Chicken Corn Chowder & Port City IPA

I spend most Sundays in the kitchen chopping fruits and veggies. That's because if I don't prep healthy meals ahead of time, then I end up buying lunch all week near work (which is right next to tempting fried chicken and burger joints). Worse, if it's been a crazy day and I get home late and nothing's ready-made, I end up draped on the counter eating chips and salsa for dinner. 

So I try to get all my prep done on Sunday to increase the odds that I'll eat well all week. This weekend, I had fresh corn on the cob handy so decided to lighten up a chicken corn chowder recipe. 

Pro tip: Maybe wait until after this step before enjoying the beer.

Putting this dish together, I had a cold pint of Port City Monumental IPA, which is Alexandria's hometown brewery. It's bitter and a little citrusy. Hop lovers, this one's my favorite. You also can't go wrong with the milder Essential Pale Ale. The porter is another good one. Mmm, beer. Okay, back to the food.

The beautiful sight of Port City bottles
lined up on my fridge shelf.

As a base, I used this recipe with some modifications. Normally, the biggest modification would have been adding bacon--I love a smokey corn chowder--but didn't have bacon on hand and wasn't about to go back to the grocery store. I point this out because if you eat meat and have bacon on hand, you should add it. I'd fry some up in the pan till it is crispy, set aside to drain, and cook the veggies in the rendered fat. Crumble the bacon on top of the finished chowder.

But if you are in the same sad baconless position as me, you can add a healthy dose of smoked paprika and/or my favorite seasoning blend from Trader Joe's: South African Smoke. It's basically smoked paprika, basil and garlic. Adds an awesome, pork-free flavor.

I add this to everything.
Smokey everything, y'all.

What else: I marinate the chicken for a couple hours before I start chopping. You can use a store brand, but I usually make my own--I'll post my favorite blend here another time, but here are some ideas for combinations. If you fo marinate, pat off the excess before adding meat to the pan. You can also skip the marinade altogether and pop the chicken in the pan with salt and pepper.

While chicken marinates, prep the veggies. Strip the corn from the cobs using this trick (I use an upturned small bowl inside a larger prep bowl). Save the cobs, because you'll want to add them to the chowder to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Don't skip this step. It adds a nice depth to the flavor.

Finally, I added zucchini and left out the potatoes. I know, potatoes are the building blocks of most chowders, but I was looking to make it a little less dense. If you want to add them back, toss them in after you add the broth and let mixture simmer till potatoes are cooked through.

Onions, red pepper, & zucchini sautéing in the dutch oven.

Add the corn cobs to the chowder to simmer.

Chicken Corn Chowder
(modified from A Taste of Home)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (marinated), cubed
4 tbsp butter
2 medium onions, diced

1 large red pepper, chopped

2 zucchini squash, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp smoked paprika
4 c chicken broth
2 ears fresh corn, stripped from cob (save cobs)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce, optional
1 c milk or half-and-half

1. In Dutch oven or stock pot, saute chicken in 2 tablespoons butter until lightly browned and until no longer pink; remove from pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, saute onions and red pepper in remaining butter until tender. Add zucchini; cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.

3. Stir in flour and paprika, coating vegetables. Gradually stir in broth. Add corn cobs. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add corn kernels, Worcestershire sauce, salt, hot sauce and reserved chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until corn is tender, stirring occasionally. Test for seasoning and adjust.

5. Remove corn cobs and discard.  Stir in milk and heat through (do not boil). 

6. Garnish with fresh parsley or bacon. Serve warm with simple salad.

Chicken corn chowder with spinach salad
(with nectarines and blueberries).

Strawberry-Banana Muffins & Gingerbread Coffee

My husband Jeff is (slash claims to be) a supertaster. He uses that as an excuse for a limited palate for fruits and veggies, but he'll do bananas, apples, green seedless grapes...and not much else. Bananas are easy work snacks because when we inevitably forget to actually bring them with us, I stick them in a bowl or the freezer to bake with later.  My supertaster won't eat cooked fruit, but I've found plenty of other people who loved my momma's banana bread.

Last weekend, we were at the point where a fresh bunch of bananas was slowly disintegrating and another browning batch was stashed away for baking. And I had a whole bunch of strawberries. I woke up early on a beautiful morning that threatened to turn humid later in the day, but was perfect for open windows and doors in the meantime.

Something strawberry-y and banana-y will be happening.

Strawberries & late spring morning sun

I was headed off to Texas later in the week, so it was a great time to try out some new banana-based recipes with a pot of Trader Joe's gingerbread coffee. They only have it out during the December holidays, so I buy in bulk and ration it during the year because it has bits of real ginger and is a nice, balanced, cinnamony blend.  (I'd link to it, but it's seasonal, so just file it away in your brain for the next time the temperatures drop and you're thinking about how quickly the year flew by.)

Pieces of clove, ginger, cinnamon, allspice--
I haven't been able to replicate it yet.

I found a recipe for strawberry-banana muffins (or bread) that sounded perfect. I made the same blog's banana-blueberry bread as well (more on that later).  I brought them to work and folks were really positive about them; the only adjustments I made were to add a bit more banana and add a brown sugar topping, but you could go all the way with a crumb topping that would make them even better. Though it would probably push them safely out of the realm of justifiably healthy, but muffins are basically cake, right?

Strawberry-banana muffins cooling. Leave enough time
before prying them out or you'll burn your  fingers. So I've heard.

Strawberry-Banana Muffins (makes 12)
(adapated from Two of a Kind Working on a Full House)
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar, packed (plus more for sprinkling)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 medium bananas, divided (1 mashed and 1sliced)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, diced (source says frozen works well)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin tins with liners (or cooking spray). 
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon and stir to combine.
3. Slice one banana into thin discs (1/4-1/2 inch in width). Set aside. Slice 3-4 strawberries into thin slices, enough for at least one thin slice to top 12 muffins.
4. Mash the second banana in a bowl. Add the mashed banana to the dry ingredients and stir. 
5. Add the oil, beaten egg white, vanilla and stir until just combined. Gently fold in 3/4 cup strawberries.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and top with at one strawberry slice and one banana slice each, pressing gently into surface of the batter. This is where I sprinkle on extra brown sugar a cinnamon.
7. Bake for about 25-30 minutes; check for doneness using a toothpick  through the center of a muffin (muffins are done when toothpick comes out clean, with no chunks of batter continuing to cling).  

Tasty both cold and warm; they are super yummy toasted with butter.

Muffins don't need any specific beverage, but let's face it:
sugary, fruity, gingery, caffeiney = good morning.

Pocket Pies & Hazelnut Coffee

One of my favorite things about baking as a kid was the mini-pies that my mom would let me make with the dough scraps from pie crust. Alongside the apple pie, little misshapen lumps of dough, apples, butter, and cinnamon-sugar would puff up and turn golden. The grownups got the big pie. The little "pies" were all mine.

Pocket pies (also known as hand pies) are prettier version of my childhood favorites--great for using up scraps of dough if you're already making a pie crust or fun to bake in batches on their own.  

Pocket pies just cool enough to eat.

A month or so ago, I wanted to bring in something special for my coworker's birthday. I wanted to make her something that everyone at the office get-together could eat but leave her enough to take home, just for her. I settled on pocket pies, but had trouble choosing the filling before I hit the grocery store. Rookie mistake. I came home with peaches, blackberries, apples, chocolate, and cream. And then I decided to make four different kinds. I really like the birthday girl, and it was too hard to choose just one or two flavors.

These little pies are not difficult to make, but they take some time. Plan to spend at least a full afternoon assembling them, more if you are silly enough to make four types of filling at one go. I got started early, so I had my Dunkin Donuts hazelnut coffee at the ready. Perfect pairing for the finished pies as a sweet breakfast, too.

Blackberry, ginger apple, chocolate ganache & bourbon peach fillings.

Usually I like shortening in my crust (much flakier) but for these, I like a simple buttery crust that lets the filling have all the glory. You could also fry these pies, and if you do, please let me know how they come out; I bet they are amazing. All of these filling recipes have been scaled down from the original batch size, so if you are picking one flavor, you may want to double the recipe or click through to the original. Oh, and I sampled all four and definitely have a favorite, but when I asked for reviews, my coworkers all named different types as the best. Try the ones that sound tastiest to you.

Pocket Pies with Bourbon Peach, Ginger Apple, Chocolate Ganache, and Blackberry Filling

Pie crust

via Williams Sonoma; various filling recipes follow

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar, plus more for sprinkling

16 tbsp (2 sticks) cold unslated butter, cut into 1/2 inch dice

6 to 8 tbsp ice water

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp water

Special equipment:  pocket pie molds (I use a star mold from Williams Sonoma similar to these) or biscuit cutters; food processor or pastry blender

Make the crust:

1. In a food processor or large bowl with pastry blender, mix the flour, salt, and 2 tbsp sugar until combined.

2. Add cubes of butter one at a time (in processor, pulse about 10 times; by hand, blend with pastry blender several minutes. Mixture should resemble course meal (like tiny peas). 

3. Add ice water; pulse or gently combine; dough should hold together when you squeeze it but not be sticky. If still crumbly, add more water 1 tbsp at a time. 

4. Divide dough in half, wrap with plastic wrap and press into a disk. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

5. When ready to make pies, let dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Make the filling:  

See below for filling recipes; allow hot fillings to completely cool before assembling pies.

Cutting out pie crusts. The star cutout serves as a vent and the star is a sweet embellishment.

Make the pies:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

2. On a floured surface, roll out one dough disk. Brush off excess flour. Using pocket pie mold or biscuit cutter, cut out shapes.  Reroll dough scraps, if necessary, and cut out more shapes. Repeat with remaining dough disk. Optional: If not using mold, use knife or smaller cutter to create tiny vent holes for pie, similar in size to the star cutout in photo.

3. Place dough shape in mold (if using). Fill center with 1-2 tbsp pie filling.  Note: I was cautious about overfilling (because I tend to excess) but learned that underfilling is also underwhelming for the finished product. Experiment but be generous with your portions.

4. Brush the edges of the dough shape with egg wash. Top with a matching shape. 

5. Press the top half of dough to seal and crimp edges of pie (with mold or fork).  

6. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough; freeze pies for 30 minutes.

Bake the pies:

7. Brush the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with csugar. 

8. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is gently bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.

9. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Enjoy.

Pies, ready to be popped in the oven.

Bourbon peach filling

adapted from Smitten Kitten

1 pound peaches

1/8 c flour

1/8 c sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp bourbon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Peel and chop the peaches into 1/2 dice. Combine with flour, sugar, salt, bourbon, and vanilla. Set aside. Stir mixture to reincorporate juices before filling pies.

Ginger apple filling

adapted from Smells Like Home

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 pound granny smith apples

1/8 c sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 inch minced fresh ginger or 2 minced pieces crystallized ginger

Peel and chop apples into 1/2 dice. Combine with lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside. Stir mixture to reincorporate juices before filling pies.

Chocolate ganache filling

adapted from Martha Stewart

1/2 c heavy cream

4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped 

1 tbsp butter

Place chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat cream in saucepan until boiling; pour over chocolate. Let stand 2-3 minutes. Add butter and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool before filling pies.

Blackberry filling

adapted from Epicurious

1 c blackberries

1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated

1 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp sugar

Combine blackberries, grated apple, flour, cinnamon, and sugar in a saucepan over moderate heat. Stir frequently until mixture boils and thickens. Set aside to cool before filling pies.

Berry Berry Tart & India Pale Ale

Officially starting off this little blog with a happy, healthy little tart for the unofficial start of the summer season.

Berry tart (pale ale not pictured)

We're headed to an afternoon cookout at our friends' backyard today and I offered to bring a dessert. This tart is pretty enough for an occasion, but deceptively simple:  it doesn't take special talent other than basic knife skills and patience to arrange the fruit on top.  Try it for yourself!  During assembly, I sampled a hoppy Smuttynose Finestkind IPA (New Hampshire), another refreshing and tart start to the season.

Berry Berry Tart

(mashup of several basic recipes)

2 c finely crushed graham crackers

1/2 c melted butter

2 tbsp sugar

16 oz mascarpone cheese (cream cheese will do as a sub; light works but not fat-free)

1/3 c honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extracct

2 large eggs

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

Assorted berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)

1/2 c apricot preserves (optional)

Special equipment: tart pan w/ removable bottom; pastry brush (silicone is easiest to clean)

Make the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Mix the graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and sugar.

3. Firmly press into bottom and sides of 10-inch tart pan.

Make the filling:  

4. In a large bowl, beat mascarpone, honey, and extracts until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, beatin well after each addition.  Beat in flour and salt.

Bake the tart:

5. Place tart pan on rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until filling is light godlen and just set in the center (30-35 minutes and up to 45); gently shake to check.

6. Remove from oven; let cool, then chill until cold (about 1 hour).

Arrange the topping:

7. Gently remove tart pan sides and place on plate (I can never do this while successfully removing the bottom piece; be careful).  

8. Arrange fruit in patterns around the tart. (I like to alternate colors and textures; this one is strawberries/blackberries/raspberries/blueberries/cherries/kiwi with a garnish of blueberries and strawberries).

Glaze the fruit

9. Heat about 1/2 c of apricot preserves in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.  Mix with fork until preserves are more liquid than solid. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat fruit with the preserves; if preserves coagulate, reheat before continuing.  

10. Chill until serving.

Ready for summer!