Tex Mex Corn Chowder

½ lb. pork sausage or turkey sausage

½ yellow onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups milk

10 ¾ oz. can Campbell’s cream of chicken soup

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies, with juice

2 Tbs. freshly chopped cilantro

¼ - ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ cup shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Looks like queso in this photo! 

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage with onions and garlic until sausage is no longer pink and onions are softened, but not browned; drain fats from pan.  Stir in milk, soup, corn, tomatoes and green chilies, cilantro and red pepper flakes.  Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often.  To serve, garnish soup with cheese and additional cilantro, if desired.      Makes 4 servings.

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Garden Gazpacho

This is a Pioneer Woman recipe that I've tweaked a little.  It's a great recipe for using up all those summer veggies that you wind up with in July and August or when you go to the Farmer's Market and buy one of everything!  It''s flavorful and refreshing during the dog days of summer - you'll see.

WIBW Weatherman, Doug Meyers, enjoying veggies for breakfast - GAZPACHO

1 lb. raw peeled shrimp, seasoned with creole seasoning, grilled or sauteed till opaque
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 large cucumber, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
5-6 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (sometimes I just totally leave this out of the recipe - this saves over 400 calories!) 
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
several dashes of hot sauce (or add 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, instead)
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
4 cups good-quality tomato juice
2 nicely-ripened avocados, sliced thinly
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely minced
cilantro leaves

The garnishes really make the difference - chopped hard boiled egg, avocado and cooked shrimp.

Place all of garlic and onion into bowl of food processor; add half of diced veggies and olive oil.  Add vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and 2 cups tomato juice to food processor bowl.  Process well.  Place the other half of the diced veggies to a large bowl, adding processed mixture as well.  Stir to combine, then add remaining 2 cups of tomato juice.  Ladle soup into chilled bowls or mugs and garnish with grilled shrimp, avocado, eggs and cilantro leaves.  Serve at once.

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Gordon Lee's Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

This bread pudding is NOTHING without the vanilla sauce - Don't even THINK of making it unless you're going to top it with the sauce! 

Bread Pudding
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 lb. cinnamon raisin bread, cut into 1 inch pieces

Vanilla Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 11-12 inch baking dish and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs; add milk, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Stir in bread cubes and let mixture stand for 10-15 minutes, until bread cubes absorb most of liquid. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake on center rack of oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until pudding is almost set at center and top is golden brown. (I usually stick a knife into the center to check for doneness – it should be slightly sticky on your knife when tested at the center.)

While bread pudding is baking, place sugar, salt and heavy cream into a LARGE sauce pan (you'll hate it if this bubbles over and it easily can!) over medium high heat; bring to a full boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture has thickened about 30-40 minutes; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour prepared sauce over warm bread pudding and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Now You're Cookin',
Chef Alli

Chowder Recipes

These recipes are from Chef Alli's Culinary Class at HVT, held Thursday, April 25: The Bowled and The Beautiful Chowder Class. 

Cheddar and Ale Chowder with Potato and Pancetta

Adapted from a Brown Eyed Baker recipe

4 to 6 servings

4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 medium onion, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 medium carrot, minced
1 small stalk celery, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups (one 12-ounce bottle) light-colored ale
1 cup vegetable broth
2½ cups half-and-half (may substitute fat free, if you choose)
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons dry sherry
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Cook the pancetta in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, 4-5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

2. Add the onion and shallot to the pot containing the pancetta drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the potato, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring to coat the vegetables, until the mixture begins to brown on the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes.

3. Gradually whisk in the ale, chicken stock, and half-and-half. Add the bay leaf and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vegetables soften, about 3 minutes.

4. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the cayenne and sherry and allow to cool slightly, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the cheese and thyme until the cheese melts. Stir in the reserved pancetta, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Gram’s Clam Chowder

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks, sliced into ¼ inch pieces

3 Tbs. flour

2 cups vegetable broth

20 oz. chopped clams, in juice

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 bay leaf

2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

Heat the butter in a large stock pot over medium high heat; add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, approximately 6-8 minutes.  Add flour to aromatics in sauté pan and stir to incorporate evenly.  Add the broth, clam juice, (reserve clams for now) cream, bay leaf, and potatoes; stir to combine and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly as mixture thickens, then reduce heat to medium low and cook for 25-30 minutes.  Stir soup often and simmer just until potatoes are fork-tender.  Now add in clams and season soup to taste with salt and pepper; cook soup for another 2-3 minutes, just until clams are firm.  Serve at once! 

Curried Sweet Potato Chowder

Serves 4

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

2-4 Tbs. evoo, divided use

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 stalks of celery, sliced

1-2 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp curry powder

5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup of coconut milk, can use light, if preferred

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Slice the sweet potatoes into 2 inch rounds. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons evoo; season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast sweet potatoes 40 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and continue to cook potatoes until they are fork-tender; remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large stock pot, heat the remaining 1-2 Tbs. evoo over medium heat; add the garam masala and curry powder and cook for 30 seconds, then add the onion and celery and sauté, stirring often, for 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds; remove sauté pan from heat.  Add roasted sweet potatoes and stir to combine.  Add stock and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer soup for 15 minutes.  Let soup cool slightly before using a food processor (working in batches to process) or immersion blender to blend until creamy.  Place soup back into stock pot over medium heat; stir in coconut milk and heat until hot throughout. 

Ree’s Corn Chowder

Serves 10-12 

4 Tablespoons 1/2 Stick Butter

1 whole Onion, Chopped

3 slices Bacon, Cut Into Pieces

3 whole Bell Peppers, Finely Diced (red, Yellow, Orange)

5 ears Corn, Kernels Sliced Off

1/4 cup All-purpose Flour

3 cups Chicken Stock Or Broth

2 cups Half-and-half

1 cup (heaping) Grated Monterey Jack

1 cup (heaping) Pepper Jack

1/3 cup Sliced Green Onions

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook onions for a couple of minutes. Add bacon and cook for another minute or so, then add diced bell peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add corn and cook for a minute; sprinkle flour evenly over the top of vegetables and stir to combine, cooking for 1-2 minutes to let flour cook a bit.  Pour in broth and stir well. Allow chowder to thicken for 3 or 4 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Stir in half-and-half, then cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Stir in cheeses and green onions. When cheese is melted and the soup is hot, check seasonings. Season with kosher salt and pepper as needed. Serve at once. 

Chef Alli’s Favorite Peasant Bread

2 tsp. yeast and 1 tsp. sugar dissolved in 2 cups warm water

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. Italian seasonings

1-2 Tbs. evoo

1-2 Tbs. cornmeal

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and Italian seasonings; add water/yeast mixture and gently combine.  Cover bowl with a towel and set in a warm place to let dough rise for about 45 minutes – 1 hour.  Meanwhile, prepare a baking stone or baking sheet by drizzling it with evoo topped with cornmeal.  Punch dough down and place onto prepared baking sheet/stone.  Let dough raise for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and continue to bake bread for an additional 10-15 minutes.  Upon removing bread from oven, brush with a bit of melted butter or evoo.  Let bread cool slightly before slicing.  Can toast slices, if preferred – mine usually never make it that far. J

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Recipe Blog: www.ChefAllis.blogspot.com                  ChefAlli@ChefAllis.com

 Now You’re Cookin’!

Enchilada Soup - As seen on WIBW 13 News at 4, March 2013

I make this recipe quite often for my family - I typically have most of these ingredients on hand and it throws together really quickly when we're extra hungry!

4 cups milk

2 (10 ¾ oz.) cans Campbell’s cream of chicken soup

2 (10 ¾ oz.) cans Campbell’s nacho cheese soup

2 (10 oz.) cans red enchilada sauce

2 (10 oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies (if your family likes a smooth texture to their soup like mine does, puree this in your food processor or blender)

Meat from one rotisserie chicken, shredded (or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded)

In large sauce pan, whisk milk with soups until smooth; stir in enchilada sauce, tomatoes and green chilies, and chicken; simmer for 30-45 minutes and serve garnished with your favorite toppings.

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli 

10 Minute Creamy Tomato Dill Soup

This recipe was taken from FRESH, a new cookbook written by Greg Fox of Topeka's Row House Restaurant.

28 oz. stewed tomatoes, pureed (can substitute crushed tomatoes as well)

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 bunch scallions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 ribs celery, diced small

2 pinches kosher salt

1-2 tsp. granulated sugar

1-2 tsp. dried dill

2 cups whipping cream (I often substitute fat free half and half, using a cornstarch slurry to thicken with)

In a medium stock pot over medium heat, melt butter; add scallions, garlic and celery.  Cook aromatics for 1-2 minutes; add salt and sugar.  Stir in tomatoes and dill; whisk in cream and heat just until warmed throughout.

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Tomato Dill Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

This is an adaptation of an Ina Garten Recipe from her book The Barefoot Contessa, Foolproof.

2-3 Tbs. good olive oil

2 yellow onions, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. dried dill

4 cups chicken stock

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp. granulated sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

½ cup orzo, cooked until al dente

½ cup whipping cream

1 grilled cheese sandwich, cut into crouton-size squares

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; when hot, add onions and sauté for 12-15 minutes or until softened and translucent.  Add the garlic and dill and cook for 1 more minute; add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, and sugar; season with salt and pepper.  Bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and let soup simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.  When ready to serve soup, stir in orzo and half and half and cooked until heated through.  Serve soup topped with warm grilled cheese croutons. 

Now You’re Cookin’,

Chef Alli

Tam's Enchilada Soup

4 cups milk

2 small (10 3/4 oz.) cans  Campbell's cream of chicken soup

2 small (10 3/4 oz.) cans of Campbell's nacho cheese soup

2 small (10 oz.) cans red enchilada sauce

2 (10 oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chilies

Meat from one rotisserie chicken, shredded

In a large sauce pan, whisk milk with soups until smooth; stir in enchilada sauce, tomatoes and green chilies, and chicken; simmer for 30-45 minutes and serve. 

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli

Rio Grande Chili for New Year's Day 2013

This chili was the winner of the Topeka Home Builders Cook-Off Feb. 2006 in the category of Most Unusual.  It's like a cross between a soup and chili and I love, love, love the hominy.  Yes, the sodium content is rather high due to the ranch and taco seasoning mixes, but it's so yummy, it's worth it occasionally. 

Rio Grande Chili
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
2 can pinto beans, 15 oz. each, rinsed and drained
1 can yellow hominy, 15 oz., rinsed and drained
15 oz. diced tomatoes, with juice
14 oz. diced tomatoes with green chilies, with juice
4 cups beef broth
1 oz. pkg. dry ranch dip mix  (approx. 2 Tbs.)
1 oz. pkg. taco seasoning (approx. 2 Tbs.)

In a large sauté pan, brown ground beef with onions.  When cooked throughout, drain off any fats rendered.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 35-40 minutes over low heat. 

Happy New Year,
Chef Alli

Thai Corn Chowder with Shredded Turkey

Recipe from Simmering Soups and Stews Class, November 2012, at Topeka Hy-Vee.

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil
1 tsp. cumin
2-3 tsp. red curry paste
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1-2 tsp. freshly grated ginger root
1 stalk lemon grass, cut into thirds
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups of corn
14 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies
2-3 cups chicken or veggie stock
2 cans light coconut milk, 14 oz. each
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
Juice and zest from 1 lime

In a large soup pot over medium high heat, heat olive oil and stir in cumin and curry paste; cook for one minute, stirring constantly, to infuse the oil with the spices.  Add the onion; cook and stir often for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger, lemon grass, and cook another minute.  Add the corn, tomatoes and broth; cover and bring to a high simmer.  Add coconut milk and shredded turkey; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Simmer soup gently for 20-30 minutes, taking care not to let it boil.  Just before serving, add cilantro, lime juice and zest; adjust salt and pepper, if needed.  Remove lemon grass stalks before serving.  Serves 6

Nutrition Facts:  195 calories, 8 g fat, 270 mg sodium, 15 g carb, 1.5 g fiber, 17 g protein

Now You're Cookin',

Chef Alli