Texas Country Turnip Green Soup

My husband ate several bowls of this soup.  A testament of how much he liked it…

He doesn’t always like every dish that I cook.  And when he does… when there’s a dish that he really likes, he’ll eat it until it’s gone.  And if there is some left over, he’ll eat it the next day.

He’s afraid I’m not going to cook it as good.  So he wants to enjoy the moment.  Savor every spoonful.

My poor husband.  I am to blame for his behavior.  I have a bad habit of tinkering with recipes I have already perfected.  And he doesn’t like it one bit.  Because when he likes a dish, he likes it exactly the same way as he has tasted it the very first time…

And with me tinkering with recipes all the time… he’s never sure if he’s going to have the same dish ever again!

I’ve successfully tested several recipes last week.  All dishes came out good.

And this soup was one of the dishes that stood out.  Even I was amazed on how tasty it was.  Considering how simple were the ingredients…

Anyway…

I wanted to share this soup with you.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Here’s what you need…

12 ounces salt pork. Chopped.

Onion, garlic, celery, cubed ham, frozen chopped turnip greens…

Potatoes, chopped…

3 cans great northern beans, 2 cans low sodium chicken broth + 2 cups water…

herbs and spices…

What to do…?

Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Cook salt pork until it has rendered most of its fat… Remove all but 3 tablespoon of the fat.

Add onions and garlic.  Saute until onions are translucent.

Add the celery.  And saute a few minutes.

Add the beans and the ham…

Add the potatoes…

And the chicken broth.  And water…

Stir.

Add the frozen chopped turnip greens.  Stir to combine.

Cover pot and bring soup to a boil over medium heat.

Once boiling, reduce heat.

Simmer soup for 1 hour.  Stirring occasionally while simmering…

After 1 hours, soup should be lightly creamy.   Taste before adding coarse sea salt and MSG if desired…

Serve with your favorite bread or corn bread.

The RECIPE:

Texas Country Turnip Green Soup

12 ounces salt pork – chopped

1 large onion – chopped

4 garlic cloves – smashed, peeled and chopped

3 sticks celery – chopped

5 medium size potatoes

1 pound cubed ham

3 cans (14.5 ounces each) Great Northern Beans – drained and rinsed

2 cans (14 ounces each) Low Sodium chicken broth + 2 cups water

1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped turnip greens

1 tsp. dried chives

½ tsp. dried marjoram leaves

½ tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. ground hot pepper (optional)

1 tsp. coarse ground sea salt – if needed

Pinch of MSG (optional)

NOTE:  If you can’t find salt pork, you can use pancetta or thick slices bacon.

Rinse salt pork under cold running water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Slice salt pork into ½ inches.

Heat a large pot and sauté salt pork until slightly crispy and it has rendered most of its fat.  Remove most of the fat except 3 tablespoons.

Sauté onions until translucent.  Add garlic and sauté until light golden brown.

Add the celery and sauté a few minutes.

Add the cubed ham and potatoes.  Sauté a few minutes.  Add drained and rinsed Great Northern Beans.  Stir to combine.

Add chicken broth and 2 cups water.  Stir.

Add the frozen chopped turnip greens.  Stir.

Bring soup to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat and add the following:  dried chives, marjoram leaves, black pepper and ground hot pepper.

Simmer soup for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Taste the soup for additional salt.  And add a pinch of MSG to perk up the taste.

Serve warm with your favorite bread or corn bread.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Salt pork makes a big difference in taste when it comes to vegetable soups.  But you have to sauté it to get rid most of the fat.

#2 – Coarse sea salts are excellent in soups!

#3 – Draining and rinsing canned beans reduces gas.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Super Size Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My family loves these cookies.

When I make a batch of these… They only last a few days…

I can’t help but eat a cookie after each meal.

I pack a piece with my husband’s lunch.

My son loves them when they’re a bit chewy and he eats them with a glass of soymilk.

I prefer mine to be 50/50: crispy and chewy at the same time. I like to have that crunch when I first bite into it.  And then have it linger in my mouth just for a second longer.  Savoring the chewiness of the oatmeal.  Tasting the sweetness of the raisins, while a hint of salt dances on my tongue…

I have been making a batch of these cookies every week.  And when the cookie jar becomes empty, I rush to make another batch.

For those of you, who prefer the convenience of using butter, please do.  You just have to make the following adjustments:

• Substitute 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in place of coconut oil
• Use 2 large eggs as indicated, and omit the 2 egg yolks

Here’s what you need… and do…

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.

Then have these ingredients ready…

Using a Kitchen Aid Mixer, cream the following:  coconut oil (or butter if using butter), brown and granulated, eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla extract.

Blend until creamy on a medium speed.

Add the flour mixture and blend on low speed.  Increase the speed to medium and blend for 2 minutes.

Add the raisins.  And blend on low speed.

Add the oatmeal.  Blend on low speed.

Once oatmeal is incorporated into this mixture… increase the speed to medium.  And blend for 2 minutes.

Cookie Batter will be thick and sticky…

Use an ice cream scooper to scoop six cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Flatten cookies using a fork until they are about 4 inches round.

Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 350F for 13 – 15 minutes.

The Recipe

Super Size Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Yield: About 14 super size (5 inches or larger round) cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

¾ tsp. baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg (best when freshly grated)

5/6 cup coconut oil (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup)

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar – firmly packed

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

3 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer set over medium speed, cream together, coconut oil, brown and granulated sugar, eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla extract.  (If you don’t have an electric mixer, you  may use a large mixing bowl and mix by hand with a wooden spoon, until creamy.)

Add the flour mixture.  Stir over low speed, then increase the speed to medium and blend until well mixed, about 2 minutes.

Add the raisins.  Stir to mix. Add the rolled oats. Stir until well blended.  (The mixture will be thick and a bit difficult to scoop.)

Lightly grease or line 2 large cookie sheets.

I use an ice cream scooper to scoop and shape the cookie dough.

Using an ice cream scooper, scoop six cookie dough mixture onto each cookie sheet.

Flatten each cookie with a fork. (I flatten each cookie to about 4 inches round.  When baked, these cookies expand to about 5 inches.  That’s why I only bake 6 cookies at a time.)

Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F for 13 – 16 minutes.

For chewy cookies, bake them for 13 – 14 minutes.  And for crispier cookies, bake them for 15 – 16 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes, and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Braised Spicy Chicken with 40 Garlic Cloves

Forty garlic cloves sound like a lot of garlic!  Some of you probably wonder how pungent or garlicky this dish is… Considering the large amount of garlic cloves in it.  If you are slightly worried… don’t be.  Because the garlic cloves are left whole and undisturbed.  Peeled of course!  The garlic remained mild and slightly sweet in flavors.  Not too strong at all.  The dish gives a nice surprise… And it makes you look forward in anticipation… to have at least one garlic clove in every bite.  Maybe I should have called this dish Garlic Lovers’ Delight with chicken… (chuckle).

So for garlic lovers out there… this dish is for you…

Kitchen equipment or tools needed:  Oven proof pot or skillet with lid or a large baking dish.

Ingredients:

3 ½ – 4 pounds chicken drumsticks or other parts you like

40 large garlic cloves – about 3 large garlic heads

1 medium onion – sliced

Zest and Juice of 1 large lemon

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 TBSPs. cornstarch

2 cups chicken broth or boiling water + 2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 TBSPs. chili garlic sauce (or to taste)

3 TBSPs. olive oil + 1 TBSP. vegetable oil

Spices and Seasoning:

3 tsps. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. ground cumin

Combine seasoning spices and seasoning in a small bowl. Set aside.

Wash chicken and pat excess water with paper towels.  Generously sprinkle spices and seasoning mixture on the chicken pieces, patting lightly for it to adhere. Set aside.

Place garlic cloves in a large bowl and pour hot water over them.  Let it stand for about 2 minutes.  Immediately pour the water off the garlic.  Peel the garlic cloves and trim the root end.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat a large, deep, oven proof pot or skillet and the olive and vegetable oil.  Just before the oil starts to smoke… brown the chicken pieces on all sides.  Transfer browned chicken to a large dish.  Set aside.

Using the same pot or skillet… sauté the peeled garlic cloves until wilted.  Remove wilted garlic to a platter and set aside.

Sauté the sliced onions until translucent.  Deglaze the skillet with the boiling chicken broth, scraping the browned bits and pieces stock at the bottom of the skillet. Add dried thyme and lemon zest.  Stir and simmer the broth over medium heat.

In a small bowl… combine cornstarch with one tablespoon water.

Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture into the simmering broth.

Place the browned chicken pieces back into the skillet.  Stir to make sure the chicken is somewhat submerge in the broth.  Transfer this skillet into the preheated oven and bake chicken for 30 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the oven and stir the chicken.  Add the wilted garlic cloves and chili garlic sauce.  Stir to combine.

Bake the chicken for another 15 minutes.  Taste for additional salt and black pepper.

Serve with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes or  Rosemary Red Roasted Potatoes Or Mashed Potatoes.

Sorry guys.  I don’t have step by step instruction photos for this dish.   I will have to put this on my “to do” list.

Rosemary Red Roasted Potatoes

Creamy Wasabi Mashed Potatoes:

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes (about 4 pounds) – scrubbed and skin intact

3 TBSPs. butter

¾ – 1 cup warm heavy cream – start with ½ cup and go from there

½ – 1 tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 TBSP. Genuine Wasabi paste (or according to taste.  I use S & B Brand.)

Boil potatoes in their skins until tender, about 45 – 50 minutes.

Peel potatoes while still hot.  (I use a tong to hold the potatoes so I don’t burn myself.)

Place in a large bowl.  Add butter and mash the potatoes.  Add warm heavy cream, salt and black pepper. Fold in to combine.  Fold in the Wasabi paste.

Serve warm.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Cranberry Walnut Squares

Perfect as an afternoon snack in the office when you’re looking for that extra energy to get you through the day.  Definitely better than getting something from a vending machine.  You might even bring some extra… because if your office mates find out you’re eating one of these delicious and appealing bars… they’re going to want some too!

These Cranberry Walnut Squares are loaded with dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, flaked coconuts and raisins.

These squares are great for picnics.  As travel foods… And if you have kids… are undeniably healthier snacks compared to a regular candy bar.

Once you have gathered al the ingredients you need… these bars only take minutes to prepare.

Yes… it’s simple and easy… and for a little effort, you will be rewarded with all these goodies.  I’ve used Kitchen Aid mixer in mixing the crust.  And I’ve also used spatula and my hands/fingers.  For those who may not have an electric mixer.

Below are what you need for this recipe:

Crust ingredients: old fashioned oatmeal, all purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, coconut oil and milk, and ground cinnamon.

These are what you need for the filling ingredients: dried cranberries, raisins, walnuts, sweetened flaked coconut, sugar, all purpose flour, dried orange peel (optional) freshly squeezed orange juice, eggs and vanilla extract.

Making the Crust:

Measure one and one half cup of uncooked oatmeal into a food processor.

Pulse a few times until crumbly.

And pour the contents into a large mixing bowl.

Add to the coarsely ground oatmeal the rest of the crust ingredients.

Mix them up with your hands, breaking up the lumps of brown sugar.

Since the coconut oil is solid.  I melted it in the microwave for 30 seconds.  And added 1/2 cup of coconut milk.

Add these to the oatmeal, flour and sugar mixture.

If you are using butter… this is where you’ll add the melted butter to the  oatmeal and flour mixture.

Oatmeal, flour and sugar mixture with the coconut oil/milk combination.

Mix until crumbly.

Mix well until soft dough chunks are formed.

*** If using butter, the mixture will be more crumbly and will not form into soft chunks of dough.

Reserve half the crust (soft chunks of dough) for topping.

Meanwhile…

Press half of the crust onto a 9 x 13″ rectangular pan.

Bake bottom crust for 8 minutes.

And while you’re cooling the crust.  Mix the filling.

The Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, combine dried fruits, walnuts, and flaked coconuts.

And flour and sugar.

Mix.

Add orange juice.

In another bowl.  Beat eggs and vanilla extract.

Add beaten eggs to the dried fruits, flour, sugar mixture.

Stir until eggs/vanilla extract is absorb and a sticky mixture is formed.

Add the filling to the cooled crust.

Press the remaining crust over the filling.

I made small flat patches out of the remaining crust/soft dough chunks, by either pressing them in between my palms or between two pieces of waxed paper.  And then placing the flat patches (crust) over the filling.

And then bake in preheated oven for 28 – 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes of baking…

Completely cool for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares.

Serve as snacks, travel food, in place of lunch, and for kids lunch pack…

The Recipe:

Cranberry Walnut Squares

Crust:

1 ½ cups uncooked oatmeal – coarsely ground

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 ¼ cup brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

¼ cup coconut oil melted

½ cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Measure the coconut oil into a microwavable measuring cup.  Microwave for 30 seconds.  Add ½ cup coconut milk to the melted coconut oil In.  Stir.

Ground Old Fashioned Oatmeal in a food processor until coarse.

Empty the ground oatmeal into a large mixing bowl.  Add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Mix with your hands, crumbling the brown sugar.  Give the coconut oil/milk a quick stir.  And power over the oatmeal and flour mixture.   Mix with your hands until soft chunks of dough formed.  Divide mixture in half.

Press half of the soft chunks of dough into the bottom of a 9”x13” baking pan… pressing on the corners and sides.

Bake Crust in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.  Remove crust from the oven and cool while you mix the filling.

Filling:

1 (6 ounce) package dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts – chopped

½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

½ cup raisins

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup + 1 TBSP. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. dried orange peel – Optional (Available in the “spices section” at your local grocers.)

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

3 TBSPs. freshly squeeze orange juice

1 tsp. vanilla

2 extra large eggs

In a large mixing bowl… combine dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, flaked coconut, raisins, sugar, flour, dried orange peel, and salt.  Using a spatula, stir all these ingredients until well combined.  Add the orange juice and stir to coat all the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl… whisk together eggs and vanilla extract just until lightly beaten.  Pour over the cranberry – walnut mixture.  Stir with a spatula until all ingredients are combined.

Spread filling mixture onto the cooled crust.

In between your palm, or between two waxed paper, flatten the soft dough chunks into flat patches, and place over the filling.  Press lightly with your hand.

Bake at 350°F for 27 – 30 minutes or until the sides or edges of the crust are golden brown.  Do not over bake.   Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Print a recipe using butter.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Coconut oil and coconut milk make these squares dairy free.  And it  makes the crust a bit more crispy and less crumbly.  And if it weren’t for the eggs, these bars would be considered vegan.

#2 – Walnuts blend so well with these bars.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Lemon Baked Chicken

I don’t like bland food.  And chicken is one of those meats that needs to be seasoned generously. At least this is my experience here in the U.S.  The chickens are lacking in flavors.  And this may explains why it is common to see chickens sold in the supermarkets having labels that say:  “injected with chicken broth to enhance flavors.”  Huh.  Why?

I usually avoid this type of chicken.  Because I don’t know what flavors have been injected into the chicken.  And I much rather know.  So I buy the plain ole chickens with no flavor enhancements.  And seasoned them myself.

When I was a young girl, we had several chickens running around in our yard.  And on special occasion, we would feast on one of these chickens.  We would have to catch the chicken, the night before, while the chicken is asleep.  Usually, up on a tree branch.

I remember the chicken tasting so good…

The chicken we ate was organic and fresh that it didn’t need plenty of seasoning.  In fact, we only had salt and lemon grass.  It’s either that the chicken tasted so good.  Or, that we did not eat much poultry or other meats.  So that when eat meat, our senses are awakened.  We inhaled the sweet aroma.  We savored every bite.  And we licked the bones clean!

And we were hungry for more.

During those days, I especially loved chicken livers.  Each time we’d kill a chicken, I’d asked dad if I could have the livers.  “Please, please, Tatay… Can I have the livers? Nobody should get them but me! I demanded.”  I didn’t care for the other parts.  I only liked the livers!

Later I found out.  The chicken livers I thought I was getting, weren’t livers.  They were chicken blood!  Chicken blood!  I was shocked.  I felt cheated!

But for several years, until I was in my teens.  I thought I was eating livers.  Then one day, I ask my dad: “Tatay… why there are plenty of livers on our chicken…?”  “Oh.  They’re not livers.  They’re blood.  Chicken blood.  They just looked like livers once they’re cooked.” Tatay replied.

Chicken blood dropped into the boiling soup, in the pot.  Once it’s cooked, the large droplets of blood clumped into a liver like specimen.

We only had the luxury to feast on a single, mature chicken.  And I always wonder why there seems to be a number of livers floating in the pot.

But I liked the livers.  I mean the blood.  No. The livers! They tasted so good.  I didn’t know they were blood.  I thought they were chicken livers.  Tasty chicken livers!

But then I had another revelation…

Back in 1996, 15 years ago, when we went home to the Philippines .  Willie and I were on a protein diet.  So we ate mostly meats:  pork and chicken.  I noted a great difference in taste on the chicken and pork meats.

Our maid was cooking the chicken and pork simply.  Pan fried, with minimal seasonings – salt and black pepper.  Yet, it tasted so good.  It was shockingly good.  Tastier and more flavorful compared to the ones we were consuming back in Okinawa, Japan.  The ones we buy at the USAF Commissary.  The Tyson Chickens from Arkansas.

What’s the difference? A lot.  I’m sure.  Farming methods.  Feeds.  Etc.  And I could probably write another blog on these issues.  But I’m not going to do that, so I’ll just stop here.

But here’s one fact:  I often wish the chickens and pork here in America would taste as good… and flavorful as the chickens and pork I have eaten in the Philippines.   I kept wishing…

~~~

Lemon Baked Chicken.  This is a fairly simple chicken recipe that’s full of goodness.  It is lemony.  And good.  Real good!

Leg quarters.  Washed.  Pat dried with paper towels.

Lined up in a heavy duty baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Or you can use a large glass baking pan.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice drizzled all over the chicken.  And generously seasoned with herbs and spices.

Baked in a preheated oven at 350°F for one and a half (1½ ) hours.

Serve them with the juices over the chicken.

The Recipe…

Lemon Baked Chicken :

6 pieces Chicken leg quarters

Juices of 2 large lemons (about ½ – ¾ cup)

1 whole lemon – thinly sliced

1 TBSP. kosher salt

1 TBSP. Spanish paprika

2 tsps. Garlic granules

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 TBSPs. olive or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Wash chicken and pat them dry.  Place in a large glass or ceramic baking pan.

Drizzle half of the lemon juice over the chicken leg quarters on one side.

In a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, garlic granules, black pepper, thyme, oregano, and cayenne pepper.  Sprinkle half of this seasoning over the chicken.

Turn the chicken over to the other side and drizzle the remaining half of the lemon juices.  Sprinkle the remaining half of the seasoning.

Scatter the thinly sliced lemon over the chicken pieces, and drizzle olive or vegetable oil.

Bake chicken in a preheated oven at 350°F for one and a half (1½ ) hours.

Serve warm with sauce drizzled over the chicken.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Allow the chicken to marinate in lemon juice and spices for at least one hour or overnight in the refrigerator, before baking. This process allows the chicken to absorb lots of flavor from the lemons and spices.  Which makes a great difference in enhancing the flavors of the chicken.

#2 – Freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Please.  Do not use the bottled, artificial lemon juice.

#3 – The herbs and spices.  All the herbs and spices give the chicken plenty of flavors.

 

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris