Homemade Chicken Stew

There are many different ways to make a stew.  You can use any kind of meat that you want, any kind of vegetable, and any kind of seasonings.  One of my favorite types of stews is chicken stew.  It is one of my families comfort foods and so easy to make.  It is easy to make because you don't really have to follow a recipe.

Start off with a nice chicken broth.  I do not have a preference, however, this last time I made it I used Progresso Tuscany Chicken Broth.  It help to provide a flavorful base that was well seasoned but not over seasoned.  After pouring the broth in the pot I put some boneless chicken thighs in and added some additional seasonings: Emeril's Original Essence, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash Original Blend, and a smidgen of sea salt.  You can also use boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders for the meat.  I let the chicken cook on the pot for a little while before adding carrots.  Eventually I also added broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, tomatoes, a little rice, and turkey sausage.  Once the dish was finished cooking the end result was what you see in the picture above.  A perfect blend of flavors that melt in the mouth.  The vegetables were seasoned perfectly.  The combination of flavors was pleasant for the taste buds and filling for the stomach.

If you have never tried chicken stew then I encourage you to try some.  You do not have to use the ingredients that I used.  Take what ever vegetables you like and combine them to make your own version of chicken stew.  The best part about chicken stew is not that it taste so great, but that you can make it more than one way.  You do not always have to use the same ingredients.  By trying different vegetables, different broths, and different seasonings you will discover an endless treasure trove of stews awaits.  So breakout that big pot, add your ingredients, and start cooking.  The perfect chicken stew is waiting to find you.

Tea for Two

My husband is normally a hot cocoa drinker, but on a rare occasion I have managed to get him to try a nice cup of hot tea.  I usually drink flavored teas and my favorite flavors are mint, lemon, and raspberry.  I prefer Celestial Seasonings and Bigelow brand teas, but will try other types of teas if it suits my fancy.

Last night after the kids went to bed and we were winding down for the evening I asked if he wanted any cocoa.  To my surprise he said no.  He said that he would have some tea but he just didn't want any hot cocoa at the moment.  So I put water in the kettle and fired it up.  I chose to make Lemon Zinger tea for both of us.  This is a Celestial Seasonings flavor.  I waited a few minutes for the tea bags to soak in each of our cups and then added a little bit of sugar.  After making both cups of tea I gave him his and I drank mine.  I waited for his reaction because in the past he has said my tea choices tasted like piss.  In no way do I think he actually know what piss tastes like, but was just making that reference because he didn't like the flavor.  But, last night, he didn't say anything.  He drank the tea with no complaints about the flavor and carried on with his evening.

Lemon Zinger is one of my favorite flavors because it gives the tea a light kick but is not overwhelmed with too much lemon flavor.  Another one of my favorite flavors is Raspberry Zinger; which is also made by Celestial Seasonings.  I tend to lean more towards flavors that are fruity, but recently have discovered the mint flavor made by Bigelow.  It makes my mouth feel very refreshing and tastes good too.

Any of these three flavors mentioned would be an excellent choice to share a pot of tea for two with your significant other or good friend.  When you share tea for two you are creating a moment when the two of you are enjoying the same flavor and have quiet time to engage in sparkling conversation.  Add some tea biscuits or other type of dessert and you have designed a fulfilling flavor combination along with the perfect moment in time.

Spices

Sea salt, Mrs. Dash, cinnamon, oregano, and curry powder are all flavors that can help make a dish taste great.  They are, however, not the only herbs & spices that exist.  There are hundreds if not thousands of different herbs & spices in the world; which means there are probably millions of flavor combinations they can create.  My two favorite spices are garlic powder and Original Essence by Emeril Lagasse. 

Garlic powder comes from the bulb of what is known as the "stinking rose".  Garlic powder is a spice that I have always used and I don't have a real reason as to why other than I just like the way it flavors my food.  I use it in just about everything that I cook.  Sometimes I even put it on pizza or in a salad depending on the kind of mood I am in and what kind of flavors I want to enjoy.  The Original Essence by Emeril is a special blend that has a unique flavor.  This special blend is made with salt, paprika, black pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, and other spices.  It gives your food a little kick without being too spicy.  You can taste a little bit of the salt but no one flavor overpowers the other in this spice blend.  Just give it a try and like Emeril said on his show when I use to watch, Bam!, and your mouth will explode with great flavor.

 

 

There are different blends of both garlic powder and Emeril's Essence spice.  I will talk about that in another post.  One day I will even try some of the different flavors they can create and give you a first-hand account about these flavors.  But for now just set your taste buds free and enjoy the rainbow of herbs and spices that await.

Oh The Flavors

Oh The Flavors is dedicated to the many wonderful and exciting flavors people experience from tasting the wide variety of foods and beverages that are out there.  The flavors that a person experiences may be experienced at home, in a restaurant, on a sandy beach, in a hotel room, at a bar, or anyplace that foods and beverages are served.  It is my desire to be informal with this blog and report on anything that is related to foods and beverages.  I intend on letting you into the world of food that I share with my family and friends and hope that in return you will contribute to this food blog through comments and future food and drink suggestions.  I look forward to experience the world of wonderful flavors with you and I look forward to this new blogging experience!