Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) (or chicken schmaltz)
3 tbsp Butter
2 Carrots - Diced
2 Celery Stalks - Diced
1/2 Large Onion - Dice
2 Cloves Garlic - Diced
1/2 Red Pepper - Diced
1/2 Green Pepper - Diced
1 Large Jalapeno - Seeds Removed - Diced
1 Can Black Beans - Drained & Rinsed
1 Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Can Hominy - Drained
2 Chicken Breasts - Boneless, Skinless - Grilled w/ salt, pepper, taco seasoning. Shredded.
2 tbsp -Kosher Salt
1 tbsp - Pepper
2 tbsp - Cumin
1 tbsp Taco Seasoning
1/2 Cup Tortilla Soup Seasoning (if you can't find, then just up the other spice levels)
4 Cups - Chicken Stock
4 Cups Vegetable Stock
2 Cups Water
6 Corn Tortillas - Finely shredded

Garnish:
Tortilla Chips
Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
Cilantro

In a large pot over med/high heat add EVOO & Butter.  Add in onions and cook about 2 minutes.  Add carrots and cook about 2 minutes.  Add in celery, garlic, peppers.  Stir to combine.

Add in salt, pepper, cumin, taco seasoning and tortilla soup seasoning.  You might have to add in about 1/2 cup of water.  Cook about 10 minutes.  Add in black beans, tomatoes, hominy.  Cook about 10 minutes.

Add in the chicken stock, vegetable stock and 2 cups of water.  Stir to combine.  Add in shredded tortillas.  Bring to a boil and add in the chicken.  Simmer about 30 minutes.

Adjust seasoning accordingly.  I garnished w/ cheddar cheese, tortilla chips and cilantro and served w/ corn muffins.  Maybe a squeeze of lime and some sour cream would be good too.

#Enjoy #foodie #cheftainment #mexicanfood #foodnetwork #healthyfood #soup

Jalapeno Cheddar Artisan Bread

Jalapeno Cheddar Artisan Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups White Flour (+ more for dusting)
1 1/2 Cups Bread Flour (Can be made w/ just white flour if necessary)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Instant Fast Rising Yeast
1 1/4 Cups Hot Water (Hot from the tap is fine)
1 tbsp Honey (or sugar)
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
1/4 Cup Pickled Jalapenos - Seeded & Chopped

In a large bowl, add the flours, salt, yeast.  Stir to combine.  Add the honey to the water and stir to combine.  Gradually add the water/honey to the flour mixture. Add the jalapeno & cheese.

Stir w/ a wooden spoon to combine. Kneed in bowl for about 2 minutes or until smooth and not sticky). Cover bowl w/ plastic and a tight lid and set aside for 8-24 hours. (I do about 24 hours for best results)

Lightly dust your counter w/ flour.  Turn the dough out and gently work it to form a ball (about 1 minute, work as little as possible).  Set aside for 30 minutes.

While the dough sits for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 450 degrees and put the baking vessel in the oven. I used a Dutch Oven.

After 30 minutes take the baking dish out, spray it with cooking spray and place the dough in the center.  Mark an X or other decoration on top of the dough, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Take lid off and bake another 15 minutes to brown. Misting it w/ water 2x after the lid is off makes the crust more brown and crustier if you desire.

Cool at least 15 minutes and serve.

Enjoy. #Cheftainment

Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheesy Pretzel Bites

1 pkg Active Dry Yeast
12 oz. Warm Beer (I used Blue Moon) - Microwave to 110 - 120 degrees)
2 tsp Sugar
3 1/2 + Cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Baking Soda
2 Cups Water
8 oz. Cream Cheese - room temp
2 Cups Shredded Cheese (I used Cheddar & Swiss)
2 Jalapeno - Diced, Seeded
1 Cup Crispy Bacon - Chopped
2 Eggs - Beaten
Sea Salt

In a large bowl add beer, yeast, sugar. Bloom about 5-10 minutes.  Add flour & salt. Stir to combine and set aside 5-10 minutes.

In a medium bowl add cheeses, bacon, jalapeno,  Mix to combine. Set aside.

Mix dough and roll out on a floured surface. Roll out dough to about 1/4" thick and cut into about 5" diameter pieces. Stuff w/ cheese mixture, a little more than a table spoon. Fold dough over the cheese mixture and rotate until sealed.  Forms about 2" balls.

In a pot bring 2 cups (or more) of water, to a boil.  Add 2 tbsp baking soda.

Add balls to the water a few at a time.  Don't over crowd.  Cook about 3 minutes, making sure they rotate and cook on all sides.

Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush the tops of each ball with the beaten egg and sprinkle w/ sea salt (or any other seasoning you might like).   In a pre-heated 450 degree oven, bake for about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  They will most likely leak, don't worry, it's fine.  It gives you a little crunchy cheese "tail".  Enjoy

* I served mine w/ a cheese dipping sauce.  I just made a rue, then added cheese.  More cheese is never a bad thing.  #cheftainment

Chicken, Lentil & Chick Pea Soup

2 tbsp Bacon Fat

2 Ribs Celery – Diced

1 Onion – Diced

4 Large Garlic Cloves- Minced

1 tsp Grated Ginger

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 Jalapeno – Seeded, Diced

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp Tomato Paste

1 tsp Fresh Thyme

1 Cup Lentils

6 Cups Chicken Stock

1 14.5 Can Diced Tomatoes

2 Cups Diced Chicken

2 Cans Chick Peas – drained

In a large pot over med/high heat add the bacon fat.  Add onions and celery. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.  Add in the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add in ginger, salt, pepper, jalapeno, cumin, paprika, Dijon mustard and tomato paste.  Stir to combine and cook about 2 minutes.  Add in thyme and lentils and cook about 3-4 minutes.  Add in the chicken stock and simmer w/ a lid cracked for 20-25 minutes or until the lentil are cooked with a slight bite to them.

Add in the tomatoes, chicken and chick peas.  Simmer about 10-15 minutes or until the broth becomes a little thicker.  Enjoy.

Chinese Chicken Salad Egg Rolls

2 Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (EVOO, salt, pepper) – small dice

2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

2 Grilled Zucchini – Sliced in ½ w/ EVOO to grill then small dice

6 Radishes – Tails/Tips removed – small dice

½ Red Pepper – cut into thin strips then small dice

5 oz. Crimini Mushrooms – small dice

1 tbsp EVOO

2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 Jalapeno – finely diced

1 cup Bean Sprouts

1 cup Carrots – shredded

3 Scallions- cut on angle about ¼ inch thick – reserve 3^rd scallion to the side for garnish

½ head Napa Cabbage – shredded

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

½ tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Mustard Powder

1 Package Egg Roll Wraps

2 cups Vegetable Oil

Drizzle the chicken breasts with EVOO, salt & pepper and grill.  Set aside to cool about 10-15 minutes.  Cut the chicken into a small dice, place in bowl w/ 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar and stir to coat/marinate.

Cut zucchini in ½ and drizzle with EVOO.  Grill just a few minutes, just to develop grill marks but still crunchy.  Usually about 4-5 minutes.  Then cut into strips and dice.

In a sautee pan over med/high heat, add 1 tbsp EVOO.  When oil is hot add mushrooms.  Sautee about 7 minutes or until browned.  Add 2 tsp red wine vinegar and stir.  Turn off heat but leave on burner and let liquid cook out.

In a large bowl combine chicken, zucchini, radishes, red pepper, mushrooms, jalapeno, bean sprouts, carrots, scallions, cabbage, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, mustard powder.  Stir well to combine all the spices.  Taste a bite or 2 and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Take the egg roll wraps and blot all edges w/ water about 1 inch deep.  Place about 2 or 3 tbsp (1/4 cup) of the mixture in the lower 1/3 of the wrap.  Roll forward to cover, flip the sides in and continue to roll to the end (like a burrito).  Place on a tray seam side down.  When finished rolling egg rolls cover w/ plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.

In a pan w/ high sides, heat 2 cups vegetable oil over high heat but don’t let boil or burn.  Carefully drop a small piece of a diced vegetable into the oil and if it bubbles and starts to fry the oil is ready (sorry don’t know the temp).  Gently place the egg rolls in the oil, seam side down and fry on each side until golden brown.  Do not crowd the pan.  Once golden brown on each side, remove and set on a try lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

This recipe made about 21 egg rolls.  If you’d like to serve with a dipping sauce, mix 1 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp grated ginger.  Garnish with reserved scallions.

* Picture shown is a variation of  this recipe.