Wild Rice

Well that was miserable. The Vikings dominated da Bears from the first quarter. Cutler was sacked 5 times and had 2 turnovers. The only bright spot was a successful field goal by Gould. We all needed that.

Let's talk about waterless cookware. I bought some good cookware in college. Everyone thought I was crazy but it has never failed me. Today's Chicken and Wild Rice Soup needed to simmer for 2 hours. After putting it together in the morning, I simply had to remove it from the heat while I headed to church. The lid seals itself and, without leaving the stove on, there was no chance for a fire. I got to enjoy a fabulous service with phenomenal songs by Erin and Sara. Ladies, the last some was gorgeous!

Returning in time for the kick off, the soup was ready. Here's a nice recipe for a cold winter's night.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/4 pound fresh sliced mushrooms
2 T reconstituted porchini mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup and 2 T flour
1 cup cooked wild rice
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Curry powder
1/4 tsp powdered mustard
1/4 tsp  dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup half and half
1 T and 1 1/2 tsp dry sherry

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat
2.  Stir in onion, celery and carrots and saute 5 minutes
3.  Add mushrooms and saute 2 more minutes
4.  Add flour and stir well. Cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly
5.  Gradually add the chicken broth, stirring constantly
6.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer
7.  Add rice, chicken, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, thyme, pepper and sherry
8.  Heat through, then add half and half
9.  Simmer for 1-2 hours (do not allow to  boil)

What Do You Suppose Forte and Long Will Do For Fun in St. Louis?

Matt Forte is questionable against the Rams tomorrow. If he can't have fun on the field, perhaps he will have to settle for photo bombing Kyle Long's brother Chris, who is also questionable for tomorrow's game.

Meanwhile, the rest of us are planning our menus to help Kyle's prediction of a playoff run come true. St. Louis is home to the great Soulard Market, the Hill featuring delicious Italian food, and, of course, there's beer.

The Edward Jones Dome offers an eclectic choice of foods including strange donuts; St. Louis BBQ, chocolate covered marshmallows, French food and fried green tomatoes.

This blogger has chosen her menu - have you? Let's get cooking and let's go Bears!

Seahawks Fly In To Soldier Field

Darrell Roya once said:  "One player was lost because he broke his nose. How do you go about getting a nose in condition for football?" da Bears certainly have their share of injuries and many of those injured are going to take the field. Roar! Tillman and Forte are likely to play while Hester's concussion will keep him out of Sunday's game. Let's now forget that Cutler is likely still recovering from his most recent concussion.  On the Seahawks side we're looking at Trufant, Bryant and Hill. It's a tough game and this blogger hopes for an injury free game this week for both sides. As you consider your Seattle menu, you have a lot to choose from. There is fresh fish of many varieties beginning with Salmon. Mushrooms and fruit are featured at the many extraordinary Farmer's Markets. Ethnic food has made a huge impact - especially Thai and Indian. And of course in Seattle, there is always coffee whether it is straight, in the main dish or in desert. It is lurking. So what do you think is your winning dish against the Seattle Seahawks?

Bears Conquer the Vikings

Soldier Field was rockin and rollin. Our Bears were back and it was fun! Podlesh's 2 point conversion was icing on the cake.

What wasn't fun were all the injuries. Bears fans will be holding their breath to hear the status of some of our Monsters. The list of injured players reads like a "Who's Who" of Bears: Hester, Tillman, Spencer, Louis and Forte. Let's hope for some good news. 

Deciding on today's menu was a challenge and came down to the wire. The decision rested on whether Cutler was playing. Once it was announced that he'd be on the field, it was time to make Skause. Skause is a traditional meat and vegetable stew that was a constant with Vikings. There was always a kettle going and, as they ate it, more meat and vegetables were added. My skause consisted of a Beef Vegetable Soup that had been made several days ago and the addition of wild rice and extra beef broth. Let's eat to the health of da Bears!

Skause

Ingredients:
1 pound beef stew meat
2 TB butter
1/2 onion diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
64 ounces beef broth
1/2 rutabaga, cubed and cooked
2 cans Veg All
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp Dried Mustard
1 box Wild Rice
Salt, Pepper, Rosemary, Garlic Powder to taste

Directions:
1.  Spray Dutch Oven with Pam
2.  Melt butter
3.  Brown stew meat with onion and celery
4.  Add rutabaga, Veg All, Tomatoes and seasonings
5.  Add 32 ounces of beef broth
6.  Simmer at least 30 minutes

Several Days Later:
7.  Cook Minnesota Wild Rice according to the package using beef broth as the liquid
8.  Add  to soup
9.  Simmer at least 30 minutes

Cream of Jaguar

We've got rhythm, we've got defense, we've even got offense who could ask for anything more? 41-3 Bears win and a tie with Minnesota for the lead in the NFC North results in ridiculous singing and dancing in this household.

Admittedly the first half was a snore but the Monsters who emerged to play the second half were awesome. For the second week in a row, Peanut caught an interception and ran it in for a touchdown. His eighth defensive touchdown set a franchise record. Congratulations and banana bread to you! Not to be outdone, Lance Briggs grabbed a ball and ran in his own defensive touchdown. That's how da Bears defense rocks!

Lovie said that the "Number 1 priority on defense is to score." That gives us two offenses and we certainly saw it today.

Robbie continues to be perfect. Forte is amazing. The dynamic duo of Cutler-Marshall is a pleasure to watch and every time Hester has the ball, we all hold our breath. Did you see his amazing catch?

Today's menu was Cream of Shrimp but the game was truly cream of Jaguar. This is a great recipe. Allow plenty of time at the end to strain the puree and, if it is too rich, add a bit more chicken broth.

Brian Urlacher has reportedly said that his major role is giving high fives. This winning recipe, based on a recipe from Williams-Sonoma, definitely receives an Urlacher High Five.

Cream of Shrimp

Ingredients:
3 TB unsalted butter
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small baking potato, finely chopped
2 Lbs. small shrimp peeled and deveined, shells reserved (Note: I used frozen cocktail shrimp, medium size and cut them into bite size chunks)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1/2 TB dried thyme
1 bay leaf crumbled
Salt and white pepper
2 pieces of fried, drained crispy bacon - crumbled (Optional garnish)
1 TB fresh parsley leaves (Optional garnish)

Directions:
1.   In large saucepan, melt butter.
2.   Add carrots, onion, celery, potato and shrimp shells. Saute until onion is translucent and shells turn pink (2-3 minutes)
3.   Add stock, half and half, thyme, bay leaf and all but a handful of the shrimp.
4.   Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
5.   In small batches, puree the soup in a blender.
6.   Force the puree through a strainer using a wooden spoon.
7.   Return soup to the pan and season to taste with salt and white pepper.
8.   Add the remaining bite size shrimp chumks and simmer gently until warmed (2-3 minutes).
9.   Optional garnishes are crumbled bacon or parsley leaves.

Serves 4 Bears Fans

On To Florida

Our 3-1 Bears visit Mularky's 1-3 Jaguars at EverBank Field this Sunday. Just because the records are lopsided, it is not okay to expect a win. The Monsters of the Midway need to treat every game as a Must Win if we are going to play in the New Orleans Superdome in February.

Bears cooks, here are some areas to consider when cooking to beat the Jaguars. Florida's cuisine is quite diversified and includes a heavy dose of Southern Cooking and Soul Food. A strong Cuban influence can be found throughout the state but most strongly in the south. Of course seafood is ubiquitous throughout Florida.

If you really want to shake it up, you might consider a Lebanese dish as a doff of the chef's hat to owner Shahid Khan. Mr. Khan bought the team last year. This Bears cook won't be sharing my menu choice until after the game because Mr. Khan and his Flex-n-Gate employees live in Champaign-Urbana. We certainly don't want to share our playbook with the Jaguar scouts!

Everything Is Bigger In Texas . . .

especially the turnovers! Romo and the Cowboys had a visit from the Monsters tonight. Da Bears orchestrated 5 turnovers resulting in a 34-18 victory. There was a lot of cheering and celebrating in this fan cave! The Bears defense and offense both played solid, hard hitting, smart football.

What menu did you choose for this shoot out? I shared some Cowboy Stew with a group of friends tonight. This is a long time favorite recipe courtesy of John Madden. Enjoy!



Cowboy Stew

Ingredients:
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 lbs. stew meat (cut into bite size pieces)
2-3 Tb vegetable oil
2 large onions, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large clove garlic, pressed
3 large carrots, cubed into bite size pieces
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
1 small turnip, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
1 small rutabaga, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces
2 cups beef broth
1 cup red wine
1/8 tsp basil
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp dry mustard
Creole Season Salt (to taste)

Directions:
1.  Combine flour, salt and pepper in large ziploc bag
2.  Add beef cubes and shake well coating all sides with flour mixture
3.  Brown meat in oil in large Dutch oven, working in batches if necessary
4.  Remove meat
5.  Saute onion, celery and garlic in pan drippings for 10 minutes
6.  Add carrots, potatoes, turnip, ruabaga, broth, red wine and seasonings.
7.  Bring to a boil
8.  Add meat. Cover, simmer 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender (add more broth if mixture becomes too thick or dry)
9.  Adjust seasonings by adding salt, pepper or Creole Season Salt to taste

They're Back!

Hurray, the strike is over and the NFL officials will be on the field for this week's games. The hope of every true football fan is a fairly called game with no injuries. Hopefully, everyone will experience that this week.

Bears fans, here are some hints for choosing your Dallas Cowboys menu. Steak, chicken fried steak, BBQ and Tex-Mex are huge in Dallas. Of course, everything is bigger in Texas.

One question you may have is "What is the difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex?". Well, that is a good question to which there is no one clear answer. However, there are several distinctions. First there are the cheeses. Tex-Mex tends to use orange cheeses while Mexican cheeses are white - Chihuahua, Blanco, Fresco, Oaxaca, etc.

Another difference is the sauce. Tex-Mex tends to use chili just like the chili I used last week against the St. Louis Rams. That's pretty darn American. Mexican food uses tomatoes (red and green), chiles, cilantro and chocolate (mole).

The meat is different also. Rather than ground meats, Mexican meats are pulled. Goat meat and frog legs are common in the interior of the country while seafood is widely used in coastal regions. If you've never had ceviche you've missed out on a bit of heaven.

This is just the tip of the nacho. Consider exploring authentic Mexican food deeper. You won't be sorry! In the meantime - Go Bears!

A Team Effort

Despite the friction caused by Cutler's comments last week, da Bears worked as a team to defeat the St. Louis Rams. The defense was superb, the offense had some bright moments and Robbie Gould was predictably perfect. I'm anxious to hear Cutler praise his team.

What was on your menu for today? After much fussing, I went with the house favorite Chili with some Provel Cheese on the side. I've never had Provel before but it quite tasty. I made today's Chili a tad spicy because I like it that way and I had some St. Louis antacids - Tums - in the house just in case. No need, the spice was just right for this chilly afternoon.

Creamy Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cans of chili beans
1 can tomato soup
1/4 cup salsa
Chili Powder (a lot) to taste
Pickled jalapenos, chopped (to taste)
Additional Seasonings to taste: Salt, pepper, cumin, season salt and ancho chili powder

Directions:
Season ground beef with chili powder and additional seasonings
Add onion and jalapenos to the seasoned meat and brown, drain
Add beans, salsa and tomato soup, simmer
Add more chili powder and seasonings as desired
Simmer for at least 30 minutes

Bears Host The Rams

Which Bears team will we see this Sunday when the St. Louis Rams enter Soldier Field?

ESPN and CBS Sports predict we will see a Bears win. Vegas considers Chicago an 8 point favorite. That's great and, after last week's game, the Bears are likely highly motivated. However, we will be without Forte and likely without Tillman. Urlacher expects to play but has seen limited practice while he continues to get used to his knee's new normal. In short, there are a few hurdles to overcome.

What can the fans cook up to help our team? Surprisingly, quite a few foods cite St. Louis in their genealogy.  Possibilities include toasted ravioli, hot dogs sized to the bun, vinegar basted pork steaks, hamburger, chili, provel cheese, brain sandwich, peanut butter, prosperity sandwich and - appropriately - Tums.

Make your best selection, hum the Bears fight song as you cook, don your jersey and prepare to cheer da Bears on to victory!

Kickoff in Five

The pantry is stocked for tonight's game against the Packers. This will be game #185 for this storied rivalry. If you wonder why Bears fans are so passionate about defeating the Green Bay Packers, here are some of the stories:

In October of 1985, in a show of extremely bad hospitality, the Packers put horse manure in the Bears locker room.

In November of 1986, Charles Martin entered the game with a hit list. At the end of a play, he came up to Jim McMahon from behind, body slammed him to the turf and separated McMahon's shoulder ending his season. Martin was suspended for two games.

And I  will never forgive the Packers for one tackle where they grabbed Walter Payton, turned him upside down and spiked him on his head.

Cheeseheads, here's hoping your team's conduct is more sportsmanlike tonight. Sweetness will be watching  along with his friend and ours - the Dream Maker (RIP). 

Where Was Your First?

Holy Cannoli Batman! That was fun. Da Bears were Monsters both on defense and offense. I don't remember the last time the Bears scored 41 points. Even the announcers were getting giddy about this team.

If you missed the game don't think they were playing a "got nothing" team. While the Colts Quarterback is a rookie, he has some real talent. And Reggie Wayne - ForGetAboutIt! He totally rocks. However, Cutler looks great and has an entire stable of receivers to choose from. 

The only downside from today's game is Peanut's injury. Still waiting to hear what the problem/prognosis is and hoping he'll be back soon.

So, back to the winning recipe and the title of this blog post. Apparently Breaded Pork Tenderloin was invented in Indiana. I have to admit it is one of my secret pleasures. I first had one at the Dog and Suds that was my first job. Yes, I was a CarHop Extraordinaire! It wasn't the root beer, onion rings or shakes that grabbed me. It was the Pork Tenderloin with lots of pickle and ketchup. I've never made a Breaded Pork Tenderloin from scratch so this was an adventure. Much like today's outing for Andrew Luck. The Colt's QB threw his first professional football regular season touchdown pass late in today's game.

Here you go foodie/Bears fans. This recipe came from AllRecipes.com - one of my favorites. Enjoy the adventure.

Traditional Indiana Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich

Ingredients:

4 (4 ounce) slices of pork tenderloin, cut across the grain
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup peanut oil for frying

Sandwich Choices:

4 Kaiser rolls, split
4 teaspoons mayonnaise, or as needed (optional)
4 teaspoons ketchup, or as needed (optional)
4 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard, or as needed (optional)
4 leaves lettuce (optional)
4 slices tomato (optional)
4 slices onion (optional)
4 slices pickle, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1.   Place each slice of pork tenderloin between two pieces of sturdy plastic (such as a cut-up large plastic freezer bag), and flatten the cutlet until it's about 1/4 inch thick, and about 3 1/2 by 5 inches in size.
2.   Beat the eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl, and whisk in the garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, marjoram, oregano, salt, and pepper until the spices are well blended into the mixture. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow bowl.
3.   Dip each flattened cutlet into the seasoned milk-egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs, thoroughly coating the cutlets with crumbs. Set the breaded cutlets aside on a piece of parchment or waxed paper; do not stack.
4.   Heat the oil in a large skillet until the oil is shimmering. Gently lower the cutlets, one at a time, into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown on each side, about 8 minutes per cutlet. Drain the cutlets on paper towels.
5.   Preheat oven broiler, and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
Spread the Kaiser rolls open with the cut sides up, and broil until the rolls are toasted and hot, about 1 minute. Top each roll with a fried cutlet (hopefully the sides of the meat will hang out of the roll by at least an inch on each side); top each cutlet with choice of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a pickle slice, if desired.