Teriyaki Chicken Sub Sandwich

I've always been one for a big smorgasborg at a party.  This though has me wanting to plan a party just so I can make this sandwich and have all my friends partake in it's deliciousness.

Teriyaki Chicken Sub Sandwich
Recipe from Jeff Mauro
Prep Time: 15 minutes   Marinating Time: 1-2 hours   Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup prepared teriyaki marinade [OR make your own!]
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Sriracha (Asian chile sauce)
2 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 12-inch sesame seed loaves of Italian bread
2 cups shredded red cabbage


1.  Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about 3/4 inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap, then combine the chicken and teriyaki marinade in a large freezer bag OR bowl and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

Truth: I took some extra help on this one and used bottled teriyaki sauce.

2.  Preheat the broiler OR grill. Mix the mayonnaise, Sriracha and scallions in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.

I. LOVE. This. Sauce!!!!!  I might put this on everything from now on.

3.  Broil or grill the pineapple slices until charred, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Broil the chicken until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Let rest a few minutes and then thinly slice on the diagonal.

More store help: a peeled and cored pineapple that I only have to slice.

4.  Sandwich build: Split the baguette in half lengthwise and lightly toast. Schmear the mayo mixture on the baguette. Layer the chicken on the baguette bottom. Top with the grilled pineapple, cabbage and the baguette top. Cut into individual sandwiches and serve.

A HEALTHY schmear of sauce.

Yummy, sweet chicken...

Ok, now I'm drooling...

GORGEOUS!!

It was pretty obvious to me that the men in my life were skeptical of this one.  So in making this for dinner, I made it a little more customizable.  Gavin and Kieran each had a little sandwich with just chicken and pineapple.  I would have been open to putting a little plain mayo on theirs had I thought they wanted it.  Rob was giving me The Eye about the cabbage so preferred his without that little dash of purpley crunch.  No matter what variation we ate though, the result was unanimous: Make This Again Please!!

Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

I don't really have much of an introduction to this recipe.  Except to say that my Resident Picky Eater loooooooooooooved this sandwich.  Really. Loved. It.  In fact, Gavin took one bite, turned to me and said I could make these again.

I couldn't find the camera after our trip so these were taken with my phone.

In my world, praise doesn't really get any higher.

Ranch Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe slightly adapted from Ree Drummond
Prep time: 10 minutes   Marinating time: 2-4 hours   Cook time: 8 minutes

4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Dijon mustard 
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp lemon juice
Crushed red pepper flakes optional
6-7 pieces thick-cut bacon
Grated sharp Cheddar
Your choice of whole wheat or multi-grain bread (I used fresh whole wheat bread but multi-grain buns would have been awesome too)

1.  Lay each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound to an even thickness.  I went with about a 1/4" thick.  If you are working with larger chicken breasts, cut them in two, lengthwise, using a very sharp knife.  You ultimately want thinner pieces of chicken so they cook faster and are easier to eat on a sandwich.

Fat chicken

Skinny chicken.  And yes, I forgot to thaw them out AGAIN.

2.  Next, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together the honey, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper to taste, lemon juice and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Stir to combine.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

3.  Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge, 2 to 4 hours.

Don't throw this away!
Add lemon juice, EVOO, salt & pepper for a fast salad dressing.

4.  While the chicken marinates, cook up the bacon however you prefer.  I like to bake mine in a 425 degree oven on a broiler pan.  Though this is a hands-free method, you do need to keep an eye on it to avoid burning it.  Because it's no fun setting off the fire alarm that's right next to the kitchen.  The kids get all freaked out, the dog won't stop whining, waving a broom at it doesn't work and it's just a pain to take the thing apart to get the battery out.  I'm just saying....  ANYWAY, however you choose to cook your bacon, reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon grease and pour off the rest of the grease.

Bacon in the oven stays nice and flat; perfect for sandwiches!

5.  When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the marinade and cook it under the broiler for about 3 to 4 minutes each side. Brush a little reserved bacon grease on the chicken as you cook it. You could also grill the chicken (inside or outside) OR cook the bacon and then the chicken in a skillet on the stove top; whatever works for you.  Hurray for options!

6.  When a couple of minutes cooking time are left, lay 2 pieces of bacon onto each chicken breast. Top with some Cheddar and allow it to melt.  Load with the bacon-and-cheese covered chicken goodness onto your bread of choice and enjoy!

It seems that whenever I make something new that I'm sure Gavin will like, he'll find some random, miniscule reason to dislike it.  So imagine my happy surprise that he liked this sandwich so well!  The chicken is sweet from the honey, tangy from the mustard, with just a little heat from the paprika and red pepper flakes.  Combine that with crispy, salty bacon and melty sharp cheesy goodness and you have a FLAVOR EXPLOSION happening in your mouth.  It's. AWESOME!!  

p.s. Leftover chicken breasts would also be divine chopped up on a tossed salad.  Just in case you're looking for a reason to cook up extra chicken. ;)

Chicken, Cherry, & Goat Cheese Salad

THIS is what you make when your girlfriends are coming over for lunch.

THIS is what you make when you need a light meal to impress your mother-in-law.

THIS is what you make when your almost-5-year-old has been picking on his baby brother and ohmyGOD you just need to treat yourself to something fresh and eat in relative peace for five minutes.

Oh.  Was that last one just me then?

Chicken, Cherry, & Goat Cheese Salad
Recipe slightly adapted from a cookbook my mom has that I think she got from Cooks Illustrated
Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 10 minutes

2 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp orange marmalade, divided
2 1/2 tbsp sherry OR apple cider vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
12 oz fresh cherries, pitted and halved
5 cups of some kind of salad green [Note: Field greens would be best with this, but I used what I had on-hand, which happened to be a little bagged ice berg salad and bagged romaine salad]
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans, optional
1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Cook chicken until brown on one side.  Flip chicken, then stir water and 1 tbsp marmalade into skillet.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.  LET REST on cutting board before slicing.

My pictures will show I adjusted the recipe for 2 servings, instead of 4.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp marmalade, vinegar, and shallot.  Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup of oil (4 tbsp = 1/4 cup).  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Just a little marmalade, but it goes so far.

3.  Add salad greens to the large bowl with the dressing, toss to combine, and divide among 4 individual plates.  Top with cherries, pecans, and goat cheese.  Slice chicken crosswise and arrange on top of salad.

Yummy dressing!

Not going to lie.. I made what should have been servings, but totally ate all of it.  No shame.  No guilt.

Smothered BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

If you haven't decided what exactly you're making for your 4th of July party tomorrow, consider this one.  You won't be disappointed!!

Smothered BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe slightly adapted from Jeff Mauro

Chipotle Vinegar BBQ Sauce
Prep time: about 5 minutes   Cook time: 25 minutes

1 medium Vidalia onion, peeled, quartered
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, seeds removed if you don't like the heat
1 to 2 tbsp adobo sauce, depending on spice desired

1.  Puree the onion quarters in a food processor or blender.  Pour the solids into a coffee-filter lined strainer that's been set over a bowl.  Let sit for a few minutes while the onion juice drains out of the solids.  You need about 1/4 cup of onion juice.  Discard the solids.

This won't take long to drain.  About 5 minutes or so.

2.  Add the onion juice, along with the remaining ingredients, to a medium saucepot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once at a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to combine the flavors. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. 

Lots of ingredients, but the flavor is so worth it!

Southern White Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1.  Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, lemon juice and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Use immediately or store in airtight container in fridge for up to 4 days.

Cut the fat and add some protein by using Greek yogurt for the bulk, and a little mayo for flavor

Pickled Red Onions
Prep time: 2 minutes   Cook time: 5 minutes

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 large red onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half-moons, 1/4-inch thick
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional

1.  To a saucepot, add the vinegar, 1/2 cup water, sugar, salt, red pepper flakes to taste and bay leaf and bring to a boil.

The onions will wilt down in the onion vinegar mixture as this sits.

2.  Add the onions to a heatproof container and pour the boiling pickling liquid over them. Let the onions sit for at least 30 minutes. Right before serving, add in the parsley, if using.

Smothered BBQ Chicken
Prep time: 5 minutes   Cook time: about 30 minutes

2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp canola oil
1 1/4 cups Chipotle Vinegar BBQ Sauce

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Season. Season. SEASON.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the skillet, and then the chicken thighs. Sear both sides of the chicken until golden in color, about 3 minutes per side.

Mmmmmm....BBQ sauce.....

3.  Lower the heat and add in the Chipotle Vinegar BBQ Sauce. Bring to a simmer, and then place in the oven to finish cooking the chicken, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool a bit in the sauce. Then, using two forks, shred the chicken into medium pieces and hold in the sauce until ready to serve.

Shredded chicken soaks up sauce.  Feel free to add more if you want it wetter.

4.  Mound a nice amount of the saucy, shredded chicken on top of the bottom half of your bun or roll of choice. Drizzle Southern White Sauce on top of the chicken and then pile on the Pickled Red Onions.

Ok, so I know this sounds like a LOT and now you're looking at me like I'm crazy and there's no way you could possibly put this together even at the end of a work day, let alone for a last minute party.

Breathe.

Seriously, despite the four different pieces to this one awesome sandwich, it's very easy to do.  AND there's a way to make this EVEN EASIER!!  Do I have your interest again?  Yay!

Make the sauces and pickled onions ahead of time.  Make them tonight, first thing in the morning, whenever.  With the BBQ sauce, white sauce, and pickled onions, the longer the ingredients sit and get to know each other, the better they'll taste.  I made up the onions and BBQ sauce yesterday morning, and slapped together the white sauce quickly before browning up the chicken (I went back and forth on whether I'd make it.  Glad I did!).  You could probably even do up a double batch of the chicken, just to use up all the other components.  I have plenty of leftover BBQ and white sauce, and even some onions too!  Although I might just snack on those because DANG they were good!

Anyway, my point is that as long as your sauces are done, all you need is about 30 minutes to cook up the chicken.  30 minutes is totally doable!

So whether you make this tomorrow, or for your next get together, I feel pretty comfortable promising that no matter how you build your sandwich (with or without white sauce, "yay" to the onions or "no thank you") your taste buds will love you for it.

Crispy Chicken & Scallion Waffle Sandwiches

Sickness has invaded my house.  It started late last week, and even now I'm anxiously waiting for my doctor's office phone line to open so I can make appointments.  I say this to let you know that I haven't forgotten about this recipe; not only have I been super distracted and under the weather, but I also needed more time to break this recipe down.  There's a LOT to this.

Yeah, when you're tired, hungry, and the kids are whining, it's a little overwhelming to bread chicken, wash goop off hands, pour batter into the waffle iron, keep an eye on frying chicken, try to not burn the waffles, while salting the freshly cooked chicken as soon as I pull it out.  I tried to make everything at once, hoping to speed up the process and get dinner on the table sooner.  Lesson learned.


BUT, don't freak out on me.  I want you to try this.  I'll give you some tips and tricks to make sure this is an easy meal to pull together, even after a long, hectic day.

Crispy Chicken & Scallion Waffle Sandwiches
Recipe adapted from Jeff Mauro

For the chicken:
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp granulated onion
1 lb boneless chicken tenders
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 heaping tsp paprika
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp ancho chile powder
3 large eggs

For the waffles:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup seltzer
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped scallions

1.  For the chicken: In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, granulated garlic and granulated onion. Place the chicken into a re-sealable bag and pour the buttermilk marinade over the chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, in the fridge. [Note: I strongly recommend overnight]

Simple, flavorful marinade

2.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and have 2 baking sheets with wire racks set inside. Preheat a waffle maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. In a large cast-iron skillet, bring about an inch of oil to 350 degrees F, give or take.  FYI, I did not keep track of the temperature.  I had the burner on about medium to medium-high heat.

3.  In a baking dish, add the flour and season it with the paprika and some salt and pepper. In another baking dish, add the panko and season it with the ancho chile powder and some salt and pepper. In another dish, beat the eggs.  [Note: the trick to seasoning a breading line-up is make sure you can SEE the seasoning.  As Jeff mentions on his show, "if you can't see it, you can't taste it."]

I have a 1/2 sharp, 1/2 sweet paprika.  Love it!!

Not all chile powders are spicy!  This one is very smokey and deep in flavor.

4.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess buttermilk to drip off. Then dredge the chicken first in the flour, then in the eggs and finally coat the chicken in the panko.

5.  Fry the chicken in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, until each side of the chicken is golden brown and the interior reads 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the fried chicken to one of the prepared baking sheets and place into the warm oven to stay warm and crispy while you make the waffles.

Always, always, ALWAYS season as soon as it comes out of the fryer.

6.  For the waffles: Whisk the oil, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl until combined. Add the buttermilk and seltzer.

Fairly basic waffle ingredients

7.  In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, table salt and baking soda to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Stir in the scallions.

I was conservative with my onions for Gavin. But add more if you like!

8.  Spray the waffle maker with some nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter in the waffle iron and cook until golden. Set aside in a warm oven on the other prepared baking sheet until ready to serve.

Ok so first, I just want to say that These. Are. WONDERFUL.  Even my occasionally picky Gavin, whom I was sure was going to ask to eat his waffles separate from the chicken, ate a fully assembled sandwich.  Rob said at least twice that I could, at the very least, make the chicken again.  Gavin swiped two more waffles from the platter as I tried to clear the table.  I love dinners like this!!

But before you run off to the kitchen to check your fridge and pantry, I want to let you in on some things I learned from making this.  If you haven't figured it out already, there is a LOT to keep track of here!


Get Ahead/Make Your Life Easier Tips:

• Follow the instructions exactly and focus on the chicken, then the waffles, keeping the finished food warm in the oven.  
• Make the waffles ahead of time.  Pull them out of the waffle iron when they're just shy of that glorious brown and let cool.  Then crisp/brown/heat them up in the toaster later while the chicken is frying.
• Bread the chicken ahead of time.  You could either freeze the breaded, uncooked chicken to make WAY later or just refrigerate until you're ready to fry them up.  
• Do the waffles and bread the chicken and REALLY be on the ball for a fantastic post-long-day meal!

Pretzel Buns with Grilled Hot Dogs

Facebook conversation:

Me: Just remembered I committed to making pretzel buns today. Hmmm, suppose I should actually check out the recipe now.

Friend: Or just head over to Metro Market and pick up a dozen.

Me: Too easy. I need to see if they're really as easy to make as Food Network tells me they are. Plus if I can pull off pretzel buns, then I can try big, soft, chewy pretzels and completely kiss my waistline goodbye.

My friends, consider my waistline obliterated.  Because if I can make these so completely and utterly distracted as I was at the time, you can TOTALLY pull these off!

Pretzel Buns with Grilled Hot Dogs
Recipe from Jeff Mauro

1 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 packet active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 tsp
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced or grated
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup baking soda
Pretzel salt or coarse ground sea salt, for sprinkling
8 beef hot dogs

1.  In a small saucepan, heat the milk, 1/2 cup water, sugar and honey to 105 to 110 degrees F. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture and wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes until the yeast blooms.

My Observations: Be aware that 105-110 is just barely above body temperature.  So unless your 10 month-old is super fussy and refusing to nap like he totally should be doing, DON'T WALK AWAY.  If you overheat the milk, don't panic.  Just turn off the heat and let it cool off a bit.

No thermometer?  Use your own judgement.  If it feels warm, you're fine.

2.  In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

3.  Combine the all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.


4.  Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the blooming yeast, and then add in the melted butter and garlic mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together and is smooth and elastic in texture and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.

My Observations: Not having a fancy schmancy mixer with a dough hook is no excuse to avoid this recipe.  It just means we get to burn more calories as we use the "dough hooks" God gave us!

My dough hook

Keep kneading until it looks like this; sticky, but not totally clinging your hands anymore

5.  Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cut into 4 equal pieces, and then cut those in half to form 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with a dish cloth and let them rest in a warm place for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cute little dough balls

6.  Once rested, lightly dust your work surface again and roll the balls into 7-inch logs. Place back onto the prepared baking sheet, cover, place back in the warm spot and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.

If you want hamburger buns, leave them as balls instead

7.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place one oven rack high and one low.


8.  In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil, and then add the baking soda. In batches, place the dough in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.

My Observations: No picture of the water itself because apparently adding baking soda to boiling water causes the water to bubble VIOLENTLY.  It'll calm down but just stand back a little as you carefully add the baking soda.

Like bagels, boiling in seasoned water before baking creates that outer chewiness

9.  Using a slotted spatula, remove the logs and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the logs with pretzel salt as they come out of the water, to ensure the salt sticks. Then cut 3 diagonal slits on top of the bread, not too deep.

Or you can misread the recipe and only do two slits. That's ok.

10.  Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating between the top and bottom racks of the oven halfway through the cooking.

I could just snack on these as is.

I mentioned I was distracted when I made these... that may or may not have been an understatement.  My intention was to make these during Kieran's morning nap, as we had plans to be out later in the day.  Oh the best laid plans of mice and men, right?

Well, my morning didn't go as I wanted, but I thought "hey, I can adjust.  I'll just get these started during lunch and finish them off while the boys nap this afternoon."  You really can start laughing anytime now.  It's ok.  Lunch was hectic, as our earlier outing took longer.  And with the added stress of Gavin's sassy behavior, plus Kieran's crankiness from a growth spurt and teething, I was really getting frazzled.

And of course, on this day of all days, when I had something I NEEDED to accomplish and I DESPERATELY needed a break from my kids, my beloved boys randomly decided they were not tired and refused to nap.  That's right.  I measured, kneaded, boiled, and baked all to the tune of Kieran fussing about every 10-15 minutes.

But you know what?  The buns turned out REALLY REALLY GOOD.  They are soft and chewy, a little bit sweet initially, the way a pretzel should be, but toward the end of the bite there's this fantastic garlic taste.  AWESOME with the smokey, grilled hot dogs!  Add some fries and some kind of vegetable or fruit salad and you have truly spectacular summertime meal.

Now if you'll excuse me I need to go find some giant pretzel recipes to try.  I can feel my waist expanding already in anticipation.

Caesar Chicken Sandwiches

This is an easy one.  So easy that I'm sure most of you have already done this, or at least a variation of salad-dressing-marinated-chicken.

But just in case this one hasn't occurred to you yet, I want to make sure I pass it along.  It's easy, and, in the words of my oldest, "this sandwich is FANTASTIC!"

Caesar Chicken Sandwiches
Recipe from my mother-in-law

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing, plus more for the sandwiches [Or use whatever creamy dressing you prefer]
4 slices provolone cheese
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 hamburger buns or kaiser rolls

1.  In a resealable plastic bag OR between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.  Yes, you really do need to pound them.  I've tried the shortcut way of just cutting them in half and pounding makes for a more tender, tastier sandwich.

Pounded and ready to go!

2.  Place the pounded chicken and salad dressing in a resealable plastic bag and squish around to make sure everything is coated.  Marinate in the fridge at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Creamy bath

3.  Preheat the broiler.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and lay on a broiler pan.  Broil about 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.

Meh, a little excess dressing isn't going to hurt ;)

4.  Put a piece of provolone cheese on each chicken breast and melt it under the broiler.  Build the sandwich on your favorite bread or roll, a couple slices of tomato and a healthy schmear of dressing.

Good with steamed mixed veggies and oven fries.

Now, when I made these, I wasn't sure how Gavin would take to Caesar dressing so I made his with Ranch.  He DEVOURED the sandwich.  He asked for seconds.  And I lost count how many times he said how good the sandwich was.

Sometimes the best meals are the simplest ones. :)

Garden Vegetable Soup

This is a Mad Soup.

And now you're probably wondering what on EARTH makes this a Mad Soup.  And is there really such a thing as a "Mad Soup"??  Oh yes, yes there is.

I could go with the obvious and say that eating this soothing soup will make all intense emotions mellow out and float away.  I could also say that the aromas of all the vegetables simmering away in the rich broth will smooth out that furrow of frustration on your forehead.

But let's be honest here...  this is a Mad Soup because you get to chop stuff.  A lot of stuff.  And since beating up on meat isn't really my thing, I prefer to work out my frustrations by cutting up vegetables.

Garden Vegetable Soup
Recipe adapted from Alton Brown

4 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds 
2 peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup chopped celery, with leafy tops
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup-ish white wine [get one of those mini bottles and pour into a 4-cup measuring cup.  Fill the rest of the way with water]
3 cups-ish water
1 quart bag of roasted tomatoes, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 tsp lemon juice

1.  Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, green beans, and celery and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season again with salt.

Some of the veggies that felt the wrath of my knife.

2.  Add the wine, water, and stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, broccoli, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice (do NOT leave these out!!). Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately with some hot, crusty bread.

All those gorgeous COLORS!!

Couple things to point out here, aside from the obvious satisfaction I derived from chopping up all these great veggies.  Usually when recipes call for a lot of oil or butter, I cut it back or out altogether.  However there is no meat in this to generate any additional fat so you really do need 4 tbsp of oil to get everything working.  Also, don't be afraid to season each layer of ingredients that you add to the pot.  Again, there's no meat or cheese in this, and vegetables can be pretty bland unless seasoned properly.  Be sure to taste this before serving to make any seasoning adjustments.

One of the cool things about this soup is that it's a great base to do whatever you like to it.  Have a diehard Carnivore in your house who's giving you the stink eye for making something vegetarian?  Toss in some shredded chicken or turkey.  Make this more of a tomato-y soup by replacing the wine/water with tomato juice.  Add some whole wheat pasta to this, or barley, or rice, or beans.  Do whatever you like!!  That's the beauty of soups like this one.