Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Chicken Cheese Chowder

1 cup shredded carrot1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cooked, chopped chicken
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms (I pulverize mine into unrecognizable bits)
3 Tablespoons dry white wine
1 teaspoon celery salt*
1/2 teaspon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste

*If you don't have celery salt, grind 2 parts coarse salt and 2 parts celery seed in a coffee grinder.
  1. Saute the carrots and onion in butter until tender.
  2. Blend in the flour and then add the broth. Cook and stir until thickened.
  3. Stir in the chicken, mushrooms, wine, celery salt, and Worcestershire sauce, and milk. Heat through.
  4. Add the cheese and cook until melted. Do not boil. 
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe is from the Once-A-Month Cooking-Family Favorites cookbook, by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg. There are lots of great recipes in this book, all of which can be cooked ahead and frozen. (If you choose to freeze this soup, do not add the milk or cheese until ready to heat and serve.)

Monday, March 5, 2012

Black Bean Burgers

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained
1 cup cooked brown rice*
2 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs**
hot pepper sauce to taste (such as Tabasco)
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt

*Original recipe called for basmati rice, but use whatever you have on hand. I made mine with short-grain brown rice, and they were very tasty.
**Use gluten-free bread crumbs if desired.
  1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is soft and translucent.
  2. Stir in cumin and turmeric and cook for one more minute.
  3. In a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, combine beans, rice, and vegetable mixture until smooth.
  4. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in bread crumbs. Season with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce and mix well.
  5. Flatten 1/4-cup portions into patties and then grill or pan fry for 3-5 minutes per side.
Makes 8 burgers.