Ajiaco

This soup is a chicken and potato type of soup.  The most important part is the toppings.  And the corn.

Ajiaco

Put these things in the big pot:

1 pound chicken breasts
2 pounds chicken thighs (boneless skinless)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
White parts of a bunch of scallions, sliced
2 red potatoes, sliced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3-4 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed OR papas criollas
3 bay leaves
1/2 T dried parsley OR guascas, if you can find them
Chicken broth and water

Bring to a boil.  After about 10 minutes of boiling, remove the meat and set it aside until later.  Continue boiling for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are very soft.  Add:

3-4 ears of corn, cut in half

Continue boiling.  Re-add the chicken, now shredded or cubed.

Cook until the potatoes fall apart and thicken the soup.

Add also:

Salt
Pepper

Toppings:
Capers
Avocado
Sour cream or crema mexicana
Cilantro

Thanksgiving 2012

The morning began with a little run:

& now I am heading to my sister's with Pull Apart Bread and Eggnog Pie, plus (not pictured because it went on ahead) Jalapeno Popper Dip.

Chicken Nugget Casserole

I can see the full moon from my window.

That's pretty awesome.

Also I am exhausted from everything.  I got home from work and fell on my bed and couldn't get up.  For awhile.  Then I did get up and I went to Trader Joe's where I meant to buy the ingredients for Mexican Lasagna but I only sort of bought the ingredients for Mexican Lasagna.  I was in the store a long time, mostly just wandering around and having long thoughts about fresh vs. frozen broccoli.  And broccoli vs. broccoli slaw.  And so on.

And then I left without buying coffee, so now I have no coffee.  Anyway.  Here is what I made when I got home:

Chicken Nugget Casserole
This is based on Mexican Lasagna, but with chicken nuggets and some frozen broccoli.

1 cup uncooked rice (2ish cups cooked)
1 small can of tomato sauce (8oz)
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 T chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t paprika
16oz chicken nuggets
1 bag of tortillas (flour or corn)
1 jar salsa verde
up to 1 bag frozen broccoli
1 bag of Mexican cheese blend (8oz)

Cook the rice in a rice cooker because they are great.

Saute the onion and garlic until soft.  Remove from heat.  Add the seasonings and the tomato sauce.  Add the rice.  This mixture will now be referred to as "the rice mixture" or sometimes just "the rice."

Cook the chicken nuggets and the broccoli according to package directions.  Cut each chicken nugget into 3 pieces.  Or more or less.

Pour 1/2 the jar of salsa verde into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Layer on some tortillas.  Now 1/2 the rice mixture and 1/2 the cheese.

Now another layer of tortillas, then all the chicken nuggets, which you cut into pieces.  Then all the broccoli, then the rest of the rice, and then the rest of the salsa verde.  If you still have any of anything else left, you can just throw that on too.

Top with the other half of the cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until hot and bubbly--maybe 35 minutes.

Caulifrittata

Last night (this morning?) I was awake in the dark watching this:

The men's olympic marathon!  Best middle of the night ever.

Also, here is something delicious:

Caulifrittata
Inspired by the recipe for cauliflower cheesy bread here

Cooked and mashed cauliflower (1/2 a head)
1 egg
1/4-1/2 c shredded cheese (mozzarella)
Garlic powder
Cayenne pepper
Dried oregano
Parsley flakes
Seasoned salt

Whisk the egg with the seasonings.  Add the cauliflower.  (If it is still hot, just add a little bit at a time until the egg comes up in temperature.)  Stir in the cheese.  Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until it looks very yummy and a little browned.  Pull apart like bread and eat.  Dipping sauce optional.

Martha's Cauliflower Soup

Martha's Cauliflower Soup
inspired by this recipe from Martha

1 head cauliflower
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
a little oil or butter
a few leaves of kale
salt, pepper, and other herbs or spices
feta cheese

Cook the onion and garlic in the oil or butter.  Add about 4 cups of water and the broken up cauliflower and the torn up kale.  At this point I blended everything up and ate the soup quasi-raw, which is one option.  But if you want to go the heated route, cook the cauliflower and kale in there until soft, then blend everything and season as you like.  Top with feta.  Eat half now and half later.

Unrelated: I now have walking photos and other not-so-food-related thoughts at deurloostraat.tumblr.com.  Enjoy!

Little Apartment House

A Tucked Away Little Living Spot

Walking Around