Vichyssoise (Leek & Potato Soup)

6 medium potatoes
6 leeks
4 Tbsp. butter
8 cups chicken stock
heavy cream or sour cream
nutmeg
salt, pepper
chopped chives (optional)

Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.  Cook in enough boiling water to cover until tender, then drain.  Meanwhile, wash the leeks thoroughly.  Split and saute in butter.  When the leeks are limp, add 2 cups of the chicken stock and simmer gently until leeks are tender.  Puree the potatoes and leeks and combine.  Add the stock in which the leeks were cooked, the remaining chicken stock and heavy cream or sour cream.  Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and blend thoroughly.  Chill 24 hrs..  Garnish with chopped chives before serving.  Serves 8

Comments:  I ran across this recipe in an OLD cookbook I bought.  The paper has yellowed and from the ad on the back it looks like it may be from the 50's, possibly before.  I talked to a friend of mine who is from Canada and said she had eaten this many times in the past and couldn't wait to try it again so she was going to be my 1st tester.  The only changes I made was to decrease the chicken stock to 6 cups and since there were no measurements for the heavy cream or sour cream I used 1 cup of half and half and 1 cup of sour cream.  PERFECT!  The did salt my potatoes while cooking and when I added the nutmeg I sprinkled just a little, tasted; added a little more, tasted; and continued until I got the perfect taste which for me was just a slight flavor.  Judging by the instructions to chill 24 hours I believe this is a soup that is supposed to be eaten cold.  I don't like very many cold soups so I ate it hot.  It was delicious!  This is a soup that any soup lover can't help but love.

Leek Mashed Potatoes with Baked Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed
water
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped Leek
1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken breasts on a baking dish lined with foil.  Bake until done and juice runs clear.  Remove chicken to a dish.  Pour drippings into a medium size saucepan.  Place potatoes in pan with the drippings.  Add enough water to slightly cover.  Add crushed bouillon cube.  Boil until potatoes are done.  While potatoes are cooking, in a small skillet heat oil.  Add leeks and cook over med. high heat until leek starts to brown.  Set aside.  When potatoes are done, pour liquid into a small bowl.  Add cheese and leeks to potatoes and using a mixer cream potatoes adding liquid the potatoes were boiled in a little at a time as needed.  Mix until creamy and smooth.  Serve potatoes on a plate with chicken on top.

Comment:  This is a chicken dish yet the potatoes are the highlight.  The browned leeks are so good that I really didn't care that I did or didn't have the chicken.  I did cut up the chicken into bite size pieces and ate it by coating it with the potatoes.  I think the flavor really comes from the chicken drippings, bouillon and using this mixture to thin them instead of using milk.  I will actually be making the potatoes by themselves without the drippings and hope they still come out good, which I feel they will.  You could use this recipe with pork and even beef so Think With Your Taste Buds and create your own combination.

Comments from Food Tester Carol:  Martha's ingenious use of sauteed leeks in the broth-based mashed potatoes brings a wallop of flavor.  You will want to keep leeks stocked in your fridge from now on.  The leeks lend a country hardiness to the potatoes and the chicken making this a special comfort food.

Quinoa & Cheese

2 tsp. olive oil
1 med. leek, white and pale green parts halved and sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup diced red or green bell peppers
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. minced garlic
3 cups water
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups grated cheese
Toppings - Panko, crushed red pepper, French fried onions
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil in frying pan over med. heat.  Add leek and peppers.  Cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in quinoa and garlic.  Cook uncovered 3-4 minutes.  Add 3 cups of water, salt and pepper.  Cover and reduce heat to med-low.  Simmer 20-25 minutes or more (depends on what kind of quinoa you use) or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.  Whisk eggs and milk in a large bowl.  Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese.  Pour into baking dish.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until browned around edges.  Sprinkle with toppings and bake another 5 minutes, watching carefully so toppings don't burn.  Serve with salsa, scallions, sour cream, hot sauce, etc.  Serve with a side of steamed broccoli or a salad and a slice of bread.  Serves 6

Comment:  On Doctor Oz's show he talked about quinoa.  I had never heard of it before and had no idea as to what it might taste like, how it was served nor what it even looked like when cooked but he said it was one of the healthest foods and a total protein so I decided to give it a try.  I went to my local health food store and bought some a couple of weeks ago.  It's been in my pantry since buying and then I ran across this recipe.  The dish was posted on Pinterest by Around the Table and it's delicious!  I made a few changes to fit my own taste.  She used tomatoes and I used green peppers.  She added seasoning salt which I omitted and my cheese was a blend instead of cheddar.  This is a dish that I would make even if it weren't healthy.  It's that good.