Homemade Oyster Crackers

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Homemade Oyster Crackers

Oyster crackers. They are probably something you don’t even think about, unless you’re ordering a bowl of clam chowder or crab soup. Usually, we’ll just use broken-up pieces of saltines for a crunchy bite to top our soup with – but yesterday I was feeling particularly ambitious!

Turns out they were super easy to make, requiring only a few ingredients. The hardest part was cutting and transferring all the little squares to the baking sheet. And that little amount of work totally paid off, the taste and texture was about a million times better than you’d find in the store-bought crackers.

In fact, we loved them so much, it’s got me thinking about what other crackers I can make here at home!  I know these would be great with additions thrown in as well, like fresh (or dried!) herbs. Or even just a little bit of black pepper. Will definitely be making these again!

Homemade Oyster Crackers

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse about 10 times, until the flour resembles a coarse meal.

Place flour into a medium size bowl and add water, using a rubber spatula to work the flour into the water. Place on a flat work surface and knead dough until it comes together into a ball.

Set dough on a lightly floured work surface and cover with a clean kitchen towel, allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Roll dough out on a well-floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into 1/2-inch squares and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake until crackers are just starting to show color around the bottom edges, about 15 minutes. Turn oven off and crack oven door, let crackers sit in oven for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Crackers can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Source: adapted from Serious Eats

 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

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Broccoli & Cheese Soup

A good recipe for a soup that doesn’t take all day to make is a real lifesaver. Especially one as hearty and filling as this broccoli & cheese version. It takes only a few short minutes to throw together, and the flavors are just out of this world.

It’s rich and hearty, but still doesn’t weigh you down the way many dairy-based soups do. The addition of fresh broccoli really adds a freshness to the flavor, and you can never go wrong adding plenty of cheddar cheese to anything in my book.

My girlfriend came over for lunch about a month ago or so, and I made this served with some crusty bread and a salad. We both loved it, and I’ve been thinking about making it again ever since. It reheats great as well, which is always a plus. Would also be great for a last minute, easy dinner!

Broccoli & Cheese Soup

4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups half and half (or 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream)
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2  carrots, peeled and shredded
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
kosher salt and black pepper

Cook the butter, onion, and garlic on about medium heat until tender.

Slowly add the half and half and chicken stock. Mix the corn starch with a little bit of water until there are no clumps and add it to the rest. Add the nutmeg and bay leaves and cook on medium low until thickened.

Add the carrot and broccoli and simmer until tender. Discard the bay leaves. Add the 3/4 of the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with additional cheddar cheese.

Source: slightly adapted from Yammie’s Noshery

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

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Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this soup since I made it two weeks ago. I thought a potato corn chowder sounded great, and remembered  a poblano potato soup my friend Katie had posted. I didn’t have any poblanos on hand, but I did have a couple bell peppers. So I went with that, added a little bit more corn, and topped with some cilantro before serving for a Southwestern twist.

I used bacon this time around, but I’m thinking that chorizo might be a nice addition and spice it up even more – so I’m looking forward to trying that rendition next time. The tender potatoes and sweet corn, along with the colorful peppers made for a perfect marriage of flavor. And the cilantro on top was just the bright, fresh kick that it needed.

It was reminiscent of my favorite Loaded Baked Potato Soup – but much lighter in flavor without the addition of a bunch of sour cream. We all went back for seconds the first night I made it, and Andrew even went back for a third bowl. I enjoyed leftovers for lunch the majority of the rest of the week – and it was one of those things that I was very sad when it was finally gone. It’s definitely going to be making an appearance on our menu again very soon!

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups starchy potatoes (Russet or all purpose), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb frozen corn kernels
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack or cheddar cheese, for serving
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, for serving

Cook bacon in a large stock pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Reduce heat to medium and add the butter, onions, and bell peppers. Cook 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an addtional minute until fragrant.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook 3 minutes. Slowly add in broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add the corn, as well as the half-and-half to the soup and cook for about 15 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a thicker consistency, give the chowder a few mashes with a potato masher to break down some of the potatoes and thicken the mixture.

To serve, ladle chowder into bowl. Top with cheese, bacon, and fresh cilantro.

Source: adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy

Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup

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Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup

Gosh, it’s cold here. And I know our 10 degrees is nothing compared to some of my friends up north, who have been fairing in the negative temperatures this week. In this kind of weather, there’s nothing that’s better than a big pot of soup bubbling away on the stove.

Soups was one of the things I found hardest to “get right” in the kitchen when I was just learning how to cook. My mom made THE BEST vegetable beef soup, and for something that seemed so simple – the hell if I could ever get it right. I finally figured out I was being too fussy with it, it really does come down to simplicity. And time. Time is key too. Unlike chicken soups, beef soups don’t take all day. With the aid of a good store-bough beef stock (I personally love the Campbell’s brand found in the condensed soup aisle) a delicious, hearty, and filling soup can be on your dinner table in just a couple hours.

We usually reserve this meal for when I’ve cooked a roast of beef – either a big fancy prime rib roast, or a more affordable cut like an eye-of-the-round. In fact, I think we all might look forward to the second meal of soup than the first meal of roast beef! Well, I do at least. I can’t speak for the 3 other carnivores in my house. Did I tell you guys we found out Baby #3 is ANOTHER BOY?! It’s a good thing I love to cook, as I’m going to have quite a few bottomless pits to feed in a few years with three growing boys in the house! Big pots of soup will be my savior, and this one is my absolute favorite!

Don’t be afraid to play around with veggie combinations either. This is just usually what I have on hand in the pantry, and in the freezer – so I go with that. But I love to add chopped cabbage if I have that hanging around, or any other veggies that are hanging out in the fridge at the time. You can’t really go wrong with anything in here. I hope it becomes a favorite in your home too!

Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup

1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups beef broth
12 cups water
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen baby lima beans
5 cups leftover cooked beef roast (and bones if you have them), cut into small cubes
1 cup dried pearled barley
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Slowly add the beef broth, water, and tomatoes. Stir and bring to a boil.

Add the corn, green beans, peas, lima beans, cubed beef, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 1 hour – stirring occasionally.

Add barley to the soup, stir, and recover. Cook on low for an additional hour, longer is fine if time permits – stirring every now and again.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired before serving.