Chicken Tortilla Soup

SO I was a part of a food blog for a while and because I know the people involved still eat it mustbe the whoe blog thing.

I recently made chicken tortilla soup for mexican night.

Here is the recipe:

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. of bone-in chicken thighs (I use thighs because they tend not to dry out like breasts and they are way more afforadble.)
6 cups of chicken broth
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 can of diced tomatoes w/ green chiles
i large white onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 jalapeno (I didn't use jalapeno the last time because the store didn't have it I used poblano-not spicy enough for me)
2-3 tsps chili powder
2 tsps cumin
salt to taste
a palmful of chopped cilantro
1 lime (juice half for cooking and half during serving)

soft corn tortillas - fry to garnishing bowls
chihuahua cheese or monteray jack - to sprinkle on top of bowls (i would of loved some queso blanco but it was so expensive)

bake chicken thighs @ 350 degress for about 40 mins - remove skin and debone - shred chicken

in a skillet cook onions and garlic (in a little vegetable oil)

I used the crockpot cooked on low for about 8 hours

combine the rest of the ingredients in crockpot

Best food in the world

The world's Top 100 eating experiences

1 El Bulli, Spain (=)

2 The Fat Duck, U.K. (=)

3 Noma, Denmark (+7)

4 Mugaritz, Spain (=)

5 El Celler de Can Roca, Spain (+21)

6 Per Se, U.S. (=)

7 Bras, France (=)

8 Arzak, Spain (=)

9 Pierre Gagnaire, France (-6)

10 Alinea, U.S. (+11)

11 L’Astrance, France (=)

12 The French Laundry U.S. (-7)

13 Osteria Francescana, Italy (New Entry)

14 St. John, U.K. (+2)

15 Le Bernardin, U.S. (+5)

16 Restaurant de l’Hotel de Ville, Switzerland (+11)

17 Tetsuya’s, Australia (-8)

18 L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, France (-4)

19 Jean Georges, U.S. (-2)

20 Les Creations de Narisawa, Japan (New Entry)

21 Chez Dominique, Finland (+18)

22 Ristorante Cracco, Italy (+21)

23 Die Schwarzwaldstube, Germany (+12)

24 D.O.M., Brazil (+16)

25 Vendome, Germany (+9)

26 Hof van Cleve, Belgium (+2)

27 Masa, U.S., (Re-entry)

28 Gambero Rosso, Italy (-16)

29 Oud Sluis, Netherlands (+13)

30 Steirereck, Austria (New Entry)

31 Momofuku Ssam Bar, U.S. (New Entry)

32 Oaxen Skaergaardskrog, Sweden (+16)

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37 Le Quartier Francais, South Africa (+13)

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47 Les Ambassadeurs, France (-2)

48 Dal Pescatore, Italy (-25)

49 Le Calandre, Italy (-13)

50 Mathias Dahlgren, Sweden (New Entry)

51 Zuma, China

52 Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, U.K.

53 Spondi, Greece

54 L’Arpege, France

55 L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, China

56 Hibiscus, U.K.

57 Aqua, Germany

58 Le Gavroche, U.K.

59 Chez Panisse, U.S.

60 Les Amis, Singapore

61 El Poblet, Spain

62 Maison Pic, France

63 Cafe Pushkin, Russia

64 Le Meurice, France

65 Bukhara, India

66 Varvari, Russia

67 Schauenstein, Germany

68 RyuGin, Japan

69 La Maison Troisgros, France

70 Wasabi, India

71 The River Cafe, U.K.

72 Enoteca Pinchiorri, Italy

73 Le Cinq, France

74 Allegro, Czech Republic

75 Quintessence, Japan

76 Restaurant Dieter Mueller, Germany

77 Geranium, Denmark

78 Caprice, China

79 Jardines, South Africa

80 Amador, Germany

81 Biko, Mexico

82 L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon U.S

83 Fasano, Brazil

84 Mozaic, Bali

85 Obauer, Austria

86 Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, France

87 L’Ambroisie, France

88 Maison Boulud, China

89 De Librije, Netherlands

90 Babbo, U.S.

91 Maze, U.K.

92 Zuma, U.K.

93 Manresa, U.S.

94 Pier, Australia

95 De Karmeliet, Belgium

96 Aubergine, South Africa

97 Bo Innovation, China

98 Rust en Vrede, South Africa

99 Del Posto U.S.

100 Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire, UAE

Post Thanksgiving Post

So yesterday was thanksgiving.

So one thing we did before dinner is we all said what we are thankful for.

What about you?I am kind of glad I only make these pies once a year they are not very good for you.

Oh I made sweet potato pie and green beans as my contribution to dinner.

Apples

How to choose a good cooking apple. I am going to a French night and I need something french to make. a apple tarte tatin sounds good but finding apples might be a problem.

How to choose good cooking apples

Cupcakes

I want to make these

http://agoodappetite.blogspot.com/2008/05/dark-chocolate-cupcakes-with-caramel.html

Bad Candy

I sometime I blindly post things to both twitter and my blog. Good thing I actually read this one first.

http://tinyurl.com/693f4b

Sour Patch Kids

Are awesome. I went to Buddy Squirrel this weekend and bought sour patch kids, gummy bears, 1 chocolate covered graham cracker and two pecan tads. Then the next day I went back and got cheese and caramel corn. I guess working at Buddy Squirrel wasn't too bad when I was 17 maybe i could get a part time job there.

Baking

So I have brownies in the oven right now. They smell awesome. This is why people love baking they fill your place with really awesome smells. There is only one thing I could ask for is a larger kitchen and maybe a dishwasher. Who knew the smell of brownies could make you happy.

I would love to invite you all over for brownies but I have limited seating space.

Maybe next year.

ted.

Baker's Kitchen Essentials

So this web site lists the follwing things as essentials in the home bakers kitchen

• stand mixer
  
• non stick mats
  
• digital scale
  
• grater/zester
  
• pastry bag
  
• candy thermometer
  
• french rolling pin
  
• kitchen timer
  
• stick blender
  
• kitchen blowtorch
  

I must say I don't have any of these items. Not one. I may be doomed. Let me see if I can find another website that has better results.

Bacon Cookies

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am so making these.

If you really love someone

You'll get them a membership to the Bacon of the month club.

http://www.gratefulpalate.com/?p=Category_11

Severe food issues

I have been reading food blogs this morning and have realized that there are certain things that limit my culinary experience. I am definitely afraid of some foods. I don't like some foods that are ingredients in everything. I also have a hard time substituting things. Here are some examples:

peas - I have found tons of recipes lately that say something to the effect of "a handful of frozen peas." The thought of adding a handful of frozen peas to anything I have to eat sickens me. The fact that they pop when you bite into them is gross. That leads me to not like most foods that pops when bitten.

baby animals - I am sure baby animals are tasty. I feel bad eating baby animals. Why? Because I am a crazy person apparently.

meats with weird names - ok I know this is a bot of a stretch for even me but come on. Sweetbreads (besides the fact that its baby animal glands) sounds gross. Foie gras, I understand the French are crazy (its still duck liver). It makes me shiver.

Water Chestnuts - I think taste wonderful. The sound they make when you bite into them drvies me nuts. Now I do avoid eating them at all costs, if you wrap them in bacon they can be hard to resist.

Getting back to vegetables.

Cooked carrots - purely texture. I may not be able to eat lunch think about this stuff. I like carrots, raw.

Brussell Sprouts - ick. I don't think I can say anything else other than ick.

I have to stop now I am making my self sick.

Holiday Flavoered Beverages

So I must link to this one to. It's PopCandy's Whitney trying those Jones' holiday sodas. She has pictures of her after trying them. I thought that the names alone wold keep me away from the stuff but the faces she makes seals the deal.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2007/11/taste-test-jone.html

Want to be my bestfriend?

Well if you do you should bring me a Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks. I tried it yesterday and loved it. I also love the pumpkin spice lattes.

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/nutrition_beverage_detail.asp?selProducts=dfc25590-2235-4588-a70e-0cb1aa000261

Wine Wine Everywhere

Ok I am nowhere near being a wine snob but I really do like the wine. How you will know I am not a wine snob, I cringe when I spend more than $25 for a bottle. I currently have 7 bottles of wine at my house and wouldn't mind expanding my selection. So today I ask you to recommend me a bottle of wine. What's your favorites?

Here's what I got:

Reds:
2004 Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo - my tv drinking wine
2005 Bogel Zinfandel - I think this is the one I like
2004 Fat Bastard Shiraz - a decent shiraz

Whites:
2003 Mirassou Sauvignon Blanc - the bottle looked cool
2006 Pazo Serantellos Albarino - I have no clue why I bought this one

Blush/Rose:
2005 Red Bicyclette French Rose - the bottle caught my eye
2005 Beringer White Merlot - I like it bought it by mistake while visiting my sister

To read about the different veritals: http://www.wines.com/varietals.html

F.Y.I.

I am having a really good chopstick day.

Breakfast

How can you ever go wrong with a queso burrito for breakfast? Don't forget the salsa verde.

So what are you having or have you had for breakfast?

Food Holidays

http://www.slashfood.com/category/holidays/

Announcement

I have made the first real post to a new blog that a friend and I started. The idea is totally ripped off but I am sure we will somehow make this original in its own right. I have been struggling with a title and have (for the moment at least) penned it Food Porn. Well the foodies out there get it. I enjoy food as do most people I know.

I thin the original idea was dinner and I am sure it will stick to that meal to write about. Although I am sure some special meals or something that the contributors are super proud of will be featured.

So of course I have to link it to death.

http://dinnerness.blogspot.com/

Something I know

I don't want my fish to have eyes. Which in turn equals no head. I am looking at a blog about someone's adventures with food.

I do really wish I had an awesome kitchen and unlimited money I would cook all day.

ted.