Carrot Chicken Curry Soup

 

I've been thinking about soups for a while now, and it's finally the perfect season!  I've got this corn chowder recipe from America's Test Kitchen that I want to try out, but I wasn't really up for it today.  In fact, I wasn't up for much -- I drove back down from the city today, and I had no desire whatsoever to stop at the grocery store.  I just wanted to get home.  Except I knew that I had barely any food in the house, and so as I was driving home I was already trying to come up with a game plan.  I knew I had at least a couple eggs, some bread-ends, and seltzer, so I knew I wouldn't starve.  So, yea, I just went straight home.

When I got home, I checked the fridge, and this is what I had: bag of baby carrots, a big red onion, a small red potato, and a slightly soft tomato.  The beginnings of a soup, but I wanted to make it more interesting.  I checked the cupboard - McDonalds Tangy Barebecue packet, soy sauce galore, Hidden Valley dressing mix, and curry powder.  Hmm, roasted carrots and curry...could be amazing.  But what about a protein?  I checked the freezer, and I found some chicken drumsticks.  I had bought them a while ago when they were on sale and was going to make chicken salad, but they weren't the easiest to break down.  There was still so much meat left on the bones that I didn't want to throw them away and waste them, so I threw them in a ziplock thinking I could use them in a soup some day.  So I took them out of the freezer and let them defrost a bit.  Then I went for a run.

When I got back from my run, I took a shower and decided it was time to get started.  I figured I could roast the carrots along with the drumsticks, so I put them on a baking sheet together, sprinkled them with a little olive oil and some of the curry powder, and threw them in the oven on 400°.  It didn't take long for the drumsticks to cook, less than ten minutes (if the were full drumsticks, probably longer).  I put the drumsticks to the side, but the carrots needed more time.  I thought it might be nice to roast the tomatoes, too, and maybe some of the onion and a clove of garlic.  I threw them on top of the chicken drippings on the pan so they could take in some of the flavor, and popped the baking tray back into the oven until everything was nice and roasted. 

In the meantime, I chopped the rest of the onion, the potato, and some more garlic (can't have enough, really).  I heated up a little olive oil in my soup pot, and tossed in the onions and garlic.  After they sweated through a little bit, I put in the potatoes so they could start cooking.  I kept the pot on medium heat so that they wouldn't burn while I tended back to the roasted veggies.

With the onions and potatoes going, I took the baking tray out of the oven.  I wanted to puree the carrots and make it the base for my soup, and I thought pureeing it with some of the other roasted vegetables would add a nice complexity.  So I threw in the carrots, the roasted garlic and onion, and one of the pieces of roasted tomato into my food processor.  I also poured in the juices at the bottom of the bowl that the chicken was resting in.  I put in a table spoon of curry powder, and a little salt and pepper.  I wish I had a little coconut milk to add in, that would be a nice touch.  I had some sour cream in the fridge leftover from tacos last week, so I used that as a substitute.  I also threw in a little water, so that I'd end up with a nice, creamy puree.  After a couple minutes in the food processor, I got the consistency I was looking for.  And man, was it tasty -- it didn't need any seasoning adjustments, it was perfect.

Going back to the stove, I chopped up the remaining pieces of roasted tomato, and threw them in the pot with the garlic, onions and potatoes.  I went to town on the drumsticks, taking off any meat I could find and adding them to the pot.  At this point, the potatoes were still a little firm, so I added the carrot puree to the pot, and maybe about a cup of water.  I turned the heat up to medium high, threw in another pinch of salt and pepper, and let it simmer for a while.

After a few more minutes, the potatoes softened up nicely, and I had myself two servings of a really great carrot chicken curry soup.  I topped it off with a little more of the sour cream to balance the heat of the curry.  So good, I couldn't help but eat the second serving immediately!

If I try this again, I might try the coconut milk instead of the sour cream -- I think that would be really tasty.  And I think a little chive on top would be really good too!  But, for being a little bit lazy, and a little bit creative, this turned out really great.

Chocolate-covered Peanut Butter Bananas

Chocolate morsels were on sale today for $1.99 at my local grocery store, so naturally I got a bag of semi-sweets (the dark chocolate ones were sold out, otherwise that would have been my first choice). I planned on just eating them right out of the bag, but I came up with an idea for dessert: Chocolate covered bananas.

I am not the biggest banana fan, but I know they're good for you, and I know they can fill you up. So, I tend to grab one at work, but inevitably I just let it sit on my desk all day, and end up bringing it home. So, I've had this lonely banana sitting on my dining room table all weekend, and I decided it couldn't go to waste. So, why not jazz it up with a little chocolate?

Then, I had the grand idea to take it even further -- why not add a dollop of peanut butter in there? I just tasted five to make sure they're good -- they are!

1 banana, sliced
6 0z. (half bag) semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
Peanut butter

I melted the chocolate morsels using a double-boiler method -- I guess you could use a microwave, too - just careful, the bowl will probably be hot.

So, while the chocolate was melting, I just sliced the bananas and had the peanut butter ready. I wanted the entire banana covered, so first I dipped the bottom of the banana slice into the chocolate, and then set it on a baking sheet covered in wax paper. After I had all the bottoms done, I took a spoon and put a little dollop of peanut butter on top of each slice. When that was done, I used a spatula to cover all the bananas. As you can see, some got better coverage than others, but these are just for me so I wasn't too concerned. I will say that I used up all of the chocolate, so if you want better coverage, I'd melt some more morsels. Maybe 3/4 of the bag, instead of 1/2? What I love about this is, you can play around with it. Maybe Nutella instead of peanut butter. Or how about Fluff! Mmmm.... Enjoy!

Roasted Corn and Red Bean Salad

The summer is practically here, and one of my favorite things about summer are fresh cold salads. Tomato salad, cucumber salad, arugula salad, cole slaw -- I love it all.

I was recently introduced to a really great salad with roasted corn. I don't think I've ever had roasted corn before. This salad was great - it had crunch, zest, and was easy to recreate in my kitchen. And it's perfect for the Poor Man's budget.

3 ears fresh corn, or 1 package frozen corn
1 can red beans
1 tomato
1/2 an onion
Cilantro
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder

First, I roasted the corn in the oven - 400° for about 40 minutes on a baking tray, turning the corn halfway through. Interestingly, I've made this a couple times now, and during roasting the kernels towards the outside start roasting a lot faster than the kernels in the center of the tray. So you'll definitely need to mix the corn around halfway through. Also, I'm sure roasted on the grill is even better, and I definitely suggest you try. But, I don't have a grill, or grilling pan, or a George Foreman, so the oven had to do.

While the corn was roasting, I drained the beans, chopped the tomato, and diced the onion. The onion I threw into a fry pan for just like two or three minutes. I love onions, but I wanted to take the bit out of them a little -- the true star here is the roasted corn, and I didn't want anything overpowering that. You could probably use red onions too, and skip the fry pan.

So, once the corn is done, just combine everything: the corn, beans, onions, tomatoes. I chopped a handful of cilantro, which I LOVE in this because it adds a touch of pepperiness. (Speaking of, I lightly salt-and-peppered this salad, not too much.) Also, the juice of half a lemon really helps to break down and combine all the flavors together.

Now, if you like an extra kick (which I do), I suggest 1/4 teaspoon of red chili powder. I think it really compliments the sweetness of the corn, the freshness of the cilantro, and the zest of the lemon. And there you have it -- a great, healthy summer salad that's also easy on the wallet. Enjoy!

Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Meatloaf

New creation that I just took out of the oven. Smells awesome, tastes even better!


I'm a big fan of using chopped-meat chicken for meatloaf. Usually, I toss in half a packet of powdered ranch dressing and call it a day. But, I had some store-brand part-skim mozzarella cheese I got on sale for $1.99 that I wanted to use up, so I made this an Italian-style meatloaf.


With the ground chicken, I tossed in one egg, and about a cup of homemade bread crumbs. I had some leftover stale Italian bread laying around, and used a hand grater to make my bread crumbs. I mixed in about a tablespoon of oregano, and maybe 1/2 tablespoon each of salt and pepper -- really just eyeballed it. After tossing the crumbs and seasonings, I dropped it into the chicken and egg mixture and did a quick mix with my hands. At the last minute, I decided to grate in a quarter of an onion I had sitting in my fridge. Mixed it all together, and was ready to assemble the meatloaf.


So, I guess I could have shredded the mozzarella and combine it with the chicken, bread crumb and onion mixture. Instead, I decided to build the meatloaf in layers. I cut the block of mozzarella into the thinnest slices I could make. On a greased baking tray, I put down a layer of the meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. I kept making layers until I used up all of the meat mixture on top. I smoothed out the sides of the meatloaf with my hands, making sure all the cheese was covered. Then I popped it into a 400° oven for 40 minutes, until it was cooked all the way through and was golden brown all the way around.


I guess I should stop here a moment, and tell you that I always cook a meatloaf on a baking tray. I guess you could use a loaf pan, but I like a nice golden brown crust all the way around. Also, in a loaf pan, I feel like the fat drippings just collect at the bottom of the pan and make the meatloaf soggy. On a baking tray, the fat spreads out away from the loaf and leave it with that gold brown crust that I like. To each their own, I suppose.


So, after taking the meatloaf out, I let it sit for a while. I didn't want to cut into it and have all the cheese run out, so just something to keep in mind.

This meatloaf turned out really, really good! You can see the layers of mozzarella, which gives this another layer of texture along with the grated onions and the meatloaf itself. Garnished with a couple sprigs of thyme I forgot I had. Time to eat!!

Eggplant Rollatini

The triumphant return of Poor Man's Cupboard.

This little creation is an eggplant rollatini, stuffed with ricotta cheese and a parsley-cashew pesto. I had actually wanted to make eggplant rollatini like a week and half ago as part of the first meal I cooked for my new boyfriend, but I was already making a roasted chicken, with roated potatoes and onions, garlic green beans, and a tomato & fennel salad. I thought the rollatini would be too much, so the eggplant remained forgotten in my fridge until tonight.

The thing is, I've never actually made rollatini before, much less cook eggplant. I did a bit of googling, and man-- there are a lot of conflicting opinions. Do you pre-salt the eggplant, or do you not pre-saly the eggplant. Do you fry the eggplant before stuffing and baking, or don't you? Well, I decided to lightly salt and pepper the eggplant, bread it and fry it, and drain it on a paper towel before stuffing. This method was successful for me, but to each their own. (p.s., the breading was homemade, using a dried out loaf of bread, dried oregano, and the food processor. I didn't add any salt/pepper, because the oregano was already giving it such a flavorful aroma, I didn't think it needed it)

So, the stuffing. This is where Poor Man comes in. I had the ricotta and the parsley, along with the eggplant, from last week still sitting in the fridge. But, I was trying to figure out how I could make this sort of special. I had brought some cashew trail-mix home from work last friday, to bring along for a weekend hike, and I had some leftover. Parlsey and cashews -- just the sort of mild flavor I was looking for, I didn't want anything to be overpowering. I didn't make a true pesto-- no oil, no mortar and pestle. I picked out about half a handful of cashews from the trail mix, and roughly chopped it with the parsley. I took the parsley-cashew mixture, and mixed it into the ricotta with one beaten egg. I also added in maybe two table spoons of tomato sauce, and a little salt and pepper.

Now, the tomato sauce. I'm not gonna front -- I used a jar of Francisco Rinaldi Chunky Garden tomato sauce that I got on sale for $1.29.

With the stuffing made, I took the fried eggplant, smeared the stuffing on one side, and rolled them up into pinwheels. I sauced the bottom of a Pyrex dish before placing each rollatini into the dish. I put just a little sauce over the top of each rollatini -- I really wanted them to stay as crisp as possible, and not get all soggy and mushy. They went into a 400° oven for about 15-20 minutes, just so that the egg in the stuffing mixture would cook up and set.

I gotta say, for my first time making eggplant rollatini, this was BANGING! The parsley was nice and peppery, but tamed down by the mildness of the cashews. And the rough chop of the mixture gave the rollatini a nice mix of texture compared to the creaminess of the ricotta. Definitely one for the recipe collection.

So, how do you make eggplant rollatini? What are your secret, special ingredients?

Poor Man's Kitchen

I figured I would give you all a look at what I'm working with. There are my two main cooking instruments. The non-stick frying pan was only recently replaced, on account of the old one's handle falling off. The sauce pan has been with me for ages...or 7 years. I cook almost everything in that sauce pan - sauce, rice, pasta. And I don't need no stinkin' lids...foil works just fine.

I know you're asking, Why would you live like this, when we can see a hint of an ice cream machine to the side. Answer: it works for me. Am I going to be making gourmet meals for twenty? Probably not. Will I be stewing chuck broils or brazing rack of lamb? Most likely no.

So this is what I have, which works great for making simple cupboard meals in a snap.

Not Quiche

So, it's getting towards the end of the week, fridge is looking a little empty. Looking around to see what I have - half a dozen eggs that have to be used by the 25th, some veggies in the freezer. I love frozen vegetables, because they're usually cheaper than fresh. I have a package of broccoli, that actually comes in a cheese sauce, that I got for like $1.49. Sweet deal. And this is starting to sound like the beginnings of a really great quiche.

Quiche? Really? You know my favorite part, more than the savory, eggy, fresh, cheesy goodness on top, is that crust. Crumbly, nutty crust that melts in your mouth-- mmmmmm. Unfortch, we don't have that today. Here is what I was able to come up with without having to make a trip to the grocery store. Bon apetit.

* * * * *
4 eggs

1 cup uncooked rice

10 oz. package frozen broccoli and cheese sauce (or any vegetable and cheese sauce)

2 slices bread

2 slices bacon, or sausage, or coldcut meat (optional)

4-5 grape tomatoes, sliced (optional, got them from mom the other day when she came to visit)

Butter

Salt & pepper

Cook the rice, follow the directions on your package. I usually add a pinch of salt and pepper to the water before cooking.

Preheat over to 375.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in sliced tomatoes and set aside.

In a sauce pan, add about 1/2 cup of water and frozen vegetables. Cook on medium heat and stir frequently. Cook until vegetables are unfrozen, warm throughout, and cheese sauce is creamy.

In your frying pan, fry up the two slices of bacon. Remove bacon, and pour out grease, but leave just a little bit of grease in the pan. Add a pat of butter, and toast both sides of the bread in the butter/grease mixture. If you don't have bacon, you can just melt a little butter in your pan and then toast the bread. When the bread is toasted on both sides, remove from the pan and cut into 1" squares. Also, break up your bacon into pieces.

Mix rice and vegetables and cheese sauce into a pan until combined. Add egg mixture. Sprinkle with another pinch of salt and pepper. Mix the egg mixture into the rice mixture until well blended, and consistency is the same throughout.

Place pan in over, cook uncovered for about 25 minutes, or firm. Let cool, and serve

* * * * *

Now I know you're going to want to eat this as soon as it comes out of the oven, but I promise you that it is a thousand times better once it has had a little time to cool. This would also be great with some onions, or any leftover crutons or garlic bread. Mmm, maybe some jarred roasted peppers, add a little tang and texture. You can also add more bread, and less rice, if maybe you don't have one or the other. You can make whatever variation you want, depending on what you have in your cupboard. Definitely a good recipe to have when you're at the end of your week, and in need of a warm meal