Slowcooked Chicken Parmesan Soup

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I recently got a new crock-pot! It was sent by the Swedish crock-pot agent for me to evaluate, and since I love my old one as well, I was really eager to try it. The new one is much more advanced than my old and has sauté settings as well as settings for baking, roasting and cooking rice so I have quite a bit of experimenting to do.


However, for my first time cooking with the new pot, I wanted a simple recipe. I'd be out for most of the day and needed a quick dinner when I got home, so decided to do a chicken parmesan soup. It was really tasty - a hit for at least one of the kids and we adults enjoyed it a lot. I specify my cooking times below but it's adaptable, you could easily do shorter or longer. And I cooked the pasta separately because once we were home, we were in a hurry. If I'd had more time, I'd have added it to the pot maybe half an hour or so before eating. 

Slowcooked Chicken Parmesan Soup
2 chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
400 g crushed tomatoes
800 ml water
2 chicken stock cubes 
4 stalks fresh oregano
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
2 large handfuls grated parmesan cheese

and to finish: 
1 handful grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
200 g cooked pasta, small shapes
100 ml crème fraiche

Place chicken, garlic, onion, pepper, tomatoes, water, stock cubes, oregano, chili and cheese in the slowcooker. Cook for about 4 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low. We did an additional hour on low or so, but that was just for our convenience, it was done before that. 

Just before serving, shred the chicken, stir in the additional cheese, fresh basil, cooked pasta and completely optional, creme fraiche. Serve and enjoy!
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San Francisco Michelin 2016

It’s been ten years since the Michelin guide arrived in San Francisco (and I started writing about it!) so I guess it’s the right time for reflection. Ten years ago the stars seemed to go to very predictable and somewhat French-inspired restaurants. This year the balance has swung to favor the new, the modern and the diverse. Is it Michelin or San Francisco? It’s probably a bit of both. Though I'm sorry for some of those restaurants left behind that lost their stars because I believe they are still worthy I can't help but be excited by this new constellation. 

While some were making a big deal over Manresa getting three stars, Commis and Campton Place rising to two stars or Kin Khao getting one, I think the really big news was the ever expanding number of restaurants on the list. An incredible 39 restaurants got a star this year with another 12 getting either 2 or 3 stars. That’s truly worth celebrating! 

Here are some highlights from the party—photos courtesy of Lee Sherman 

The evening always involves plenty of champagne...

Two gorgeous restaurateurs who both earned the respect of their peers, Cecilia Chang and Chef Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn and Petite Crenn.

Pim Techamuanvivit was one of the true stars of night, she’s had a tough year and Kin Khao’s one star was well deserved. While some may consider it an expensive Thai restaurant, Kin Khao has now got to be considered as one of the least expensive Michelin one star restaurants. 

Everyone loves a redemption story and Manresa coming back after the fire to earn three stars put David Kinch in the spotlight, here with pastry chef Belinda Leong who spent some time in his kitchen before making an even bigger splash with B. Patisserie. 

Three of my favorite chefs for the way they balance tradition and creativity while always striving for excellence— Stuart Brioza of State Bird Provisions and The Progress James Syhabout of Commis and Hawker Fare and David Barzelay of Lazy Bear. 

From what I think is the finest Italian restaurant in San Francisco, Acquerello, Riccardo Menicucci and Suzette Gresham Tognetti. 

Aaron London of AL's Place is a chef who takes chances, his next gamble? Decreasing reservations and allowing for even more walk ins. Bravo! My review of his restaurant is currently on Amy's Fork in the Fog 

Who says chefs are all work and no play? Well no one who comes to the Michelin gala! Until next year...
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Beef Stew in a Pumpkin


I was at a friend's house for dinner last weekend, and she made a beef stew that she prepared IN A PUMPKIN!!  Yeah, my friend's name is Ina Martha Garten Stewart, by the way.  (Just kidding, her real name is Mo.  Ina Martha Garten Stewart is my imaginary friend.)  Anyways, I didn't get the exact recipe from her but if you're interested, I found a few recipes you could try here, here and here.  What a perfect dish to prepare for friends and family on Halloween night!  Do it!!
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Spinach Balls


I was recently on a "booze cruise" with a bunch of moms (and excuse me while I cry for not being there this very second).  We sailed along on a water ferry, drinking wine, eating appetizers and talking about how our kids and husbands drive us crazy!  Juuuuuust kiddddddding.  Anyways.  Someone made these Spinach Balls and they were FANTASTIC.  I asked her if I could share the recipe and she said yes, so here it is!  Funny story though, I made them over the weekend and forgot one giant ingredient: the 3/4 cup of butter.  I realized this after my first bite and wondered why they didn't taste as addictive as they had on the boat.  Butter... butter makes everything better.  However, they were still pretty good without the butter so if you're in the mood to make them SUPER healthy, you can go ahead and omit it.  (But I wouldn't recommend it cause I don't recommend those kind of things.) 


Spinach Balls
(Makes approx. 45)
Printable Recipe

2 packages 10oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 tsp pepper
Pinch of salt (I was generous here)

Combine all ingredients, roll into small bowls, place on a baking sheet (I greased mine) and bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, until the edges are golden.  Enjoy!


The next morning I sautéed the leftovers in BUTTER and added a fried egg.  Yum.
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Creamy Pork Stew – Easy Does It

I didn’t want to end my vacation by filming anything too strenuous, so I went with this creamy pork stew, which is one of my favorite cold weather dishes of all time. This comforting stew is very delicious, quite easy, and ready to accept all sorts of seasonal produce.

As usual, I kept the ingredient list to a minimum, as not to get in the way of demonstrating this simple procedure, but things like squash, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms, and root vegetables, would all be wonderful swimming around in the subtly sweet, just-rich-enough sauce.

As I mention in the video, you always want to buy a nice hunk of pork shoulder, and cut your own chunks. If you want to save five minutes of work buying the pre-cut stuff in the package, go ahead, but please know you’re paying more money for a lower quality product. Not to mention, you can’t control the size and shape of the cut.

If pork isn’t your thing, this would be lovely with veal, beef, or chicken thighs. No matter which meat you use, simmer it until tender, and this simple, cider-spiked, cream sauce will turn it into a big bowl of autumn goodness. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 large portions:
2 tbsp vegetable oil for browning meat
2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp horseradish
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken broth, or as needed
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup sliced carrots
a few sage leaves
2 sprigs thyme
2 small sprigs rosemary
*Fresh herb note: I just tossed mine in whole, but if you don’t like that texture, you can simply pick and chop herbs before adding.
1 dry bay leaf
pinch of cayenne
1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
fresh apple strips and fresh chive to garnish
- Serve on steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles.
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Pumpkin Gingersnaps


Pumpkin is everywhere right now (I mean, check this out), and we're suckers for it.  I'm surprised we all don't run out to buy pumpkin flavored toothpaste!  (Don't steal that idea, it's mine.)  I gave you some pumpkin ideas last week, and now here's another: Pumpkin Gingersnaps (click there for recipe).  These are delicious... soft and chewy, and rich with all the flavors of the season... cinnamon, spice and pumpkin of course!  Pumpkin.  Pumpkin.  If you say that word a lot it starts to sound really weird.  Also who puts a 'p' and a 'k' right next to each other??  Pumpkin lovers do.  
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International Delight on TODAY


I recently had the opportunity to work with International Delight - the coffee creamer that comes in delicious, everyday as well as innovative flavors - and this morning I had the chance to share some brunch ideas using these creamers on the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda!  If you missed the segment or want to view the recipes, click here.  By the way, it's totally acceptable to make Pumpkin Stuffed French Toast for dinner in the month of October.  Also, make sure to check out International Delight's website for more information on their delicious creamers and more easy, everyday recipes.  Aaaaaaand, if you're in the mood for more PUMPKIN (you know you are), I pulled up a few other treats I've tried in the past... have a happy fall weekend! 
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Sustainable Canned Tuna Taste Test

Canned tuna used to be a very inexpensive source of protein, but it isn’t necessarily anymore. The price varies depending upon where it comes from and how it’s caught. For the purposes of this review, I reviewed only sustainably caught white albacore tuna, mostly brands available at the supermarket. Generally domestic brands are more expensive than imported. 

I don’t see much difference between chunk and solid, since it is always served broken up anyway. I only tried solid or water packed, not oil packed tuna which in my opinion is always tastier. I taste tested the tun drained, straight from the can. But my preferred way to serve it is in a tuna salad with mayonnaise, lemon, relish, celery and green or red onion. 


1. American Tuna $5.99 A
This pole caught Marine Stewardship Council certified sustainable tuna is packed, and one would assume caught, in Oregon. It’s tested low in mercury, the cans are bpa-free, claims to be turtle safe and dolphin safe and is 6 rather than 5 ounces. 

Excellent, oily and rich with good flavor and texture  

2. Safe Catch $4.50 B+
This brand has a bpa-free can, it’s packed and one can assume caught, in Thailand. It’s tested and claims to be the lowest in mercury. It claims to be turtle safe and dophin safe.

Fine, good flavor and texture

3. Wild Planet $4.50 B+
This tuna is sustainably pole and line caught, caught in the North Pacific and in New Zealand. It claims to be turtle safe and dophin safe. 

Fine, good flavor and texture

4. Crown Prince $3.99 B-
This product of Thailand is Marine Stewardship Council certified sustainably wild caught, dophin safe and the cans are bpa-free.

A bit salty, but otherwise fine

5. 365 (Whole Foods house brand) $1.99 C
This pole and line caught tuna claims to be dolphin safe and is processed and packed, and one would assume caught, in Thailand. I mistakenly purchased salt free, but I seasoned it with salt. 

A bit tinny flavor

CONCLUSION

The American Tuna was really the most delicious. In a tuna salad will it make a difference? Maybe a little, but more likely in other dishes like a Salad Niçoise. Meanwhile you can often purchase fresh fish, even albacore, at the same or less than the price of canned fish. So I'd only recommend buying canned tuna if you really prefer it or for the convenience factor. 

Which canned tuna do you buy, and why? Leave a comment and let me know!


Disclaimer: I was provided as  of the Safe Catch tuna and purchased the other brands for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for this or any other post. 
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Chocolate Snickers Cookies

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I made these awesome cookies for a party. Super simple to make and so delicious. I love the combination of sweet and salty, chewy and crunchy and of course, chocolate. Never too much chocolate! In fact, I think I'll drizzle these with dark chocolate next time...

I'm also thinking you can vary these with other candy bars - as long as you cut the into thin strips that will fit along the middle of the dough, you're golden.

I found the recipe at a Swedish baking blog - Fridas bakblogg. 

Chocolate Snickers Cookies
about 30

150 g butter
150 g sugar
225 g flour
3 tbsp golden syrup
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1,5 tsp baking powder
1,5 tsp vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

3 Snickers bars, each cut into three thin slices, length-wise
1 egg
handful of salty peanuts, coarsely chopped

Cream the butter and sugar. Add flour, syrup, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla. Mix into a nicely uniform dough - I use my Kitchen-Aid for this.

Shape two long, thin rolls of dough and place on a baking sheet. Score both down the middle. In this score, insert the thin planks of Snickers, and pinch slightly so that the rolls hold together.

Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with lots of salty peanuts.

Bake at 175°C for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly before cutting them at an angle, then let them cool completely before you attempt to move them. (Or eat them.)
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Lamb Meatballs Recipe


Nothing is more disappointing than a soggy french fry. There are lots of things I don’t just like crispy but extra crispy. Toast, onion rings, pizza crust, potato chips, breaded cutlets, pie crust, streusel. I could go on and on. And is there anything better than the crispy edges of a roast? I’m the one who wants a rare slice from the middle and a crusty slice from the end of the roast—beef, pork or lamb.

There are lots of ingredients for making food crispy and many of them contain gluten, and one of them is naturally gluten free, cream of rice. Cream of rice is finely ground rice that cooks very quickly. It can be used as a hot cereal but also in recipes like this one for baked rice custard that I plan on experimenting with shortly. When used in meatballs it absorbs moisture but also helps to create a lovely crisp texture to the surface of the meatballs. I like beef meatballs to be delicate and tender made light with ricotta or moist bread crumbs, but lamb meatballs are really good with a bit of a crust. 

I have used black pepper, cumin, paprika and cinnamon to season these meatballs, but you could change up the spices if you prefer using fresh mint or garlic, or swapping chili powder in place of paprika. You could leave out the cumin and cinammon, I added them because lamb is strong flavored and pairs well with hot, sweet and smoky spices. The meatballs are great as an appetizer, served with toothpicks but also with rice, orzo or pilaf. You can also make them bigger if you like, you’ll just need to broil them a bit longer. 

Lamb Meatballs 
Serves 4

1 pound ground lamb, 80% lean
1/4 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1/4 cup cream of rice 
1 egg

Mix all the ingredients gently with your hands. The meatball mixture will be wet but will firm up. Refrigerate the mxiure for at least 30 minutes. Using a teaspoon scoop the mixture and roll into meatballs and place on a foil lined broiling pan. Broil meatballs for 6 minutes. Serve with tahini sauce, garlic yogurt sauce or tomato sauce. 


Enjoy! 
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