Classics: Chicken Noodle Soup (aka The Man Flu Meal aka the Most Expensive Soup I have EVER made!)

Before leaving to go out of town (aka go to the boyfriend "J" while job hunting online and visit my dog Loki) - my oldest kiddo had a cough.  And because he has no idea of basic manners with covering his mouth or coughing into his elbow - he naturally coughed all over me. 
(He has autism and you can read about that in my other blog!))
I am waiting for it to hit me like a ton of bricks. 
So I washed my hands a lot, I showered sometimes twice a day, I ate healthy (as I usually try to) and when I got to J's town - it turned out he is sick too.
I am currently on the sofa wrapped in a blanket after having gone out for a walk with Loki and then promptly filling myself with a bowl of warm soup.

And soup always tastes better the next day doesn't it?!  What is that magical thing that happens overnight in the fridge? The blending of flavours...and of course, soup is good fresh too. 
But the next day = magic.

So - do you want to make a batch of The Man Flu Meal? The "meal" part being you can serve this soup as a meal itself but I also whipped up some basic dinner rolls to go with the soup.
AKA the Most Expensive Soup I have EVER made - well, scroll to the bottom for THAT story...

First thing to note: I own a slow cooker and if I had it here with me - I would have used it.  Tossed everything in and leave it on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
But I didn't...I used a regular pot on the stove.  And you can too.

Second thing to note: you can save your veggie peelings and end bits and put them in a freezer safe ziploc bag and use them for your future veggie soup broth stock!

As usual (aka third thing to note) - there's no official measurements and portions are dependent on your dishware size and starve-o-meter!
If you're running low on the broth part - add more water, a bit more salt and spices and warm it up again! That's what I do!

So let's do it!

What do you need:

• Chicken - whether it be cheap cuts (I used drumsticks) or a whole chicken - go with your budget, whatever is in your freezer or handy enough for you to carry from the shop!
• I used 4 drumsticks but I was also working with a small pot!
• Carrots peeled and chopped - x3 medium
• Potatoes peeled and cubed - x3 medium
• Celery chopped - as much as you like it
  
• Garlic cloves peeled and chopped - x5-10 depending on size
• Ginger peeled and chopped in chunks (you know - so nobody goes insane from the spice or maybe they like it that way...) - depends on preference but I put in a 2-inches long chunk roughly chopped in large pieces 
• Red onion peeled and chopped- x1 medium
• Whole wheat pasta - any shape!  - see how healthy I am trying to be? I used the spiral kind of pasta.
• You can use regular pasta, coloured pasta, whatever you want essentially! There are gluten-free options out there but if they're too pricey - skip the noodles and use wild rice, regular rice or brown rice!
• Spices all to personal preference:
• The usual suspects: salt and pepper - to taste
• You can also use whole pepper kernels - I just grind them
• Dried bay leaves - x4
• Dried parlsey
• Dried oregano
• Dried chives
• Dried herb mix
• Dried rosemary
• aka whatever is in your spice cupboard that would go well in a soup!
• The magic ingredient: WHITE WINE! - a very hefty splash or two.
• Yes children, pregnant/breast-feeding mamas or alcohol sensitive people can eat this soup! Once boiled - the alcohol component boils away - so you won't go walking about drunk afterward...assuming you're just putting a hefty splash or two and not a whole bottle and no water for the main broth part! 😉

If you have a slow cooker - toss it all in (except pasta or rice) including water, cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Add the rice or pasta the last 15 minutes before serving. Discard the bones.

What to do if you don't have a slow cooker:

1. Fill a large pot with water about 2/3 of the way and put on the stove burner about medium-high heat.
2. Once the water starts to boil - add in your ginger, garlic, onions and meat.
3. Add root veggies, spices and wine - continue to boil until meat is cooked and veggies are tender.
4. Remove bones and if the meat hasn't fallen off on their own - remove pieces of chicken and scrape meat off with a couple of forks and put the meat and bones back into the pot.
5. Reduce heat and let simmer 20-30 minutes on low stirring on occasion.
6. 15-minutes before serving - bring to a boil again and add your rice or pasta.
7. Before serving - remove bones.
8. Enjoy with a slice of bread and butter, or a dinner roll, a sandwich or a salad!

No I didn't eat 6 dinner rolls alone! Or did I....?

Now, a funny story to go with this soup...the reason why this is the "Most expensive soup I have EVER made" is because I was cooking in J's kitchen - as I usually do when I am here.  His cooking skills are limited and I like variety. 
SO! I cook.

I was making the soup and once he got home from work - I put the soup to boil again to prep the soup for the pasta. The stove hood (fan thingy above the stove) decided to clunk out on me.  I thought it was fine - I had it on maximum because there was a lot of steam from the soup boiling but when J saw it and I had it decreased down to medium circulation - he tried to push it on max and the button got super stuck and it wouldn't work.

In the end - it was determined that there was a short circuit in the wiring because the house is fairly old and it was just crap luck that I touched the fan buttons maybe twice that day and it broke.

After him humming and hawing over it and trying to figure out what's wrong - he comforted me with the fact that he wasn't mad that I "broke it" - it just was coincidence.

We discussed that it would cost an estimate of 500€ to replace and repair the wiring and he said:

"But it was really good soup and dinner rolls...just very expensive soup and dinner rolls..."

After telling a friend this - he said, "Those are Michelin star prices!"

😂

Ciao for now!
Dominique

Classics: Homemade Salsa & Guacamole

I had to tie these two together because it is so rare for me to have one and not the other.  Especially when making tortillas/fajitas/tacos (take your pick?).

So last night I made tortillas for my boyfriend's lunch and tonight we are having them again because the salsa should be even better - having stunk up the fridge (no lid for the bowl) and having "cooked" in the fridge for a solid 24 hours.

So - let's start with salsa!
I promise this is way better than the mushy red stuff in the jars in the stores!

What you need:
MAKE THIS THE DAY BEFORE YOU PLAN TO DEVOUR IT!

The shop I am close to didn't have lime or fresh cilantro!

• 4 large tomatoes 
• ½ medium red onion (peeled and diced)
• 5-8 large cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1 can of ready to use kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 can of ready to use black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1 lime juiced
• 2-4 fresh chili peppers chopped (stems removed and seeds too if you don't want it too hot)
• Handful of fresh cilantro chopped
• salt and pepper
• sugar
• cayenne pepper
• smoked paprika powder
• chili powder
• chili flakes

What to do:

1. Wash tomatoes and cut away the bit where the stem was attached.  
1. Chop tomatoes up
2. Mix everything together except spices.
3. Add spices according to preference of strength.  For me - I added a sprinkle of salt, lots of pepper, a sprinkle of sugar and a lot of the other spices - but not too much because I wanted the fresh ingredients flavours to shine through most!
1. Stir well and add more ingredients or spices according to your preference.  
1. I do a sniff and taste test 😀
4. Put in a fridge-safe container with a lid (or else your fridge is going to stink!) and leave it for overnight at least - 24 hours is optimal!
5. Enjoy it with tacos, nachos, enchiladas/tortillas/burritos/fajitas, on meat or fish - whatever floats your boat!

Next is guacamole!

What you need:

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 3-5 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
• garlic powder
• ½ large lemon squeezed (or a whole small lime)
• chili flakes
• 1 tomato chopped and seeded (optional - I personally don't add this)

What to do:

1. Remove the seed from the avocado and scoop avocado flesh into a bowl
2. Add remaining ingredients to taste and mash until smooth
3. Cover with plastic wrap (if not using immediately) and by "cover with plastic" I mean press it down so there's next to no air to brown your guacamole prematurely!  The lime or lemon juice prevents the browning but the lack of air definitely helps.
1. Another option is to put a layer of plastic wrap touching the guacamole then put a lid on your container.
4. Enjoy with everything delicious.  Especially on toast with a fried egg or without the egg if you're a vegan!

Enjoy responsibly!

Hope this helps you conquer your possible fears over how to make salsa and guacamole!!
Enjoy!
XO,
Dominique

Classics: Flour Tortillas

Like I said on Facebook - I am out of town currently and thought I would take advantage of this week to mentally recuperate from having my kids (and walking over 100km last week) and dealing with next to no sleep.  My daughter is going through this PERMANENT phase of waking up in the middle of the night - sooooo I was a wee bit grumpy when I arrived to my destination.

Something I have been meaning to try for years was my own flour tortillas.  I recall being in a restaurant in Halifax (name has escaped me) and you could see the waitresses making the tortillas and they had a fancy press and everything...

But I tucked that thought in the back of my head until the boyfriend made me promise healthy food this week.
I cheated and brought some banana bread with dark chocolate chips in it...and we may have split a kebab roll last night too...ANYWAY!

Then the thought hit me and once I get a food idea in my head - I cannot let it go.

So I went to the store and got everything I needed.

I used this recipe and had some mild screw ups.

First of all - I'm staying in a countryside place and there was NO cooking spray in the local corner store.
I survived using a couple drops of olive oil and a brush and spreading it around evenly.  Then I only used the brush between new tortillas being placed in the pan!

Second of all - he has a frying pan with tall sides and a small wok.  So I may have rolled them out too large and they were thick in some parts and thin in others.
I survived by not caring!

Third? Because third time's a charm - I may have cooked them a wee bit too long.  Not that they were burnt but because they quickly turned into a tortilla chip!
I survived yet again by not caring and eating it anyway!

So now I know for next time.  Cook them on a lower heat or for shorter on a hotter temperature!

Otherwise - I am happy with my first attempt and despite eating half a kebab roll - I couldn't resist it and opted to make a tiny tortilla filled with homemade guacamole and salsa and spiced chicken for myself - you know, for testing purposes.

AND I DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN.

It was soft and fluffy and warm and way tastier than the paper thin ones from the grocery store - yes even better than the herb and garlic ones (oooh I should try that next!) - which of course would've been a hell of a lot more convenient but y'know - for Instagram and blogging purposes - I just HAD to try this.  And because I know my kids won't eat these with any fillings in them - I probably won't make them in the future any time soon unless for friends or when I am visiting the boyfriend!

I shall make a new post about the fillings at another time because the gym is screaming my name...it's been far too long!  The kids had a summer holiday last week (aka no day-care or school) and will do so again next week when they're with me - so I am trying to crank out the workouts with them via walking crazy long distances and gym time when I am not with them.

Thanks for reading and happy foodie adventures!
XO,
Dominique

Soup: Spicy Creamy Shrimp Soup

I have never made shrimp soup before.
I was out of town recently and my colleague whipped this up and while I would've loved to add a lot more things to it - I'll share how it was made and my ideas in the "optional" section.

Don't get me wrong! It was filling and lovely - but that's the thing with cooking in someone else's kitchen is that you might not have access to the same spices or tools you would have if you were home or in a more familiar kitchen. :)
This was based on me mildly observing what they were pouring into the pot because I was stuck with the task of dicing an onion with a paring knife...so measurements are approximate.  Fix it to the amount of people you're cooking for...so - more people = more ingredients. 😊

What you need:

• 2% milk - approximately ½ a liter
• 2 dl of heavy cooking cream
• 1 medium sized onion diced
• "Sulatejuusto" is a soft cheese for cooking and is thicker and heavier than cream cheese. You need a good sized chunk to thicken it.
• Spices: salt, pepper, chili flakes
• Bag of frozen chili flavoured shrimp (if this isn't available - natural flavoured is fine)
• Dill
• Slice of bread/dinner roll etc to have on the side

What to do:

1. In a heavy bottom sauce pan warm the milk.
2. In a separate frying pan - fry your diced onion.
3. Add onion to your soup, along with a good sized chunk of the soft cheese.  The Finnish brand is Koskenlaskija.
1. Make sure to stir well so the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom and melts evenly.
4. Add your heavy cooking cream and spices.
5. Once your soup is completely liquid (cheese has melted) and is bubbling slightly - add in your frozen shrimp until soup is bubbling again (about 2-4 minutes) and then serve with dill sprinkled on top.
6. Enjoy with a dinner roll or slice of bread.

What I would do:

• I would add perhaps 4 peeled and chopped cloves of garlic to the pan with the onions.
• Fry the shrimp with the onions and garlic and top the soup with the shrimp.
• Use coconut milk and cream for a lighter taste and to not have such a sore tummy after..
• Maybe a squirt of lime juice with cilantro instead of dill...
• Chili flakes - I love them so much.  Sprinkle that sh*t everywhere...
• Skip the dill - dill and shrimp don't go together for me.
• Maybe add some chopped veggies but I am on the fence about this one...it was just so heavy in dairy and cream - my guts were crying (but yet happily full) afterward.

Minor changes but perhaps if I make it sometime in the future - I will be able to feel what works and that's honestly how I cook.  I more or less wing it and hope for the best and go based on what feels right, tastes and smells good.

XO,
Dominique

...Under Construction!...

Yep you caught me.  I started a blog after the kids went to bed and I have to get up early in the morning and rush about....and then I am leaving you with this pitiful little blog post saying "Hi - yeah bye".

I'll be back - I promise.  I at least should say a bit about myself right?

Well, I'm a divorced mom of 3 kiddos - V-Man (8), A-Man (6) and M-Girl (4).
If you think that sounds familiar - you're right.  I also write for my other blog (rarely I know!) called "Blogging in My Undies" - which is mostly about my life as a mom and raising a kiddo with non-verbal autism and so on.

But I wanted to get away from all that.  I wanted to write a blog and make a Youtube Channel (in progress also) from my messy-ass kitchen...
I am a chef (or cook - whichever term you prefer) part-time and have a lot of time where I should be cleaning but where is the fun in that?!

Here's what I am hoping to cover (in no particular order of course) in this blog:

1. Recipes - whether I am testing new ones, trying to make trusted and true basic comfort food better or just simply winging it...I want to share my ups and downs.
2. Cooking on a budget - I am broke AF and have to get creative at times!
3. Cooking with limited resources - not just because I am broke AF as mentioned but because I don't live in a country with many common North American ingredients that you can find at your local Walmart/massive grocery store chains.  I live in Finland. (Moi!/Hei!)  
4. Product testing - I love those product testings and reading reviews online - I also rant and rave about products I love (or hate) regularly to my friends...may as well do it here so I stop repeating myself to them. 
5. Cookbook reviews - I won't promise that I will buy every book out there but I have quite a few and I should probably use them for actually cooking/baking from...instead of just reading the recipe description and looking at the pictures like a 5-year old.

I'll be honest and never sugar coat anything in here when it comes to reviews (especially during reviews!) - you know, unless I am supposed to sugar coat something like a donut...mmmm donuts...

So follow along and let's see how this goes!

XO,

Dominique

PS Please bear with me as I am tweaking this blog, the layout and so on! :D