GREY MATTER LIFE

On top of feeling like complete crap for a while with headaches, dizziness and stress, we’ve managed to have an interesting week since Halloween last Saturday. I’ve gone from consuming copious amounts of Halloween candy and feeling like I may need a 12 step program to stop, to caring for Cooper with the stomach flu, Tucker with a fever and viral infection and then last night, caring for myself when I came down with some sort of cold/fever/I feel like crap, Calgon take me away shit. Anyone want to come and join our carnival?   

In the midst of our week of germ warfare, I’ve managed to put out some pretty tasty comfort foods and had plenty of leftovers to share with preschool teachers, neighbors and my friend Kelly who was doing the single parent thing while her husband was abroad on business. Since I know I am not the only one living the dream in suburbia with sick kids and a headache, I’ll share the recipes. Here they are, enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

4 Organic Eggs

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Canola Oil

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3.5 Cups All Purpose Flour

¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

3 Medium Zucchini – grated or finely diced

Beat eggs until light, add sugar, vanilla and oil and beat until combined. Mix dry ingredients together. Add dry alternately with zucchini to wet ingredients until combined and smooth. I used four small loaf pans, and lined them with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes until set. Cool on rack. These can keep in the freezer for 3 months… or be a good friend and share!

Popovers

3 large Eggs

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Salt

3 Tablespoons melted and cooled butter

Extra melted butter for greasing the tins

Preheat oven to 400 with popover pan in the oven. Beat the eggs with the milk until light, add flour, salt and butter and combine until you get a smooth batter. Once the oven is ready, remove the popover pan (I use the William Sonoma version, but it is not sold online, but here is one just like it I found online at Amazon.com) generously butter the inside of the tins and don’t worry if there is a puddle of butter on the bottom. Fill each tin 1/2 full (NO MORE) and bake for 20 minutes, turn heat to 375 and continue cooking for 25-30 min or until fully puffed and tops are browned. Oven performance varies, so watch them the first time and adjust your timing accordingly. Depending on how large or how many tins your popover pan has, you may have extra batter… just make a second batch or toss the extra. Do not open oven door! Serve hot… If you are not serving right away, puncture the tops to let steam out. They do keep well and can be re-heated in the toaster oven the next day… great with a morning cup of coffee.   

Giliberto Family Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 Tablespoons Organic Butter

2 Tablespoons Organic Olive Oil

1-2 Small Cayenne Peppers cut in half, seeds removed

1 Med. Yellow Onion Diced

6 Cloves of Garlic Diced

8 Mini Sweet Peppers (Orange & Yellow) – diced

64 Ounces Organic Chicken Stock

1 15 Ounce Can Black Beans

1 15 Ounce Can Organic Diced Tomatoes

5 Organic Chicken Breasts

2 Tablespoons Cumin

1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander

1 Teaspoon White Pepper

2 Teaspoons Ground Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Organic Honey

Fresh Cilantro, Avocado & Tortilla Chips for Garnish

Melt Butter with olive oil in pan. Add Cayenne pepper(s) for a few minutes. Add diced garlic and onions, sauté. Add diced sweet peppers, sauté. Add cumin, coriander, white pepper, salt and combine. Add diced tomatoes, black beans, chicken stock and honey. In a fry pan, sear the chicken breasts until 90% done and then add whole to pot of soup. Simmer on low for a few hours until chicken pulls apart. Check soup for flavor and adjust seasoning if needed. Reminder: I am estimating portions here from memory, I make this shit up as I cook. Feel free to use more or less of any ingredient to your liking or taste. This is just what worked for me.  You can remove the Cayenne peppers anytime during the cooking process. Serve with fresh cilantro, diced avocado and tortilla chips on top. Enjoy!