Tag: carrots

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Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I was recently invited to participate in another great blogger recipe challenge– this time for Lucky Foods, a family-owned business and premiere Asian food brand. For the contest, I decided to make some Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps made with two of their popular sauces – Gochujang chili paste and Kimchi Mayo.

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These delicious spicy chicken lettuce wraps are full of flavor, light on carbs and the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, crunchy and creamy all in one bite! The gochujang chili paste gives it a nice kick of heat and the kimchi mayo rounds out the flavor with some creamy tangy goodness to top it all off.

Lucky Foods Gochujang

Gochujang is a Korean chili pepper paste made from fermented red chili peppers and it has a nice spicy bite with a subtle sweetness and umami flavor from the fermented soybeans.. It’s great on noodles, in fried rice, as a marinade, or drizzling on soups, stews and salad bowls.

Lucky Foods Kimchi Mayo

Their Kimchi mayo is also a delicious condiment made with spicy fermented kimchi (cabbage) and vegan mayonnaise.

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

First I sautéed some fresh garlic, sliced scallions and ginger over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Then I increased the heat to medium high and added the diced chicken and zucchini and sprinkled with sesame seeds and some salt and pepper, sautéing for about 4 minutes until browned.

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

To make the spicy sauce, I whisked together the Gochujang chili paste, hot honey, soy sauce and rice vinegar, then added it into the pan with the chicken and zucchini. Then I tossed in the cooked cauliflower rice, honey roasted peanuts and sliced carrots and let the mixture cook for another 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickened and liquid was reduced.

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

To serve, I spooned the spicy chicken mixture inside the lettuce leaves, then garnished the wraps with more grated carrots, cilantro, sesame seeds,  and a drizzle of spicy Kimchi Mayo with extra on the side.

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

You guys – this is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted! The balance of spicy / sweet / umami flavors along with the crunchy and creamy textures is absolutely DIVINE.  And these sauces will go great with any protein you choose – try it with tofu or shrimp or beef. And it’s low carb, paleo and keto-friendly too!

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Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 8.

Serving Size: 2-3 lettuce wraps

These delicious spicy chicken lettuce wraps are full of flavor, light on the carbs and the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, crunchy and creamy all in one bite! The gochujang chili paste gives it a nice kick of heat and the kimchi mayo rounds out the flavor with some creamy tangy goodness to top it all off.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moon wedges
  • 1 pound chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, plus additional for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 teaspoons Lucky Foods Gochujang chili paste
  • 2 tablespoons hot honey
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 package frozen cauliflower rice, cooked
  • 1 cup honey roasted or spicy peanuts
  • 6 baby carrots, sliced
  • Butter lettuce leaves, for serving
  • Grated carrots, for garnish
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • Lucky Foods Kimchi Mayo, for drizzling/dipping

Instructions

  1. Heat vegetable and sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh garlic, sliced scallions and ginger and cook over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes.
  2. Increase the heat to medium high and add the chicken thighs and zucchini, sprinkle with sesame seeds and some salt and pepper, to taste, sautéing for about 5-6 minutes until chicken is browned and cooked through. 
  3. Whisk together the Gochujang chili paste, hot honey, soy sauce and rice vinegar to make a spicy sauce, then add it into the pan with the chicken and zucchini. Stir to coat with the sauce.
  4. Add in the cooked cauliflower rice, peanuts and sliced carrots and stir; let mixture cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickened and liquid mostly evaporated. 
  5. To serve, scoop the spicy chicken mixture inside the lettuce leaves, then garnish the wraps with more grated carrots, cilantro, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of spicy Kimchi Mayo with extra on the side for dipping.

Notes

Feel free to substitute tofu, shrimp or beef for the chicken or use chicken breasts instead of thighs.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/08/spicy-korean-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

Spicy Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

To get more info on Lucky Foods products, check out their website. Their product line ranges from traditional and gluten-free spring rolls to Asian fusion sauces and BBQ sauces, kimchi and Korean pancakes. All of their products are free from MSG, GMOs, and added colors and preservatives. Their products only feature wholesome produce and fresh, aromatic spices, which is something I absolutely love!

They have more great recipe ideas on their Instagram & Facebook pages, and you can buy their products online or find them locally at Whole Foods, Giant, Acme and Food Lion.

#luckyfoodsrecipechallenge #eatluckyfoods

Note: I received complimentary products to use and try out for this Blogger recipe challenge. All opinions, writing, recipes and photos are my own.

 

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Sausage, Kale and Veggie Soup {Low Carb / Keto}

Sausage-Kale-Veggie-Soup

Whenever it’s cold outside, I crave a big pot of #soup or stew to warm my bones and forget that its Winter outside…I’m used to the NY Winters I grew up with, but down here in Florida it’s a little crazy for it to be so chilly right now!

Sausage-Kale-Veggie-Soup-3

So I made a big pot of this #delicious Sausage, Kale and Veggie Soup, which seemed perfect for a major binge-watching session of Bridgerton on Netflix. (Have you seen it yet!? #OMG I am in #love with that show! No time for a full review here but I’ll talk more about that later in my Winter #2021 Things I Love post coming up next week..A must see if you like historical dramas!)

Sausage-Kale-Veggie-Soup-2

Not only is this soup super comforting, but it’s #healthy, #lowcarb and #keto-friendly and quite filling too! I made it with some spicy ground Italian sausage (you can also use sweet sausage instead if you like less heat), a few big handfuls of fresh baby kale, and sautéed lots of fresh veggies too – carrots, celery, garlic, onions, parsley and zucchini. Then I simmered it all together with some beef broth, Everglades seasoning, Italian seasoning, olive oil + red pepper flakes into a big pot of goodness.

Sausage-Kale-Veggie-Soup-4

I topped it off with more fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and went. to. TOWN. And of course served it with a glass of crisp white wine to go with.

Feel free to substitute #vegan sausage, white cannellini beans, sliced baby Bella mushrooms, a few halved baby potatoes or cauliflower florets / cauliflower rice instead of the Italian sausage if you want to make the soup #vegan or #vegetarian…but you might want to add more seasonings and a little more olive oil if not using sausage to amp up the flavors. You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of sausage if you prefer… (not vegetarian but a little healthier and less fat). And it’s just as delicious with chicken broth or veggie broth too.

Anyway you make it, I hope you enjoy and stay warm! What better way to spend a weekend afternoon than a good show and some comfy soup? 🙂

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Sausage + Kale Veggie Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: Serves 8

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

This is a super delicious and comforting soup for the Winter made with Italian Sausage, Baby Kale, and lots of veggies like carrots, celery, garlic, onions, and zucchini all simmered together into a big pot of goodness. Topped with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese - all you need is some crusty Italian bread and a glass of crisp white wine to make it a healthy meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
  • 2 carrots, chopped or sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • 5 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable)
  • 1 zucchini, halved and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Everglades seasoning (or seasoned salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2-3 cups fresh baby kale, shredded
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

Instructions

  1. Sauté 1 pound ground Italian sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven for about 5 minutes until sausage was no longer pink; remove from pot with a slotted spoon into a mixing bowl.
  2. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic into the same pot with additional tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), and cook for another 5 minutes until veggies are soft.
  3. Add the cooked sausage back in to the pot and add the broth, sliced zucchini, Everglades seasoning (or seasoned salt), garlic powder, red pepper flakes (if using), tomato paste, Italian seasoning; bring soup to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer the soup over medium-low heat for 10-15 mins. Add two large handfuls of fresh baby kale (about 2-3 large cups), and chopped fresh parsley; simmer another 5-10 mins until the kale is wilted.
  5. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese at the end and serve hot with a little more cheese on top. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve with a glass of wine and crusty Italian bread, if desired.

Notes

You can sub vegan sausage, white cannellini beans, sliced baby Bella mushrooms, a few halved baby potatoes or cauliflower florets/rice instead of sausage to make it vegetarian...you might want to add more seasonings to taste, and add a little more olive oil if not using sausage for amped up flavors.

You can also use ground turkey or chicken instead of sausage if you prefer. (not vegetarian but a little healthier and less fat).

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2021/01/sausage-kale-and-veggie-soup-low-carb-keto/

More soup recipes you may enjoy: 

Classic Minestrone Soup

French Lentil Vegetable Soup

Veggie and Bean Soup

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Classic Comfort Food :: Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon

So Old Man Winter is finally back in town, despite the crazy warm weather we’ve been having lately in New York City. Temperatures drop and there’s nothing better than a big pot of comfort food and a bottle of red to make a girl happy, right? Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make everything OK…(*sigh). So I did just that this weekend, and made a huge batch of some classic Beef Bourguignon..you know, the classic French braised beef stew with veggies and red wine that Julia Child made famous.

Beef Bourguignon

I made it in a large 6-quart ceramic Dutch oven (KitchenAid brand is my fav!), and it’s chock full of savory deliciousness – sautéed pancetta, braised beef, shallots, garlic and carrots sautéed into a roux with some flour, flambeed brandy (my secret ingredient!), a whole bottle of red (yes, really!) and some beef stock, along with a bouquet garni of fresh herbs (1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, 3 sprigs of rosemary wrapped in cheesecloth) slow cooked in the oven for 2 hours.

Beef Bourguignon

The finishing touch of mushrooms and caramelized Cippolini onions sautéed in butter are added in at the end to add tons of buttery, savory flavor to the stew. YUM.

Beef Bourguignon

I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything so delicious in my life – and I’m quite sure if Julia was still alive, I would make her damn proud, if I do say so myself.

Beef Bourguignon

It’s a flavor bomb in a bowl, my friends, and perfect for a lovely  holiday dinner party for a crowd. Serve in big bowls garnished with fresh Italian parsley over mashed potatoes, polenta or egg noodles, of course accompanied with a bottle of red (Pinot Noir or Burgundy) and some crusty French bread to mop up the sauce. All around a big table of friends and family to partake in all the goodness.

Happy Holidays! 

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Beef Bourguignon

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

This is a delicious heartwarming French Beef Stew made with beef chuck, red wine, brandy, fresh herbs, shallots, garlic, cippolini onions, carrots and pancetta. Perfect one-pot dish for Winter or the holidays!

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds beef chuck, cut into medium-large cubes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 pound pancetta, diced
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 5 large shallots, finely diced
  • 3 large carrots, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup brandy
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 bottle dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Burgundy)
  • 4 cups beef or veal stock
  • 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme, 3 sprigs Italian parsley)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
  • 5-7 small to medium Cippolini onions, quartered
  • 1 pound mushrooms, sliced (White button or Cremini)
  • Flat leaf Italian Parsley, minced, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place beef in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and season with a couple teaspoons of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Heat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat for several minutes to get it hot.
  4. Add pancetta and cook until crispy and browned, drain on paper towels and set aside.
  5. Increase the heat to high and add the beef in to the pot in a single layer and brown on all sides, turning with tongs (be careful not to crowd or overfill the pot as you will need to cook beef in batches to get a nice browning).
  6. Place the browned beef back on to the baking sheet and set aside.
  7. Add the oil and diced shallots and carrots to the Dutch oven and cook for a few minutes. Lower the heat to medium-high and continue to saute until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
  8. Add the brandy and flambe (light it in the pan with a long lighter or match) and let the flames keep going for as long as possible, until they go out to burn off alcohol.
  9. Reduce heat to medium, add flour and stir together with the vegetables for a few minutes to make a roux base for the stew.
  10. Next deglaze the pan by pouring in the red wine, a little bit at a time, stirring well to incorporate and remove any lumps, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan (these babies are full of flavor!)
  11. Add 3 3/4 cups of the stock, browned meat and bouquet garni and bring to a boil over high heat.
  12. Remove pot from the heat, cover and cook the stew in the oven for 2 hours, until meat is fork tender. (The meat should shred/fall apart easily when you pierce it with a fork - if not, place it back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes).
  13. While stew is cooking, caramelize the onions in a medium saute pan with 1 tablespoon of butter and salt and pepper, until the onions are lightly browned.
  14. Add the remaining 1/4 cup stock and cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and glazed and liquid is evaporated.
  15. Transfer onions to a bowl and set aside.
  16. In the same pan, turn the heat up to high. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, the mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, sear over high heat until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and mix into the caramelized onions, set aside.
  17. Remove the stew from the oven and gently stir in cooked pancetta, mushrooms and onions. Adjust seasonings (salt and pepper to taste).
  18. Serve the stew in bowls with a sprinkling of fresh parsley over mashed potatoes, polenta or egg noodles, with a glass of red and crusty bread to mop up the sauce of course!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Mother's Best Comfort Food Cookbook.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2015/12/classic-comfort-food-beef-bourguignon/

Beef Bourguignon

Other Beef Bourguignon recipes you may enjoy:

Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon

Slow-Cooked Beef Bourguignon The Kitchn

Martha Stewart Beef Bourguignon

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Wine-Braised Chicken w/ Bacon, Veggies & Herbs

Wine-Braised Chicken with Bacon, Veggies & Herbs

As the weather cools down in the late fall season, there’s nothing I love more than cooking a big one-pot comforting dish on a Sunday afternoon. One-pot dishes are so easy to make, and the enticing smells from the oven are enough to wipe out any winter blues that might be coming on. Welcome my Wine-Braised Chicken with Bacon, Veggies and Herbs. 

KitchenAid 6 Qt Ceramic Dutch Oven

I love making hearty braised dishes with meat and vegetables because they’re easy and so good, especially in my KitchenAid® 6.0Qt Cast Iron Cookware. It’s big enough to make a meal for a crowd, and it’s enameled with cast iron inside which makes it the perfect vessel to cook slow braised dishes, roasts, stews, soups, chilis and any one-pot meals. It even has a grill pan inside the lid! How cool is that?

Wine-Braised Chicken with Bacon, Veggies and Herbs

My Wine-Braised Chicken has tons of goodness inside: chicken thighs, shallots, bacon, cipollini onions, garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme, bacon and carrots. It’s slow-cooked into a big pot of deliciousness with white wine, chicken broth, and then a reduced  au jus cream sauce served over the top.

Wine-Braised Chicken with Bacon, Veggies and Herbs

This is such a delicious and easy recipe to make and it’s pure comfort food perfect for a chilly Winter day. The best part is you only have to cook and clean in one pot, which is awesome. (More time to snuggle under the blankets and watch movies by the fireplace!)

I’d love to hear what you would make in your KitchenAid® Cast Iron Cookware by experimenting with my recipe. Would you use a different meat, like beef or pork? What vegetables would you substitute or add? Would you try a different sauce for the recipe?

Share your take on this Wine-Braised Chicken recipe on the KitchenAid Instagram page using #MadeWithKitchenAid for a chance to be featured!

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RECIPE AND STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON THE KITCHENAID BLOG!

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Superfoods Recipes for a Healthy New Year

Once the holidays are over, it’s time for a break from all the super rich food and cocktails and detox with some healthy recipes made with some of my favorite superfoods for a fresh start to a healthy New Year!

What’s all the fuss over superfoods about? They help step up your immunity, boost energy, slow down aging, lift your spirits, improve circulation, detox, improve sleep, and they have healing benefits too. And they just make you feel better and healthier all around. Colorful fruits and vegetables possess tons of vitamins and minerals – start ‘eating the rainbow’, and you’re off to a healthy start, and you can complement it with supplements as thai kratom.

Veggie Bean Soup

The best way to get your fix of Superfoods is to make a big pot of veggie soup in the middle of winter, not only for it’s warming properties, but also because soup gives a big dose of healthy vegetables that boost the immune system, as well as detox and cleanse the body with its healthy ingredients, antibacterial properties, vitamins and minerals, also people use different kind of supplements to burn fat and be healthy just visit site and find out the best ones.

Simmer Soup KitchenAid Stockpot

I’ve created a super healthy soup recipe that I made with my KitchenAid 11-cup Food Processor, that is so convenient to chop, grate and shred all those lovely veggies. Then I just threw them all in my KitchenAid 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot (part of the Stainless Steel 8-piece set that I just got!) to make a delicious and heartwarming Vegetable and Bean Soup. The Stockpot is great because it heats up fast on the stovetop to sauté all the veggies and seasonings and it has etched measurement markings inside the pot that make it easy to measure all the liquids for the soup.

Soup_Ingredients

My soup is full of onions, garlic and chicken stock, which all help build the immunity system and keep the colds away. It also has tons of fresh veggies including zucchini, kale, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and northern white beans topped with grated Parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil and some crusty whole wheat bread for dipping.

Kiwi Apple Berry Blast Smoothie

The New Year is also a great time to cleanse and detox by eating lots of healthy Superfood fruits! I love all berries that are full of antioxidants, with plenty of vitamins for a super boost in the morning.

Smoothie_Ingredients

I’ve created a delicious Kiwi Apple Berry Blast Smoothie recipe made with kiwi, apples, vanilla greek yogurt, almond milk, blueberries, acai berry puree, honey, lemon zest, flax seed and raw almonds.

Fruit and Almonds KitchenAid Diamond Blender

I simply threw all the ingredients into my powerhouse KitchenAid 5-Speed Diamond Blender with 5 different settings that does all the stirring, mixing, blending, pureeing and heavy lifting for me.And the smoothie is a healthy breakfast or snack, giving a big boost of protein and energy from the yogurt, almond milk, flax seeds and almonds; antioxidants from the berries and honey; and betacarotene, vitamin E and C from the kiwi fruit and lemon zest.

Click here to read the full post on the Kitchenthusiast blog by KitchenAid for more photos and recipes!

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Chicken Meatball Soup with Kale, Chickpeas & Orzo

ChickenMeatballSoup1

There’s nothing better than a big pot of soup in the Winter – and this has been the longest one..ever. I’ve always loved my Gram’s Minestrone soup – chock full of veggies, ground beef and pasta and thought I would make a spin on it by making it a combination of her Minestrone and Italian Wedding Soup just for fun. I made a batch of chicken meatballs with lots of parmesan cheese, garlic, onion and fresh parsley..browned them up a bit before adding some kale, carrots, chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and orzo and let it all simmer up into a big batch of healthy, heartwarming goodness. I topped it off with some extra grated parmesan, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper and mopped it up with some fresh baked Italian Rosemary bread from Todaro Bros. down the street.

Who says you can’t have some fun during a blizzard? I’m happy as a clam right now. Or as a meatball, bathing in that gorgeous broth with veggies.

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Chicken Meatball Soup with Kale, Chickpeas & Orzo

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 8

Ingredients

  • Chicken Meatballs:
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (plain, dried)
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced dried onion
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Tony Chacere's Creole Seasoning (or sub seasoned salt or poultry seasoning)
  • pinch of cayenne
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • dash of red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Deliciously Dill Blend (The Spice Hunter)
  • Sea salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Soup:
  • 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 20 baby carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water (use 3 or 4 if you like a thinner soup)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can chopped Italian tomatoes
  • 1 bunch kale, torn (ribs and stems removed)
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 cup orzo or other small pasta (ditalini, pastina, risi or stars)

Instructions

  1. Make the meatballs:
  2. Preheat a dutch oven over medium heat and spray with some cooking oil.
  3. Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir. Mix together well with your hands and roll into small meatballs (about 1 1/2 inch size), place on a baking sheet or plate.
  4. Brown meatballs in batches for about 6-8 minutes until lightly golden brown (but not cooked all the way through).
  5. Remove meatballs, cover and set aside while prepping soup ingredients.
  6. Make the soup:
  7. Add additional 2 tablespoons of oil to the Dutch oven and saute onions, garlic and carrots for about 6 minutes until soft and translucent.
  8. Stir in broth, water, and tomatoes; cook over medium-high for about 5-7 minutes until liquid comes to a boil.
  9. Add kale, chickpeas, orzo to the pot, let soup come to a steady rolling boil for about 5 mins or so.
  10. Add browned meatballs, cover and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until orzo and meatballs are cooked through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Serve in large soup bowls topped with additional grated parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley for garnish and a side of crusty Italian bread or Rosemary Foccacia bread for mopping up the soup.
  12. Don't forget the wine, fireplace, and your Valentine to make it a complete meal.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2014/02/chicken-meatball-soup-kale-chickpeas-orzo/

ChickenMeatballSoup2

ChickenMeatballSoup4

Recipe adapted from my Grandma’s Classic Minestrone Soup and Italian Wedding Soup by Whole Foods.

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A Big Bowl of Comfort :: Irish Stout Beef Stew

BeefStew-hero

IrishBeefStew1

Winter is always a little bit depressing without any sunshine and constant grey skies and snow storms every other day in New York City. But there’s something cozy about it too, when I’m pent up in my apartment with not much to do other than cook, watch a good movie and snuggle under a blanket with my heater on. For my birthday last November my Mom got me a gorgeous Wolfgang Puck cast iron ceramic enamel braising pan which I’ve been dying to make a big pot of delicious comforting something or other in. I’ve had a craving for a warm and homey stew and had some Williams-Sonoma Beef Stew Braising Sauce on hand, so it was the perfect excuse to get cooking and cure the winter chills outside.

I rounded up some beef chuck, carrots, potatoes, chopped tomatoes, onions and baby peas and threw it all in the big pot. I added a dark Irish stout beer (Guinness is the best!) and beef broth to give it a hearty savory flavor along with the stew starter which has a nice balance of spices in it like cumin, curry and paprika, dark beer, fire-roasted red peppers, chiles and tomatoes for a little extra kick. After a few hours in the oven it’s just a big pot of yum. Kinda like a big hug. Now that’s worth staying in for.

SauteBeef

Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes, dredge with seasoned pan-searing flour and brown in 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

SauteOnions

Add onions to the pan along with another 2 tablespoons of canola oil and saute for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and saute another minute.

BeerandBroth

Add Worchestershire sauce and beer and cook with onions for a few minutes, stirring and scraping pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the beef broth and cook for another few minutes.

BeefBeerBrothOnions

Return the seared beef to the pot, add the chopped tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and Beef Stew starter and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil.

StewReadyForOven

Cover and throw the pot into a preheated 350 degree oven and let the goods simmer for about an hour. Remove from oven, stir and reduce heat to 300 degrees. At this point, if the stew is not thick enough for your liking, add a slurry of starch or roux thickener mixed with some water (about 1/4 cup) into the stew and stir well throughout. You can also smash a few of the potatoes to thicken it up a little bit. Place pot back in the oven braise for another 30 minutes to an hour. Defrost the baby peas and add into the pot the last 5 minutes or so.

IrishBeefStew4

Let the stew cool on top of the stove uncovered for about 15-20 minutes to let it thicken. Serve with rye bread or Irish Brown Bread and a glass of Guinness or dark beer of your choice.

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A Big Bowl of Comfort :: Irish Stout Beef Stew

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup seasoned pan-searing flour (Wegmans or Wondra)
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 pounds boneless chuck beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 ½ large onions, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (3 or 4 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 bottle Irish stout beer (like Guinness)
  • 1 8.5 ounce jar Williams-Sonoma Beef Stew Braising Sauce
  • 1 14-ounce can low-sodium beef broth
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped fine in a food processor
  • 2 cups baby carrots or large carrot chunks
  • 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered into chunks
  • 1 package frozen baby peas
  • ¼ cup starch or roux thickener and water slurry (optional)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • Rye or Brown Bread for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron enamel braising pan or Dutch oven.
  2. Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes, dredge with seasoned pan-searing flour and brown in 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. Add sliced onions to the pan along with another 2 tablespoons of canola oil and saute for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and saute another minute.
  4. Add Worchestershire sauce and beer and cook with onions for a few minutes, stirring and scraping pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the beef broth and cook for another few minutes.
  5. Return the seared beef to the pot, add the chopped tomatoes, baby carrots, potatoes and Beef Stew Braising Sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil.
  6. Cover and place the pot into the oven and let the goods simmer for about an hour. Remove from oven, stir and reduce heat to 300 degrees. At this point, if the stew is not thick enough for your liking, add a slurry of cornstarch, flour or roux thickener mixed with some water (about 1/4 cup) into the stew and stir well throughout until desired thickness (keep in mind it will also thicken as the stew sits awhile and cools). You can also smash a few of the potatoes to thicken it up a little bit.
  7. Place pot back in the oven braise for another 30 minutes to an hour. Defrost the baby peas and add into the pot the last 5 minutes or so.
  8. Let the stew cool on top of the stove uncovered for about 15-20 minutes to let it thicken. Serve with rye bread or Irish Brown Bread and Irish grassfed butter (Kerrygold is my fav!!) a glass of Guinness or dark beer of your choice.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2014/01/irish-stout-beef-stew/

IrishBeefStew2

Cozy Up.

Other Beef Stew recipes you might enjoy:

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika – Pioneer Woman

Martha Stewart’s Beef Stew

Old-Time Beef Stew – Paula Deen

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A lighter and healthier classic comfort food: Vegetable Lasagna

Vegetarian Lasagna
Vegetarian Lasagna

Lasagna is one of my favorite comfort foods to indulge in during the Winter time, but as soon as Spring is approaching, I like to lighten up this classic recipe by substituting lots of fresh vegetables like mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and spinach in place of the ground beef or sausage that is used in the heavier, more fat-laden traditional Lasagna recipes. It still incorporates a traditional red marinara sauce and uses lightened up cheeses to give it great flavor, but somehow I feel a little less guilty taking a big bite of this yummy dish made with fresh sautéed vegetables to satisfy my comfort food fix. Goes great paired with a green salad tossed in a light Italian dressing with a glass of light red or white wine, such as a Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio.

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A lighter and healthier approach to the classic comfort dish Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Yield: 10-12

Lasagna is one of my favorite comfort foods to indulge in during the Winter time, but as soon as Spring is approaching, I like to lighten up this classic recipe by substituting lots of fresh vegetables like mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and spinach in place of the ground beef or sausage that is used in the heavier, more fat-laden traditional Lasagna recipes. It still incorporates a traditional red marinara sauce and uses lightened up cheeses to give it great flavor, but somehow I feel a little less guilty taking a big bite of this yummy dish made with fresh sautéed vegetables to satisfy my comfort food fix. Goes great paired with a green salad tossed in a light Italian dressing with a glass of light red or white wine, such as a Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio.

Ingredients

  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup mushrooms, chopped fine
  • 1 cup zucchini, chopped fine
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped fine
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped fine
  • 3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or prepared)
  • 1 cup Ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup low-fat Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup low-fat or 2% Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh basil leaves or parsley, torn for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Boil salted water in a large pot. Add lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions, drain, separate and set aside.
  3. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil on low heat in a large skillet. Cook onion and garlic for three or four minutes and place into a separate bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to skillet and cook mushrooms, zucchini, spinach and carrots about 5-10 minutes until tender and add to onion and garlic mixture. Add one cup of the marinara sauce to the vegetables and heat through.
  4. Spread one cup of the remaining marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 glass greased baking dish and layer with half of the noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with another layer of marinara sauce, noodles, vegetables and ricotta cheese, sprinkling with remaining cheeses, salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
  5. Let cool for 10-15 minutes, cut lasagna into squares and top with fresh basil or parsley. Serve with a green salad and glass of light red wine.

Notes

Recipe can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator before baking. Can also be kept in the freezer tightly wrapped and reheated in the microwave for leftovers. For a Vegan version of the recipe: omit ricotta cheese and use Vegan soy-based cheese in place of the Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/02/a-lighter-and-healthier-classic-comfort-food-vegetable-lasagna/

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Pot of Gold: Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup
Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

I love coming home for the holidays, not only to spend some quality time with family and friends but for some of Mom’s cooking! With all this crazy weather lately I haven’t been feeling so hot and of course, just in time for Thanksgiving. I flew home to stay with my parents earlier this week, and Mom had the perfect remedy – a big ol’ pot of her homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. I could smell the delicious golden aroma brewing on the stovetop the second I walked in the door and  knew I was home.

My Grandmother used to make this recipe with a secret ingredient called George Washington Golden Seasoning, a powdered chicken soup base with chicken fat and seasonings that gives an extra savory, golden chicken-y flavor to the soup broth, developed by a distant relative of George Washington. I’m not sure if this is even around anymore, but my Mom uses Lisa Marie chicken base (a brand from Syracuse, NY). If you can’t find this brand, use a few tablespoons of any quality chicken bouillon or chicken soup base to bump up the flavor of the chicken broth – you can find plenty of these at your grocery store or at Amazon online. Make sure to add plenty of fresh veggies (carrots, celery and onion) and let the soup simmer to it’s shimmering, golden delicious state for at least a few hours to let the flavors meld.

One tip: we always keep the egg noodles and cooked, pulled chicken separate from the broth to avoid the broth getting cloudy – this also ensures the noodles don’t get soggy and you are left with an absolute pure and delicious golden broth that will warm your bones and lift your spirits.

All I can say is three words: Pot. Of. Gold.

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A Pot of Gold: Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 6 quarts

Ingredients

  • 1 (5-6 pound) whole stewing chicken
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoons Chicken Soup Base seasoning (or quality chicken bouillon)
  • 4 carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
  • 4 stalks celery, halved length-wise, sliced thin
  • 2 small onion, diced
  • 1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • 1 package dried wide egg noodles

Instructions

  1. Wash and drain chicken, put in large soup kettle. Cover with water, heat to a boil.
  2. Remove scum before complete boiling starts and add seasonings.
  3. Let simmer until chicken is half cooked, about 1 hour.
  4. Add vegetables and cook until tender, another 2 hours.
  5. Remove chicken and take all white and dark meat off the bone, set aside in a separate bowl.
  6. Boil noodles separately according to package directions and drain.
  7. Ladle soup broth over chicken and noodles, garnish with fresh parsley and additional salt and pepper, to taste.
  8. Serve with crackers or fresh crusty bread.

Notes

This recipe makes a double batch which serves 8-10. Cut recipe in half for a smaller crowd.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/11/pot-of-gold-moms-chicken-noodle-soup/

Other Chicken Soup recipes you may enjoy:

Pioneer Woman’s Chunky Chicken Soup

How Sweet Eats Healthy Harvest Soup

Kalyn’s Kitchen Chicken Barley Soup

Tyler Florence’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Ina Garten’s Chicken Noodle Soup

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