Seasonal Eating

For those of you who are interested in eating seasonally, Epicurious has map that helps you know what you can expect to eat in your State -- and when!

Post your top 10 kitchen utensils/appliances

Let me just say that i hate having too many gadgets in my kitchen. For me, why have an onion chopper, a mandolin, etc. when you have a.... knife. Especially when you have limited storage space. That said, there are a few gadgets that I love. Here they are in no particular order (please post yours, too)

stick blender (less dirty dishes), chefs knife, paring knife, food processor, vegetable peeler, microplane, cheese grater, salad spinner, hand juicer and mixer.

Here are the least used gadgets I own: electric citrus juicer, crock-pot (though I know people love 'em), a special utensil for taking the tops of strawberries, a poky comb thing that you are supposed to use to hold veggies down when you chop them, rotary cheese grater and waffle iron (too small)

I'm making this tonight and my mouth is already watering.

This is our blue-prize winner of a marinara sauce. So, it doesn't start with fresh tomatoes, but it fits into my busy schedule.

Dyer's Favorite Red Sauce

2 T olive oil
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes and juice, pureed (or, blended in pot with stick blender like I do-- much easier)
1 T sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. black pepper
1/4 t. red pepper flakes (don't leave these out!)
2 T. butter
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 T. freshly grated Parmesan

In med. saucepan, heat oil over med-high. Add onion and saute 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, sugar, slat and simmer 15 minutes. Add oregano, pepper, red pepper and simmer 15 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in butter scallion, parsley and cheese. Serve immediatley or cool and freeze.


We rarely serve it with additions like meatballs or such because it is so good alone. But you certainly can use it for lasagna, etc.

Tortilla Soup

I just made the best tortilla soup last night. Coule be one of my favorite soup recipes ever. Thankfully I just moved into a neighborhood where we have a mexican grocery right down the street so Caleb walked down for the necessary ingredients. But there are easy substitution options if you don't have stuff like epazote or crema.

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. You have to be a member to get their recipes online but I signed up for their free email newsletters that comes every week. free recipes! Check out their website

here's their recipe.

Despite its somewhat lengthy ingredient list, this recipe is very easy to prepare. If you desire a soup with mild spiciness, trim the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño (or omit the jalapeño altogether) and use the minimum amount of chipotle in adobo sauce (1 teaspoon, pureed with the tomatoes in step 3). Our preferred brand of low-sodium chicken broth is Swanson's Natural Goodness. If advance preparation suits you, the soup can be completed short of adding the shredded chicken to the pot at the end of step 3. Return the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat before proceeding. The tortilla strips and the garnishes are best prepared the day of serving.

INGREDIENTS

Tortilla Strips:
8 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Table salt

Soup:
2 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) or 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/4 pounds), skin removed and well trimmed of excess fat. we actually used a rotisserie chicken. EASY. i boiled it in the broth for about 15 min for flavor, then deboned it and saved the carcass for broth
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 very large white onion (about 1 pound), trimmed of root end, quartered, and peeled
4 medium cloves garlic , peeled
2 sprigs epazote, fresh, or 8 to 10 sprigs fresh cilantro plus 1 sprig fresh oregano. we used dried epazote from a package. first time! i think it contributed to the authentic flavor.
Table salt
2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 medium jalapeño chile. i used a whole one, but cut out the seeds
1 chipotle chile en adobo , plus up to 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Garnishes
1 lime , cut into wedges
1 Hass avocado, diced fine
8 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled, or Monterey Jack cheese, diced fine
fresh cilantro leaves
minced jalapeno pepper
Mexican crema or sour cream

1. FOR THE TORTILLA STRIPS: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread tortilla strips on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss until evenly coated. Bake until strips are deep golden brown and crisped, about 14 minutes, rotating pan and shaking strips (to redistribute) halfway through baking time. Season strips lightly with salt; transfer to plate lined with several layers paper towels.

2. FOR THE SOUP: While tortilla strips bake, bring chicken, broth, 2 onion quarters, 2 garlic cloves, epazote, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil over medium-high heat in large saucepan; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer; discard solids in strainer. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; discard bones.

3. Puree tomatoes, 2 remaining onion quarters, 2 remaining garlic cloves, jalapeño, chipotle chile, and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce in food processor until smooth. Heat oil in Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering; add tomato/onion puree and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has darkened in color, about 10 minutes. Stir strained broth into tomato mixture, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Taste soup; if desired, add up to 2 teaspoons additional adobo sauce. Add shredded chicken and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. To serve, place portions of tortilla strips in bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup into bowls; pass garnishes separately.

Per Serving:
Cal 250; Fat 7 g; Sat fat 1 g; Chol 45 mg; Carb 26 g; Protein 21 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 460 mg