Sunday, February 26, 2012

Tortilla Soup is Comfort Food

Tortilla soup is not on the About.com Top 25 American Comfort Foods, but it should be! Everyone in Texas has a slightly different recipe and ours is largely inspired by the Homesick Texan cookbook. There is more to this soup than what meets the eye in the photo.

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
4 carrots, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can corn
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp lime juice
Salt, to taste
1/2 chopped cilantro
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup Cotija cheese
1 avocado, sliced

Directions:
In a large stockpot bring chicken broth and water to boil.

Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees. Slice the tortillas into strips about 1/4 in thick. Add tortilla strips to the hot oil and cook until crisp, less than one minute. Drain tortillas on a paper towel and sprinkle if salt.

Slice the onion and chop the carrots and garlic and saute. Once cooked add to the soup which should be boiling. Add tomatoes, corn,  chiles in adobo, cumin, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, lime juice, and salt to taste. Chop cilantro, shred chicken and add both to soup. Reduce heat and allow to simmer.

Grate Monterey Jack cheese, crumble Cotija cheese, and slice avocado then top over soup with tortilla strips. Serve in a large bowl because you have a hearty soup here!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Post about a Cupcake Pin on Pinterest

I love social media almost as much as I love food! There are so many avenues for sharing, reviewing, and bonding with friends, family, and total strangers. This recipe was pinned by a friend on Pinterest and I had to try it. The original recipe was posted on allrecipes.com. After reading the comments from other bakers I decided to change the recipe slightly. If you'd like to read their reviews as well follow the link at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients:
1 (19.5 ounce) package brownie mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 (18.25 ounce) package cake mix (your choice!)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/3 cups water
3 egg whites
Frosting (your choice!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 48 muffin cups with paper liners.

Mix the cake mix, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 1/3 cup water, and 3 egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Whisk together the brownie mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Stir just until fully incorporated, about 50 strokes; set aside.

Spoon the cake mix into muffin cups, filling each cup 1/3 full. Spoon the brownie batter over the cake mix, until muffin cups are each 2/3 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brownie-Batter--Cupcake--The-SECOND-BEST-Cupcake-Ever/Detail.aspx

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Giddy for Gold Cake

This is the second antique cake I've made from the 1920's cookbook Cakes Cookies and Confections. They call it the Shapleigh Gold Cake. A challenge I've experienced baking from old cookbooks is when important instructions or details are missing. For example, in this recipe they don't tell you how long to bake the cake and they simply call for "fat". I used shortening for the fat, but you could also use butter or lard I believe.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fat
1 cup sugar (fine granulated)
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour (I used cake flour)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon rind
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:
Cream fat and sugar. Add lemon juice and rind. Add egg yolks beaten until very light. Sift dry ingredients together. Add alternately with milk. Bake in a moderate oven. (For the first five minutes, 380 F degrees, then reduce to 360 degrees). Makes two layers or 54 small cup cakes.

Notes: I baked at 360 for 10 minutes, but the cake was a little dry. Try 5 minutes at 380 F degrees and test with toothpick after 5 minutes at 360 F degrees. I frosted the cake with cream cheese icing from the Joy of Cooking cookbook and topped with more grated lemon rind.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Vampires Hate Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic mashed potatoes are a classic comfort food. My favorite style is rustic with the potato skins still on and creamy. This recipe is easily adapted to smaller or larger quantities. You can also substitute butter and heavy cream for cream cheese or add Parmesan to change the flavor.

Ingredients:
5 medium baking potatoes
5 gloves garlic
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste


Directions:
In a large pot boil the potatoes and garlic. Once potatoes are easily pierced with a fork drain in colander. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a stand mixer. You can return to the pot if you're using a hand mixer. Add the butter, heavy cream, and salt. Mash the potatoes on a low speed. If using a Kitchen Aid I suggest the paddle attachment.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Lovely Lemon Pudding Cake

I made a Lemon Pudding Cake to continue my new year resolution to make different antique cakes. The recipe comes from Gourmet's Menu Cookbook, compiled and edited in 1963. Other versions online come from family recipes passed through many generations. One neat idea I saw was to make individual portions in ramekins and top with fresh fruit. This dish is not very sweet and does not rise. It's different and interesting!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup milk

Cream 1 1/2 tbsp butter with 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and beat in 2 tsps grated lemon zest. Add 3 egg yolks and beat well. Stir in 3 tbsps flour alternately with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 cup milk. Fold in 3 egg whites, stiffly beaten with a pinch of salt. Turn the batter into a buttered casserole, set the casserole in a pan of hot water, and bake the cake in a moderate oven (350 F) for about 1 hour, until the cake tests done on top. The bottom of the casserole will contain a think, lemony sauce.