easy, delicious, real food recipes

Excuse me while I go into total Oprah-voice-mode:

IIIIT’S SOOOUUUUUP SEEEAAAAASSSOOOONNNNN!!!

I know I’ve expressed my soup love before, but guess what: can’t stop, won’t stop. I mean, come on! It’s everything you need in one bowl!

So let’s put on some funky socks, then some slippers, and get to stirring a pot full of hearty fall yumminess.

Chicken Tortilla Soup is an awesome way to kick off the season of simmering pots. Just look at all those toppings! Kind of reminds you of those tacos you were eating all summer, right? It’s familiar, yet new and exciting all at once.

It all starts with browning some chicken – skin-on! If you’re worried about fat don’t fret, it doesn’t go in the finished soup. (You should still devour it when you’re shredding the chicken up later, but I’ll try to keep my composure if you choose not to.) Nothing adds flavor like some good ol’ chicken skin. Mmmhm.

Next there is some veggie-sweating, spice-blooming, and one delicious smelling kitchen. The chicken finishes in the oven while the rest of the soup comes together! My favorite part though:

Oh, heeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy guys!

So I haven’t touched this blog of mine in over a month, AND I’m bringing you cranberry relish after Thanksgiving.

I’m super on top of things. No worries.

During that month I packed up all of our crap, moved to a new city (again), unpacked said crap, hosted Thanksgiving, and then galavanted around San Francisco with family for the better part of a week.

I also made you this Cranberry Ginger Relish… with the most earnest intentions of posting it before Thanksgiving, but oh well. If you’re anything like me, it’s still completely relevant because cranberry relish is awesome all the freaking time, not just one day a year!

It should be mentioned that I didn’t always feel this way.

Once upon a time, the only cranberries I ate came in the form of that mysterious, cranberry-like jello that shoots out of a can and wobbles all around your plate. And oh, how I loved it. Even when my mom started using fresh cranberries for our Thanksgiving meal, she would always buy a can of the cranberry goo, just for me. I wanted nothing to do with that weird looking chunky stuff she started slinging year after year.

Fresh cranberries?? Orange zest?! Pffft – I’ll stick to my can, thanks.

I feel as though somebody should’ve tried a little harder to tell me what I was missing out on. I mean, it’s not like I was a stubborn kid or anything…

Hah.

Haha.

It’s Friday night before The Big Game, and I’m willing to bet that if you’re even half as OCD as I am about menu planning, you’ve got your food all figured out. Kentucky Mules drink is great to try out with buddies.

Well here’s something you may have overlooked: a signature cocktail. I’ve brought up how much I love cocktails at parties before, but allow me to elaborate on the why. Of course, there’s the deliciousness factor. And that having a unique drink makes a special occasion that much more memorable (or not… depending on how many you have).

But the BEST reason by far to have a signature cocktail at a party: it makes life easier for the hosts, while still giving the impression that you went the extra mile for your guests.

On one hand, I suppose you are doing something extra by offering mixed drinks in the first place. But a party without a cocktail is no party, so let’s forget that. (I do keep beer & wine on hand for peeps that aren’t down with specialty drinks, but they’ll usually go for one if it’s offered.)

By having a signature cocktail, you don’t have to worry about stocking a full bar, or the hassle of making a million different drinks. Believe me, when people have the option to request any cocktail under the sun, they will. So then you’ve spent a ton of money on booze, and spent your whole night filling drink orders – no thanks.

A signature cocktail allows you to set out the few things required for that drink with a bucket of ice, and you’re done. You’ll be doling out drinks faster than people can gulp them down.

If you want to get extra special (as I often do), you could offer 2 sorta similar cocktails and it will still be more than simple enough to handle. For this Super Bowl, we’ll be whipping up these beautiful babies I’m showing you here, and classic margaritas.

Oh, and said margaritas will be chillin’ in a pitcher, just begging to be poured over some ice and served. Both use lime, neither requires a cocktail shaker, and one will be made ahead of time! Besides, I’ve been looking for an excuse to break out the tequila we got as a wedding gift from a family friend.

These kentucky mules come from Michael Symon’s new show Symon’s Suppers, which I’m in love with. I’m also in love with Michael Symon, so maybe there’s a connection there. These drinks are bright and flavorful, and match perfectly with this not-so-wintry weather we’ve been having.

In fact, they’re so delicious that my mass consumption of them last weekend is part of the reason I’m on this whole health/no booze kick right now! So uhh… be careful. Or not. It is the Super Bowl after all. So GO CHARGERS— oh um, GO 49ERS— ummm, *sigh* nevermind. Just eat lots of good food and have fun!

On a side note: if you aren’t totally OCD about menu planning and need some last minute inspiration for a game day menu, here’s what I’ll be serving:

When I get breakfast at a restaurant, I want EVERYTHING. Eggs, potatoes, bacon, french toast/pancakes. All of it. Open-Faced Egg & Goat Cheese Sandwich made with recipe given below is quite tasty for whoever try it for first time.

This probably stems from my lack of motivation most mornings to make elaborate breakfasts at home. On Saturday OR Sunday (almost never both), I’ll make the whole shibang, sure.

Otherwise… there’s always oatmeal or something.

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite middle-ground breakfast. A little more involved than pouring hot water over oats, but definitely still a cinch.

So easy in fact, that you can complete it before your coffee is done – simply using the brain power you woke up with! Whoa!

Four ingredients. That’s what’s up.

Salt and pepper don’t count as ingredients, do they?

Well, either way. Still super easy. You ready?

Toast your bread.

Slather it with goat cheese.

Here we are at day 2 of my Not A Cleanse Eating Right Fortnight (I just came up with that – pretty good, huh?) and I feel goooood. I went to the grocery store yesterday to stock up on yummy, healthful items like fresh & dried fruit, granola, almond milk, veggies, veggies, and more veggies. I walked briskly by the pepperoni and bacon, and instead grabbed some salmon and ground chicken breast to make Pan Seared Salmon with Pomegranate Reduction in the kitchen.

When the hubs got home from work he was slightly concerned. “You still got beer for me though, right?” Apparently he can live without some of our beloved meats, but don’t mess with the man’s beer supply! (I did get beer for him in case you were wondering; what kind of a wife would I be…)

I knew exactly what I was going to make when I saw that salmon. I made this dish once for my mom a couple years ago and she hasn’t stopped raving about it since! (Hi mom!) That time I grilled the salmon because, well, I had a grill. We left ours in San Diego with the West Coaster sd guys to make moving a little easier on ourselves. I miss it dearly, but I bet they’re getting some good use out of it. Mike makes a mean grilled steak taco.

So for now, a good pan sear and the same delicious sauce will do. Unfortunately, Mountain View seems to be fresh out of pomegranates; two different stores yielded me only frozen seeds. Arg. Not the same.

One good thing about NACERF (Are we at the acronym stage yet? Too soon? Eh.): it’s a good excuse to cook things that Josh hates. Hey, I’m just trying to eat healthy over here! This man is a hater of all things from the sea. So while he dined on leftover chili (and BEER, rrrg) I had this lovely salmon (and the subsequent leftovers) all to myself.

Salmon is one of my favorite fish. It can stand up to a lot of flavor, and gets along mighty well with tangy pomegranate, spicy ginger and star anise. The pop of cilantro at the end really brings everything together.