Howard

You've heard me talk about him - okay like a lot. One year ago today we adopted the most wonderful little dog, our Howard. Never in the history of dogs has there been a more loving, snugly pupper.

After the loss of my elderly (and contrary to popular opinion, sweet) cat in late 2011, The Husband and I decided to be stereotypical newlyweds and get a dog. This was a much thought decision and we carefully considered what size, age and energy level would be appropriate for our lifestyle. Given our work schedules, we sought something small, low energy and adult (a puppy seemed pretty daunting). That fateful Saturday we headed to PAWS, a wonderful no kill shelter here in Chicago.

I wish I could say I picked him, but he picked me. From the moment he curled up in a tiny ball in my lap, I knew he was our dog. Oh and I was a crying hot mess. No joke.

This scruffer had been picked up as a stray and in addition to multiple infections, was a too thin 7lbs with fur matted to the skin. After a good groom, an improved diet (he's a healthy 11.5lbs these days) and lots of belly rubs he has turned into a hilarious, cuddle loving cutie with some serious bounce in his step. Who knew such a tiny creature could teach you so much about love, patience and laughter?

If you are thinking of bringing a pet into your family, please consider adoption. So many wonderful pets out there need homes. It was truly one of the best decisions we ever made.

Happy anniversary buddy.

Poblano Leek Soup

Do you ever have menu regret? You know, when you wish you'd ordered something at a a restaurant and can't stop thinking about it. Just me? Am I really that 1) neurotic and 2) obsessed with food? Well, the Husband and I went to Mexique on Saturday and had a delicious meal, but I wasn't quite hungry enough to take on their Poblano Leek Soup. So many pork distractions!

So what's a girl to do? I created it myself the next day. 

One of the things I love most about cooking is that you can take a basic recipe and make it your own with a twist or two. I started with Julia Child's Potato Leek Soup and simply added roasted poblanos. 

The ingredients are simple. Start with these lovelies and add just a bit of water, salt and cream.

Leeks have a wonderfully delicate onion flavor and are oh so versatile. They do take an extra prep step though. Since they grow in sandy soil and have many layers (just like my SOUL...get deep guys), they need a good rinse after slicing. Simply float in a big bowl of water and swish around. Let the sand settle and scoop out the leeks from the top of the bowl. 

For the poblanos, roast in a very hot oven until they look blistered and scary. I'm for realsies. 

When they are hot out of the oven, wrap in foil and put into a plastic bag. Close and allow to cool in the bag. The steam is a good thing... it will actually help the meat of the pepper separate from the skin.

Once the pepper has cooled, those peps will slip right out of their skin. Straight strippin'

Simmer potatoes and leek together in water for about 40 minutes, until everything tenders up.

Once the potatoes and leeks are cooked, add chopped poblanos and get after it with your immersion blender. You could also do this in a food processor or blender, but I was excited to use my new toy.

Garnish with a bit of cilantro to finish. Don't live with menu regret, figure it out on your own. You're smart like that. Also, menu regret doesn't seem like a productive use of time, am I right?

Poblano Leek Soup

1 large Russet potato, diced

4 leeks, trimmed, sliced and thoroughly rinsed 

2 poblano peppers (or 1 if you don't like to get too spicy)

5 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoons cream

Cilantro, chopped for garnish

Combine leeks and potatoes in a large dutch oven and simmer for 40 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 450. Roast poblanos until skin is blackened; about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and wrap in aluminum foil and place in a sealed plastic bag. Once cooled, remove from bag and peel off skin using fingers. Slice off tops and discard stem and seeds. Roughly chop peppers. 

Once potatoes and leeks are tender, add poblanos and salt. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Just before serving stir in cream. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Kitchen Gear: Immersion Blender

Ooooh... Ooooh... I got a new toy! After begrudgingly moving liquids from pots to food processor, usually in several batches, I got an Immersion Blender! It was actually a gift from my Mom for Valentine's, so really an extra special treat. She picked out the Calphalon 2-in-1 Immersion Blender for me.

I've purchased several Calphalon products in the past and been impressed with the quality. My favorite copper skillet is Calphalon and has held up well, under heavy use, for more than five years.

This guy comes with the stick attachment and a mini chopper bowl. I've got a recipe coming your way using the stick attachment tomorrow. Overall the motor was powerful and the attachment was easy to clean. I've yet to try out the mini chopper, but think it will be nice for smaller batch items, like pesto or vinaigrettes.

Admittedly, I was hesitant to bring another appliance into my teeny-tiny kitchen. Given the frequency that I use my food processor, I felt I could justify a smaller version with the versatility to handle liquids in the cooking container.

New toy, new toy lalalalaala. Coordinating recipe coming up.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie

I wasn't feeling like myself. In fact, I hadn't cooked since late-January. When work and life get in the way, our hobbies are the first thing to go. For me, that meant no time in the kitchen for the past few weeks. But just like riding a bike, you get back to feeling like "you" in no time when it's your favorite thing to do. 

Yesterday I was looking for comfort and a dish that would give me something to "do" in the kitchen. For the first time in weeks, quick and easy wasn't the goal. So, I luxuriated in chopping and relaxed into dough rolling. With some good tunes, there's nothing better. 

It's days like this that I'm reminded that I truly LOVE this. The goal for the day was just to enjoy myself. At the end, we were had a warm and cuddly bowl of Chicken Pot Pie. 

The basis for this pie are tasty root vegetables, including potatoes, pearl onion, sweet potatoes and flavor-packed parsnip. Above ground peas, mushrooms and thyme complete the pie. 

The majority of prep time is spent chopping up all of the veggies. Do your best to get things about the same size. This will ensure things will cook at the same rate.

Cooking is quite simple for this dish, just an easy simmer in chicken stock and wine. This also keeps the fat low, since you're not browning or sauteing any ingredients. Good quality stock (preferably homemade) and white wine add lots of flavor.

Mid-way through the cooking you'll add chicken and continue to simmer until cooked through. Then using a slotted spoon, you'll remove the vegetable mixture to a bowl. The cooking liquid will be the basis of a creamy sauce.

To avoid clumping, whisk together the milk and flour before adding to the hot stock and wine mixture. Ahh...doesn't it feel so good to be back in a cute apron? So much more like you than a business suit.

Cook the cream sauce until thickened. A good indicator of thickness is when it is viscous enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Vegetables and cream sauce united!

Roll out thawed puff pastry. Feel the grit of flour in your fingers and feel like you're finally home. With any luck, you'll have some on your face.

Baked to oooey gooey perfection. Relax you're back. You're you again.

Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie
4 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 cups white wine
2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
4-5 parsnips, peeled and diced
1 (10oz) package frozen pearl onions
1lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
1lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring chicken stock and white wine to a boil in a large dutch oven. Add peas, potatoes, parsnips, onions and mushrooms. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for another 10-15 minutes; cook until potatoes have softened and chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and vegetables to a bowl, using a slotted spoon.

In a bowl whisk together flour and milk, taking care to avoid lumps. Increase heat to medium and whisk in the milk/flour mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Add chicken and vegetable mixture to cream sauce and stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Spoon into greased individual oven-proof bowls or a 9x13 baking dish.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over a clean surface. Roll out dough to and cut in individual squares to cover bowls or an 11x15 rectangle. Brush beaten egg around edges of baking dish (or dishes). Place dough on top of dish and press into egg-washed edges. Brush top of dough with egg wash. Cut slit into the top of dough to allow steam to escape. Place on a foil-lined baking dish and bake for 30 minutes; or until filling is bubbling and dough is golden brown.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

I should be writing about brownies, adorable hand-made candies or even aphrodisiac red wine and oyster concoctions. Alas, I'm getting into the Valentine spirit with the least romantic of cuisines.... Mexican and beans. Well, if you're interested in saying "fuck it" and farting on the couch all night, whilst cursing and watching Bridget Jones' Diary, you're all set. 

I'm actually not a Valentine hater. The lovely husband always makes me feel special and we have a date night planned. But after all of my crazy work and travel, this was the last recipe left in my queue. So let's just embrace the anti-romance, shall we?  

Mexican food does seem to get a bad wrap, both for its date-friendliness and ill reputation for health. I mean, you social handling of digestion is your business, but Mexican food doesn't have to be bad for you. While many restaurants express these famed flavors in a bath of cheese and lard, at the core there are many fresh ingredients bathed in flavor. These enchiladas are plumped full of sweet potatoes, black beans and spinach. With minimal cheese they're not so decadent, but the chipotle sauce provides the fullest bite.

Roasting the potatoes does dirty another dish, but the flavor benefits are worth it. Forgoing boiling also keeps things from getting too starchy.

The sauce is chock-full of flavorful goodies -- like chipotle chilis, adobo sauce, tomatoes, garlic and onion. Not to mention cumin and cayenne.

After the potatoes have roasted, saute together onion, green pepper, black beans, corn and spinach. Such a colorful enchilada party.

A bit of sauce at the bottom of the pan will keep things from drying out.

Rolled and ready. When I made these I made two full pans and froze one for a later dinner. If you're freezing,line the pan with foil, leaving 2-inches on each side, then assemble. Freeze in the dish and once frozen solid remove using the foil handles. Wrap carefully in plastic and keep in the freezer. When ready to bake, just unwrap and pop back into the same pan you froze it in.

Serve with cilantro, lime and a bit of avocado. Thank your cat for tolerating your gas and for being the bestest Valentine ever. You're a beautiful, smart woman... don't even let this damn holiday get you down. Another round of enchiladas on the house!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt, divided
Fresh ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-oz can fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles
1 small can chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (3-5 chopped chilis and 2 tablespoons adobo)
1 cup chicken stock
1 green pepper, chopped
1 15-oz can black beans
1 cup corn
1 cup spinach, drained
12-15 corn tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Minced cilantro, for garnish
Sliced avocado, for garnish
Sliced lime, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Roast in oven for 25-30 minutes until potatoes have just begun to soften.

While potatoes bake, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1/2 chopped onion and saute until translucent, then add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, chipotle chilis, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin and chicken stock. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 before pureeing in a food processor or blender.

Wipe out dutch oven and heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add remaining onion and green pepper; saute until softened. Add remaining chili powder, cumin and salt and once fragrant add black beans, corn, spinach and sweet potato; stirring until combined.

In a 9x11 baking dish spoon out 1 cup of sauce, spreading to cover the bottom of the dish. Fill individual tortillas with vegetable filling and place seam side down in the dish. Once dish is full, cover with remaining sauce and cheese. This will easily fill two 9x11 baking dishes, depending on how filled each enchilada is. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Serve with a sprinkling of cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice and sliced avocado.

*This dish freezes very well. Assemble and freeze in foil-lined dish. Once frozen solid, remove from dish and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. When ready to eat, replace in dish and bake for 1 hour.

Morgan Out

Remember when I said back to business as usual? I lied... I'm tuning out and heading south. I've been working my butt off and the light at the end of the cold, late-night tunnel was vacation. We're off to the Dominican Republic to celebrate the marriage of wonderful friends. 

Country music isn't usually my thing, but in the words of the Zac Brown Band:

I've got my toes in the water, ass in the sand

Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand

...and Carey will be the most sunburned in the land

Okay, I may have added my own commentary there. 

I'll see you on the other side of vacation!

To Rosa

Okay... you may have noticed I disappeared in recent weeks. I've been beyond buried at work and eating lots of take-out. But it was worth totally worth it because I was working to honor this great woman:

With my client, the U.S. Postal Service, we launched the new Rosa Parks Forever Stamp at the NAACP Image Awards and The National Day of Courage celebration at the Henry Ford.

I usually do my best to dispel notions that PR is all celebrity and shiny events, but in this case it WAS the outcome of many many many late billable hours. Plus Samuel L. Jackson yelled the F-word at me (among many others).

It was such a pleasure to help my clients celebrate this courageous woman. And uber powerful to sit in her seat on the Montgomery bus.

Don't we look business-y?

Take a moment to remember those who altered our story with their courage and pick up some of these cool stamps! You know my thoughts on Thank You notes.

Back to business as usual and yummy stuff soon.