Spicing up my love with Chicken Soup

Who would ever have thought that chicken soup could be anything else than harmless. There are certain things in life that you learn from experience, which is just what I did today.

It started out well while making a healthy, hearty chicken soup. Using my freshly cooked chicken stock, which I got from letting a chicken carcass, skin and fat simmer for a couple of hours, covered with water. After leaving my chicken stock refrigerated over night , the fat got separated from the stock and I used the clear broth for the base of my soup, adding white wine and dry thyme and brought it to simmer.

I sauteed yellow onion and added chopped garlic, before I added it into the soup and then cut bite size pieces of russet potatoes that also got added in. I browned diced carrot in a pan that later got added into the soup when potatoes where close to cooked tender. It was then time to flavor up the soup with small diced Pancetta, Dijon mustard, salt, white pepper, and oooops, whole dried dragon chilies to give a kick to the flavor and trust me it kicked it off far to much for some - ONE

When potatoes were ready, it was time to add the left over chicken meat I had scraped off the cooked carcass after tossing it with Worcester Shire sauce and a little salt for more flavor. The soup is gaining great flavor now and I know it is going to be even better tomorrow. Popping the bread into the toaster, softening up the butter and placing condiments on the table and calling for my dear hubby to join me for lunch.

While ladling up the warm soup in bowls, in the back of my mind I am thinking about the SPICY dragon chilies, but there is no sign of one in our bowls, so we happily sit down for our meals and begin to eat. Hubby seems very happy and is finishing off his soup before me, but suddenly he gives me a different facial expression like his mouth went on FIRE and he quickly spits some thing out... of course,there is a well chewed dragon chili on his empty plate.

I felt so bad and tried to help my husband to cool his taste buds, but I could not help my self from laughing :))) a non stop giggling, which probably did not help :((( I started to get a bit worried though when my husband asked what the chilies looked like and where they were stored, with the risk of being put up for a revenge...

It took my loved husband about half an hour to cool down and he has not shown any signs of of a dragon revenge since then, but I seriously doubt that I will dare to eat anything my husband serves for the next month or so, without a careful prior judgment.

Pepper Jack Baked Wheat Bread

Lazy Sunday morning, raindrops are drumming on the roof. With having guests over tonight, I am in the mood for baking some yummy bread. To give good flavor to this bread, I am adding Jalopeno cheese(Pepper Jack) into the dough; it will be great to eat with a little butter or olive oil at the table.



Ingredients:
75 g Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
25 g Dry Active Yeast
2 Cup Wheat Flour
1 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Flax Seed Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup grated Pepper Jack

Directions:
1. Melt butter, add milk and warm until humid approximate 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Add yeast and stir a little, cover with plastic wrap or foil and let sit until frothy.


3. Blend all flour and salt, pour in yeast mix and work with dough hook in mixer or by hand with spatula in a big bowl.
4. Add cheese just before dough comes off the sides and forms to a ball.


5. Cover bowl and let the dough rise for 30 minutes or to double size.
6. Take dough on a floured cutting board. 7. Cut dough into 15-20 pieces and roll them with a little pressure under your cupped shaped hand.


8. Space out rolls on a baking sheet, score a cross with a sharp knife on the top of each bun, cover with a towel and let proof in a warm, draft free spot for 20 minutes or until double size.


9. Brush a little water and sprinkle flax seed on top. Bake in 450 degrees Fahrenheit 7-10 minutes, until buns feel light in weight and are brown under
.

10. Let cool on rack before storing buns in zip lock bags. Keep fresh rolls in freezer and thaw due to need for optimal quality and texture.

Enjoy!

Flavor Art #6 Ocean Treats - Winemaker Dinner at Old World Winery

Click here to see pictures from our dinner

Welcome back for another Flavor Art Dinner
March's theme is:
Ocean Treats

Thursday March 24th at 5:30 pm
Limited seats @ Old World Winery
About winemaker Darek Trowbridge

This dinner will also feature Barrel Tasting wines - see menu below - 8 wines total

Call (707) 490-6696 for reservations
Price $65 per person for food and wine
Wine club members $45

Vegetarian Option will be available upon request.

Hors d'oeuvres:

Spicy Maki Roll with Dungeness Crab, Roe and Avocado
2010 Pinot Gris, Mononi Vineyard, Russian River Valley (barrel sample)

Saffron and Feta Cheese Crusted Black Mussels
2005 Syrah, Rockin R Ranch, Mendocino

These two Barrel samples will also be available for you to taste:
2009 Abouriou, Sheri Martinelli Vineyard, Russian River Valley
2009 Pinot Noir, Butler Vineyard, Russian River Valley

First Course:
Lettuce Wrapped Ahi Tuna Ceviche with Crostini
2008 Tweek Block Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Second Course:
Grilled Squid and Octopus with Garlic Pasta, Kalamata Olives and Caramelized Red Onion
2007 Rose, White Knight, Russian River Valley

Third Course:
Blackened King Salmon with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, Wilted Spinach and Bearnaise Sauce
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Two Rock Block, Sonoma Coast

Fourth Course:
Espresso Triffle with "Zinfully" Poached Pear and Sea Salt Almond Flake
2009 Zinfandel, Carraro Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley (barrel sample)