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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
a la,
carte
What's new for those
who love to cook
Dean & DeLuca has a Web
site for cooks to dream over,
with every kind of top-of-the
line cookware and gourmet
food item. They also have reci
pes that are happily on the deli
cious, but not too complicated
side. Here's an example. For
more, visit deandeluca.com.
Bruschetta from
Dean & Deluca
The perfect starter, a meal
in itself.
1 round loaf of country bread
(not too dense)
6 garlic cloves, halved
1 cup great extra-virgin olive
oil
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare a moderately hot
charcoal fire.
Cut the middle portion of the
round loaf into 6 long slices,
each one almost 1-inch thick.
Cut these slices in half, making
half-slices that are roughly 3
inchx3 inchxl inch.
When fire is ready, place
the 12 slices over it in a single
layer. Cook, turning once, until
the outsides of the bread are
golden brown (with grill marks,
if possible). This should take
about 2 minutes per side, but
check frequently to make sure
the bread isn't burning.
When the bread slices are
done, rub the edges and both
sides, with a cut clove of garlic
lightly or heavily, depending
on your garlic preference. Place
the slices on a large platter in
a single layer. Sprinkle each
slice with 2 teaspoons of olive
oil, breaking the surface of the
bread lightly with a spoon to
let the oil soak in. Season with
salt and pepper. Turn the slices
over and repeat the procedure.
Let the slices sit in the olive oil
for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve as
is for simple bruschetta, or top
with other foods.
Recipe of the Week
Hass Avocado
Tortilla Soup
3 cans (14-oz each) fat free,
less salt (or lower sodium)
chicken broth
2 cans (10.75-ounces each)
low sodium, condensed
tomato soup
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only
3 cloves garlic, finely
chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 ripe Hass Avocado, seeded,
peeled and cubed (reserve 8
cubes for garnish)
8 corn tortilla chips, crum
bled
In a large pan combine chick
en broth, soup, cilantro, gar
lic and pepper. Bring to a boil,
decrease heat, and simmer for
10 minutes.
Cool slightly, and puree in
batches in a blender. Return
to pan, add avocado cubes
and heat through. Ladle into
soup bowls and garnish with
reserved avocado cubes and
crumbled tortilla chips. Serve.
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• CHEESY CHICKEN AND RICE • HEARTY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE
BROCCOLI AND CHEESE
• BEEF TACO BAKE -TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
COMFORTING CASSEROLES
By CHARLOTTE
PERKINS
Journal Staff Writer
What’s for supper?
If you’re watching your
food budget and trying
to please a hungry fam
ily, casseroles are always
a good choice, and the one
way that home cooking
always beats restaurants.
Besides that, there’s
something comforting
about hot dishes filled
with good things in com
bination.
Campbell’s Soup gave
casserole making a big
boost years ago when their
cooks dreamed up the idea
of using cream soups as
sauces, so we’ll start with
some of their best recent
creations.
Cheesy Chicken and
Rice
1 can (10 3/4 ounces)
Campbell’s Condensed
Cream of Chicken Soup
(Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regular
long-grain white rice
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pep
per
2 cups frozen mixed veg
etables
4 skinless, boneless chicken
breasts halves
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Broccoli and Cheese Casserole makes a great meatless main dish.
FOOD
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
cheese
Stir the soup, water,
rice, onion powder, black
pepper and vegetables in
an 11 x 8-inch (2-quart)
shallow baking dish.
Top with the chicken.
Season the chicken as
desired. Cover.
Bake at 375°F. for 50
minutes or until the chick
en is cooked through and
the rice is tender. Top with
cheese. Let casserole stand
for 10 minutes. Stir rice
before serving.
Try It Alfredo: Use 1/4
cup grated Parmesan for
Cheddar cheese. Add 2
tablespoons Parmesan
cheese with soup. Use
broccoli flowerets for
vegetables. Top chicken
with remaining Parmesan
cheese.
Trim It Down: Use
Campbell’s 98% Fat Free
Cream of Chicken Soup
instead of regular soup and
use low fat cheese instead
of regular cheese.
Mexican: In place of
onion powder and pepper
use 1 teaspoon chili pow
der. Substitute Mexican
cheese blend for Cheddar.
Italian: In place of onion
powder and pepper use 1
teaspoon Italian seasoning,
crushed. Substitute 1/3
cup shredded Parmesan
for Cheddar.
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Try this Hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole
Hearty Chicken and
Noodle Casserole
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell’s®
Condensed Cream of
Mushroom Soup (Regular,
98% Fat Free or 25% Less
Sodium)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups medium egg noodles,
cooked and drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
■
Stir soup, milk, black
pepper, vegetables,
chicken, noodles and
Parmesan cheese in 1
1/2-qt. casserole.
Bake at 400°F. for 25
min. or until hot. Stir.
Top with the Cheddar
cheese.
Broccoli and Cheese
Casserole
1 can (10 3/4 ounces)
Campbell’s® Condensed
Cream of Mushroom
Soup (Regular, 98%
Fat Free or 25% Less
Sodium)
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen
broccoli flowerets, thawed
1 cup shredded Cheddar
cheese (4 ounces)
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tsp. butter, melted
Stir the soup, milk,
mustard, broccoli and
cheese in a 1 1/2-quart
casserole.
Mix the bread crumbs
with the butter in a small
bowl and sprinkle over
the broccoli mixture.
Bake at 350°F. for 30
minutes or until hot.
Rice Is Nice: Add 2
cups cooked white rice to
the broccoli mixture.
Cheese Change-Up:
Use mozzarella cheese
for Cheddar. .
See CASSEROLES
Page 2C
SECTION: C
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2008
Stew
on the
stovetop
•CLASSIC BEEF STEW
•SEAFOOD GUMBO
•BRUNSWICK STEW
MT h e
recent
cold snap
made me
think of
my favor
ite stew
recipes.
Stew is
Yvonne probably
Sutherland one Q f
yvonnes@windstream.net . . .
the old
est ways
of preparing food. In my
mind’s eye, I can see our
ancestors warming their
hands by a fireplace contain
ing a simmering cauldron of
stew.
There is a fine line between
a soup and stew. I think
of stew as thicker and har
dier than soup-a stick-to
your-ribs dish for cold eve
nings. Add some cornbread,
biscuits or a crusty French
bread and you have a very
satisfying meal.
Classic Beef Stew
3 strips of bacon, cut into small
pieces
l/2 cup flour
I l/2 pounds stew meat, cut
into chunks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups beef bouillon or
broth
1 cup red wine
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 bay leaf
3 carrots, pared and thickly
sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium onions, cut into
chunks
3 medium potatoes, pared and
cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup kettle,
saute the bacon until crispy
and remove with a slotted
spoon and drain on a paper
towel. Remove the kettle
from the heat. Dredge
the stew meat in the flour.
Add the vegetable oil to the
kettle. (If the bacon ren
dered enough fat, you may
not need it.) Heat to medi
um high, add the beef and
saute, turning frequently
until evenly browned. Add
the bouillon or broth, the
wine, the bacon, garlic pow
der, parsley and bay leaf to
the kettle. Bring to a low
boil, stir well and reduce
the heat. Simmer 1 1/2 to 2
hours, stirring occasionally
or until the beef is very ten
der. Add the carrots, celery,
onions, and potatoes. Cook
another 30 minutes or until
all the vegetables are done.
Taste and adjust the season
ings.
Seafood Gumbo
Gumbo is thickened with
either a roux or file gumbo,
never both. I prefer using
a roux. A friend from New
Orleans taught me how to
make it. I think of her
whenever I smell the mouth
watering flavor of browning
flour!
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
5 cups chicken bouillon
1 pound smoked pork sausage
(preferably Andouille), cut
into small pieces
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
10-oz. frozen gumbo vegeta
bles
See STEW, Page iC