MUG SHOT MONDAY!!

I love my mug!! Don't you? I love yours, too! We should all love our mugs! I think the world would be an amazingly happy place if we did!  So Mondays are going to be mug shot Mondays. I was inspired to do this by several ideas I had (that I thought were SO original), that turned out to be currently in use on other blogs…lots of them. So I am mixing the ideas in a way that I think just might be ORIGINAL!  Here is the scoop! I will post a week's worth of mug recipes (with some kind of theme) every Monday, and you will send me pictures of seven mugs that I can post on Mondays.  Now the recipes are going to be for things you can put in mugs…but you never know…I could also post things to put on mugs (some great skin care ideas for your mug)!! Your picture needs to be of seven mugs exactly! So you could have any combination of mugs in the mix, but there needs to be at least one of the drinking/eating vessel type mugs (a cup with a handle) in the mug mix!! Be creative with your mug shots! I will only post one mug shot per week (for now) but other submissions could be used in future weeks! Send your mug shots to livefreelynow@live.com.

http://www.changethethought.com/mugs-by-harry-pearce/

I had to borrow a mug shot from the web for this week.

Today's theme is Chowder!

A great history of the term "Chowder" can be found here http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/ChowderHistory.htm My idea of a chowder is a soup that contains potatoes…if it has potatoes in it, I call it a chowder...unless of course I call it a stew! I consider chowder a frugal food because it does use potatoes, and potatoes are cheap!! Potatoes are also a great food to eat plenty of during the fall. Potatoes are packed with vitamin C and are a great way to boost your immune system...and less risky than a flu shot!!

Plus, I love a good chowder when the weather gets cool. Hope you find one you love!

Chili Chicken Chowder (Cheat)

This has only two perishable ingredients and they can be substituted with non perishables, which makes it a great recipe when power is unavailable... Just add heat.

2 tbsp butter (use olive oil if no butter avail)
1 small onion
1 small green pepper, 1/2 inch dice
3 cloves garlic minced
32 fl oz Chicken broth
32 fl oz water
3 cups potato flakes
1 cup half and half (use evaporated milk if no half and half available)
1 cup salsa verde
15 oz can diced potatoes
Big can of chicken (not sure the ounces but it is the one bigger than the 6 oz tuna sized can)
Salt and pepper to taste (probably won't need either)

Saute onion, pepper, and garlic in butter.
Add broth and water bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add potato flakes while stirring.
Add half and half, salsa, potatoes and flaked chicken.
Heat through and test taste before adding salt or pepper.
Great topped with crackers, tortilla chips, or cheese.

Serves 6 hungry mugs.

Corn Chowder

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 strip of bacon or 1 teaspoon of bacon fat (substitute 1/2 Tbsp of butter for vegetarian option)
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
*1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
*1/2 large carrot, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
*1/2 celery stalk, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
3 1/2 cups milk, whole or low fat
3 ears of sweet corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 2 cups), cobs reserved (see steps for taking corn off the cob )
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (less if dried)
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh ground pepper
*these three ingredients can be substituted with seasoning blend frozen veg mix 1 cup total.

1 In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon strip (skip this step for vegetarian option, just add more butter) and fry until the bacon renders its fat, but doesn't begin to brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes.
2 Break the corn cobs in half and add them to the saucepan. Add the milk and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Make sure the heat is as low as can be and still maintain a gentle simmer (on our stove we had to use the "warm" setting) to prevent scalding the milk on the bottom of the pan.
3 Discard the cobs, the bacon strip, and the bay leaf. Raise the heat, add the potatoes, red pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, fresh ground pepper to taste, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost fork tender.
4 Raise the heat, add the corn kernels and the thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
modified from recipe at Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com/
Serves 4 mugs.

Seafood Chowder

3 tablespoons butter
1small onion, diced
1 stalks celery, diced
2 tbsp mirin (sweetened sake)
1/2 tablespoon crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quarts fish or vegetable stock
1 quarts clam broth
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2- inch cubes
1/2 pound crab meat, or lobster meat, or any combination of the two, picked over for shells
1/2 pound sea scallops or bay scallops
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined preferably small but not salad small
1/2 - 1 pound skinned whitefish, such as cod or halibut, or firm white fish like monk or swordfish I have also used shark, cut into 2- inch pieces
1/2 pint half-and-half, heated (do not boil)
Salt

1.Melt butter in a large stockpot. Saute onions and celery in butter until soft and translucent. Add mirin and continue to cook until it is almost reduced. Stir in crab boil seasoning and 1 tablespoon pepper. Continue to cook approximately 1 minute.
2. Pour in fish or vegetable stock and clam broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook the potatoes until just tender.
3. Continue to simmer and add crab, lobster, scallops, and shrimp. Return to a simmer and add fish. Gently poach fish until just cooked.
4. Add heated half-and- half. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Serves 6 -8  fishy mugs.

Hot Sweet Potato Chowder
Sweet potatoes are potatoes, too.

4 lbs sweet potatoes, cleaned and quartered
1 med onion, chopped
3 slices turkey bacon, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP butter
8 cups chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, slices
1/2 cup cilantro
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. boil potatoes in water until just tender then drain, cool, and skin.
2. Saute onion, bacon, and garlic in butter until onions are translucent.
3. Add chicken broth to onion mix and bring to a boil.
4. Dice half of the cooked sweet potatoes to a half inch dice. Add to boiling broth.
5. Puree remaining sweet potatoes with jalapeños, cumin, cilantro, and half and half. Stir into soup.
You may want to sweeten with your choice of sweetener. I add four individual packs of Truvia to the pot and a splash of half and half to the mug to garnish.This recipe is adapted from one in the Homestead Heritage Cookbook.
Makes 6 full mugs!

Grandmas Grilled Cheese Chowder
My Grandma loved to put diced green chilies on her grilled cheese. I made this soup in her honor.

6 large potatoes (russets are best) peeled and diced
2 onions, diced
2 (4oz ) cans of diced green chili
3 quarts of chicken broth (or vegetable or a combination of the two)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
salt to taste
2 cups of grated or finely diced American cheese (I use Velveeta)

1. Bring broth to a boil. Add all ingredients except cheese. Simmer until vegetables are soft.
2. Blend half of vegetables and broth and use potato masher on other half.
3. Return all to pot and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
I like to dice up a few pieces of buttered and toasted bread and float them on top.
Makes 8 mega mugs!


These last two recipes are great bases to use when creating your own "chowder" variation.
The first is just a basic potato chowder base, and the second is a "faux" chowder made from the "faux 'tato"...cauliflower! Add your own meats, cheeses, or vegetables to make an original chowder.

Basic Chowder

3 large potatoes (russets are best) peeled and diced (1/2 inch)
1 onions, diced
3 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable or a combination of the two)
1 cup half and half
1 tsp garlic powder

Cook potatoes and onion in boiling broth until tender. Reserving 1 cup of diced vegetables, puree or blend the rest. Add the puree to the diced vegetables and add half and half and garlic. Add meat, cheese and vegetables along with additional spices as desired. Add water, broth, or cream to thin and potato flakes to thicken.
Makes 4 main dish mugs or 6 side dish mugs.

Faux Chowder

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken or combination)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a boil, then add cauliflower. Boil for about 20 mins to half an hour (until very tender). Add minced garlic and puree in batches (reserve some for a chunky texture if desired). Rinse pot if you do not want any chunks, then return puree to pot. Stir in cream and butter, season to taste with salt and pepper let heat on low until butter is melted and incorporated. This is great by itself, just grate some Romano or parm on top and sprinkle with chives! Or...make your own Faux Chowder variations! I'd love to hear your ideas!
Makes 4 main dish mugs or 6 side dish mugs.