Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

It may come as a surprise to those enjoying a solid cold winter elsewhere, but we do get winter weather here in Hawaii.   It's in the low 70s (or gasp, the high 60s) at night, at sea level.   If you live upcountry, it's even cooler.     When I read all the cold weather, slow cooker recipes, I want to get in on the fun, even if I'm not wearing socks or sitting by the fireplace. 

I don't miss many restaurant chains from the mainland, but there are times where soup in a bread bowl from Panera would be the perfect meal.   This soup makes me think of sitting by the fireplace at the Panera in the DTC back in Colorado on cold winter day.         

What You Need

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts,- two large ones will do it and frozen worked just fine

1 cup uncooked wild rice, I used Lundberg Wild Blend Rice experimenting from the bulk bin at the natural food store

2 cups, total, of chopped celery, carrot and onion

6 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or improv here with sage, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, salt and pepper)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup flour

2 cups 2% milk (the original recipe called for whole, but I don't usually have that on hand...I did know that my normal choice of skim milk wouldn't make the soup as creamy as I'd like, so 2% was my personal soup compromise of the day)

3 tablespoons white wine

salt and pepper to taste

What You Do

Why I loved this recipe so much was that it really was easy.   Take the whole chicken breasts, rice, veggies, chicken broth and seasoning and put it in the slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours.    

Walk away.  Go to work, walk the dog, take a nap, hit the beach, read a good book, visit with your neighbors, or curl up by the fireplace.

Come back and use tongs to pull the chicken breasts from the pot.   Use two forks to shred them and then put the chicken back in the pot.  

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.   Add the flour and let it bubble for a minute.   Add the milk, and whisk the mixture together.   Then add the wine (if you're drinking it at the same time, that's totally fine....especially if it's cold out).    Add this roux to the soup going in the slow cooker.   If you want to change the consistency of the soup, you can add additional milk at this time.    Let it cook a little longer so that it's all combined and full of hearty goodness, then dig in.  

Bonus if you have a bread bowl on hand.   

Recipe source:  This soup recipe comes from Pinch of Yum, one of my favorite food blogs to follow

Meanwhile in Maui

Friday night's sunset was glorious.  
If you're thinking that Hawaii is calling your name in 2016, come.

Other soups you might enjoy:

Tuscan Garbanzo Bean Soup

Sweet Potato and Chipotle Soup

Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

Chicken and Tortellini Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Colorado Cache Chicken Salad

 

I am a chicken salad skeptic.

Also ham, egg, tuna or any other compound salad that has unknown ingredients mixed in.   I don't know if it was a bad childhood experience with onion or relish or {GASP} both.   If you said chicken salad, I said, "I'll pass."

This recipe is one that changed my mind about chicken salad.  
I think it's because of the curry powder.

A friend was visiting Maui with her family this summer and while I was hanging out with them at their condo she said, "We're having chicken salad for lunch.   Have you every tried the Colorado Cache chicken salad?"

Of course, I have not tried it.   {pause}   But I'm glad I did.

What You Need

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (I grilled mine)
1/2 cup grapes, sliced in half, 20 whole grapes
1 rib of celery, sliced in half and then coarsely chopped, about a 1/2 cup
1/2 cup pecans

Dressing
3/4 cup light mayo
2 tablespoons vinegar (I used white)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (love Penzeys hot curry)

What You Do

In a large bowl combine cubed chicken, grapes, celery and pecans.      In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients.    Pour dressing over chicken mixture and toss to coat.

If you can wait until the next day, or even a few hours for the salad to chill, the flavors sink in even more.   If not, it's still delicious!     Serve on lettuce, in a tortilla or pita, or just eat with a fork.

Adapted from My Mobile Recipes

Meanwhile in Maui...

Yesterday I went to the Maui Fair.   It was really hot, so we spent a lot of time in the shade of the dining tent, surrounded by all the local food vendors.     Every booth is manned by a local organization as a fundraiser.     11 months ago, I wouldn't have known what most of the food was (dry mein,  chow fun, li hing mui pineapple, what?).  

I enjoyed frosty POG,  lumpia, and island ice (pina colada, mango, and li hing mui pineapple).   Not pictured was the teriyaki burger that I devoured on contact.

Growing up, a highlight of the summer was going to the Rock County 4H Fair.   My favorites there? Cheese curds and eclairs. 

What's your favorite fair food?

Easy Buffalo Chicken Rollups

Some days you just want easy.   Throw it together, tastes good, minimal work and a kitchen that isn't a disaster afterwards.

These are easy.    And you can fill a crescent roll with anything you like.   I  just happen to like love buffalo chicken.   If I can buffalo a recipe, I will.

What You Need

1 can of crescent rolls - these happened to be garlic bread...yum

hot sauce / wing sauce, to taste

sliced chicken breast deli meat, 1/2-1 slice per roll up

blue cheese crumbles, to taste

What You Do

Preheat the oven per the directions on the can of rolls.   Line the baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

Separate the rolls in the can into individual triangles.   Brush wing sauce onto the crescent roll.   Add 1/2-1 slice of deli meat (you may need to tear it with your hands) and top with blue cheese crumbles.    

Roll, baby, roll.

Bake per package directions and enjoy while hot.   If you want to get all crazy, you could dip it in ranch or blue cheese dressing.     And that's it.      

What else could we wrap in a crescent roll?

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Whenever there is hot sauce and ranch (or blue cheese) dressing, my response is always "buffalo it."   

Salad. Quesadillas.   Sandwiches.   Pasta. 

Sometimes buffalo chicken is all you want.  Without the messy bones or sauce.

And that's where buffalo chicken dip comes in.   Put all the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and go to town.     And then use vegetables, pretzels, chips or even a spoon to shovel the gooey mess into your mouth.

Let's go!

What You Need

1 8oz block of cream cheese,  I used the reduced fat kind

1/2 cup ranch dressing....love the bacon ranch dressing from Safeway

1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce

1 12oz can of chunk chicken, drained, chunks broken into small pieces

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

blue cheese crumbles for garnish

What You Do

Combine chicken and buffalo sauce and heat through in a skillet until warmed through.   Break up any of the big chunks of chicken.     Stir in the cream cheese and ranch dressing.   Continue to stir until it's all cheesy and warm.   Add the shredded cheese.  Stir until melted.    Pour it into a shallow microwave safe container,sprinkle the blue cheese and warm in the microwave until the blue cheese is melted.

If you're traveling with the dip, as I did, simply put in a microwave safe dish or plasticware after adding the cheddar cheese.    Keep it in the fridge until you're ready to go, then microwave it when you get to your destination.

What's your favorite dip?    

Jack Daniel's Pulled Chicken

 

 

I don't bake all the time.   Just most of the time.

I also need real food to eat.   Even better if it cooks in the crock pot and doesn't need my constant attention...then I can bake and cook.  

 

What You Need

 

1/2 cup Jack Daniel's

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup honey (I used Honeyville Maple Hazelnut whipped honey)

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 medium onion chopped

2 generous spoonfuls of minced (jarred) garlic

1 teaspoon grated ginger root

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

 

What You Do

Spray your crock pot with cooking spray to help with cleanup.   Mix JD, soy, honey, vinegar, ketchup, onion, garlic and ginger.  Add chicken.  

 

Cover, cook on low for 6-8 hours.    Remove chicken and shred with a fork and then return it to the pot.   Serve on rolls or on rice.   I love the sour cream and herb biscuits from Whole Foods (pictured above).

 

Happy dining!

Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich

A long time ago a co-worker told me that he had an emotional allergy to mayonnaise.   I thought it was an apt description.  You're not physically allergic, but the thought of eating _______ messes with your head.    I think I still feel that way about cream of wheat.    And salad sandwiches. 

I'm not a big fan of other people's ________ salad.   Chicken, ham, egg, tuna,  you name it, I'm not interested in eating it.    It's not the mayo.   Unlike my co-worker of yore, I don't suffer from an emotional allergy to mayo.   It's usually the unknown chopped green thingies and random spices.   I don't like relish.  Anywhere.   In general I'm not a fan of other things that go crunch in a sandwich, such as celery and bell peppers.  

When I can make the sandwich filling myself, I'm happy to enjoy a rare salad sandwich.   Why?  Because it only has the things I like.   If I'm going to eat a sandwich (not my favorite dish), then it should taste great to me.    Buffalo chicken tastes great.   And things that go crunch in the night?  Celery is a perfect accompaniment for this salad, just like it is with wings.

What You Need

2 large or 3 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled (I used my little Foreman grill) and cubed

2 ribs of celery chopped

1/4 cup light mayo

1/4 cup hot sauce ('cause I like it with a kick)

1/4 blue cheese crumbles

salt/pepper to taste

What You Do

After grilling your chicken, slice it into cubes and allow to cool just a bit.   Then combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until the chicken and celery are coated with the hot sauce mixture.   Allow salad to chill briefly (or until you're hungry).   Serve in a whole wheat pita, or the sandwich vessel of your choice.