Pizza Experiment #5: Spinach Artichoke Dip Inspired

If you're going to choose to experimenting with one thing or another, you really can't go wrong with Pizza! We've enjoyed loads of pizza experiments and I think I'm getting better and coming up with ideas as well as critiquing each pizza.

I didn't love this sauce, but also knew from the beginning that I wouldn't recreate in the exact same way, ever again. I would have liked to use only Cream Cheese for the 'sauce', but I had some plain yogurt that need to be moved out of the refrigerator, therefore, it went into the mix...and then I had to pile it on, not entirely ideal. Regardless of all the small things I would change given the opportunity, I truly enjoyed this pizza pie and will continue to work with this concept.

Pizza Crust: Bread Machine

Using the bread machine to prepare the dough for pizza crust is an easy way to ensure proper rising, etc.

According to manufacturer recommendation place the following items into your bread machine:

1 1/2 cups Water, 1/4 cup Olive Oil, 3 1/2 cups Flour, 1 Tbsp. Sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. Salt and 2 tsp. Yeast.

Set to dough cycle. Upon cycle completion divide dough based on number of desired pizzas. Flatten each ball and knead a few times, cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes until dough has increased by 20 percent. Roll out and prepare as desire

Toppings: Spinach Artichoke Inspired

Spread crust with a whipped, softened Cream Cheese. Top with Pan Cooked Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Spinach, Mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. Enjoy as part of a budding Family Pizza Night tradition.

Chicken Taco Soup

Extended Shelf Life for: Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Avocados, Limes

If I am truthful, I will let you know that I remember very little about the true way in which this soup came together and as is incredibly common in this kitchen, I have no idea what amount of what went in or stayed out, etc. And I realize that makes me a poor food blogger. But here's the thing, I believe, that sometimes in the kitchen, the most important thing is knowing what goes together, to know your personal preference for how much broth to have compared to the density of other ingredients and above all else, I think what is important is to use what you have, to use it well and enjoy the results as they are...this was a delicious soup and I'm going to tell you what goes into, but as for how much and exact measurements, let go of that and just let it come together, it's a soup for goodness sake!

Ingredients/Directions:
Inspired by Rachel Ray's recipe Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

 In a stock pot or dutch oven saute 1 chopped onion in a drizzle of olive oil until tender and translucent. Add 2-3 (or more) minced Garlic Cloves and 1 minced pepper of choice (or a couple and a variety if you like spice - we have handy-dandy roasted jalapeno ice cubes which I added at the end), saute for a couple of minutes, then push to the side. Add additional olive oil if needed and begin cooking 4-6 Chicken Breasts until juices run clear. At this point, I like to take a pair of kitchen sheers and a fork and cut the breasts into bite size pieces. Add 2-cups Home Made (or store bought) Chicken Broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Run about 10 tomatoes through a juicer (but not on the juicer mode...more like mincing/blending mode) or blender and add to boiling broth. Adjust liquid according to personal preference by adding water or broth. Season with, lime juice, salt, pepper, cayenne, chili powder and cumin. Scoop into bowls top with Shredded Cheddar Cheese and slices of Avocado (or mashed avocado if they're a little ripe ;)).

Potato Chicken and Chard Soup

Extended Shelf Life for: Swiss Chard, Potatoes

When winter rolls around my heart skips a beat and my taste buds beg for soups, stews and chili. I realize not everyone enjoys the biting cold of winter, especially a Laramie/Wyoming winter, but I absolutely love it! I love being in flannel pjs and slippers with a large mug of hot tea, a book and a blanket curled up on the sofa - of course that moment follows making a hearty, delicious soup.

 I love soup.

Can't get enough! And in my adult years/dumpster diving years, I've discovered that hearty greens in a soup are an absolute win! Sasuage, Kale and Potato soup is one of my favorites and a frequent 'go-to' recipe during the late fall and long winter months.

This is essentially a variation of Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup and equally delicious and hearty and for those who might care: a bit more healthy.

Ingredients/Directions:

Toss 2-3 diced Medium Potatoes and 1 diced Onion in a touch of Olive Oil. Season as desired (salt, pepper, rosemary, etc.) Roast at 375 for 45 minutes. In a large stock pot heat a touch of Olive Oil and fry up 2-3 Chicken Breasts or Chicken Thighs (thighs are dark meat, so not as lean, but possibly cheaper and still delicious, so go for it!). Remove and cut or dice cooked chicken into bite size pieces. Pour in 4-6 cups Chicken Broth/Water into stock pot and incorporate chicken bits into the broth for added flavor. When potatoes are nearly done or completely finished, throw into the broth and bring to a boil. Using an immersion blender, blend a bit of the soup to create a semi-creamy texture. Add chicken pieces. Wash and tear into bite size pieces 1 bunch of Swiss Chard, throw into soup, let wilt. Season with sour cream, milk, half-and-half or plain yogurt. Serve with crusty bread and a nice brew, enjoy!

Things you DON'T have to do:

• Roast the Potatoes: I simply did this for added flavor, but it's definitely not necessary.
• Blend the Soup: This was more a texture and appearance adjustment, but isn't necessary by any means.
• Use Chicken: Sausage or Bacon would be nice as well.
• Use Swiss Chard: Kale or another hearty green, perhaps even spinach at the very last minute, would work out just as well.

Thai Chicken Pasta

We returned to our original 519 Kitchen with the added benefit of random condiments remaining in the refrigerator. Ones such condiment was a Thai Marinade from a local Pizzeria. Remembering this very pizzeria's infamous Thail Chicken Pizza, I decided to do something similar replacing the pizza crush with some pasta, marinating some chicken, chopping some green onions and tossing in some mozzarella cheese. A fabulously quick, simple and light meal for the early fall months (or days if you happen to live in Laramie, WY).

Crockpot Chicken Lentil Chili

When preparing to move to the other side of the world, there seems to be a steady realization that there are food items which have been begging to enter the home-dweller's bellies.

And so I found myself accessing my 99 or so Kindle cookbooks (all free downloads...don't worry) to find a way to use up some major lentils.

This Chicken and Lentil Chili was top notch!

Directions/Ingredients:
Original Recipe thanks to The Everything Healthy Cooking for Parties by Linda Larsen.

Combine 2 chopped Onions, 5 minced Cloves of Garlic and 2 chopped Carrots in the bottom of 4-5 qt. Slow Cooker. Sprinkle with a seasoning mix of 3 Tbsp. Chili Powder, 1/2 tsp. Cumin, 1 tsp. Basil, Salt and Pepper.

Top with 1 1/2 cups Dry Lentils, 1/2 cup Brown Rice and 1 lb. Chicken Breasts. Pour 3 cups Diced Tomatoes (fresh or canned) over all. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup Tomato Paste with 1 cup of the Chicken Stock; stir until tomato paste dissolves. Add to crockpot along with additional 3 cups Chicken Stock and 3 cups Water.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until lentils and rice are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with sour cream (plain homemade yogurt) and salsa if desired.

Chicken Enchilada Calzones

Having had some dough left over from my Basic Bread with whey, I decided calzones would be the perfect to weeknight dinner to use up a faulty yeast dough, and was I ever correct in that assessment! I also used up some of my freezer/once-a-month-cooking goods so this came together amazingly quickly and easily and absolutely deliciously.

Ingredients/Directions:

Makes 2 large Calzones

Heat in a small pan 1 cup of plain Tomato Sauce, add 2-3 Tbsp. Chili Powder, a shake or two of Cayenne Powder, Cumin, Salt and Pepper. Add 1 cup of Shredded Chicken to the 'Enchilada' Sauce.  Using half of the dough produced from the Basic Bread recipe, split into two equal portions and roll out to a circular shape. Fill each dough circle with half of the saucy chicken mixture, top with 1 cup Roasted Peppers and Onions (1/2 cup for each calzone) and sprinkle in plenty of Cheddar Cheese. Pinch edges of dough together to create a calzone or hot pocket and bake at 350* (177) for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and heated through. Enjoy with a glass of milk, or a margarita!

Menu: Roast Chicken and Pasta Salad

One of my favorite things to eat in South Korea is rotisserie chickens from the chicken truck. That's right, a truck (edit: many trucks), filled with a working rotisserie drive around and park throughout the city, offering freshly roasted chickens - better yet, you can get 3 small chickens for just 10$.

So the other night, the man went and got our three chickens which we ate with chopsticks while I boiled water and prepared some pasta. I then used the leftover dressing from this salad to dress the pasta, threw in some mushrooms and green onions and waited for the chickens to arrive.

Once the meal was finished, I set to work on making chicken broth in the slow-cooker.

Perfection!

Black and White Chili

I've been talking up White Chicken Chili to a Korean friend of mine here.  She then told me it was necessary I make this dish for her. And because she's a true gem, she kept on me and when I finally invited her over she decided to invite a couple of her friends that I'd been wanting to meet.

(I realize this may seem obnoxious to some folks, but truly, I love her for her boldness in these matters. I also love having my home filled with new people. AND considering the fantastic friend that she is, I'm always eager to meet those whom she describes with affection and joy, so I was thrilled to have more than a couple mouths to feed.)

But, here's the other part of that story. I only have one of two bags of white beans left in my kitchen and I didn't buy them in South Korea, nor can I buy them in South Korea, so I brought them from the states. And I'm a little selfish with these sorts of things. Black beans however, are available in Korea. So, I opted for a Black and White chili which was just as satisfying to my friend and prevented me the sadness of using up a treasured food item, heaven forbid.

Ingredients/Directions:
Inspired by this post at Black Girl Chef's Whites

In a large stockpot heat about 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil.  Add to heated oil 1 Onion, chopped, saute 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince 3-5 Garlic Cloves and chop 2-3 large Mushrooms (between 1-2 cups), add to sauteing onions and oil (I also like to add 1-2 Tbsp. Butter anytime I cook with Mushrooms, just a habit). Stir to coat additions in oil before adding 2 Tbsp. Chili Powder, 1 tsp. Oregano (or basil if desparate), 1 tsp. Salt, and 1 tsp. Cumin - saute and heat until spices are aromatic.  Next add 3 cups of shredded or ground meat (I used 1 cup pre-cooked Chicken and 2 cups pre-cooked Pork) cook thoroughly if not pre-cooked. Add 2 cups Chicken Broth, 2 cups White Beans and 2 cups Black Beans and water if necessary for proper consistency.  Add seasonings as you see fit for your palate as well as a can of diced green chiles (or fresh roasted green chiles, I often roast a large batch, even a mix of peppers, throw them into a food processor with olive oil and garlic, spoon into ice cube trays and then use these to spice up my soups, but that's primarily because when I buy peppers in Korea I get a couple dozen for about a dollar...but never need that many at once) and a handful of fresh cilantro (or ice cubed, frozen cilantro pesto, another trick I've acqured thanks to Korea).

Serve this soup with grated cheddar cheese and a few corn bread muffins and you've got yourself a hearty, winter meal.

Taiwanese Three Cups Chicken

Perhaps it is in anticipation of soon setting down in Taiwan for a weeks worth of exploration that I suddenly craved a dish once prepared for us by an English expat of Taiwan who visited us via CouchSurfing.  Either way, the dish proved to be exactly what I was wanting for the evening meal and come together quicker than anticipated (minus the brown rice which is incredibly worth it, but incredibly slow in the rice cooker...and probably on the stovetop as well).

Ingredients/Directions:

Original Recipe and Inspiration come from this 'Not Eating Out in New York' post

In a wok/large skillet/whatever you have heat to boiling 1/3 cup Sesame Oil with 10-15 smashed Garlic cloves and 2 Tbsp minced Ginger. Add 2 chopped Chicken Breasts (more authentic recipes call for thighs and dark meat which would result in a more tender dish, my market only had breasts) and stir until all pieces are browned/seared.  Add 1/3 cup Soju (or any other kind of Rice Wine), 1/3 cup Soy Sauce and 3 Tbsp. Sugar, bring to a boil then cover.  Reduce to simmer until chicken is cooked through (roughly 5-10 minutes).  Stir in 1-2 chopped scallions and a handful of peanuts (personal choice, also highly recommended is Thai basil however I did not have that on hand...) and serve with your choice of rice.

Shredded Chicken: For a Month-ish

I'm quite certain this bit of chicken isn't meant to last a month because I opted for the slow-cooker once again. However, should I do this one or two more times I will in fact have plenty of chicken and chicken broth for the month!

The chicken entered the slow-cooker with a sprinkling of salt and pepper a touch of water for the pot and a few squeezes of lemon juice. At the end of the day, the chicken meat was eager to come of the bones and be shredded and store in the freezer, 1 cup at a time. Next day, the chicken bones happily entered the slow-cooker with a quartered carrot and onion and a bay leaf simply to be covered in water and made into a fabulous broth.

I love the slow-cooker. That's all.

Enchilada Suizas Soup and a Re-Make

Occasionally, (or quite often) when it comes to cooking I want something homemade, delicious and quick. I recognize, that sometimes, a meal that takes some time and effort to put together is worth the effort and so often phenomenal in a way quick and easy can't be. Nonetheless, I'm a sucker for easy. And what is easier than taking what appears to be a delicious recipe and tweaking it so that it's a soup. Nothing! Nothing is easier than soup! So, I found a bomb-A recipe for Enchiladas Suizas, decided I was lacking energy and motivation to do the whole saucing, filling, rolling, baking work of enchiladas and opted instead to soupify (in a non-liquefying way) this recipe for enchiladas suizas.

Ingredients/Directions:

Roast some chilies to ensure a bowl full of spicy flavor-ful-ness. Melt a bit of butter and saute a diced onion in a sauce pan. Season buttery onions with minced garlic, cumin and salt, add a bit of flour to thicken and create a roux-like concept. Add 2-3 cups Chicken Broth and simmer for a bit. Add unto the mixture, 2 cups of cooked/shredded chicken and chopped, roasted green chilies. Simmer a bit longer until things smell phenomenal. You are encouraged to add any additional soup ingredients you desire such as: potatoes, tomatoes, etc. Just before serving, add about one cup of heavy cream, some shredded cheese and stir until incorporated. Ladle into a bowl, top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream if you are so luck to have it readily available and enjoy my friends, enjoy! (Please note, these are potentially the least accurate measurments and directions I've ever posted, so take caution and don't fear changing things up a bit).

As for the remake...

Reheat left over soup liquid on the stove - just strain it off a bit. Dip tortillas in a thickened liquid (thickend with flour, heating, etc.) Brown up some potatoes, shredd some cheese, use the none liquid part of the soup and begin filling enchiladas or creating an enchilada casserole by layering. Simple. Easy. Delicious!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Having used the left-overs of Love-Day Rotiesserie Chicken to make Chicken Broth I had ample amounts of tender chicken meat and some additional broth that didn't make it into the freezer. Without hesitation, and with hopes of 'curing' an ailing husband of mine, I set about to concocting a bit of Chicken Noodle Soup.

Ingredients/Directions:

In a sauce pan saute 1 Onion, chopped, 1 carrot, chopped and 1 clove Garlic, minced. When onions are transparent add 2-3 cups Chicken Stock + Water or Tea and 1-2 cups Chicken pieces. Bring broth and veggies to a boil. Season with Rosemary, Thyme, Salt and Pepper. Add a handful of Noodles (egg, wheat, udon, etc) and continue boiling until noodles are tender. Serve into bowls and chow down!

Slow Cooker Chicken Broth

Once upon a time I penned this blog post. But had not photo to showcase the making of Chicken Broth, so here I am again to remind myself and any readers who may stumble upon this space that making Chicken Broth is oh-so-easy, especially if you have a slow cooker!

1. Prepare a whole roaster chicken or two (or purchase from a local grocer) - Enjoy. Save Carcass. Make Broth
2. Throw carcass into slow cooker, add on carrot quartered, one onion quartered (optional, stick cloves into quartered onion), salt and pepper.
3. Cover with water or follow my lead: 3 cups Oolong tea plus additional water until bird and veggies are covered.
4. Cook on high 4-5 hours.
5. Cool. Spoon broth into freezer safe containers, I do mine by two cup incriments. Enjoy with various soups and sauces!

Love-Day Rotisserie Chicken

The convection oven we purchased has rotisserie capabilities so you'd better believe I wanted in on some of that action/challenge. Therefore, our traditional Valentine's Dinner at home-made-together had a Rotisserie Chicken on the menu. And, let me tell you , it was not hard at all!

The spice mix and chicken preperation were based off this recipe, but any spice combination ought to work just fine, just rub the chicken with olive oil, followed by the spices and you're ready to rotisserie!

As for the rotisserie aspect, put the chicken on the spit, place into appropriate slots in the oven, turn temperature to about 200 degrees Celcius and cook for 30-40 minutes until juices run clear, no pink is visible and inner temperature is 180 degrees Farenheit (sorry about the mixing of temperatures, it just happens for an American living in Korea or anywhere else in the world).

Next task: enjoy! Use the carcass to make some home-made chicken broth and you'll be well on your way to money well spent on a whole chicken!