Tuesday Choupi

Last night proved to be a fun one in the kitchen. I've mentioned it before, but Tuesdays often end up being a soup day. Making something you can have over the next few days. This one ended up being spur of the moment, spontaneous if you will. I'm calling it the Tuesday Choupi. Choupi, being a cross between a chili and a soup. Its hearty like a chili, but not quite all there to put it in such a category. I was tossing in things left and right. "Oh, I have a few potatoes!" & "Lets put in carrots!!" may have been things I said. This dish has some kick to it, so feel free to modify the spice down to your liking. It makes a ton! My pot was simmering to the brim with this concoction. And not gonna lie, it turned out awesome. Once again, when Al came home, he inhaled a huge portion. Gotta love him.

TIP:
I am constantly using chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in my dishes. Not wanting the to waste a whole can, try this out for size. Take the whole can when you first need it and throw it in a food processor, process until nice and smooth. Use what you need the first time, and then put the rest in a ziplock baggie, place in the freezer. It makes it so easy to then, when you need it, break off a chunk and use! An extra step the first time around and a super time saver all subsequent times!

INGREDIENTS:
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper
2 tbls chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, food processed
2 tbls ground cumin
1 tbls ground corriander
1 tbls chili powder
1 teas oregano
1 4 oz can diced jalapenos
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
water(refill the tomato can with water, dump in...twice)
4 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cans of white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup bulgur

*In a LARGE pot, heat a bit of olive oil over medium-high. Add in the onion and garlic, sweat out for 3 or 4 mins. Throw in the carrot and bell pepper, throw in some s&p and cook until the veggies are tender. Sprinkle on all the seasonings and the chipotle peppers as well as the diced jalapenos. Work together so everything is covered in spicy goodness.
*Pour in the can of diced tomatoes in their juices. Refill the empty can with water, pour in and do it one more time. Adding in a total of 2 cans of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add in the potatoes and let it boil for 5 min and then reduce heat to a solid simmer, place the cover over the pot, tilted.
*Add in the beans and continue to simmer for about 10 mins, again mostly covered. Then add in the bulger. Simmer for another 10 min with the cover fully on, check to see if the bulger and potatoes are done. As soon as they are...serve!

Cornmeal Crusted Walleye

To put it simply, our vegan diet has been busted. I enjoyed the last couple weeks of food exploration and creation. But for now, we will be going back to an anything goes diet, rooted mainly in healthy full-flavor dishes that usually end up being vegetarian. This one however is based all around a fish.

My dad gave me some fresh walleye he caught a few weeks ago. I froze those bad boys, knowing we weren't going to be eating them for a while. But the other day I saw fit for a nice and easy fish dinner. I've always loved fish, since my dad put it on the table at least once a week during the non-winter months. I've also always loved its ease in preparation and cooking. A few little preps and seriously no time at all and you have yourself a meal. Just like this one. I paired it with some real simple steamed broccoli and garlic red skin mashers.

INGREDIENTS:
4 fish fillets
1/2 cup of cornmeal
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 teas cayenne
olive oil

*Put a couple tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
*Mix all dry ingredients and coat by dredging the fillets on both sides, place in pan
*Flip after a couple minutes, depends on thickness of fillet. Enjoy!