Dusty Cabinet Deep Thoughts Thursday

Time for another not quite exciting edition of Deep Thoughts Thursday.

So I was in the kitchen this morning, doing my usual morning kitchen-type stuff, when I went to grab a coffee mug and happened to look up. And what did I see, as I'm sure all inquiring minds are wanting to know? Well, friends, I saw a thin layer of dust on the top of my upper cabinet doors. Not a lot, mind you, but enough for me to notice it.

So then I immediately thought, "I should probably clean these cabinets."

 

Deep stuff, no?

Tasty Tuesday Creamy Chicken Soup

I found a great recipe recently from the Cookie Rookie blog for some Creamy Chicken Soup. I love creamy, thick soups and that recipe looked too good not to try. So I gave it a culinary whirl the other day and, as I imagined, it was quite yumtastic. 

And because I loved the soup to such a degree that I started spouting non-words in blog posts, I decided I should share the recipe with my favorite people too. Hint: I mean YOU.

 

Image Source: ReservationsatDorsia

Now I did modify the recipe just a wee bit. Their recipe called for wine, which I omitted. I also left out the turmeric, and I swapped dehydrated onion for the yellow onion--and I used granulated garlic instead of garlic powder, and frozen diced chicken instead of rotisserie. But this soup was so good in the end, so those omissions didn't hurt it at all. You could always add them in if you wanted, of course.

So anyhoots. How about that recipe?

Ingredients

For the Roux (to thicken your soup--make this first)

• 4 TBSP Flour
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 2 TBSP Butter - unsalted

Make the roux by heating the oil and butter in a small pot, then sprinkle the flour on top. Whisk it together until the flour is fully absorbed and the roux turns almost golden. Then take it off the heat and set aside while starting with your other ingredients in a dutch oven or large pot.

• 2 TBSP butter - unsalted
• 2 TBSP Olive OIl
• 4 stalks Carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 stalks Celery, chopped
• 1 sweet Yellow Onion - diced (or whatever onion you prefer, or even shallots)
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock or broth
• 3½ Cups Milk or cream or half & half (I used milk)
• 2 TBSP Chicken Bouillon granules
• 1 TSP fresh cracked Pepper
• 1 TBSP Dried Parsley or 2 TBSP fresh parsley
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1½ TSP Herbs of Provence
• ¼ TSP Granulated Garlic (or minced--add more if you like)
• 3 Cups cubed Chicken - frozen, rotisserie, or leftover
• Shredded Gruyere Cheese

Instructions

1. Start by making the roux.
2. Chop the vegetables and set them aside until ready to saute.
3. In a Dutch oven, saute the vegetables in the olive oil and butter until softened. Cook the carrots and celery first, then add the onions when the veggies are almost tender.
4. Add all of the other ingredients including the roux, stir well.
5. Bring it to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the soup thickens to the desired consistency--stirring frequently so that the soup can't burn.
6. If you need to thicken the soup, mix together some cornstarch with milk or cold water  and then stir it into the soup.
7. Remove the bay leaves.
8. Pour soup into bowls and then sprinkle with shredded Gruyere cheese. 

It may look something like this...

And after you've eaten it, you may look something like this...

Bon appetit!