#with the tortilla and cold avocado on the side… yum yum

[heartual]

had the most gorgeous bowl of soup my mom made for dinner earlier still yearning for more

[belles-place]

Savor the Flavor: Exploring the World's Most Famous Soups

Soup is a timeless culinary tradition enjoyed by cultures around the globe. From hearty stews to delicate broths, soups offer comfort, nourishment, and a taste of culinary heritage. In this blog post, we'll take a journey through some of the most famous soups from different cuisines, each with its own unique ingredients, flavors, and cultural significance. Get ready to savor the flavor as we explore the world's most iconic soups.

1. French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon) - France

French Onion Soup is a classic French dish known for its rich, savory broth and caramelized onions, topped with melted cheese and crusty bread. This comforting soup is a favorite in French bistros and homes alike, offering a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. It's often enjoyed as a starter or light meal, especially during the colder months.

2. Tom Yum (Tom Yum Goong) - Thailand

Tom Yum is a spicy and sour soup from Thailand, made with fragrant herbs, lemongrass, chili peppers, lime leaves, and shrimp or chicken. This vibrant and aromatic soup is a staple of Thai cuisine, known for its bold flavors and refreshing qualities. It's often served as a starter or main course, accompanied by steamed rice or noodles.

3. Italian Minestrone Soup - Italy

Minestrone Soup is a hearty Italian soup made with a variety of vegetables, beans, pasta, and herbs, simmered in a flavorful tomato-based broth. This versatile soup can be customized with whatever vegetables are in season, making it a delicious and nutritious option year-round. It's often served as a meal on its own, accompanied by crusty bread and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

4. Vietnamese Pho (Phở) - Vietnam

Pho is a fragrant and flavorful noodle soup from Vietnam, made with a beef or chicken broth, rice noodles, and a variety of aromatic herbs and spices. This beloved dish is known for its complex flavors and comforting qualities, with each bowl brimming with tender meat, chewy noodles, and fresh herbs. Pho is typically enjoyed for breakfast or as a satisfying meal any time of day.

5. Mexican Tortilla Soup (Sopa de Tortilla) - Mexico

Tortilla Soup is a spicy and satisfying soup from Mexico, made with a tomato-based broth, shredded chicken, crispy tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and cilantro. This vibrant and flavorful soup is a celebration of Mexican cuisine, with each spoonful bursting with the bold flavors of chili peppers, garlic, and lime. It's often enjoyed as a starter or light meal, accompanied by a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a dollop of sour cream.

6. Japanese Miso Soup (味噌汁)- Japan

Miso Soup is a traditional Japanese soup made with miso paste, tofu, seaweed, and green onions, simmered in a dashi broth. This simple yet flavorful soup is a staple of Japanese cuisine, known for its umami-rich taste and nourishing qualities. It's often served as part of a traditional Japanese breakfast or as a side dish alongside sushi or grilled fish.

7. American Chicken Noodle Soup - United States

Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic comfort food in the United States, made with tender chicken, egg noodles, carrots, celery, and onions, simmered in a savory chicken broth. This timeless soup is cherished for its soothing qualities and familiar flavors, making it a go-to remedy for colds, flu, or simply a chilly day. It's often served with crackers or crusty bread for dunking.

From the bustling streets of Bangkok to the cozy cafes of Paris, soup is a universal language of comfort and nourishment that transcends borders and cultures. Each of the soups mentioned above tells a story of culinary tradition, regional ingredients, and cultural heritage, offering a taste of the world's diverse flavors and textures. So, the next time you're craving a warm and satisfying meal, why not try your hand at making one of these famous soups? Whether you're seeking comfort, adventure, or simply a taste of something new, there's a world of flavor waiting to be explored in a bowl of soup. Bon appétit, ดีใจด้วย, buon appetito, いただきます, ¡Buen provecho, and enjoy!

[unwritrecipes]

Chicken Nacho Pie with Cornbread Crust + Some Ideas for Cinco de Mayo

Good Monday morning to you all! Guys, it’s the last week of April and that means we are hurtling into May, that month that’s filled with celebrations, tests, graduations, proms, carnivals and hopefully warmer weather too (it’s mighty nippy outside today)! First up is Cinco de Mayo which nicely falls on a Sunday this year, which means that for most of us, there’s no work to interfere with the consumption of margaritas and Mexican food. Yay!! And speaking of food, if you’re looking for a one-pan, Mexican-inspired treat to serve your crew, have I got a winner for you! This Chicken Nacho Pie with Cornbread Crust is destined to be a hit at any fiesta!

I mean how could it not? Who’s not going to love a dish that’s got fresh cornbread upon which sits layers of shredded chicken, scallions, tomatoes and beans and is covered in melted cheese and crushed up tortilla chips? I’ve done my research and I’m here to say that it’s scientifically impossible!

And while I know this is a far cry from authentic Mexican fare, I don’t think that will be a concern to anyone after the first bite. It’s  super delish!

And surprisingly easy to make too! 

The cornbread comes together in a snap and even makes a little extra so you get a little ramekin of it to enjoy all by yourself! 

Then, you simply layer on the other ingredients, starting with the chicken—

Then the scallions— 

The tomatoes —

The beans—

And then finally, the cheese and crushed-up chips.

After a short bake, it’s time to slice and serve. Neat? Nope. Super delish? Sî!!

Serve me this on Cinco de Mayo (or really anytime) and you’ll be my amigo for life! YUM!

Looking for other ideas for Cinco de Mayo yumminess? How about:

Mango Salsa, Salsa Quemada, Apple Jiacama Salsa, Jiacama Avocado Salsa, Grilled Pineapple Salsa, Fresh Tomato Salsa, Long Lost Guacamole Dip

Sheet-Pan Mushroom and Shallot Nachos, Upside Down Beefy Skillet Nachos, Skillet Chicken Nachos with Oaxacan Black Beans,

Skillet Steak Fajitas, Al-Pastor Style Beef Enchiladas, Jalapeño and Lime Steak Tacos, Chicken Fajita Quesdillas, Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce, Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas, Chicken, Mango and Scallion Tacos, Black Bean and Mushroom Enchiladas with Easy Homemade Tomatillo Sauce, Creamy Zucchini, Corn and Roasted Poblano Tacos, Homemade Roasted Veggie Enchiladas, Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Chipotle Yogurt Sauce, Roasted Veggie Soft Tacos, Corn and Black Eyed Pea Tacos, Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Pie, Roasted Veggie Tacos, Vegetarian Tostadas

Homemade Pickled Red Onions, Spicy Pinto Beans, Mexican Street Corn Salad, Mexican Spaghetti Squash Casserole.

Have any favorite dishes for the holiday you don’t see here? Drop me a line and let me know, I’d love to hear!

Chicken Nacho Pie with Cornbread Crust

Makes 12-15 servings

You will need a quarter sheet pan for this.

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Bake Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Crust

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided

3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

3/4 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup cold buttermilk, well-shaken

2 large eggs, beaten

For the Filling

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (about 2 large boneless breasts—you can totally use leftover chicken for this or roast a couple of pieces)

4-5 scallions, thinly sliced

4-5 ripe plum tomatoes, diced

One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

For the Toppings

5 ounces freshly shredded cheddar cheese

5 ounces freshly shredded Monterey Cheese

10 ounces white or yellow corn tortilla chips, crushed

Sliced fresh jalapeño, sliced radishes, sour cream, avocado, salsa (optional)

The Recipe

1. To make the crust: Make sure rack is centered in oven and place a baking stone on it (or an upside down rimmed baking sheet if you don’t have one) and preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Brush the quarter sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, making sure to get into the corners and up the sides. Butter a small ramekin too. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 5 tablespoons butter, buttermilk and eggs together. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and use a fork to quickly mix it together, just until incorporated. It’s ok if there are lumps. You don’t want to over mix. Ladle out 1/2 cup of the mixture into the prepared ramekin and pour the rest of the batter into the sheet pan. If you try to cook all of the batter in the sheet pan without portioning off that 1/2 cup, it will overflow. Set the ramekin aside.

4. To fill the pie: Place the shredded chicken on top of the batter, spreading it out evenly in one layer. Then top with the scallions, then the tomato and then the beans. Sprinkle half the cheese across the top and then half the chips. Then repeat with the rest of the cheese and chips.

5. Place the pie on the baking stone and place the ramekin in the oven to bake as well. Cook pie for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and cornbread is coming away from the edge of the pan. Bake ramekin for 202-5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Save the ramekin of cornbread for you but serve the pie immediately, cutting into squares and top with jalapeños, radishes, sour cream, avocado, salsa or whatever you can dream up.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from Pie Squared by Cathy Barrow. I subbed in chicken instead of pork carnitas and tinkered with the rest of the dish a little too.

[lenakrruger]

Recipes for Realtors: Simple Simon sandwiches

I’ve heard people say it’s too expensive to shop at the deli counter, buying fresh-cut lunch meats; yet those same people will spend bigger dollars at a drive thru or a food court. To each his own, but fresh is always better, and likely better food.

These are plain and simple sandwiches but there’s nothing ordinary about them:

[banner]

Honey maple ham and Jarlsburg light extra thin Norway cheese, on Dimpflmeier 7 grain fresh bread slices

Butter this soft wonderful bread right to the edge and use shredded (minced) ham. Ask the deli to cut it fresh for you and double-check that they understand what “mince” means.

I have no idea why this ham tastes better shredded (minced), but it does. All the items here came from a local grocery deli counter, where I stand and watch them shred and slice to special order. Many supermarkets offer fresh deli counter meats and cheeses. Ask for taste tests — they are more than happy to provide them. I don’t buy pre-cut at the deli because it gets dry. And I haven’t bought pre-packaged sliced meats in probably 50 years. If you were to read the packaging, you wouldn’t buy it either. Chock full of preservatives.

My fresh homemade egg salad on a plain toasted, buttered English muffin warm, just freshly made or room temperature (not yet refrigerated) is an ideal way to start the day, or pack it and take in a lunch bucket.

Avocado slices with salt and pepper and real bacon and slices of fried potato on toasted whole wheat English muffin is another option. It could be leftover hash browns or latke.

If eating at home, top it with a runny poached egg – and for a spectacular start to your day, top it with fresh-made hollandaise sauce. This sandwich will keep you sated for several hours. Alternate to the avocado: a sliced fresh, firm, juicy peach.

Slice your favourite steak, barbecued, broiled, pan-fried, whatever way you like it best, on the diagonal into very thin slices (ask your butcher about tri-tip or skirt steak). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, even if you seasoned it when you cooked it (also great way to use leftover roast beef).

Serve on your favourite grilled crostini bread as an open face sandwich or between two slices of bread as a closed sandwich; as an alternative, load beef slices into a large wonderful pink sun-dried tomato tortilla, once over lightly warmed in a dry sauté pan. Drizzle with my spectacular barbecue serving sauce, fill and roll and tuck the ends in like a package.

An alternate choice of sauce for your beef sandwiches: Drizzle my favourite, anchovy-free Caesar salad dressing over the beef. Or, spread small dollops of my homemade tomato butter over the cold leftover beef, not on the bread. Or, just drizzle the beef slices with extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar, 3:1, mixed with mustard and gooey oven roasted garlic. Put the oil and vinegar in a little empty spice jar with a screw-top lid. Shake and serve. Maybe add a little mesclun greens.

Homemade mayo works well with the sliced roast beef sandwiches when you add fresh grated horseradish. For leftover meatloaf or a meatball sandwich, drizzle a squirt of mustard. Try it on fresh generously buttered rye bread. Top with a split dill pickle. For a special treat: batter and deep-fry thin pickle slices. Amazing!

For leftover chicken:

Pick the bones. Add fresh ground pepper. Top with my special homemade Caesar salad dressing or mayo, modified with sour cream added and fresh dill, or fresh grated horseradish, or fresh grated Parmesan. Very yum!

For vegetarians:

Make a veggie sandwich using shredded sautéed browned brussels sprouts, top with crunchy bean sprouts and a thick slice of red beefsteak tomato. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar 3:1.

Sandwich alternates: Leftover broccoli rabe or even sautéed cauliflower. Drizzle with white wine vinegar, spritz with extra virgin olive oil, 1:3 and top with crushed candied walnuts from your pantry jar. Add thick slices of avocado, spritzed with fresh squeezed lime juice.

Try this:

On a warm round of focaccia bread with rosemary and other herbs…

Top the focaccia with Norway light Jarlsberg thin cheese slices. Top the cheese with drained cognac marinated black mission figs and little pockets of shredded honey maple ham. Tuck in a few roasted red and yellow peppers. And chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Split a handful of Manzanilla pepper stuffed olives. Spritz with a spray mix of extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar 3:1. Cover with slivers of my caramelized baguette style onions.

Dot with a little more Norway cheese and pop under the pre-heated broiler for just seconds.

Chances are that you haven’t had a sandwich like this before.

Croissant sandwich – Honey ham and surprise:

Split a fresh soft full-size croissant in half lengthwise. Butter both sides with unsalted butter. (Now’s a good time to use your herbed butter log coins.) Any choice: bell pepper butter, Asbach strawberry butter, herbed butter… mound one side of the croissant with a generous portion of shredded (minced, not sliced) honey ham. On the other side, place three or four overlapping, generous size but thin-sliced provolone cheese slices.

On top of the ham, drizzle a little figgy jus from your black mission fig marinating Asbach Uralt cognac jar. I know it sounds like an odd combination, but on top of the cheese slices, cover completely with paper-thin slices of sweet peppery, crunchy, red radishes. The crispiness is grand. If you have homemade candied walnuts and or a candied citrus rind sugar jar, sprinkle a few of either or each on the sandwich, just before you serve.

Put the two halves of the sliced croissant together and indulge in a wonderful tasty sandwich, the likes of which you might not have ever enjoyed before. You might want to cut the sandwich in half, on the diagonal. This is a wonderful lunchbox, carry-it-to-work treat. Wrap and pack separately, with a frozen gel-bag to keep the croissant fresh. No leaking, and the crunch will stay crisp.

You probably won’t want mustard or mayonnaise, but if you do, squirt on a bit of my honey mustard sauce, or a smear of my spectacular Caesar salad dressing.

ALTERNATE: You could substitute a few very thin crispy apple slices for the radishes, for another choice. You will see there’s no lettuce in this sandwich, but you could always shred any lettuce and add.

And for another day: substitute thinly shredded leftover roast beef for the honey ham and complete the croissant sandwich as above.

Portobello Sandwiches

Spritz with olive oil and grill portobello mushrooms on high heat on a preheated barbecue.

Make a hungry man dinner sandwich using the large grilled mushrooms instead of bread.

Top one mushroom with roasted chopped mixed colour bell peppers, grilled Spanish onions, chopped or sliced. A fat thick slice of beefsteak tomato from your own garden is a great addition, along with a big crispy lettuce leaf.

Chopped garlic or oven roasted garlic, if it is your love, creates a dream combo.

In a stovetop pot, scald a cup of half-and-half cream. Let rise and fall three times. Turn off heat, stirring the cream so it doesn’t burn.

Add a half cup of your favourite blue cheese. Stir to incorporate. But leave lumps. Grind a few black peppercorns. Remove the pan from heat. Let it sit briefly. The sauce will thicken and coat a spoon.

Drizzle the warm sauce over the roasted peppers and onions. Position a second portobello mushroom on top or serve as an open-face sandwich. Now you have a delicious spectacular portobello sandwich. It tastes like steak.

To make a larger meal, as a side, serve giant pommes frites or zucchini fries.

A French onion soup, topped with under the broiler yummy Mozzarella cheese and sprinkled with miniature garlic baguette slices on the melted cheese that you have toasted until crunchy, will make for a memorable meal.

Simple Simon says enjoy!

Oh, and don’t forget your goat cheese grilled cheese sandwich in my  REM spinach column. (Scroll down to Comments.)

The post Recipes for Realtors: Simple Simon sandwiches appeared first on REM | Real Estate Magazine.

Recipes for Realtors: Simple Simon sandwiches published first on https://grandeurparkcondo.tumblr.com/

[theforkedspoon]

Mexican Street Corn Tostadas with Chipotle Black Beans

When your child hurts his thumb and he's a thumb sucker, weird things happen.

Octavian got a teeny tiny scrape on his thumb at school this afternoon and it's like someone chopped his thumb off. The sequence of events after he got home were unpredictable. Happy as can be one minute, crying his head off the next. He was tired, hungry (although he objected otherwise) and really just needed to chill out (but wouldn't).

Dinner, meltdown(s), a shower escape and many band-aid changes later, I finally got my kid in bed.

This is where it gets weird...

What happens when a thumb-sucking three year old can't suck their favorite thumb? Well, first they try to make the other one work.

It doesn't. So then there's lots and lots of whining and things like, "Mamaaaa, this one's not woooorkiiinnnng!". I laugh, because (#shitkidssay) and then try to comfort and distract him with songs and happy stories of the weekend because umm, side note, it is going to be in the 80's here!

Then my kid cuddles up close to me (we're in his bed, i'm trying to get him to go the f to sleep) and he says to me, "Mama, can I suck your thumb?" Ummm, WHAT THE F, I think to myself. "You want to suck my thumb? Uhh, sure, love". So I hand him my thumb. He gives it a try, pulls it out, looks at and asks me "Why is it so big?" I go on to explain that I am grown up and his hands will one day be bigger too. Then he moves on and samples every.single.one. of my fingers. 

YOU GUYS!

It was a little strange. I mean, whatever. He's little and really just needed to go the f to sleep, but it was a little weird. Not in a creepy way, but still weird. The last time he sucked my fingers he was 5 months old and swaddled.

But then I remind myself that motherhood is weird and kinda (always) gross and sometimes you have to do that for the little tiny people you love most.

Then, just before my child fell off to sleep he asked me,

"Mama, when my finger is better, will you suck my thumb?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because mommy is grown up and doesn't suck fingers."

And then he fell asleep.

---> Anyway, now that I got that off my chest, let's talk about food! 

Just in case you didn't know, next week is cinco de mayo! I thought about making some traditional Mexican enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce or some other delicious Mexican food (because seriously guys, isn't ALL Mexican food SO good?), and then I changed my mind.

I thought, hmm, tostadas are always a good idea. And Mexican street corn always tastes good. AND, Mexican street corn tostadas with a cold beer would be especially awesome.

And that's how these tasty little tostadas came to be. And now they're gone because we ate them all :)

  Mexican Street Corn Tostadas with Chipotle Back Beans

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15-20 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings Type: Main Dish, Vegetarian, Easy Dinner

Ingredients

FOR THE CORN 3 large ears of corn, shucked and cleaned of stringy bits OR 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained 1/2 red onion, diced 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used low fat and it tasted great) 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped fine (approximately 1/3 cup) Juice from 1 lime salt + pepper, to taste

FOR THE BLACK BEANS

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained 1 (15 ounce) can refried black beans 2 whole chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, finely chopped (less if you prefer less spicy food) 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce Juice from 1 lime salt, to taste

Cotija cheese, for topping 8-12 corn tortillas (approximately 2 per person) Avocado (optional)

Instructions

If you are not using canned corn, prepare your corn using your preferred method. I used the microwave by placing the corn on a large microwave-safe plate with a tablespoon of water and cover with a saturated paper towel. Microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked. You may also boil or grill the corn, but for quick meals, the microwave is my bff.

In a large bowl mix together the corn, mayonnaise, red onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt + pepper, to taste. Stir everything together until the corn is evenly coated with all the other ingredients. Set aside or store in the refrigerator if you are preparing this dish ahead of time.

Heat up the beans by emptying both cans of black beans in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Mix in the chipotle chilis, adobo sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until just heated through (you may also heat up the beans in the microwave for 2-3 minutes).

To get crispy charred corn tortillas, place tortilla directly to the burner and cook until crispy (you may want to use tongs to do this). Do NOT leave your tortilla on the burner and walk away- always keep a close eye as it can (and will) catch on fire if left unattended. Or, you can buy pre-made crispy tostadas from the market.

Assemble your tostadas- spread a generous layer of black beans on to each tostada (approximately 1/4 cup). Top with desired amount of the corn mixture and sprinkle with cotija cheese. If you want to be really fancy, add some avocado to the top (sadly, my avocado were rock solid and definitely not ready to eat).

Enjoy!

Yum