Crock Pot Chicken Pho

It's January, folks. Here in the midwest that means we brace for the rest of winter and hunker down, don our hulkiest sweatshirt, sip steaming mugs of hot cocoa and wait to see the first spring tulip sprouting up from the ground while dreaming of baseball season (that last part may just be me and my 11-year-old, but you get the point). It also means it's time to make soup, soup and more soup! Almost everyone I know appreciates a hot, steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup - and today I have a twist on that old classic that will send your taste buds into orbit.

 

My husband and I love to meet for lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant near his downtown office and I always order the pho (pronounced "fuh"). Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup that can be served with beef, chicken or shrimp and is the very definition of mouthwatering. There are two key components to the dish: the broth and the garnishes. Let's begin with the broth, shall we? You'll notice that there are some ingredients that you probably already have on hand and a few that you may need to pick up. Don't worry, I was able to find all the ingredients at my local grocery store! Star anise is the fruit of an east asian tree and can be found in many ethnic spice blends including Indian garam masala and Chinese five-spice powder in it's ground form. For this recipe we are using whole star anise which can usually be found in a jar in the spice aisle or in the bulk bins for just pennies if you choose to go that direction. Look for fish sauce in the ethnic food or health food section. The jar I have has lasted for a really long time in the refrigerator and adds a unique salty flavor to many Thai and Vietnamese dishes. The ingredients for the broth are all simmered away in the crock pot on low while you are out taking care of business for the day. 

When you are ready to serve the soup feel free to top with any and all of the garnishes I've listed below. The dried rice noodles are a must because without them this would not be chicken NOODLE soup! I like the Taste of Thai brand and find that they are easy to come by. A squirt of lime juice along with a sprinkle of basil and/or cilantro adds great freshness to a broth that has simmered all day. If you like a little crunch beans sprouts are the way to go! And, of course, for a little heat add sliced jalapenos or their spicier cousin, serrano. Enjoy a trip to Vietnam without leaving your house AND have leftovers for lunch the next day! This twist on chicken noodle soup is sure to get you through the winter and keep you warm and fuzzy inside. After all, "pho" is translated from Vietnamese as "delectable". At least, I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere. 

Crock Pot Chicken Pho (adapted from bonappetit.com)

 

For the broth:


2-2 1/2 lb. chicken legs, skin removed
Salt
2 T. ground coriander
1/4 t. ground cloves
1 small yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
3" piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/2" slices
2 whole star anise
2 T. white sugar
1/4 c. fish sauce
1 bunch cilantro, tied in a bunch with kitchen twine

For serving/garnish:

1 lb. dried rice noodles (1/4" wide), cooked according to package directions
2 c. bean sprouts, washed
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
2 jalapeno or serrano peppers, sliced

Place the chicken legs in a 6 qt. crock pot then sprinkle with salt, coriander and cloves. Add the onion, ginger, star anise, sugar, fish sauce and cilantro. Fill the crock pot with water, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. When ready to serve use tongs and/or a slotted spoon to remove the onion, ginger, star anise and cilantro from the broth. Remove the chicken legs and shred the meat with two forks then return the shredded chicken to the crock pot. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.

To serve place noodles in a bowl, add broth with chicken and whatever garnishes you prefer!

6 servings (486 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Creamy and Smoky Chipotle Pork Chops

If you're anything like me, the thought of cooking post-holiday season is a daunting, if not maddening, thought. You've spent countless hours planning menus, shopping, hauling groceries into your house and cooking food to transport all over town to holiday parties. Oh, and by the way, your family still wants dinner every night in the midst of it all. I am so over it by the time the holidays are over that I want to hibernate for at least a week. But guess what, YOUR PESKY FAMILY STILL WANTS DINNER (they can be so demanding). So, once I've come out of hiding I start trolling my friends' Pinterest pages (hi, Coco!) to find new, quick and easy dinner ideas. Lo and behold I came across this little gem and it did not disappoint. Just make a quick rub for pork chops with spices you probably already have in your pantry, whisk up a pan sauce and boom, main dish in a snap. I made the spice rub the day before and whisked up the sauce to store in my fridge to cut down my prep time the day of. The result was a slightly spicy, creamy pork chop that packs a punch of flavor for not a lot of effort. 

Now let's talk about our key ingredients, shall we? The creamy element to this dish comes from coconut milk. If you eat curry you are probably familiar with coconut milk. It is the perfect addition to this dish because it tames the spiciness of the chipotle chile which is the spicy element.  Chipotle chiles (or, smoked jalapenos) can be found in the Mexican food aisle of your local grocery store.  They come in a can with adobo sauce surrounding them so I usually fish out the one I need then individually bag the rest of them in snack bags and freeze them for future use. They keep in the freezer forever and are actually easier to finely dice when they are frozen! Make sure to add extra cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice just before you serve - the freshness they add is revolutionary!

Now, I know what you're probably thinking at this point...what sides am I supposed to serve with this, Kitch? I just came off the holiday rush and now you want me to plan a main dish AND sides? Rest assured, friends, I have ideas for you. For starters, saute up these sauteed brussels sprouts. They cook up in no time - especially if you buy frozen baby brussels sprouts and thaw them first. The other side I whipped up was mashed cauliflower. This recipe requires a little more leg work BUT can be made ahead and stored in the fridge until time to eat - I heated it up in the microwave while I sauteed the pork chops and brussels sprouts. So friends, I just want you to know that I am here for you in these trying, post-holiday times. Make these pork chops as soon as possible and revel in the fact that you did it! Tomorrow night you can order pizza because you made dinner tonight! We can do hard things together, people. It's going to be a great year!

Creamy and Smoky Chipotle Pork Chops (adapted from wholesomelicious.com)

1 T. chili powder
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt 
1/4 t. garlic powder 
6 center cut pork chops (about 5 oz. each)
1 T. olive oil
1 c. light coconut milk
1 small chipotle chile pepper, finely minced
1 t. liquid smoke
1/4 c. chopped cilantro (plus extra for garnish)
Juice of 1/2 a lime

In a small bowl combine the chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and garlic powder. Sprinkle the rub over the pork chops (both sides, please) then set aside to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook for four minutes on each side. While the pork chops are cooking whisk together the coconut milk, chipotle chile pepper, liquid smoke and 1/4 c. cilantro. Add to the pan with the pork chops and turn them to coat completely in the sauce. Allow to cook and reduce for 4 minutes more then finish with extra cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately from the pan (because we don't need anymore stinking dirty dishes, okay?)

6 servings (231 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Mulligatawny Soup

Who likes soup with a funny name that tastes great? I like to think of myself as a soup aficionado, so I’m surprised I hadn’t discovered mulligatawny soup earlier. It's pretty simple: mulligatawny soup is just chicken soup with an Indian flair. The story goes that mulligatawny is Indian for "pepper water" and was discovered by the British when they were employees of the East India Company in the 18th century. They took the recipe back home with them and the rest, as they say, is history. There are many different variations of the original, but typically it is a chicken soup base with vegetables, curry (the "pepper" referred to above), chicken, apples and cream to finish it off. Apples may seem like an odd ingredient, but let me assure you it works! In fact, I was quite skeptical about this entire recipe, but it’s been a hit every time. To save on fat and calories I omit the cream entirely, but if you feel extra creaminess is necessary feel free to add it just before serving. I'd say about 1/2 c. would do you just fine but, again, totally unnecessary in my opinion. Enjoy this spicy, rich soup (that is actually good for you) and don't worry if you can't pronounce the name. Just eat and enjoy!

Mulligatawny Soup (adapted from foodnetwork.com)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 1/4 t. salt, divided

3/4 t. pepper, divided

1 small yellow onion, diced 

4 carrots, diced

4 celery stalks, diced

1 T. + 1 t. curry powder

6 c. low sodium chicken broth 

2 granny smith apples, cored and diced

1/2 c. instant brown rice, cooked according to package directions

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and place the chicken on the baking sheet. Season with 1 T. of olive oil, 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool then dice into cubes to add to the soup later. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots and celery.  Saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes  Stir in the curry and continue cooking for 3 minutes.  Pour in chicken stock and let simmer 30 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients (including the cooked, diced chicken) and let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

4 servings (275 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Egg Casserole

Hello old friends, it's been a long time! Life has been busy in Shel's Kitchen this fall, so I haven't had much time to blog. That being said, I'm not sure how much I will be blogging in the future either, but I had to share this recipe that I made for breakfast just this morning. The other night I made these roasted veggies for dinner and had leftover brussels sprouts. I also had half a pound of bacon leftover from beef burgundy so I was contemplating a fresh idea. Of course, there's nothing wrong with the old standby of cooking up bacon and sauteing the brussels sprouts in the bacon fat. It's a quick, easy, satisfying side dish that never fails and is sure to please - but this time I needed something more. Then it came to me in a flash...egg casserole! Cook up that bacon, saute the brussels sprouts in the bacon fat, add cheese, eggs and milk and voila! A satisfying breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner that is a one way ticket to Flavortown, population: you (and anyone else you love). Until we meet again...

Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Egg Casserole (adapted from slenderkitchen.com)

1/2 lb. bacon, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 lb. brussels sprouts, finely chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 c. fat free half & half (or any milk you have on hand)
4 large eggs
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 c. (4 oz.) grated smoked Gruyere cheese (use any cheese you like)

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray an 8X8 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium saute pan cook the bacon pieces over medium heat until browned. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 T. of the bacon fat then add the brussels sprouts and green onions to the pan. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and a little crispy. 

Meanwhile, place the half & half, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cooked bacon, Gruyere cheese and brussels sprouts and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle and lightly browned. 

6 servings (214 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Whole Wheat Waffles

My six year old is the pickiest eater on the planet. I promise if there was an Olympic sport for pickiness he would win the gold medal. Picky eaters make life rather stressful for themselves and their parents and ours is no exception. His pickiness coupled with the fact that he just doesn't seem to have the passion for food that the rest of my family has is mind blowing to me. He truly does eat to live, not live to eat. We have to find creative ways to get him to eat breakfast on school days and since he started kindergarten this year (and hates to eat breakfast the most) I have been, well, a nervous wreck about getting him to school with something in his tummy. And school lunches? Don't even get me started. He loves pancakes so last Sunday I made up a huge batch of pancakes and froze them to pull out every day last week. About Tuesday he was like "no thanks, I'll have a protein bar" so my 10 year old ate the pancakes I froze all week instead. Grrrrrrrr! Seriously, this kid is gonna be the death of me. So, this past weekend I made a batch of waffles and he ate them heartily (meaning half a waffle) on Saturday. I am crossing my fingers that he will eat the remaining waffles for breakfast this week. If not it's on to plan C. Wait, I have no plan C. 

Anyway, let's talk waffles, shall we?! This recipe is made with things I can almost guarantee you have in your fridge and pantry right now and is very versatile and easy to modify. I used white whole wheat flour because I like the heartiness it gives the waffles but all purpose works here too. For the milk I used vanilla almond milk because that's what we have on hand but, again, any milk will work! Just go to your fridge and see what you have and go from there. I only had enough butter to make one batch so that's what I did but make up a double batch and freeze them to have on hand in the freezer for your weekday mornings (or the picky eater in your life). Hopefully, you'll get past Tuesday morning before they say "no thanks, I'll just have a protein bar" and leave you crying into your coffee and wondering how they will EVER get through standardized testing this year!

Whole Wheat Waffles (adapted from naturallyloriel.com)

2 c. white whole wheat flour (all purpose works too)
1/2 t. salt
4 t. baking powder
2 T. sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. milk 
1/3 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stir until well mixed then ladle into a hot waffle maker and cook according to the manufacturer's directions. To freeze let cool completely then line a jelly roll pan with wax paper and stack the waffles with layers of wax paper between each waffle to avoid sticking. When frozen transfer to a ziploc bag and bank in the freezer for easy weekday breakfasts! 

This recipe made about 5 waffles for my waffle iron (347 calories each waffle according to my calculator on loseit.com) but, depending on the size of your waffle iron, could make more or less!

Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

Hello! I am so glad you clicked on this blog post. Wanna know why? Because that means you are not afraid to try a recipe that could be a little bit of a challenge. Bravo to you! Risotto can seem daunting. I know because this is only the second time I've ever made it and the first one turned out, well, just ‘meh.’ BUT, before I lose you because you decide it's too hard, let me assure you, it's not! I have a very special friend, Amber, in Omaha who has a birthday coming up, and since I'll be visiting near her birthday I promised to make a special dinner for her; anything she wants. She chose salmon and risotto…thanks, babe. Ha. Due to my short and unfulfilling history with risotto I thought I'd better practice ahead, so that's just what I did last Monday night – boy, howdy, was I pleased with the results. Creamy, buttery, perfectly cooked risotto that I would happily eat in any restaurant - but that I enjoyed right at my own dining room table (with my kids causing a big ruckus while I was trying to enjoy it)! I mean, is there anything better? Yes, I'm quite certain there is, but I digress...

There are a few key things you need to know before you make your first batch of risotto: The first is you must use Arborio rice. Arborio rice is the ideal rice for risotto because it is a short grain, starchy rice which keeps its integrity over the long cooking process that risotto requires. The second is, the cooking liquid. Risotto typically calls for a combination of dry white wine (such as pinot grigio) with chicken stock (use vegetable stock if you want the dish to be vegetarian). The key here is to heat the wine and stock together in a saucepan, then ladle the hot liquid into the rice as it cooks. You don't want to add cold wine and stock to the hot rice because, scientifically speaking, it will screw it up. The third thing is, you have to babysit the rice - but it's not as bad as you might think. In the past it was believed that one had to stand at the stove the entire time the rice was cooking with someone waving a fan to keep them cool, daubing a sweaty brow when it became too much to handle. No longer. Should you stir the rice frequently? Yes, you should. Do you need to stir it constantly? No, you don't. My rule: I never left the kitchen while the rice was cooking, but I did do other things, returning to the simmering rice frequently to stir, stir, stir. I don't think I ever walked away from it for more than two minutes. Think of the rice as a newborn baby that you would take exquisite care of - because the results will be so worth it. Lastly, most risottos start out the same way (sweat onions in butter, add rice and sauté, then add stock and wine until all is soaked up) but can end in any number of fabulous ways. This particular risotto is finished with roasted asparagus and porcini mushrooms - but you must feel free to add any veggies you like! A handful of frozen peas is a great traditional risotto add-in, and far less work than roasting asparagus and rehydrating mushrooms. Always, always add the cheese (because: CHEESE) and lemon zest (it really wakes up the flavor after the risotto has cooked for so long), but you could even feel free to leave the risotto plain and serve the veggies on the side. Make it your own; feel free to do a little research on other risotto add-ins. Use the ingredients you (or the birthday girl in your life) like, which is part of what cooking great food is about, right? Plus, you’ll enjoy conquering a traditional culinary challenge…one risotto at a time.

Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto (adapted from foodnetwork.com)

1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 bundle asparagus
1 t. olive oil 
Salt and pepper
6 c. low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 c. dry white wine
2 T. unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 c. arborio rice
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 t. lemon zest
1/2 t. nutmeg

Heat a small saucepan full of water to boiling. When the water boils, turn off the heat, dump in the porcini mushrooms, cover and let sit for 30 minutes to rehydrate the mushrooms. After thirty minutes drain the mushrooms and let sit until they are cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375 and prepare a jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Cut the trimmed asparagus into 1" pieces, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for about 10 minutes or until it is tender and a few pieces are starting to caramelize. Set aside. 

Pour the chicken broth and white wine into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until heated through. You don't want to boil it, just heat it gently until heated through then place over low heat while you cook the risotto. In a medium skillet (I used a high sided skillet but you could use a dutch oven if that's all you have - you just want something with a bigger surface area than a saucepan) melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat (meaning, saute without browning) for 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute an additional 3-5 minutes (without browning) or until the rice becomes translucent. Reduce the heat to medium low and start adding the broth/wine mixture. A good rule of thumb is to add enough to just cover the rice without drowning it. I used a ladle to make this process easier. Stir the rice frequently, adding additional broth/wine until the liquid is gone and the rice is creamy and cooked through. After the last addition of broth/wine add the asparagus and mushrooms (chop if the pieces are too big) and stir until the broth/wine is fully absorbed. The whole process should take between 30 and 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan, lemon zest and nutmeg. Taste for salt (I added a little bit more) and serve immediately.

8 servings (267 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com

Whole Grain Mustard and Tarragon Chicken

It's time for an installment of what I am naming “Casual Gourmet” cuisine here at Shel's Kitchen: so easy you can make on a weeknight schedule, but fancy enough for weekend company. One of my favorite things to make in the crock pot is bone-in, skin-off chicken thighs. I buy the economical family pack of thighs, remove the skin myself then cook them in the crock pot with a sweet and tangy sauce. The chicken thighs practically fall apart as you spoon them onto the serving platter, making eating them a snap; just shred the meat right off the bone! In this case, the sauce consists of two kinds of mustard, honey, and tarragon, a lesser used herb. Mustard is something I have A LOT of in my fridge. In fact, we always tend to have 6-8 different varieties on hand. It lends so much flavor in a snap, and is the perfect tangy addition to anything from tuna salad to barbecue sauce, salad dressing to roasted potatoes to glazes..well, you get my drift. Everything is better with mustard! Okay, maybe not brownies (hmm…) but you get my point. To offset the tang of the mustard this recipe calls for a little bit of honey, but agave, maple syrup or even a little brown sugar would work too. The tarragon has a little bit of a licorice-y bitterness that works great here too. I am not a fan of licorice but I love tarragon. Give it a try, I know you'll like it. The very best part about this recipe is, it's only FIVE ingredients (not including salt & pepper) so you're hardly spending any time in the kitchen at all. Trust me: grab what you need for this easy-peasy entree along with some veggies and rice on the side, run through the express lane and cook this up. It's easy, it's fast to prep, and now you can go “casual gourmet” anytime.
 
Whole Grain Mustard and Tarragon Chicken (adapted from foodiecrush.com)


8 bone-in, skin-off chicken thighs
Salt and Pepper
2 T. whole grain mustard
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. honey (can use more if you like more sweetness)
1 T. dried tarragon

Place the chicken thighs in a 6 qt. crock pot that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the mustards, honey and tarragon until smooth. Pour over the chicken, cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours.

8 servings (137 calories each serving) according to my calculator on loseit.com