Chimp Kitchen

Someone requested this recipe, and it so, so, easy I thought it would be something everyone in the whole world should have. We all need a few recipes that are always stocked in our homes for those stinky days when we are losing it... you know what I mean. Are you ready? This is something so easy even a chimp can make it.


Chicken Taco Soup
1 - 13 oz. can drained chicken, such as the kind you buy in bulk at Sam's Club
1 - 11 oz. can diced tomatoes and chiles, such as Rotel
1 - 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 - 15 oz. can kidney beans
1 - 15 oz. can black beans
1 - 15 oz. whole kernal corn
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package ranch dressing mix

Suggested toppings: ANYTHING YOU WOULD PUT ON A TACO, including the tortilla chips.

No need to drain anything. Combine it all in a crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 2-4 hours. Or you can do like the chimps in my kitchen, and just put it in a pot and heat it for a few minutes.

Mexican Chicken and Corn Chowder

So how memorable is this recipe?

Dave recently requested this chowder twice in one week he loved it so much.

It really is easy to make with ingredients that are usually found around the house. I have added to it throughout the years only very minimally, by adding one can of whole kernel corn in addition to the can of creamed corn. This is a soupier chowder, un-thickened with flour.

Mexican Chicken and Corn Chowder
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup water
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups milk (I used a can of skim evaporated milk and part 1/2 and 1/2)
1 can each cream style corn, whole kernel corn
1 small can chopped green chilies ( I use fresh- frozen Hatch, N.M. chile and lots of it)
Optional Ingredients: Monterey Jack cheese, tomatoes, green onion, cilantro, corn chips etc.
(I do not think this chowder needs ANY of the optional ingredients)

In a large saucepan brown the chicken over medium high heat, add the onion and garlic, a bit of salt and pepper, saute a few minutes more. Add the water, bouillon, and cumin; bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add milk, cans of corn, chilies and bring to a simmer and serve.

The inspiriation for this recipe comes from the USU Extension, Utah County Office, Newsletter Jan- February 2001. During the Malaysia/USA moving around I lost this recipe. Last year I went into the office and told them I needed to see every single blue newsletter for the past 10 years and they really helped me find it. Now the recipes are on line.

You can also check out what some other Weekend Cook Book Challenge bloggers love by clicking here.

Muffins and Clam Chowder lite.

Cranberry Crumble Muffins

Our Bishop gave us a lovely Cranberry Muffin mix from Lehi Roller Mills. I added the crumb topping and I must say, these were really yummy.
(as most Utahans know , Lehi Roller Mills is the site for the big dance in the Kevin Bacon movie "Footloose")
Also, I found the really colorful jumbo silicone muffin cups on sale at Sur la Table at The Gateway mall a few months ago. I use them all the time. Unfortunately they were on close-out and are no longer available there. The manufacturer is Siliconezoneusa.com.

New England Clam Chowder

Can you believe this is the first time I have ever made a clam chowder? I am not that big a fan of it; the chowders that I have tried never seemed that inspiring. And, I have always balked at cream soups too, since they contain ....CREAM! Do I look like a woman who needs more cream?! So why try it now, you ask? Well my local grocer had clams on sale and Dave loves clam chowder so I figure, "what the heck? "

I ran across this really good "make-over" recipe in Healthy Cooking magazine; (Oct./Nov. '08);page 32. Dave said it was really good.

4 center-cut bacon strips
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup water
1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
3 teaspoons reduced sodium chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free half and half, divided
3 cans (6 1/2 oz. each) chopped clams, undrained

1. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute the celery, onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half and half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and sir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
3. Stir in clams and remaining half and half through (do not boil). Crumble the reserved bacon; sprinkle over each serving.

1 1/3 cup equals 260 calories, 4 g fat (1 g sat. fat) 13 g protein, 3 g fiber

Mexican Chicken Soup Ina Style

As a Barefoot Blogger, I have to say I have been thrilled to focus on many of the fabulous Ina Garten recipes in print. I have tried some recipes that I probably would have overlooked for one reason or another. Have they all been winners? No, but I have found a few that with tweaking, I could learn to really love. Today's challenge of Mexican Chicken Soup is such a recipe.

What did I love about this recipe? I loved the shredded chicken technique. I normally cook the hell out of a chicken and bone it and use the broth in some sort of soupy way. Well, since my 16 year old is a vegetarian, I have had to re-think my way of cooking. I am glad to change foods to suit her needs since she is such a good and wonderful child, who hardly ever gives me grief; I figure making things work for her benefit, benefit me too!

What I did or would do different:

• In this recipe I substituted the veggie stock for chicken stock.
  
• Good so far, I roasted the chicken and used the juices in the soup after I portioned out some soup for her.
• I liked the white corn tortillas! My tortillas really kind of thickened my soup.
• I did not care for the carrots. I understand their use in an aromatic sense, but they seemed out of place in this recipe.
• This recipe screamed for Hatch, New Mexico green chile's. Luckily as a good Mexican-American girl, I keep oodles and oodles in my freezer. I don't imagine even Ina goes to the lengths I do to keep a fresh roasted supply of these lovelies in stock.
• I would probably add some hominy in place of the carrots. Even fresh corn would have been a better addition here than the carrots. Do you understand....I did not like the carrots?
• I didn't like the sour cream either, but it did look pretty on the soup. It was optional, I felt it took away from the true flavor of the soup.
  

Did I mention I didn't like the carrots? Even potatoes would have been better here.

Pretty bird....

Barefoot Bloggers-Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

The Barefoot Contessa's
Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

I knew when I signed up with the Barefoot Blogger's I would be gaining weight. I mean, have you ever seen an Ina Garten recipe that does not include at least one half cup of butter? Well kids, this exciting recipe was no exception, and was made even richer with the addition of 1 cup each of heavy cream, and half and half. Thanks to Chelle at Brown Eyed Baker for the challenge.

I just loved this recipe. Why? Well, it was really fun to make. I loved shopping for the exotic mushrooms, and it felt kind of naughty adding all that butter and cream. We had to make our own mushroom stock with the stems from the shitake, portobello and chanterelles ( the recipe asked for cremini). I loved the addition of the leeks. Part of the fun for me in a recipe like this is the prep work; leeks are fun to chop! I could kick myself that I don't use leeks more often in other recipes. They hold their texture and color where regular onion would dissolve in a recipe like this. I think the leeks played a supporting role here in this gastronomic drama. Here is the link to this lovely recipe: Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
or you can look it up in your own copy of Barefoot Contessa at Home, page 48.

Also, thanks to good friends for sharing this soup with me. Thanks to Sarah for bring a stunning Potato Chowder and Stacy for the the fruit dip. I could kick myself for not getting pictures...What was I thinking?