A Day for Soup

My daughter is sick (just a cold, not the flu). She requested I make homemade chicken noodle soup. Apparently the Tomato Tortellini Soup the other day wasn't enough, LOL.

So, being a good mommy, I roasted some whole chicken breasts, got some stock I'd made before out of the freezer, and made homemade chicken noodle soup, complete with the thick Inn-Maid noodles she likes.

She's having her second or third bowl right now :-)

Then for dinner, she wanted Chicken and Dumplings, and I had just caught Tyler Florence's version on Tyler's Ultimate. So when I was done with the soup, I took the bones from the roasted chicken and made another stock (using Ina Garten's recipe, which is hands-down the best stock recipe I've ever encountered). Then used that to make the Tyler Florence Chicken and Dumplings.

FYI, his recipe calls for buttermilk, something I rarely have on hand (why can't they sell TEENY ones of that, like they do heavy cream? I always end up wasting so much of it). Anyway, I have the powdered buttermilk mix, which works just great, IMO.

No picture of the chicken and dumplings because my family was, quite literally, lined up at the stove the second I turned it off. We ate the whole pot in one night :-).

If you're interested, here's what I put in my chicken noodle soup:

Shirley's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2 whole chicken breasts, roasted at 375 degrees until cooked through, then meat is shredded
2 celery sticks
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups homemade chicken stock
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 package Inn-Maid egg noodles

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. Add vegetables, cook until wilted. Add stock and bay leaves (I don't add other seasonings because my stock recipe is pretty well seasoned). Add freshly ground pepper and salt as needed to taste.

When vegetables are cooked through, add shredded chicken. Bring soup to a boil, add noodles and cook until noodles are tender--about 8 minutes or so.

The key to a great soup is the stock, IMO. A lot of people I know don't like to make homemade chicken (or beef) stock, but honestly it makes such a HUGE difference, it's worth it. If I don't make it the day I roast a chicken, then I save the bones in a bag in the freezer and make it later. It's truly an easy thing to make, and you just freeze the stock in small quantities (I do 1-cup, 2-cup and one big 6-cup; I generally make two batches of stock at once. I find the variety of sizes makes it easy when I need a cup for a recipe).

I love, love, love, Ina Garten's recipe for stock, as I mentioned. I love pretty much everything she makes. Her cookbooks are on my Christmas list, for sure (the only one I own is Barefoot Contessa At Home). And did you know, you can get them AUTOGRAPHED? That's what I want, cooking geek that I am. Sadly, I don't think my family reads my blog, LOL.

Anyway, soup is perfect for a cold, icky day!

Shirley

Quick and Easy and Yummy: Soup

Last night, I wanted something quick and easy and good for my daughter's cold. I love soup, particularly nice hearty soups, and opted to make the Tomato Tortellini I have made before. DD really wanted chicken noodle, but homemade chicken noodle isn't exactly a speedy soup, LOL. So I promised that for next week.

With the Tomato Tortellini Soup, I didn't have any fresh basil on hand, but did have these cool frozen chopped basil cubes I bought at Trader Joe's (I LOVE THAT STORE. Why won't they bring one to my city? And while they're at it, a Whole Foods. SIGH). They worked out great.

So if you're looking for something quick and easy, try this soup. One tip--if you want the soup to look red and tomato-y at the end, reserve the tomato sauce and cream until after you have blended the soup, then add them. It'll add that extra boost of red that gets blended in when you whirr up the spinach.

Enjoy!

Shirley

Cinnamon Honey Roasted Butternut Squash

I love butternut squash--love all kinds of squash, actually--but my family (especially the kids)...not so much, LOL. Same with asparagus. I could eat it every week, but my kids would rather not.

Then I saw a recipe for cinnamon honey roasted butternut squash, and thought about adding asparagus and pecans to that recipe. How yummy would that be? VERY, it turns out. I loved it, DH loved it and one of the two kids did (the other one was just being grumpy, I think, because she's getting a cold). Anyway, it's SUPER simple and would make a good Thanksgiving side dish.

Cinnamon-Honey Roasted Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 bunch asparagus, chopped (I don't use the last three or four inches of the stalks; too bitter, IMO)

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I microwaved the squash chunks until they were fork tender (because otherwise this dish would bake for an hour). Drained them, then added the asparagus and pecans. Mix the sauce ingredients, then mix with the vegetables. Roast for 20 minutes (or until everything is tender).

That's it! Very easy, and I loved it so much, I had more for lunch today :-)

Shirley

One of those days...

Sigh. Today is one of those days when all I want to do is eat cookies and ice cream and vegetate. I did work out (half-heartedly, I must admit) and so far have been good in my food choices, because I've got to undo the damage done by one too many burgers with friends during the conference I went to last week.

I've got plans for a healthy dinner...now to find the motivation to make it and eat it, LOL.

Shirley

A Favorite Salad

Today, I made one of my favorite salads--so perfect for those crisp fall days. I didn't have any pears (well, I *thought* I didn't have any pears, then finished eating my salad and remembered I just bought pears yesterday. Duh. I need more sleep or coffee or something, LOL). I love the dressing--an easy, quick mix of 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Couldn't be easier to make.

This is an older photo of this salad, and doesn't show the nuts I usually toss on it. The candied walnuts are something I use pretty often, and so I keep a batch in my freezer. They add that little bit of yummy crunch :-)

Shirley

Playing Detective

Last week, I went to the Novelists, Inc. conference in St. Louis. Day one was a "Ninc Does Forensics" all-day series of workshops on crime, which was unbelievably cool. A whole host of experts came to the event, including the Sheriff's officer and FBI agent who broke the Shawn Hornbeck case (fascinating stuff!). And then there was the crime scene investigation, which was a neat test of our observation skills.

Skills I apparently don't have in abundance, which is why I'm not a cop. ;-) During lunch, we were allowed to investigate a staged crime scene that an officer from the Sheriff's office set up. It looked pretty simple--a dead body (a dummy) on the floor, with a knife in her chest. A couple of empty beer bottles on the table, along with some drug paraphanelia. And an incriminating note in the victim's hand.

That was what I saw, at least at first. But as I went around the crime scene with the other authors in the room, I saw more--mostly because other people were saying, "hey, did you see this?"

Three bullet casings on the floor. A bloody handprint on the wall by the door. Two bullet holes in the wall. There was an overturned trash can by the body, and the more observant authors were shining lights in there, trying to determine what evidence might be in the trash can. I hadn't thought to do that, but then again, I'm as far from a cop as one can get, LOL.

But what I learned was the difference in observatory skills among us. Some people merely walked in the room, saw the "body," then they were done. Others went over the entire crime scene with the fervor of a member of CSI. And some were like me--in the middle of those two extremes--basically there to learn what we could.

One thing I can say for sure is how much this small, and simple crime scene made me appreciate the work of real-world Crime Scene Investigators. Just the half hour or so I spent there made me see how much detail work is involved in that job. How critical it is that they see everything while they are there. Because once the CSI people leave, the crime scene is cleaned up (as the hotel room was where our mock scene was staged), and the evidence is gone forever.

Their job is complex and difficult, to be sure. And so much more is riding on them than there was on a bunch of authors standing over a dummy. After that day, I knew I could never be a real-life CSI, but just the taste I had of playing one made me want to learn more.

What about you? Could you do that job? Are you meticulous enough to be an effective CSI?

Shirley

THE WELL in stores today! And blog post!

THE WELL is in stores today! And just for fun, Mandy and I did a "Ten Random Things about AJ Whitten" blog post, too. You can read it here.

Look for the book in a store near you!

Shirley

First Official Signing for THE WELL

My daughter and I had our first official book signing for THE WELL last night. It was a blast! We had a nice steady stream of people buying the book (and not just friends, LOL). Pics and story are here.

Look for the book in stores nationwide September 21!

Shirley

Featured in the Austin Examiner

Sylvia Dickey Smith at the Austin Writing Examiner did a piece on me and THE WELL today. Check it out if you have a second!

Shirley

Finding the Fun in Fitness

I'm blogging over at Love is an Exploding Cigar today about how fitness can be fun (okay, sort of ;-) and the before and after results of my four and a half months on the elliptical machine!

Shirley

Guest Author: Blythe Gifford!

Today, my friend and fellow author Blythe Gifford is stopping by! She's got a FABULOUS new release out called IN THE MASTER'S BED. That is one HOT cover, if you ask me! She's got a great, simple recipe to include (and since there's a lot of fresh basil in my kitchen, I'll be trying this!), and even better, has a book for giveaway!

I’m Blythe Gifford and I want to thank Shirley for having me here today! I’m celebrating the release of IN THE MASTER’S BED, from Harlequin Historical. It’s a medieval romance featuring a heroine born on the wrong side of the royal blanket, the sister from my previous release THE HARLOT’S DAUGHTER. She runs away from home, disguised as a man, to study at the university, where women are forbidden. There, she meets a man who, for the first time, makes her want to be a woman. But what will happen when he discovers her secret and she’s discovered IN THE MASTER’S BED?

Let me say at the outset I will not be sharing a medieval recipe with you. The only recipe I researched for this book was ale. Turned out they brewed it with oats, something I’m not sure Anheuser Busch hasn’t tried yet.

But the truth is, I’m not much of a cook. I am in awe of Shirley and all of you who whip up tasty, creative meals night after night. Some famous author (Salinger? Updike?) said a writer should eat the same thing every day. As a result of my limited culinary range, I follow that advice pretty closely, though I haven’t found it to be any kind of secret to success.

My dinner virtually always includes a big salad. French kitchens may celebrate the sous (soup) chef, but I’m a premier salad chef, and the crowning glory of my dish is home made vinaigrette. It’s so easy and tastes SO much better to me than store bought. If you have an herb garden, or can buy fresh basil at the store, it works year round. As to how much basil to throw in, you’ll develop your own style. I like to use enough so it’s a little creamy and thick.

Blythe’s Basil Vinaigrette

Yield: ¾ cup (6-8 side salads)

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tarragon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 large clove garlic

Handful basil leaves (five to ten or more - experiment)

Salt, pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mini-blender jar and blend on highest setting. Flavor mellows, so make it the day before if you can.

Thanks again to Shirley for the chance to drop by and say hello to all you talented chefs. Visit my website at http://www.blythegifford.com/ to learn more about the book, join my e-group, or check the schedule of my “Blog Until You Drop” tour.

What’s your favorite salad dressing: Ranch? Blue cheese? French? Thousand Island? Let me know and I’ll send a copy of IN The MASTER’S BED to one lucky commenter.
_____________________________________
Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ®and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited and/or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Photo by Jennifer Girard

Enduring Heroines

Today I'm blogging over on Love is an Exploding Cigar about enduring heroines--what heroine from a novel has stayed with you long after the book is done...and why?

Shirley

Dessert: A Sweet Concept

Today, I'm blogging over on eHarlequin about the concept of dessert as a motivator to get work done (considering I work for myself and I'm a pretty easy boss, LOL, I have to use SOMETHING to make my deadlines!).

Come on over and check it out!

Shirley

Dinner Party Success :-)

I love having people over for dinner. For one, as DH pointed out, it's a reason for both of us to finally do a few of those pesky chores we keep putting off (like planting new flowers in the front planters, or putting away the suitcases from our CA trip), and for another, it's an excuse for me to go nuts cooking :-)

We had two couples over the other night, and considering I've been away most of the summer, I was pretty excited to get out all those pots and pans and make a nice meal. I went with a healthy Italian theme (and yes, there is such a thing; meaning none of that drenched in cream and butter sauce kind of thing). I served shrimp as an appetizer, because it was quick and easy, and put the time into the meal.

Caprese Salad--using Roma tomatoes that my friend Marci gave me from her garden (so fresh and SO good), and some chunks of fresh Mozzarella I picked up at the grocery store, I assembled a Caprese Salad. It's pretty darn simple--drizzle a good quality olive oil on the bottom of the dish, top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, some freshly ground salt and pepper, and a few chunks of fresh buffalo mozzarella (the white kind, not the yellow kind). Chiffonade some fresh basil, sprinke on top. Repeat the layers. Let it sit for a little while--half hour or so--to let the flavors marry.

Then I made Roasted Broccoli, which again is very, very simple. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Slice the broccoli florets in half (so they'll lay flat on the cookie sheet) and peel the stalks. Toss the chopped broccoli with a little olive oil, a teaspoon of sugar and a half teaspoon of kosher salt. Then roast for about 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through. Keep an eye on it--if your stalks are tiny, it might take less time.

The two dishes that took the most time were the main course and dessert (I followed Ina Garten's rule of thumb of only having one or two time-consuming dishes and making the rest easy to make so you have more time and aren't feeling insane kitchen pressure).

Chicken Saltimbocca: I used an America's Test Kitchen recipe for this one. Although they called for chicken cutlets (or pounding out chicken breasts, one of my least favorite things to do), I used tenderloins instead, making sure to cut out that one little tough tendon. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and put the oven on 200 degrees. Dredge the breasts in a mix of flour and a bit of pepper. Chiffonade two tablespoons of sage, and slice pieces of prosciutto to fit the breasts. Sprinkle the floured breasts with the sage, top with a piece of prosciutto, and fry, prosciutto side first, until golden. Flip and fry on the other side until cooked through, then put in a pan and keep the cooked pieces warm in the oven as you cook the others. (I apologize that some of my pictures aren't the best but I was trying to get dinner on the table, LOL).

When you're done, use the same pan to cook the sauce: Pour in 1 1/4 cups of white wine, and boil it down until it's reduced to 1/3 cup. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons of cold butter, one tablesoon at a time, stirring after each addition. At the end, add one tablespoon of minced parsley. Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve. This was REALLY REALLY good. Most of our guests had two servings, so I'm figuring they liked it too ;-)

My piece de resistance was dessert: Ina Garten's Mixed Berry Pavolva. I followed this recipe exactly EXCEPT for the sweetened whipped cream. I just used Cool Whip. ;-) Sue me ;-). This was AWESOME. AMAZING. So good, I would have eaten the whole thing by myself if it wouldn't have been completely rude, LOL (and if I could have stopped people from going back for seconds). I will DEFINITELY make this again. Highly recommend it. It also makes for a pretty stunning presentation, and is VERY easy to make (meringue isn't all that complex), so if you want to impress your friends, go for this dessert.

All in all, a great night. Makes me want to have another dinner party :-)

Shirley