MJ's Moderation

Salsa Rio Soup

An excellent way to use left-over chicken and lots of extras from your pantry.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups pre-cooked & diced chicken
1 jar of medium salsa
1 large can of Niblet corn
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can Swanson Chicken Broth
1 cup water
1 small can of V-8 juice (6 oz.) - or 3/4 cup
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsp. butter or olive oil
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. of fresh cilantro leaves - finley chopped (optional)
juice of 1/2 lime (optional)

Sautee onions, celery, and garlic in butter or olive oil in small skillet until tender.  Transfer to an electric crockpot -- or to a soup kettle on the stove. Place all other ingredients into pot and stir well.  Simmer on medium heat for 1/2 hour -- stirring occasionally.

Then turn to low and simmer for 3-4 hours.  If cooking on stove, check about every 20 minutes to make sure nothing sticks to bottom of pot.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese, and a sprig of cilantro along with your favorite tortilla chips.  Keeps in refrigerator for  2-3 days.  Freezes very well - up to  3 months. 

Beer Stew

Carbonnade Flamande (Classic Flemish Beer Stew)
[props to: WBG]

5 slices of bacon – cut into 1 inch pieces.
3 large or 4 medium onions – cut into thin slices
2 cloves of garlic – peeled & crushed
3 lbs. Beef stew meat (beef chuck cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes & trimmed of fat)
2 (12-oz.) bottles of beer (any beer will do, but you will get a richer flavor with a full-bodied beer rather than a “Lite” beer.*)
2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1 beef bouillon cube –or- 1 tsp. granulated bouillon
2 T. red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 small bay leaves
1 T. brown sugar
*****
3 large carrots, sliced; 3 large potatoes, cubed; 1 cup frozen peas

In a large frying pan, fry bacon pieces until crisp.  Drain and set bacon aside.
In the same pan, using the bacon drippings, fry the sliced onion and garlic until translucent.

Pour 2 bottles of beer into a large stew or soup kettle.  Add cooked onions and garlic to the kettle (leaving any remaining drippings in the frying pan) & set to simmer on low.  Add vegetable oil to the frying pan.

In large paper or plastic zip-lock bag – combine flour, salt & pepper & dredge beef cubes. Add beef to frying pan, & cook over medium heat until well-browned. Add browned beef cubes to kettle, along with bacon pieces, bouillon, red wine vinegar, thyme, nutmeg, and bay leaves.  Simmer covered over low heat approximately 2 – 3 hours, or until meat is tender.  Stir every so often to prevent sticking to bottom of kettle.

At this point, add the vegetables (carrots, potatoes & peas) & continue simmering until fork tender (usually another 30 to 45 minutes.)  Add brown sugar at the end - & simmer at least 10 minutes longer to dissolve.  You can add more sugar if broth seems bitter.  Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serve with crusty bread or a green salad. Even better reheated the next day!  Also freezes well.
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ABOUT THE PHOTO: Summer is waning and fall is only days away. Already the leaves have begun to change, as is evident on this cinquefoil vine meandering up the trunk of an old elm tree.  *This substantial stew is perfect on the cool nights of autumn.  As noted, the best flavor is obtained by using a full-bodied beer; we prefer Leinenkugel Oktoberfest or Sprecher Hefe Weiss.