The Charmed Kitchen

Baked Potato Soup

When I was a kid, I loved getting a baked potato, when we went out for dinner. I loved my Mom’s home cooking, including her baked potatoes, but it was different at a restaurant. It would come to the table wrapped in foil and all puffed up in the middle. As a kid it looked very special to me. They also had so many toppings you could get. Choices included sour cream, butter, chives, bacon and cheese. This soup starts off as a cream of potato soup, and then combines many of the toppings you might have on a baked potato. It feels just like those baked potatoes at the steakhouse. Comfort food on a couple of levels.

Baked Potato Soup

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4- 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4-5 cups chicken stock

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

2 c. half and half

3 T. flour

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

chopped green onions or chives

shredded cheese

extra bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

In soup pot combine bacon and onion and cook over medium heat until bacon is cooked and onion is tender. Add potatoes and stock and simmer, covered , until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add parsley and most of the half and half. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the half and half and combine with the flour and stir until smooth. Ladle a little of the warm soup into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.  Add the flour mixture to the rest of the soup and stir until smooth. Cook until soup is thickened and bubbly. Adjust seasonings and serve. Add toppings of your choice at the table. Makes 4 servings.

Gluten- Free Hazelnut Biscotti

These delicate biscotti might surprise you. While they have the normal crunchiness that you’d expect in biscotti,  they also have a melt in your mouth texture. If biscotti are sometimes too crunchy for you – try making these instead. The combination of toasted hazelnuts, orange peel and vanilla make them wonderfully fragrant as well. I used gluten free flour in this recipe, but you could use all purpose flour, if you prefer.

Gluten-Free Hazelnut Biscotti

3 c. gluten-free flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3 eggs
1 c sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. olive oil
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. grated orange peel
1 c. hazelnuts, toasted, peeled and chopped

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together eggs, sugar, butter, oil, vanilla and peel. Beat until smooth and stir in flour mixture and nuts. Grease a large baking sheet and place dough on sheet, forming into 2 (14×3)-inch logs. Bake at 325-degrees until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and leave oven on. Use serrated knife to cut into 1/2 -inch thick slices. Place cooling rack on your baking sheet. Place cut side down on cooling rack  and return to oven for 20 minutes.  Cool. Makes about 24. You can leave them plain or add a drizzle of chocolate once cooled.

Carrot Oat Bran Muffins

If you haven’t liked bran muffins in the past, you might want to try these. I really prefer the taste of oat bran over wheat bran. I find it had a natural sweetness. With the addition of carrots and raisins these muffins are moist, light and slightly sweet. They remind me of a cross between a muffin and carrot cake. Vanilla and orange zest makes them fragrant and tasty, too. With plenty of oat bran they also provide healthy dietary fiber. I make these often, then freeze some for later. They make a great breakfast and an easy snack to take with you.

Carrot Oat Bran Muffins

1 c. milk or buttermilk
1 c. oat bran
1 egg
1/3 c. oil
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 t. orange peel
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. flour (all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ c. raisins

In mixing bowl combine oat bran and milk. Add egg, oil, sugar, vanilla, peel and carrots. Beat well. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl and mix well. Gently fold into bran mixture. Divide batter in 12 muffin cups that are either greased or lined with paper cups. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12.

Mom’s Chicken and Dumplings

There are foods I will always associate with my childhood. Chicken and dumplings is one of those dishes. I can remember watching my Mom spooning the dumpling batter over the simmering pot of chicken and vegetables. She’d cover the pot and wait. When she uncovered it the dumplings had puffed up, and pretty much covered the whole dish. It was magical to me. The dumplings were so tender and light. I can’t make this dish, all these years, later without thinking of her. A friend stopped in for dinner last night and since it was chilly and I had some chicken…. I decided to make us chicken and dumplings for dinner.

  Mom’s Chicken and Dumplings

1 T. oil
1 (3 lb.) broiler, cut into pieces
salt and pepper
flour for dredging
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks
2-3 c. chicken stock
1 t. each marjoram and thyme
1 c. buttermilk baking mix* I make my own, recipe follows
1/3 c. milk
2 t. fresh parsley
2 t. snipped chives or green onions

1/2 t. red pepper flakes
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dredge pieces in flour. Heat oil in large skillet and brown chicken pieces on all sides. Remove chicken pieces and sauté onion until tender. Add carrots, potatoes, broth and chicken to skillet and cook, covered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle herbs over the chicken. Combine baking mix with milk, parsley, chives and red pepper flakes and spoon batter in skillet in 8 mounds. Cover and cook over low heat 20 more minutes. Serves 4.

*Here are two versions of the biscuit mix.

Smoky Bacon, Corn and Shrimp Chowder

I love the combination of shrimp and bacon. When I was looking for a quick dinner the other night I knew I would be using them together. It was a really cold night so I decided to go with a chowder. I rooted around my fridge and pantry for the rest of the ingredients and ended up with a very satisfying dinner. Even better because a friend was able to come over and share it with me.

Smoky Bacon, Corn and Shrimp Chowder

6 thick slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1½ c. chicken stock
1 can cream corn*
½ c. corn- fresh or frozen
1½ c. half and half
½ c. chopped fresh parsley
12 oz. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Dash of hot sauce

In soup pot, cook bacon until almost done. Add onion and continue cooking until onion is cooked. Spoon out most of the bacon fat. Add the carrots, potatoes and stock and simmer, covered, until the veggies are tender. Add cream corn, corn and half and half and bring up to a simmer. Add parsley and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Add shrimp and cook another 5 minutes or until shrimp is just cooked. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 3-4.

*I decided to use a can of cream corn as the base. When I was a kid my Mother would make me something she called cream corn soup. She rarely used prepackaged foods and made wonderful homemade soups all the time. I think it was on one of those days when she was just really busy. To make her cream corn soup she would empty the can of corn into a saucepan. Then she filled the can with milk and added that, too. A little salt and pepper and the soup was done. Just before serving she’d put a small pat of butter in the soup. As a kid I just loved it. I must admit I don’t eat cream corn soup anymore, but as a base the cream corn can really make a nice chowder.

Purple and Pink Potato Salad

It was another fun time on New Day Cleveland. Thanks to David Moss and the whole team for making me feel so welcome. I made an assortment of Winter salads and we even played with my new spiralizer. Thanks, Sarah!!!

Just click on the link below to watch the show!!

http://fox8.com/2016/01/21/winter-salads-to-fill-you-up/

Homemade Pita Bread

After tasting fresh baked,  homemade pita bread it’s nearly impossible for me to eat the stuff I find in stores. Pita is fun to make and not difficult at all. I was talking to friend last night about making her own pita bread. I assured her that she could certainly make it.  Although the recipe calls for placing the rolled out dough directly on the oven rack, I place mine on baking sheets in the oven. Just a little easier and neater. I also used about half whole wheat flour in this batch.

Pita Bread

 4 ½- 4 ¾ c. flour

1 pkt. Active dry yeast

1 ½ t. sugar

1 ½ t. salt

1 ¾ c. water

2 T. oil

In large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour with other dry ingredients. Heat water and oil to 120-130 degrees (warm) and add to flour mixture in bowl beating until smooth. Beat three minutes then begin stirring in enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover dough with plastic wrap and then a towel and let rest on board 20 minutes. Punch dough down and divide into 12 pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball and place on board, allowing space in between. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees. Roll dough balls into circles. Place 3 circles at a time directly on oven rack. They will puff up and brown in about three minutes. Remove to rack to cool and repeat with remaining dough. Makes 12.

Cinnamon Coffee Scones

When someone tells me they don’t like scones I am sure it is because they haven’t had good scones. Scones should be tender, a little crumbly and still moist in the middle. These scones are delicate, full of coffee flavor, and not too sweet. Simple to make, as with any scone, the secret is not to over work the dough. You can eat these plain or with a bit of butter. I’m having mine with a cup of coffee.

 Cinnamon Coffee Scones

2/3 c. half and half

2 T. instant coffee powder or espresso powder

1 t. vanilla

1 egg

2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt

1/2 c. cold butter

1 T. half and half, for brushing the scones

2 T. cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling on the scones

Coffee Cinnamon Glaze- recipe follows

In microwave safe container combine half and half with the coffee powder and heat 30 seconds or so. Stir to dissolve coffee and cool down before using. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Add vanilla and egg to cooled coffee mixture and beat until smooth. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Some small pieces of butter can still be visible. Stir in coffee mixture and mix gently until a soft dough forms. At this point you are supposed to press the dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet. To get a really neat circle use an 8-inch cake pan. Sprinkle the pan with a little flour and put the dough in the pan. Press the dough into the pan. Turn the cake pan over onto an ungreased baking sheet. Do this part fast. Slam it down and then remove the cake pan. You will have a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half. If the dough is too sticky sprinkle the top with a little more flour. Cut in half again and then 2 more times. You will have eight wedges of dough forming 8 scones. Pull dough apart slightly using a spatula. They grow a lot when baking and this will give them more room to expand. Brush with the extra half and half and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched lightly. Make glaze and drizzle over the warm scones. Makes 8.

Coffee Cinnamon Glaze

2 T. half and half

2 t. instant coffee powder or espresso powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. powdered sugar

Heat half and half and coffee powder together in microwave safe container for 10 seconds. Stir until smooth. Stir in cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth and drizzle over the scones.

Chicken Florentine Soup

This was one of those spur of the moment recipes that really exceeded expectations. I just had a few ingredients to start with- one of those times when you look through the fridge for inspiration and get lucky. I knew I was making soup, and that I had chicken and chicken stock. Adding onions and carrots to soup- pretty standard for me.  I’ve been on a spinach kick lately so that seemed like a natural addition as well. Found a few mushrooms I’d forgotten about, and put them in, too. For some reason it was such a perfect combination. I love when it works that way. I am also happy when I remember to write down what I did so I can make it again someday- and share the  recipe with all of you. So here is the recipe.

Chicken Florentine Soup

2 T. oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thin
6-8 cups chicken stock
1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cubed – I used thighs
1-2 c. sliced mushrooms – I used the baby Bellas
8 oz. fresh spinach, washed well
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of hot sauce

Heat oil in soup pot and cook onion until tender. Add carrot and cook a few minutes more. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 10 minutes. Add chicken and mushrooms and cook 10 minutes longer. Add spinach and cook 5 minutes more. Adjust seasonings and serve. Makes 6 servings

Pear Salad with Bacon and Feta

I made this salad last night. I had some pears that were ripe and I knew I wanted some sort of salad.  The sweetness of the pears with the salty cheese and smoky bacon work so well together. The addition of toasted nuts adds just that extra something that works in this dish. I used walnuts this time, but would love this salad with pecans, too. Serve over greens for a great and easy meal or a wonderful first course.

Pear Salad with Bacon and Feta

8- 10 cups mixed salad greens, washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
3 ripe pears, cored and sliced thin
¾ c. crumbled feta cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ c. toasted walnuts, but other nuts can be used
5 T. cider vinegar
½ c. oil
Fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
In large bowl place greens. Add pears, feta bacon and pecans. Combine remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Toss over greens and divide into serving dishes. Serves 6-8.