There are all kinds of recipes out there for "Crunch Salad", and this is one of them.

Crunch Salad

1 Cucumber, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1/2" pieces
2-3 stalks celery, cut into 1" lengths
1 Green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
handful of chow mein noodles
handful of shredded cheese

Wash, peel if you want (I don't), chop and toss together in a bowl. Top with your dressing of choice.

This is one of those dishes where there's really no set way to make it. Got radishes? Toss 'em in. Want mushrooms, go for it. If you don't have chow mein noodles, crumble some Ritz or saltines into the salad instead. Instead of cheese, add some toasted sesame seeds, shelled sunflower seeds and mandarin orange slices and top with a light vinegarette. Whatever you like is the best way.

I like this salad as a quick and easy light dinner on hot summer days.

Posted by: Ted at 07:36 AM | category: Recipes
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A few weeks ago I mentioned a successful experiment involving a grilled pear. Since pears are my favorite fruit (or maybe second after apricots, depends on the day), I decided to experiment again last night, and came up with this side dish that goes perfectly with pork.

Sweet and Savory on the Side

3 pears (not too ripe, you want them firm)
1 small onion
2 Tbsp butter or light olive oil
1-2 tsp of fresh ground ginger
fresh ground black pepper

You can peel the pears if you want, I didn't. Quarter and core them, then cut the quarters into slices the long way about 1/4" thick.

Slice the onion into 1/4" slices, then cut in half.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter (or a little olive oil) in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onions are translucent - 4 or 5 minutes. When done, remove the onions from the pan and set them aside.

Melt the rest of the butter in the pan (or add a little more olive oil) and saute the pears just until soft, turning occasionally. You don't want the pears mushy, so don't overcook.

Add the onions back to the pan and stir together to combine with the pears. Grate the fresh ginger over the top and cook for another minute or two, turning two or three times to mix the flavors.

When done, top with a generous amount of black pepper. Serves 4.

Posted by: Ted at 07:40 AM | category: Recipes
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I'll give you the super-simple method first, which is tasty. At the end will be some tips to make it even better (and easier too).

Easy Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 half cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 can enchilada sauce, divided
1 4oz can chopped green chilies
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
corn tortillas
sliced black olives (optional)

Brown the ground beef, drain and chop fine.
Add the onion, green chilies, 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce and the spices. Simmer until the onions are translucent.

Spray a 9"x13" baking pan with no-stick. Spread about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom.

Set up an assembly line to make the enchiladas. Pour the rest of the sauce into a wide shallow bowl.
Dip a tortilla into the sauce, do both sides.
Spread a heaping spoonful of the meat mixture down the middle of the tortilla.
Add shredded cheese.
Fold the two ends of the tortilla over the middle (like an omelet), then use both hands to transfer the enchilada into the baking pan, folded side down.
Once all the enchiladas are made, pour the rest of the sauce over them in the pan, sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top, then add the black olives if you want.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

If you have a crockpot, you can brown the meat that way, even frozen. A couple of hours on medium low will thaw it out and cook it. After you drain it, add the onion and spices and let it cook another hour.

A pastry cutter works great to chop the meat super fine.

This makes a pretty mild enchilada, add more chili powder and/or a chopped jalepeno or two to zing it up.

Canned enchilada sauce is ok, but if you make your own (recipe here), it really does make a difference.

Posted by: Ted at 12:29 AM | category: Recipes
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Dinner tonight was a beautiful steak, accompanied by a thick slab of onion (drizzled with olive oil and a little salt and pepper), and a fresh pear, quartered and cored. All grilled to perfection.

Try it sometime.

Posted by: Ted at 05:54 PM | category: Recipes
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I made a pot of Venomous Kate's Slow Spice Stew today. Yum!!!!!!

Posted by: Ted at 09:23 PM | category: Recipes
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When I went home for my mom's funeral, one of the neighbors brought over this cake. It was one of my mom's favorites, and so wonderful that I asked for the recipe.

Better-Than-Sex (Almost) Cake

ingredients
1 stick margarine
½ cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 small can ‘angel flake’ coconut
5 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup nuts (your choice)
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten

directions*
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together the margarine and shortening.
3. Add sugar, beat until smooth. Add egg yolks, blend well.
4. Combine the flour and baking soda, add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.
5. Stir in vanilla, add the coconut and nuts. Fold in the egg whites (see notes below).
6. Pour into 3 greased & floured 8” cake pans.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.

* There are a couple of gotchas in the preparation, but they're not difficult. Failure to get it right doesn't ruin the cake, it only turns out excellent rather than orgasmic.

First, about those egg whites: use an electric beater to whip them stiff or you'll wear yourself out trying to do it by hand.

Secondly, once you've got those egg whites light and airy, gently fold them into the batter. Follow that link for the correct technique, it makes a difference.

Lastly, if you use a pair of 10" rounds or a sheet cake pan you'll have to increase the baking time, and there's more chance that the cake will fall. Test doneness by sticking a knife into the cake near the center, it should come out clean.

Once the cakes are cooling, it's time to make the frosting.

Better-Than-Sex (Almost) Frosting

ingredients
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 box 10x Powdered Sugar
½ stick margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla
chopped nuts

directions
1. Beat cream cheese and margarine until smooth.
2. Add sugar and mix well. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Spread on the cake, then sprinkle chopped nuts on top.

Posted by: Ted at 06:38 AM | category: Recipes
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Wow, it's been a while since I've shared a recipe, mostly because we've been sticking to our standard fare, and I haven't had much chance to experiment. Tonight was an exception, since Liz had to work late and Mookie was at school for rehersals and a date later, so I was on my own for dinner.

I found a recipe a while back at Cooks.com that was used as the starting point.

Bow Tie Pasta with Sausage in Tomato and Cream Sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (more to taste)
1/2 diced onion
5 cloves minced garlic
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes (I used the roasted garlic flavor)
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
Bow Tie pasta
Minced fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet. Add the sausage and red pepper and cook until the sausage is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Drain. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is tender and sausage is browned. Add the tomatoes, cream and salt. Simmer until the sauce thickens a little bit. Add the broccoli for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water. When done, drain well and top with sauce, parsley and parmesan cheese.

I made some garlic bread and a green salad. What I've been doing with my salads is instead of dressing I crumble a few savory crackers into it. There's a new Cheese Nip cracker called Twisters, and they have a wonderful Buffalo & Bleu Cheese cracker that's perfect for this. Nice zing.

I'm not a huge fan of tomato sauces, so I only used about half the amount of tomatoes that the recipe called for, and next time I'll use more garlic and broccoli. It's a nice change of pace, and makes enough to feed four to six people.

Posted by: Ted at 07:37 PM | category: Recipes
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Wife Liz and daughter Rachael are at work today, leaving me alone, which is always a dangerous thing.

I've been thinking about a special dinner for tonight, and slowly gathering ingredients. Being a complete idiot the intrepid culinary adventurer that I am, I'm going to guess-and-by-golly conjure up a complete inedible nightmare masterpiece from scratch. No practice, no rehearsal, no test versions first no common sense.

I was wavering between Mexican and Italian, because the dishes I have in mind could actually be prepared either way. I finally decided on Italian because Liz prefers that.

If this works, recipes will be posted sometime soon. If it doesn't, I'll never mention it again, and today may become one of those memories that women love to bring up when sharing stories about the dumbass men in their lives.

Posted by: Ted at 02:40 PM | category: Recipes
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Mix a pinch of genius with a dash of twisted, and you get The Amateur Gourmet's recipe for Janet Jackson's Breast Cupcakes.

Inspired.

Posted by: Ted at 10:40 PM | category: Recipes
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I love pork, but when it's plain it's a little bland. I experimented with some ingredients we had in the fridge and came up with this one.

Pork Chops with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

4 chops, whatever thickness you like
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup half & half
1 stalk celery, sliced into thin crescents
1/4 cup mayonaise
1/8 cup minced horseradish*
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

*instead of mayonaise and horseradish, you can substitute prepared horseradish spread for sandwiches. Adjust the amount of horseradish to your taste.

Preparation:
Preheat (medium) frying pan with oil
Salt and pepper the chops, put into pan and cook until done, turning once halfway through
Remove chops to serving plate

Turn heat to medium low and add half & half
Deglace the pan (scrape up all the tasty oinky bits stuck to the bottom) with a spatula
Add the celery and pepper, mix well and cook for a minute
Add the mayonaise and horseradish, mix well and cook for a minute
Spoon sauce over chops

Maybe not to everyone's taste, but for me (horseradish lover), Yum!

Posted by: Ted at 05:05 PM | category: Recipes
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I mentioned bread dipping oil in this post, and the excellent samples that SilverBlue and I tried. I first heard about it on the radio when a local restaraunt advertisement talked about it.

Here's what I did to make my own version. It's pretty good.

Bread Dipping Oil

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried thyme
2 cloved finely minced garlic
pinch salt
2-3 grinds black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Let flavors combine for several hours at least. Store in refrigerator, use within 3-4 days.

Pour into a shallow dish and dip pieces of crusty Italian or French bread into it.

You could also start with a flavored olive oil, and use rosemary, oregano and/or parmesan cheese. This one begs for personal variations.

Posted by: Ted at 07:45 AM | category: Recipes
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This recipe is kinda special to me, because it's one that my mom used to make when I was growing up. I didn't get the recipe from her, because she was a 'dump and taste' type of cook and never wrote anything down. Mom called it chili, and I suppose it's what an Iowa farm girl would think of as chili.

Five years ago mom passed away and my wife and I went home for the funeral. As they do, friends brought over casseroles and easy dinners, and I was delighted when one of the neighbors brought over a big pot of this chili I remembered so well. She had gotten my mom to show her how to make it, and gave me the recipe. I call it California Chili, because that's what mom called it

California Chili

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 lb. ground beef
1 large can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
2 cans red kidney beans
1 can chili without beans
chili powder to taste (~2 Tbsp)
salt & pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion and green pepper in olive oil until tender, add the garlic in the last minute of cooking.
2. In a soup pot, brown the ground beef. Drain. Add the saute'd mixture and all of the remaining ingredients. Rinse each can with 1/2 cup of water and add to the pot.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Posted by: Ted at 12:45 PM | category: Recipes
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Denita posted her bread pudding recipe, and since I've been looking for a great recipe for this for a long time, I immediately had to try it.

Some bread pudding is delicately flavored, with a consistancy like a steamed dumpling and just a hint of cinnamon. Not this one. Her recipe makes a bold, savory pudding that I have fallen in love with.

I learned a couple of important things from my first crack at it. In her recipe she calls for 1/2 to 2/3 of a loaf of bread. This first time I used probably even more than that - about 3/4 loaf of sourdough - and it was too much bread. Listen to Denita, for she is wise.

I also had to improvise a bit. I didn't have the 'pumpkin pie spice' called for, so I used 2 tsp Allspice and 1 tsp Ginger instead. Close enough. The recipe also calls for dried apples. I pared and diced half of a fresh Granny Smith apple and it worked well. She also mentioned almond extract but didn't list an amount (she's one of those 'that looks about right' cooks that I envy so much), so I used 1 1/2 tsp.

I didn't make her caramel syrup either, because I was pressed for time. *hangs head in shame* I had some ice cream topping in the fridge, so I used that instead. Bad zoot, naughty zoot! Denita, let the ritual spankings begin. As partial penance, I'll list a couple of bread pudding toppings I've come across, they're at the end of this.

Variations, variations. Cooking is when it's ok to play with your food. Right off the bat, I think I'll add more apple and nuts to the basic recipe. Personal taste, and I'll do that the third time (second time, I'll just cut back on the bread, because that might make things just right). Rachael and I also talked about using pineapple instead, probably with vanilla extract instead of the almond, and reversing the Allspice/Ginger amounts. Or use ground cloves instead of Allspice because it might go better with the pineapple. One variation I've seen but not tried is to make chocolate bread pudding by adding two squares of melted baking chocolate to the custard mixture.

Denita herself talks about pre-soaking the raisins in rum or kahlua. Yum!

Bottom line, if you look up 'comfort food' in the encyclopedia, there will be a picture of bread pudding there. For breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea, or as dessert after a bowl of chicken noodle soup, this is a wonderful version of a classic.

All right, those toppings I promised...

Whiskey Sauce

1/2 stick butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup bourbon

Cream the butter and sugar together, then slowly beat in the bourbon. Drizzle over warm bread pudding.

Brown Sugar Sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt together over low heat. Do not boil.

Posted by: Ted at 08:12 PM | category: Recipes
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If you set out home-baked goodies for the holidays, or give them as gifts, these cookies are a great variation of the old classic.

Oatmeal Raisin Spice Cookies

ingredients
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp (scant) ground cloves
½ tsp salt

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, stir into the sugar mixture.
4. Stir in the oats and raisins.
5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes until light and golden. They will be soft and chewy if you don't overbake them. Let cool for a minute before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen.

Posted by: Ted at 08:07 AM | category: Recipes
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Last night, I made a pot of this soup that is similar to the Pasta e Fagioli served at Olive Garden. We had it as the beginning course, followed up with a lasagna and crescent rolls (brushed with butter and garlic powder - we didn't have breadsticks), but it's hearty enough to have as the main meal with some crusty bread. Yum!

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrot, julienned
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 16 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 16 oz can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 16 oz can great northern beans (with liquid)
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
2 12 oz cans V-8 juice (less for thicker soup)
1 Tbsp vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
3/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb Ditalini pasta (I found it in my regular grocery store, it looks like button macaroni)

Directions
1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. About 50 minutes into the simmer time, cook the pasta in 1½ to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook pasta for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more and then serve.

Posted by: Ted at 10:15 AM | category: Recipes
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A while back I made a quick and easy Caramel Apple Cheesecake using Jennifer's recipe. I also said that I wanted to try a variation using pineapple, so I made one for Thanksgiving.

The 'old-fashioned' recipe called for only 1 package of cream cheese, and the addition of 1 tsp of lemon juice. This resulted in a frothier and lighter cheesecake. Not better, just different. I used crushed pineapple (well drained) and coconut instead of apple, with 1/2 cup reserved for topping after baking. I also sprinkled more toasted coconut on the top.

Result? It's good. Mookie prefers the apple version, but she likes apple better anyways. I like 'em both, and they're easy enough to do two at the same time. In fact, maybe three, because I'm thinking about cherries with slivered almonds and maybe a splash of brandy, drizzled with dark chocolate...

Posted by: Ted at 05:35 AM | category: Recipes
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If you like biscotti with your coffee, tea or hot chocolate, you might like these traditional mexican dunking cookies.

Biscochitos

ingredients
6 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
2 cups shortening
1½ cups white sugar
2 tsp anise seed
2 eggs
¼ cup brandy

¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Mix the ¼ cup sugar and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
3. Cream shortening with sugar and anise seeds until fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Mix in flour and brandy until well blended.
6. Turn dough out on a floured board and pat or roll to ¼” or ½” thickness. Cut into shapes (the fleur-de-lis is traditional but I use a biscuit cutter and cut them in half).
7. Dust with the sugar cinnamon mixture.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

makes 3 dozen

Posted by: Ted at 01:37 PM | category: Recipes
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* With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, it's time to buy new spices. Get rid of the old stuff in your spice rack or cabinet, and buy fresh. Do this every year around this time, and you'll notice the difference.

* Get a pepper grinder. You don't have to spend a fortune for one of those riot-baton sized monsters, small ones are available at Wal-Mart or kitchen specialty stores. Fresh ground pepper is a whole 'nother matter compared to the usual stuff folks buy.

* Along the same lines, try kosher salt for cooking. It's not iodized, so it doesn't have that metallic taste we've grown used to.

* Buy good knives. Unfortunately, quality costs. Even if you can only afford one a year (a present for yourself), it's worth the money. And regardless of the knife, keep it sharp. A sharp knife is safer to use.

* You should have at least two cutting boards. A wooden board for veggies and general use, and a glass or non-porous plastic one for poultry. Believe it or not,
wood is naturally anti-bacterial. That doesn't mean you don't have to clean them, just that the board itself is helping.

* Ever see Rachel Ray on the Food Network? Love her or hate her, one excellent idea she taught me was to keep a big 'garbage bowl' close at hand. That way you're not running back and forth to the garbage can all the time.

* The first time you make a recipe, follow the directions and measure carefully. That way, if you want to adjust things to your taste the next time, you have a known baseline to work from.

* Something I've found that really works is to do like cooking shows and pre-measure spices and such into little bowls ahead of time. Yes, it causes a few extra dishes, but makes it much easier during the actual assembly and you're not running around snagging items from the pantry and fridge when things get cooking.

* Keep up with the dishes if you can. It just makes things easier if your workspace isn't cluttered with bowls and pots and pans. Plus, if you do one or two when time allows during cooking, then you won't be discouraged by the memory of the mountain of dirty dishes created next time you feel like cooking.

These are just common sense and little things, but it's stuff that I've learned or been taught over the years. They work for me.

Posted by: Ted at 06:33 AM | category: Recipes
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1 Hmmm. The garbage bowl is a great idea! Gotta remember that.

Pre-measuring stuff is referred to as "misen place" in a professional kitchen. Apparently it's French for "everything in order" and I wouldn't be surprised if my spelling of it is wrong. Even if it is French, it's a good idea and I do it all the time, despite the protests from the gf that I use every bowl in the kitchen. Like Mozart, I use only the number of bowls required--no more or no less.

Posted by: Victor at November 14, 2003 07:55 AM (L3qPK)

2 Thanks for the site, good read! Keep up the good work. Also, drop in to my new site anytime

Posted by: cookbook at September 11, 2004 10:06 AM (CxqOL)

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It's cold outside - soup weather - here's another of our favorites.

Baked Potato Soup

ingredients
2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
3 Tbsp butter
1 cup diced onion
2 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch (dissolved into a little warm water)
1 1/2 cup instant mashed potatoes
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp thyme
1 cup half & half

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled crisp bacon, chopped green onions

directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake potatoes until done (an hour or so). When cooked, remove from oven to cool*.
2. As potatoes cool, prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and saute onion until light brown. Add the flour to the onions and stir to make a roux.
3. Add the chicken stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the contents with a large spoon. Discard potato skin. Chop the baked potato with a large knife to make chunks about 1/2 inch in size.
5. Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the saucepan. Bring soup back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.

Garnish and enjoy.

* If I know I'm going to make this soup, I'll go ahead and throw a couple of potatoes in the oven a day or two ahead of time if we're already using the oven. They'll keep in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

Posted by: Ted at 09:09 AM | category: Recipes
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1 MMMMMMMMM...better have a steaming potful ready for when I come home YUMMY!

Posted by: Robyn at November 10, 2003 10:02 AM (gWcjd)

2 MMMMMMMMM...better have a steaming potful ready for when I come home YUMMY!

Posted by: Robyn at November 10, 2003 10:03 AM (gWcjd)

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Not one of mine, but Jennifer's Caramel Apple Cheesecake is in the oven right now. I'll post the taste test results later, but what's not to like?

Here's the recipe.

Update: Yum! Thanks Jennifer!!!! One tip: I think I used too much apple in the caramel sauce. Go with her suggested one spoonful of apple and let the caramel flavor rule. Also, take the time to use her presentation tips as it makes for a pretty dish.

Something else I want to try, just to see the difference, is a recipe for 'old fashioned' cheesecake that came with the pie crust. It's identical except it calls for 1 tsp of lemon juice and only 1 pkg of cream cheese.

Another variation that occured to me was to use pineapple chunks instead of the apple. For the topping mix some toasted coconut with crushed pineapple and sprinkle with crushed macadamia nuts.

Posted by: Ted at 12:33 PM | category: Recipes
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1 That sounds soo good...

Posted by: Robyn at November 01, 2003 02:48 PM (gWcjd)

2 Well? What's the verdict?

Posted by: Jennifer at November 01, 2003 05:05 PM (d3XST)

3 Ted, I'll be making your Simple Chicken Stew tomorrow afternoon, One question: When you wrote "1 large boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces," do you one piece of packaged boneless breast, meaning half a breast? Or are you using two pieces; one whole breast?

And, yeah, how's the cheesecake?!

Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 01, 2003 05:42 PM (hGlpD)

4 Aso, I have an idea:
Substituting 1/2 of the chicken broth, the boullion cube and the parsley with Progresso French Onion soup (while having strained out the onions that are already in there, and only using the fresh chopped onion in the your recipe). Having had your stew already, what do think of the substitution? Or should I play it safe and just go out and get some more chicken broth?

Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 01, 2003 05:58 PM (hGlpD)

5 Spork, that sounds great! For vegetable soups and stews I consider the recipe nothing more than suggestions, and substitute whatever I have on hand.

Last night at BJ's (warehouse shopping club like CostCo or Sam's), I found both chicken and beef 'base', which is like concentrated stock - add water. I'll be using this instead of the boxes of broth because it's so much cheaper.

As for the chicken, I used a half breast because that's what I had. More meat is good.

Posted by: Ted at November 01, 2003 08:25 PM (2sKfR)

6 :-) Glad you enjoyed it.

Posted by: Jennifer at November 01, 2003 10:27 PM (iZF+K)

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