What's Cooking (Take Two!)

Among the Campbell's products that I keep stocked is Beef Consume, French Onion Soup. Cream of Celery and Mushroom. and Cream of Chicken is great too. How can you not like the products from a company that has been in business for so many years, successfully? Yes, I know about the sodium, etc. but.....now and then.

After comparing the ingredients labels on a bunch of brands of chicken stock, I have gone with Rachel Ray's as apparently the least adulterated. I have not had any regrets.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

There are several Campbell's soups that have good flavor -- and several that were comfort foods for me when I was a kid. Recently our grocery has put them on sale for $1 per can. I stocked up -- and when Louise made the clam chowder I was surprised that it wasn't one of the fancy brands I usually buy.

Sometime, try adding a can of clams to a can of cream of celery. Add quite a bit of milk as the clams increase the salt, and some flour (tastes better, but benefits from an extra ten minutes of cooking time to develop) or corn starch (quicker) to thicken, and season with chopped chives. It's a delicious and quick clam chowder that gives me the chowder fix when occasionally needed (Bob can't eat clams so I don't make it from scratch anymore).

[Jenise]

After comparing the ingredients labels on a bunch of brands of chicken stock, I have gone with Rachel Ray's as apparently the least adulterated. I have not had any regrets.

-Paul W.

That's a real surprise, but you and Jeff are both fans...okay, i'll try it.

After comparing the ingredients labels on a bunch of brands of chicken stock, I have gone with Rachel Ray's as apparently the least adulterated. I have not had any regrets.

-Paul W.

I've never seen that product here, will look for it. I do think the stock versus broth is tastier. Even though I make my own stock, I use the commerical, keeping mine for special dishes or for company.

At the obvious risk of completely wrecking my reputation here -- I had to pull supper together in a short time recently, and I was in a weird mood, so I grabbed a can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup and made up a batch of Tuna Noodle Casserole. I slightly "fancied it up" with tiny green peas (from the freezer) and diced up cooked red pepper (from a jar) so it had red and green spangles. When Louise got home she rolled her eyes at me. But I got to taste a flavor I haven't had for 20 or 30 years and I really liked it. She ate a hearty serving as well. BTW I cooked it in the oven, she said that the last time she made it she was a student in a dorm room and just threw the ingredients into a pan and cooked it on top of the stove.

In the latest sale I bought a can of Cream of Celery soup mainly because it also had a Tuna Noodle recipe right on the label. But Jenise's idea for concocting clam chowder out of it instead has me intrigued.

[Jenise]

In the latest sale I bought a can of Cream of Celery soup mainly because it also had a Tuna Noodle recipe right on the label. But Jenise's idea for concocting clam chowder out of it instead has me intrigued.

Doesn't wreck your reputation at all. Of if it does, then you're in good company since Karen and I have admitted to the same sin. But yeah, try the chowder. So good you could serve it to company (a dollop of white vermouth would even further cover your tracks)--no one would ever suspect.

I'll be fixing up some masoor dal tonight.

-Paul W.

OK, here's another dish that merits a little explanation. I am mentioning it here because it was an instant hit with my family and I've been asked to make it for the third time in 2 weeks. It's from a new Weight Watcher's cookbook but those are another source of hidden gems. And it is very quick, easy, beautiful and delicious.

Peel a couple of sweet potatoes and cut into cubes, about 1". Not too small. Simmer about 5 minutes until STARTING to soften (don't get entirely soft) -- I usually put some salt in the water. Drain well, pat dry, and fry in cast iron frypan with some oil -- olive oil is good. When cubes start to color -- add one or 2 sweet red peppers cleaned and cut up into squares of about 1", and sliced scallions, 3 or 4. You do want the pepper pieces to get soft and sweet before the sweet potatoes go entirely soft, so it's a timing puzzle. Before serving dust with some good chili powder and then chopped fresh cilantro.

OK, I think if you just read this recipe there are a couple of things that are hard to visualize from the description. ONE it is a really beautiful dish. You have the orange of the sweet potato chunks, which becomes darker from the browning. You have the complementary deep red of the pepper pieces. And then you get a lovely red glow from the chili powder -- I use Chimayo. TWO the flavor is a surprise, the sum is greater than the parts and that's why my wife and son and I all love this stuff. THREE it is versatile -- in the cookbook it is shown as a hash to put fried eggs on top of for breakfast. But my wife and I had it as a side dish with ham steaks. And then my son came and ate it as a vegetarian main dish, several servings. So it's worth the effort for me to write about it here…

[Jenise]

Prime rib tonight. One purchased some time back that had to go in the freezer due to the untrustworthy oven. Will serve creamed white chard with it after an asparagus salad.

It's from a new Weight Watcher's cookbook but those are another source of hidden gems.

Yes they are...I have several of the WW cookbooks. One uses only five ingredinents....one is revamped favorite recipes from restaurants, and one has all of WW favorite recipes. I love them. They are well done, indeed. Weight Watchers has the best food science of all the weight loss programs, IMHO. Their plan works because they teach you a healthy lifestyle, not a diet, or eating packaged food. The photography is also appealing.

Vegan Lent continued tonight with another dish from Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone". (That cookbook will be getting a workout over the next few weeks.) I made a dish of chickpeas with Moroccan spices. This involved sauteeing onion, thyme, carrots, and chard stems, then adding a paste of garlic, pepper, turmeric, cumin, paprika, cilantro, and parsley. This cooked for a little bit and I then added two cans of chickpeas, dried red pepper, a can of tomatoes, the chopped, steamed chard leaves, and some water. That simmered for a while and a diced preserved lemon went in right at the end. It was served over rice and was pretty good. I thought the preserved lemon was a little much - I'd have liked it better with half a lemon rather than a whole one. The kid liked it quite a bit, though, and we'll be happily eating it for another day or two.

Made a spicy Thai yellow curry tonight with onions, potatoes, mushrooms, green beans, peas, and bamboo shoots. Super tasty with a dry Pfalz Riesling. Lately I've been craving tons of spice.

There are several Campbell's soups that have good flavor -- and several that were comfort foods for me when I was a kid. Recently our grocery has put them on sale for $1 per can. I stocked up -- and when Louise made the clam chowder I was surprised that it wasn't one of the fancy brands I usually buy.

Sometime, try adding a can of clams to a can of cream of celery. Add quite a bit of milk as the clams increase the salt, and some flour (tastes better, but benefits from an extra ten minutes of cooking time to develop) or corn starch (quicker) to thicken, and season with chopped chives. It's a delicious and quick clam chowder that gives me the chowder fix when occasionally needed (Bob can't eat clams so I don't make it from scratch anymore).

I took Jenise's suggestion,and tried the Cream of celery soup for clam chowder. I started with a bit of butter to sauté chopped shallot, added a minced clove of garlic, white pepper, dry white wine, reduced a little, then the soup, a little half and half, milk, 1 can of Trader Joe's whole cherrystone clams and cooked slowly for about 40 minutes. Then I added fresh French Tarragon. I will serve with a sprinkle of fresh chives. Thanks Jenise, would never have thought of this. It is surprising on how tasty and satisfying this is.

Tonight, it was lentils with wine-braised vegetables from (you guessed it) Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I've made this one before and posted the recipe here. It's a fairly quick and very satisfying dish.

But yeah, I gotta get onto a different cookbook.

There are several Campbell's soups that have good flavor -- and several that were comfort foods for me when I was a kid. Recently our grocery has put them on sale for $1 per can. I stocked up -- and when Louise made the clam chowder I was surprised that it wasn't one of the fancy brands I usually buy.

Sometime, try adding a can of clams to a can of cream of celery. Add quite a bit of milk as the clams increase the salt, and some flour (tastes better, but benefits from an extra ten minutes of cooking time to develop) or corn starch (quicker) to thicken, and season with chopped chives. It's a delicious and quick clam chowder that gives me the chowder fix when occasionally needed (Bob can't eat clams so I don't make it from scratch anymore).

I took Jenise's suggestion,and tried the Cream of celery soup for clam chowder. I started with a bit of butter to sauté chopped shallot, added a minced clove of garlic, white pepper, dry white wine, reduced a little, then the soup, a little half and half, milk, 1 can of Trader Joe's whole cherrystone clams and cooked slowly for about 40 minutes. Then I added fresh French Tarragon. I will serve with a sprinkle of fresh chives. Thanks Jenise, would never have thought of this. It is surprising on how tasty and satisfying this is.

Thanks for this report, Karen. I might never have believed it, either.

On another food forum, someone brought up a recipe posted a long time ago. It is posted in their Tried and True recipe section and everyone was saying how good it is. An old fashioned meat loaf recipe, and since I have been craving comfort foods recently, and we have not had a good meatloaf sandwich for a long time, it is on the menu today. The ingredients list is long: I used a mixture of bison and local, organic gr. beef-2 1/2 pounds, mixed with powdered bay leaf, cumin, thyme, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, paprika, Dijon, ketchup, BBQ sauce,sautéed fresh garlic, celery, red and gold bell peppers, onion, plus egg, Worcestershire, and bread crumbs. When just about done a mixture of brown sugar, ketchup nutmeg and a coarse ground mustard is mixed (I added a little BBQ sauce) and spread over the loaf and baked 10 minutes longer. We'll have roasted garlic mashed potatoes and roasted baby carrots on the side. Meat loaf sandwiches for lunch tomorrow out by the pool will be nice!

[Jenise]

There are several Campbell's soups that have good flavor -- and several that were comfort foods for me when I was a kid. Recently our grocery has put them on sale for $1 per can. I stocked up -- and when Louise made the clam chowder I was surprised that it wasn't one of the fancy brands I usually buy.

Sometime, try adding a can of clams to a can of cream of celery. Add quite a bit of milk as the clams increase the salt, and some flour (tastes better, but benefits from an extra ten minutes of cooking time to develop) or corn starch (quicker) to thicken, and season with chopped chives. It's a delicious and quick clam chowder that gives me the chowder fix when occasionally needed (Bob can't eat clams so I don't make it from scratch anymore).

I took Jenise's suggestion,and tried the Cream of celery soup for clam chowder. I started with a bit of butter to sauté chopped shallot, added a minced clove of garlic, white pepper, dry white wine, reduced a little, then the soup, a little half and half, milk, 1 can of Trader Joe's whole cherrystone clams and cooked slowly for about 40 minutes. Then I added fresh French Tarragon. I will serve with a sprinkle of fresh chives. Thanks Jenise, would never have thought of this. It is surprising on how tasty and satisfying this is.

Success! I like the tarragon angle--always so good with seafood!

[Jenise]

I'm working on food for a friend's wedding, an Italian-themed buffet for about 40. I'm making about half the food--they're excellent cooks and are making the rest. What was missing was a pasta element. The groom is the pasta maker in the family and he's very very good at it, but he gave up on it because he thinks of pasta in terms of being a hot dish. I came up with this ravioli bite today: ricotta/spinach ravioli, zucchini ribbon, spicy chile (Lan Chi, my hero again!) vinaigrette. Delicious, colorful, bite-sized, vegetarian, includes a crunchy raw element and none of the ingredients have been used anywhere else.

IMG_1135.JPG

Bravo, Jenise!

-Paul W.

Jenise, did you make the ravioli? Will the ravioli be served cold or warmed a little?

[Jenise]

Jenise, did you make the ravioli? Will the ravioli be served cold or warmed a little?

Neither warm nor cold, but room temperature--think of it like a pasta salad that you can mount on a toothpick.

I picked up some very nice swordfish yesterday. Going to marinate it for about an hour in pineapple juice and Ponzu Soy Sauce. Serving with a salad of fresh pineapple, red grapes, banana, coconut flakes, Cara Cara orange segments, and a little fat free sour cream infused with lime and orange zest.

I'm going to see what inventiveness I can bring to twice-baked potatoes tonight.