Chunky Clam Chowder

Clam chowder has always been a favorite of mine. Even as a child when I ate around the clams and only ate the potatoes- it was still my second favorite soup (after my grandmothers cream of asparagus). This clam chowder has a lot going on- I like to add a bunch of vegetables and bacon to add texture and flavor. This is definitely not your traditional chowder- but I will say that my boss and boyfriend both said it's the best clam chowder they have EVER had- so screw tradition! 

And although this soup is great for a chilly night, it is also fancy enough for a dinner party. And you can make it a few days ahead- allowing the flavors time to meld. Perfection!! 

Chunky Clam Chowder 

Fridge:

3/4 lb thick cut bacon, 5/6 strips minced 

1 tbs butter 

2 cups leeks, thinly sliced and cleaned

1 cup carrots thinly sliced or diced small

3/4 cup red pepper, diced small 

1 cup corn, off cob or frozen 

1 tsp thyme, minced 

1 tsp parsley, minced 

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk 

1 1/2 cups light milk 

1 cup clam juice (8 oz jar) 

Counter: 

1 cup yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced 

2 cups red potatoes, diced, skin on 

Pantry:

2 bay leaves 

3 tbs flour 

1 cup chicken broth 

1/2 tsp old bay seasoning 

4 (6.5 oz) cans of minced or chopped clams, not drained 

1/2 tbs olive oil 

1 1/2 tsp salt 

Fresh pepper to taste

Tools:

Large pot or Dutch oven 

Wooden spoon 

Slotted spoon 

Measuring cups/spoons

Cutting board 

Chopping knife 

Heat butter and olive oil in soup pot over medium to high heat. Once hot add your diced bacon. Cook bacon until desired consistency. I like mine super crisp. Remove 2/3 of the bacon with the slotted spoon and leave 1/3 in the pan. This does not have to be exact. Turn heat on stove to medium. Do not drain oil. 

Add the leeks, onions and garlic to the remaining bacon and oil. Cook for 5 minutes- stirring every minute or so. Add the red pepper, carrots, minced thyme, and 1/2 tsp of salt to the pot. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Now add the 3 tbs of flour to the pot. Stir constantly. Cook flour and vegetable mixture for a few more minutes. 

Add the diced potatoes to the pot and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix everything together and then add the liquids. Add the heavy cream, whole and light milk, chicken broth and clam juice. Stir and bring to a simmer. Add two bay leaves, 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper to taste and old bay seasoning. Keep the heat at a level that it's simmering and not boiling. 

Simmer for 10-15 minutes before adding the 4 cans of chopped or minced (your preference of size, I used 2 of each) with all their liquids. Add the parsley and bacon you removed earlier- reserving some for garnish if you like-  and cook for another 15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving. Or cool completely and put into the fridge- this lasts a week in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop when ready to serve. Enjoy! Xo

Chorizo, Mushroom & Potato Tacos with Roasted Pineapple & Tomatillo Salsa

Every "Taco Tuesday" on Instagram I find myself drooling over people eating tacos and I don't know why I'm not eating tacos for dinner. I get serious taco envy. So this week I joined the masses and made these delicious tacos. Like seriously delicious tacos. They are spicy and sweet and salty- everything a good taco should be! 

What makes these so good is the use of real chorizo. I went to my local Hispanic store and bought super spicy chorizo sausage and removed the casing for these tacos. If you can do that- I highly recommend it. Try to not use the dried chorizo you find in the cheese section- although good- it won't be the same. And we don't want mediocre tacos- we want damn delicious ones!! 

Chorizo, Mushroom & Potato Tacos with Roasted Pineapple & Tomatillo Salsa 

Tacos 

Fridge: 

1 lb chorizo sausage, casing removed

2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced 

1 tbs cilantro minced

Cotija cheese (optional for serving) 

Counter:

2 cups potatoes, skin on and diced small 

1 cup yellow onion, minced 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

Juice of 1/2 lime plus extra slices for serving 

Corn tortillas for serving 

Pantry:

1/2 tsp salt plus 1/2 tsp salt 

1 tbs canola oil 

Tools:

Large sauté pan

Wooden spoon 

Small pot filled with cold salted water 

Measuring cups/spoons

Colander 

Cutting board 

Chopping knife 

Salsa

Fridge:

2.5 cups pineapple, roughly chopped

2 tbs cilantro, packed and roughly chopped 

Counter:

2 1/2 cups tomatillos, leaves removed and quartered 

Juice of 2 limes (about 4 tbs) 

1 large garlic clove, skin on 

1/4 cup water 

1/2 small jalapeño deseeded (optional) 

Pantry: 

1/4 tsp ground cumin 

1/4 tsp plus 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs canola oil 

Tools:

Medium baking tray lined with aluminum foil 

Blender/food processor 

Cutting board

Chopping knife

Measuring cups/spoons 

For the salsa:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for salsa. 

Place pineapple, tomatillos, garlic and jalapeño if you're using on the prepared baking tray. Sprinkle with canola oil, 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of ground cumin. Place in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until tomatillos are softened and pineapples have some color. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Squeeze garlic out of skin and place that along with the rest of the roasted ingredients into the food processor or blender. Add 1/4 cup of water, juice of 2 limes, cilantro, 1/2 tsp of salt and pulse until you get desired consistency. Pour into container and refrigerate until ready to use. This will keep for a week in the fridge. 

For the tacos: 

Add diced potatoes into cold salted water in pot. Put over medium to high heat and bring to a boil for 8 minutes or until just before al dente. Drain and put aside.

Heat canola oil over medium heat. Add the onions and minced garlic. Cook for a few minutes and then add the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes before adding the par boiled potatoes. Sprinkle everything with 1/2 tsp of salt. Continue to sauté and stir occasionally for a few more minutes. 

Add the chorizo sausage with casing removed. Use your wooden spoon to break up in the pan. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until chorizo is cooked through. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and stir. Squeeze half a lime juice on top and sprinkle with cilantro before serving. 

Serve tacos on corn tortillas with extra cilantro, lime juice and cotija cheese or crumbled queso fresco. Enjoy!! Xo

Pomegranate & Pistachio Braised Brussels Sprouts

Getting kids to eat, and better yet, like Brussels sprouts is about as hard as its been for me to take Donald Trump seriously in politics. It's probably not going to happen- it's a love it or leave it sort of situation with these mini cabbages. 

But I'm here to tell you that I got the kids to eat Brussels sprouts and say "I sorta like them" with this recipe- which is a huge (Donald trump voice) deal in my books!! 

Not changing my mind on the ridiculousness that is DT- but if you're on the fence about Brussels sprouts- give this recipe a try- it's really easy and it's definitely a vegetable game changer! 

Pomegranate & Pistachio Braised Brussels Sprouts 

Fridge:

1 lb (about 4 cups) Brussels sprouts, bottoms cut off and sliced in half

3/4 cup pomegranate juice 

3/4 cup apple cider

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1 tsp fresh sage, minced 

Counter:

1/3 cup shallots, minced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

Pantry:

2 tbs maple syrup

1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup pistachios, chopped 

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh pepper to taste 

Tools:

Casserole dish 

Aluminum foil 

Small bowl

Whisk 

Mixing spoon 

Cutting board 

Chopping knife 

Measuring cups/spoons 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Place Brussels sprouts in the casserole dish. Spread evenly. 

In small bowl add pomegranate juice, apple cider, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, shallots, garlic, sage, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk it all together well. Pour this mixture over the Brussels sprouts. 

Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil and place into heated oven. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove aluminum foil and add pistachios. Mix everything again before placing back into the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes uncovered. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before adding the pomegranate seeds. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy! Xo

Orange Honey Roasted Pecans & Persimmons

Persimmon season is upon us and although I love eating hachiya persimmons as is- I don't really love eating fuyu persimmons plain. What's the difference, you say? 

Fuyu persimmons look more like orange beefsteak tomatoes, with the flat bottom and wide shape and hachiya are more like orange roma tomatoes, with round bottoms and oval shaped. Hachiya tends to be more sweet and soft when ripe and fuyu is more mild and firm. I like to roast or bake my fuyu persimmons or add them to an autumn salad and with hachiya- I like to add them to baked goods or eat solo. 

This recipe is a great and simple way to try out persimmons this season. Plus it can served as breakfast, for a nice brunch or for a more healthy dessert. 

Orange Honey Roasted Pecans & Persimmons 

Fridge:

1 cup orange juice 

Counter:

4 fuyu persimmons, tops removed and cut in half across the middle/horizontally 

1/8 cup water 

3 tbs honey 

Pantry:

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped 

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

4 cloves 

Tools:

Small pot 

Casserole dish 

Measuring cups/spoons 

Aluminum foil

Cutting board 

Chopping knife 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Add orange juice, water, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to the small pot. Put over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and then remove from heat. 

Put the persimmon halves in the casserole dish, with stars facing up. Pour the orange juice and honey mixture over the top.*

Cover with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes covered. 

Remove foil and pour the pecans over the whole dish. Place back into the oven and back for another 15 minutes- checking every five minutes to make sure the pecans don't burn. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature or serve hot. Whatever you prefer! This is great over Greek yogurt for breakfast or over ice cream for dessert. Enjoy!! Xo

*you can double the liquids (orange juice, honey, water, vanilla extract) if you want a more saucy persimmon.  

Cajun Shrimp with Remoulade Rice

I went to New Orleans a few years ago and fell in love with the food. It's truly impossible not to. Since then- using Cajun spices and the same flavor profiles has become a small part of my cooking technique. It's something I hope I can only expand on. Does anyone have a Nola grandma they want to introduce me to?? Or is friends with John Besh?? 

In classic Nola Po'boys you serve fried shrimp on a roll with lettuce, tomatoes and remoulade sauce. It's super tasty so I decided to make my version of it by making  Cajun style shrimp (not fried- trying to keep it healthy) served over a remoulade rice. This was a fantastic dinner!! I was so happy with how it turned out- it's being added to my dinner party menu list. 

Cajun Shrimp with Remoulade Rice 

Cajun Shrimp

Fridge:

1 lb shrimp (21-25 count) 

1cup yellow squash or zucchini, 1/4 thin circles

1 cup green peppers, sliced 1/4 inch thick 

1/2 cup celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 tbs scallions, minced 

Counter:

1 cup onions sliced thin 

3/4 cup tomatoes, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp lemon zest

Juice of half a lemon (about 2 tbs) 

Pantry:

1 tbs Cajun spice plus 1/4 tsp 

2 tbs olive oil

1 cup chicken broth 

1tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

Fresh pepper to taste

Tools:

Large sauté pan

Wooden spoon

Medium bowl

Small bowl

Whisk 

Cutting board 

Chopping knife

Measuring cups/spoons 

In the medium bowl add raw shrimp, 1 tbs Cajun spice, 1 tbs olive oil, 1/4 tsp lemon zest and mix everything together. Marinate for at least an hour and up to 4 hours in the fridge. 

Heat large sauté pan over medium to high heat. Add olive oil and heat. When hot add onions slices and garlic. Stir and sauté for a minute before adding the green pepper slices, celery and squash circles. Add 1/4 tsp of salt and fresh pepper to taste and sauté for five minutes, stirring occasionally. 

In small bowl add the chicken broth, 1/4 tsp of Cajun spice, cornstarch, remaining 1/4 tsp of salt and fresh pepper. Whisk together and then pour over the vegetables in the pan. Bring pan to a simmer and allow everything to cook for a few minutes, while the sauce thickens slightly. 

While sauce thickens and vegetables are pretty much al dente- add the entire marinating shrimp bowl and diced tomatoes. Cook the shrimp for 3-5 minutes or until the tails curl up slightly- making sure they do not curl into tight circles, as this is a sign of over cooking. 

Remove from heat and squeeze in half of the lemon juice and add the scallions. Serve hot over remoulade rice. See recipe below.

Remoulade Rice 

This looks like a crazy amount of ingredients but it's easy to throw it all together and stir. Not at all as complicated as it looks. 

Fridge:

1/2 cup celery, minced 

1/3 cup mayo 

1 tsp Dijon mustard

3/4 tbs ketchup 

2 tbs scallions, minced 

1 heaping tbs Italian parsley, minced 

Counter:

1/2 cup yellow onions, minced 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice 

Pantry:

2 cups rice 

1 1/2 cups chicken broth 

2 tsp wostershire sauce 

1/2 tsp tobasco suace

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tbs olive oil 

1/4 tsp salt 

Fresh pepper to taste 

Tools:

Large pot with lid 

Cutting board 

Chopping knife

Measuring cups/spoons 

Small bowl 

Fork or whisk 

Heat the pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Heat and then add minced onions, minced celery and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes or until onions become translucent. Add the rice and sauté for a minute or two. Add water, chicken broth and 1/4 tsp of salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and then turn to low and place lid on top. Cook for 18-22 minutes or until liquids are absorbed and rice is easily fluffed with a fork. Remove from heat. 

While rice is cooking- add mayo, Dijon mustard, ketchup, lemon zest, lemon juice, wostershire sauce, tobasco sauce, paprika, scallions and Italian parsley to the small bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

While rice is still warm, fluff with a fork and then bowl the remoulade sauce over the top. Mix the rice until completely covered. Serve warm with Cajun shrimp. Or just eat as is- I am in love with this rice!! Enjoy this meal- it's great! Xo

Apple, Pear & Ginger Butter

Did you go apple picking this weekend and are having apple overload? That was me a week ago. I've made apple & peach cobbler, fed the kids apples pretty much every meal, added them to everything I can think of and there was still an entire bag. And since I was headed to Boston for Columbus Day weekend, I decided to make a yummy batch of apple butter to bring to my hosts. What I love about apple butter is that you can eat it on toast, add it to yogurt, put it on pancakes and waffles, add to pork dishes- pretty much whatever you want to enjoy apple flavors with. But how I love to use it is with cheese. It's the perfect fall addition to a cheese platter. Trust me- you've got to try it. Yum!! I changed up my usual recipe by adding pears and ginger but you can substitute the pears for all apples as well. Now I'm craving aged Gouda and this apple, pear and ginger butter!! So good.

Apple, Pear & Ginger Butter 

Fridge:

1 cup apple cider

1 1/4 tbs freshly grated ginger, packed 

 

Counter:

12 cups apples, cored, sliced, skin on

8 cups pears, cored, sliced, skin on 

3 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice

Pantry:

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice 

1/2 tsp salt

Tools: 

Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid

Cutting board

Chopping knife

Measuring cups/spoons

Wooden spoon 

Food mill or sieve 

Jars/Tupperware to store 

Add all the ingredients into the Dutch oven. Put the pot over medium to low heat. Place lid on it and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering turn to low and cook until everything is pretty much mush besides the skins. You will need to stir every 30 minutes or so. My apple butter took about 2 hours. You can do this in the oven as well at a temperature of 325 degrees- checking it after an hour and half. 

Once the pears and apples are softened you can turn off the heat and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before putting it into the food mill or sieve. I used a sieve to push the flesh through and remove the skins. A food mill is quicker and easier but I didn't use mine this time. It takes a bit to get all the flesh through but it's worth it! 

Add the fruit purée back into the pot and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes or until your desired consistency is reached. I simmered mine closer to 45-50 minutes because I like mine thicker. 

Once you've reached the consistency you prefer, turn off heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes before putting in glass Tupperware or mason jars. This makes about 8-10 cups of apple pear and ginger butter. It will keep in the fridge for a few weeks without canning- if you want to keep this longer see the canning instructions below. Enjoy!! Xo

To can these: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place your mason jars and lids into the boiling water. Remove carefully with tongs and place on a clean dish towel. This sanitizes the jars before filling. Fill the jars until almost full (leaving some space so lids can seal properly). Place lids on top and seal. Place the filled mason jars back into the boiling water and boil for a few minutes. This forces the air out and the lids to vacuum seal. This will keep for 6 months in a cool, dark place. Once you pop the lid- it needs to be refrigerated.