CHILES 'CAUSE IT'S CHILLY!!

I did some grocery shopping yesterday and when I go into those stores, it's really like a normal, stereotypical gal going into a mall or department store. I am definately in my element and am inspired pushing the cart around. I am currently planning a field trip to the new Whole Foods that recently opened in Green Hills like some folks plan a trip to an outlet mall. I get excited when produce is big, fresh, bright and crunchy looking. I love to find the names of products I only fantasize about when reading food articles or watching cooking shows. Publix comes close most of the time and Kroger has definately picked up its creative pace, but I'm chomping at the bit (literally) to get to Whole Foods and check out "SHOPRYLAND." That's the newest food theme park to hit Middle Tennesse, and one I definately want a season pass for.

I have been to some great food shows in the past and tried cheeses and foods I couldn't pronounce or identify. One cheese monger offered me a sample of the best Bleu Cheese I have ever eaten and after I came back down to earth, I asked him where I could get it. He asked if I had a Whole Foods in my area. This was in Louisville and a few years ago, so I was so excited when I heard the announcement that Nashville was finally staking a real claim on the consumer culinary map. I look forward to getting there soon and sharing the excitement with you. Back to my meager shopping trip yesterday......

I found some great shiny, bright green , crunchy Poblano peppers on sale and immediately knew that Geraldo and I would be enjoying Chile Rellenos this week. I make mine with Picadillo (meat filling) and cheese. I saw this recipe years ago on a 911 episode with Tyler (How Cute Is He?) Florence. I've made this recipe quite a few times and changed it each time. I am not a fan of the spicy to the "front of the mouth" taste, I'm more a "back of the throat" kinda gal. Therefore, as this recipe calls for 2 Chipotles in adobo, I use one. I also make sure all the membranes and seeds are out of the peppers. This recipe is a little bit time consuming, but it really flows and goes smoothly. The results are really worth it!! Invite some real foodies over to enjoy this one with you 'cause this is a real culinary homerun and not something someone gets served everyday. If you don't like raisins, then leave them out. Same with the olives. Do trust me and go with the spices (cinnamon, cloves, etc.) cause that really gives this recipe it's distinctive flavor. I follow it pretty exact and stuff Con Queso cheese (or Monterrey Jack) right inside with the meat filling. You can use canned Enchilada (Red) sauce instead of making the Ranchero Sauce, also. My mouth is watering right now thinking about tonight's supper!! OLE!!!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chiles-rellenos-with-picadillo-recipe/index.html

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR!!

Super Bowl is over and the next February food frenzy is Valentine's Day. Whether it's dinner at a romantic restaurant, chocolates or a bottle of bubbly and fondue at home, romantics everywhere know this is the time of year when there are no excuses if you forget February 14th. There are certain rules that apply to this particular date and one of the most important rules of romance is that if you are going to get flowers for your beloved make sure you send them to her place of work so she can have that moment of girlish glory among her peers, proving that she does indeed have someone who loves her enough to send her overpriced flowers. This is NOT the time to drop by the corner market for the cellophane wrapped spring bouquet that has already "sprung." You have to bite the bullet on this one and put some real effort into it to get the proper response. Having said that, let me add that there are some great floral options available if you decide to pick up something on your own to bring home to the missus. Many of the large grocery chains have a great selection of many different flowers and with the right touch, any proper suitor can pull this off. First of all, buy the kind of flowers your sweetie likes. Don't buy roses just because they're everywhere this time of year. I'm not necessarily a big fan of roses, but a lot of gals are. If your girl likes sunflowers, then make it sunflowers. If it's carnations or daisies, well, you get the picture. The love potion here is the thought you put into it. Put the flowers in a pretty vase (not one from home, spring for a new one) and tie a little bow or raffia around it to spruce it up a little. You could also wrap the flowers in floral paper and give them that "Florist Bought" look. There's really nothing wrong with taking flowers to your special valentine, but if your valentine works with other valentines...delivery is a BIG plus.
Most of all, turn on the romantic in you and let the love of your life know how very much she (or he) is loved. comfortcook@gmail.com
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FROM BEV'S RECIPE BOX

I've mentioned my friend Beverly in earlier blogs and just to remind you she has been my co-conspirator on many culinary occasions. We both love good food and our husbands (Don and Gerald) just sit back and reap the benefits when we get "inspired." We've done our little fresh corn on the cobb booth at various functions at Charlie Daniels Park. We serve the corn with our home made gourmet butters and have had a lot of fun and what has turned out to be quite the successful little food booth. We call it "EAR-risistable" cause we're just so damn clever. I look forward to the warm days again and our butter-filled afternoons. I'll keep you posted on any upcoming dates.
Back to Bev and her recent contribution to the COMFORTCOOK blog........Inspired by Publix, Beverly tweaked this recipe to make it her own and the result is a creamy, delicious and light soup. Personally, I'm surprised there isn't a potato in it as I well know "POTATO" is Beverly's favorite food "group." Gotta love a gal who appreciates the staying power of starch! Anyway, try this recipe cause I know it will become a favorite. And to Bev from me and all the foodies who will be trying your delicious soup recipe, we say "Thank You Dahlink!" comfortcook@gmail.com

BEV'S CAULIFLOWER & CRAB SOUP

1 head fresh cauliflower(or 2 pkgs frozen)
1 small sweet onio or 1/4 large
1 can Mexicorn
2 small cans Bumble Bee white crab meat
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
2 cups of Half and Half (Bev uses organic)
1 tbsp dill weed
fresh minced garlic (to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

In soup pot: saute onion and garlic in a little butter and olive oil. Add chicken broth and cauliflower. Cook till tender. Break up the chunks of cauliflower. (Do not puree..just break it down a little.) This gives the soup its nice consistency. Drain and add: Mexicorn and crab. Then add half and half and seasonings. (Note Bev adds about 2 tbsp of flour to thicken soup a little.
TIP:You could also add the flour to the sauteed onion, garlic, oil and butter to make a roux, then in a separate pot, cook your cauliflower in the broth, then drain and add to the roux mixture and add corn, half and half and seasonings.

Beverly suggests you serve this soup with a salad (romaine or spinach) topped with fresh fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, chopped pecans, avacado slices and thin red onion slices. A Raspberry Vinagrette is the perfect way to dress this salad.

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TOMATO, TOMAHTO!!

Is there anything more basic or comforting as a bowl of tomato soup and a gooey, grilled cheese sandwich? I like my grilled cheese with american cheese, mayo and olives and though plain white bread will do, sourdough or french really raises this up a notch. There are certain tastes that we all remember from growing up. As we've gotten older and our palates have gotten more sophisticated, we may realize that some of those old favorites are not exactly what you might think of as fine dining, but boy, there are some tastes that you just can't get anywhere else and just tasting it again can make you feel all warm and fuzzy. Campbell's Classic Tomato Soup in the familiar red and white can is one of those favorites. When you think of tomato soup, I'll bet 9 times out of 10, Campbell's comes to mind. It has gotten more expensive these days, but I know it had to be a bargain to end up in our cupboard when I was growing up. I still crave it and other cheap , pre-packaged delicacies come to mind. The old frozen Chicken Ala King and Gravy with Sliced beef in the pouch, the boxed Chef Boy AR Dee spaghetti, and a personal favorite of mine, Banquet Turkey Pot Pie. Dill pickle chips with mustard on saltines took care of my salt fix. I still sneak that snack sometimes. It's a good alternative to the bag of potato chip "dust" left by someone in the cabinet. There must be something in those preservatives that gives these foods their staying power (pardon the pun) but I really do go back to these golden oldies when I want that particular "Taste." I have some great grown up versions of each of the aforementioned treats, but the originals will always be a mainstay in my diet.
This is a really good recipe for Tomato Soup if you wanna take a little time to make it home made. Fresh is always best, but this particular recipe is very canned tomato friendly. It's good in the summer time when the tomatoes are plentiful and delicious at room temperature. You can spiffy it up with a bit of cream at the end if you like, but it's good just as is. I've included freezing instructions at the end.
Try this, but keep your Campbell's in the pantry for those winter nights when you're too tired to cook but need a little Comfort and Joy from the good old days. comfortcook@gmail.com


CLASSIC TOMATO SOUP

4 TBS (1/4 stick) butter
2 TBS olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 TBS tomato Paste
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes in juice (with basil if available)

1. In a 5 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat: add oil and onion, season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and tomato paste, cook 1 minute to cook starch taste from flour.
2. To saucepan, add thyme, broth and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with your fingers. Bring to a boil: reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.(Remove thyme leaves before blending)
3. Using an immersion blender, puree soup in pot leaving a fair amount of tomatoes in chunks. Or, working in batches, puree half (5 cups) of the soup in a conventional blender till smooth, being careful with hot liquid and covering top off blender with a towel and holding tightly.
Return to pot with remaining tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature before dividing among airtight containers (leaving 1 inch space at the top) and freezing.

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RICH AND SIMPLE

I read on some website yesterday that January is Soup Month. So if you've ever needed a reason to celebrate that wonderful , comforting hot steaming bowl of goodness....dig into this recipe. I found this recipe a few years ago and have made it umpteen times and it never fails to impress. We served it as a soup of the day at a little tea room and it sold out each time. People were really surprised that it tastes so rich and takes only minutes to make. It is not the hour and a half, slowly caramelize the onions, kind of French Onion Soup. It takes only 30 minutes from beginning to end and it is really quite good to be such a quick version of the timely classic. If you want a more "labor intensive" recipe for French Onion Soup, then please email me 'cause I can get one for you. But try this....it's the one I throw together when that "Oniony, cheesy, hot gooey bowl of soup" craving hits me. comfortcook@gmail.com

FRENCH ONION SOUP
Rich and Simple

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp olive oil
4 Cups sliced onions (yellow or white)
4 (10.5) cans beef broth
2 TBS Dry Sherry (VERY IMPORTANT STEP)
1 tsp dried thyme ( or one TBS fresh thyme)
1/4 tsp Salt
Ground blk pepper to taste
6 slices French bread
6 Slices Provolone cheese
6 slices Swiss cheese
1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter in an 8 qt stock pot or big dutch oven over med heatAdd olive oil and mix. Add onions and stir often till tender and translucent. Salt the onions at this time ( adjust salt after cooking if necessary.) DO NOT brown the onions.
2. Add the beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with pepper and simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into oven safe serving bowls and place one slice Italian bread (I toast mine first) or croutons on top of soup.
4. Layer the Provolone, Swiss and sprinkle some of the Parmesan on top of bread.
5. Place bowls on a baking sheet and place under broiler until cheese bubbles and browns slightly. Keep an eye on them at this point as the broiler works quickly.

TIP: (You can skip this broiler step when reheating soup if you place the cheeses on top of bread and microwave on high for about 40 seconds. Careful! This is hot.)

I hope you'll try this easy French Onion Soup recipe. It tastes really good and is much easier to make than it looks. Let me know if you try this and what you think comfortcook@gmail.com

For catering and menu information, please contact me at:
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COMFORT AND JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know how sometimes people will ask you,"What is your favorite food?" Well, I get that question and am also asked a lot, "What's your favorite dish to cook?" Both questions are hard to answer if you love to cook like I do. I really cook for a couple of reasons......I love good tasting food.....I thoroughly enjoy the entire process of shopping for and preparing a meal for family and friends, and I find that I am really focused when I'm working with food. It's very Zen-like for me. I have a high level of confidence when I'm cooking and I get such a sense of accomplishment when I share a good tasting dish with folks. I do love the accolades! And the criticism? Well, you gotta take that too and hopefully learn from it. These past few years I have also realized that I am a person who likes to be in control of situations when I feel capable and qualified. Unfortunately that feeling of confidence and capability does not spill over into some other things in my life and I am wholly aware of when to step aside and let the pros take over. I hope this keeps me realistic and humble. I just do know what I do well and I wish that sense of purpose and satisfaction for everyone in their endeavours. I learn every time I pick up a cookbook or watch someone else prepare food. I really think that anyone can learn how to cook. It's just like anything else where some people have a knack for certain things. I grew up surrounded by women who were fabulous cooks. Just good ole plain food. Delicious dishes that made me want to learn how to give that to the people I love. Cooking is not just pots and pans and meat and taters....it's really a combination of a big dose of love (you gotta wanna!) and realistically, some skills that have to be developed and honed in order to be successful. Learning some basic cooking skills will carry anybody thru life. You gotta know what can go with what. You have to know how to season, and you better know there's a big difference between high heat and low heat. Lots goes on there in the middle. I'm not a great chef and I never claim to be, but I am a good cook and that's because I love what I do and I take pride in doing it the best way I know how. I study every day and sometimes the dog does eat my homework. I like to say that not every ball gets knocked out of the park, there have been many runs, drips and errors! (Just ask Gerald!) I think some folks are born with a talent and opportunity and mine happened to be cooking. Just like some people are born to be scholars, surgeons or scientists.........and they all gotta eat sometime!!!

Here's a great Quiche recipe that I got my friend Beverly. She came up with the original version. We served this at the little tea room she and I developed the menu for and it was a big hit. I added the mozzarella because I didn't have enough cheddar one day. The mozzarella gave it a real creamy texture. This is a great dish for any time of day or night. It makes a great easy and filling supper. I made this for brunch the morning after Christmas when the boys, their girlfriends and our grandson Logan was here. God Bless 'em...they are all good eaters and my cup "runneth over" that day!! comfortcook@gmail.com



CARPETBAGGER"S QUICHE

2 9 in. prepared pie crusts, thawed if frozen (store bought works great and I used the
boxed pre-rolled kind from the biscuit dough section)
1 Box frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained very well
1 small onion diced
1/4 cup (or more to taste) Bacon Bits (Please use Real bacon bits here)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 Extra large eggs
1 Large can evaporated milk
*Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (fresh ground makes a difference here)
A pinch of cayenne ( I think cayenne compliments cheese dishes; a pinch adds a
great background, not heat))

Preheat oven to 350. If using a pre-rolled pie crust, spray bottom of 9 inch pie pan.
1. Divide and sprinkle half the diced onions into each pie crust.
2. Follow with half the mushrooms over onions.
3. Add half the drained spinach layer over mushrooms and onions. (Spread evenly over top)
4. Top the spinach with the bacon bits
5. Sprinkle the mozzarella over entire layer

6.In a separate bowl, beat eggs and evaporated milk till well blended. Add salt (*remember bacon is salty and already in recipe) and both peppers, more black than cayenne.

7.Divide wet batter and pour evenly and gently into each crust. Top each quiche with the shredded cheddar ( and I do embellish here) and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. Quiche is done when sides are set and middle is still a bit spongy. To test, insert a butter knife and when it comes out clean, the quiche is ready. Do not over bake.
Cover with foil to keep warm or serve at room temperature with a big green salad and a crusty baquette or a loaf of warm bread. Softened butter (or margarine) with some honey mixed together is a great condiment to serve to spread on the bread.
Throw some fresh fruit in a bowl and you look like a pro and most importantly, it shows you care. "Comfort and Joy!"

TIP!!!!
To make one quiche, cut recipe in half, but use 4 whole eggs and 1 extra yolk. You can substitute any kind of cheese. For instance, Monterrey Jack and cheddar or pepper jack takes this dish south of the border. Add some chopped green chilies in addition to or in place of the mushrooms. Add ham, instead of bacon, green peppers, red peppers, steamed broccoli , chives.....play with it and make it your own. Just use the basic egg and milk mixture as your base.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

2008 came just in time at the Schmidt House. Maybe you noticed that I took some time off around the holidays and am just now getting back in the groove. This was one of our best holiday seasons in a long time, and with that came alot of preparation and celebration. We had the boys and their significant others, our grandson Logan, and friends and neighbors in and out for days. My family back in Illinois had a great time together with their spread out families, also. I always miss them when the rest of us get together here in Tennessee. It's so hard to work with everyone's schedule, but we were in one another's hearts. We also had a great night out with our good friends Mike and Bob ( who are relocating soon) and in between all the hustle and bustle, Geraldo and I had to manage a few dental appointments. I had a root canal (attempt) that became a bigger deal than expected so that knocked me off my feet for a couple of days. Mepergan and baking do not mix. I was loopy for a few days. But Christmas came and the day was great and the brunch the day after was wonderful also. A couple of nights after Christmas, we met Mike and Bob at "Toot's" a surf and turf restaurant in Smyrna and I, quite obviously, got hold of a BAD oyster. The reaction was swift and violent, and I'm not quite ready for any trips to the all you can eat seafood bar at the local Oriental Buffet. I did learn a valuable lesson tho....trust your nose. I was excited to see our friends, and quite truthfully, giddy that I was getting to "eat out". So I dug in with abandonment and paid for it later. I am happy to report that I was the only casualty (from our table) that night, but Gerald got a 24 hour bug a couple of days later. We were both fine for New Year's and watched the ball drop from the comfort of our living room with our furry friends. The four legged kind....not the neighbors.
So I hope all of you had a great holiday season and that love found its way into your hearts and homes. I'm ready to meet 2008 with an attitude adjustment and live in the present.
I do have a couple of recipes that I tried out for the first time. Actually I did 3 new cookie recipes that were all really, really good. I'm paying for that now...I have put on some pounds since Thanksgiving and I knew I would. I really enjoy all the flavors this time of year offers. So, I'm resolving to rework some old recipes and give them a lighter makeover. I've got a quiche recipe we had for Christmas that was so easy and delicious. Everyone loved it..including our big ole boys. They had never even heard the phrase "real men don't eat quiche", so I didn't have that hurdle to get over. I'll get some recipes to all of you later and please email me if you had any tried and true favorites over the holidays or found some new taste sensation. comfortcook@gmail.com God Bless You and Yours and I wish you "Comfort and Joy" for 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!