Chicken and Dumplings

The first time I made dumplings was a disaster. I made them in a pot on the stove and then burned the stew on to the bottom of the pot. And then the whole damn thing tasted like burnt stew...gross!  But this time was very successful.  Very delicious!

Chicken Stew
Ingredients:
8 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts
1 can corn
1 cup peas
1 cup broccoli
1 cup carrots
season with salt, pepper, basil, parsley, and bay leaf

Directions
1. Slow cook chicken and broth over night in a crock pot. Shred the chicken.

2. Add the other ingredients and cook on high for another hour.

3. Scoop in dumpling batter and cook for 15-20 minutes or until done.

126 calories per 1 1/2 cups (roughly 6 servings)


Dumplings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons margerine
3/4 cup skim milk

Directions
1. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, thyme, parsley, and oregano. Cut in margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add milk, using just enough to form a thick batter.

2. Use 1/3 cup to scoop batter into your simmering soup or stew, cover, and allow to cook 15 minutes.
Makes 7 dumplings; 132 calories each

Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

Baked Potato Soup

As part of my efforts to lose weight, I am trying out new healthier recipes.  Most of these are just lower calorie versions of the original.  Since I'm a self-proclaimed food whore, I'm not usually big on "diet" food.  I don't like fake tasting food. I hate bland stuff. And I detest the taste of fake sweeteners. So rest assured, if the recipe is here, it is food-whore approved.  While nothing can replace heavy whipping cream and butter, I think these healthier recipes are pretty damn good. And good for you.  I'll also be posting nutritional info along with these recipes so you can see for yourself how it compares to the real thing. 

Yes, even with all that cheese and bacon, this is still a healthy recipe!

Ingredients:
10 creamer potatoes
1 bundle of leeks
6 cups broth
2 1/2 cups skim milk
turkey bacon, cooked and chopped
low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Chop potatoes and leeks and place in slow cooker on low. Add broth and cook for 6 hours.

2. Strain out the broth. Set aside one cup for use, and feel free to do what you want with the leftovers. You can freeze it or toss it.

3. Place the potatoes back into the crock pot. Add the broth and the milk and mash the potatoes until it's a soft, chunky "soup." It will resemble the texture and color of applesauce.

4. Top with cheese, bacon and chives to serve.

Makes 5 servings; 142 calories each; add 2 slices of chopped turkey bacon (add 50 calories) and 1/4 cup 2% shredded cheddar (add 80 calories)

*Note: I originally posted that 2 slices of Turkey Bacon = 100 calories. This was an error. 2 slices is only 50 calories. Sorry!

Bon Appetit!
The Food Whore

Home-Made Chicken Stock

Home-made chicken stock is a great thing to have on hand. We almost always have some in our freezer for quick use. Making chicken stock is pretty easy. The next time you roast a chicken, save the carcas. Throw all the bones, skin, stuffing (vegetables not bread), etc into a large crock pot and cover 2/3 with warm water. Let it simmer on low for 24-48 hours. Then strain it and freeze.

If you don't stuff your chicken with veggies when you roast it, you may also want to add some chopped onions, celery, carrots and herbs for a little extra flavor. And as a bonus, when the stock cools, all the fat rises to the top so it's easy to scrape it off and make it a little healthier.

Vegetable Chicken Soup

Brrrr! Well, it's finally getting cold in Florida. Tonight's low is expected to be in the 30s, so what better way to usher in the cold weather than with a steaming pot of home-made soup. This soup can be vegetarian. In fact, I made it vegetarian at first so I could send some to my sister. But then we added chicken for some extra protein.

Ingredients:
6 cups vegetarian stock (or chicken stock)
olive oil
parmesean rind*
2 leeks, rinsed and chopped finely
3 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 small white onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 can corn
1 can green beans
1 can peas
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 of baby spinach leaves, sauteed in olive oil (garlic optional)
2 small yellow squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 small zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 small potatoes, chopped
3 small carrots chopped
salt and pepper to taste
oregano



Note: frozen/fresh/canned veggies can easily be interchangeable here. Just make sure that any frozen veggies are thawed to room temperature before adding to the soup. Likewise, any fresh veggies should be steamed al dente before adding.

*I keep a baggie of fresh parmesean rinds in my freezer to flavor soups. This is optional and will only enhance the flavor, but is not necessary to have a tasty soup. While the rind is flavorful, you don't want to eat it. Be sure to remove it before serving.

1.Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and sautee the garlic and leeks.



2. Add in onions and celery and cook until softened.

3. In another pot, steam the carrots, potatoes, squash and zucchini until al dente.

4. Add the vegetarian broth/stock to the pot.

5. Add all the canned veggies, the sauteed spinach, and the steamed fresh veggies. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.



6. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Add in the parmesean rind and let simmer on low for an hour or so.

At this point, you can serve the soup or you can transfer it to a crock pot to simmer on low overnight. The crock pot will allow the flavors to enhance and let the veggies really cook down.

7. If you want to add chicken, sautee 2-3 chicken breasts in a pan and pull the meat apart with 2 forks when done. Toss into the pot.

This makes a lot of soup. We froze half of it and still got around 8 servings out of the half we ate.

Slow-Cooked Deliciousness

If you don't like to cook (or you don't have time), then I highly recommend purchasing a crock pot. Crock pot cooking is both delicious and simple. Most days I love to spend time in the kitchen creating and perfecting, but even the Food Whore has her moments where she'd rather not cook. On days like those, the crock pot is a gal's best friend. I'll be posting many more crock pot recipes later, but here is the first one: Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Ingredients

2 lbs pork loin

2 bottles of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece Sweet and Tangy)

1. Put pork in a crock pot and cover with barbeque sauce.

2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.

3. When the pork is done cooking, use a knife and fork to pull the meat apart.

We served the pork on Texas toast as sandwiches, but it can also be served on its own. Or if you prefer, the meat could also be served on a toasted hoagie roll.

Pulled Pork Sandwich with carrots and corn on the cob

Bon Appetit!

The Food Whore

The Food Whore's Commandment #1

Thou shalt not follow a chili recipe.

I know this may sound a little odd, considering I am going to give you a chili recipe later in this post, but hear me out first. Chili, as with many other things in life, must be tweaked to make it your own. Just like a personalized playlist on your iPod or a pair of pants that needs tailoring, chili must be adapted to suit you best. Why else would there be hundreds (if not thousands) of chili contests across the country each year? Everyone has their personal preference, and you've got to find yours.

So here is my chili recipe, which I am passing along to you on one condition: you may not follow this recipe verbatim. Taste it along the way, add new spices, different sauces...make it your own.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey

46 oz tomato sauce

1 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup diced chili

1/2 cup diced green pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder

1 1/2 tsps ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can red beans

1 can kidney beans

hot sauce to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1. place ground turkey in a skillet and cook over medium high heat until browned all the way through. Break up the meat as much as possible. Drain the fat when it's cooked.

2. Add all ingredients to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serves 6.

The Food Whore's Chili Tips

• My favorite hot sauce du jour is Smack My Ass and Call Me Sally, available at Tijuana Flats. I love the habenero version. It's so tasty and not too spicy. I've taken to putting it in so many things I cook. If there's not a TF in your area, you can order it online here.


• Chili is best when served the day after you cook it. I prefer to cook it and then put it on warm in a crock pot over night.


• Top your chili with cheese, onions, jalapenos, sour cream, or fritos. Yes, fritos. Try it. It's delicious. Serve with a loaf of sour dough bread or crackers.


• If you don't like really spicy foods, start with smaller amounts of the spices and work your way up. Remember, as the chili cooks down, the seasoning will be absorbed into the chili and will likely taste stronger.


• Made your chili too spicy? Eat a piece of bread, drink milk or put a tsp of sugar on your tongue to soothe your burning tastebuds.

Bon Appetit!

The Food Whore