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    kosher salt to taste

    Chicken and Rice Soup

    February 21, 2019

    chicken, soup, lemon, rice, comfort, winter
    chicken, soup, lemon, rice, comfort, winter
    Comforting chicken, rice and lemon make this a perfect winter dish.

    For the longest time I can remember, soup has always been the essence of comfort food. Food to warm you up on a cold winter day or that special dish when you are sick. This Chicken and Rice soup with lemon is the soup you need this winter.

    Avgolemono

    I was inspired by the Greek soup, Avgolemono. My friend Bella from the blog, Ful-Filled, recently shared her recipe for this classic Greek soup that is a base of chicken, rice, lemon and eggs. My oldest daughter has an egg allergy, which means Avgolemono wouldn't work for her. I wanted to create a similar style soup that would satisfy the same warmth as traditional Avgolemono without the eggs.

    Simple Ingredients

    chicken, soup, lemon, rice, comfort, winter
    Warm chicken and rice soup for cold winter days.

    Traditional Avgolemono uses eggs to create its signature creamy, silky texture. I decided to replace the egg component with a light roux (flour and butter mixture) to create a bit of creaminess without being a cream based soup. Adding fresh lemon juice is a must but adding some sumac spice gave the soup its bright flavor. The sumac bush is native to the Middle East, it produces deep red berries which are dried and ground into a coarse powder used in many Middle Eastern dishes. Sumac has a lemony flavor, but is more balanced and less tart than lemon juice which is a nice addition in the soup.

    The simpleness of this dish is appealing but the flavors of the soup are so deep and comforting. A handful of simple ingredients turn into a dish that is more than perfect for a weeknight meal or a leisurely weekend brunch. Taking the extra time to make a homemade chicken stock is well worth it, especially when the broth is the main star of the show.

    .I think the beauty of developing recipes is taking inspiration from around the world and incorporating it into your own personal style. A traditional Greek soup inspired my own version with a Lebanese twist and flair. I hope this soup finds its way to your heart and home.

    As always, I love seeing your creations. Tag me on Instagram or Facebook with your dish!

    xoxo,
    Cosette

    Pin recipe for later

    chicken, soup, lemon, rice, comfort, winter
    Pin for later!

    Print Recipe
    Chicken and Rice Soup
    This soup is hearty enough for a full meal. Serves 8 people.
    chicken, soup, lemon, rice, comfort, winter
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    Chicken and Rice Soup
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 2 tablespoon toum if you don't have toum, sub 6 cloves garlic, minced
    • 4 tablespoon flour
    • 12 cups chicken stock homemade is preferred*
    • ½ cup long grain rice, rinsed and drained I prefer jasmine rice
    • 2.5 cups shredded chicken
    • 2 teaspoon sumac
    • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • kosher salt to taste 2-3 teaspoon depending on saltiness of your broth
    • additional lemon for serving
    • fresh pepper
    Chicken Stock
    • 1 whole chicken
    • 1 whole cinnamon stick
    • 1 whole bay leaf
    • 1 whole lemon, cut in half
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    Chicken and Rice Soup
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 2 tablespoon toum if you don't have toum, sub 6 cloves garlic, minced
    • 4 tablespoon flour
    • 12 cups chicken stock homemade is preferred*
    • ½ cup long grain rice, rinsed and drained I prefer jasmine rice
    • 2.5 cups shredded chicken
    • 2 teaspoon sumac
    • ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • kosher salt to taste 2-3 teaspoon depending on saltiness of your broth
    • additional lemon for serving
    • fresh pepper
    Chicken Stock
    • 1 whole chicken
    • 1 whole cinnamon stick
    • 1 whole bay leaf
    • 1 whole lemon, cut in half
    chicken, soup, lemon, rice, comfort, winter
    Instructions
    Chicken and Rice Soup
    1. Prepare your rice by adding to a bowl, fill the bowl with water. Drain the water, fill again, continue doing this until the water is clear. Could be 3-4 times. Set aside.
    2. In a heavy bottomed large stock pot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and set to medium heat. Add in your chopped onions and cook for 3-5 minutes until they become translucent.
    3. If you are using chopped garlic instead of toum, add your garlic now (if you are using toum, wait).
    4. Add in 2 more tablespoons of butter and your 4 tablespoons of flour. Mix and stir until the flour is absorbed and cooked off. You can add in some of your stock to create a bit of a slurry while cooking this mixture.
    5. Add your chicken stock (see below for making your own), and rice. Let the mixture come to a boil on high heat then reduce to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes until rice is tender. Stir occasionally to make sure rice doesn't stick, I leave my wooden spoon in the pot.
    6. Add in your chicken, toum if using and lemon once rice is tender. Season with salt and sumac. Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice that has a lemony flavor, if you don't have it, you can certainly add additional lemon to taste.
    7. Remove from heat, enjoy! Add additional lemon to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley and pink peppercorns.
    Chicken Stock
    1. Place a whole chicken in a large pot with cold water to cover completely.
    2. Add a cinnamon stick, bay leaf and lemon.
    3. Let the mixture come to a boil on high heat then reduce to a simmer and let go for 2-3 hours to get the best flavor.
    4. While the chicken is cooking, skim the fat off the top periodically.
    5. Once your stock is done, remove the chicken, pull the meat off the bones. Pour your stock through a fine mesh strainer to get any bits out. Store your stock in the fridge or freezer safe container for 3 months.
    Recipe Notes

    **If you are using homemade chicken stock, feel free to sub up to 4 cups of liquid with water. Homemade chicken stock is a lot more concentrated than store bought.

     

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    Baba Ganoush

    April 17, 2018

     

    It's been over 20 years since I have made a trip to Lebanon to visit family. Yikes! I didn't realize how long it had been until I calculated the years. Kind of like me thinking 30 years ago was in the 70s, but actually it was the 90s...how did this happen??? Anyway, my last trip to Lebanon I was 17 years old. Young, excited, rebellious! My grandfather, may he rest in peace, I'm sure had a blast with the shenanigans I pulled. Even though I was young(er), the sense of livelihood and excitement was there for everyone. Huge gatherings with friends and family that occurred regularly, always centered around food. 

    mezze platter, charcuterie board, baba ganoush

    Some labnah, olives and parsley salad with sumac

    In Middle Eastern countries, we celebrate everything with food! Mezze, is the equivalent to a MASSIVE charcuterie board here in the United States. When you walk into a home, food is immediately offered and you are expected to eat. Mezze is a spread of many different appetizers and usually enjoyed with a drink such as arak. Some common dishes include hummus, labneh, fresh pita bread, olives, baba ganoush, chicken, grape leaves, cheeses, veggies and more. A table is spread with endless food options but yet, no one eats a large meal. It's just small bites you can enjoy leisurely. That's the thing, everything is slower and not rushed in Lebanon. People take the time to enjoy each other's company, enjoy the food, dance, talk and spend hours enjoying the afternoon or evening. 

    I read this article a while back in the NY Times, it was titled, How to Throw a Relaxed Parisian Dinner Party.  As I read it, I thought to myself, this was what life was like in Lebanon. Dining with friends and family and enjoying every moment. Being in the moment. Talking, eating, enjoying life and the company of friends and family. The best conversations and friends come around a table to enjoy food. 

    Now in my 30s, full family, lots of friends, one of my favorite things to do is entertain. I love to feed people, just like my parents do, just like their parents did and all my aunts and uncles still do. It's not me, it's cultural. It's a way of a life, a way we grew up learning to share what we have, especially food. For me, being Lebanese is not just where my parents came from, it's a link to my culture, my history, my family. 

    As I continue to grow and learn about food, culture and the art of entertaining, I continue to circle back to my amazing heritage. This month, a group of amazing bloggers are celebrating the art of Arab food by using the hashtag #AprilisforArabFood . Follow along to see all the amazing creations from various Arab countries all over the world. The most amazing part is each post not only shares food, but stories and memories. 

    mezze, appetizer, baba ganoush, charcuterie board

    Silky, creamy baba ganoush

    Today I'm sharing my recipe for baba ganoush and pita bread that you can add to your OWN mezze platter. Baba Ganoush, is an eggplant dip with many variations similar to hummus. I personally like my baba ganoush very smooth and creamy versus the traditional thick style. Running the eggplant through a food processor helps to get it silky and smooth. This easy recipe will have you making it weekly along with amazing fresh from the oven pita bread! You can click to find other Lebanese Recipes on the blog to add to your mezze platter. Find the recipes for baba ganoush and fresh pita bread below. 

    baba ganoush, charcuterie board, mezze

    Baba ganoush, silky and smooth

    As always, I love seeing your creations! Be sure to tag me if you give this a try, Instagram @CosettesKitchen or post on my Facebook Page.

    XOXO
    Cosette

     

    Print Recipe
    Baba Ganoush & Pita
    Find these two delicious recipes to add to your own mezze platter.
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    Baba Ganoush
    • 2 whole eggplants
    • drizzle of olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoon tahini
    • ¼ cup lemon juice juiced
    • additional kosher salt to taste
    • olive oil to top
    Pita Bread
    • 3 cups bread flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1- 1 ¼ cups warm water
    • 1 tablespoon yeast
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    Baba Ganoush
    • 2 whole eggplants
    • drizzle of olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoon tahini
    • ¼ cup lemon juice juiced
    • additional kosher salt to taste
    • olive oil to top
    Pita Bread
    • 3 cups bread flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1- 1 ¼ cups warm water
    • 1 tablespoon yeast
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    Instructions
    Baba Ganoush
    1. Set your oven to 450 degrees or light your grill.
    2. Prepare eggplant by washing and rubbing with a touch of olive oil.
    3. Place eggplants on a large baking sheet to roast in the oven or place directly on flames of grill on medium-high heat.
    4. Allow eggplants to roast turning every 5 minutes or so to allow each side to char and roast. You'll want to roast for about 15-20 minutes until eggplants are very soft.
    5. Once soft, remove from grill or oven and place on a roasting pan, cover with plastic wrap for about 5 minutes to allow the steam to create for easy removal of skin.
    6. Once steamed up, remove plastic wrap and begin to remove the skin, it should come off very easily at this point.
    7. Place the flesh of the eggplant in a colander and allow to drain excess liquid for about 5 minutes.
    8. Place drained eggplant and garlic in food processor and allow to process. Add in your tahini, lemon and salt. Adjust to taste, drizzle with olive oil and enjoy with fresh pita.
    Pita Bread
    1. Preheat your oven and baking steel or pizza stone on 550 degrees and allow to heat for about an hour.
    2. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with dough hook add your flour and salt to the bowl.
    3. In a small measuring cup, add your yeast + sugar and fill with 1 cup warm water (110 degrees). Set aside and allow to bloom for about 5 minutes.
    4. With the mixer on low, add your yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Add an additional ¼ cup warm water if needed to create a cohesive dough.
    5. Allow mixer to work the dough for about 5 minutes.
    6. Cover bowl with warm damp towel and allow dough to rise for about an hour in a warm space.
    7. Once dough has risen, begin to make pita.
    8. Take a small piece of dough and roll very thin (as thin as you can go without tearing) on a well floured surface. Place on a pizza peel and place on steel or stone.
    9. Pita will only need to bake for about a minute, watch closely as it puffs and once fully puffed, remove from oven and place on a plate covered with a towel.
    10. Repeat until dough is done, make approximately 1 dozen pita.
    11. Store in a ziplock bag to stay fresh. Best used the day of or heat slightly before using.
    Eggplant Oven Instructions
    1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    2. Prepare eggplants by trimming tops and bottoms and using a vegetable peeler, peel just part of the skin, making stripes.
    3. Cut eggplants into 1" cubes and place on large baking sheet.
    4. Drizzle with olive oil (2-3 tsp) and a sprinkling of salt (about ½ tsp)
    5. Using clean hands, mix to coat all pieces and make a single layer on baking sheet.
    6. Roast for 25 minutes, mixing halfway through baking. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
    7. Place cooled eggplant and garlic in food processor and allow to process. Add in your tahini, lemon. Adjust to taste with any additional salt or lemon, drizzle with olive oil and enjoy with fresh pita.
    Share this Recipe

    Trio Meatballs in Cream Sauce

    February 3, 2018

    Delicious trio of lamb, ground beef and ground veal combined with a creamy white sauce.

    Delicious trio of lamb, ground beef and ground veal combined with a creamy white sauce.

    I don't know about you but dinner is always the wild card around our house. Breakfast is pretty much the same options; cereal, eggs, avocado toast, bagels, some baked good. Lunches also don't change too much: sandwiches, leftovers, small bites of cheese, salami & crackers. But dinner, dinner always has to be different. I can't serve pasta every night of the week or my family would go berserk! We aren't the family that has the same meals on rotation (but sometimes I wonder how great that would be)! Instead, I try to come up with new ideas, twists on old favorites and create some yummy food. But I guess I wouldn't be very good as a food blogger if I didn't at least try to be inventive, am I right?

    While meal planning is clearly one of the best and most practical ways of creating wholesome meals, let's face it, sometimes life throws you too many balls and you drop them all so meal planning does NOT happen. Like these past few weeks, I have been completely off my game and truly winging it day in and day out. On those afternoons I stumble into the grocery store, searching for some food gods to tell me what to feed my children, I generally turn to the meat department first. We aren't that non-meat eating family, so if you're into that sort of thing this might not be for you. My children legitimately tell me that if there isn't meat in a meal it's not a full meal (goodness, I have some picky foodies at my table)!

    Delicious trio of lamb, ground beef and ground veal combined with a creamy white sauce.

    As I shopped the meat department the other day, ground lamb caught my eye and I thought, meatballs! While I love lamb, it is definitely a strong flavor and I wanted to mellow it out especially since I was thinking about making a creamy sauce. I threw in some ground beef and ground veal to make quite the eclectic meatball trio. What I love about making meatballs is that they can be a meal on their own, frozen to use later or added to a variety of meals throughout the week. It's definitely great food item and if you're more organized than me, making these ahead on the weekend can give you a head start on those weekday meals.

    This dish would be great to serve to a crowd without the pasta or even as a meatball sub. Ultimately, it is a wholesome meal that your family will love. My kids gobbled up every bite! I hope you and your loved ones enjoy! 

    As always, I love seeing your creations, tag me on Instagram @CosettesKitchen or post on my Facebook Page.

    xoxo
    Cosette

    Delicious trio of lamb, ground beef and ground veal combined with a creamy white sauce.


    Print Recipe


    Trio Meatballs in Cream Sauce

    This recipe makes a large batch of meatballs, feel free to freeze some or adjust and cut the recipe in half.

    Delicious trio of lamb, ground beef and ground veal combined with a creamy white sauce.

    Course Appetizer, Main Dish
    Cuisine American

    Prep Time 1 hour
    Cook Time 30 minutes

    Servings


    Ingredients
    Meatballs
    • 1 pound lean ground lamb
    • 1 pound lean ground beef 7% fat is preferred
    • 1 pound lean ground veal can substitute ground pork
    • 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs can use standard unseasoned breadcrumbs as well
    • 3 large eggs
    • 4 tablespoon olive oil divided
    • 1 ½ large onions
    • 1 tablespoon dried basil
    • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
    • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced can add 2 teaspoon of toum instead if you have available
    • 2 ½ tsp kosher salt + additional as needed
    • 2 tsp pepper

    Sauce
    • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 8 tablespoon flour
    • 6 cups beef stock can sub vegetable or chicken stock
    • 2 cups heavy cream can sub whole milk or half and half
    • 1 teaspoon ground thyme
    • kosher salt to taste
    • ground pepper to taste

    Pasta
    • 1 lb egg noodle pasta

    Course Appetizer, Main Dish
    Cuisine American

    Prep Time 1 hour
    Cook Time 30 minutes

    Servings


    Ingredients
    Meatballs
    • 1 pound lean ground lamb
    • 1 pound lean ground beef 7% fat is preferred
    • 1 pound lean ground veal can substitute ground pork
    • 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs can use standard unseasoned breadcrumbs as well
    • 3 large eggs
    • 4 tablespoon olive oil divided
    • 1 ½ large onions
    • 1 tablespoon dried basil
    • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
    • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced can add 2 teaspoon of toum instead if you have available
    • 2 ½ tsp kosher salt + additional as needed
    • 2 tsp pepper

    Sauce
    • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 8 tablespoon flour
    • 6 cups beef stock can sub vegetable or chicken stock
    • 2 cups heavy cream can sub whole milk or half and half
    • 1 teaspoon ground thyme
    • kosher salt to taste
    • ground pepper to taste

    Pasta
    • 1 lb egg noodle pasta

    Delicious trio of lamb, ground beef and ground veal combined with a creamy white sauce.


    Instructions
    Meatballs
    1. Combine your meats, eggs and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.

    2. Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan on medium high heat and add your chopped onions + 1 teaspoon kosher salt, allow to soften and become translucent. After about 2-3 minutes add in your dried herbs, saute until fragrant. Then finally add in your garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes.

    3. Let your onion mixture cool slightly then add to your meat mixture.

    4. With clean hands, combine the mixture until it's cohesive. Add the remaining salt and pepper. If your mixture seems too dry, you can add a touch of olive oil.

    5. Form your meatballs into large golf-sized balls (you can make smaller if you choose, especially if you cut the recipe in half).

    6. Heat a large skillet and add your remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil. Place meatballs in pan and cook on each side until browned (they will not be cooked all the way through).

    7. Remove and continue until meatballs are all browned.

    Sauce
    1. Place a large pot on medium high heat, add your butter and begin melting. Add your flour and whisk until it forms a paste.

    2. Slowly add in your beef stock and continue whisking until the mixture comes to a slight boil and thickens.

    3. Turn heat down to low, add your salt, pepper & thyme to taste. Next, add in your meatballs. Let simmer and add in your cream.

    4. Cook your pasta according to package directions, drain and mix in your sauce and meatballs.

    5. Top with fresh parsley and additional thyme if desired. Enjoy!


    Recipe Notes

    **You make make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze or store in fridge. If storing in fridge, I would recommend cooking the meatballs all the way through. You can either place the pan fried meatballs in the oven to finish cooking or skip pan frying and bake the meatballs at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes until cooked through. 

    **Meatballs and sauce can be served as is without the pasta, great as an appetizer


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    My name is Cosette Posko and I reside in Portland, Oregon with my family of five. Originally from Pennsylvania, I moved to the great Pacific Northwest about 15 years ago and have been here ever since.

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