Thursday, June 23, 2011

Meatloaf Florentine Soup

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A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat. - Old New York Proverb

This soup takes a little time to prepare, but there is nothing difficult or complicated about it. I am pleased with this creation.

Meatloaf Florentine Soup

Ingredients

16 Meatballs, cooked (see recipe below)
2 large potatoes, washed and chopped
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch of fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
6 cups beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot combine the onion, garlic and potatoes with the broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and meatballs and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Add the spinach and simmer another 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meatballs
1 pound ground meat
2 eggs
1-2 slices of bread, torn into small pieces or 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp oil

To a skillet add the oil and saute the onion until soft. Add the onion along with all the other ingredients to the ground meat. Thoroughly mix all ingredients together and shape into meatballs. The mix should make about 16 golf ball size meatballs. Brown the meatballs in the oil that was used to soften the onion.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Chicken Noodle Soup

A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting. -Abraham Maslow

A simple chicken noodle soup. Just good food!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups diced chicken (boneless thighs work well)
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 medium onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
4 cups cooked egg noodles
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the chicken, onion, and parsley. Cook 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through and onions are soft. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the frozen vegetables and cook 5 about minutes or until cooked through. Finally, add the noodles along with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Étouffée Primavera

Food is an important part of a balanced diet. ~Fran Lebowitz

In the debate on whether light or dark "roux" is best...I am definitely on the side of none. So this is my lighter, fresher version of the classic, which is why I call this dish Étouffée Primavera.. If, for some reason, you have an aversion to crawdad tails, then by all means, substitute shrimp or diced chicken for an equally delicious meal.


Étouffée Primavera

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons butter.
1 Green pepper, diced
1 Onion, diced
1 Bunch green onions, chopped
1 Jalapeño, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 cups of hot water
1/2 lb crawdad tails
1 Tomato, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked rice

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the green pepper, onion, green onion, and jalapeño to the pan and sauté until the onion is translucent and the other vegetables are bright green in color. Add the garlic and sauté 2 more minutes. Add the parsley and bay leaves along with the hot water. Add the crawdad tails and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and just heat through.

Put a serving of rice in a bowl and top with the crawdad mixture.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Green Chile

Hunger is the best sauce in the world. ~Cervantes


This is the easiest and best green chili ever....You can eat it like a soup, smother a burrito or a tamale with it or see below the recipe to make Pueblo's signature dish...The slopper.  Anyway you serve it, it's delicious!!

Green Chili

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pork for stew, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
2 cans (14 oz) Mexican-style tomatoes with green chili
2 cans of water
4-6 roasted green chiles, seeded and chopped (1 small can will work)

Sear and brown the pork in the oil with the onions and about a 1/4 cup of the cilantro.  When the pork is cooked through add the tomatoes, the  water and the green chiles.  Bring to  a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  To thicken, add about 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch to about 1/2 cup of water.  Stir until smooth.  Bring the Green Chile back up to a boil, slowly drizzle the flour mixture into the pot, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.  Serve with tortillas.

Pueblo Slopper
Cook a hamburger patty using favorite method.  Place hamburger (with or without bun, according to personal preference) in a serving bowl.  Top with green chile, shredded cheese and  diced onions.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Vegetable Beef with Barley Soup

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.  ~Voltaire

This is probably one of my all-time favorite soups.  Simple to prepare; satisfying and delicious to eat...

Vegetable  Beef with Barley Soup

 Ingredients:


1/2 pound beef stew meat, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup of pearl barley, dry
6 cups of water
1 (14 oz) can of  fire roasted  diced tomatoes with garlic
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste


Fill a large pot with water. Salt the beef and  add the beef, parsley and onions to the pot of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the meat is tender.  Add the tomatoes, 2 cups of water and the barley.  Simmer an additional 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through.  Add the vegetables and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper to taste.

Alternately, all the ingredients except the vegetables can be put in a crock pot and cooked all day.  The soup can be finished  by adding the vegetables and cooking to desired tenderness.