Oven Baked Cod & Sweet Potato Chowder - Creamy & Delicious

It's the season of Christmas trees, hot cocoa, movies, Christmas cards, Christmas pictures, presents, family, waiting in lines, trying to find the perfect gifts, Christmas cookies (yum), and my personal favorite Christmas carols. It is not the best season to get sick. I mean how can a sick person sing Christmas carols... ugh its hard. I should know I have been sick for 2 whole weeks now.You start off strong and by the end of the first verse you are hacking up a lung or holding the coughing at bay as your eyes tear up. Did mention I hate being sick? Welll. I do. I hate it. Its miserable. One of the bright spots over the last few days, however, has been warm comforting soup. So here is my newest soup adventure.... and unlike other soups it starts in the oven. I know it doesn't look like much in the picture above... but it made my throat feel so good. I suspect after a cold day of playing in snow or Christmas caroling it would warm you right up too. 

This was the first time I made this but it was super easy. The original recipe can be found here  but I like my way a bit better. Hahaha. No really I love using fall/winter veg like sweet potatoes. In the spring new red potatoes would be delightful with this cod. The flavor was nice too. The nutmeg and cloves are completely in the background but as a fall/winter soup these specific spices really make the chowder special along side the sweet tender sweet potatoes. Prep time was approx 5 minutes. Cooking time was approx 50 minutes but totally hands off. 

Chowder serves 4 comfortably. 

Ingredients:
12 oz or two very large cod fillets, cubed
3 cups of cubed sweet potatoes, peeled (1 large one)
1 cup hot water
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup good white wine
1&1/2 cup large onion, diced
1& 1/2 cup celery & leaves, diced
1/8-1/16 tsp (a pinch) of ground nutmeg
1/8-1/16 tsp (a pinch) of ground cloves
1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) of cold butter, cubed
3/4 tsp dried dill
3 small bay leaves or 1 large one
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic minced
1/2 cup milk, 1% or whatever you have on hand
1/2 cup half and half
1 Tbs all purpose flour
3 Tbs water
1 Tbs dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup frozen peas (keep these in the freezer until you are ready to serve)

Directions: 

1. Combine the ingredients above except milk, half and half, flour, water, and parsley into a large flat baking dish or a pot that is oven & stove safe.  I used 11" x 7" baking dish. A dutch oven would be perfect here. 

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

3. Cover baking dish with foil or a lid and bake for 45 minutes

4. Transfer the baking dish to the stove.... I dumped the soup into a pot. 

5. Combine the Tbs of water and flour together in a cup or bowl and set aside to thicken the soup later.  

6.Add the rest of the ingredients to the chowder and heat through - approx 5 minutes. Add in the flour/water mixture and stir for another 2 minutes. It should start to thicken up pretty quickly. Taste for seasonings.... add more salt or pepper as needed. 

7. A second before you start serving add the peas to the pot. The timing here is important.  The peas bring a bright green grass color to the soup, a freshness in the middle of winter. They also cool the soup down faster (which is great if you have kiddos).  Last, by doing it right before you serve the peas don't get mushy, they hold their shape and their color better. 

8. Serve with crusty bread, rolls, biscuits or crackers. Curl up with a good movie and get comfy cozy (very technical term) with this delicious soup. If you have a sore throat like me.... this should soothe it for awhile at least :) 


To good health and peace wherever you are
From my kitchen to yours! 

Beefy Baked Potatoes: Cook Once Eat Thrice Meal 3

Sweet and Spicy picadillo makes a great potato topper. Using leftovers from this previous fun easy meal  makes it genius. The only thing you have to do is throw the potatoes in the oven with a few things and reheat the meat mixture. Easy Peasy. You'll love this!!  I hope you enjoy this meaty, potato-y filling meal. My hubby doesn't really care for baked potatoes but hes not home tonight. Besides, growing up in the Northwest I assure I know how to do a good potato meal and heard plenty Idaho potato jokes over the years. 

Makes 2-3 adult servings (depending on how hungry you are)

Directions: 

I had 1 1/4 cup of picadillo leftover (approx 10 oz). If you don't have this leftover no worries make click on the recipe above to make this yummy, beefy mixture. If you only are planning on this meal make sure you quarter the recipe. 

1. Preheat your oven to 400

2. Grab one brown medium sized russet potato per adult serving. Although my 3 year old ate a whole one himself but he is a good eater. Put 4 small slits with a knife or fork in each potato. 

3. Pull the leftovers out of the fridge. Add 
 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika, and 1 tsp dried parsley flakes to the mix to rev up the taste. 

5. Pull out a baking dish and use the baking dish or a towel - drizzle each potato with olive oil and salt. Rub both all over the potatoes - will make the skin super yummy. The skin has the vitamins anyways - why not treat it special. Some will oil and salt will fall off - no big deal. 

6. Bake the potatoes for 45-50  minutes if they are fork tender they are done. You should be able to slide a fork in easily. The skin will be crispy and yummy. The inside will be super fluffy. 

look how fluffy these are - this why you don't use foil

7. Pull the potatoes out of the oven - slit them open and let them start cooling just a bit. 

8. Use the microwave or the stove to reheat the meat mixture. 



9. Top the potatoes with meat and a small handful (1/4 cup) of shredded mozzarella cheese.


Hope you love this AMAZING meal as much I did!  Take the night off and relax knowing you only dirtied one pan while cooking. Save time, Save energy, and money and enjoy your fall leftovers. 

From my kitchen to yours! 

Brunch: Turkey Veg Hash with Eggs

turkey vegetable hash topped with a sunny side egg for me

A breakfast or brunch hash is a great way to use leftover turkey. My three year old gobbled this down without us having to ask him twice to finish his breakfast. My hubby had seconds. Victory. Does it feel like "leftover turkey"? Nope. It really is transformed into a new meal. Easy brunch on a Saturday - check. Try it. You won't be disappointed. Any root vegetable would be good in this - possible modifications could be sweet potatoes, carrots, leeks, butternut squash, rutabagas, or parsnips. It's a great way to sneak or introduce a new veggie into your kid's diet. 

Serves 4. 

Recipe adapted from a Country Living magazine November 2011. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 lb red potatoes, quartered (2 medium sized)
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt (divided)
1 1/2 cups or 1/2 lb leftover cooked, shredded or chopped turkey white or dark meat
1/2 tsp pepper (divided)
1 heaping tsp Italian seasoning blend
4 eggs
1/3 cup water
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup or one handful of chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a medium pot bring the quartered red potatoes to a boil with 1 tsp salt

2. Boil for 3 minutes

3. While boiling potatoes, heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion and garlic together until they are soft - approx 5 minutes

4. Drain the potatoes and dice them into bite size pieces - set aside

5. Add the yellow pepper, Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp pepper into the skillet and saute on medium low or low for another 3 minutes

6. Increase the heat to medium high and add the potatoes and turkey to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes - stirring only a few times. You want the some of the sides of the potatoes to get those crusty edges.

7. Cover, reduce heat to low - add in 1/3 cup water. Cook for 10 minutes more. Check the potatoes with a fork. When they are done - fork tender. Remove from the skillet from the heat. 

8. Fry the eggs in another skillet with the rest of the salt and pepper sprinkled on the tops of each one. Approx 3- 4 minutes. Use cooking spray or oil however you normally cook your eggs. I have a really good non stick skillet so i normally don't use anything.  Do take care not to break the yolks, and be careful to not over cook. The yolk breaking open over the potatoes is fun for kids and tastes delicious! 

turkey veggie hash topped with over easy eggs for the hubby

9. Garnish the skillet with potatoes with chopped fresh parsley - one good handful - approx 1/4 cup

10. Serve the food with the eggs topping the turkey hash. 

Have fun using up some of your leftovers in a new way.

From my kitchen to yours