So yesterday's dinner was also from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals (I know, I know, but what can I say? The woman has about a bajillion books with easy recipes, and I don't cook if it ain't easy. Baking -- that's another matter. I love a baking challenge.)
I made Rachael's Smoky Sweet-Potato Chicken Stoup. (Seriously, Rachael, stoup? And EVOO? Can you quit trying to cutsey up the English language?) Loved it! Very flavorful, a little spicy, and easy. This "30 minute" meal took me about an hour and a half to make, but I did have distractions and I'm not a terribly efficient cook. Your mileage may vary.
Smoky Sweet Potato Chicken Stoup
Serves 4 (according to RR, but those are some big portions -- serves more like 6 around my house)
2 T EVOO
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 celery ribs
1 large onion
1 large sweet potato
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
1/2 t dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart plus 1 cup chicken stock
1 package chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (I skipped this, seeing as I have that cilantro intolerance)
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. While the oil heats, cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half moons. Add the carrots to the pot, stirring to coat the carrots in the oil. Chop and drop in the celery and onion, chopping them as small as you can, but don't make yourself crazy.
Peel and then cut the sweet potato into quarters lengthwise, then thinly slice them into bite-size pieces. Add the sweet potato, garlic, and chipotle and stir to combine. Season the veggies with salt and pepper, the thyme, and the bay leaf. Cook the veggies together for 1 minute. Add the wine to the vegetables and reduce for a minute. Add the stock to the pot, cover the pot, and raise the heat to high.
When the stoup boils, remove the cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the cut-up chicken and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Turn the heat off, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the scallions and cilantro. Serve each portion of stoup with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Yummy. I did have some serious tendinitis after chopping up that large sweet potato -- ouch! Add a fancy mandolin slicer to my Christmas wish list.
On the topic of cilantro: I have to express my absolute shock at being unable to find much info online to share with you about cilantro intolerances/allergies. (In case you're not familiar with the affliction -- for those of us with the cilantro intolerance, cilantro tastes like soap. Gross. Fortunately for me, my intolerance is fairly mild, so I can handle it in small doses. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to eat at Chipotle.) When I did a search on "cilantro intolerance" (in quotes) using Google, I got only one hit! What's up with that? At least a quarter of the people I know, maybe more, share the cilantro intolerance with me. They say Julia Child had the cilantro intolerance. Why on earth can't I find more information about it?
9 comments:
Hey...you got a new face--it's bright and cheery :)
I like how it took you 1.5 hours to make a 30 minute meal....I am never able to complete any recipe in the allotted time either ;)
Now, get over here and cook for me ;)
Thanks for noticing the new template, Nanette! I'm still tweaking things, but I like it. Some things show up in Internet Explorer that don't show up in Firefox, which vexes me. Hmmm....
And I'll be right over with my library of Rachael Ray cookbooks.
Leaky Chicken? Stoup? I don't know the leeky/leaky in the title kind of turns me off. No one wants a leaky chicken. :)
I think cilantro intolerance is directly related to green pepper intolerance. They give me a horrible stomach ache. I don't actually think it's an allergy.. but my tummy doesn't like them.
You know, I had something really smart to say when I started posting. And now I've forgotten it. Maybe not so smart, eh?
I remember now.
Like I said yesterday, if you hadn't gone and ruined all plans made in 8th grade about living next door to each other... we could swap. I'd cook dinner, if you would bake. Because, seriously? I have no patience for cookies. And I want some bread in my freezer.
that stoup looks amazing! i'm copying down the recipe right now!
For not being a cooking blog you're making a pretty good bid--that soup looks wonderful.
We eat a lot of soups around here and I'm always looking for good recipes, thanks!
And I love Rachael too.
More kudos on the new look. (And I can't resist adding: "Oh, Internet Explorer, you do tantalize in vexing me.")
I can't wait to try this one. I am on a serious soup kick.... (Er, excuse me -- stoup.)
hey! pretty, shiny things here! I'm captivated, especially as I've been searching for some new look for my page (I'm not HTML wacky, so I can't make my own!).
And, bring an extra bowl and spoon on your way to Nanette's so you can leave me some of that tasty looking soup. Dang! That looks tasty. Never look at blogs that might have food when you've not yet had lunch!
I can't resist Rachael Ray either, though having not seen her on television might be why I can say that with confidence. I hear that she's even more annoying when you have to HEAR the word EVOO spoken aloud. Really now, is OIL that hard a word?! Anyway, her recipes are the first ones I've found that are consistently the perfect ratio of classy to normal. I love fancy food, but I'm no gourmet and no one can cook like that all the time. Also, no cream-of, no instant pudding surprises - none of the stuff you expect to make an appearance in the run-of-the-mill Easy Recipes! For YOU!! A HOUSEWIFE!! books.
Seeing your yummy, er I mean yummo stoup photograph makes me sort of long for Chicago even more than I already do -- ah, nevermind, it was 70 today and we spent it at the Zoo.
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