Irish Beer Cheese Soup

Do I even need to write anything here?  This recipe contains beer, cheese, and is topped with popcorn.  I think it speaks for itself. ;)

I ask you to forgive the pictures as we were trying to sit down to dinner, the popcorn was sinking, and well, I was hungry.  Picture this soup with a pretty mound of popcorn on top.  Thank you.

What makes this soup Irish?  It starts here:

Irish beer, and two Irish cheeses...Kerrygold Dubliner with Irish Stout (I've been eating this like candy lately), and Vintage Dubliner.  If you aren't feeling Irish, or can't find Kerrygold, feel free to substitute cheddar.  Be sure to grate the cheese at home; the pre-grated stuff is coated keeping it from melting properly.


Irish Beer Cheese Soup
{serves 4}

2 TBSP butter
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 TBSP flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
2 dashes cayenne pepper
1 (12 oz) bottle beer
1 cup milk
1 cup grated Kerrygold Dubliner with Irish Stout
1 cup grated Kerrygold Vintage Dubliner
popped popcorn
smoked paprika

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. 

Stir in the flour and spices, stirring and cooking until the flour is incorporated.

Add in the beer and milk, stir occasionally until it comes to a boil.  Boil 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low.

Add the grated cheese a bit at a time, stirring until melted.  Ladle into bowls and top with popcorn and a sprinkling of smoked paprika.

 

Serve with a big hunk of Irish Soda Bread.

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Easy-Peasy Tortilla Soup

We were not a family of soup-eaters.  Maybe because I grew up outside of Houston, where it *tends to be* on the warm side.  My mom made chili, she made stew (which I hated...even though, looking back, I really didn't hate it, I just liked to complain. Yes, I was *that* teenager), but soup?  Not so much.

This is the recipe that turned me into a soup-maker.  It's adapted from a recipe on the back of a can of beans.  In other words, it's fancy. ;) We eat it all year long, but especially when it's a chilly 78-degree fall day in Houston, it's perfect.

You'll need this:

{...and some chicken, or leftover smoked Thanksgiving turkey. Mmm...}

Two notes:

1. If you like things spicy, sub out the can of diced tomatoes for a second can of Rotel.  
2. Yes, this soup has a can of beans in it.  It sounds weird, but they thicken the soup and add protein.  Trust me here. 

 
Easy-Peasy Tortilla Soup

32 ounces chicken stock
10 ounce can Rotel
15 ounce can diced tomatoes
15 ounce can refried beans
1 cup frozen corn
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken or turkey
pico (optional)

on the side:
tortilla chips (these are mandatory, otherwise, it’s not tortilla soup)
cheddar cheese
cilantro
avocado

In a large stockpot, combine the stock, Rotel, tomatoes and beans.  Heat over medium-high, stirring to break up the beans.  When the soup comes to a simmer, add the corn and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and heat through.

Spoon into bowls and top with a spoonful of fresh pico, if desired.  Serve with the sides.

Quick, easy, budget-friendly, delicious.  There.  Are you convinced?

Man-Pleaser Salad

Even though Mr. E really likes salads, some seem to really go over better than others.

Enter the BBQ Chicken + Blue Cheese Salad {with candied pecans and dried cherries}.

The idea originally came (not from this book) from the sister-in-law of my friend Terri, who, if I remember correctly, worked as a chef on a yacht.  Terri & I were both newly married and learning how to cook, and Terri's SIL suggested salad with BBQ chicken, balsamic dressing, blue cheese and pecans.  It was the first fancy salad I ever made...unless you count my mom's salad with spinach and canned mandarin oranges.

This is one of those great salads that doesn't taste too "summery" to me...we eat it all year long.  I think it's the BBQ sauce.  Yep.  I'm sure it is.  BBQ sauce makes it timeless.  You can quote me on that.

Oh!  And have you ever tried this lettuce?  Butter Lettuce?  The leaves are soft and, well, as buttery as a lettuce can get.  We love it. 


BBQ Chicken & Blue Cheese Salad

boneless chicken breast (2 per 3 people)
your favorite BBQ sauce
olive oil
butter lettuce (1 head per 3 people)
balsamic vinaigrette (from a bottle or homemade, I like this one)
candied pecans (handful)
dried cherries (handful)
blue cheese (may I suggest one of these?)

Coat the chicken with the BBQ sauce and marinate for 30 minutes or so.  Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken breast until done.  Remove to a plate, tent with foil, and let sit 5 minutes or more.

Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces and divide amongst the plates.  Drizzle on the dressing.

Slice the chicken and place on the lettuce.  Sprinkle on the nuts, cherries, and crumbled blue cheese.  (There are no real measurements here, just however much you like. I leave the blue cheese off for kiddo...he doesn't like it, which means more for me.)

There you have it!  Man (& Woman)-Pleaser Salad