Sweet & Spicy Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup.

On a rainy summer night, nothing hits the spot quite like this sweet and spicy chipotle sweet potato soup. It tastes deceptively rich and creamy, despite the absence of butter or cream. Sweet potatoes pack tons of healthy vitamins and minerals into your meal, and the capsaicin in the chipotle peppers will give your metabolism a kick. You can top up your finished soup with a bit of low-fat sour cream and some chopped cilantro. It keeps well and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

This classic French comfort food dish, popularized in America by Julia Child, originally comes from the Burgundy region of France. At the French Culinary Institute, we made our Boef Bourguignon by marinating our beef overnight in huge pots of wine and aromatics; the next day laboriously tending to the dish and its numerous components, even making fresh pappardelle pasta to accompany it.  

I’ve never attempted that grandiose French Culinary Institute recipe at home, but instead make this pared down, simplified version that still brings the same rich flavors and comforting tenderness to the table, all in about 30 minutes. Make this for friends, and everyone will go home happy, or make it for yourself and enjoy it all week, the flavors just get better over time. Don’t let the recipe intimidate you, just read through it and have all the components prepped, and it will come together in a flash.

Ingredients

• 1 pound baking potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions
• 1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 5 teaspoons butter
• 1 bacon slice, finely chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) package button mushrooms, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1/2 cup earthy red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
• Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Place your potato in a saucepan over high heat; cover with cool water. Bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Return potato to pan; keep warm.
2. While your potato cooks, place the pearl onions in a microwave-safe bowl and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Finely chop 1 (2-inch) cube of tenderloin, and set aside (this will enrich the sauce later). Pat the remaining beef cubes dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle them evenly with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan; swirling to coat. Add the seasoned beef cubes; sauté 3 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan and set aside on paper towels. Add the finely chopped beef and bacon to the pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms, and sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms brown, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the garlic, chopped thyme, and sugar, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the wine, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half.
5. Add the pearl onions and the beef broth, and bring everything to a boil. Cook everything for 1 minute. Combine 2 tablespoons water and flour in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the pan, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly (this will thicken the sauce). Return the browned beef cubes to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cooked to medium-rare or longer for your desired degree of doneness.
6. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons butter and the milk to the potatoes in the saucepan, and mash with a potato masher until desired consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve a big ladle of the beef and the sauce over the potatoes, and garnish with some thyme sprigs, if desired.

*Alternatively, you can serve this over buttered pappardelle pasta instead of the mashed potatoes.

Recipe inspired by www.myrecipes.com

Photo Credit: www.myrecipes.com

With historic hurricane Sandy gearing up to clobber the East Coast with rain, winds, and flooding, comforting and cozy food seems even more appealing then ever. This quick and easy cheesy chicken potpie fits the bill, and promises to keep you warm and content while the storm wages outside. It comes together in a flash, and can be made with items you probably already have in your fridge. Make a big batch now and set yourself up for the next few days.  This recipe is a great way to get kids and picky eaters to eat vegetables (who can turn down a cheesy sauce and a cheesy biscuit topping?), and it would also make the perfect vehicle for Thanksgiving leftovers in a few weeks.

 Filling

• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, and meat shredded
• 4 cups assorted mixed vegetables (I used frozen to keep it simple, but use fresh if you prefer) Try carrots, peas, pearl onions, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, or any combination you like.

Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Biscuit Topping

• 1 cup biscuit mix (I used Bisquick)
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup skim milk

1. Place meat and vegetables in a 9 inch round or 8×8 square baking dish, or in smaller mini ramekins if you’re making individual portions.
2. Make the sauce: Melt butter over medium heat, add flour and cook 1 minute to take out the raw flavor. Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and pour over meat and vegetables. Mix well to coat everything with the sauce.
3. Biscuit topping: Stir together all ingredients with a fork until even moistened. Spread thinly over mixture in casserole dish. (Don’t worry if there are gaps, it does not need to be perfectly covered and it will fill out more as it bakes.) You can sprinkle on a bit more shredded cheddar cheese on top if you’re feeling especially glutinous.
4. Bake at 400ºF for 25 minutes or until topping is golden and filling is bubbly.

Recipe inspired by www.kitchensimplicity.com

View the full post on Bachelor Kitchen.

These homemade snickers bars might just be my new favorite thing. Store bought Snickers bars are all well and good- but these take it to a whole new level. They’re chocolaty and nutty and melt in your mouth- striking the perfect balance between salty and sweet. It looks like a lot of steps, and it is, but they come together pretty quickly and require minimal dexterity to execute. Either way- these bars are worth any amount of effort. Plan on eating one and then giving the rest to deserving friends, or you’ll risk eating the whole batch!

Makes one 9×13 pan or roughly 12 medium size bars

Bottom Chocolate Layer

1 bag milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

Thoroughly grease you baking pan. Melt ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat, then pour into the baking dish and spread evenly. Let cool and harden completely. (I put mine in the freezer to speed up the process).

Nougat Peanut Layer

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

2 cups marshmallow fluff

1/4 cup peanut butter

2 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved, then bring to a boil. Allow the mixture to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in fluff, peanut butter and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Turn off the heat and fold in the peanuts, then pour over bottom chocolate layer. Let cool completely. (Again, you can use the freezer to speed it all up).

Caramel Layer

1 14-ounce bag of caramels

1/4 cup whipping cream

Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Allow the caramels to melt, whisking occasionally, until smooth – this took about 10 minutes for me. Pour over nougat layer and let cool completely.

Top Chocolate Layer

1 bag milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave, then pour over caramel and spread until even. Let cool and harden completely.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving, or freeze for a good 15 minutes, then cut as desired. These can stay good at room temperature, but they do get gooey. If you keep them in the fridge, allow them to warm up a bit before serving.

Adapted from the recipe on www.howsweeteats.com

Read the full article on Bachelor Kitchen. 

It’s getting chilly out there! Warm up with some hot mulled cider – a fall favorite. If you have friends coming over, put a big pot of this on the stove, and your whole home will smell warm and welcoming. Or if you’ve got a tailgate to attend, fill up a big thermos and add some bourbon to keep yourself warm. This pairs perfectly with these spiced pumpkin poppers, or stands alone as a an easy fall cocktail everyone will love.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts apple cider
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger, or a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, diced
• 1 orange (unpeeled), quartered
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 tsp. whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or ½ vanilla bean, split
• Brandy or bourbon (optional)

Directions

• Combine cider, sugar, ginger, orange, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla in a large pot with a lid.
• Bring everything to a boil, and then lower to a simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
• When you’re ready to serve, add a shot of brandy or bourbon to each mug, then fill to the brim with the hot cider (avoiding the oranges and spices).
• Stir to combine, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Read the full post on Bachelor Kitchen.

You can’t walk a block this season without running into some kind of pumpkin spice item being sold, but I think the homemade version is so much better. These pumpkin spice poppers pack all the best fall flavors into one delicious bite, and baking them makes your home smell amazing. They turn out like mini doughnut holes, without the anxiety inducing big pot of oil and all that mess. Make up a big batch of these poppers to have with your morning coffee, or heat up some apple cider and enjoy them as the perfect fall snack.

Ingredients (makes 20-24 poppers)

For Donuts

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2-teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1/2-teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-taplespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2-cup low-fat milk

For Coating

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions

• Preheat oven 350°F. Spray each cup in a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
•  In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined – do not over mix! The batter will be very thick and spoonable.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.
• Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to touch Dip the top of each muffin in the melted butter, then dip the buttered top into the cinnamon sugar to coat.

Read my full post on Bachelor Kitchen. 

Recipe Inspired By: www.cravingchronicles.com

When you’re pulled in twenty different directions, it’s hard to carve out time to cook, even when you enjoy it. Save yourself some time, effort, and a trip to the grocery store by making meals that can be repurposed a second time into something different all together. Polenta is a grain made from corn, similar to grits in texture but with a taste all its own. Its super inexpensive, easy to cook, and you can dress it up with all sorts of flavors and accompaniments. It also keeps well in the fridge for up to five days, making it the perfect foundation for meals all week long.

Below is my latest double-duty recipe for polenta. Feel free to tinker with the recipes depending on your taste and what you have on hand- they’re both very forgiving and flexible.

Polenta Two Ways

Parmesan Polenta with Garlic Herb Shrimp & Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 2, with leftover polenta for the next day recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups polenta (the raw grain, not pre-cooked)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 16 shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• One 8 oz can oven-roasted tomatoes, drained
• Chopped fresh herbs (try basil and parsley)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

• Heat the chicken stock in a large saucepan until boiling, then slowly whisk in the polenta, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
• Add the milk to the polenta and whisk until smooth, then lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer, whisking occasionally for 8-10 minutes until the polenta is tender and no longer grainy to the taste. If necessary, add water ¼ cup at a time until the polenta is fully cooked.
• Off the heat, whisk in the Parmesan cheese, then season to taste. If your polenta thickens too much as it sits, just whisk in a little milk or water to get it back to the right consistency again.
• In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic and shrimp and sauté until the shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes depending on size.
• Add the drained can of roasted tomatoes to the pan, and allow it to cook down with the shrimp for a minute or two.
• Off the heat, add the fresh herbs to the shrimp, then season to taste.
• Serve the shrimp over the polenta in a big bowl, topped with some more Parmesan cheese and herbs
• *If you like goat cheese, you can substitute that for the Parmesan cheese for a more tangy flavor.

For the full post and second recipe (as shown in the photo below), see my article on Bachelor Kitchen.

*Photo Credit: http://foodrepublik.com

With the weather cooling down and getting chillier by the day, I want something warm and comforting cooking up in my kitchen. But September has apparently become even more busy than August, leaving little time for fussy culinary pursuits. This banana bread recipe solves my conundrum. With minimal measurements, a short cooking time, and an even shorter list of ingredients, you can go from sad and hungry to happy and content with a warm banana muffin in your hand in less than thirty minutes.

For those non-bakers, please do consider this simple and essentially foolproof recipe.  It doesn’t require any special tools or techniques, and the cozy smell of these muffins wafting from your kitchen will make you want to repeat this recipe all autumn long.

These muffins make a great afternoon pick-me-up with coffee, or an easy and portable breakfast to make early dark mornings a little more bearable. Serve these muffins hot from the oven with a smear of salted butter or cream cheese, or eat them cold the next day plain- they’re just as good on their own.

For the simple and easy recipe, read my full post on Bachelor Kitchen.

*Photo Credit http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/