Corn, Chicken and Potato Chowder

Creamy Chicken Potato and Corn Chowder

Cook's Notes: Bring on the soup as we have some very unlike spring weather and in need of a warm-up. I love this hearty creamy soup packed with corn, potatoes and chicken making it perfect for lunch or supper. Pair the soup with fruit or green salad. Use a rotisserie chicken as a timesaver. 

Recipe serves four. 
Ingredients: 

• 1 TB. olive oil
• 1 cup diced sweet onion
• 3/4 cup diced mini sweet red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 TB. flour
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 large red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• optional 1/4 tsp. cumin (kicks up the flavor) 
• 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn ( no need to thaw) 
• 2 cups cooked chicken shredded 
• 1 cup half and half or light cream
• 1-1/2 cups shredded white cheddar or yellow cheddar cheese

Directions:

• In a soup pot heat 1 TB. olive oil. Saute onions and red peppers until soft and golden. Add in flour and garlic cook 2 minutes more. 
• Slowly add in chicken broth and whisk until well blended. Add in cubed potatoes and bring mixture to boil stirring frequently, then reduce heat to medium low and cook uncovered 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally.
• Whisk in marjoram, salt, ginger, thyme, cumin to broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.
• Add in cooked chicken, corn and half and half. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Do not let mixture boil. Puree half of the soup mixture and return back to pot with rest of soup. 
• Add in handfuls of cheese and cook just until melted. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
• Optional toppings:diced green onion or bacon bits 
  

Here's what spring looks like. This photo was taken two years ago to the date outside of my house. Gosh we aren't even close this year while waiting for some 19 inches to melt. 

Spring
by Mary Oliver

Faith
is the instructor,
We need no other.

Guess what I am,
He says in his
incomparably lovely

young-man voice.
because I love the world
I think of grass,

I think of leaves
and the bold sun,
I think of the rushes

in the black marshes
just coming back
from under the pure white

and now finally melting
stubs of snow.
Whatever we know or don't know

leads us to say:
Teacher, what do you mean?
But faith is still there, and silent.

Then he who owns
the incomparable voice
suddenly flows upward

and out of the room
and I follow
obedient and happy.

Of course I am thinking
the Lord was once young
and will never in fact be old.

And who else could be, who goes off
down the green path,
carrying his sandals, and singing?

Weekend Round-Up

The beast is pounding at my door
An unwelcome guest is he.

I refused to open
wishing he’d go away.

His rage has carried on
torturing me for many months.

Just when I thought the beast
had finally slipped away

He returned with a vengeance
stoppable by none.

He bullied and pushed spring away
refusing to budge no matter what.

Sadly, I fear 

some intervention is quite needed
as now spring 
has been forced
to skip its turn.

Imagine this- 13 inches and still counting at 6:00 PM in the Twin Cities making it the snowiest April ever. The up north area not any better. Here we've met new challenges with muddy roads, deep ruts making driving almost impossible unless you just happen to own a truck which we do not.   
Cook's Notes: 

This  is the ultimate ultra moist coconut pound cake recipe. It's made with coconut cream, toasted coconut and a must for every coconut lover. Perfect for a Mother's Day brunch and/or a neighborhood gathering.  I 'd suggest leftovers for the freezer but trust me there will be none. 

Coconut Cream Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 3 large eggs,room temperature
• 3/4 cup Cream of Coconut

• 3/4 cup coconut toasted

Icing Ingredients:

• 2 TB. softened butter
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 TB. cream of coconut
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract 
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut

Cake Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a loaf pan with PAM or a similar product. Set aside. 
• In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set  aside.
• In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in extracts and eggs one at a time,  mixing well after each addition. Gradually add into dry ingredients in 3 batches alternating with flour mixture, coconut mixture and butter mixture. Mix well. 
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
• Cool 10 minutes in pan and invert on to a wire cooling rack. When loaf is cooled, drizzle with icing and sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted coconut over the top. 

Icing Directions: 

• Beat all ingredients until smooth. Use milk as needed to achieve the right consistency.
  

Ending with a bit of humor-

Not realizing the potential danger I set a plastic bag of garbage outside on a porch bench meaning to put in garage in a garbage can. Apparently I was too slow to move it as a baby raccoon spied the bag. Desperate for food it came right up on porch and all this is in the middle of the day. It wasted no time trying to get into the bag. We heard the commotion and yelled at it to leave. But it was determined to get another chance at the garbage and only moved off the porch. It now was a stand off-us looking at the raccoon and the raccoon looking at us. We yelled again this time the raccoon scurried underneath the porch. Since Bella was power napping unaware of all this commotion my husband thought he could easily get the raccoon out and away from the house. He tried many Internet solutions:poured ammonia down though porch slats and shined a bright light on the raccoon. But the trick that seemed to work was using the radio not playing music but loud talking voices. The raccoon must have had enough of the noise. We have not heard or seen it since. But now its dark who knows what could happen next.  

Friday Favorites

The First Book

by Rita Dove

Open it.

Go ahead, it won't bite.

Well...maybe a little.

More a nip, like. A tingle.

It's pleasurable, really.

You see, it keeps on opening.

You may fall in.

Sure, it's hard to get started;

Remember learning to use

knife and fork? Dig in:

You'll never reach the bottom.

It's not like it's the end of the world-

just the world as you think

you know it.

20 recommended reads from Buzzfeed -This book I've heard much buzz about lately from friends.

 https://www.buzzfeed.com/terripous/books-to-read-right-now-before-everyone-starts-talking?utm_term=.qgRKpN0YD2#.csRzvJ3Xyd

Pork Chops, Pears and Butternut Squash 

Cook's Notes: A roasted sheet pan meal of meaty pork chops with a side of butternut squash, sweet pears and savory red onion. Bosc pears hold up well to cooking adding a sweet flavor and butternut squash gives a hefty dose of vitamin A. But the shining star is the sauce drizzled over the pork, pears and vegetables.  

Recipe for two and was adapted from cuisineathome

Ingredients:

• 2 TB. olive oil or lemon olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Saigon cinnamon
• 1 large Bosc pear, cut in chunks
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut in 2 inch pieces 
• 1 cup red onions, cut in chunks 
• 2 pork chops

Sauce

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1-1/2 TB. butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. dried sage
• 1 tsp. vanilla 
• 1/4 tsp. Saigon cinnamon 

Directions: 

• Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone pad.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
• Make sauce, mix well and set aside.  
• In a large bowl place butternut squash, pears pieces and red onions. Mix with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon. 
• Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast 10 minutes. 
• While this mixture is roasting sear pork chops in a fry pan 3-4 minutes a side.
• Remove squash mixture from the oven. place chops on top and drizzle most of the sauce over the top (reserve 1 tablespoons) and roast 10-15 minutes more. Pork is done when thermometer inserted registers 145-150 degrees.    
• Serve pork chops with pear mixture and a drizzle of sauce.   

National Grilled Cheese Day

TODAY is National Grilled Cheese Day,  an unofficial holiday which celebrates one of the most popular comfort foods on the planet: the grilled cheese. On this holiday, which just so happens to fall on April 12th. 

DID YOU KNOW

• Grilled cheese sandwiches originally showed up in America during the roaring 20’s.
• It is said that grilled cheese was first served as an open-face sandwich.
• A grilled cheese sandwich best pairing is a bowl of tomato soup.
• There are lots of options for grilled cheese sandwiches. It can be served with bacon , tomato, and various other additions.
• April also is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month. Be sure to celebrate heartily!
• The most expensive grilled cheese in the world is the $214 “Quintessential Grilled Cheese” from Serendipity 3 in New York City. The sandwich features white truffle butter and rare Caciocavallo Podolico cheese between two pieces of French Pullman bread made with Dom Perignon champagne and 24-karat edible gold flakes.
• In 1994, a woman named Diana Duyser saw an image of the Virgin Mary on her grilled cheese sandwich after taking a bite, then placed it in a plastic bag. Ten years later, she put it up for sale on eBay. Online casino GoldenPalace.com won the bid paid $28, 000 for the sandwich depicting the mother of God.
• Grilled cheese sandwiches were very popular during World War II, and Navy cooks were instructed to prepare “American cheese filling sanwiches” by government-issued cookbooks. 
• The Grilled Cheese Invitational was an annual grilled cheese cook-off that took place in Los Angeles from 2006 to 2014. 
• The actual term “grilled cheese” did not make an appearance until the 1960s. Before then, it was referred to as a “melted cheese” or a “toasted cheese.” 
• According to Food and Wine Magazine one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches in the country is from The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco, made by Heidi Gibson, an engineer with degrees from MIT. She was also a winner in the 2011 Grilled Cheese Invitational.

Cook's Notes: Celebrating the day with a grown-up  type of grilled cheese sandwich

Pesto, Smoked Turkey, Cheese and Spinach Panini served with a side of Roasted Sweet Potatoes Southwestern Style. http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/04/roasted-sweet-potatoes-southwestern.html

A fry pan can be substituted for a panini maker. A firm bread works the best e.g. sourdough.

 You will need the following ingredients to make this yummy sandwich packed with flavor.

• Deli smoked turkey
• Havarti or Pepper Jack Cheese 
• Jarred pesto
• Baby Spinach Leaves 

Directions;

• Spread a thin layer of pesto on one piece of bread. 
• Top with turkey, cheese and spinach leaves.
• Top the meat mixture with another piece of bread and grill. 
  

Sound the Trumpets: Beverly Cleary, children's author today she is 102!!! 

Ever Ready did a posting for her 100th birthday 

http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/04/weekend-round-up-part-two_10.html

Roasted Sweet Potatoes Southwestern Style

April Rain Song 

by Langston Hughes 

Let the rain kiss you. 

Let the rain beat upon your head 

with silver liquid drops. 

Let the rain sing you a lullaby. 

The rain makes still pools 

on the sidewalk. 

The rain makes running pools 

in the gutter. 

The rain plays a little sleep-song 

on our roof at night. 

And I love the rain.

In Time of Silver Rain 

by Langston Hughes 

In time of silver rain 

The earth 

Puts forth new life again, 

Green grasses grow 

And flowers lift their heads, 

And all over the plain 

The wonder spreads 

Of life, 

Of life, 

Of life! 

In time of silver rain 

The butterflies 

Lift silken wings 

To catch a rainbow cry, 

And trees put forth 

New leaves to sing 

In joy beneath the sky 

As down the roadway 

Passing boys and girls 

Go singing, too, 

In time of silver rain 

When spring 

And Life 

Are new. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes Southwest Style

Cook's notes: There’s nothing like a little Southwestern twist to spice up roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes! These potatoes are lightly dusted with chile powder, paprika, cumin and a touch of red pepper flakes with cinnamon before heading into the oven where they bake up crispy with a deep rusty-golden color. It's a great side dish to serve with hamburgers, salmon or chicken.
Recipe adapted from cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com and serves 2-3
Ingredients:

• 3 cups sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 
• 1 cup combination mini red and yellow peppers, diced  
• 1 cup sweet onions e.g. Vidalia, cut into 1-inch chunks or red onions
• 2 TB. olive oil or Tuscan Herb Olive Oil 
• 1/2 tsp. chile powder
• 1/2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp. Saigon cinnamon
• Coarse salt and fresh black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad. 
• Toss sweet potatoes, peppers and onions with oil in large bowl. Spread evenly on baking sheet. 
• Mix chile powder, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes or regular potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roast 30 minutes or until sweet potatoes or potatoes are tender and crispy, stirring halfway through cooking time.
  

Italian Slab Pie

Another easy puff pastry meal filled with all your favorite Italian flavors-Italian Slab Pie.
Just fill some puff pastry with a fennel and sausage mixture, add in some marinara, dollops of ricotta with basil and bake for 20 minutes. You get an elegant, yet homey pie that makes a lovely lunch or dinner. Just add a side salad and your meal is complete. So delicious!

Recipe makes 6 pieces and was adapted from allthatsjas.com

Cooking tip: 

You can use finely diced celery instead of fennel.
Replace Italian sausage with spicy Kosher/Halal turkey sausage.
Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (17.3 oz.), thawed
• ½ pound spicy Italian sausage (bulk or casings removed)about 2 cups cooked
• 3 cups packed fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup jarred marinara sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning  
• 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1 egg
• Optional sesame seeds
• Flour for dusting

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat one teaspoon of oil medium-high heat. 
• Add the sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Transfer to a plate. Wipe pan clean from grease.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining oil, fennel, and garlic. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add in spinach and stir until wilted. Mix in the sausage. Italian seasoning and marinara sauce.  
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• In a small bowl mix dried basil with ricotta.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each puff pastry sheet into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Transfer one sheet to a parchment-lined or silicone baking sheet. Top with sausage mixture, leaving a 1-inch border. With a tablespoon, add dollops of ricotta over meat mixture. 

• Grate 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese over the puff pastry mixture. 
• Mix the egg with 1 tsp. of water. Brush the border of the pastry with the egg wash and line up with the remaining sheet of puff pastry, pressing the edges to seal.

• Brush the top and sides of puff pastry with egg mixture and use a fork to crimp the edges. Cut 4 slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, about 18- 20 minutes. 
  

While waiting for spring to make an appearance how about some

"Spring Cleaning"

by Susan Reiner

March bustles in on windy feet

And sweeps my doorstep and my street.

She washes and cleans with pounding rains,

Scrubbing the earth of winter stains.

She shakes the grime from carpet green

Till naught but fresh new blades are seen.

Then, house in order, all neat as a pin,

She ushers gentle springtime in.

Meatless Monday

Spinach & Bean Burrito Wraps not only taste amazing, but they are also packed with tons of nutrients! Each wrap has a whopping 13 grams of protein and weigh in at only 282 calories per wrap. Serves 4-6.
Recipe adapted from skinnyms.com
Ingredients:

• 6 cups baby spinach, loosely packed 
• 1/2 can  (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice or Mexican Rice (following manufacturer's directions on the box) 
• 3/4 cups chopped romaine heart lettuce 
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, reduced-fat 
• 3/4 cup chunky salsa or Pico de Gallo 
• 7 tablespoons Greek yogurt, fat-free 
• Kosher or sea salt to taste 
• 4 (8" whole grain) wraps or tortillas 
• optional 1 cup of corn and 1 cup diced grape tomatoes

Directions:

• Warm tortillas, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Stack tortillas, wrap in foil, place on a cookie sheet and warm 15 minutes while preparing ingredients. 
• Place spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, or use a knife to dice leaves. In a large skillet on medium-heat, add black beans and spinach. Heat until spinach is wilted, approximately 3 minutes. 
• Evenly distribute spinach and bean mixture in the middle of the wraps (leaving about 2" on one end for folding). Top spinach and bean mixture for each wrap with 1/4 cup cooked rice, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa and Greek yogurt. Fold wraps over to serve.  

Spring
Spring appears in whispers
and hushed tones,
as the bellowing winter
bows away.
Drowsy flowers come to
attention,
waking from their sleep-
yawning;
with heads turned upward towards
the Maestro called Sun-
I watch with anticipation
as...
the concert begins.

author unknown