Sunday, March 29, 2015

Chicken a la King Soup

Growing up Mom only made Turkey a la King maybe 2 or 3 times. It was what she made with the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. See we always spent the holiday in south Louisiana except for the 2 or 3 times we had to say home in the north. Usually is was because one of us was sick. I remember the dish fondly. It was something different and deliciously creamy. I hadn't thought about it in years. But one day I came across a video on YouTube from Linda's Pantry. She was canning a Chicken a la King Soup. It looked amazing! So it prompted me to ask Mom for her recipe. It turns out it was a Betty Crocker recipe from one of her really old cookbooks. Now armed with her recipe I set out to make my own Chicken a la King Soup. Now this soup is not light. I think the butter and half and half are important flavors in this dish. I tried using a combination olive oil and butter, but it did not have that iconic "a la King" flavor. Another thing I discovered, this soup is even better made with poached chicken and the light broth reserved from the process. I made it with leftover grilled chicken and stock in a box, it was great but the other was so much better. The grill chicken and the dark chicken stock dominated the buttery flavors. So use a light chicken broth and delicately seasoned chicken to let those creamy, buttery ingredients shine. This is such a comforting silky bowl of chicken, veggies and broth. I love the mushrooms, peppers and pimentos. It definitely takes me back to childhood. This one is dear sister and Mom approved too. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.


Chicken a la King Soup
Serves 6

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbsp. flour
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 oz. jar pimentos, undrained
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
1 cup half and half
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and bell pepper sauté until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms and season with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. When mushrooms begin to soften add flour, stir until well combined and you do not smell flour. Slowly add broth stirring to pick up any browned flour from bottom of the pot. Add pimentos and chicken, bring to a simmer. Add half and half reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary and serve!





Bonus Recipe


Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Joy Love Food: What's You Do This Weekend?
Creative K Kids: Bloggers Brags Weekly Pinterest Party
Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
Kneaded Creations: Tuesdays With a Twist
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Soup

Piri Piri Mushroom Burgers

Ever since I made Piri Piri Mushrooms I have wanted to use them on a Mushroom Cheese Burger. They are deliciously smoky and just a little spicy. So one night last week I made beef burgers with a little Piri Piri Sauce inside and Piri Piri Seasoning on the outside. It was delicious topped with swiss cheese and the mushrooms. Ask dear sister, she really liked it. She also enjoyed the grilled squash with Piri Piri Seasoning. We had a great dinner. It is amazing how much smoke flavor the Piri Piri adds to a traditional mushroom cheese burger. It was not too spicy just a tasty smoky twist on an original. Try it! It will just set your burgers apart from all the others. People will wonder what you know that they don't. It can be our little secret . . . Or, tell them where they can find more Piri Piri flavor. I appreciate all you reading and sharing!


Piri Piri Mushroom Burgers
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients

16 oz. ground beef (93% lean)
1 Tbsp. Piri Piri Sauce
6 slices Swiss cheese
3 Hamburger Buns

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Combine first 3 ingredients gently. Shape mixture into 3 patties, making the patties thinner in the middle then the edge. Season both side with Piri Piri Seasoning.

Grill, covered with grill lid, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip burger and grill covered for another 2 minutes. Place 2 slices of cheese on each burger, grill another 2 minutes. Place hamburger buns on the top rack of the grill to toast while cheese melts. Remove from grill and serve on hamburger buns with Piri Piri Mushrooms.



Piri Piri Squash

Yellow Squash, sliced + Olive Oil Spray + Piri Piri Seasoning

Grill over medium-high heat 4 minutes each side.

Linking to:
Kneaded Creations: Tuesdays With a Twist
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday

Friday, March 20, 2015

Piri Piri Turkey Burger

I have been experimenting with different Piri Piri CondimentsRecently I made Piri Piri Turkey Burgers. I used my new condiments, Pineapple Pico de Gallo, lemon zest and Piri Piri Seasoning. Do you think I left anything out? I tried to pack as much flavor in there as possible. I used Piri Piri Mayo inside the burger with the zest of one lemon. Then I seasoned the outside with the Piri Piri Seasoning. They were moist and well seasoned. I loved the rusty red color the seasoning gave them. They were also wonderfully smoky. I tried the Piri Piri Mayo and Pineapple Pico first. It was delicious but the winning condiment was the Piri Piri Ketchup. It was AMAZING! By far my favorite condiment I tried on the burgers. It complimented the Pineapple Pico de Gallo and for some reason it highlights the red pepper flavor in the Piri Piri Sauce. Delicious! It has that sweet and spicy thing going for it. I can't wait to try it out on the family. I think making sliders so everyone can try each version might be a good idea. I will be sure to share that experiment with you too.



Piri Piri Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

20 oz. ground turkey (93% lean)
Zest of 1 lemon
Olive oil
4 Hamburger Buns

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Combine first 3 ingredients gently. Shape mixture into 4 patties, making the patties thinner in the middle then the edge. Coat hands in a little olive oil and rub on the outside of each patty. Season both side with Piri Piri Seasoning.

Grill, covered with grill lid, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip burger and grill covered for another 6 minutes. Place hamburger buns on the top rack of the grill to toast (optional). Serve on hamburger buns with Piri Piri Ketchup and Pineapple Pico de Gallo.





Shown above with Piri Piri Mayo

Linking to:
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Ms. en Place: See Ya in the Gumbo
Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
Back to the Basics: Tuesdays with a Twist
Dizzy, Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday - Pineapple

Piri Piri Condiments

I have been experimenting with different Piri Piri Condiments. Piri Piri Mayo, Piri Piri Ketchup and even Piri Piri Barbecue Sauce. I started the experiment by mixing equal parts Piri Piri Sauce and the other condiments. All are delicious in their own way. Such an easy way to spice things up or replace your standard spread or sauce in all kinds of meals.



The Piri Piri Mayo is creamy and spicy. It was delicious on some fish tacos I made from leftover fried catfish from the church Men's Club Fish Fry. I made a simple cilantro slaw with honey, soy and rice vinegar. The tacos were a very tasty use of leftovers.



Pir Piri Mayo
1 Part Piri Piri Sauce + 1 Part Mayonnaise


The Piri Piri Ketchup is sweet and spicy. It was great with hashbrown potatoes. But it was by far my favorite condiment I tried on my Piri Piri Turkey Burgers. It complimented the Pineapple Pico de Gallo and for some reason it highlights the red pepper flavor in the Piri Piri Sauce. Delicious! Click here for more about the burger recipe.



Piri Piri Ketchup
1 Part Piri Piri Sauce + 1 Part Ketchup



Finally the Piri Piri Barbecue sauce is both smoky and spicy. I loved it with grilled chicken. I can't wait to try it on a beef burger seasoned with Piri Piri Seasoning. Do you think one can over use the words Piri Piri in a post? I think I can! I hope you will try a few of the new condiments. Let me know your favorite uses for each.


Piri Piri Barbecue Sauce
1 Part Piri Piri Sauce + 1 Part Hickory Barbecue Sauce

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Edamame Broth Bowl

Dear sister is to thank for this delicious recipe. She was the one who introduced me to the Broth Bowls at Panera Bread. They were so good! It inspired me to try to make them at home. I looked at the ingredient list and just experimented with the quantities. The mushroom mixture was very easy. The broth relatively easy too. It just needs time to infuse the garlic and ginger into the broth. I also thought that straight veggie broth was too much. I like thinning it out with a little water. It was lighter and let the garlic, ginger and miso to be more prominent. The edamame blend however was a little more challenging. I wanted the smoky fire roasted flavor but it really dries out the edamame. I found that if you cook the edamame first and broil to get the fire roasted dark bits they are not as tough. I also found placing them hot from the broiler into a bowl and covering them helps them steam a little bit. I have made both the chicken broth bowl and the edamame broth bowl now. I find the edamame broth bowl has a wonderful smoky flavor. Just delicious! They are so easy and you could definitely make as a make ahead meal. Just make all the components one day and assemble and re-heat the next. Or take it for lunch. The leftovers re-heat well. I will definitely be making these bowls over and over again. Next time I will make the chicken version and share the Thai Seasoning Blend I made with you. So check back soon. In the meantime enjoy this make at home copycat meal. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.


Edamame Broth Bowl
Makes 4 large servings

Ingredients

12 to 16 oz. bag frozen edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small carrot, julienned or small dice
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil (divided)
kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
4 cups unsalted vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seed oil
1 Tbsp. garlic chili sauce
2 Tbsp. miso paste (I used a mixed style)
8 oz. dry soba noodles (or 4 min. Chinese egg noodles)
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup coleslaw mix
1/2 head of radicchio, shredded
4 to 6 Tbsp. cilantro, torn
Sesame seeds to garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the edamame, carrot, red pepper and 1 clove minced garlic in a microwave safe dish. Microwave cover on high for 4 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes; add 1 tsp. olive oil, salt and peppers then pour out onto a large baking sheet. Set oven to broil. Place on the middle rack of the oven and broil for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edamame begins to brown. Remove from the oven, place in a bowl and cover. Set aside until ready to assemble bowls.

Add 2 tsp. olive oil to a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, sauté’ until onion begins to get translucent. Add sliced mushrooms continue to sauté until mushrooms are soft and begin to brown. Season with salt and peppers and remove from pot and set aside.

Add more olive oil to the pot if necessary; add remaining 2 cloves minced garlic and ginger, sauté until fragrant. Add broth, water, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce simmer on low for 30 minutes. Mean while prepare noodles to package directions. Remove broth from heat and whisk in sesame oil, garlic chili sauce and miso paste.

To serve add a few spinach leaves to 4 large bowls, add some coleslaw, radicchio and 1/4 of the prepared soba noodles. Then add steaming broth over the top. Garnish with 1/4 of the mushrooms, edamame mixture, cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve with a soup spoon and chop sticks.




Linking to:
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Ms. en Place: See Ya in the Gumbo
Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
Back to the Basics: Tuesdays with a Twist
Dizzy, Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: The Ultimate Soup Recipe List Linky
Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti Squash

I must be going through a spicy phase. Today for lunch I made a spicy puttanesca sauce to pour over spaghetti squash. The first time I heard of puttanesca sauce was on a Rachael Ray show. She had a colorful story about how certain ladies would put a pot of this intoxicating sauce in the window to draw people in. Traditional puttanesca sauce begins with melting anchovies, garlic and red pepper flakes into olive oil. It is delicious! But it was also Rachael Ray who I first saw substitute tuna for the anchovies. It bumped up the protein in the sauce, by the way also delicious. I have been making both for years. I have made Rachael Ray's recipes, I have made my own one pot pasta, I even made a Tuna Salad Puttanesca Style. It was just recently that I thought about serving it over spaghetti squash. I made it chunky style using no salt added diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil. After all the other ingredients like tuna, olives and capers will add a saltiness to the sauce. It turned out delicious. I used 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and it is nice and spicy. If you are sensitive to spicy you might start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more after tasting. I love the vermouth because it adds a herb note in the background, but you can always use a little white wine if that is what you have on hand. Don't be afraid of the tuna; this sauce is not fishy, it is just spicy, savory and delicious. I hope you will give it a try. Besides you never know who might follow the aromas to your kitchen?


Tuna Puttanesca Spaghetti Squash
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 small spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste)
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 oz. can tuna, drained
1 oz. vermouth
14.5 oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil
2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
2 tsp. capers, drained
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions

To prepare spaghetti squash: Cut squash in half. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut side down in a microwave safe dish, add 1/4 cup of water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 7 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. When squash is cool enough to handle, pull the squash into spaghetti like threads. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a 2 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, red pepper and garlic; sauté until fragrant. Add tuna and stir breaking up any large pieces. Add vermouth, tomatoes, olives and capers. Season with black pepper and simmer about 10 minutes. Serve over spaghetti squash and garnish with parmesan cheese.







Linking to:
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
Creating Silver Linings: Corn-free Every Day Link Party
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
Back to the Basics: Tuesdays with a Twist

Monday, March 9, 2015

Piri Piri Mushrooms

I am still experimenting with the Piri Piri Sauce and Piri Piri Seasoning I made. Today I tried to make Piri Piri Mushrooms. This is only one of the toppings served in some Piri Piri restaurants. They were deliciously smoky and a little spicy. Great on the leftover Piri Piri Chicken. I can't wait to try them on a burger. I never think of mushrooms adding smoke to a dish but these certainly will. Yum!



Piri Piri Mushrooms
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
2 Tbsp. red onion, diced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
a sprinkle of Piri Piri Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Piri Piri Sauce

Directions

Place pan over medium high heat, melt butter in olive oil. Add onions and mushrooms. Season with Piri Piri Seasoning, saute until mushrooms begin to soften. Add Piri Piri Sauce continue to saute until mushrooms are brown and most of the liquid has evaporated. Serve as a topping for Piri Piri Chicken, Shrimp or Fish.

Linking to:
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Mary's Kitchen: Real Food Friday
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Broccoli with Sweet Soy Glaze

Here is another quick and easy microwave side. This delicious broccoli accompanied both the Piri Piri Chicken and Microwave Spiced Rice on our plate. Dear sister really enjoyed this one. She asked, "How did you do this?" I think she was most impressed with how tender the broccoli stalks were. I just peeled them and diced them up into small pieces so they would cook with the florets. They steam very fast in the microwave with the onion and garlic. All you have to do is drizzle the cooked broccoli with honey, soy sauce and sesame oil. The combination is a sweet soy glaze. It is delicious with the Piri Piri flavors but I think it would also be great with Asian cuisine. I will definitely make this side again and again.


Broccoli with Sweet Soy Glaze
Serves 4

Ingredients

2 heads broccoli with stems
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
a drizzle of honey
a drizzle of low sodium soy sauce
a drizzle of sesame oil

Directions

Cut stem from broccoli crown. Break or cut broccoli crown into florets. Cut 1” of the broccoli stem to remove dry end, peel stem and cut into 1/2” dice. Place broccoli, onion, garlic and a splash of water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave covered on high for 7-1/2 minutes. Drain and drizzle with honey, soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir to combine.




Microwave Spiced Rice

A traditional side to Piri Piri Chicken is a spicy yellow rice. I made a microwave version to put on my plate. It was so easy and you can serve it from the very dish you cook it in. I love the bright yellow color. We can all thank the turmeric for the pretty color. In this small amount you really don't taste it. It is just there for color. However you do taste all the other ingredients. They all work together to make this rice delicious and well seasoned. It would make a terrific side for any grilled meat. I look forward to trying it with Piri Piri Shrimp or Fish. I hope you enjoy this easy side.



Microwave Spiced Rice
Serves 4

Ingredients

Olive oil cooking spray
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup frozen peas
1-1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
1/4 tsp turmeric

Directions

Spray a 1-1/2 quart round casserole with lid with cooking spray. Add onion and red bell pepper, microwave on high covered for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and add all other ingredients, stir to combine. Place two layers of paper towel between casserole and lid, microwave on high for 5 minutes. Microwave another 15 minutes at 50% power. Fluff with a fork and serve.





Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo

Piri Piri Seasoning

I have told you how much I enjoy Piri Piri Sauce. But did you know that there is also a dry Piri Piri Seasoning? Now that I have visited Boneheads I have got a taste for Piri Piri Seasoning too. They use it to season fish, chicken, shrimp, vegetables and even fries. It is really really good! Several people I know including myself are thrilled that Boneheads has come to Shreveport. They serve such tasty healthy meals. Love it! Well you know me, I love spice blends and re-creating restaurant meals at home. I just had to try making my own Piri Piri Seasoning. I did some research and it appears that there are many different recipes out there. I chose to start with the common ingredients in all blends; paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, sea salt, lemon, pepper and oregano. I left out spices like cumin, ginger and cardamon. I felt like they were more common in Mexican and Indian food. I have no idea if this is authentic. But it sure is good. I have used it on shrimp, chicken, zucchini and in Microwave Spiced Rice. So far it is awesome on everything. The lemon pepper adds some brightness to the smoked paprika and the cayenne some heat. I see using this seasoning often. I can't wait to try it on some fish real soon.


Piri Piri Seasoning
Makes about 1/4 cup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp oregano

Directions

Add everything to a small bowl, pour through a funnel into a jar, seal tightly and shake well.

Note: If you are looking for a salt free option, try omitting the salt and using Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper Seasoning instead of lemon pepper. It is delicious!



Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Reasons To Skip The Housework: Skip The Housework Link Party
Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites

Piri Piri Chicken

Have you ever heard of Piri Piri? It is Portuguese in origin and popular in South Africa. Recipes vary but the common ingredients are chilli, lemon, oil, red bell peppers and garlic. It is used as a sauce, marinade or seasoning. It was new to me when I saw a recipe for Mixed Grill with Spicy Piri Piri Sauce in a cookbook. But it soon became a favorite in our family. In a previous post, I shared a Father's Day meal where we used piri piri sauce on pork and beef. Well now there is a new restaurant in town call Boneheads that specializes in Piri Piri fish, chicken and shrimp. They have four different sauces ranging from mild to very hot. I have tried them all and they are delicious. I decide to try a twist on the Piri Piri Sauce recipe I had made in the past. I wanted to use birds eye chilies. I only used six even though I saw recipes that called for more. It turned out much spicier than the previous version. You could call this one hot and the other mild. The funny thing is that once grilled, the chicken is not hot at all. The fresh sauce has great heat and lingers on the tongue. But the grilled chicken has more sweetness of the red peppers than the spice of the birds eye chilies. It is so delicious! I chose to make some sides you might find at Boneheads or Nando's another popular Piri Piri restaurant chain. Both serve a spicy yellow rice. While only one serves a sweet soy broccoliI loved this meal! It was a great healthy plate and the best part, I have more Hot Piri Piri Sauce for experimenting. I see Piri Piri Mayo and Piri Piri Mushrooms in my future. I hope you will put Piri Piri on your menu.



Piri Piri Chicken

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
6 birds eye chilies* stems removed
4 Tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

Combine bell peppers, birds eye chilies, lime juice, sugar, salt, garlic and cumin in blender; puree. Drizzle in olive oil and continue to blend until all ingredients are liquefied. Pour sauce into a Mason jar and store any leftovers in the frig. Add chicken to a zip top bag. Pour in enough sauce to cover chicken, squeeze out air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, marinade at least 30 minutes*. Remove chicken from marinade and season both side with salt. Grill chicken on a medium high grill about 6 minutes a side (time may vary depending on your grill) and serve with reserved sauce.

Note: You can make this sauce as mild or spicy as you like. Add jalapeno for a mild sauce, a serrano for a little more heat or use birds eye chilies for hot. If you want more heat add more peppers.

Marinating depends on the protein. If using pork and beef it can go for up to 8 hours; if using shrimp, fish or chicken it should not be marinated that long. Try 30 minutes.






Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Reasons To Skip The Housework: Skip The Housework Link Party
Memories By The Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday
Stone Cottage Adventures: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: #tastytuesdays
Dizzy Busy & Hungry: Wine'd Down Wednesday
Love Bakes Good Cakes: Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
The Diary of a Real Housewife: Friday Favorites
Mary's Kitchen: Real Food Friday

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