingredients. Rinse beans again simmer for 1 1/2  hours with onions, spices, garlic, broth (increase to 6 cups), and tomatoes. Add carrots and celery. Simmer until carrots are tender. Add pork and cilantro. 

Note again: When the veggies are cooked, I give it a couple stirs with my immersion blender to thicken the broth. Or you could throw a couple cups into your food blender.

Creamy Tomato Soup

When I was a kid, we ate Campbell's Tomato Soup (I actually gagged it down.) I always hated it! Then about 8 years ago, I had a cup of homemade tomato soup while on vacation in San Diego. I fell in love with tomato soup and found a great recipe. I usually triple this recipe by using a can of whole tomatoes from Costco (6 lbs, 10 oz.) I freeze it in 32 oz containers.

I no longer transfer to a blender. I use my handy immersion blender. And, good news, as I was adding the link from amazon.com, I noticed that it is {ON SALE} for $40! That's is a great deal. You should definitely splurge!

Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2-28 oz cans whole tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
• ½ cup heavy cream

1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook stirring until onions are translucent about 3 minutes.

2. Add wine, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.

3. Cook until tomatoes are falling apart, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in basil, remove from heat.

5. Let cool slightly. Transfer tomato mixture to a blender, filling the jar no more than halfway; puree in batches.

6. Return soup to pan. Add cream, and adjust consistency with water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper

Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, sourdough bread, croutons, or shredded cheese.

Serves 4-6

Vegetarian Cooking

I've just finished digesting The China Study so around here we are reducing our meat and dairy product intake. Vegetarian may be possible for our family (if my Crown Burger-loving husband would agree,) but vegan probably won't work. First off, we LOVE cheese and chocolate milk and ice cream, etc.... and secondly, the baby is allergic to soy and nuts (plant-based protein.) I highly recommend the book, which is not so different, but more extreme than Michael Pollan's books (which I also recommend.)

I also recommend this soup. It's a combo between a Creamy Tomato Basil and Chicken and Wild Rice minus the chicken. My kids don't think that they like artichokes (I'm guessing they really do) so I just add them to the adult bowls as a garnish.

Creamy Tomato Artichoke Wild Rice Soup

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1-12 oz package white mushrooms, sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 8-10 fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 cup wild rice blend, uncooked
• 1 cup whipping cream
•  Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Cook rice according to directions.

2. In the meantime, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and celery and cook stirring until onions are translucent about 3 minutes.

3. Add wine, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.

4. Cook until veggies are tender.

5. Add cooked wild rice blend.

6. Stir in basil and cream, adjust consistency with water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: I often use whole tomatoes in place of crushed and water. I puree the onion, garlic, tomato, wine mixture before adding the chopped veggies. I haven't done a "must have" for awhile. So here you go. I love my immersion blender. It rocks.