Savory Seasonal Soup

On Christmas Eve, my family always makes soup. We make soup because compared to the many other meals surrounding the holiday, it seems low maintenance. There is last minute shopping, gift wrapping or decorating to attend to, so everyone seems hungry at a different time. This soup will easily sit on the stove waiting to satisfy! It’s hearty and filling without being too much to tackle in the midst of holiday chaos.

Chicken Corn Chowder
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
¾ cup diced onion (yellow or white)
¼ cup diced celery
½ cup chopped carrot
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups cooked chicken
¾ cup cooked ham or sausage pieces
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 cans creamed corn
1 cup frozen white corn
¼ cup green onion
1-2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
½ cup half and half or cream

Combine oil and butter in the bottom of a medium to large soup pot. Add onions and sauté until nearly translucent. Add celery and carrot with salt and pepper to taste and cook a few minutes more. Because you are softening the veggies keep the pot on moderate heat, you don’t want to brown them. Create a well in the center of the pan and add the flour to the oil/butter. If there isn’t enough excess fat, add another teaspoon of Olive Oil. Stir the flour into the fat and allow to cook for about 30 seconds. Immediately cover with chicken stock. Allow the soup to boil, then add the canned creamed corn and bring down to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken and ham in small pieces. After adding the meat to the pot, taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Keep in mind that the soups flavors will continue to meld the longer you cook it, but that allowing it to boil will likely toughen the meats. Add frozen corn desired cream or half and half and be sure soup is heated thoroughly just before serving. I serve this in oversized mugs garnished with green onion, chopped parsley and lots of fresh black pepper. This soup goes very well with a salad or with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Pure Peppermint Pleasure

Nothing tastes like the bite of peppermint stinging your tongue. The cool flavor wraps your whole mouth in delight – and then when you inhale, somehow even the air tastes fresh and crisp. I developed this recipe for a kids' cooking class on candy, but there is nothing elementary about this recipe. While it’s a bit of a project, the reward is great! Enjoy this on a lazy weekend or when readying for the holiday season- you’ll be glad you did.

* Notice that my recipe calls for peppermint oil. You can use peppermint extract instead, but be sure you taste the peppermint filling and add extract as needed (it’s not quite as potent, in my opinion). Peppermint oil is available at specialty food stores- if you live in Seattle, Market Spice in Pike Place carries a good one.

Homemade Peppermint Patties
2 Teaspoons softened butter
¼ Teaspoon salt
1-2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
1 ½ teaspoons Pure Peppermint Oil
2-3 Cups Powdered Sugar
10-12oz Good Quality Dark or Bittersweet Chocolate, for coating

To make the Filling:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend the butter, salt and 1Tablespoon of the corn syrup together. Add the peppermint, being careful not to splash the mixture. After scraping down the sides of the bowl, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time until thoroughly incorporated. After adding the 2 cups, allow the machine to run for at least 60 seconds to ensure blending. Now, check the consistency of the Peppermint mixture. You are looking for a solid paste that isn’t too sticky. If the mixture is too dry add up to 1 Tablespoon of corn syrup until mixture comes together, again allowing time to blend. If the mixture still feels sticky, use the extra cup of sugar to reach desired consistency. Ideally, you will find that allowing the beaters to run will cause the mixture to ball together like a dough.

Remove the mixture and turn out onto a flat surface. I use extra powdered sugar to be sure nothing sticks (like you would use flour when rolling cookies). Roll peppermint to about ¼ inch thick. Use a small round cookie cutter (or shape of your choice) to cut small circles. I use one that’s about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Place rounds on a non stick surface and store in the freezer until ready to dip.

To melt chocolate:
Tempering is a very important step when preparing chocolate. When tempered correctly, Chocolate contains a crystalline structure which creates a shiny surface and a solid snap when broken. The proper way to temper chocolate is an involved process. You can also achieve similar results in the microwave. Chop the chocolate into small pieces, almost shaving it off the bar, so that the pieces melt quickly. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, reserving about ¼ cup of the chocolate. In 30 second intervals, melt the chocolate, stirring between. Be careful to use residual heat, allowing the chocolate to sit for 15-30 seconds between each turn in the microwave. When chocolate is melted, add the extra ¼ cup of pieces, stir and allow to sit for a minute. You may need to heat for another 15-30 seconds, but be careful to only use as much heat as you need.

To cover in Chocolate:
Place a Silpat or waxed paper on top of a cookie sheet or flat surface. Working in batches of 6-10 pieces at a time, drop a frozen peppermint center into the warm chocolate. Use the tip of a fork or a butter knife to scoop the piece out. Let stand on edge of the bowl to rid of excess coating. Carefully place chocolate back onto the non-stick surface. This part will take some practice and different tools work well for different people.

After the tray is done, set to harden in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes before enjoying. While the peppermints are best fresh, they can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. I would recommend removing them from the fridge about 20 minutes before eating so they will not be overwhelmingly cold. These pair beautifully with tea or cocoa at the end of a nice dinner.

First Things First- Cocktail Hour

If the term cocktail seems daunting, it probably means that the word makes you think of a laundry list of ingredients combined in a method that only certified bartenders should tackle. Not to worry! Cocktails are really about finding out which flavors you enjoy and tweaking them in different ways to create different combinations to savor.

Start by picking a liquor that you like. If the intensity of that bold "alcohol" flavor makes you recoil (or dry heave as the saying goes...), turn to something more mellow like Vodka or Gin. As you start to feel more comfortable, you'll likely be ready to kick it up a notch and get adventurous. Once you have a base flavor to play with, consider your add-ins:

-Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, etc)

-Sweeteners (Simple Syrup, Grenadine, Agave, Honey, Triple Sec or other flavored liquors)

-Mixers (Soda, Tonic, Fruit Juice, Coffee, Packaged Margarita Mix, etc)

The possibilities are endless, think outside the box, add Pomegranate Seeds (called Arils), use spices! Get creative. The following is a new favorite of mine. I'll admit that it was, in part, a response to a challenge that I ventured toward Whiskey. Here it is, and I love it.

Basic Whiskey Cocktail:

1 part Whiskey of your Choice (e.g. 1 oz)

2 parts club soda or tonic (e.g. 2 oz)

1 teaspoon sugar

1-3 fresh Lemon Slices

In the bottom of a glass, mix the sugar with a bit of water until dissolved. Squeeze at least one lemon slice in the glass, then add the Whiskey followed by the soda (I prefer club soda to tonic in this one) and fill the glass to the top with ice. Garnish with an extra slice of Lemon.

Experiment with this one, and remember what you enjoy!

popcorn.

This is my first image.  I'm practicing.