Cooking with Bren

Cold Gaspacho

2008-04-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

4 cups V8 juice
1/2 small white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 small green pepper, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, pared, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 dash Tobasco
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large tomato, finely diced
2 tablespoons green onion
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

DIRECTIONS
1. Put 2 cups of V-8 juice and all other ingredients except 1/2 the cilantro, diced tomato, chives, and lemon wedges in the blender or food processor.
2. Purée.
3. Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of V-8 to pureed mixture. Add chopped tomato. Chill.
4. Serve icy cold in individual bowls garnished with cilantro, corn chip strips, diced avocado, and lemon wedges.

NUTRITION INFO (per 1-cup serving)
Calories: 130
Fat: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 15 g
Protein: 2.3 g

Swiss Flank Steak

2008-04-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight we're having:

Baguette
Cheese
Petit Sirah red wine

Sauted Zucchini
Flank Steak
Pasta

Dessert:
Strawberries
Short Cake

Tenderize 2 lbs of flank steak by pounding it with a mallet. (I didn't have a mallet, so I used a heavy ice-cream scoop)

Dip the meat in flour, salt, and pepper, and brown the meat in 2 tbsp. of oil (I used Canola).

Slice one large, sweet yellow onion.

Place the browned meat in the bottom of a cast-iron, oven-ready, covered deep casserole dish (2 qt.). Cover with sliced onion.

Pour 1 large can of crushed tomatoes over the meat.

Crush and slice 2 garlic buttons and sprinkle on top of the tomatoes.

Slice into thin strips several stalks of fresh basil and sprinkle over the mix.

Pour 1 cup red wine over the mix.

Salt and pepper to liberally.

Cover. Slow bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat pulls apart easily and the tomatoes and meat are quite brown.

Prepare rottinni pasta (or pasta of your choice) or brown rice.

Slice and saute zucchini.

Serve meat with sauce over pasta or rice.

Slice strawberries (I use my food processor slicer). Serve over home-made white cake or store-bought short-cakes.

Mexican Chicken Soup in a Hurry

2008-03-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
6-8 large cans of chicken broth
1 pre-cooked whole chicken from the grocery deli
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch green onions
1 red sweet pepper
1 green bell pepper (opt. 1 small can diced green chilis)
1 cup 5-Minute Quick Rice (Uncle Ben's)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium white onion
1/2 tsp (to taste) of Thyme, Cumin, Chili powder, Basil
1 package corn tortillas
3 ripe avocados Steps:

Hurry into kitchen with your bag of groceries you got at the last minute.
Pop open the Swanson cans of chicken soup and dump them in a large soup pot on high heat.
Wash/peel/dice white onion, peppers, and green onion while the pot heats.
Saute vegetables in saucepan with olive oil until tender, then add the veges to the soup.
Unwrap the pre-roasted chicken and pick off the meat, shredding it into peices by hand as you add it to the soup.
Salt, pepper to taste and add thyme, cumin, chili powder, and basil.
Add one cup of uncooked quick rice
Cook to a low boil and until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally
Serve in large soup bowls, topped with about a tbsp. of chopped, fresh parsley and cilantro, and 1/2 avocado in slices Serve with corn tortillas
Suggested dessert: Mixed fruit bowl or Flan

Creamy chicken chili coconut soup

2008-03-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3 cubed Mesquite-grilled chicken breasts (from Costco).
Otherwise, pre-grill with soy or to taste.
1/3 full of large soup pot of water
1 cup of blend of wild and brown rice (Lundberg Wild Blend)
1 4 oz. can of diced green chilis
1 15 oz can of coconut milk
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1/2 tsp or to taste each of Thyme, Tarragon, yellow curry powder, Cajun spice or Paprika,
1 tsp dried onion or 1/4 cup finely chopped onion,
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
Fill a large soup pot 1/3 full of water and bring to low boil.
Cube cooked chicken breasts and add to the heating water.
Add rice mix.
Add coconut milk and mushroom soup.
Add chilis.
Spice to taste.
Cook on medium low for an hour or until the soup turns light green and the rice is tender.

I had 4 bowls...wow, yummm!

Bacon Cheese Fish Chowder

2008-03-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated aged Gruyierre
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
3-4 strips of cooked bacon
5 diced potatoes
1 diced, peeled carrot
1 medium white onion
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 tbsp capers
2 buttons pressed garlic
1 cup milk/half and half
1 1/2 quarts water
2 cups diced "white" fish

Directions: Cut uncooked bacon into small pieces and begin simmering in large soup pot. Dice onion and garlic, and add to bacon. Cook until onions caramalize. Add fish and lightly brown. Add carrot, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and add cheeses, thyme, and capers. Add milk/half and half. Serve hot.

Hot and Sweet Soup

2008-03-20T23:13:00.000-07:00

Simmer 1/2 a big pot of water
Add 3 cubed cooked chicken breasts (I used the mesquite-grilled ones from Costco)
Dice and add 1 medium yam
Add 1 small can diced green chiles
Add 1/2 a bag of rottini pasta
Season with thyme, rosemary, basil, 1 tsp curry, 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar

Throw it all in and simmer until everything has cooked together.
Sounds wierd, but ooo..delicious.