Apples Day 3: Mulliga-WHAT?!

Using the leftover Chicken Normandy, brown rice, and spinach, we decided to make an improvised version of a popular soup. Mullagatawny is a curry-flavored soup, which means "pepper water" when translated into English. I am not making this stuff up, even though I tend to do that sometimes. OK, I do that a lot. But I always try to sound smart.

Here are the pantry/fridge ingredients we already had and used to make this soup:

Green apples (1)

Chicken broth (almost a full box)

Curry that we got from Chateau Felice Wine Club - oh hey, wine snobs! (a few teaspoons)

Onions (about a quarter of a medium onion)

Garlic (1 clove)

Celery (about 2 stalks)

(Salt and pepper to taste) - always implicit (except in desserts, smartass.) and I sometimes forget to say it.

We purchased:

Coconut milk - $2.50 (1/2 can)

Carrots - $1 for a bunch (2 carrots)

When making a soup, make sure to dice everything small enough so it can fit on a spoon - that's John's rule of thumb. Nothing tees John off worse than a huge carrot on his spoon. Like the Incredible Hulk, you wouldn't like him when he's angry. 

First dice the apple, carrots, celery, garlic and onion and sautee for a few minutes in a stock pot. Then add the leftover chicken, spinach, and brown rice. This is super simple - just add all of the liquids and spices and just let it simmer for a while. 

We should win the Nobel Prize for innovation. Do they have one of those?

Chicken Normandy

So, remember when I said we weren't vegans? This recipe involves bacon. 'Nuff said. 

After a long day of bringing home said bacon, I arrived home to John feverishly slicing two of the Red Delicious apples we'd picked the day before. 

He found the following leftover ingredients in our fridge and pantry: 

Brown rice

All-purpose flour

Apple cider

Fresh thyme (we used it in a previous recipe, and wrapped in a wet paper towel so it would keep)

Onion

Skim milk

Bacon (which we froze after making for breakfast awhile ago)

And went to the store for these ingredients: 

Brandy (which we don't typically have because we're not 75-year-olds) = $10

Chicken breasts (3) - $6

Fresh spinach - $2

He started by dicing up what probably would be the equivalent of 2 or 3 slices of bacon into tiny pieces and sauteeing them in a grill pan. He took the bits out after they were browned and left the grease behind (like any good man conscious of his woman's desires to lose 5-1o lbs, he proceeded to cook the rest of our meal in bacon grease.) An extra few miles on the treadmill for me.

Cut the chicken breasts in half to make 6 pieces. This will maximize your leftovers, and you really only should eat half anyway. Dredge the chicken in flour and fry it in the bacon grease until its just almost done. Then remove and drain the grease on a paper towel. 

Throw about 1/4 of an onion, diced, into the bacon grease. Then add the apple slices and sautee for a few minutes. 

Listen to me here, because you could lose an eyebrow if not. Let me say this again - WARNING - if you don't listen to me kiss your eyebrows goodbye. Remove the pan from the flame, STAND BACK, and then add 1/2 cup of brandy to the pan. Put it back on the stove and STAY BACK! It will set on fire...

After the brandy cooks down, add about a cup of apple cider, some fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce that and add a touch of milk. If needed, throw a little extra flour in the sauce to thicken it up. Don't forget to add the bacon bits at the end for that nice little touch of salt for this otherwise sweet dish.

We'll probably be able to eat this meal 2-3 more times, depending on how hungry we are... Not to mention, we'll have to start drinking Brandy, and maybe playing shuffleboard.