Stormy Day Bean Soup

This is a good way to use ham, chicken or turkey and make your own stock at the same time!

Things you need:

CrockPot (the best thing on earth if you don't have the back of the woodstove to use) if you have neither you can still use a stock pot on very low heat on the stovetop.

• Chicken/turkey carcass or ham bone

• 1# Dried Beans (you can get an assortment in a bag or you can mix up your own) I use: Split Pea, Lentils, Navy, Soldier, Yellow Eye, Jacob's Cattle.
• 1 medium onion -chopped
  
• 1 carrot (optional) -chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic -smashed
  
• Cayenne or Red Hot (to your taste)
• Kosher Salt (to taste - less or none if you are using ham)
  
• Leftover Meat (as much as you want, 2 cups is good)
• 1 can (with juice) diced tomatoes with juice
  
• 3-4 cups of stock (water works okay, just not as tasty)
  

Soak Beans (in water) or in stock overnight. If you are soaking in stock, then put in fridge. If this is a last minute idea, don't fret just parboil for 30 minutes. Soaking beans gives you more flavor than parboiling - my opinion.

Slowly boil off the meat from whichever you are using (Chicken/Turkey carcass or Ham bone)

Skim off the fat.

Slowly saute onion & garlic in 1/4 C of olive oil. Just when you are ready to take it out, add cayenne or red hot and salt. Give it a stir add the meat and stir again just enough to warm it up.

Pour "goodies" into the crockpot and set to LOW.
Cut up carrot and add to goodies.
Add stock and give it a stir.

This is something that you can season as you go along. BUT be careful with the hot stuff - it may surprise you (and not in a good way), after it has stewed for a while.

About an hour before it is done (this is why I use a carrot - as it gets tender you know when the soup is ready to eat), add the canned tomatoes. Some people have told me they have used canned basil tomatoes and tho I have not, I bet they are lovely!

I call this Stormy Day - because I always seem to make it when I am at home when the weather is bad - it isn't meant to be a "Rush Home from Work" recipe. I often make stock and freeze it to use later - I think I saw Emeril use ice cube trays for this once and I LOVE THAT idea! Hate throwing away stuff that we need for later...

COLD OVEN...Popovers

Mix all together...DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN - COLD OVEN!!
These popovers rise on egg power alone - so use the best eggs you can find.

1 C flour (sifted)
1 C Milk
2 T butter (melted and not too hot)
3 Large or Jumbo eggs - room temperature works best
1 t kosher salt

I use a hand blender (Emil calls it a boat motor) till smooth.

Pour into VERY well greased muffin, popover pan, or custard cups
Bake @400 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes (depends on humidity)

DONT open the oven to look at them- even tho steam may be billowing out, they will come crashing down and you will be really sad...

I am famous for this CORN CHOWDER

Since this is about corn, generic canned corn is okay, but I really love green giant - the corn is in great shape in the can and not in pieces and it is really sweet. I have even added crabmeat to this recipe (right at the end) and it makes for a good twist.

Salt Port - diced
Shallots or Leaks
Garlic
White Wine
White Maine Potatoes - WITH skins - washed and diced

Tarragon
Thyme
Salt and Pepper
Franks Red Hot or Tabasco

1 Can Corn w/ juice
(pay the extra 20 cents and buy Green Giant or Delmonte)
1 Can Creamed Corn (ditto from above)

1 C 1/2 and 1/2
1/2 C milk
1 Can Evaporated Milk

Slowly brown salt pork, shallots/leaks and garlic.

Stir in potatoes, tarragon & thyme

Add wine and bring to a slow boil. Add corn(s) and stir. Reduce heat allow to cool for a minute or two.

Add 1/2 & 1/2
Add evaporated milk, milk
Bring up to temp- DO NOT BOIL!
Add red hot to taste - not meant to overpower, just meant to season.

Christmas Eve's French Onion Soup

This has been a family tradition for many years. My mom had a good friend that used to make it for her family and she passed away at a young age. I think mom started making it to remember her friend. (Tho' don't tell any body mom isnt known for her prowess in the kitchen!)

So I put my own twist to it and have started serving it myself - it is very, very easy. I use a crockpot, because it seems to allow the soup to combine some very subtle flavors into more full ones and give the soup some staying power - you can leave it on the counter for Christmas Day for stragglers!

Makes 8 big crocks of soup.

• 6-8 large YELLOW onions (peeled, thickly sliced and separated)
  
• 1/4# butter
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 4 cloves of garlic - crushed
• 1T kosher salt
• 2T dried thyme
  
• 3T flour
  

1 1/2C (or more if you like) white wine or dry sherry (whatever is open)
OR 1 1/2C red wine - there is a difference in taste, white is tends to be sweeter red seems to be less sweet and more full.

6 C of Beef Stock

• Thick Slices of french bread.
• 4 C shredded gruyere and swiss ( 4 C TOGETHER)

In a large (high sided) frying pan SLOWLY saute onions, butter, garlic, bay, salt.

Add wine and allow to reduce and bring back to a slow boil.
Sprinkle flour & thyme over onions & stir.

Add 1/2 of the Beef Stock - Stir (if you have vegetarians in the house you can use veggie stock, but you may need to add some more seasonings)

Bring back to a slow boil.

Take everything in the frying pan and place in a crock pot - add remaining stock and stir, put on low heat. Let mellow for a few hours.

Ladle into crocks, place french bread on top (some at my house like it completely covered in french bread and sprinkle generously with shredded cheese combination.

Place under broiler and watch closely, broil until cheese bubbles.
Sprinkle tops with paprika and serve (crocks are hot, be careful!)

Whatever's in the fridge Jambalya

You can use, leftover cooked chicken, ham, bacon, sausage, turkey, steak (in Maine we add Shrimp in season) or any combination of the above! (If you like hot sausage, add it in!-this includes the cheapest kind to the more extravagant andouille, linguica or chaurice)

Don't let the quantities mess you up, there really is no science and everyone loves mine and I just throw whatever I have that could be getting old in the fridge.

If everything is cooked all ready, I just throw them in a stock pot and warm them up, if I have some uncooked stuff around, I cook it up and drain it, then add everything else in to warm it up.

Then saute your tired vegetables like,
Onion, leeks, scallions, shallots
Peppers, any bell will do
garlic - 3-6 cloves - depending on how you much you like garlic
chopped celery
tomatoes (I use whatever I have-even if they are a bit shriveled) depending on how many tomatoes you have, you may want to have a can of diced tomatoes on the side - to add later, if you think you need it.

Add RICE:
If you have some cooked rice hanging around use it, if not 2 cups of cooked rice (I LOVE Basmati, the taste and how it stands up being used as leftovers) some people use Uncle Ben's - I don't love that because it is really starchy, but it is an easy option. I will tell you not to use Minute Rice- if you use it, don't plan on using this as leftovers or it will become mush.

For Spicy option:, ONLY if you and the people are feeding like it with ZIP-if you have spicy sausage all ready in there, keep this in mind.

Zippy seasoning blend (I use: 1 teaspoons cayenne, 1 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon thyme to taste (or 2 - 3 tablespoons); 2 bay leaves

Vegetarians: I have vegetarian friends that do not use any meat at all. They add spinach, olives and sometimes tofu chunks, as well as the veggies they love but they use BROWN or long grain rice instead of white. It tastes really good!

It is nearing St. Patricks Day, then it is time for Guiness Recipes

So my gal pals & I sitting around talking about recipes and I couldn't believe I didn't have any Guinness Recipes Posted! I have been experimenting with Guinness for years. Had a buddy that always brought 4 over to my house and only drank 1 - I don't drink Guiness -so I used Guinness in Baked Beans, Stews and even in cake!

Here we are saving the best for FIRST! My friend Katy (yes she is 21!!) loves cupcakes so this is adapted for her! These are dense.

Cake or Cupcakes!
Preheat Oven 350

This is rich, but basic. The Guinness (or other stouts) make it rich and dark.

MAKES (8-10 in) cake or 12 standard muffins. 6 Mondo muffins

Ingredients:
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2C soft brown sugar
2 t baking soda
4 eggs, beaten
1 can stout (Guinness)
1 C all purpose flour
1/4c cocoa powder
1/2c semi sweet choco chips or other dark chocolate you may like. (melted)

Put Butter in (8-10 in) deep cake tin, or line muffin pan with butter or cupcake papers. Set aside.

Cream together the butter with the soft brown sugar.
Gradually add the beaten eggs.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Melt the chocolate chips, mix in the stout with the cocoa powder.

Add the flour and stout mixes alternately to the butter and eggs until completely incorporated. It should be smooth.

For Cake:
Spoon into the prepared pan & bake in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until cake tester comes out clean.

For Cupcakes:
Spoon into cupcake/muffin pans and bake for 45-60 minutes.

Some people cover with a piece of parchment paper if they look like they may be iover browning.

Allow to cool before removing .

Cheers! I like to garnish with powdered sugar! Num, Num!

Other Variations

When you pour a glass of stout there is a foamy head on top. You can do exactly the same with this cake.

Melt 1/4 if butter and add of grated white chocolate or semi sweet or dark chocolate shavings and pour on top. If you are feeling really irish you can add 2 shots of whiskey, let cool and you have some icing ready to spread on the cupcakes or cake.

Stout Pudding:
Crumble cake and spoon into some martini glasses.
Pour half and half or cream on top, some people like to garnish with raspberries, strawberries or cherries.

WICKED GOOD Amaretto Brownies (thanks, Tyler Florence)

Ingredients
* 2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for pan
* 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 4 large eggs
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
* 1 1/2 cups walnuts (optional)
* Powdered sugar, for garnish

How to:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 9 by 9 square baking pan with parchment paper, making sure paper hangs over the edges. Grease paper with butter so the brownies don't stick. Melt butter and chocolate over a double-boiler and stir gently until smooth and shiny. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk together eggs, sugar and amaretto in a mixing bowl until combined. Pour in chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, then add walnuts and incorporate with a wooden spoon. Transfer batter to baking pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the pan. When done, invert onto a cutting board, remove paper and cut into squares. Garnish with powdered sugar and serve.

Creamy Garlic Soup

1 cup garlic cloves, peeled
olive oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups milk (or 2 C of half & half)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup peeled and cubed potatoes
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Using a stick blender chop garlic into coarse paste, using a bit of the chicken broth to make it creamy.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic paste and cook just until the paste begins to color, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and wine. Bring mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the milk, cream and potato and simmer for another 30 minutes.
5. Puree soup with stick blender, return to saucepan and simmer.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Put a dollup of sour cream and garnish with chives or fresh parsley.