Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

I've been wanting to make this soup for awhile now. Today is cold and rainy and it just seems like the perfect thing to make. I also decided to make this version a low cal treat to balance out the bad stuff I've been eating lately. It came out AWESOME! So happy about it! Now you go make it!

Here we go:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 jalapenos, finely diced
1/4 c sliced green pepper 

In a large saucepan heat the vegetable oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic, green pepper and jalapenos and cook for another minute.

Then:
2 teaspoons cumin 
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 cups low-sodium, fat free or low fat chicken broth

Add spices and mix. Pour the chicken broth in and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can corn, rinsed and drained

Pour the tomatoes, corn and beans into the pot and bring to a boil. 

Take 2 - 3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded with hands. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer and add your chicken. Let it simmer.

2 limes, juiced, plus wedges for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 (8-inch) flour tortillas, grilled, cut into thin strips or fried (I pan fried mine with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light)
1 avocado, pitted, sliced (optional)
1 cup shredded Monterrey cheese

Add lime juice and fresh cilantro to the pot. Ladle soup and top with a lime wedge, grilled/fried tortilla strips, avocado slices and cheese.

Seriously - I couldn't be happier than the way it turned out. SOOooooo good! I looked at a bunch of recipes and combined a few to get this, so you can't find it anywhere else online except right here. HOLLA!!!!!

Gruppo

I love Gruppo. I'm pretty sure I've blogged about it before, but it's sooo good. The pizza is a little pricey depending on what you get on it, but it's well worth it. The crust is like the thinnest ever - I've never had it thinner. I usually get two kinds: either pepperoni (classic) or chicken and goat cheese - sometimes caramelized onions. If you're in the East Village - stop by and grab a slice (or a pie). It only takes 15 minutes for a whole pie if you take out.

Oscar Movie Menu

I found this link when I was searching the internet for some clue of what to make for the Oscars. Genius.

There is a lot of French influence in some of the nominees for Best Picture. For a menu inspired by The Artist and Midnight in Paris, I'm doing a champagne cocktail. Here's two recipes:

Classic Champagne Cocktail
Soak a sugar cube in bitters, drop it into a flute, fill the flute with Champagne and garnish with a twist of lemon. This classic drink dates back to at least the mid-19th century.

French 75
There are a number of French 75 recipes floating around; the only thing people agree on is that it's a serious drink with serious ramifications. Here's the classic: a splash of simple syrup, a bigger splash of lemon juice, an even bigger splash (about an ounce) of gin, topped off with a glassful of Champagne.

For a menu inspired by The Descendants, I made a terrific creation from Hotel Hana-Maui in Maui, Hawaii: Crab Cakes with a creamy chili sauce.

Ingredients

Sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Crab Cakes
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
8 ounces fresh crabmeat, picked over
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


For Sauce:
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chili garlic sauce and stir 1 minute. Add cream, sake and lime juice. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.

For Crab Cakes:
Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk egg and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons egg mixture into crab mixture (mixture will be dry). Discard remaining egg mixture. Form crab mixture into four 2 1/2- to 3-inch round patties, using about 1/2 cupful for each.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes and sauté until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.

I didn't see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so I skipped it.

For The Help, I did a good Southern favorite: deviled eggs.

12 large eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons brown or yellow mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet pickles (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
Garnish: paprika

Cover eggs with cold water by 1 1/2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot and bring to a rolling boil, partially covered with lid. Reduce heat to low and cook eggs, covered completely, 30 seconds. Remove pot from heat and let eggs stand in hot water, covered with lid, 15 minutes. Rinse eggs under cold water 5 minutes to stop cooking.

Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, celery, and salt and pepper to taste to yolks and stir with fork until combined well, then spoon into egg whites.

I didn't see Hugo either. Skipped.

So, I'm making a lot it seems and for Moneyball, I would have made this if I wasn't already doing crab cakes. Maybe next time.

Oh boy, The Tree of Life - that's a family dinner inspired by the 50s. As much as I'm sure there are good meatloaf recipes out there, I bailed on making one. I also didn't see War Horse. Skip.

Enjoy your Oscar night!

Gyu Kaku

 This, my friends, is Harami Skirt Steak. It's been marinated and sprinkled with sesame seeds and it's waiting for me to cook it. Oh, and it was like only $4 because I got it before 6 on Friday. Say, what? I'm taking about Gyu Kaku people! It's a Japanese BBQ at Cooper Square and it's one of my favorite spots. I went with some work peeps and we ate and drank till we were about to bust! Such a good time!

 This is such a good date restaurant. It's interactive and cozy, plus the food is just damn good. All the meats end up charred and smoky and because of the small portion size you get to try so many. We had pork belly, duck, skirt steak, sausage...and they were ALL winners. The trick is to go during happy hour. Not all the food is half off, but a lot of the meats are as well as some veggies. It really helps with the tab when you're going nuts and ordering like a million things.

Oh, and did I mention drinks are half off too? I mean, COME ON! This sake-tini kicked off my meal and it was delicious and STRONG. The rim was a wonderful sea salt concoction and that's a cucumber slice you see floating in my glass. All in all, this is a great restaurant for a group dinner or a date. The atmosphere is inviting, the food yummy and the experience one that won't be forgotten. Go please.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I picked up this recipe online and only made one change - I used black beans instead of "chili beans". You'd think this would be a no brainer - all the ingredients sound amazing, why wouldn't this be amazing? Well...look at it! It looks like vomit! Why on earth would the recipe tell you to mix a jar of salsa into a sour cream mixture? It made my filling pink! WOOF! Also, the raw onions didn't sit right with me either. The recipe should have made you saute them first. Ugh - fail. Crystal B. - when you finally get around to making this AVOID this recipe. You're welcome.


Ingredients


1 (16 ounce) container sour cream 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1/4 cup diced onion 1 (8 ounce) can chili beans, drained 6 (12 inch) flour tortillas, cut into strips 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and shredded 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix sour cream, salsa, cream of chicken soup, onion and chili beans.

Layer the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with 1/3 tortilla strips. Top with 1/3 chicken, 1/3 sour cream mixture and 1/3 Cheddar cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.

Bake in the preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Let stand about 10 minutes.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

Got this from Food.com but altered it a bit. My grandma used to make "drop biscuits" which is basically just a scoop of dough on the baking pan. They look lumpy and messy but taste yummy.

•  2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , very cold
• 1 cup buttermilk (approx)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450°F. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal. If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved. Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined. If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet. Using a spoon, drop dough onto baking sheet. If you like soft sides, put them touching each other. If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together. Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom. Do not overbake. Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough. The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits. You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly. Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to overstimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit. Note 2: You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month. When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on the cookie sheet and bake at 450°F for about 20 minutes.

Pork Pot Pie

 So I made too much pork tenderloin the other day and I have been deciding how to reinvent it. I love pot pies and found this recipe for one that used pork tenderloin. Problem solved! It came out creamy and hearty and delicious!

Ingredients

1  to 2 lbs Pork Tenderloin  
Bag of Frozen Mixed Veggies
1 Can Low Fat Low sodium Cream of Mushroom Soup. (Cambells Healthy Requests) -- Cream of Celery is also good 
Fresh group pepper  
Ready to bake refrig. pie crust

Directions

Cook the pork tenderloin at 350 for an hour. While pork is cooking, but towards the end, warm the frozen veggies. When roast is done, it may not be 100 percent done (it will finish cooking during second cooking) chop in small bite size pieces or pull apart with hands. Add to pot with veggies and add cream of mushroom soup. I added a little water and about 3 tsp of flour to thicken the sauce. Combine all ingredients and pour into round casserole dish mix. Season with pepper to taste. Top with pie crust and put slits to vent. Make cute designs with extra pie crust.Place in oven at 425 for 15 minutes when the crust is golden brown take out and serve.

Apple Pie Baked in the Apple

 

My friend, Brandi, sent me an email with a link to this recipe. I think it came off Pinterest.  I have heard so much about that site but for some reason have yet to check it out. If all the stuff on there is as cute as this, I need to get on that.

Step 1: Cut off the top of 4 apples off and discard. Remove the inside of each apple with a spoon or melon baller very carefully, as to not puncture the peel.

Put the interior apple pieces (not the core though) into a bowl. If you need more apple, chop up additional apples for filling. Remove skin from remaining apple(s) and slice very thinly. Mix sliced apples with 1 tbsp white sugar and 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon in a bowl. If you prefer more or less cinnamon make adjustments as desired. Same goes for the sugar. Scoop sliced apples into hollow apples.

Roll out pie crust and slice into 1/4 inch strips. You can also add a strip of pastry inside the top of the apple almost like a liner to add a little more texture/sweetness to the pie.Cover the top of the apple in a lattice pattern with pie crust strips.Place apples in an 8×8 pan. Add just enough water to the cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes.Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and sliced apples are soft. So cute, right?

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I love that my husband loves my cooking. I also love that he'll ask me to cook him something like he's asking me to do him a favor. Tonight he requested fried chicken so I pulled from my southern roots and did a delicious buttermilk fried chicken. Mmmm....

Ingredients

Buttermilk Marinade:

• 2 cup(s) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon(s) cracked black pepper

Fried Chicken:

• 4 pieces of chicken breast with rib meat and skin
• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon(s) garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 2 cup(s) oil for frying

---

Directions

1. Buttermilk Marinade: In a gallon-sized sealable plastic bag or a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid, combine the buttermilk, mustard, salt, dry mustard, cayenne, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Frying the chicken: In a 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inch pan, whisk together flour, dry garlic, and salt. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thickly. Let the chicken stand 10 minutes, turning occasionally to recoat with flour. Shake off excess flour before frying.
3. Pre-heat your oven to 350 F. In a 10-inch by 12-inch heavy-gauge skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces, turning once when the coating is sealed and begins to brown -- 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Continue to fry, until outside of chicken is golden brown -- about 5 more minutes. Turn them just once.
5. Remove the chicken pieces and season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. Put the chicken in the pre-heated oven to finish cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until its internal temperature reaches 160 F. Let sit 5 min then serve.
   

Homemade Croutons

 I love croutons in my salad. I decided to make my own. It was one of the easiest things I've ever made. Now you go do it...

Ingredients

• Some old bread (I had half a loaf of Italian), cubed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Toss oil with cubed bread in a medium bowl until cubes are evenly coated. Spread coated bread cubes on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with garlic powder and cheese. It's okay to be messy with the cheese. I like the way the Parmesan that spills over the croutons turns into little Parmesan crisps. Bake for 15 minutes and check to see if they are dry, crispy, and golden brown. Stir the croutons around and bake for a few more minutes until done. Store croutons in air-tight container or ziplock bag. Enjoy!

Pistachio Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I read a bunch of recipes on how to do this and I got a bunch of different results - some said to add oyster sauce and some said to roll the meat in pistachios after it was already cooked. Well, I think I found the recipe that was the easiest and well, I like easy. Also, tenderloin is lean and juicy. Super healthy option. Plus, nuts are good for you. And the nuts - when baked they get all toasty flavored and even more delicious.

First of all - buy shelled pistachios. I didn't because it was like $8 cheaper - but I regretted it! I think I even told my husband, "Hope you're not hungry right this minute!" You know - to prepare him that dinner was taking a hot minute.

Ingredients: super simple!

Pork Tenderloin

2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup pistachios, finely chopped

About an hour before cooking, remove tenderloin from the fridge and let come to room temperature.  Cover in mustard and roll in pistachios. (I put my nuts in my tiny blender for 30 seconds- came out perfect!!!)
Place meat in a baking dish in 450 degree oven and cook for five minutes then reduce to 280 degrees and cook until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees.  Remove from oven.  Slice and serve.

White Sauce

 

All the Mexican restaurants at home serve this white sauce with chips and salsa. I miss it and crave it when I'm home - that is, until now. Got the recipe - AND WHAT?!?! Maybe I have no reason to go home anymore? I kid, I kid...

Ingredients

• 2 cups creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

Directions

1. Measure salad dressing into a medium bowl. Gradually stir in the milk. Season with red pepper flakes, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and oregano, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. If you taste it right away, all you will taste is salad dressing.

456 Fish

 Came here for a birthday dinner with friends and basically had crab two ways. First, the 456 Potato Chip Encrusted Jumbo Lump Crab Cake: White Truffle Potato Salad, Cucumber Salad and "Inner Beauty" Remoulade. 

Second, the Crab Cocktail Norfolk: Chilled Colossal Crab, Bloody Mary Cocktail Sauce, Lemon Oil and Celery. Just look at those hunks of crab! Amazing!

Bonnie's Brunch

My mother-in-law had me over for lunch and she wanted to show off her fancy cooking skills to me (as she says, "To prove to you that I can cook!") She made two kinds of quiche - one with spinach and cream cheese and one with ham and cheese. They were both delicious. It got me wondering why I never make quiche at home!? Then she made a wonderful spinach and pear salad with a chocolate vinaigrette dressing. Her recipe was from Taste of Home magazine, but here is another one I found online that is very similar:

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 ounce dark chocolate (melted)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Ground pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on low until mixed, less than a minute. (Makes 1 cup salad dressing: serves large salad for 10)
Oh, shout out to Katie for rockin' the asparagus! :)

El Azteca

One of the perks of visiting my home town (aside from the obvious like seeing my family) is being able to have white sauce again. I freaking love it and you can't find it in NYC.

I also love the low quality Mexican food chains - they're everywhere and they have my favorite taco salad. The taco salads in NYC just can't quite get it right. You need refried beans, lettuce, chicken, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and a tomato to get it perfect and El Azteca makes it perfect.

Just Baked Cakes by Trish

Last year my brother got me a cake for my birthday that was super cute. I found out who made the cake and since then I've become her number one fan. I've ordered two cakes from her since December! She makes them from her home and she puts great attention to detail. This cake here was for my BFF's 30th birthday. She is in love with pink and Hello Kitty so I figured, what the hell?! I loved how she still managed to make this look sophisticated and not like a kid's cake. BTW - if you're in the Hampton Roads area and need an awesome cake, click here for her FB page.

Tomato, Watermelon and Basil salad with Feta

This is such a simple salad to make and it's super good for you too. My dad isn't exactly adventurous when it comes to food and even he loved it!

Ingredients
2 c watermelon (cubed)
1 c cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/2 c feta cheese crumbled
2 tbsp EVOO
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinaigrette

Just combine and devour!

Scalloped Potatoes

This photo isn't that appetizing because it's basically what was left in the dish after we all devoured it. Oh well.

1/3 cup chopped onion
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 cups milk
6 cups thinly sliced potatoes

Directions
In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
Place half of potatoes in a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Pour half of sauce over potatoes. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes or until potatoes are tender and top is lightly browned. Let cool for 15 minutes. They come out soupy and need to stand to thicken.

Beer and Cheddar Soup

When Jonathon Erdeljac opened his new restaurant, Jonathon's Oak Cliff, in Dallas, he knew he wanted to serve this rich soup. It's a favorite of his, especially with jalapeños and smoky bacon stirred in- so, I decided to make it myself and it was a big hit!

INGREDIENTS
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Garlic-rubbed toasts, for serving
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 12-ounce bottle lager or pilsner
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound piece of slab bacon, sliced 1/3 inch thick and cut into 1/3-inch dice
About 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound sharp yellow cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Add the celery, onion, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 8 minutes. Add half of the beer and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk this roux into the soup until incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheeses and the remaining beer and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Add a few tablespoons of broth if the soup is too thick. Serve the soup with garlic toasts.

MAKE AHEAD The cheddar soup can be refrigerated overnight. Rewarm gently and thin with additional broth.

Superbowl Delights

We watched the Superbowl this year at my friend Kurt's house. What am I saying? We watch it there every year. Anyhoo, I ate a lot. The Giants won. Overall, a good night. These cookies above are oatmeal, cranberry and chocolate chip - really good. (Thanks Heidi)

 These delights are Earl Grey Shortbread cookies. Heidi actually put about 6 bags of Earl Grey tea into the cookie mix. I had no idea you could bake that way with tea. They came out really good and super buttery!

Ok, these things that look like donuts are called "Toad in the Hole". This dish is a traditional English dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter. The bowl in the background is an onion gravy that gets served on top. The little pieces of bread that are also on the same plate are another English delight called Ploughman's lunch. It's a sandwhich with cheddar and something called Branson's pickle. It's very popular pub food. My wontons aren't showcased here, but they were there - along with hummus and chips. I was still full the next day! Ah, Superbowl...

Shrimp and Pork Dumplings with Bamboo Shoots

  

This recipe is courtesy of Martin Yan from Food and Wine magazine. I thought they'd be good to have with friends while we watched the Superbowl. If you plan to make a bunch, start early! These suckers are time consuming!

Ingredients

1. 2 teaspoons canola oil
2. 1 teaspoon salt
3. Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
4. Cornstarch, for dusting
5. Soy sauce and Chinese chile sauce, for serving
6. 1/4 cup finely diced bamboo shoots
7. One 12-ounce package wonton wrappers
8. 10 ounces shelled, deveined medium shrimp, cut into 1/3-inch dice
9. 2 ounces ground pork ( 1/4 cup)
10. 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1. In a medium bowl, mix the diced shrimp with the pork, bamboo shoots, canola oil, sesame oil, salt and white pepper.
2. Work with a few wonton wrappers at a time: Brush the edges of each wrapper with water. Spoon a scant tablespoon of the filling into the center of each wrapper and fold the dough over to form triangles. Press the edges to seal. Place the dumplings on a cornstarch-dusted baking sheet. Keep the finished dumplings covered with a lightly dampened towel while you work.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dumplings and boil until tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain the dumplings well and serve with soy sauce and chile sauce. 

Make Ahead
The uncooked dumplings can be frozen on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer, then transferred to an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month.

Cat Cora's North African Fish Stew

 

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2. 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
3. 2 tablespoons golden raisins
4. 1/4 cup salted roasted cashews
5. 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
6. 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
7. 4 medium tomatoes—peeled, seeded and sliced crosswise 1 inch thick
8. 1 tablespoon ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
9. 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
10. 1 1/2 pounds catfish or tilapia fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
11. Salt and freshly ground pepper
12. 2 cups couscous
13. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
14. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
16. 2 scallions, thinly sliced

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add half of the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until browned, 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Add the raisins and cashews to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to the plate.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet along with the remaining onion and both peppers. Cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, ras el hanout (go to Whole Foods for this one) and stock, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Season the fish with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Cook over moderately high heat until the fish is cooked, 5 minutes.
3. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Put the couscous in a heatproof bowl and toss with the cinnamon and cumin. Pour the boiling water over the couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the couscous into bowls and top with the fish stew. Garnish with the onion, raisins, cashews and scallions.

If the Food Network can post a recipe for Birds in a Nest, then I can post this...

Seriously. The Food Network has a recipe online for toast with an egg cooked in it.  I know this isn't much to look at but it's waaaay better than an egg in toast. This is chicken pizza. I cut up my chicken and cooked it in EVOO with garlic. Put it on a thin crust Boboli with a ridiculous amount of mozzarella and shaved pecorino cheese. I also drizzled honey on it. You weren't expecting the honey were you? Man, it is goooood...

Glass Noodle Soup

Ordered in from a vegetarian Thai place called Pukk the other night. Stage left is my yummy glass noodle soup (I scooped out the fungus - err, mushrooms), but it's good tofu, glass noodles and cabbage and the broth is super good. Stage right is my dipping sauce for my curry pancakes (spicy crispy pieces of heaven!)

Chicken Alambre

 

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2. 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3. 12 ounces fresh chorizo, casings removed and meat crumbled
4. 6 ounces 1/3-inch-diced slab bacon
5. 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
6. 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
7. 8 ounces Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella cheese, torn

1. Heat the oil on a large griddle. Add the bacon and chorizo and cook over high heat, stirring, until browned in spots, 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through. Add the peppers and onion and cook until softened. Scatter the cheese on top and stir until it just starts to melt, then serve.

Serve With Flour tortillas, avocado, cilantro, salsa and lime wedges.