Simply Suppers

Simply Suppers

Easy Comfort Food Your Whole Family Will Love

by Jennifer Chandler

with photography by Natalie Root

© 2010 by Jennifer Chandler

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Photos by © Natalie Root Photography

Photos are from Photos.com.

Photos are from Brand X Pictures.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010930935

ISBN: 978-1-4016-0059-4

Printed in the United States of America

10 11 12 13 14 WC 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my favorite people to

enjoy supper with:

Paul, Hannah, and Sarah

Contents

Introduction

What’s for Supper?

30 in about 30

10 Leftover Chicken Makeovers

20 Freezer Go-To’s

A Well-Stocked Kitchen

Soups

Poultry

Meat

Seafood

Pasta & Noodles

Melty Sandwiches, Quesadillas & Pizzas

Potatoes, Rice, Grains & Stuffings

Vegetables

Sweet Endings

Basic Recipes

Many Thanks

Credits

About the Author

About the Photographer

Index

Introduction

Comfort is a gift we give our friends and family when we feed them.

Good food isn’t about being gourmet . . . it’s about being delicious. In fact, some of our favorite foods are the simplest dishes.

Think about it. Aren’t there certain foods that make you feel good inside just thinking about them?

Maybe a gooey mac’n’cheese, a perfectly roasted chicken, or creamy mashed potatoes? For me, it’s warm brownies fresh from the oven, a simple grilled cheese sandwich, and my grandmother’s eggplant casserole.

Comfort food is all about home cooking. Dishes that warm our souls and put a smile on our faces. That’s what I want for supper. Don’t you?

I wrote Simply Suppers to help you put good food on your table. This book includes my tried-and-true recipes that I make over and over again. My wish is that some of the recipes in this book will become your favorites too.

Some of the recipes will be familiar. Some dishes may evoke memories of your childhood. Some may be new to you. But I guarantee they will all taste great. These are the kinds of recipes that you will want to share at supper clubs, pass down through generations of your family, and swap over coffee.

Many of these dishes can be thrown together in minutes; others need to simmer slowly. But all are simple to prepare.

The recipes in Simply Suppers are those of family traditions. So start cooking together. Include your family, friends, and children in the kitchen. And no matter how simple the meal, sit down together, and enjoy the comfort of good food and good company.

Enjoy!

What’s for Supper?

It’s a daily question. Whether eating alone or feeding others, you will ask yourself (or be asked) What’s for supper?

With time at a premium, many of us opt for processed convenience foods or on-the-go meals from fast-food restaurants for dinner. Not only are these choices usually more expensive than homemade, they are often not the healthiest or tastiest.

Simply Suppers gives you an alternative.

It is simple to pull together delicious home-cooked meals if you are equipped with a few strategies.

1 Be armed with a repertoire of basic cooking techniques. When choosing the recipes to include in this book, I intentionally included a variety of cooking skills. Sautéing, pan-roasting, braising, baking, and making sauces are all simple techniques that can be used to make an infinite number of dishes.

1 Make it easy on yourself and take the stress out of cooking. Use shortcut ingredients, like rotisserie chicken and frozen vegetables. Do whatever you can in advance, keeping in mind that some dishes actually taste better the next day. Make double batches of recipes that freeze well so you will always have a home-cooked meal available in the freezer.

1 Use the best ingredients. The key to delicious food is simple: use fresh, in-season, top-quality ingredients. And remember, best does not always mean the most expensive. Let flavor be your guide when choosing what goes into your food.

1 Maintain a well-stocked kitchen (see page xii for my Well-Stocked Kitchen list). Having the right ingredients in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer can make the difference between ordering take-out pizza and having a delicious last-minute meal.

1 Taste as you go. By tasting a spoonful here and there through the cooking process, you will see if you need to add a little more of something. And always be sure to taste your dish before serving to make sure you don’t need one more dash of salt or pepper or a tablespoon of cream or butter to round out the flavor.

Tips

What are the questions you often have when reading a recipe?

What can I do ahead? Can I freeze this? What is a good substitute?

I tried to think of all the different tips and variations that I wished the cookbooks on my shelves offered. Here are six basic tips you will find throughout Simply Suppers that will help you get healthy, delicious meals on the table . . . even on your busiest day.

a Cooking Tips: Detailed information on cooking techniques, substitutes, and Food Facts about the dishes and specific ingredients.

b Variations: Tips on how to put a unique spin on a classic dish.

c Do Ahead: Tips and strategies to take the stress out of dinnertime.

d Time-Saving Tips: Substitutes and shortcuts to save a little time in the kitchen.

e Back-to-the-Basics: Recipe modifications for a simpler version.

f Freezes Well: This icon lets you know which dishes are perfect for freezing.

30 in about 30

30 recipes that can quickly be whipped up in about 30 minutes

Soups

1. Chicken Tortilla Soup

Poultry

2. Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks

3. Chicken à la King

4. Chicken Cordon Bleu

5. Chicken Parmesan

6. Potato Chip Chicken Tenders

7. Turkey Burgers

Fish

8. Blackened Catfish

9. Crawfish Étouffée

10. Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with Chive-Garlic Compound Butter

11. Shrimp and Grits

12. Shrimp Scampi

Beef and Pork

13. Apricot Pork Tenderloin

14. Beef Tostadas

15. Cheeseburger Pie

16. Garlic and Rosemary Lamb Chops

17. Peppered Filets with a Grainy Mustard Cream Sauce

18. Veal Piccata

Pasta

19. Bow-tie Pasta with Peas and Prosciutto

20. Pasta Carbonara

21. Shrimp Alfredo

22. Vongole Clam Sauce

Sandwiches

23. Chicken, Roasted Poblano, and Corn Quesadillas

24. Meatball Sub

25. Reuben

26. Sloppy Joes

27. Tuna Melt

28. Cuban

29. Croque Monsieur

30. Grilled Jalapeño Pimento Cheese Sandwich

10 Leftover Chicken Makeovers

Here are 10 recipes to turn your leftovers (or a rotisserie chicken from your local market) into something delicious.

1. White Bean Chicken Chili

2. Chicken Tortilla Soup

3. Corn Chowder

4. Chicken à la King

5. Chicken Pot Pie

6. Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde

7. Shrimp, Chicken, and Sausage Jambalaya

8. Chicken Tetrazzini

9. Chicken, Roasted Poblano, and Corn Quesadillas

10. Chicken, Caramelized Onion, and Apple Pizza

20 Freezer Go-To’s

When making these recipes, make a double batch to freeze. This way you’ll always have a home-cooked meal, even if you don’t have time to cook.

1. Vegetable Beef Soup

2. Pa’s Chicken Noodle Soup

3. White Bean Chicken Chili

4. Chili Con Carne

5. Creamy Tomato Soup

6. Chicken Tortilla Soup

7. French Onion Soup

8. Lentil and Sausage Soup

9. Chicken à la King

10. Chicken Pot Pie

11. Turkey Burgers

12. Potato Chip Chicken Fingers

13. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

14. Italian Meatloaf

15. Carnitas Pork Tacos

16. Chicken Tetrazzini

17. Mama’s Spaghetti

18. Vongole Clam Sauce

19. Italian Sausage and Spinach Lasagna

20. Sloppy Joes

A Well-Stocked Kitchen

Keeping a well-stocked kitchen will make meal preparation a breeze.

If you have this basic list of kitchen utensils and ingredients on hand, making the recipes in this book will be effortless. And there will always be something to eat . . . no matter what time of day it is or who stops by for supper.

Basic Kitchen Utensils

Set of graduated, straight-edge measuring cups made for dry ingredients

10-inch cast-iron skillet, well-seasoned

Set of measuring spoons

12-inch ovenproof sauté pan

Glass liquid measuring cup

8-quart stockpot

Small whisk

2-quart saucepan with lid

Tongs

Baking dishes (one 8- x 8-inch and one 9- x 13-inch)

Flat metal spatula

9-inch pie dish

Heatproof rubber spatula

Large, rimmed baking sheet

Vegetable peeler (the rubber-handled ones are easier on your hands)

Colander

Can opener

Traditional four-sided cheese grater

Peppermill

Blender or food processor

Mixing bowls (both large and small)

Aluminum foil and plastic wrap

Good, sharp knives (a small paring knife and a 6- to 8-inch chef knife are a must)

Resealable containers and baggies (several sizes for leftovers)

Cutting boards (at least two—one for raw meats and another for everything else)

Not Essential but Fun to Have

Garlic press

Fine sieve

Metal fish spatula

Removable-bottom tart pans

Microplane zesters (both fine and coarse)

7-quart Dutch oven (I love the enameled cast-iron ones.)

Soup ladle

Stand mixer

Lemon juicer

Immersion blender

Pantry Items

Kosher salt

Rice

Black peppercorns for your peppermill

Pastas

Olive oil

Spices (thyme, oregano, and basil)

Vegetable or canola oil

Pure vanilla extract

Mustards (whole-grain, Dijon, and yellow)

All-purpose flour

Bread crumbs

Granulated sugar

Canned tomatoes (whole, diced, and pureed)

Light and dark brown sugars

Perishable/Refrigerator Items

Chicken stock

Yellow onions

Unsalted butter

Celery

Mayonnaise

Carrots

Milk

Lemons

Heavy cream

Green bell peppers

Cheeses (Parmesan, cheddar, and Gruyère)

Fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, or flat-leaf parsley)

Eggs

Potatoes

Garlic

Freezer Items

Ground beef

Unbaked pie crust

Italian sausage

Tortillas

Shrimp

Bread

Frozen Vegetables (peas, green beans, corn, spinach)

Nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans)

SOUPS

Corn Chowder

Cold, dreary weather doesn’t stand a chance with a bowl of this creamy, hearty corn chowder. Fresh corn is always ideal, but in the dead of winter, frozen corn is the perfect substitute.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup finely diced yellow onion (1 large onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon dried thyme

5 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups chicken stock

4 cups peeled and diced white boiling potatoes (about 1½ pounds or 4 large potatoes)

2 cups half-and-half

4 cups corn kernels (about 2 pounds frozen or 8 ears fresh)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

5 cup crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

1 In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the butter and oil until a few droplets of water sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the pot. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Dust the onion mixture with the flour and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken stock and over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Add the potatoes and bring the mixture back to a boil. Stir in the half-and-half. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

1 Add the corn and simmer until the corn is soft, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with cheddar cheese and bacon, if desired.

Serves 8.

b Variations: Add a cup of diced or shredded cooked chicken to make this already-satisfying soup even heartier.

For a Southwestern kick, stir in a can (4.5-ounce) of diced green chilies with the onions, and garnish the finished soup with tortilla chips.

Pa’s Chicken Noodle Soup

While most chicken noodle soups are accredited to grandmas, this recipe belongs to my dad (affectionately known as Pa by my girls). It not only cures all, but it is so good you’ll want a bowl even when you are well!

2 split bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 3 pounds)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup finely diced yellow onion (1 small onion)

½ cup thinly sliced celery (about 2 ribs)

½ cup finely diced carrots (about 2 carrots)

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

8 cups chicken stock

4 cups egg noodles, cooked per the package directions

1 Rinse the chicken and pat