Happy New Year!

 

The holidays continue with social get-togethers.  We are invited to attend or we decide to host.  Many get-togethers require an appetizer or bring your own bottle (BYOB).  This is my rule of three.  Appetizers and cocktails do not need to be complicated.  Open your pantry or refrigerator and choose three ingredients.

 

It only takes some ingenuity and three ingredients to create and appetizer.  Appetizers consist of three parts, a vehicle, a filling and a garnish.  The vehicle is what the appetizers sit on and can be picked up to bring the appetizer to your mouth.  This can be as simple as a cracker or a leaf of Belgian endive.  The filling can be as simple as a piece of cheese or more complicated in a dip or spread.  The filling is placed on the vehicle. The garnish tops the appetizer.  It needs to b edible and add flavor to the overall appetizer.  It should add eye appeal.  An example could be 1) a sesame crack, topped with fresh mozzarella and topped with a touch of bacon jam or 2) a slice of cucumber topped with goat cheese and topped with toasted pine nuts 3) a triangle of toast topped with cream cheese and topped caviar.

 

Creating a holiday drink or cocktail can be as easy.  Choose a glass to serve the cocktail.  There are three parts of the cocktail, the prominent liquid, the flavoring element, and the garnish.  The prominent liquid is usually non-alcohol like a soft drink or fruit juice.  However in some cocktails it can be alcoholic, like wine, vodka or rum. The flavoring element is often the alcoholic part, Crème de Cocoa and peppermint schnapps create and chocolate peppermint flavor. Triple sec adds a citrus flavor.  Syrup can also be used to add flavor.  The garnish should add more flavor and to the eye appeal. Some examples could be 1) Cuba Libre is coke, rum and garnish with a wedge of lime or 2) Red Carpet is cranberry juice, vodka and a twist of lemon or 3) A Christmas Cookie is vodka, Crème de Cocoa and peppermint schnapps, garnish the rim of the glass with chocolate syrup and cookie crumbs.

 

New Year’s  Day Dinner

 

            My family roots are from the southern states, so we have a traditional southern feast.  This year we had a small dinner so I reduced the number of dishes.  This our menu

 

            Ham

            Collard greens

            Yellow hominy

            Black eyed peas

 Mashed sweet potatoes

            Homemade rolls

            Sweet potato Pie

           

            Normally I would add salad, another green vegetable like broccoli or asparagus, homemade pickles like watermelon rind and pumpkin pickles, candied apples or other fruit dish and shoofly pie, chess pie or other southern pie.  Sometimes I make cornbread or biscuits instead of dinner rolls.

 

 

This Week’s Challenge – Find a new cocktail 

 

            Social get-togethers continue the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.  Find a new cocktail (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) to serve at a get-together of to take to one.  Mixology is a growing and there are all kinds of new drinks and ideas out there.  Research online and find something new to mix up.

 

Tip for this Week -  Making soup

 

            Soup can be made from what you have on hand.  I keep chicken, beef and vegetable stock in the pantry.  But you can always start soup with water.  I love soup and usually have soup in the fridge for light dinners thorough out the year.  Many times I make soup on Wednesday evening.  I clean out the crisper in the fridge on Wednesday the day before trash day.  Vegetable that are getting old or need to be used, go into soup.  I through in some leftovers and add a starch, like leftover rice or soup pasta.  Check out my recipe for Three Ingredient Soup posted on February 11, 2016.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Easy Chipotle Chili

 

1 lb.     Ground meat, I like to use ground turkey

1 T       Oil

¼ C     Onion, chopped

One    Garlic clove, crushed

1 T       Chili power

2 t        Cumin, ground

1 can  Tomatoes, diced or crushed

1 can  Ortega green chilies, diced

¼ C     Corn, this can be leftover

1 can  Beans, chili, pinto, kidney or black

            Grated cheddar cheese

2          Chipotle Chiles, left whole (optional)*

 

1.    In a larger skillet add the oil and heat while the onion is chopped.

 

I added some orange bell pepper and
some fresh chilies this time.

 

 

2.    Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften.

3.    Add the ground meat and cook until browned.

 

Add the ground meat.  I used turkey
this time.

 

 

4.    Add the crushed or minced garlic clove, the spices, tomatoes and green chilies.  Cook about 20 minutes.

 

Cook until the meat ins browned and cooked.

Add the tomatoes, seasonings and Chipotle
with sauce.  Cook to blend the flavors.

 

5.    If you choose to add the chipotle, add the whole chipotle chilies at this point.  Leave them whole and remove before serving.

6.    Add a little water if need for the consistency that you like.

7.    Add the corn and beans.  Heat thoroughly.

 

Add the beans and corn.  I used pinto beans
 this time, but usually use black bean
with turkey meat.  Cook until heated.

 

8.    Serve with grated cheese and cornbread.



 

Soup of the Week

 

Chicken Eggplant Soup

 

 

 

2 or 3  Chicken breasts, cubed

            Water to cover

1 lg.     Leek, cleaned and thinly sliced

8oz.     Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 t        Oil, vegetable, canola or olive

1 sm.   Eggplant, diced

32 oz. Broth, chicken or vegetable

            Water if needed

1 can  Tomatoes, diced

1 can  Beans of choice

1 t        Thyme, dried leaves

1 t        Rosemary, dried leaves

1 t        Garlic powder

            Salt and pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

 

 

1.    Dice and cook the chicken in the first water

I wasn't paying attention and let this
boil to hard.  I had to skim off the foam.

 

 

 

2.    In a large skillet, heat the oil.

3.    Add the sliced leeks and sauté until soft.

 

Cook the leeks while you slice the
mushrooms.

 

 

4.    Add the mushroom and a splash of water.

These are baby portabella mushrooms,
but any kind will work.

 

 

5.    Continue cooking until both the leeks and mushrooms are soft and the liquid is almost gone.

Cook while you dice the eggplant.

 

 

6.    Add the cooked leeks mushrooms to the chicken.

Add to the chicken.

 

 

 

7.    Add the diced eggplant and broth.

 

Slice the eggplant in thick slices, then dice.

 

 

8.    Add enough broth to cover and bring to a boil.

The vegetable need to be cover by the broth

 

Add the seasoning and cook until the
eggplant is done.

 

 

9.    Add the thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. 

10. Turn the soup to low and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

11. Add the tomatoes and beans and cook until heated.

 

Any beans will do.  I used
cannellini beans.

 

 

An original recipe.

 

Here is an apology that the printable recipe function is not working.  I am working on fixing it so in the meantime I went back to my original method.

 

Happy Cooking!